THE GUITAR SHOW - comments time

Jason

guitars4you said:

Fully support your comments above @FelineGuitars - Like wise I did Wembley and Excel - loved the old vibe of Wembley and glory hunters effectively mucked it up with big ideas - Last show I did in London was Olympia and they had plans to repeat it in Birmingham - A few will remember Clive who effectively took our deposits and ran

Since then we have had the vintage/used based stores, mainly in the north and now Kempton - So yes we can find faults with The Guitar Show but by a long way it is the best we have - it works well for what is after all a 'cottage industry' - Not sure were some of these stats come from but I heard the other day that the musical instrument industry is small than the sales of Tesco's bake beans

Thats one of my favourites - it came from the MIA, the other (not sure if its true, but it probably is) Marks and Spencer on Oxford St takes more money in Decemmber than the entire of the UK MI takes in a year. Everyone needs socks and pants!

guitars4you

Jason said:

guitars4you said:

Fully support your comments above @FelineGuitars - Like wise I did Wembley and Excel - loved the old vibe of Wembley and glory hunters effectively mucked it up with big ideas - Last show I did in London was Olympia and they had plans to repeat it in Birmingham - A few will remember Clive who effectively took our deposits and ran

Since then we have had the vintage/used based stores, mainly in the north and now Kempton - So yes we can find faults with The Guitar Show but by a long way it is the best we have - it works well for what is after all a 'cottage industry' - Not sure were some of these stats come from but I heard the other day that the musical instrument industry is small than the sales of Tesco's bake beans

Thats one of my favourites - it came from the MIA, the other (not sure if its true, but it probably is) Marks and Spencer on Oxford St takes more money in Decemmber than the entire of the UK MI takes in a year. Everyone needs socks and pants!

Maybe it is via the MIA that I heard it from then as well Jason - but certainly brings home the reality of our cottage industry - nothing wrong with that as long as we work within these realms
 
not sure about the pants - Commando Jason

Jason

 not sure about the pants - Commando Jason

I think the days of a snake hipped, commando rock god are behind me - I'm just too damn old now

haven't actually sunk to M&S yet tho

sgosden

There needs to be a warning on the @thorpyFX stand, that his hand shake can turn your bones to mush

Strat_a_tat_tat

guitars4you said:

 
not sure about the pants - Commando Jason

Can we have a collection from Fretboard members.... so @guitars4you can get some boxer shorts?

Times are hard in the guitar biz. :-)

ThorpyFX

sgosden said:

There needs to be a warning on the @thorpyFX stand, that his hand shake can turn your bones to mush

Ah bugger , sorry lol

FelineGuitars

ThorpyFX said:

sgosden said:

There needs to be a warning on the @thorpyFX stand, that his hand shake can turn your bones to mush

Ah bugger , sorry lol

A "firm" handshake between ThorpyFX and Gassage would be worth watching then....(Sky would have it on Pay Per View)

vasselmeyer

FelineGuitars said:

A "firm" handshake between ThorpyFX and Gassage would be worth watching then....(Sky would have it on Pay Per View)

I would pay to watch that. We need to pitch it  to Netflix  as a series.

jpfamps

Myself and a friend came up from London on the Sunday (my day off!!).

To be honest getting up there wasn't much hassle (travelling to venues near London eg Kepton would almost certainly have been worse, and even in London can be bad.

I got a £12 return train ticket, and the cheaper food (excellent curry!) and refreshments (beer) meant that this was not an expensive show to attend at all; indeed attending a London show may well worked out more expensive after you have been chiselled for food and drink.

Anyhow, it I was a good show, and I got to meet up with some people I hadn't met with before, as well as some people I only see at shows.

It was also great that you could meet up with other Fretboard members.

The noise was an issue, although I was not so much worried about listening to people demoing amps I wanted to hear, as you often get a better impression of how an amp sounds at a distance from the amp.

