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Last time I went I had an SCGC Badge courtesy of Carolyn Sills. The best part was it got me great parking underneath the show. 5 minute walk into the hall rather than 20+ blocks away.
Who is attending this year? I have a friend who is hitting up Ernie Ball and Seymour Duncan to get me in. I will carry his guitar case and be his handler.
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I had been going for many years, courtesy of Mr. Hoover. Thank you, Richard! It was always the highlight of the year for me to see the new products, meet like minded people, bump into a celebrity or two, and attend free performances . But lately, post covid, the NAMM has been a bit of a disappointment. It is a much watered down event compared to pre-covid days, far fewer vendors and smaller crowds. I don’t know why. Perhaps it is due to vendors realizing they could be just as effective selling their merchandise on Zoom rather than having in-person meetings? Or could it be due to belt-tightening on their part? Anyway, this coming year, I have chosen not to attend.
Enjoy the show and please let us know how it went.
Thanks. Luke
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Luke,
I think it’s a natural progression, for 20 years I did a huge show in NYC at the Javits, I was against it, stupid waste of money almost 500K every year, no way we made that up in sales, these shows cost big bucks to SCGC and others but there is no price you could put on the 1-1 face meetings and renewal of old friends
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I haven’t been since 2011. I went for several years as Richard’s guest and truly enjoyed it. My favourite parts have always been the showcases. Though I met, fell in love with, and later ordered a JBovier EMC-5 (5 string emando) at NAMM 2010. I still have it, and still love it.
Product-wise it was hard to judge tone, except for large amps. 😉
Daniel
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All face-to-face trade shows are in decline. It has been headed that way for decades now. Advances in information technology and tightening of travel budgets all fueled this trend. Throw the pandemic intermission in there and it further erodes. In addition, the trend to go direct to consumer by guitar companies has also arrived which will impact business to business shows as brick and mortar shops get squeezed out.
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I live about 1 hour outside NYC. There are fewer and fewer local guitar shops left. There are a few Guitar Centers and a Sam Ash but I need to shower after visiting one of those. Mandolin Brothers is long gone. I purchased guitars there for 20-years.
The nearest SCGC dealers are now >1-1/2 to 2 hours away. When I ordered my Santa Cruz, I ordered through a dealer near St. Louis and worked with Carolyn Sills. I now order strings via the internet (SCGC is part of this channel). The era of the “local” guitar shop for many of us is long gone.
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For many years I dropped (as in Oppenhimer) hints to both RH and mainly to Carolyn that the S.W. Coast of Fl. was excellect demographics for a “Boutique”( I hate that word), By Appointment only, Santa Cruz Guitar Co. Players Studio.
RH is a man of tradition and loyalty. He has his standards for those who represent is lifes work.
I was in the Marine/Yacht industry for many years and Yo comprendo the whole Builder/Dealer way of business matrix. I admire RH for his loyalty to “The Local Guitar Shop”. …but here in Fl. the dealers don’t have the inventory that I have in the Ramuda……Just sayen. More Multi builder shops that carry lots of instruments
But…. If I had my way(old folk spiritual) I’d love to have a small retail space with good acoustics and great enviros and a cool space, that looks out on The Salt , and one can really “LISTEN” to guitars……and keep a wee bit of Irish to enhance the “Experience”….By Appt. only.
Well I can dream can’t I !
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Two thoughts.
1) “boutique” is a French word that means “shop”. So when someone says ‘booteek’ in an American accent you can just translate in your head. 😉
2) The closest local music shop to me is in Soissons, about 30km away. The closest good shop is in Compiegne, which is an hour away (and not an easy hour, like you have in CA). Jeez, I miss Gryphon, Sylvan, Eric Shoenberg’s place, Tall Toad, etc. There is NOTHING like that here outside of Paris. And even there, the shops are small and too specialised.
So I have been jonesing a decent shop here in Laon. I envision a musical space where folks can come check out and buy guitars, strings, accessories, amps, get repairs done, jam, and see a concert. Kind of like McCabe’s in LA.
We are a culture (or cultures) aching for ways to connect in person. We just need to figure out how to do that without obligating the exchange money for the experience.
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It was as noisy as ever. SCGC right next to Collings, which was next to Lowden. Huss and Dalton around the corner.
Dana Bourgeois was manning his exhibit.
Larrivee about 50 feet away.
Kevin Ryan had a dozen guitars, all sold, topping out at $40,000.
Martin was the largest by far.
Gibson was absent.
Countless guitars from Asia,many copying the Somogyi modified Dread and OMC Cutaway.
I saw Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, Don Alder, and a Bakersfield raised keyboard player, Dennis Hamm, on a tour break
He backs up ThunderCat.
I met so many players from the US, Canada, and Europe, missing so many others. I made connections with builders of electrics, pickups, and discovered great deals at discounts.
I’ll definitely return again and again.
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I have been enjoying Premier Guitar and Anderton’s Music’s NAMM videos (thought the guys at Anderton’s like crunch and distortion WAY more than I do 😉 ). [Anderton’s is an excellent shop in London and their videos are very well done.] Reliving my past NAMM experiences. They were always loads of fun. I miss it.
The main guy from Anderton’s (“The Captain”) has lost his voice from conducting interview after interview after interview in that insanely noisy environment. Reminds me that I used to use the drive time home from LA to rest both my ears and my voice. 🙂
Daniel
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Haven’t visited the forum lately – sorry I’m a little late here, but I have a few photos from the Santa Cruz booth to share. I just attended on Thursday this year, but had a nice time and it was great to visit with so many folks that I do business with. I agree about the excessive loudness – regarding the photo with Eric Skye: I was standing about 8 feet in front of him and could barely hear him because of the ridiculously loud electric playing next door from the Collings folks. All the more respect to him to be able to play as I’m sure he couldn’t hear himself!
Organic Sounds Select Guitars
organicsoundsguitars.com
(949) 829-1001 -
Haven’t visited the forum lately – sorry I’m a little late here, but I have a few photos from the Santa Cruz booth to share. I just attended on Thursday this year, but had a nice time and it was great to visit with so many folks that I do business with. I agree about the excessive loudness – regarding the photo with Eric Skye: I was standing about 8 feet in front of him and could barely hear him because of the ridiculously loud electric playing next door from the Collings folks. All the more respect to him to be able to play as I’m sure he couldn’t hear himself!
Organic Sounds Select Guitars
organicsoundsguitars.com
(949) 829-1001 -
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I was in the Marine (Boat) business for many years and I worked shows from Boston to Miami for many years.
I did make money over the long run (30 years) but the expense both on my body and on my checking account was heavy.
In the 90s the Miami Boat Show was 2 weeks of 14 hour days.
For Richard Hoover to Unveil the 4 “Vault Guitars” at NAMM was a conundrum….No real alternative…but not the best audio Venue.
Hopefully these wonderful instruments were recorded…. using the Baggs Electronics…. If they weren’t, sombody Effed up .
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