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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | According to This Ebay Ad production of the legend is moving out of the US. Is this true? |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | As I understand it, Std Elites, Elite T's, Std Balladeers are now made in Korea. Legends, Elites and higher are USA-made.
From the 09 catalog one obvious visual difference is that the imports do not have a TRC. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | I don't think there has been an official announcement. But look at it logically - if you can successfully build a Balladeer in Asia, why would you not build a Legend there as well? It makes perfect sense. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | If you look at a company like Reverend, they were going kaput. Then Joe Naylor (sp) moved production to China, but kept his staff here, designing and inspecting the overseas guitars. Before he was lucky if he sold 100 guitars a month, now it's over 300 and climbing.
He now employs more people in the US than before he moved production overseas. The alternative was that he would have no company and detroit (i believe that's where they were based) would be even poorer.
I have to say, I love those guitars, and they are professional quality.
I suppose the thing that bugs most of us, is what if you have a company like emerson, that moves everything overseas and they're no american jobs with no one in the US who knows how to do anything. They just hold patents. I hope that's not fender's plan.
I'm guessing they'll want to keep the high end stuff built here, to keep the knowledge base.
The chinese made reverends are stellar. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by an4340:
I'm guessing they'll want to keep the high end stuff built here, to keep the knowledge base.
That's the thing about Ovation, as anyone who has seen the factory knows. Building the highest end custom legend is no different than building an entry level Balladeer. More trim, better hardware, but the fundamentals are the same. Maybe an overstatement but not too far off. What's different about building a VXT vs. a Mexican Strat? Nobody wants to see jobs go overseas, but I'm having a hard time ignoring what I see as obvious indicators. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | If they follow the Reverend model, there will be no loss of jobs here in the US, instead, there'll be more jobs. The critical thing is to keep a knowledge base here. Fender does that with their American line, it makes sense to me that they would do the same with ovation, ie, make the legend and elites here, and shift all other production to china. Then have the staff inspect the balladeers etc before sale. They could probably sell the VXT for half the price, and sell three times as many if they did this. Like I said, the chinese reverends are as good as anything made in america and half the price. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Ah... But Ovation had the 'Reverend Model' going with the Ultra series.
They were made in Korea and came back here for final inspection.
The 2171 and 2178 were basically Balladeers and Elites with crappy neck joints.
(And both of mine came with flaws! Even after the USA inspection :( )
Fendrovation just decided that there is no need to put the strings on in the USA...
Just send the geetar direct to the stores and be done with it!
Now New Hartford doesn't even deal with the warranty issues on the Ultras or Celebrities...
and probably not on the AX or TX.
So don't encourage them to Outsource anything else.
I don't own stock in Ovation, so I don't care how the shareholders feel! :p |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | I would Imagine we will hear from Al as a get it now message if there anything to it.
Maybe its an FRG model |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Here another one
http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Ovation-USA-Legend-1777LX-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar_W0QQitemZ120374361012QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item120374361012&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3 A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 55
Location: Malvern, Pa. | The PEZ link is a USA made FRG.
The original link looks to me like the 1777LX is being discontinued. |
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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1453
Location: Texas | I have no idea what Fender/Ovation has planned, but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions based upon what some sellers say in their EBay ads. Especially in light of the current economy. They are just desperately trying to create some urgency to get someone to buy something NOW. I guess they figure that any rumors or "implied" future outsourcing of any current USA model might just entice someone to buy one today, and not wait until tomorrow… |
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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1453
Location: Texas | Originally posted by BobbyJ:
The PEZ link is a USA made FRG.
You sure have to read a LOT of copy to find any mention of RFG in there…
;) |
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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1453
Location: Texas | oops, FRG, the dislocated finger doesn't type any better than it finger-picks…
…that's my story and I'm stickin' to it… ;) |
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Legends being made in Asia
