NAMM 2014

[hannaugh]

Is anyone going to NAMM?  I *might* be able to get in through my work at the art school (it never occurred to me that I could do that, but my boss got in that way last year, so it's worth a shot). 

Update - talked to the boss man, he thinks he can get me in.  Anyone else going?

 

[sixstringsamurai]

I wish..... :sad1:

 

[Jumble Jumble]

I'll be there Thursday afternoon, all day Friday and most of Saturday (leaving Anaheim Saturday night).

 

[hannaugh]

Awesome, did you go last year?

 

[SkuttleFunk]

We'll be there this year - Hall E, Booth 1574.

Stop on by and say hi when you're passing thru the area.

all the best,

R

 

[Re-Pete]

It's a bucket list thing for me to do one year. Would love to fly over to L.A. and play 'music industry dude'.  :glasses9:

But I lack the credentials to get a Pass, and I've seen some grumblings on You Tube posts etc. that there are TOO many folks getting in on very thin credentials. It's a Trade Only Expo.

So I suspect that by the time I could ever rattle the change to get over there, I won't have a chance in getting past the front door (unless by then, I've set up my own business or get to work for an Australian Distributor of some manufacturer)

I'm not saying Hannaugh lacks the credentials, but there are some folks "who know someone, who knows someone who is actually in the 'biz'" who is letting way too many folks in -  and it's getting noticed.

It's REALLY noticeable when non industry folks lose their shite in front an idol of their's, for example Eddie Van Halen, who may be there to do some genuine business for EVH.

 

[hannaugh]

A lot of the actual industry folks lose their shit when they see Eddie Van Halen there too.  :laughing7:  You have to remember, the majority of people visiting NAMM are average people who own or work at a music store, or are there with a booth to promote their fairly small business that makes some sort of musical do-hickey, or are a tech (I saw the guy who does my fretwork there last year), or they're there looking at lighting and audio equipment for their arts high school Production and Design department like my boss.  These people do not necessarily see celebrities every day.  I don't usually even recognize any of the celebrities because I'm not overly into metal, and it seems like a lot of them are metal players. 

The industry fat cats and big cheeses who don't even blink when a mega-star walks by are there, but they are definitely not the majority.  Plus, the big companies set up huge signing events for most of the celebrities as a draw to get people to come to their booth, so I don't think they're really the ones complaining in this situation. 

Anywho, it's going to be a trade-show heavy time for me.  I've got a fiber arts trade show (family business-related), then NAMM (fingers crossed), then I'm going to Nashville for another fiber arts trade show a week or two after that.  I'm stocking up on blister pads and Dr. Scholl's already.

 

[Re-Pete]

A lot of the actual industry folks lose their shite when they see Eddie Van Halen there too.  :laughing7:  You have to remember, the majority of people visiting NAMM are average people who own or work at a music store, or are there with a booth to promote their fairly small business that makes some sort of musical do-hickey, or are a tech (I saw the guy who does my fretwork there last year), or they're there looking at lighting and audio equipment for their arts high school Production and Design department like my boss.  These people do not necessarily see celebrities every day.  I don't usually even recognize any of the celebrities because I'm not overly into metal, and it seems like a lot of them are metal players. 

The industry fat cats and big cheeses who don't even blink when a mega-star walks by are there, but they are definitely not the majority.  Plus, the big companies set up huge signing events for most of the celebrities as a draw to get people to come to their booth, so I don't think they're really the ones complaining in this situation. 

Anywho, it's going to be a trade-show heavy time for me.  I've got a fiber arts trade show (family business-related), then NAMM (fingers crossed), then I'm going to Nashville for another fiber arts trade show a week or two after that.  I'm stocking up on blister pads and Dr. Scholl's already.

Fair enough comments Hannaugh. You've been to NAMM - I haven't - so you'd know exactly what goes on.

 

[hannaugh]

NAMM is really interesting because of the huge array of people you find there. 

When I go to that TNNA fiber arts show in Nashville, I don't expect to see a media circus there with tons of magazine reporters and promoters and celebrity entourages.  It's basically just going to be manufacturers, business owners, and designers, which is how most trade shows are.

It's funny to me how there are a huge number of people at NAMM showing off their pianos, violins, clarinets, etc. too, and their section basically gets ignored compared to the guitar-bass-drums area.  It's almost like walking through a high school cafeteria.  All the "cool kids" with guitar businesses are in the middle having this huge party with celebrities and loud music and crowds of people.  There are a lot of people are wearing tight pants and ripped tee shirts.  Then you walk over to the orchestra instruments area and it's very quiet by comparison, there aren't crowds, and everyone is wearing ties.  Then the big big names are all upstairs, and it's the same.  The piano rooms for Yamaha and Steinway are all quiet and full of suits, and it's a total zoo in the Fender and Gibson rooms.

