Wow what a day I was definitely a kid in the candle store.

  

  e

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I started just meandering through the south end of 
the convention center. I had a list of companies I wanted 
to check out but wasn’t quite sure how 
to go about it.

 
My first stop was at the G&L booth where they had the new blue sparkle 
anniversary Comanche similar to my 25+ year old Comanche, 
but with a light maple fretboard.

 

 
I remember visiting with George Fullerton (the G in G&L) (the other 
being Leo Fender) about 20 years ago about my guitar when I 
visited NAMM with my friend Tom.
 
The first person I recognized today was Landon Bailey from Canada.  
It was his first visit to NAMM and I know he likes blue guitars 
so I directed him to the G&L Booth. 
 
I cruised by the Reverand Guitars, I’ll try to go back tomorrow.
 
 
I spent a little time at the MXR booth comparing my old Rockman with 
the newly released Rockman 100. It sounded great, takes you right back 
to the 80s and the band Boston.
 
 
 
Stopped for a couple minutes at the Eastman booth. This one grabbed 
my attention. (reminded me of my Godin 5th Ave)

 
 

 
I stumbled across the Palotti Guitar booth. Amazing guitars hand built
in Italy using wood from wine barrels. 
 
 
 
  I met quite a few guitar guys from the UK including Rob Chapman 
of Chapman Guitars and Youtube world.
 
 
As I was looking at Guitars in the Godin booth I had a chance to 
visit with the company founder, Robert Godin who pointed out some 
of the newer electric acoustic guitars in the current line. 
I got to tell him how much I like my Godin 5th Avenue.
 

 

 
The day just kept getting better and better with a chance visit with one 
of my friend Tom Hughes’ favorite builders Tom Anderson 
who built Tom H’s Hollow T guitar nearly 25 years ago.
 
 
 

 
 
I spent quite a bit of time visiting with Ron Denoo who is bringing 
in Hils headless guitars to the US from South Korea. I got play a 
couple models, and they felt great. I shot a video of Ron’s story. 
I’ll try to post on Youtube.
 

 

 
I think there is a purple one coming my way unless Valerie prefers 
the green
 
I was taking a little lunch break out in the hall when I started 
hearing a really beautiful acoustic version of While My Guitar 
Gently Weeps and found Laurence Juber  playing on the 
Martin Guitar stage!
 
 
One of the Martin guys directed me upstairs to meet Chris Martin 
who had designed my CEO7 Guitar. 
 
 
 
And about 20 minutes befor that I ran into Paul, the owner of Musicvilla 
in Bozeman Montana where I bought the guitar.

 
And then I came across this guy, Aaron Short, one of my favorite 
Youtubers while we were checking out a new Fishman sound 
hole pickup.
 

 
 
Another good guy I met was Llyod Baggs of LRBaggs. He gave 
some advice about upgrading my old LR Baggs pickup in my 
Gibson J200.
 
  
 
i also had a chance to visit with Dennis Drum the 
owner of Vintage Guitars from the UK. 
He shared his card to pass along to my friend 
John Robson. Valerie and I are hoping to visit 
the UK this Fall.
 
 
 
 
I had to stop and say hello to Jamie and her dad Greg Deering at 
Deering Banjos. Several years ago we visited their shop in San Diego
and they were so nice to us, Valerie bought a banjo (and we didn’t 
even know how to play it). We visited about the new Avett Brothers 
banjo in the works and I got share a Big For His Age CD with Jamie. 

 
 
 
Music was being played everywhere throughout the convention 
hall and quite a few musicians (like Andy Timmons below) were 
visiting with fans and signing autographs.

 
Aaron’s Short’s name also came up at several booths including 
Cole Clark when I visited with Majelen from Australia who was 
doing some demos in the booth of several guitars.

 
 
I ended the day visiting with Devon at Novo guitars who 
Valarie and I had met in 2023 on our way through Nashville 
when I picked up my Rivolta guitar.  I have some  
great video of Devon enthusiastically talking about their 
new bass guitars Unfortunately, the mic didn’t work on 
that one (user error), but his energy comes thru, so I may post it anyway!
 

 
 
So that was Day one.
 
Resting up for day 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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