Winter NAMM 2019 (ultra Pic-heavy)

[ardgedee]

NAMM seems fun (of a sort) from the vantage of my house but it's clearly gone the way of televised awards shows: mountains of sparkle and fluff interfering with and obscuring what the show's purpose once was. Just the same, I'll check out next year's thread when it comes around. It's nicely quiet here at home.

This seems to be true of many major trade shows and conferences. The Consumer Electronics Show gets wall-to-wall media coverage. E3 (the big North American computer/video game show) is an immense media spectacle. The major auto shows in the US sell public-access tickets; people within the industry get their own admission tier and do their business in private suites. Even some of the food industry conferences end up getting time on TV. And because of this the exhibitors at all these shows have to do their best to make their pitches soundbite-ready and consumer-focused since these are frequently the first or only opportunities many companies have to get their products known to the public without expensive ad buys. I don't think this particular trend is going away.

 

[PraiseBassing]

I for one would rather go to a trade show myself to find out about new products than to take a store owners word on an item they do not have in store. Too many people in all industries have their brand loyalty and their own preferences that skew their opinions.

 

[BTL]

I had a great DM chat with @chowny, and he was tremendously helpful. Thanks Stephen!

I also spoke with Ben Chafin of Chafin, Crackercaster, and Electra Guitars. Ben is local to me and was a wealth of information. He has been attending NAMM since his days at Dean's Custom Shop here in Tampa.

I think my plan is to exhibit at Summer NAMM 2019 and maybe go to Winter NAMM 2020 as an attendee.

I'm pretty excited to see how all of this will come together.

 

[Ivan R]

Were there any bass pedal synthesizers, like the Moog Taurus?

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Man, it looks like such a great time. I need to make it there one day.

 

[wintremute]

Were there any bass pedal synthesizers, like the Moog Taurus?

There may have been, but I didn't notice one.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Benssica

View attachment 3295688 View attachment 3295689 View attachment 3295690 View attachment 3295691 View attachment 3295692 View attachment 3295693 View attachment 3295694 View attachment 3295695

What's the deal with these?

 

[wintremute]

What's the deal with these?

I had no idea, it was just a booth I saw. So I just did some internet looking and found this article from April of 2018.

Keeping guitar market on a string - Chinadaily.com.cn

Key points...

Zunyi Shenqu Instrument Manufacturing Co Ltd is among a growing number of companies based in Zheng'an county that helped create one of the largest guitar-making hubs in western China. It is now seeking to gain momentum in its global expansion.

Currently, the industry park is home to 19 guitar manufacturers and 10 enterprises that support the guitar-making industry.

Last year, 5.01 million guitars were produced in the park, generating an economic output of 5 billion yuan ($792 million), according to official data. The park exported 2.25 million guitars in 2017, accounting for more than one-third of China's total guitar exports.

Today, Zheng'an-made guitars cover around 30 percent of the US market, 40 percent of the Brazil market and 20 percent of the Asian market, said the local government.

After years of development, Zunyi Shenqu, a supplier of six of top ten global guitar brands, has now made a name and money for itself.

In 2007, the brothers founded their own factory; and in 2008, they received an order for 2,000 guitars from Tagima, the top brand in Brazil, via an international guitar exhibition held in Shanghai.

The original equipment manufacturer or OEM business has kept growing at a high rate. Zheng is determined to build an own brand called Benssica and develop original high value-added products.

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So it sounds like one of the factories that has been making guitars for other brands is developing its own brand.

Here are my pics from 2018: Winter NAMM 2018 (ultra Pic-heavy)

And from 2020: wintremute's NAMM 2020 experience

I can't find a website for this brand, though.

I did find this other article from December 2019.
Music for world, no strings attached - Chinadaily.com.cn

Key point:
Zunyi Shenqu Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co Ltd, a major guitar retailer in the county, has developed three independent brands. It also does processing work for some top global music instrument brands such as Japan's Ibanez and US' Fender. So far, it has exported its products to the United States, Brazil, Spain, Germany, and Japan.