NAMM 2010 - Anaheim California Thursday Jan 14- Sunday Jan 17
So, Are You Going?

As always, we're looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.

Our hope is that 2010 is a great year for everyone, and NAMM is a good place to kick it off with new products, new promotions, and new contacts.

If you'd like to catch up while we're out there, please let me know. Anything from a quick hello to a sit down meeting to discuss how much you love Piano World and can't wait to advertise with us

If you are an exhibitor, I hope you have a great show, make lots of good contacts, and write lots of business.

If you're an attendee, I hope you learn a ton of new things, and find many products and ideas to help your business.

If you are a member of the public, sorry, you can't get in.
But rest assured you will hear about all the nice new toys coming your way. After all, in the end the NAMM show is all about pleasing you.

With all due respect, "you can't get in" sounds like rubbing it in.
Strictly speaking, John Q. Public is not welcomed, but can get in under the right circumstances.

And truth be told, follow-up reports on those nice new toys are fragmentary rather than comprehensive. For NAMM 2009 I recall a bit of info on an innovative M&H propstick, but there was absolutely no follow-up on new piano products such as the new line of Perzina grands, the new Ritmullers (who have become advertisers here) and the new Knabes partially built in the US. I know this because I tried in public posts to get the resident powers-that-be from those companies to post in the NAMM follow-up threads about their products, but no dice. They were (are) afraid of appearing opportunistic. Finally, although the Roland V was all the rage at NAMM, it's apparent from your own remarks on your East Coast road trip about trying to find one that you yourself missed the product demo at NAMM.

Please take this suggestion without taking offense.

Since you yourself will be attending NAMM for business reasons in the hope of increasing PW's visibility and ad revenues, please at least consider the possibility of assigning someone (possibly one of the mods) to attend as a reporter to file a comprehensive report of all products that are really new and the general atmosphere of the show.

I may be going hope to see you there.

Good idea, I'll keep that in mind.

No offense taken. I'm not the ideal person to be reporting back, as I rarely take notes, and being old, can't remember details :-)

My hope is that more of our members (who attend) will post, as they have in the past.
2009 seemed to be an off year.

I also have to be careful about what I say on PW, lest it be interpreted as favoring a particular product/brand/company.

As for the public can't get in comment, we go through this every year.
The show is not open to the general public, and they (NAMM) are getting stricter about it now.

It isn't a slight, we've discussed the pros and cons ad-nauseam.

And lastly, I do hope the manufacturers and suppliers will get braver about getting involved on the Piano Forums.
The Internet has made it possible to communicate directly with the consumer, with all that's good and bad about that opportunity.

Companies that get involved have a chance to find out exactly what their end-users think, and what they want. Even negative comments are helpful (done without malice) as they may point out opportunities to improve the product(s) or the companies communications, consumers perceptions, etc.

There are a few reprentatives on the forums now.
They do their best to keep the lines of communications open. I believe their approach is a healthy one.

I'll be at a professional society meeting in LA that weekend, and if there's a Pianoworld gathering, I'd love to attend. (Sure is easy to suggest that someone else do all the work).

As to the question of getting more reports back from the NAMM show, maybe Larry Fine could write, or have someone write an article on what's new at the show which could be included in his online Piano Buyer's guide as well as presented here.

Rich

This is agony! Have to decide whether to stay in Chicago and listen to Claire Huangci give a recital (at Pianoforte Chicago, in the Fine Arts Building) or go to California.

I have not read or seen the pros/cons of having the public attend a NAMM show. Frank, could you post here the reasons positive or negative. Thanks

grandpianoman,

This gets discussed every year.

The primary reasons for NOT letting the public in.

~ It is a business show, not a home show.
~ Manufacturers/vendors/distributors spend big money to exhibit, primarily
to show off their latest/greatest and to write orders with dealers.
~ Dealers spend big money to be there, to see the latest/greatest and purchase "NAMM Special" deals.
~ Many of the big ticket representatives (pianos, organs, keyboards, high-end guitars, string instruments, etc. have pre-set appointments throughout the duration of the show. No time for entertaining the public.
~ It is a wholesale environment which only causes problems when the public thinks they now know what an instrument should retail for (not taking into account shipping, handling, prep, service, warranty, professional staff, repair departments, overhead (advertising, rent, utilities, salaries, benefits, etc.)profit (so the company can stay in business and be there to give you good service), etc.
~ It is for NAMM "members". We all pay to belong to this professional organization.
~ It is NOT a place to go play with the new toys. It's nearly impossible to hear anything in these huge halls with dozens of instruments being played at any given moment.

Before you suggest holding everything over for one or two more days to let the public in, it's been discussed.

