Post #280181 by tiki mick on Mon, Jan 22, 2007 7:43 AM

Yeah, it is always the metal dudes!!!!!!!

Yesterday I was in the Fender room, (saw the guitars Spike mentioned, and they are cool!-Spike, did you see those acoustic guitars-I think they are American Heritage series-with the cool sweethearts of the rodeo graphics?) anyway, was watching Yngwie Malmsteen play. I don't know why, but I started laughing uncontrolably and had to step outside, until I could compose myself.

Danelectro had some new, minimalist, modern-retro square shaped guitars, and I am suprised Spike didn't buy one on the spot, as we both digged the olive green one.

I had a rare treat yesterday: And a strange coincidence, as the 70's disco album by Sergio Mendes "Magic Lady" was in my CD player on the way to the show. So, I am standing there watching David Pastorius (son of Jaco) playing the bass, and I read the tag on the guy standing next to me, and it is Nate Watts, who was the bass player on the entire Sergio Mendes album. I said "hi" and shook his hand. He was a very nice and humble guy. He is the bass player with Stevie Wonder.

It's the metal heads and thier girlfriends that makes the whole NAMM show worth it: For these guys, the late 80's, early 90's never really ended. Basically, if you have seen the film "heavy metal parking lot" you can get the picture. The dudes are in thier late 40's, still with the hair and the spandex, and the girlfriends look almost exactly like the bossy girlfriend from "spinal tap". And they still shred, on thier Schecter guitars, with the all-black hardware and pointy shapes-they shred and they still flip thier hair like Yngwie. Yngwie had a backing band that was almost exactly the same band as Jack Black's old band in the movie "school of rock". The whole thing is almost cartoon-like, and is the reason I never got into metal.

I had an interesting conversation with the guy who makes Mellotrons-he had a crazy, bad attitude. I felt like he kinda wanted to strike me. He said "why the F#$ck do you think I am sitting here?" after I asked him "who makes the cartriges?"

But most every one has good attitudes, and don't mind stupid questions, or the same questions over and over. After all, there are a LOT of people in the building. Not everyone is a buyer, either, so the companies know they are not really selling you anything, but just showing pride in thier products, and talking them up.

By far, my favorite booth is still King Doublebass. The three owners and employees all play upright in bands, and are not only talented designers, but really nice guys who don't mind any question at all, and will gladly answer them. Thier basses are the best: Any design you can think of, but most look like hot rods-Kustom Kar Kulture hot rods-last year they had the Tiki bass, with the rad pinstriping.

Roland had a great room too, with lot's of fog machines and stobe lights going, and what-not.