Taylor Road Show!

[Snydermerge]

This may be the wrong part of the forum and if it is, please move and accept my apologies.  I'm going to my first Taylor Road Show Tuesday night!!!  Don't know what to expect and very excited.

That is all.

[roadbiker]

Where?

[BigSkyTaylorPlayer]

You'll enjoy it, I've been to 2 so far and looking forward to going this year.  They will go over the different series and woods and answer any and all ques.  Best of all they let you play the items at the "petting zoo" during the break.

Get there early as you can talk with them while they are setting up.  There is usually a Taylor rep and a musician that will do the playing.

Let us know how it goes.

[egkor]

I believe it is a Sales event.  And also a great opportunity for Taylor hands-on and education. Especially the more exotic woods and tones.

-Gary K

[mgap]

I have attended one Road show event.  At Spotlight Music in Ft. Collins CO.  It was a great learning experience.  Excellent way to learn how they build Taylors and why they do what they do.
During the intermission I was a little put off because of the mad house atmosphere.  Everybody wanted to try every guitar in the house, had one person grab a guitar right out of my hands.  I was very interested in trying out a baritone 8 string but so many people wanted it that I finally got it for the last 2 minutes of the intermission. 

After giving you this dim view of the event I will go again the next time its in town.

[Steve]

The "petting zoo" is a nightmare if you want to actually hear a guitar. It's just not conducive to that.

The "Find Your Fit" events are much better for that, and you can get one-on-one attention.

If I was seriously looking to buy a guitar, I would prefer to buy one at a FYF event...

[DennisG]

I've been to three road shows, and I think I've discovered the secret to being able to play the guitars undisturbed:  show up at least an hour early.  You'll not only get extended time with some great guitars, but you'll be able to throw your jacket on a chair up front and close to the action.

[Steve]

I've been to three road shows, and I think I've discovered the secret to being able to play the guitars undisturbed:  show up at least an hour early.  You'll not only get extended time with some great guitars, but you'll be able to throw your jacket on a chair up front and close to the action.

Definitely a way to go.

If you do go early, though, keep in mind that the folks from Taylor will be busy setting up, and may not be able to take a great deal of time with you. They'll spend as much time as you want after the show (providing the store staff is cool with it), but the hours leading up to a Road Show are usually pretty hectic...

[S MS Picker]

The first "RoadShow" I attended was called a Clinic. It featured Doyle Dykes,only. That was in "96 or "97. My older son won a Doyle Dykes instructional video. The last one I attended was in "07, featured Doyle Dykes and his daughter,only. I won 2 sets of Elixer Polywebs, which I promptly sold.
Steve

[michaelw]

hi Snyder,
i think you'll have a blast (i always thought they were a lot of fun, anyways) -
BTOs, demo's of shapes & wood types, brief run down on the ES/electrics &
there may be some spring LTDs there, as some stores have had them already

went  my first road show in 07 & we were the among the first to see
the solid body electrics (couldn't play, hear or plug 'em in though) -
attended another a couple years & am looking forward to the next one in a month

there is swag that is given away also (i've seen t-shirts, caps & strings) -
the store that held the last event that i went to also had elixirs available
for the same $, without the complimentary promotional sticker on 'em

[GtrgRrl]

Like Steve said, showing up early for Roadshows can be tough on the people trying to get the show set up.  Be prepared for them not being able to spend time with you. 

Where I work, we like to have a Roadshow on a Wednesday or Thursday night and then follow it up with a Find-your-Fit event on the weekend.  It gives people a chance to be educated and hear a great player, think about what they learned for a few days and then come back with their questions and one-on-one service.   People seem to really like that we do it that way. 

[DennisG]

As I mentioned, I've been to three road shows, and while it's true that the reps were busy getting things set up, in each case they were happy to let me play the guitars.  That was, after all, my original point.

[Snydermerge]

It's in Grapevine Texas tomorrow night. I'm really looking forward to it.  I've only been playing since December - I have a Takemine that I got cheap but I've fallen in love with the way the Taylor's look and sound.  I've ordered a Lmtd edition Mini GS (blackwood) to take with me on the road as I travel a bit with my job and as soon as I convince sweet wife that guitar is now a way of life, I'll upgrade the Takemine. 

I'll report back after the event.

Where?

[Steve]

The first "RoadShow" I attended was called a Clinic. It featured Doyle Dykes,only. That was in "96 or "97. My older son won a Doyle Dykes instructional video. The last one I attended was in "07, featured Doyle Dykes and his daughter,only. I won 2 sets of Elixer Polywebs, which I promptly sold.
Steve

The "Road Show", as a branded event, is a relatively recent thing.

There used to be "clinics", which would feature people like Doyle Dykes, Dan Crary, Beppe Gembetta, Pat Kirtley, Steven King or Chris Proctor. Those were mostly music, with the artists talking about guitars here and there.

Then there were "Restring Clinics". They're still done from time to time, but not nearly as often as they used to be held. They can be nightmarish, too, depending on how many people show up.

After that came the "Road Show". Originally, the Road Show incorporated a tech portion, and that made for a really nice, long evening. They dropped the tech portion and it helped to streamline things a bit, although trying to get a meaningful test-drive during the Petting Zoo still bordered on the comical.

Enter the "Find Your Fit" event. These began their life as simple sales events. Essentially, a FYF is like the Road Show Petting Zoo on steroids. If you're seriously looking to buy a guitar, this is the place to do it. Reps still bring some crazy BTO's out with them, but the environment is much better for trying out guitars...

[Steve]

It's in Grapevine Texas tomorrow night.

Tell JR Rogers I say hi..