Hi all,
Have fun if you go to NAMM. We'll loan units to a few exhibitors as usual.
NAMM is a show for MANUFACTURERS to connect with DEALERS. We don't sell through dealers, so NAMM is not right for Fractal.
Imagine just how many people among the thousands of attendees are convinced that if they could just talk (shout) with you for a few minutes, they could convince you that your direct model is flawed and they're the perfect dealer/distributor/artist/mom-and-pop to change things and put Fractal on the road to big-time penetration... Yeah.
I'm not knocking it for those it is designed to serve: NAMM is fun if you've never been, and the in-town/off-show vibe can be great. It's fun to spot the small-scale innovator and good to interact with your peers, but as Devin Townsend and I concluded two years ago... after a few days you cannot clear your head of the sound of a marching-band meat grinder shredding a baby rabbit speed metal act while hoarse used-car salesmen shout a new coat of glitter on their particular same-old. Oh, and then you get NAMMthrax.
So when you consider the very high costs it seems smarter for us to maximize the resources going into creating killer products, improving them through constant innovation, and offering world-class support.
Yes there are "buzz" benefits, but the best-in-show hype is honestly less than what one can expect of a great day online. (Thank you ALL for that, and keep it coming!)
Yes, it dovetails into an industry-wide blitz, but honestly, NAMM is the time of year when your announcements are most likely to be lost in the clatter.
Perhaps the only downside is that this excludes Fractal from a lot of industry awards and events. But honestly, they can have 'em. Having satisfied customers and a demand that generally outweighs supply seems better than any plasti-brass plaque or union-catered dinner.
So again, rather than succumb to tradition, offer quality products and service, interact meaningfully with real people, and care about what you do. Now THAT's an "industry show."
In case you're interested, I'll let you know if/when we place units with other exhibitors. DiMarzio, Gibson, etc. have asked.