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I was there with the Luthiers Consortium. This is a loosely organized
group led by Bruce Sexauer and Eric Schoenberg that goes down there for
the purpose of showing some handmade guitars and throwing a jam &
schmooze party at a motel nearby after the show each night. We shared a
booth with Allied Lutherie and had more guitars back at the motel. This
year the group consisted of Bruce, Eric, me, Michael Lewis, John Slobod,
Michael Dunn, and Les Stansell. There were originally some others who
dropped out.
This was my first NAMM. While NAMM is a closed show, after a while I
realized that about half the people there had no connection to the
company named on their badges other than that some friend at that
company had offered them a badge. The show is vast. It seemed to be
every musical instrument and accessory maker in the world. It fills a
convention center that often has five or six normal size conventions
running simultaneously. We were fortunate not to be next to any electric
instrument booth, but could hear a lot of them from a short distance
away. There is an official 85 db limit on any booth; some seemed to be
violating it, but even with all observing the limit, that's a lot of noise.
However, I would say that where our group was located was not as loud
as the main floor at the Healdsburg show; I didn't have to shout to be
heard in a conversation.
We were in an area that is mostly acoustic guitar makers. Behind us facing
the next aisle were Collings and Santa Cruz. Right across our
aisle was National Steel guitars, which had a bunch of great players
demoing all day, and other great players sitting in with them. Bob
Brozman, Mike Dowling, Steve James, and Doug McLeod were the
regulars. Paul Asbell, Fred Sokolow, and our own Michael Dunn were
among those sitting in. Great entertainment.
Upstairs were miles of electric guitars, amps, drums, band instruments,
publishers, etc. The next two floors above that were more oriented to
piano and organ manufacturers. Big companies like Fender had their own
rooms. People stood in long lines to get the autographs of famous rock
stars that I have never heard of. Concerts went on in the lobby; I heard
the Ventures play some of their greatest hits, which at their age was a bit
weird looking. They played well, though.
I met Bob Benedetto, who came to our party at the motel one night. Also
met Dana Bourgeoise and watched him tap and evaluate some sets of
wood at the Allied Lutherie booth which our group of builders was
sharing. We talked about making purflings. I bought some great sets of
wood at great prices from wood dealers (there were several, some of
whom I had never heard of).
I saw a couple of old friends I hadn't seen in 25 years or so. My main
mission at the show was to pass out business cards and schmooze.
Mission accomplished!
I also talked with Michael Gurian. He is still a New Yorker after all his
years in Seattle. First thing he wanted to know is what I had ordered from
him. Since he was the first dealer I ever bought acoustic guitar wood
from, back in '74 or so, he was willing to talk with me <g>. George Gruhn
walked by a few times, always with a phone to his ear. Some of the folks
you have talked with on the phone from LMI and StewMac were around,
but I didn't see Dan Erlewine, who I had hoped to meet. Muriel Anderson
sat down and tried a Breedlove amplified nylon string a few feet away
from our booth. John Pizzarelli played in the lobby.
Back at the motel, I was surprised at how many good jazz and gypsy jazz
players came by; maybe because Michael Lewis and Michael Dunn and
their instruments were there to attract them. A really good 14-or-so-
year-old mandolin player, Scott Gates, from some little town out in the
desert, came by the motel with his parents and jammed. Then the next
night a 10-year-old girl played some smoking fiddle. Watching her jam
with Scott was memorable. Harry Fleishman was his usual funny self. Tom
Ribbecke had a nearby booth. Mario Beauregard and Michael Bashkin
were among the builders who were walking around. I have discovered that
I like doing shows.
Howard Klepper38742.537962963
_________________ Howard Klepper http://www.klepperguitars.comWhen all else fails, clean the shop.
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