Enjoyed Friday and 1/2 day Saturday with my son Logan at Summer NAMM in Nashville. It's a sentimental trip...demonstrated for Guild years ago (70's).
The show was about 1/2 the size it was when it was last held in Nashville two or three years ago. Lot's of manufacturers didn't exhibit (Ketron) or had limited presence (Yamaha, Korg and Roland showed limited arranger models in larger booths with other "combo" equipment).
At Squeaks's suggestion, I checked out the new Roland GW-8, and it is a pretty dramatic improvement over the GW-7 I bought last year. Has numeric pad this time, and is a more attractive black finish. I'll probably order a new one and try to dump my GW 7. It's been turned on twice to make sure it works.
Visited with Victor Wooten, a casual acquaintence, who was in a publishers booth signing a new book. Sadly, he didn't play a note.
John Sebastian was in the Q-Lighting booth
(the company I'm associated with). He plays and endorses a new Burrus Blues amp (one of their new products getting rave reviews) that's a real killer. On Thursday night, he got a lifetime songwriters award. Bill Lawrence, the famed pick-up maker, is also an endorser.
A company called Jazzcat has a neat little amp that has a tube pre-amp. I'll probably get one this week.
Enjoyed my visit to the Hammond Booth. Tony Monaco was in the booth at all times. I said before that I didn't think he was the player that my friend Winston Walls was, but what a gentleman! He knew Winston, who was a little more dynamic in the performance department and had a better left hand, but this guy has chops, really knows structure (much better than Winston) and is just a delight to be around. He is my choice as the standard holder of the Jimmy Smith tradition. And, he's GREAT with customers! He's a credit to the Hammond Organization. Had a gig downtown Saturday night, but I had to get back for my own in Lexington.
Jim (Zuki), no-one in the Hammond booth knew your friend Matt...probably because all were all concentrating on the big Hammonds.Only found one guy to ask.
Diki, because I was not a buying customer, I didn't feel right taking the rep's time (one look at my badge identifying me as an exhibitor, and he walked away from me to find buyers), so I rally couldn't find anyone to address the XM-2/XK issues...sorry.
I've decided that I like the Motion Sound 145 I just got better than the new Leslies displayed (Joey D is now a Motion Sound endorser, but couldn't make the show). I'm also not going to buy a new B-3, but I'm going to throw more good money after bad and refinish the old 1949 M I just had rebuilt and a matching 145 I have for my music room at home for when I need a "senior moment" Hammond fix.
Met new owners of Motion Sound (they have a new line of very powerful (2000 watts, plus) amps-different brand name) and cabinets and of Heritage guitars, one of my favorite boutique brands (old Gibson guys...still made in Kalamazoo, I think).Interested in what new money and ideas will do to two of my favorite brands.
Sorry for a lack of details on arrangers. There weren't many there (Yamaha had a Tyros
2 sitting all alone in a corner), and it really isn't reasonable or polite for me to expect busy people trying to sell to dealers to take time to talk to another exhibitor.
Someone like George K would be in a much better position to get facts, since everyone there would be trying to "sell" him. He made the right choiuce not to go...he'll see everything from Nashville and much more at the much larger winter show.
Bought a Bogdon three string bass kit (cardboard box, plastic strings...assembles with a box cutter, glue gun, etc....$112.00, plus shipping...good review in Bass Player magazine).
Saw new Harmony and Kay instruments. Some are close copies of the old models...historic, interesting, but of questionable value to me, even though I had a few of both growing up.
Pretty uneventful show, but got to play..."What a Day For a Daydream"...trip to NAMM-2008 was "Custom Made for a Daydreaming Boy".
Russ Lay, "cub reporter"...over and out!
[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 06-23-2008).]
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