~ Every day costs big bucks for the booths
~ The staff in most booths is trained to work with dealers on large wholesale orders, not the public one on one.
~ Everyone is tired, they've usually been there at least a week, and every day is a long day (often starting early, and ending late after hosting evening meetings).
~ Manufacturers/Vendors/Distributors are not set up to sell one offs to the public.

Sorry, as much as it looks inviting when you see The Pictures , it isn't really the right setup for the public.

I hate to appear negative, but my guess is that NAMM 2010 will be a quiet affair upstairs, where all the piano displays are located. With virtually every manufacturer and/or distributor coming off two of the worst years in the piano industry since World War II, it is hard to imagine any of them spending money freely to put on a grandiose display. Unfortunately, I will not be there to witness this show.

I'll be there working with Larry Fine, both on Piano Buyer and on an exciting new program we are working on.

As to the suggestion that he write a report on the NAMM show...I'll pass it along to him.

Man! Some of the people around here really like to tease!

It's hard to imagine that Larry and Steve Cohen will simply be observers to the goings-on. One assumes that just as is the case with Frank B, they will be promoting something. What could that be?

My vote is to send the moderate, objective, and dispassionate Ken Knapp. He needs a change of scenery. Can't be healthy to be a playground monitor 24/7/365.

If funds are tight, we can pass the hat here to cover his travel expenses.

I would be happy to have Ken join us.
Unfortunately I can barely cover my and Kathy's expenses.

And you're correct. Although I very much enjoy observing, and playing with the toys, I also try to drum up some advertising interest as it's advertising revenue and our online store sales that support Piano World, the forums, and since McGraw-Hill downsized our department a couple years ago ... me :-)

Thanks for the candor. Would it be kosher to start a thread asking for member pledges to bankroll Ken's expenses if he agreed to be the eyes and ears of the membership?

This one seems a post more appropriate for the piano technicians forum. Posting here is inviting for the above reactions

Me tease?

Me?

Not me!

(A really innovative new program! One sure to please.)

The following is a list of the Piano, Keyboard, and related Manufacturers displaying at the NAMM 2010 show. The master list contains over 1650 exhibitors for this years show.

There are likely some other piano and/or keyboard companies I didn't catch that should be in the list, particularly if they don't use "piano" anywhere in their company name (and I don't know what the make).

And yes, we will be trying to visit each during the show.

If you know of any I missed please let me know.

Beijing Hsinghai Piano Group Limited
Bohemia Piano America Inc.
Bosendorfer
Brodmann
Casio
Laul Estonia Piano Factory
Fazioli Pianoforti SRL
Hailun
Hallet, Davis & Co. Pianos
Hardman Pianos
Heintzman
JB Piano GmbH
Kawai
Korg
Kurzweil
M-Audio - An Avid Company
Mason & Hamlin Piano Company
Palatino Pianos
Pearl River Piano Group America Ltd.
Perzina
Petrof
Piano Empire, Inc.
Piano Force
Piano Manufacturers Association International/National Piano Foundation
Piano Press
Piano Technicians Guild
PianoDisc
Play Piano in a Flash Class
Renner
Rhodes
Roland Pianos and Organs
Samick
Schimmel Piano Corporation
Steinberg
Story & Clark Pianos
Taylor Pianos
Walter Piano Transport, Inc.
Wyman Piano Company
Yamaha
Young Chang

As always, if you plan on attending the NAMM show and would like to catch up, please let me know. Always happy to see old friends and make new ones.

Frank B.,

Thank you for that list.

The representation of the German 'S' brands is interesting. Schimmel, despite its publicized financial woes, is on the list whereas Sauter, Seiler, Wilh. Steinberg, Steingraeber, and almost-German Schulze Pollmann are missing. I suppose i'ts possible that SMC will be showing Seiler.

It would seem that Blüthner, Bechstein, and Bösendorfer are missing as well.

I'm really surprised not to see Hailun or Brodmann amog the brands made in China. I do see a Taylor Piano. Norbert recently posted about Brodmann's plans to market a Taylor Piano, but didn't mention anything about the company changing its name. Could any of the many Hailun and/or Brodmann dealers here in this forum comment on the apparent absence of these two brands?

Thanks turnadot,

Hailun, Brodmann, and Steinberg are indeed in the list from NAMM, my fault I missed them.

As I said, I scanned a list of 1650+ exhibitors looking for Piano Companies, no doubt I missed some and hope others will correct or question my list.

Just wanted to make sure that JB Piano on the above list is Joseph BRODMANN. Anyone?

Thanks!

Edit: cross-posts above have clarified this.

Both Brodman and Hailun will have proment displays at NAMM.

These are two of still growing companies in the industry today.

