Going to NAMM for the first time. . .

[Snowdog79]

Any reccommendations/advice/warnings? My main plan is to play on and get pictures of some of the gear I've been salivating over in Bass Player, meet people, and make some connections.

 

And try to avoid getting any drool on the Dingwalls.

[Mike Bear]

Ahh, so far as I know, the first NAMM '06 post of the year. Let the madness begin. As always I won't know until the week of if I'll be going to NAMM this year or not. I never haven't gone since '95, but you never know. Last year I was bumed because I didn't get to meet anyone from the lowdown. I think most of the lowdowners weren't around on Sunday.

 

Mike

[jeremy c]

Look for me on Friday and Saturday.

 

I'll be there with AccuGroove.

[Mike Bear]

Damn it, I'm normally working Friday and Sat.

[Steve Lawson]

I'll be there - somewhere around Accugroove, Modulus, Looperlative or just wandering around looking furry.

 

This is my eighth NAMM, and I'm still looking forward to it.

 

 

steve

www.stevelawson.net

[Mike Dimin]

I'll be there hanging with MTD and Euphonic Audio and of course trying to see the new cool stuff in the basement.

 

Steve, perhaps you can give me a tour of the Looperlative?

 

Mike

www.michaeldimin.com

[Bob Gollihur]

Originally posted by Snowdog79:

Any reccommendations/advice/warnings? My main plan is to play on and get pictures of some of the gear I've been salivating over in Bass Player, meet people, and make some connections.

 

And try to avoid getting any drool on the Dingwalls.

If you can go on Thurs-Fri it's much less crazy than Sat-Sun. That's when we'll (wife Joanne and I) be wandering about.

 

If you are only going one day, make notes of which booths you want to visit, grab a show directory on the way in, and put the numbers on your list. It's a huge show and unless you're extremely methodical at following and hitting each aisle, you'll miss something.

 

I've developed the habit of doing a complete walk-thru on the first day and then going back Friday to target individual booths I may have missed or were too busy to talk-- that's the other thing you can run into... I always love to say hello to Steve and Jill Azola, I don't sell their gear, but they are great folks-- we missed chatting them up last year because I don't want to get in the way of business. NAMM is a large investment for any exhibitor, so I respect their objectives and try not to get in the way.

[Mike Dimin]

Originally posted by Bob Gollihur (bob@gollihur.com):NAMM is a large investment for any exhibitor, so I respect their objectives and try not to get in the way.

As a visitor that is always an important thing to remember. Last year a guy, wanting an endorsement, kept one of our guys talking for at least an hour as Blue Badges (buyers) who thought he was busy said, "I'll stop by later." That is always a bad thing, I try to be sensitive to the guys who want to talk, but when it gets right down to it, I need to talk to those wearing the Blue Badges.

 

I also love the artists who come up saying how much they love your gear and want an endorsement and then you see the same routine, same person, around the corner at a competitor's booth. It usually means one less press packet that I need to schlep home with me.

 

Shows like Music Player Live are much more for the general consumer and as it grows, it will be a really great hang (it was pretty good this year - but there is room for improvement)

 

 

Mike

[GTRBass]

NAMM Advice:

 

1) DO wear comfortable shoes!!! You will walk 20 miles in a single day, easy.

 

2) Know that the Anaheim Hilton bar is the meeting point. Between the close of the show floor and the 9:00 hour, it is the central location to meet up with friends and associates and plan the evening's activities. In this room you will find Wannabes, Booth Bunnies, vendors, journalists, musicians, and Rockstars all mingled together. And who says we all can't get along?

 

3) If you're at the Carvin booth, never borrow one of Bunny Brunel's sharpies to write something down. He hates that!

 

4) While true "Rockstars" and many generally lesser known but still truly famous musicians are out and about, you will also encounter a species knowns as known as "The Wannabe" (Poserus Anaheimus). This species of (ahem) "musician" is usually one with marginal technical ability, but an uncanny knack for looking the part either due to a genetic predisposition, or intimate knowledge of small grooming and wardrobe details. One particular party gazelle seen at NAMM shows is called "The Symbol" (Princeus Wannbeus). This Peacock bears a striking resemblance to "the artist formerly known as, but once again known as..."

