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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 2
Location: Florida | I am wondering why there seems to be such an aversion to the new Ovations. Assuming the same materials, shouldn't the quality be similar? Most of the products now coming out of Korea are excellent quality. If this is the future of Ovation, unless there is qualitative or other knocks against it, what is wrong with the new Ovations? |
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September 2008
Posts: 1281
Location: Ohio | Most members are guitar snobs! lol.
I have a Celeb Dlx and it is as well built and finished as anything else I've seen. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6992
Location: Jet City | I have a C2078LX 6 and 12 string. I'd love to try one head to head. I do know the construction is not the same. The new ones do not have the LX neck for one. I'm not sure about bracing or grades of spruce used. Electronics are identical, so they should sound similar plugged in.
Welcome, and feel free to post about the site. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | The USA guitars have a different neck construction, and a neck-to-body design identical to the one Taylor came up with some years ago. This makes for a more stable neck, and a quick and inexpensive neck reset if needed in the future.
These features take a lot of CNC equipment and a higher skill level / more time on the part of the people making the guitars. All this reflects the use of the latest available technology and raises the price of the guitar.
The imports have taken several steps backwards from these new methods. No graphite in the neck. No millions of dollars in CNC equipment to make the neck-to-body joint. Lower skill level required to do all this. It lowers the cost of building the guitar. The trade-off is... if you ever need a neck adjustment, it isn't possible. The joint is put in a jig and epoxied together.
This might be easier to grasp if you think about a traditional all-wood guitar. Let's say a neck reset costs $500 dollars. If I have a Martin D-28 that's 15 years old and needs a reset, I can justify the expense since it's a $2,500 guitar. If I have a Martin D-1 that needs a reset, it's not worth the $500 to fix it. But maybe I don't complain too much since I only paid $900 for the guitar.
Each of us has to decide what is important to us in a guitar. By nature, most of us on this site love Ovations, and we want them to be guitars we can be proud to have. So we naturally lean toward US-made Ovations because they are constructed in a superior method. We have also had a lot of personal contact throughout the years with the people in New Hartford who have taken great pride in their work. We have no personal connection with whoever is making the imports, and they make lesser guitars by design. In this economy, a lower price point is needed for Fender to sell guitars in sufficient quantities to keep the brand alive. I understand fully. Maybe I can't afford to spend $500 more on a USA Ovation; but I still would rather have one : )
John. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by jbbrow00:
I am wondering why there seems to be such an aversion to the new Ovations. Assuming the same materials, shouldn't the quality be similar? Most of the products now coming out of Korea are excellent quality. If this is the future of Ovation, unless there is qualitative or other knocks against it, what is wrong with the new Ovations? Can you Heat that? .......... Listen......That's the sound of Charlie, spinning in his grave. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by jbbrow00:
I am wondering why there seems to be such an aversion to the new Ovations. Assuming the same materials, shouldn't the quality be similar? Most of the products now coming out of Korea are excellent quality. If this is the future of Ovation, unless there is qualitative or other knocks against it, what is wrong with the new Ovations? Can you hear that? .......... Ssshhh, listen .....That's the sound of Charlie, spinning in his grave. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | It's the rotor blades turning...... |
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December 2005
Posts: 247
Location: Seacoast NH | Great reply bauerhillboy!
Here's my 2 cents. I bought my first USA Ovation (Elite 6768) 18 years ago and traveled all around the country with it, abused the hell out of it and generally did not maintain it well for years. The guitar has not once needed any repairs or extensive servicing other than a standard setup. To this day people tell me it sounds and looks great. And it still plays as nice as the day I bought it. I don't know if I could say the same if it wasn't a USA model.
Also, my wife bought me an Ovation iDea last XMas. To be fair it is made in China I believe, not Korea. And although it plays nice and is fun to mess around with, the quality and durability of that guitar versus a USA model is not even comparable.
Just saying... |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 2
Location: Florida | I appreciate everyone weighing in and I believe that for the money the US made pieces are probably superior. As I only plan on playing it around the house and occasionally at church I believe a $1000 guitar is sufficient.
I do have a friend who is a professional guitarist and I am going to have him put it through its paces and see what he thinks. He has played virtually every kind of axe and is into jazz which I think is some of the most difficult time signatures, chords and fingering.
I will let you know!
peace, JB |
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Joined:
October 2011
Posts: 16
Location: Surrey, BC, Canada | I couldn't tell ya the difference between the sound of an AX and an LX, but since I too play around the house, and this is my first six-string acoustic-electric, I am very pleased with my 2078ax.
Indeed thanks for the insight bauerhillboy. I will have to baby mine! |
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Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 108
Location: eastern united states | i like the 2078ax. i have an lx also. the quality diffence is immense! doesn't mean that the ax is bad, its just that the lx is an upgrade. |
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Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 108
Location: eastern united states | hmm... i would still pick an asian O over an american washburn( says the 2 taylor guy) |
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C2078AX
