The NAMM show: Before and After

Lee Barker · #1 01-12-2006, 10:25 AM

Linda Barker and I will be heading south from Oregon to Anaheim, California USA for the annual music trade show, known for years as NAMM. We'll load the Bassmobile with 6 sterling examples of the Barker Bass, enough handouts to cover any Canadian province, and Oregon hazelnuts, which we give away to folks who are thankful to get a snack that isn't candy.

The show is January 19 - 22. If in the next couple of days you have questions about the show that we might be able to answer, fire away.

If you're headed there, we're in booth 1441, Hall E. That is smack dab in the geographical center of the hall, right under (at least it was last year) the big suspended 1400 sign.

Joining us in the booth (one at a time) is a bunch of amazing and interesting folks, all either owners of Barkers or darn close to it: Doug Mancini, Will Witt, Tom Szell, Todd Johnson, Eric Owens, Simon Watkins, Jack Jobes and Tom Boyles.

Having these quality men helping out in the booth makes it possible for us to take some show time to visit with industry folks who we've come to know. We're looking forward to visits with Jeff Sabin of JazzTimes and Jon Levy of BassPlayer, for instance. I always stop and visit with the people at String Swing, which I've found to be a fantastic wall hook for all my basses in the shop and demo room. Trip will be there and I expect we'll trade visits in an effort to get the other guy off balance. I already am, of course, so he's got it easy.

And I always stand in awe to hear the fantastic and the unusual. I could listen for hours to a good Chapman Stick player.

Thoughts, comments, questions about NAMM? Your turn!

evi · #2 01-12-2006, 03:03 PM

Hi Lee,

Just don't sell my 5 string fretless! Seriously though, how about trying both your fretted and fretless basses with different amps while you are at the show. Where else can you get all those new amps under one roof? There may be a couple of amps that outshine all others for sound using your basses. I for one would be interested in an evaluation of Barker Basses paired with various amps in the style of rock, funk, jazz, R&B etc.

I too like the GK amps (as well as others), but I found the Roland DB500 and DB900 a really good match for both my Barker fretted and fretless.

Anyways just my 2 cents. Have a good time at the show.

Rob
Glad you liked the cd.

Lee Barker · #3 01-13-2006, 09:41 AM

Hey Rob--Thanks for the thoughts. We've chatted about your Rolands and I'm real interested. That company generally has a large presence at the show so I'll make it a point to check 'em out. While all the latest and greatest is there, it can be very difficult to hear. I remember on one of my quick tours around upstairs seeing a bass I was curious about and so I stopped at the booth and was eyeing it and an employee came out and we tried to have a conversation about the instrument and we just couldn't because the sound was so loud--coming from their own booth! I just had to shrug and keep walking.
One amp that I can easily get to and will do some checking on is the new suitcase by Phil Jones Bass. (www.philjonesbass.com) And Mark at Accugroove will have his new speakers there, so I'll have to check them out.

And Rob, your bass is getting more and more together here, there are fewer and fewer pieces around with your name on them. Isn't that encouraging? : )

Kindly,

Lee

adam on bass · #4 01-13-2006, 10:31 AM

I'll see you there. I have some interesting stuff for you!

ole Jason · #5 01-23-2006, 10:45 PM

Hey Lee I had a chance to speak with you a bit and play your basses. Definately one of the friendliest booths at the show. I knew the basses looked familiar but it didn't dawn on me that I had seen them here so many times until after I got home.

From an upright player's standpoint I was impressed with your stuff. I have no doubt you met a lot of soon-to-be buyers at the show

Lee Barker · #6 01-25-2006, 11:56 AM

Thanks Ole Jason for the compliments. Linda and I have a great time meetin' and greetin' but the real credit for the friendliness you referred to goes to our generous players/owners who come to the show and offer their third party opinions in answer to questions from the musicians and dealers who stop by. Those folks are: Will Witt, Doug Mancini and Simon Watkins of California, Tom Szell of Oregon, Eric Owens of New Mexico, and I'll even include Scott Welch of California who came by and played on occasion. Todd Johnson would have been there but he was not feeling well. (Good call, Todd. Go have another Airborne.) These players are all great people, wonderful conversationalists and articulate advocates for Barker Basses. Linda and I are very grateful for them.

Lee Barker · #7 01-26-2006, 03:56 PM

Ohmigosh. I forgot to mention Jack Jobes. California. Loyal Barker owner and supporter and general all around character and in-demand saloon singer. Sorry Jack. I had a senior moment.

mgood · #8 02-07-2006, 10:29 PM

Hey, I met some of these guys at the NAMM show and played a couple of their basses!

Unique instrument. I was never much of an upright player. But I had no trouble adapting to these. They had very nice necks, very comfortable. The thumb rest was in my way a bit. I prefered to rest my thumb on the neck pickup just as I do with a regular solid-body electric. But the thumb rest is a very minor thing and easily removed. So not a gripe, just an observation. The tone was outstanding. Very woody sound. Different. I liked it a lot. I think I played a fretless five and a fretted four. Both showed excellent workmanship and were easy to play. I thought it would be weird, but it's not. Whatever I could play with a regular electric solid-body bass on a strap or in my lap, I could play on these Barkers. You just take the same hand position and tilt it. It's really easy to get along with.

Very, very nice people too!

modeshapes · #9 02-11-2006, 08:35 PM

My sentiments exactly, mgood.
Your impression of the Barker Bass matches mine very closely. Even down to the thumbrests (I removed mine, which Lee doesn't even know until he sees this post!).
How cool to have an instrument (in my case, a BVB fretess 4) with a woody tone but that I can play with electric bass technique and put in the front seat of my car! And it looks great too.