My favorite things to do are 1) see new small companies that are making great accessories, pedals etc. and 2) play in a booth where they have guitars set up with headphones  3) meet interesting people. 

But anyways, I hope I can get in.  It is a lot of fun, and I have a big wad of cash ready to be spent at the ZVex booth if they're selling again this year - last year I bought two pedals and they offered me a beer.  They're my kind of people.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Awesome, did you go last year?

Nope. First time.

As for the above comments. I'm going as a guest of Seymour Duncan, a company for whom I do do a significant amount of work and for which I feel they pay me extremely generously. Through some curation of a large archive of their data recently, they bought me a Kemper PowerHead (should be arriving any day!). I don't get many chances to interact with the music industry (I work in banking normally - pays the bills) but I have a good relationship with SD. As such, if they're going to trust me to walk around NAMM with their name written on my badge then I'm going to repay that trust by acting professionally. That means not losing my shit even if I was to meet Slash or David Gilmour, and it means not taking up the time of people who are there to do business, when there is someone else in the room they should be talking to.

 

[hannaugh]

Yup, that's how it's done.  I try to stay out of people's way unless they want to talk to me for some reason or they're selling me something.  Hell, I don't even take up a parking space because I park at my friend's house and have them drive me over.  When the people doing demos get bored, they'll talk to anyone though.  :laughing7:  They don't care if you have a yellow badge or not. 

 

[SkuttleFunk]

But I lack the credentials to get a Pass, and I've seen some grumblings on You Tube posts etc. that there are TOO many folks getting in on very thin credentials. It's a Trade Only Expo.

I'm not saying Hannaugh lacks the credentials, but there are some folks "who know someone, who knows someone who is actually in the 'biz'" who is letting way too many folks in -  and it's getting noticed.

as a NAMM member and yearly exhibitor, I have a different perspective. each exhibiting business has an allocation of badges to distribute.

there are specific badges for this who are official company representatives work the booth and have authorization to remove gear from the tradeshow floor, badges for sponsored artists and associates, and badges for guests. the quantity of badges each exhibitor is allocated for each category is subject to published NAMM policy. how I choose to utilize my badge allocation is my decision so long as it conforms to NAMM badging policies. there are only as many badges as NAMM policy dictates. once my allocation of badges is used, there are no additional badges available for that show.

how to assign my badge allocation is a balancing act between reasonable booth staffing shifts, set-up/tear down help, artist availability, etc ... on occasion I may have a guest badge to share with someone who only has a dotted line connection to our team, but this typically doesn't happen unless a team member had to shift priorities and be elsewhere at the last minute. in this latter case I also need to weigh out the maturity level of who I might assign a guest badge to - this person is representing my company with their behavior, and if they do something stupid or get hurt I am held liable for their actions (up to and including losing the ability to exhibit at future shows)

all the best,

R

 

[alterbridgefan]

Someone please visit and take shitloads of pictures at the sabian booth... please...?

 

[AutoBat]

Someone please visit and take shitloads of pictures at the sabian booth... please...?

Here's a 2007 NAMM Sabian pic:

I suspect they look about the same year after year.

 

[SkuttleFunk]

if only the Sabian booth was that quiet and peaceful during the show  :tard:

we had opportunity to move up to Hall D this year, but we would have been right against the drum/percussion section. ummm ... thanks, but no thanks ... we'll stay downstairs in the Hall E 'freak show' for another year thank you


all the best,

R

 

[hannaugh]

Haha, the "freak show".  I actually love the basement room.  There's a lot of cool stuff down there. 

 

[alterbridgefan]

Please please please take lots of Sabian pics...

 

[TroubledTreble]

I won't be going to NAMM personally, but I will be there by proxy.

For those going, you can stop by Paul Rhoney Guitars and Doug Kauer Guitars at Hall E, booth 1379 and check out some pickups. Specifically the new Valco/Supro reproductions that fit into a humbucker space. These are exact copies with the exception of the overall width. The coil, magnets, poles, and metals are all just like the originals. They sound great!

 

[alterbridgefan]

For those going, you can stop by Paul Rhoney Guitars and Doug Kauer Guitars at Hall E, booth 1379 and check out some pickups.

When are the three of you going to wake up and combine businesses??? :toothy12:

I swear, the three of you are slowly morphing into one entity...

 

[TroubledTreble]

Ha! I'm sure it seems that way. We have been doing quite a few projects together.

Actually there will also be P90, 7 String humbucker (custom type), Valco/Supro and Tele I think. Not sure exactly how many guitars they are bringing.