Anyone attending the NY Amp Show this weekend June 2 & 3 ??

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Hi Guys. Back from vacation after the NY SHOW. I have to say I was very disappointed in the turnout from the public for this show. I took the advice of some folks who convinced me that moving closer to Manhattan would be a good thing and it really wasn't at all. There wasn't a substantial gain in new faces at the show. The easy access to the city was only utilized by just a few players who did take the 10 minute bus ride from Times Square to just accross the street from the hotel. More folks complained that driving there was a pain compared to Piscataway (the old location).
The good news for you is that with the show not being crowded, it was easier to get quality play and talk time with the exhibitors.
I know most of you only wanted to play the high-gain amps and some manufacturers dropped out within the last week. I did my best to keep you all up to date with that, since last year I screwed up so bad.
If all the manufacturers would follow through through with commitments and not take advantage of my good, trusting nature, the show would be a lot better off.
I'm not going back to Secaucus Embassy Suites next year and might just go back to Piscataway.
Thanks to all Rig-Talkers who did show.
Let's hope the economy picks up and more companies can afford to exhibit next time.
Now I'm focussing on LA for Oct. 6&7
And just so you know, even though the hotels keep charging me more and more for room, I have not raised the price to get in ever.
Looking forward,
Loni
http://www.ampshow.com
http://www.aaacgc.com
http://www.laguitarshow.com (soon to be revived and incorporated with the AMP SHOW)
VIDEOS FROM NY "12 www.youtube.com/AMPSHOWS
 
Loni Specter":3hpts9wa said:
Hi Guys. Back from vacation after the NY SHOW. I have to say I was very disappointed in the turnout from the public for this show. I took the advice of some folks who convinced me that moving closer to Manhattan would be a good thing and it really wasn't at all. There wasn't a substantial gain in new faces at the show. The easy access to the city was only utilized by just a few players who did take the 10 minute bus ride from Times Square to just accross the street from the hotel. More folks complained that driving there was a pain compared to Piscataway (the old location).
The good news for you is that with the show not being crowded, it was easier to get quality play and talk time with the exhibitors.
I know most of you only wanted to play the high-gain amps and some manufacturers dropped out within the last week. I did my best to keep you all up to date with that, since last year I screwed up so bad.
If all the manufacturers would follow through through with commitments and not take advantage of my good, trusting nature, the show would be a lot better off.
I'm not going back to Secaucus Embassy Suites next year and might just go back to Piscataway.
Thanks to all Rig-Talkers who did show.
Let's hope the economy picks up and more companies can afford to exhibit next time.
Now I'm focussing on LA for Oct. 6&7
And just so you know, even though the hotels keep charging me more and more for room, I have not raised the price to get in ever.
Looking forward,
Loni
http://www.ampshow.com
http://www.aaacgc.com
http://www.laguitarshow.com (soon to be revived and incorporated with the AMP SHOW)
VIDEOS FROM NY "12 https://www.youtube.com/AMPSHOWS
Click to expand...

Yeah, I didnt make it and I wanted to but I had a bunch of friends bow out due to other commitments and ultimately I had to bail for the same reasons. Im bummed because it was so close to me ( I live in Manhattan ) but its way too much of a pain in the ass to travel to the old location so I definitely wont be making it next year if you move it back. Despite the low turn out, keeping it close to NYC is a smart move and I hope that you consider that for next year..
 
i drove in from long island and had no trouble getting there (took the lincoln tunnel there and back - saturday morning/afternoon traffic really isn't that bad when there's nothing going on in the city). i enjoyed myself thoroughly, despite the fact that every single amp there was WAY out of my price range. i ended up buying a bunch of effect pedals at great prices though.
 
Just a few observations that I will share and this is just some constructive critisim and nothing personal because I absolutely love what you do and Id hate to see it go by the wayside.

1st, I think the economy had the most impact on the turnout. I don't think the location of Venue will have as much impact as you think and as long as you generate interest people will come which leads me into what I'm going to say next.

If the buzz about your previous amp shows were off the hook with positive reviews then you would have seen more of a turnout and each year it will grow. You need to find out what people/musicians want to see and run with it which leads me to demographic and product.

