NAMM REPORT 2015 - published in UKE magazine issue 1

I was asked to contibute this piece for the inauguaral issue of UKE Magazine, the UK's only print-format specialist ukulele magazine from our friends at World Of Ukes -

"Howdy", "Dagnabbit", "Have a nice day, y'all" - these are just some of the phrases I practise when I head Stateside. Arriving in Anaheim, California in the middle of January when snow is on the ground at home is quite an experience. Guilt-laden calls home, trying not to sound as though you're enjoying yourself too much, are a common feature. But, however much those back home may despise the blue sky photos posted on social networks, this is work for those of us lucky enough to work in the musical instrument business. This was my second visit to the annual National Association of Music Merchants Show at the Anaheim Convention Center, though I'm by no means a NAMM veteran! This year's event did not disappoint. We've seen a massive resurgence in the popularity of the ukulele in the UK in recent years but this is not peculiar to us. It appears to be a worldwide phenomenon, the list of ukulele exhibitors mushrooming even since last year.

Although the NAMM Show is not as big as the Frankfurt MusikMesse, it offers an opportunity to see products from companies who don't tend to exhibit at the European trade shows. This can be said of some of the highest-end Hawaiian brands, who simply couldn't fulfil the demands of multi-national distribution due to their limited production capacity. Some of them have gone down the route of off-shore manufacturing, i.e. overseeing production of a cheaper, usually far-eastern, product bearing their brand, to take advantage of greater manufacturing capacity to meet wider demand.

Anaheim Convention Center comprises five main exhibition halls, A thru E (I've been here too long!) plus some meeting rooms where some large manufacturers choose to exhibit away from the main hustle and bustle. For years people have advised me to check out the basement, Hall E, where many small companies set up their booths showing off a plethora of gadgets - the Rhythm Ring was a "Best in Show" product from Hall E a few years ago. Hall E also happens to be home to most of the dedicated ukulele booths. Plus, you'll find the "Chinese Pavilion" here - more of that later - rubbing shoulders (almost) with some of the most iconic and high-end ukulele brands in the world.

Imagine a store where you could view a complete range of products from the following all in one room (in no particular order) : Kamaka, Ko'Aloha/Ko'alana/Opio, Ko'Olau/Pono, Kanile'a/Islander, Da Silva, Takumi, Kelii, Lo Prinzi, Uluru, APC/Iberica, Imua/Big Island, Moku, Leho, Lulu, Amahi/Snail, Makau, Asturias, Magic Fluke, Paulele, D'Angelico, Collings, Boulder Creek, Blackbird, Na Leo/Kumu, Mahalo, Ohana, Alic, Bugsgear, Ashbury, g-Great, then board the escalator to catch Kala/Makala, Lanikai, Pukana La, plus loads more from guitar companies who have joined the ukulele rush - Martin, Fender, Epiphone, Ibanez, Daisy Rock, Gretsch, Tanglewood, Stagg. And if you have the time to visit the Chinese Pavilion, you'll find a dozen more companies willing to make you an instrument with your own brand name. This is where you have to be really careful - invest your money in these and you are likely to be counting your losses in a few months. Nothing tuned, strings, bridges, nuts and hardware not fitted properly, I was even told about one booth where the ukulele fingerboards had been put on back to front, i.e. the fret spacings got wider towards the bridge - I'd have bought one just for the novelty value if I'd found it!