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Location: Phoenix AZ | For you cross-dressers, I mean cross-breeders, oops, you know what I'm trying to say cross-overs or whatever. Aw, FI what I'm trying to say is here's a NAMM report on the new Takamine stuff ...
TAKAMINE AT NAMM |
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October 2008
Posts: 489
| Let's call them, "Woodies."
Whoops! Never mind. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I, too, found the 2009 Ltd to be particularly attractive. Looks like they have Gibson in their sights on this one. |
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March 2007
Posts: 840
Location: CA | I hope this doesn't sound too pedestrian, but what's the point of having ONLY an industry-only guitar show? Sure, it's great to go if you can get in and we all get to salivate at the pictures. But it seems to me that a NAMM-style show open to the public would actually SHOW the industry who was really interested in what, instead of them telling us. Maybe Ovation/Adamas would finally get the exposure they deserve. And I gotta think all the makers would sell a boatload of guitars at such a show.
They hold big public shows for new cars and computers every year. Why not guitars?
BTW, those Taks are beautiful. And like ProfessorBB says, I think that '09LTD out-Gibsons the J200. What a pretty one! Also love those 'combo' wood backs. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The reason for an industry-only show would be painfully obvious if you ever had to man an exhibitors booth on a public day, like they have at Frankfurt and some European shows. It's not about selling a boatload of guitars to the public. It's about manufacturers and distributors selling product to the trade, who then sell to the public.
Try going to NAMM on Saturday afternoon, when everyone who shouldn't really be there has managed to blag a badge (NAMM were much better at policing that this year) and then tell me a public show would be a good idea. It's a zoo, and almost impossible to conduct any serious business. |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | It was a total mob scene with only the trade folks in attendance. Adding tens of thousands of the public would result in total chaos. Also, this is a time for the manufacturers to make appointments and confirm slaes with the dealers. The Martin exhibit was totally designed with on-the-spot dealer orders in mind. There are many other guitar shows around the country that are designed with the public in mind. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | As I think on my first (and only) NAMM experience... I was overwhelmed by the shear size and spectacle of it.
Next time, I'll go with a more discriminating eye. |
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Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Try going to NAMM on Saturday afternoon, when everyone who shouldn't really be there has managed to blag a badge (NAMM were much better at policing that this year) and then tell me a public show would be a good idea. It's a zoo, and almost impossible to conduct any serious business. Brother! The majority of the reports we, the excluded, get here are from just those who "shouldn't really be there", go figure.
_____
gh1 |
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| Some tasty wood boxes, there. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | CES (the consumer electronics show) decided to let the public in and it has grown to the point of being an albatross.
Years ago (early/mid 90s) it use to be trade/press only and I was fortunate to be able to go. The crowds were manageable and you could actually have someone take the time and effort to show you new products and in some cases give you samples.
Now it is over 110,000 people and you can't even walk the aisles, much less spend 15-20 minutes talking to someone. I stopped going about 10 years ago cause it became a major pain and the cost of going also became prohibitive.
I got to go to CEDIA this year on a special pass and it was really small and nice....probably 30,000+ over the 4 days. Spent most of one day there and got to see and experience everything I wanted without the shoulder to shoulder pushing. |
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March 2007
Posts: 840
Location: CA | I actually didn't mean have a public show RATHER than a dealer-only. I meant have the dealer-only AND a public show, perhaps piggy-backed on the last weekend or something. I've worked in the marine industry and manned plenty of boat show booths and yeah, it's not easy duty. Yeah, it would be a zoo. But day-amn, I don't feel like I'm ever gonna see those pretty new Takamines at any music store I know of within 500 miles. Or that pretty blue 'smoke flame' guitar, or the rainsong electric. For reps willing to tough it out, people could actually get to see and play those guitars. Case in point: I've never even played an Adamas yet because I don't know where to find one, even in a store. If I got to play one at a show, perhaps I'd get hooked like everyone else. |
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Posts: 7211
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | For those that have not been, keep in mind NAMM is not a "Guitar Show" as some have referred to it. We tend to fixate on the guitars, but it is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING related to music. From every kind of musical widget, Piano's to Guitar Picks, to every sound support option at every level from stadium to bedroom. There's a whole hall dedicated to lighting and lighting effects. I have been to a few and after 4 days of roaming the halls in a methodical, booth-by-booth pattern, inevitably, someone will say "hey, did you see so'n such's booth" and the answer is "No!!! where the heck was it?" Every distributor, every manufacturer of every part. Raw materials like wood, plastics and CF, to actual engraving and full sized CNC Machines. It's ALL there.
