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| I went to a music shop that was on the way home from the car dealership. I went there to try some Ovations (they are listed on the Ovation site as being a dealer), plus a few other acoustics. Salesman #1 says to me "Well, we are an Ovation dealer as in if you wanted to order one, we can order one for you, but we don't normally carry them in our store." Not a single Ovation in the store, so no trying an Ovation here. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't try out a Legend or a Balladeer.
I talked to him for a while and tried a Guild, an Epiphone and a Taylor. While I was trying the Taylor, Salesman #2 keeps grilling me about why I want to try an Ovation. I told him that I've tried one before and loved the neck, and loved the tone that Jim Croce and Glen Campbell were able to get out of their guitars. He said "Do you know about the fact that Ovations eventually get cracked tops?" I told him " I know people who have had Ovations for 30 years that have never had a cracked top, but my Walden has a crack in it. Not down to the wood, but there is a crack in the finish. There are people who have sent their Ovations back to the factory and they have come back as good as new". He seemed surprised when I told him that the Walden had a crack (they also sell Waldens there). He also said that when people send the Ovations back to the factory, it can cost over $300.00 just to send it back if it is out of warrantee.
So I kept playing the Taylor. I have to say that I'm still not impressed with Taylor. I fooled around with the different knobs on the Taylor and it still sounded really "bright". I did like the Guild, though not enough to say "Wow, I want that one".
The weird thing was that Salesman #2 left me alone with the Taylor, but he never once came back to me to ask if I liked it!
So after this experience, I went to GC. I had a really young girl that waited on me. While I was there, I tried a Koa Celebrity, a Tacoma and a Melissa Etheridge 12 string Adamas, and the iDEA guitar. No Balladeers or Legends here either.
IMHO, the iDEA guitar was very tinny sounding. The iDEA pre-amp is so cool! The girl there didn't know how to work it, but I tried it out anyway.
Cool, but for a while I couldn't figure out how to get it to stop looping! Finally I found a way to get it to stop (I really don't know how I did it). Because of the info I got here, I was able to educate another player about the iDEA pre-amp!
The Tacoma is a very nice little guitar for the money, but it was not "it" for me. Same with the Koa Celebrity. A nice looking guitar, but it doesn't have the tone I'm looking for.
The Adamas was a very nice sounding guitar, but the neck was too wide to be very comfortable for me. I think it was due to the fact that it is a 12 string. It also was one of the heaviest guitars I picked up yesterday. The Adamas was the second most expensive guitar I picked up. It was $1,349 (used). The Taylor was $1,600.00.
The funny thing about all the guitars I tried yesterday is that I didn't have a slippage problem with the Ovations, but I had some slippage problems with the glossy finished Taylor and Guild guitars.
Another cool thing happened at GC. There was a guy there that was trying out Takamines. He overheard that I was a Jim Croce fan. We talked about Jim a bit, and he played "Roller Derby Queen" and I joined him in song!
Even though I am still in search for the guitar with the "it" tone, I am having fun searching!
Michelle |
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Location: Michigan | Seems to be commom Michelle. Not many Os in stock. I have a local store that has 6 or 7 (they are clearing them out). Why would you want a composite back and sides when you could have a nice plywood? :) |
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| Originally posted by twistedlim:
Seems to be commom Michelle. Not many Os in stock. I have a local store that has 6 or 7 (they are clearing them out). Why would you want a composite back and sides when you could have a nice plywood? :) :D
Yea, why have any wood at all when you can have a no wood guitar such as RainSongs and Composite Acoustics or a cheap laminate?
Salesman #2 -- didn't like his attitude and seemed like wood box only snob.
Michelle |
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Location: Vernon CT | Michelle,
Your story is very simular to many others I've heard on this site and experienced myself. How can a young salesman even know what a quality Ovation sounds like if all these stores ever have are Celeb's?? They hear stories from Older salesman or customers about an Ovation they had 30 years ago that had a "surface crack" in the finish and assume that it is also in the wood top. Most of these young sales people have probably never heard of or seen some of great guitarist from the past that use to make an "O" sing! Only stories of the POS the Ovations are.
