Wow! The only word to describe my virgin experience at the 2011 NAMM show in Anaheim last month. From the amazing sights and sounds of the show, to the extensive array of new products on the floor, to the excitement of the vendors and dealers, to the celebrities and rock stars roaming the halls…it was a truly fantastic happening! At the Reunion Blues booth, we not only had prototypes of the new Reunion Blues Continental cases, we also parked a $250,000 Bentley Continental car right in the booth. The prestige of Reunion Blues and Bentley go hand in hand, and the similar positioning of the Continental line within each brand name is perfectly parallel.

Everywhere I went the mood was upbeat, the energy level high and the reaction to new products was enthusiastic. I believe this is a very good indicator, not only for the musical instrument and accessories business, but for the whole economy. Most dealers had a good holiday season and want to keep the momentum going. Regardless of their musical tastes, most attendees were ready to “Rock On!” into the new year.

The Reunion Blues Continental cases were a smashing success. Both the existing models and the new prototypes created a big buzz. The expanded Band & Orchestra line including Cornet, Flugelhorn, Trombone (coming soon) and Euphonium cases will help our dealers fill a demand gap. The Violin, Banjo, Mandolin and Ukulele cases will also be very popular with the string players when they are available in a couple of months.

In the Kaces and Strukture booth, the Puck 3” drum practice pad had everyone testing their accuracy with the sticks and the new Strukture lightweight aluminum keyboard stands were lifted more than a newborn baby.
My favorite non-Ace product was the ZT Lunchbox amp. As a guitar player who is not getting any younger, I’m always looking for less weight and more portability. And they had a pretty kicking sound too. The ZT amp might be on next year’s wish list for under the holiday tree.

And, as a first timer, I have to mention a few celebrity sightings. Stevie Wonder stopped the traffic as he walked through and Glen Campbell seemed to be the nicest guy in the world as several people wanted to shake his hand…and, of course, he obliged. Even Fifi Larue added some excitement as he is still out there trying to make the big time as a heavy metal clown. You may laugh but you gotta respect his persistence. Laurence Juber of Paul McCartney and Wings fame, and more recently as a guitar fingerpicking expert, stopped in the Reunion Blues booth to express love for his 5 (count ‘em 5!) Reunion Blues gig bags and his desire for one of the new prototypes.
And the southern California weather in January was really nice too! Can’t wait ’til next year!