 

5) Another species well represented at NAMM is the "booth bunny" (Bimbous Biggus Rackus). Booth bunnies are fun to watch and best viewed from a slight distance. The reason is that it's absolutely hilarious to watch them interact with 30-40 something businessmen trying to rekindle their youth with inane pickup lines like "Here, would you like one of Eddie Van Halen's guitar picks?" Younger male attendees are also highly amusing with their own brand of pickup expertise which generally starts with "Duhh..uhh...uhh...how's it goin'?" While Booth Bunnies themselves can be quite a sight to behold, they are not known for their cunning intellect. In fact they are often bamboozled by the previously mentioned "Wannabe" (Poserus Anaheimus) and duped into the false belief that they've hooked up with a genuine member of the elusive "Rockstar" club... until they wake up in a studio apartment in North Hollywood!!! In the past, some of the best sightings of Booth bunnies on the show floor were found at Dean guitars (where the '80's are alive and well), and Gemini DJ products (Psst...FLIPPER!!!)

 

6) Always remember that "what happens at NAMM stays at NAMM".

 

The most fun Booths:

Dean Guitars

Peavey

Ernie Ball

Alembic - Mica Wickersham is a doll to talk to.

Warrior - take a drool bucket with you.

Hall E usually has lot's of interesting surprises.

 

Least fun Booths:

Gibson - Snooty, snobbish, and now by invitation only during much of the show.

Yamaha - boring, like being in the lobby of chase manhattan bank.

[g.]

GTRBass: 4) While true "Rockstars" and many generally lesser known but still truly famous musicians are out and about, you will also encounter a species knowns as known as "The Wannabe" (Poserus Anaheimus). This species of (ahem) "musician" is usually one with marginal technical ability, but an uncanny knack for looking the part either due to a genetic predisposition, or intimate knowledge of small grooming and wardrobe details.

I've probably told this one before, but at one Anaheim show I was over by the Seymour Duncan booth/stage, and at the time EVH was on the roster and perhaps to do some playing. Lots of people blocking aisles there - and here comes Eddie. Heads turn, a murmur rises. No wait - that's not Eddie - that's some taller d00d copping the Eddie look of yesteryear, trying to get some attention.

 

Heads turn back.

 

Then ANOTHER Eddie comes prancing down from another direction. Well, this one could be Eddie - he's about the right height, and his togs are closer to recent-vintage Eddie. But a few telltales in comportment and the demo dollie hanging off his arm tell me it isn't so, Joe.

 

But most of the spectators are fooled. Oohs and ahs, and a rushing shift of crowd density ensue, but some slightly embarrassing exchanges with some Duncan associates and then this Eddie slinks off into the din.

 

I didn't stick around to see Eddie (I wasn't there for that in the first place), but I was told it was several hours later before he signed some autographs and trotted out some lickcraft.

[Mike Dimin]

Originally posted by GTRBass:

5) Another species well represented at NAMM is the "booth bunny" (Bimbous Biggus Rackus). Booth bunnies are fun to watch and best viewed from a slight distance.

Made famous by Dean Guitars and outdone by Gemini DJ equipment (aka the Gemini Twins)

[DONUT]

I might be there wandering around as well. At least I hope so.

[Snowdog79]

Thanks for all the advice! A friend of mine is a Parker Fly endorser, and it looks like I'll be performing a short set with him at the Parker booth--that's my ticket in.

 

Regarding endorsements: what's the proper way to go about talking to someone from a company whose gear I use without coming across as a poser? Just as mentioned above, I don't want to clog up their queue and lose them revenue, but I was hoping to speak to someone at Eden and Fishman directly and give them a press kit with some of my recordings and credentials. Any advice on how to "sell myself" without coming across as another "Annoying Wannabe Poser"?

 

Steve, Mike and Jeremy C: I'll definitely swing by and say hello. I've yet to meet anyone off the Lowdown (except for Dave Brown, who introduced me to it in the first place). Bob, I'll be there Friday through Sunday, so I'll keep my eyes peeled for you!

[JBFLA]

I'd like to go, no - I'd love to go, but my Doc says that it wouldn't be good for a man my age... what with the excessive GAS and BoothBunnies and all.

 

I'll have to settle for yet another installment of reviews and pics, lots and lots of pics (Living vicariously through others enjoyment??)

 

Jim

[Steve Lawson]

NAMM is an odd mix - as has been said, given the cost of the space, the guys are there to make money, to hook up new distributors and get journos to write about their stuff. Anything else is a bonus, but if it gets in the way, forget it.

 

Because this part of the deal attracts all the movers and shakers in the gear dept, it's a cool place to be for a musician, but we are the secondary level in terms of the NAMM economy. The companies bring us in to demo the gear and attract people to the booth, but for us is also a chance to network, catch up with old friends and see some killer gigs. the NAMM BassBash on Thursday night is not to be missed.

