Vigier Guitars

...So, I am back in the UK, recovered from jet-lag and catching up with work, it is Friday evening, Queen live in Milton Keynes is rocking my television...........and what better time for me to post my NAMM report!!! So, early on a typical cloudy, rainy January morning in England and there is my Virgin-Atlantic Airbus flight VS007 to Los Angeles ready to board at London's Heathrow airport.It was a bit bumpy on my flight so I stayed in my seat for most of it...but that was fine as the view was amazing!!...and then stretching out for as the eye can see was the vast metropolis of Los Angeles (notice the Hollywood sign in the distance)!!!!So France and England meet in America at LAX!!!!

Well, after a few hours of trying to sleep through the day/night (depending on your body's time zone) I awoke to glorious Californian sunshine and a view of Disneyland's "Hollywood Tower of Terror" HTD France's purchase manager Jean Paul and I then head out to walk around Anaheim and take in some of the beautiful Californian sunshine...this is Jean Paul outside the hotelOh, did I mention...pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast?!!Now is this just a standard Chevrolet Camaro or Bumblebee sporting different colours?!?After a little retail therapy to get over the jet-lag it was time to meet with Monsieur et Madame Vigier and help finish off the booth...now for this year there was a complete change of colour on the booth and new theme and WOW did it look exactly the way the guitars look and play play - stunning!!!So it was then off to the place of dreams (Disney) and a bit more sight seeing... Disneyland is hard...battling the dark side!!Hanging out with the locals...Whose this guy?!?Is that the end of the first day already?!? Ok, time for a steak at Tony Roma's...

Right then...it';s day 1 of Winter NAMM 2011 and walking to the convention centre (center to those that spell funny ) along Harbor BlvdWelcome to the NAMM show!!!So I will start with the new star of the show....the absolutely jaw-dropping limited edition G.V. Mahogany - and yes she sounds as sweet as she looks!! Last year's new kid on the block, the deceptively lushes G.V.Wood P90!!...the magnificent G.V.Wood in Stonewash BlueThe G.V. collection...The curvy Expert series in the new special option colour - Pearl WhiteAn Excalibur Special in the special option colour AmberWe cater for lefties too...and here is an Excalibur Special left-handed in Amethyst PurpleThe mean boy of the Excalibur range is Kaos!!!! The Excalibur Kaos, Surfreter Special and Passion fretless 4 string ready to rock your world!!The sophisticated new look of the Vigier booth at this year's show...Scott Allen gets to grip with the Excalibur KaosBass player extraordinaire Pacal Mulot steps into the office at NAMMThe Anaheim Convention Centre(er) by night!!

Mousier Patrice Vigier enjoying winter NAMM 2011!!Brev Sullivan and Guthrie Govan jamming on the boothOur booth was buzzing all show!!!Jeremy Krull, Bill Shoe and Shawn Christie enjoying the boothSo, at the end of the day where to eat?? Ahhhh, the Cheesecake factory!!And what is the Cheesecake factory without eating cheesecake???Ahhhhh, second only to the beauty of Vigier...

The Anaheim Convention Centre(er) by day....wow, what lovely weather!!Live music on the NAMM lobby stageThe colourful styles of the NAMM showRon 'Bumblefoot' Thal and Guthrie Govan discuss the finer points of strings, picks and fine wines!!More crowds on the Vigier boothTony Sales and Patrice VigierPatrice Vigier and Stanley Jordan Probably the most breathtaking moment of the NAMM show as Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal and Guthrie Govan break into an impromptu jam of The Beatles "Strawberry Fields Forever"...as if by magic Ron transformed into a bird and rocked his Bfoot signature!!!

East coast boys Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal and The Dillinger Escape Plan's Benjamin WeinmanThe ever cool Prescott Niles enjoying an Arpege IV series Custom 4 string in Natural MapleCheeky Shawn Christie rocking a Bfoot Signature in Black Sparkle...and this maybe why Shawn had such a cheeky smile, his ride was a Dodge Challenger...and yes, this almost sounded as rockin' as a Vigier!!! The king is not dead, uh huh!!Ron and Pascal jamming on the booth...and then a very sad moment; tear down.

Time to leave Anaheim...and what to do?? Visit Hollywood before flying home of course!!!These Aren't The Droids You're Looking For. Move Along.Do you think he missed them??Only in Hollywood do guitar picks litter the street!!!So the stars were out to play on Hollywood Blvd!!!!A few legends...I even found my star!!!!The locals seemed to like my British accent!!!Time to try Sushi for the first time (yum!!!) with my friends Jean Paul, Shawn Christie and Stefan HojnackiThen what to do in Hollywood?? Get a tattoo by an amazing tattoo artist of course!!So Shawn had talked me into this all show and I was not disappointed and now am the proud owner of a 'one-eyed, purple people eater' while Shawn started on his upper arm full of tribal...cool!!! Then comes the sad moment to drive to LAX...but first a trip through Downtown Los Angeles by night!!Take-off from LAX!!Los Angeles by nightFlying from night to day over the Atlantic Ocean. Back over Blighty!!Twickenham Stadium on the final approach to London's Heathrow airport...and finally, I brought back some Californian sun with me!!!!...So that was Winter NAMM 2011...this year was so busy on the booth it was over all too quickly, what an amazing show - to all those friends, new and old, it was great to meet with you at the NAMM and I wish you a fantastic year ahead!!!! 

Awesome report...

Nice report Ben! I enjoyed watching the photos. The new GV looks amazing.