You need to find out who your demographic is. If you are catering to a bunch of older players like myself then you have already limited your turnout because a lot of guys like myself have already tried just about every piece of gear out there and I find the older that I am, the more commitments I have.
Let's face it and I don't mean to be rude but what did this current amp show have to offer the newer generation of guitar players and if there was a piece of gear that they were interested in, could they afford it and even moreso, did any of the younger crowd know about the ampshow? You also need to take into consideration what the newer guys are looking for. You need to ask yourself if a new band on the rise would be interest in or want to look at some of the amps/gear showcased? This is not a slag to the older guys because I am in that catagory, but if you want to branch out, you need new blood and more rounded products/vendors IMHO.
You also need to find a way to get vendors to want to come to the show and showcase their product.

I know it's a slippery slope but that needs to be looked into.


I know that this post might come off as negative but that is not my intention. Id love to see this grow because I know I had a killer time the couple of years I went!!
The reality of the situation is that you need to generate an interest where people really want to come to the show and if you do that, I assure you that the event will take off like a bat out of hell! I know that is easily said then done ;)

Id keep on doing what you are doing for the guys who are in my age range and then try and come up with a way to get the newer generation interested. I know what Id do, but that's another story !! :rock:

All the best!

~R~
 
Loni Specter":e9iekg7e said:
Hi Guys. Back from vacation after the NY SHOW. I have to say I was very disappointed in the turnout from the public for this show. I took the advice of some folks who convinced me that moving closer to Manhattan would be a good thing and it really wasn't at all. There wasn't a substantial gain in new faces at the show. The easy access to the city was only utilized by just a few players who did take the 10 minute bus ride from Times Square to just accross the street from the hotel. More folks complained that driving there was a pain compared to Piscataway (the old location).
The good news for you is that with the show not being crowded, it was easier to get quality play and talk time with the exhibitors.
I know most of you only wanted to play the high-gain amps and some manufacturers dropped out within the last week. I did my best to keep you all up to date with that, since last year I screwed up so bad.
If all the manufacturers would follow through through with commitments and not take advantage of my good, trusting nature, the show would be a lot better off.
I'm not going back to Secaucus Embassy Suites next year and might just go back to Piscataway.
Thanks to all Rig-Talkers who did show.
Let's hope the economy picks up and more companies can afford to exhibit next time.
Now I'm focussing on LA for Oct. 6&7
And just so you know, even though the hotels keep charging me more and more for room, I have not raised the price to get in ever.
Looking forward,
Loni
http://www.ampshow.com
http://www.aaacgc.com
http://www.laguitarshow.com (soon to be revived and incorporated with the AMP SHOW)
VIDEOS FROM NY "12 https://www.youtube.com/AMPSHOWS
Click to expand...

For the record both Rob and I were surprised to see Cameron Amps listed as an exhibtor for this show. While we did support the show both in LA and at the off site NAMM show neither one of committed to going to NJ for the show and with the redesign of the CCV we wouldn't of. So while it may have looked like we pulled out we were never in for this show. When i saw the post here that we were on the list as exhibitiors I immeditley called Rob who got in touch with Loni to address it. Crossed wires somewhere Loni this time but we did not sign up for this show.
 
Loni,

I like you as a person so please accept what I say as constructive criticism:

1. For us, the show this year was a waste of time and money. While our turnout was good compared to others, it was the same old faces. Half the people that came into our room said "I've already got one". I spoke to at least three other companies that said they will not be back next year. We are seriously considering not going back next year. I feel bad for many of the exhibitors there. Many rooms had almost no traffic.

2. The admission fee is too high. You want as many people to attend as possible. "Weeding them out" by charging a high admission fee is counter-productive. Even if people may not be able to afford the gear, it gets them interested and perhaps encourages them to save up. It also gets people talking about new products.

3. There is seemingly no promotion of the event. I did not see a single advertisement anywhere this year. Run some ads on websites. Take out a 1/4 page ad in the guitar rags. Etc. Many people I talked to said the only way they found out about the event was through OUR Facebook page. What's up with that??!!

4. Noise management: this is a recurring problem. We were doing artist demos and had to shut the door since (name deleted) amps had all their amps aimed right at the door and whenever they got slow they would crank up a stack and blare it. Some sort of "noise courtesy" needs to be implemented. The easiest thing is to simply ask that exhibitors not aim there amps out the door.