But as has been pointed out. The point of it all, is to get product into stores. Some make the experience more fun. It's their way of attracting store owners, but the bottom line, is... well.. the bottom line.
It's also hard to get a handle on the actual size. I have never seen, nor heard of any other trade show that is even close in size. It's the largest in the LA Convention Center, but I have been to big Car and boat and RV shows... that are usually in just ONE of the buildings. Not only do they take up the entire Convention Center including the stadium (that's usually where lights and big concert stuff is) but it takes up most of the floors of the other halls and there is spillover to the connected hotels.
I believe there are over 7000 booths..(someone will fact check me I'm sure) Unfortunately, opening to the public just isn't really an option.
But, by all means, if you can garner a ticket, and have any interest, it is worth it. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | OK, to adress a few of the points made above. If you are a non-trade atttendee who obtains a visitors pass from a trade member such as Al or myself, then you are perfectly entitled to be there. What I meant by people who shouldn't be there was entry by forged badges or borrowed badges in someone else's name. In previous years picture ID was required for the last day only. Presumbly trade members had bailed and were allowing their badges to be used by friends. They are getting much more strict in policing this, with picture ID required on every entry, and even to move between floors, and it seemed to help somewhat.
As for a dealer and public show..... Aggggh! shoot me now! Frankfurt is like that. First couple of days is trade only. Then all hell breaks loose. It's horrible.
As for size, NAMM is the biggest show of it's type in the USA, but the Frankfurt Musicmesse is huge. It's spread out over several buildings, so doesn't appear to be as big initially, but on exhibtor space and actual attendance it's the biggest in the world as far a I'm aware. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | One of my functions at work is to be the "POC" on a handful of resources and issues.
This is because of the need to have a consistant process and to keep a bizzilion stupid people from overwhelming the provider. They only have to deal with me.
Because of our immediate gratification addiction and fast internet we expect to be "let in" on everything. Waiting for it to show up in a store is the last thing we want... and the best thing for the store. |
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Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | I used to attend wholesale gift and trade shows, and on show days with over 1000 exhibitors it was absolute mayhem. I work retail gift shows as well that pull in 60000 people in 5 days that are crazy enough, but to try and sell a retailer on your whole product line while dealing with "cash & carry" type customers who want to wheel and deal over one stupid little item, and dodge the crowds of people with their whole extended family and 17 kids taking the entire aisle...
You get the idea - it would be completely counter-productive. I've not ever been to NAMM, but from my experience it would just not be the place to promote gear to retail customers.
There are a lot of other venues though. Last summer they started a Gear and Guitar expo here in the northwest at the fairgrounds in Puyallup. Two-day event, one large hall, and all set up for people to come and check out gear, attend clinics, and even shop. Much better idea IMO. |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | On the actual topic (now that I think of it), that 2009 Limited is a fantastic looking guitar. Anyone get an idea of the street price of that baby? |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Here's details ...
TAK LTD 2009
List $2579. |
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April 2006
Posts: 847
Location: Munich, Germany | G Series New Yorker ! ! !
Just wow! What a great guitar for the money!
Perfect for "travelling"...
Best regards,
Kurt |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Koenig Kurt:
G Series New Yorker ! ! !
Oh yeah, and you should see the quality of the darn thing. Wow. It'll sell around $400. or so. It's almost stupid not to have one just because ... |
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Cross Report for Wood Lovers