 

The trend for getting attractive women to parade around your booth as nothing but eye-candy is a disappointing one. During the whole time I was writing for Bassist magazine, Dean never got one mention in the write-ups due to this. If their product is so lame they need to use porn stars to attract the NAMM public, I'm not interested. I'd take a conversation with one of the knowledgeable folks in the industry over some pneumatically enhanced 'adult' entertainer any day.

 

Mike - I'll certainly show you round the looperlative - same goes for anyone else there, it's an amazing box, destined to become one of the top choices for anyone interested in looping.

 

cheers!

 

steve

www.stevelawson.net

[g.]

Hoi Steve,

 

I've been reading the looperative forum. Sure looks like the one to have. I'm waiting to see how the spec for a MIDI footpedal is implimented (like to work with the one I've already got), and what the unit's final price will be.

 

Say hi to all the Eddies when you arrive at the show ; }

[Steve Lawson]

Originally posted by greenboy:

Hoi Steve,

 

I've been reading the looperative forum. Sure looks like the one to have. I'm waiting to see how the spec for a MIDI footpedal is implimented (like to work with the one I've already got), and what the unit's final price will be.

The MIDI implimentation is the easiest I've ever come across - you turn the main dial on the front of the box to the midi programming bit, then push the midi pedal you're wanting to program, and then dial in the function you want to assign to it. It really is that simple. So any midi controller will do the job. I'm sure at some point there'll be downloadable schemes for different controllers, but everyone will want to tweak those anyway to match what they are used to.

 

I'm not sure if it's on the box already, but there's also plans for CC controllers to be programmable in the same way, so you can assign expression pedals to volume/feedback and hopefully track panning...

 

of course, the single coolest thing about the box is that none of this is static - the ethernet cable on the back means that the software will be regularly updateable, and i think during the first 6 months to a year, that's going to be pretty regular indeed!

 

cheers!

 

steve

www.stevelawson.net

www.recyclecollective.com

[BassLand]

Steve Lawson, Mike Dimin & Bob Golihur,

 

Looking forward to seeing you guys and all the other Lowdown Brothers who will be there. This is my 24th NAMM (Started in 1982). I don't do much playing at NAMM anymore, too much noise(defined as anybody playing a different song in another key than the one you are in...). They have excellent concerts in the outdoor square but inside sometimes you can hardly hear because the noise (read sound) levels are so high.

 

Bob

[Bob Gollihur]

Originally posted by BassLand:

Steve Lawson, Mike Dimin & Bob Golihur,

 

Looking forward to seeing you guys and all the other Lowdown Brothers who will be there. This is my 24th NAMM (Started in 1982). I don't do much playing at NAMM anymore, too much noise(defined as anybody playing a different song in another key than the one you are in...). They have excellent concerts in the outdoor square but inside sometimes you can hardly hear because the noise (read sound) levels are so high.

 

Bob

Hope to see you, Bob!

 

I'll join in on the noise levels-- I haven't been going to NAMM that long, but last year's levels grew to obscene even on Thursday and Friday, I can't imagine the weekend levels.

 

It became literally fatiguing, and especially frustrating for those with limited vocal capabilities (speaking for myself). Simple communications in certain areas were not practical-- and it simply got on my nerves after a while. This year I'll pack a set of earplugs in my bag.

[Fred TBP]

I'd like to go someday, but I'm not that up on current bargain-hunting techniques when it comes to airfare and lodging. Hopefully you all have some recommendation on those topics, as I'm living on a budget right now but would love to plan this out for another year. I'm not against renting a room 20 miles out and a rental car (gonna need that anyway just to drive around at night) but a lot of you have already been there and I've only thought about it. Thanks in advance!

[SteveC]

I'll probably never get to go. Probably for the best. Can you imagine me at NAMM? Scary.

[ArwinH]

To say the least steve!

Well, I got to go to NAMM a couple of years ago and it was a fun experience, I felt like a kid in a really gigantic, super expensive candy store. I doubt I'll be going this year though, there's a chance if I can get in with a guitar playing friend of mine.

[zeronyne]

I think the snootiest booth is the PRS tent.

 

BUT...

 

As others have said here, this is a selling show, not a consumer show. The reps have a single agenda...take orders from their retailers. Everything else is a distraction. Be respectful...this is a major expense for many small companies and a major part of their sales cycle.

 

For pure bass gear porn that's a bit off the beaten path, go downstairs to see Accugroove, Ritter (!), Benavente, and Nordstrand.

 

I wonder who Behringer will offend this year.

[Nicklab]

After attending Music Player Live, might I suggest the following supplies on your way to NAMM? Those would be earplugs, aspirin & some water. It's pretty self-explanatory.