5. Professionalism (or lack thereof). The whole event felt poorly planned and conceived. You want this to be a premiere event. It only happens once a year. A picnic table with Jim Marshall's name spelled wrong isn't what I would call professional. I guess it just feels like some half-ass attempt at a trade show. I'm not saying you need to compete with NAMM, but the marketing dollars are there if you do it right.


If you don't change things, I predict that next year will be the last year. Attendance was way down compared to last year, which was down compared to the prior year. The venue isn't the problem (although it didn't help).
 
These type shows are a dying trend, IMO. They have peaked and continue to decline. The folks with $$ buy what they want, younger folks have no interest, and in the middle.....those folks are happy with the amps they got.
 
i agree with most of the constructive criticisms in this topic. this was my first amp show and i had no idea this event was even held and would not have known if i hadn't been an avid poster on this board. definitely should invest in more advertisement (though i realize more money spent would likely raise the cost of the entrance fee).

i'm 29 years old and have modest savings/income - enough for a few toys, but certainly not enough to invest in the amps that were featured at the show. as a first timer, i knew to expect boutique amp/accessory prices, and i wasn't even planning on any major purchases going in, but any slight chance i had at making an impulse purchase quickly came and went when i realized nearly everything was out of my price range. i would say that i'm someone who probably has a little more money to burn than others in my demographic, but again, even i was scared away by the prices, so i can imagine how this factor would put off others in my age bracket from even attending, let alone purchasing (and as already stated, with the economy the way it is, even people with the means to spend that kind of money would be hesitant to do so). most people i saw in my age range and younger left empty handed after only an hour or two.

i don't think the venue or its location was the problem. i think it's just an event that caters to a very specific crowd - one that, unfortunately, is dwindling. it did seem a bit hastily put together, but that didn't bother me. i think more awareness of the event could definitely help, but also a wider variety of vendors/products that appeal to ALL age and financial groups.
 
cupcaketwins":1omgf5gd said:
These type shows are a dying trend, IMO. They have peaked and continue to decline. The folks with $$ buy what they want, younger folks have no interest, and in the middle.....those folks are happy with the amps they got.
Click to expand...

Agree 100% and why I did not attend or think about attending really.

I am not really going to blame the economy either but rather the state of amps at this time. From the late 90s to about 2008ish we were seeing lots of new stuff coming out and well it is all getting rather tired lately. Other than maybe a handfull of people here have stopped flipping and are happy with what they have. The gap between the boutique stuff and mass produced is getting closer as well, I would take a YJM100 any day over the more expensive marshall clones. You can try the YJM much easier than the boutique stuff as well. Modded amps are all sounding the same now due to people buying them and copying the circuits while creating new names for them.

Once you look at it what really is new today amp wise? Not much IMO. Look at the spam / flipper forum, that place is like the walking dead and I do not blame the economy but rather people are getting happy with their stuff and have more important thinks to do than play UPS man for a hobby.

Younger people have no interest in a $3500 "marshall", maybe ignorance is indeed bliss.
 
Wish I would've known about this show earlier. I agree the show should've been advertised on the web and in magazines. As for a $20 admission fee being to high? I'm not rich but $20 is not a lot of money to pay for this type of show. I have paid $25 on fishing shows that have large amount of people attending probably due to them advertising. I will definitely attend next years show. Not sure if I would buy any amps but if something sounded really good it could come home with me.
 
I know its been addressed and I am NOT trying stir up anything, but honestly the $20 admission is ridiculous. I understand Lonnie's point of view, but it doesnt make sense from a vendor's stance. If you are a small builder the only way to get the name out is promotion. Even if I have a kid that comes to play one of my amps and cant afford it, he is still going to go home and post on his favorite forum about the amps he played, what he thought was good or bad..etc. All it takes is one other person with a different opinion and now you have what could turn into a two page thread. Most people reading that might be intrigued enough to go check out clips and, well...at least there are people talking and checking clips.
I remember back in the day when new builders would love nothing more than have the opportunity to demo their product to the masses, but basically today its, "Hey, come play and hear our stuff, but ya gotta pay first". Some of this I have quoted word for word from what was overheard at other shows btw, so its not just me. Just my opinion and not saying anyone is right or wrong. I just dont agree with the admission thing. No, I'm not cheap and yes, I can afford the $20, and for the record I do have some really nice gear, but I am not paying admission to try anyones gear. Lonnie shouldnt do all the leg work for free, but theres got to be a better way. :thumbsup:
 
Holy shit a couple of post have run on sentences that are a paragraph! :doh:
 
Gainfreak":3vids51z said:
Just a few observations that I will share and this is just some constructive critisim and nothing personal because I absolutely love what you do and Id hate to see it go by the wayside.