The main issue was people on stands who thought they were playing a gig; the two guys opposite the Griffin Amps stand were particularly irritating. One was playing slap bass the other guitar and they endlessly jammed funk on two chords, very loud, more it seems to show what great players they were rather than demonstrating any gear. They also seemed very pleased with themselves!

guitars4you

jpfamps said:

The main issue was people on stands who thought they were playing a gig; the two guys opposite the Griffin Amps stand were particularly irritating. One was playing slap bass the other guitar and they endlessly jammed funk on two chords, very loud, more it seems to show what great players they were rather than demonstrating any gear. They also seemed very pleased with themselves!

I think you see that so much at many shows - look at me - maybe good players but a very poor attempt at actually selling - but then who is employing them with such policies

digitalscream

guitars4you said:

jpfamps said:

The main issue was people on stands who thought they were playing a gig; the two guys opposite the Griffin Amps stand were particularly irritating. One was playing slap bass the other guitar and they endlessly jammed funk on two chords, very loud, more it seems to show what great players they were rather than demonstrating any gear. They also seemed very pleased with themselves!

I think you see that so much at many shows - look at me - maybe good players but a very poor attempt at actually selling - but then who is employing them with such policies

I think that was the DV Mark/Markbass stand...I mentioned that earlier in the thread, and I think somebody might've had words with them

As for the showoffs...it always amazes me that people do that when trying amps. I mean...what you actually want to hear from an amp is what you're doing 90% of the time with it - playing rhythm. Always surprises me how few people you hear riffing at these shows.

guitars4you

digitalscream said:

guitars4you said:

jpfamps said:

The main issue was people on stands who thought they were playing a gig; the two guys opposite the Griffin Amps stand were particularly irritating. One was playing slap bass the other guitar and they endlessly jammed funk on two chords, very loud, more it seems to show what great players they were rather than demonstrating any gear. They also seemed very pleased with themselves!

I think you see that so much at many shows - look at me - maybe good players but a very poor attempt at actually selling - but then who is employing them with such policies

I think that was the DV Mark/Markbass stand...I mentioned that earlier in the thread, and I think somebody might've had words with them

As for the showoffs...it always amazes me that people do that when trying amps. I mean...what you actually want to hear from an amp is what you're doing 90% of the time with it - playing rhythm. Always surprises me how few people you hear riffing at these shows.

during the actual 10-5 opening time I was on my stand all the time, so not aware of who specifically was making any noise, other than your neighbors - I just assumed it was a bit of everybody rather than one or two - But equally aware of the 'watch how good I am' demonstrators who don't sell the product that they are employed to promote

ArchtopDave

My first visit. Went on Saturday as it was my birthday. I drove down from Newcastle (upon Tyne) on Friday afternoon after work, and stayed in the southern end of the Jewellery Quarter at the Bloc Hotel.

Easily parked up the street from venue, though I imagine the locals must love overflowing events there!!

A floor plan would have been useful - a simple A4 handout would have been fine. The way upstairs wasn't that obvious to begin with. I think this was because there were so many people milling around the Entrance area, that it seemed best to get out the way and head straight into the Show downstairs.

Most enjoyable show I've been to since the old Wembley days. Noise is always bit of a two edged sword. Part of the "problem" seems to me that it's not just the level of noise, but that it all reverberates. On the other hand, it's even worse going to a Show that's too quiet, and everyones rather tiptoeing around.

As most have said the food was good - I chose the Chick Pea Curry. Certainly separate access to a good coffee / tea stand would be a bonus. 

Getting into the Show could be tidied up given that there were security guys just standing around. It would have been useful to have had a separate queue for those of us with prepaid tickets, who just needed to be "stamped".

The quiet times are vital for any detailed discussions. I own a Smooth Hound transmitter, and sorted out a customised Guitar Strap with Heistercamp. Also I was pleased the pedal distributors were honourable enough to take orders, at the Show price, for the Neunabor Immerse, after their Show stock ran out within the first hour of Saturday.

