Saint's abbreviated NAMM visit

[Modern Saint]

Well I took off Friday to enjoy NAMM and really got a late start as I had a few things to do before driving to Anaheim. When I finally reached there, I had to park about a mile and a half from the Convention Center as parking was really the pits. I had laid on the NAMM where I wanted to go and got to visit some of the places I wanted to see and got a chance to chat with a few of the manufacturers about things.

The precious part about visiting NAMM when you get a chance to go, is that you may get a chance to meet your icons. Well here is one of them.



Other things I love are being able to see cool new gear.



I didn't get to see much as my time was compressed due to gig later that day. Over all I spent about 1 hour on parking and 3 hours at the show before I had to leave and fight the traffic to get to the gig.

If you would like to see more pics that I took, he is the link.

http://s1226.photobucket.com/albums/...k/NAMM%202011/

I tried to go back Saturday this time with my son but ran into an issue with NAMM rules concerning visitor badges. I cannot bring an 18 and under in so my 2011 at NAMM has ended.

We ended up going to the 4 Amigos California Guitar Show in Costa Mesa instead and enjoyed a day there looking a some vintage and used gear for sale. No I did not buy anything but temptation is always there.

As for NAMM I can go tomorrow (Sunday) by myself but I fly to Houston on Monday and I am beat from our National Sales Meeting, Gig, NAMM with in the past 3.5 days - whew and January is only half over - yikes.

[jelloman]

steve morse......how cool is THAT!

[B Valley]

Was Steve there endorsing anyone's product line? He's one artist whose judgement and integrity I would trust on anything guitar-related.

[Modern Saint]

Was Steve there endorsing anyone's product line? He's one artist whose judgement and integrity I would trust on anything guitar-related.

Steve endorses Ernie Ball. He has been with them for years. He is a pic of Steve and me from a NAMM show back in the mid 90's when Ernie Ball were just strings, straps, cords and guitars. Sorry for the quality of the pic as it is a scan.

[gibby mcfender]

My guess is Ernie Ball's new pickup selection system "The Game Changer"

Ha! And that was before reading the post before mine!

[Kerouac]

Did you actually check out the game changer? That is on my super GAS list.

[Modern Saint]

Did you actually check out the game changer? That is on my super GAS list.

Actually no. After watching the videos that were posted earlier I did not have any interest. I am much more of a simple minded player so pickup control is on or off or inbetween. I don't split coils except on one of my axes. Sorry dude!

On another note, I did visit IK Multimedia and had some great conversations about the iRig and saw the application using an iPAD. It is sad as now I have more GAS. But one must be in control and maintain - ohm, ohm, ohm, oh no, ohm.....

[Peeker]

nifty!

Steve looks kinda high in the new pic.
happy lookin' fella though, eh?

too bad about your son, that's a damn shame.
why no underagers?
seem silly to me.

[Mark Wein]

That's a bummer about Robben not getting in. They were a lot tighter about the pass and photo ID this year..,,


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[Modern Saint]

That's a bummer about Robben not getting in. They were a lot tighter about the pass and photo ID this year..,,


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We stood in line for the underage people for about 20-25 minutes and then I saw the writing on the wall. Paraphrasing, a visitor cannot bring someone in under the age of 18 - ugghhh...

With your badge as a buyer, you could've brought your son. Well next year Robben turns 18 so it shouldn't be a problem unless they push the age to 21.

[Mark Wein]

Getting in this year and moving between levels was like going to the airport. Never in 25 years has it been this strict.


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[Modern Saint]

Getting in this year and moving between levels was like going to the airport. Never in 25 years has it been this strict.


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I never made it to the upper levels again. I was hoping Robben and I could have checked them out together. Oh well, there is next year. It is a good thing that I enjoy NAMM for what it is worth and it isn't the kid in the candy store routine anymore. I do like to see new things but I enjoye chatting with the manufacturers about the product I am really interested in. If I wasn't so focused, I wouldn't have GAS anymore but IBS -

[Peeker]

why would they have security so bloody tight?
that doesn't make any sense to me at all.

[Modern Saint]

why would they have security so bloody tight?
that doesn't make any sense to me at all.

In the old days people used to go in pairs, give there buddy there pass and bring in another friend. Others used to toss there badge down to a friend from above. Before you know it, you had 20-30 times the amount of people in the show. It used to freakin' crowded in the mid 90's. It's a mad house already now with parking as there are more companies, stores, product - you call it.

[Peeker]

okay, I can see them wanting to avoid "double-passing" or whatever.

but the age thing?
I mean, sure, keep the toddlers out.
but you'd think 16 or so wouldn't be an issue.

hell, when he first got "famous", Blues Saraceno wouldn't have been able to get in.

[Modern Saint]

They will let youngsters in providing that you or your host is (are): Artist, Buyer, Exhibitor, or Press - not visitors - fucking sucks.....

[Modern Saint]

Too add to the above - it seems as though visitor passes don't have clout for sales which is really what NAMM is about. How many sales can be made to Buyers. The realization should be met that Visitor do hold clout as they influence what buyers buy - well sometimes.

[Help!I'maRock!]

it's a trade show. not a public show. yeah, it's cool to go. but if you want to buy something, buy it from a dealer who went to the show.

[Modern Saint]

it's a trade show. not a public show. yeah, it's cool to go. but if you want to buy something, buy it from a dealer who went to the show.

Precisely HIAR. What I also failed to do was to define what "Buyer" means. It is someone like Mark who owns a business and is retail sales. "Visitors" are guest of "Buyers" or of the other above mentioned catagories.

[Peeker]

oh, okay.
makes a bit more sense to me now.
thanks

[John Watt]

All that security, just so no-one with a semi-solid-body gets in.

[Peeker]

All that security, just so no-one with a tinfoil hat gets in.

...

[John Watt]

I heard they kept the protesters outside, you know,
those guitarists who keep chanting "bass on the bottom, highs on top".
But that's okay. No-one came outside and accused anyone of playing too many notes.
At a large show such as this, everyone can find the right left-handed guitar.