My NAMM 2011 experience

[VelvetGeorge]

This year's show was great! A new experience for me, I wasn't showing Metropoulos amps but I was part of Ampeg's release for the Heritage B-15, which I helped design and built. Very interesting to see how a large corporation does it.

I worked hard this year, had so many meetings for projects coming up this year and beyond that I barely got to see many of my friends. Those of you who I only seen briefly or not at all, I apologize. I'll buy you a beer next time!

Here are a few pics from my phone.


george

Dan-and-Loni.jpg

Dan Boul form 65 Amps and Loni Spector of amp shows.

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Me-and-Jess.jpg

Me with Jess Oliver, inventor of the B-15!!!

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promo-B15.jpg

B-15 signed by artists and people who contributed to the product. Later it was signed everywhere.

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Phil-with-blondes.jpg

Phil with some Monster Magnet fans.

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YJM100.jpg

Marshall's new Yngwie amp, the YJM100.

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Best pedal at the show IMO.

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talent-booster-bottom.jpg

Talent Booster pedal instructions. LOL

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[VelvetGeorge]

You can check out the limited edition B-15 here:

http://www.ampeg.com/products/heritage/b-15/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


There were lots of pictures and videos taken at the show, so I'm sure there are some better images and demos.

george

[myfoot]

WOW!! Everytime I see one of your wiring jobs , I know I have work t o do
http://www.ampeg.com/products/heritage/ ... Wiring.jpg

[jcs]

Very impressive!!

Hopefully there will be a resurgence of bands making records with these amps,,,,still my fav bass tone other than an early SVT rig.

[NY Chief]

WOW!! Everytime I see one of your wiring jobs , I know I have work t o do
http://www.ampeg.com/products/heritage/ ... Wiring.jpg

I dunno, I saw a resistor that wasn't quite straight (and it was killing George not to be able to get in there and straighten it out!! )

Thanks for the beer, George!!! Next one is on me!

[fillmore nyc]

Very cool pics, George. Jess Oliver and I go WAAAAY back... he's repaired dozens of my amps when he worked out of his basement in Massapequa NY. Great to see he's still out and about.


That blonde Monster Magnet fan to the right of "Phil" in that pic?? (The one on HIS left)
THATS what Im talkin' about... she like fukkin' THREE kinds of sexy.

[db_inst_amp]

Good to see you again George! Wish you could have made it back by the booth.

[worldoftone]

That's cool you're getting along with Ampeg. You have the easy jobs. You're lucky you don't have to repair SVT-2 Pros and SVT Classics week to week.



- WOT

[Roadrunner]

WOW!! Everytime I see one of your wiring jobs , I know I have work t o do
http://www.ampeg.com/products/heritage/ ... Wiring.jpg

Man, you got that right... the inside of that amp's killer.

[VelvetGeorge]

Working with Jess has been fantastic! I highlight of my amp career so far, and always. I only wish I could have spent wore time with him in person. The show was very busy and I was running off to other meetings and stuff while he was there.

I apologize for not seeing more friends, or only running by your booths while yelling "hi". I tried to cram as much as is humanly possible into my 3 1/2 days at the show.

Ampeg has been great to me. They are genuinely interested in recapturing the legacy of their brand and products. This B-15 was a huge step towards that IMO. You wouldn't believe what it took for a large corporation to build an authentic recreation of a classic amp. They really gave me cart-blanch to use the correct parts and design it as though I were building it for myself. That's a huge leap in this day and age. Not to mention with the budget and projected retail price...

I threw those silly numbers out the window very early on. LOL

george

[fillmore nyc]

Working with Jess has been fantastic! I highlight of my amp career so far, and always. I only wish I could have spent wore time with him in person. The show was very busy and I was running off to other meetings and stuff while he was there.
george

Yeah, he's always been a great guy... I guess he's probably stopped smoking those stinky-ass cigars by now!!


I bought an absolutely kick-ass blonde Gretsch Synchromatic 300 (SUPER rare) from him about 20 years ago. Some time after he sold it to me, he told me "Brian is REALLY pissed that I sold you that Gretsch".
I asked him "Brian?? Brian who"??
Jess says, "Brian Setzer... he comes by here a lot, and he was ALWAYS playing that thing... you know, he's a REALLY good player!! He's been hounding me to sell it to him forever, but you just happened to ask me at the right time"!!

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Do you know that Jess Oliver is NOT his actual name? He's always called himself that, and back in the day, even his wife referred to him as "Jess"... his real name is Oliver Jesperson.
A really great guy, no matter what!!