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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 160
Location: Montana | Ok, I'll tiptoe into this one slowly. I still consider myself a newbie as I've only been playing for a year now - after a 30 year hiatus. If I'm being honest I'll admit that most guitars have better tone than can be realized by me due to my limitations in technique. And it's somewhat frustrating to take my guitar to the music store and have the salesman/owner make my guitar absolutely sing. In my house there are guitars that are much "better" than my particular O in terms of value, potential sound, etc. But they are just masterpieces in waiting for me. Oh sure, I play them from time to time. But it is the O that just fits and works. And so for me, what works is the guitar that feels and looks good and so I enjoy practicing. I guess what I'm saying is that for a newbie it should be simple: All O's of all varieties are good. And if to you, a guitar sounds good, feels good, looks good, stays in tune, then it's a good guitar and so buy it and play it! |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | OMA, thank you. On this and many other threads, offshore O's usually get a lot of disrespect. And yet in another thread just today, many people were raving about the great quality wood boxes coming out of China. :confused: I have sold a lot of Celebs since I've been in business and I have stated before that it is probably the BEST new starter guitar on the market. Infinitly more PLAYABLE than other brands in that price range. When someone starts on an O of any type, they become spoiled by how easy they are to play, and when it's time to upgrade, only another Ovation will do. At least that's been my experience with repeat customers. I have a LOT of people who have asked me to call them any time I get ANY Ovation in. And those who own Celebs are VERY happy with them. When they hear/play a USA model, they start saving their pennies. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Isn't one of the first questions if they want mahogony or rosewood and if it's rosewood do they want Brazillion? |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Well, it´s almost midnight here and I have to wake up early tomorrow. But I would like to share my opinion.
First of all, I would like to point to the fact that every major brand has a cheaper line of guitars. Gibson, for instance, has their Epiphone line. I have an Epiphone, and despite the fact that it cost me less than a third of the price of a Gibson, it is a very respectable guitar. Anyway, it is not sold as a Gibson, and everybody knows that.
Takamine has their Jasmine line, and most people don´t even know that it is a cheaper brand of the same company.
The way I see it is that those companies are telling us, the buyers, that they make the product but they don´t want these to be taken as the same thing that their first liners. It is something like: "we don´t accept responsability for the quality of these guitars we are selling. We sell them for the money, and that´s it".
Now, Ovation has a different approach. Their UPPER line has a different name, Adamas. Their Celebrities and Ultras carry the Ovation brand. The way I see it is as if they were saying: "ok, these are the cheaper Ovations, but these are still OVATIONS. You can expect sound and playability similar to the more expensive ones, in an economic package. Not the same, since they are economic, but we make it and market it".
It took me 30 years to buy an Ovation. That´s why I bought an Adamas. But when I started, thirty years ago, I would be glad to have a new guitar. My first guitar had a horrible crack on the top, that I skillfully mended with silvertape. If instead I could get a guitar in the same league of a Celebrity or an Epiphone, I would be the proudest boy in the hood.
So, if someone asks me what should they buy, I answer: buy the best you can, because thirty years pass by much faster than it seems, and yet you will miss not having a decent guitar all this time.
My own two cents.
Miguel |
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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 119
Location: New York | I think that this has been an intelligent discussion where everyone has some great theories and input. This is why I enjoy being involved with a group such as this. I have only been here for 2 or 3 days now and I don't regret the decision.
Your humble friend
Hoss |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1477
Location: Michigan | it doesn't take a rocket scientest to figure out if one new ovation is an imported celebrity model and costs $400.00 and the new american made one costs $1000.00 there just might be a difference in the quality of the two.
anyone newbie or not who doesn't go out and play whatever brand that they are buying for the first time is nuts in my book to buy one from listening to any of us. my first was a cs 257 that i still think is the cats ass for my first o.now i have added two more adamas to my war chest.you crawl before you walk.
newbies play one before you buy one.GWB |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | In the $500. range potential celebrity buyers should also look at the Taylor Big Baby and the Takamine EG440SC. A bit more traditional looking than a celebrity, but damn nice sounding guitars with quality features and excellent workmanship. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Yeah... But they are wood boxes, and one is a Taylor on top of that! |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Just saying, there are other great buys out there in entry level guitars. That's why it's important that someone asking for advice gives a little background what he's looking for. |
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Advice for Newbies