1st, I think the economy had the most impact on the turnout. I don't think the location of Venue will have as much impact as you think and as long as you generate interest people will come which leads me into what I'm going to say next.

If the buzz about your previous amp shows were off the hook with positive reviews then you would have seen more of a turnout and each year it will grow. You need to find out what people/musicians want to see and run with it which leads me to demographic and product.

You need to find out who your demographic is. If you are catering to a bunch of older players like myself then you have already limited your turnout because a lot of guys like myself have already tried just about every piece of gear out there and I find the older that I am, the more commitments I have.
Let's face it and I don't mean to be rude but what did this current amp show have to offer the newer generation of guitar players and if there was a piece of gear that they were interested in, could they afford it and even moreso, did any of the younger crowd know about the ampshow? You also need to take into consideration what the newer guys are looking for. You need to ask yourself if a new band on the rise would be interest in or want to look at some of the amps/gear showcased? This is not a slag to the older guys because I am in that catagory, but if you want to branch out, you need new blood and more rounded products/vendors IMHO.
You also need to find a way to get vendors to want to come to the show and showcase their product.

I know it's a slippery slope but that needs to be looked into.


I know that this post might come off as negative but that is not my intention. Id love to see this grow because I know I had a killer time the couple of years I went!!
The reality of the situation is that you need to generate an interest where people really want to come to the show and if you do that, I assure you that the event will take off like a bat out of hell! I know that is easily said then done ;)

Id keep on doing what you are doing for the guys who are in my age range and then try and come up with a way to get the newer generation interested. I know what Id do, but that's another story !! :rock:

All the best!

~R~
Click to expand...


Yeah Ralph I agree with just about everything you said. I noticed that at the couple of amp shows I went to that the amount of grey and bald heads were far more numerous than long hairs or mohawks. And most of the playing was someone playing blues or bark at the moon, both of which tell me that there is an audience out there that isn't getting excited about stuff like this. I go to Guitar Center and see plenty of young kids playing and there's plenty of kids singing up for guitar contests. But let's face it, most kids can get what they need from Guitar Center to rock out in their garage with the friends and they don't need to bother Mom and Dad to lend them 4k for a guitar amp.

To be honest, I just wasn't motivated to go this year because I wasn't thrilled with the show last year.
 
This was my first year in the Amp Show and Saturday was the traffic day but slower for my booth and Sunday the slow day and my booth was packed at times and some players kept comming back again and again. Its safe for me to say that My amps were the Loudest and heaviest amps in the show and i may have had a few blues and Jazz players amazed by my clean channels who stopped by but the rest of my crowd was balls to the walls!!! I build my amps with the invision of running accross a stage at Ozzfest or destroying a local rock club and inciting a roit. The young kids I meet at these shows don't have $4000 to spend on an amp but often their rich parents who manage them often do and they know what they can or can't get at Guitar Center. When I was 19 I bagged groceries for cash at a local Military Base to fund my music career and I took out loans with my parents to drop $10K in a recording studio, and $5K to print CD's and take out a Full page ad in Metal Edge magazine. So I know those kids are still out there who are way better off than I was and they can or will pony up the cash for a quality rig. I can't agree with everything said about the show because This is my first year and I have nothing to base it on but we did have a good time and we drove all the way from Texas. I'll be at Summer NAMM next month and I plan to attend the LA Amp show in October. Next year I will try to attend all the shows and then I'm Taking my amps and by Band on the road on a BUS tour promoting a new Album and promoting my amps at the same time. I also got a good write up by The Tone King http://thetoneking.com/wp/dynamo-amps-a-cure-for-g-a-s/
 
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