I would love to see the results of a "blindfold" survey done taking the top 5 brand guitars (mid to upper level)and an Ovation Legend or Elite played by the same guitarist,same style/song, plugged in and unplugged and see what the results are in terms of best sound. I would bet the "O" would be one of the top 2 if not #1!!! |
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Location: Michigan | Originally posted by Guitarzannie:
Originally posted by twistedlim:
Seems to be commom Michelle. Not many Os in stock. I have a local store that has 6 or 7 (they are clearing them out). Why would you want a composite back and sides when you could have a nice plywood? :) :D
Yea, why have any wood at all when you can have a no wood guitar such as RainSongs and Composite Acoustics or a cheap laminate?
Salesman #2 -- didn't like his attitude and seemed like wood box only snob.
Michelle |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | My FIRST trip into a GC looking for an Ovation...
I asked about a 12-string, so this guy climbed-up and retrieved a Breedlove for me (nice guitar)...
But he could not understand Why I wanted an Ovation.
Somewhere around here there is a picture of a CA stuck in a snowbank...
[A thousand dollar Taylor is their 'student' model ain't it? Kinda like an Academy?] |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I know the Alto music in rockland county and years ago they had a good selection of ovations. You might want to try either the Alto Music in either Orange or Dutchess Counties. though I don't know how far north you are of woodstock. |
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| BT, Salesman #2 was a guy that looked to be in is 50s. If he's been playing for a while, he would know that Ovations are good guitars. At least I would hope so.
The young girl at GC said that she was more of a Takamine girl, but didn't trash the Ovations and try to talk me into something more expensive. She just said that the ones she has tried weren't for her, but that people have to go with what makes them happy.
I'm just getting disgusted with finding a dealer around here that sells Ovations other than Celebrities.
BTW, I can see why people love the Adamas guitars!
Michelle |
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| Originally posted by an4340:
I know the Alto music in rockland county and years ago they had a good selection of ovations. You might want to try either the Alto Music in either Orange or Dutchess Counties. though I don't know how far north you are of woodstock. I'm in lower Albany County. I put Woodstock in there because I love going there. They do have a guitar store in Woodstock, but I don't think they carry Ovations.
Michelle |
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Location: GA USA | Michelle, no matter what store you try, there's going to be a limited supply of USA Ovations, and probably ignorant salespeople like you encountered.
If you tell us what you're looking for, somebody here will have it at a great price, quality assured, and most likely with a buy-back guarantee. |
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Location: Michigan | Michelle,
I am off to the local shop today. I will get some model numbers and prices if you like. They had some great deals but someone had 3 on hold. I doubt they all sold but I will send you a PM with what they have if you like. |
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| Originally posted by Captain_Lovehandles:
Michelle, no matter what store you try, there's going to be a limited supply of USA Ovations, and probably ignorant salespeople like you encountered.
If you tell us what you're looking for, somebody here will have it at a great price, quality assured, and most likely with a buy-back guarantee. Jas, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a guitar from someone here. However, I want to at least try a Balladeer or any other Ovation (except the Celebrity) before buying online and then finding out that it isn't the guitar for me.
I'm a try before I buy kinda girl. ;)
Michelle |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Maybe Patch can help you out with pointing out a store that carries anything. He's over in Poukeepsie (damn, I still can't spell that town). |
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| I hope that all of you pray/think positive thoughts that I'll pass my accounting class. If I don't pass the accounting class, I won't have the money to buy a guitar.
Michelle |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Good luck! (From another accountant) |
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| Originally posted by Weaser P:
Good luck! (From another accountant) Thanks! I'm taking an online accounting course. It is really tough, and I don't suggest that anyone take an online accounting course! Right now, I'm carrying a 75.86 average, and I'm not happy about that.
