LMI’s customers include everyone from the weekend warrior on a quest for the perfect guitar, to seasoned custom builders to prominent high-end shops and the largest factories. It’s the latter two who draw us to the NAMM show in Anaheim every year to participate in the industry’s largest get together (though inevitably we run into some of our professional luthier friends roaming the aisles!).

This year we were able to visit the famed Fender factory in Corona where we found a number of LMI products at work. On the show floor, we found a growing acceptance of alternative back and side woods, Mahogany “substitutes”, tempered tonewoods and wood composite materials–all filling the growing gap made by disappearing tropical species. Ukuleles continue to make inroads into the stringed instrument market.

In addition to selling, we are able to meet with a number of wood and parts suppliers and are excited about new developments from Gotoh, Schaller, and others. Stay tuned! And inevitably, we place orders with our wood vendors. Expect to see some jaw-dropping figured woods on our Select-a-Set page as the year advances!

Of course all this buying means we need to make room, and to this end we will be expanding the list of items on our “Sale Item” page… check it out!