The National Association of Music Merchants Show is the largest music trade show in the United States, but it's only open to merchants, manufacturers, musicians and the media, leaving outsiders to wonder what really goes on inside.
The NAMM Show ran Jan. 19-22 at the Anaheim Convention Center. This year, the show had 95,709 registered attendees, a 6 percent increase from last year, setting a new record, according to organizers.
This record number of registrants from all over the world came to Anaheim to visit 1,441 exhibitors showing their new products.
One of the highlights during this year's media preview day was John Mayer emerging from a long stint of silence to announce a new guitar with C.F. Martin & Co. Inc. -- a 00-45SC (Stage Coach), which will only be released in a limited run of 25 guitars and a with a price tag of $14,000.
The exhibits cover multiple buildings and multiple floors, with live music and plenty of chatter about new and upcoming products. Exhibits have guitars hanging off the walls, drums up on podiums, and pianos filling rooms.
All of the music giants were in attendance, from Fender to Gibson to Yamaha to Casio. Other attendees, both big and small companies, included some from Southern California.
At the booth for Taylor Guitars, a company based in El Cajon, Calif., winner of NBC's "The Voice" Javier Colon played his favorite Taylor guitar and talked about his musical journey.