Michelle |
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Location: Cicero, NY | I would think that would be tough but I applaud the effort. Let me know if you need any online tutoring. I'd be happy to help you out. |
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Location: CA | A yacht broker friend of mine once noted: "A good salesman doesn't sell you something, he helps you buy it." By that yardstick, there are lots of poor salesmen out there, and few good ones.
there are a million reasons quality Ovations don't get much 'airplay' at stores — you can find most of them in the archives. Bottom line is, that's just how it is. Hope you are able to find someplace to try out the Legend/Balladeer. Don't give up!
Oh, and BTW, count me as one more whose 1971 Ovation has yet to develop a top crack — 38 years and counting... |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by an4340:
I know the Alto music in rockland county and years ago they had a good selection of ovations. You might want to try either the Alto Music in either Orange or Dutchess Counties. though I don't know how far north you are of woodstock. The Alto on Route 9 south of Poughkeepsie is pretty much import-only at the moment when it comes to Ovations. (I don't entirely blame them as they did not sell their 2005 Collector's until 2007, and they eventually had to price it at $1100 new to move it.) In fact, they sold their 2007 Collector's before the 2005. Go figure? They have some good staff though (and one jerk). I needed a new 9158 case recently and they got it cheaper than anywhere else without a hint of dickering from me.
I haven't been to the Alto in Middletown for nearly a year, but the last time I went, they had a nice textured-top Adamas, an '06 Collector's, and a balladeer or two.
Originally posted by Weaser P:
Maybe Patch can help you out with pointing out a store that carries anything. He's over in Poukeepsie (damn, I still can't spell that town). Michelle, give me enough lead time to arrange it, and you are welcome to try anything in my collection. My schedule is ferocious for the next several months, but I can arrange some time to meet at my office. There's also a "low-key" OFC'er who lives in Hyde Park (15 minutes away) who's collection makes mine look chintzy. He may be able to offer some assistance as well.
From what you've said thus far, my Patriot might be the closest to what you're looking for tonewise. (It's basically a Custom Legend in disguise.) I also have a custom legend 12-string and a custom balladeer 12'er (both over 20 YO with nary a finish crack BTW). I should warn you though, if you pick up my 1537 or 87 Collector's, your decision might become FAR more complicated.  |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Yep. Thought something like that was going to happen. Nice, Patch! |
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Location: SoCal | Michelle, take Patch up on his offer. It's the only way you're really going to get a good feel for a number of different Ovations. If you can then decide what you like, you can keep your eyes open on the used market, spend much less than you would for a Taylor, and have a great guitar..... |
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| Originally posted by Weaser P:
I would think that would be tough but I applaud the effort. Let me know if you need any online tutoring. I'd be happy to help you out. Weaser, I might take you up on the offer. I did sign up for an online tutoring session and the tutor never showed up. I waited for almost an hour for them to show up!
Michelle |
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Location: Cicero, NY | pm sent, Michelle! |
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Location: East Tennessee | Michelle,
Drome Sound up near Albany used to carry a decent line of Ovations but it's been 20 years since I've been in that store and the guitar selling business has changed a lot in that time.
My only regret is not buying a "Drome Sound" T-Shirt. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I would love to see the results of a "blindfold" survey done taking the top 5 brand guitars (mid to upper level)and an Ovation Legend or Elite played by the same guitarist,same style/song, plugged in and unplugged and see what the results are in terms of best sound. I would bet the "O" would be one of the top 2 if not #1!!!
Been there done that...HERE:
Test Results
And here:
Winners
And here:
Original test and rules (sound bytes no longer work)
The Contest ran over two weeks and there were some surprises....I'd like to do it again since I've gotten some great new Ovations and several Adami since then...the Book Elite would win it hands down and the Patriot would do nicely as well I think...I'd also like to do a 12 string comparison since I have at least 6 of four different makes...
It was fun! |
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My guitar shopping experience yesterday