Nice to not only have a chat with people I already knew, but also see the guys behind Smooth Hound, and Rift Amps.

My only disappointment was that @TTony wasn't there on Saturday, as I wanted to torment him with my Acoustic build!! Not quite up to the standard of the Rosie Heydenrych Redwood topped Acoustic, but that would take some beating.

Rabs

Id just like to say a big thank you to Jason..  I had a great time at the show...  And more importantly thank you for the quite times..  They were a total god send 

And while maybe not everything was perfect..  What in life is?   I think you do a great job and I will hopefully will be coming again next time... (hopefully    )

And yes..  Real coffee being available at the show would have been amazing.. cant stand the instant stuff any more...  but that's obviously neither here nor there in the big picture.. But would be nice.

guitars4you

Just a small issue I have and chances are not much can be done - But customers walking around with a drink, mainly beer - With those busy gang ways it will be so easy for some one to nudge you and beer then fly's all over some nice guitars - and you spend bloomin ages to clean it up - can't drinks stay near the bar - You don't see lots walking around but just get nervous when I see them near my guitars

Jason

guitars4you said:

Just a small issue I have and chances are not much can be done - But customers walking around with a drink, mainly beer - With those busy gang ways it will be so easy for some one to nudge you and beer then fly's all over some nice guitars - and you spend bloomin ages to clean it up - can't drinks stay near the bar - You don't see lots walking around but just get nervous when I see them near my guitars

You like being by the food and the bar because of the footfall

I can't cage them in, plus a good mood loosens wallets

Jason

Rabs said:

Id just like to say a big thank you to Jason..  I had a great time at the show...  And more importantly thank you for the quite times..  They were a total god send 

And while maybe not everything was perfect..  What in life is?   I think you do a great job and I will hopefully will be coming again next time... (hopefully    )

And yes..  Real coffee being available at the show would have been amazing.. cant stand the instant stuff any more...  but that's obviously neither here nor there in the big picture.. But would be nice.

Cheers @Rabs

I'm going ask them to get some proper coffee in

Its gonna cost more than 50p a cup tho'

Rabs

Jason said:

 

Cheers @Rabs

I'm going ask them to get some proper coffee in

Its gonna cost more than 50p a cup tho'

  Cool.. and yes I would totally expect that.. and im sure most people do but would pay for it anyway, I know I would...

spark240

So Ive been coming to the show for a while now, luckily Im local so know the area and parking up the side streets is pretty easy, maybe a basic map showing the free local street parking.

Food...Bacon / Sos / Egg sarnies are a must.....the little show in Crewe do breakfast rolls...perfect.

I find the layout is ok, and somehow didnt find the noisy times quite as bad as last year, I even bought the lug plugs but never used them.

I liked the side venue, but I can see it needs some tweaking, I saw the girl playing guitar Sat afternoon but no idea what she was demoing?

Acoustics upstairs?...yeah why not, seemed ok to me albeit a little tight.

I like the intimacy of the show, no one probably knows me but I feel like I know everyone else !

Good job Jason, as I've said before, always willing to help you out, ideas, setting up, clearing out whatever.

Pete24v

I went on the Sunday, and it was my first time going. I've not been to any guitar show for about 10yrs, I think the last one I went to was in London. 

I had a mental list of what I wanted to see, and who I wanted to speak to before casually browsing around.

I parked on a street, about 10 mins walk away, no problem there. After paying cash I walked straight in. I thought the venue was a good size for the amount of people there. I didn't mind the noise, kind of expected it really. 

Huge thanks to the organisers! I'll be going again next year for sure. 

My favourite things in no particular order. 

@ThorpyFX Orange T shirt 

Meeting and chatting to Patrick James Eggle 

Hearing some Jazz on the Matamp & Bulldog Pickups stand and chatting to @Van_Hayden ;;

The hug from @Handsome_Chris ;;

A sweet demo of the new Fane speakers, that guy could really play.