TAMCO roadshow?

[trevor]

I am thinking of doing a TAMCO roadshow around the UK..
Filling a van full of mandolins and American guitars and probably stopping in the Northwest then Glasgow or Edinburgh and then somewhere Northeast...
I am looking into what's involved. If I do it, it will be next spring...
Any interest?

[Uncle Choppy]

Having thought about it, I don't really know.

It sounds like a great idea but I don't know if there would be enough interest to cover the expense, and risk, involved.

I was going to suggest bringing instruments to events like the North West Guitar Show in Manchester but this is an awful environment to try an acoustic instrument (way too noisy) and would probably cost quite a few quid for the stall (though probably nothing like as expensive as Music Live at the NEC).

Maybe bringing a few instruments along to something like the "Sore Fingers" events or Nigel Gatherer's classes might be an idea? (Although numbers attending will be realtively small).

Maybe the bottom line is that if I was considering dropping £3k on an F5, I would think that the trip to Brighton might be inconvenient but worthwhile, given that I'd be able to see one of the best selection of mandolins under one roof in the world .

Having said that, my "blue sky" idea would be a kind of acoustic tupperware party: A few pickers gather in a house or hotel and Trev turns up with a dozen or so Capeks, Collings, Bourgeois and Brooks. Everyone gets to have a pick and compare notes and hopefully a few sales and orders will follow.

Brendan

[trevor]

Brendan,
Your 'blue sky' idea is more or less what I had in mind. Stay in a hotel or pub, rent a function room and invite folk to come and try out what we have.

[Dagger Gordon]

It's certainly worth trying, Trevor.

For my part, I think I'd be more likely to want to see your full range in your shop when sometime I bother going to London. I'm also interested in high end guitars, for myself and my son, who is a very good player and currently plays an old Fylde.

I should also say that I live over 3 hours North of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and frankly I doubt if you could justify a visit to Inverness in terms of mandolin sales.

Having said that, there is an organisation called Feis Rois up here which teaches trad music to literally hundreds of (mostly young)people, particularly the fiddle. Among other things they do residential weeks in Ullapool (north west Scotland) where top musicians (and I mean some of the very best) teach about 150 students and everybody has a great time.

I'm sure that there would be interest in your guitars and I suspect a latent interest in the mandolins, particularly from the fiddlers and guitarists.

[adgefan]

Trevor, it's a great idea, and one I'd love to see happen. But in terms of justifying the expense, you'd probably be best off having a small stall at the various festivals and workshops held throughout the year. Good luck.

[trevor]

I am always concerned about security and looking after the instruments at festivals. With £20000 - £30000 of stock and one or two folk not so sober and some mud and .. and.. Not much point in going to do my low end stuff, there are others doing that.

Also when I looked into it a few years ago the more popular festivals are very expensive. The idea came from the fact there are often comments on message boards that Brighton is too far to travel. To be honest its not something I relish doing but I thought it would give a chance for people in other parts of the country to try, Capek, Lebeda, Bourgeois, Goodall etc., I hadn’t even thought about selling on the roadshow, more giving people the opportunity to try this stuff with future sales in mind.

The expense would just be van, fuel and a few nights hotel bills. Probably cheaper than a single festival and covering more of the country.

Spring is the earliest I could do it so there is time to get plenty of feedback and hone the idea.

I would want to keep it short, both for personal reasons and that I am concerned that someone that had travelled a long way might arrive in Brighton to find what they wanted to see not there. People don’t always let me know when they are making a long journey.

[Martin Jonas]

Well, if you're coming to the North West, I'll certainly do my best to drop by. I wish I could be confident that there would be many others, but then again I'm sometimes surprised just how many mandolin players are lurking in the undergrowth in the UK, particularly in the Irish session crowd.

Martin

[adgefan]

Well, if sales aren't the main issue, then go for it. I would love to come down to the shop, but I'm waiting 'til I'm ready for my next big purchase before doing so. It's a long way to go just to have a look round and not buy, much as I'd love to do that. If you were to come to me instead, then that would be great!

[Ray(T)]

Hi Trevor, The acoustic tupperware party was just what I was thinking. If I was going to a festival I'd rather be watching the acts than buying a new instrument and security is a problem for purchasers as well as yourself. Best to keep it low key with publicity by word of mouth.

If I was looking to buy something specific, the trip to Brighton wouldn't be a problem. What I would like is the opportunity to browse over a period and, buy something I really liked. You'd have to keep it short or the shop would be devoid of stock which would defeat the object.

Keep us posted
Ray

[Chadmills]

Nice idea, though I was hoping to be in Brighton before too long anyway.
Tom

[jimjimmy]

Hey, Trevor...
need a roadie/driver/little helper... count me in!
Jim

[PhilGE]

Trevor, I'm sure you'd do this, but please get some good insurance to cover your vehicle and the instruments you're transporting. Accidents and break-ins do happen, unfortunately.

Which reminds me of the story of a friend who went into a pub and left his banjo in his car with the doors unlocked. After his first pint, he realized what he'd done and ran outside. Alas, it was too late. By the time he reached his car, there were five more banjos inside it.

[Fliss]

Trevor, if you do get the show on the road, and if you come to the North West, I'll certainly do my best to visit.

Fliss

[ziderdrinker]

Hi Trevor,

You've never had presence at any blugrass festival I've been to though I know a number of people who have bought mando's and guitars from you. It's Didmarton bluegrass weekend at Kemble, near Cirencester, Thursday through to Monday Morning. What about giving it a try, most of the bluegrassers I know go to this festival, and it is generally very secure with most people respecting instruments and what they mean to people. There are always instrument sellers there and business does get done.

Regards

Steve.

[Keith Miller]

Trevor,
Add me in if you are coming to Edinburgh !
Keith

[trevor]

Steve,
I contacted the people at Didmarton sometime last year. They told me there was no space available.