Just picked up another OG PRS Tremonti. Pics when it arrives!
Black and white thinking. Of course NAMM isn't the only way for companies to advertise and make connections. But it is one way. And for many companies a worthwhile investment of time and money to participate in. For others a work related activity that persists irrespective of its value.
Ever have a job in which you get a certain budget for pro development? Get to fly/drive somewhere, stay in a hotel, go out for some meals with some friends or colleagues, attend a conference for a couple days, get out of the office and daily routine. You sit through some workshops, get some swag, hear a bunch of presentations that tell you stuff you've mostly heard before. You go home, not much changes as a result of info you probably could have gotten had you ordered a book on Amazon. But you keep going each year. Why? Because doing something out of the ordinary, even if expensive is fun. Same reason people spend enormous amounts of time and money planning to go on far away vacations to sit around and do the same things they could do within an hour of where they live.
For the big dogs, like Gibson, it's understandable for them to skip. As they have that rare iconic branding that ensures they will always have market share and significance even if less known companies can put out products that surpass theirs in quality for less cost.
When we are talking money it is most times black and white. 
I do hear and appreciate your points. You make some good ones, thanks for sharing them. The problem I see with the overall of what you said is the companies with the budgets to do such things are the companies that can afford (no pun intended) to skip, as you stated. Most companies don't have those kinds of budgets and I don't know of any company or NAMM worker who just absolutely loves the madness of the NAMM Show. Most people come back worse than they left...lol but I digress. I do get what you are saying and in some ways can agree with the overall if you have the money to burn as a company. From my perspective, few music companies have that kind of cash flow and can afford to take the time off to do so and have the ends justify the means. Again, from a "fun" perspective I get it but from a business perspective I am not convinced the ROI is there.
Good talk though, I appreciated it.
Wonderful bait, but for someone else. As for looking like an idiot….that’s certainly one of us.
So…
I bow to your superior intellect in the hopes you’ll step off your soapbox and go away. You win. Yours is superior….whatever.
Can we move on? Or is that another 200+ word opinion/essay as to why not?
Cute response...weak, but cute.
No bait here. 3 edits though? 
It was a simple dialogue which you failed to present your side with any validity. We don't have to agree and in fact might be able to learn something from one another from different perspectives and experiences. I do appreciate your kind and patronizing down talk from your own soapbox though.
First, I don’t drink.
Why elaborate? It’s a $15 billion industry you made obsolete in a message board post.Clearly you’re smarter than me.
(fixed it for you)
Great! I will get you a fancy sparkling water or something to your liking, fair enough?
Why elaborate? So you don't look like an idiot thinking that a trade show is the only way to do business in the modern world. As long as the sheep are willing to buy floor space, stop production for a week and spring for exorbitant and unnecessary costs to follow the herd of hype there will always be a market for NAMM or any other similar event. I am simply saying there are other ways of doing business that cost less and are just as effective, if not more so, than a trade show. Coming from a multi generational family with ties to businesses that align with the initial "trade show" industry mindset I have evolved and been able to see it for what it is now a days which is simply a glorified party and place to collect and hand out business cards, see old friends and indulge in whatever one wishes. Ask yourself, if it was so vital, wouldn't all the big guns be there? Clearly your unexplained views solidify and outweigh anything I have said because there is only one way to achieve a thing in business and even life for that matter.
Actually, I vehemently disagree with you.
Mostly because you have an incredibly myopic view of what trade shows are about.
lol @ myopic view of a trade show. I forget how cutting edge they are... brimming with endless possibilities. Let me guess, you are on the board for NAMM? You work for NAMM? Your great great uncle invented NAMM?
Your inability to elaborate is comedic. Thanks for the entertainment. First two beers are on me.
I think you’ll find that the $15 billion trade show industry will certainly change - but go exactly nowhere. It isn’t just about getting face time with existing dealers. That’s one tiny part of what goes on.
The business done and relationships built on the show floor, at evening events, in restaurants and hotel bars after hours cannot be replaced with technology anymore than a concert video can replace actually being there.
So you clearly agree with what I said.
Since, as you say, it isn't about floor face time then there is absolutely no need for the NAMM costs to talk shop at a bar or restaurant. Have you ever purchased anything online? There are many effective ways to do and conduct successful business now a days. With NAMM, the juice simply isn't worth the squeeze for most companies. YMMV
Nah. Trade shows will be back in full-force soon enough. There is no replacement for in-person.
"In Person" can be done other ways without the massive NAMM costs. No dealer is going to get face time with every company that they do business with at NAMM, it's just not possible. Tech and current business practices has left NAMM and that model behind a decade ago (or more).
No need for it IMO. Old business model that can easily and effectively be bypassed without the added costs, hassles and production down time for attending.
M A B - you won't find a nicer guy who is as sincere as the day is long. He is a little quirky but anybody great at anything usually is a little bit in their own way. He doesn't like talking in front of people all that much and his stage fright pops up but he presses through it. He has a wicked, dry at times sense of humor and is a sweetheart of a dude. Great Great player and an even better person.
Fryette LXII is a nice power amp to use.
They are 3rd party plugins but Reaper comes with all your basic effects necessary to make a pro mix minus instruments. I would not depend on a all-included-solution in DAW to satisfy my needs. They are many 3rd party plugins that are over the charts to what an included plugin can do. Superior Drummer is one of them.
I do get though that once you get used to a DAW then you are not likely to change. I get aggravated when I have to learn a new Windows OS or Android Phone.
Agree on all fronts. What sold me with Reaper was that it can look like any other DAW if you want it to. I don't know of anything more customizable but I am certainly not a DAW or recording expert by any means. I am typically an Apple fan but I also don't like being stuck with a system that moves along at the whims of the owning company when said company isn't only a DAW company (in this case). Apple loves to slave their users into their system lock them in and or force the upgrades, etc. Anyway. Logic is a fine product and it and Cubase are my other DAW favorites.
When I think of DAW I am thinking of how to get what I am doing recorded. I am not looking for a band of additional instruments I am not playing...but that is me and that is what plug ins are for if I ever needed them. All the DAW's out there are good now a days. Finding one that aligns with what you are about, how you work and so forth is what matters in the end. YMMV
Welcome to the Kemper Family. I hope your experience with your Kemper is as good as ours here or even better!
Reaper can be made to look like any other DAW as well, if you are after a certain look and flow. There is little it can not do if you take the time to get it sorted as you desire.
Bang for the buck goes to Reaper. Ability to customize to your personal needs with layout etc. goes to Reaper. People often discount it for being so cost effective but if you really dive into it and learn about it and also what you really want and need you can get it with Reaper. They are always updating and upgrading things. They also have a wonderful community and are willing to help if you have questions and need advice/direction. I always say it is a worthy solution and deserving of a hard look for the reasons I mentioned alone. Free trial or 60 bucks (or something like that) for the license. Hard to pass at that price and with all the other perks.
Most of the DAWS are quite capable. You really need to find the one that works best for you, how you think and work and operate. There is no BEST, only best for you personally. Again, with the customization aspect of Reaper, it is tough to beat IMO. YMMV