Both makers will show new products, Brodman will add a quality digital line for its dealers.

Taylor will be a new entry level line,designed by and named after partner Colin Taylor.

Norbert

Norbert,

Will Hailun be represented by a new distributor, the ?existing? distributor, or by both with rival displays at opposite ends of the floor?

Also, will Herr Norbert be at NAMM?

For those of you who may be curious about the scope of the NAMM show, here is an Excel spread sheet with all the exhibitors (over 1600 of them).

Clicking this link will give you the option to open it in Excel, or download it.

NAMM 2010 Exhibitors

I was going to just copy/paste the list into a post, but it would be way too long.

The list of Piano Companies is posted a couple posts up in this thread.

Frank,

I opened the spreadsheet and looked over the list. Noticeably missing were Baldwin (they will no doubt be represented inside the Gibson Guitar display), ASC (Sejung, including George Steck, Hobart Cable and Falcone), Generalmusic, and Bechstein.

As for the other German piano builders, Seiler will be included in the Samick display (along with all their other piano brands and also their guitar and MI products this year). I think that Sauter and Steingraeber will pass on coming to Anaheim this year and instead invest their trade show budget in exhibiting at Frankfort. JMHO

Thanks Craig,

I didn't see Bechstein, ASC, or Generalmusic in the spread sheet.

The spread sheet was downloaded directly from the NAMM web site, I didn't alter it in any way (other than to lock the cells).

You're probably right about Baldwin being in the Gibson display, although it would be nice if that had been indicated.

I'm not going this year, as I'm not currently affiliated with any business company, and my own business is either not off the ground enough, or of the wrong type, to get me in the door.

So, considering I'm not going, where's the next best place to go (preferably in southern California if possible) to be able to see and play, in one place, every make and model of piano currently produced? I'm thinking of going to the PTG National convention later this year, but even then I don't think every single make and model listed in the Piano Buyer publication will be there.

The one time I did go a few years ago when I was working as a floor tuner for a local music store, I saw David Rubenstein's 12' R-371 piano there. I also understand he's been working on an 8' R-242 piano and I'd be surprised if it's not completed by now. If anyone sees his piano(s) at NAMM, I would love to have a report of it.

Of course, when you all return from NAMM, I'll want to see the several hundred GB to few TB worth of pictures and videos you take posted. So be sure to take your 5D Mk IIs, 1D Mk IVs, 1Ds Mk IIIs, D3s's, D3x'x, A850's, A900's, or whatever cameras you all have, and fill those stacks of 16GB or 32GB memory cards (which you paid as much for as you paid for the cameras and lenses).... hmm... though... that means we'd probably have to buy Frank B a few extra 2TB hard drives for his server just to host the photos, though... Well I still want to see lots of high-resolution pictures.

In addition to the piano brands not showing at NAMM that are listed above (ASC, Bechstein, Sauter, Steingraeber, etc.), it has been reported that Steinway announced to their dealers back in October (when they had a dealer meeting in Chicago), that they would not be displaying in any capacity at this year's NAMM show, not even in an off-site hotel. While there is no doubt that Steinway management and executives will be attending the show as visitors and will be meeting with key dealers over dinner or in hotel suites, there is no official S & S dealer function planned for this NAMM show.

My hunch is that the entire show will be more focused on the guitar and MI exhibits in the main halls on the first floor, leaving the third floor piano exhibits to the fewer dealers and industry personnel that can afford to attend this year. It will likely be a quiet affair.

Unfortunately I think you're right Craig.

We usually attend with an eye toward picking up new advertisers.
I do have a couple of meetings, but nothing like in past years.

I think we'll be spending more time looking for products to add to our online store (PianoSupplies.com).

I used to go for 5-6 days, this year we arrive Thurs. afternoon and leave early Sunday morning. Didn't want to spend more on hotel/food/etc. than I have to.

I remember when NAMM was a big time fun affair.

Sure, just when Piano World has gotten big enough to attract the attention
of the industry, the industry shrinks :-)

I'm not giving up, but just in case I think I better start working on KazooWorld.
Oops, can't even do that, someone else owns the domain name.

Frank,

I'm sure that you will find the NAMM show to be worth your investment to attend. Seriously, although KazooWorld is spoken for, you may very well discover another segment of the music products industry (the percussion folks are very passionate) that could benefit from your ability and experience to expand your internet forums. You have all the mechanical components in place; all you need is another instrument category and the enthusiasts will follow.

Best Wishes and Happy Holidays!

Happened to see this announcement – The “gear slutz” are having a party during the NAMM show.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-g...y-16th-7pm.html

Thought this funny: While referring themselves as the “gear sluts”, they call piano dealers (and any music related dealers) the “gear pimps”