Lunch Report, Tuesday, April 13th

Hi guys,

I’m doing another pre-lunch report today. I did put away two bananas, a Nature’s Valley bar and an apple earlier, so I’m not exactly starving. Washed that down with a bottle of water infused with Emergen-C because I think I’m getting a cold.

We’re mulling over some contest ideas and I’d like to float them by you guys. At present, they’re rough, and you may be able to help refine them. The purpose of doing them is to get folks more involved, we may learn things, we may end up using the results in some promotional ways, and, it’s plain fun.

Already, we’re doing the BBE User’s Update Hotline and G&L Player’s Update Hotline emails, and the folks signed up are automatically entered into a monthly drawing for free gear. There are 5 winners in the BBE hotline drawing, one in the G&L drawing. We modeled this on our email program for dealers, now we’re doing it for consumers. We’ll be sending hotline emails this week announcing the first round of winners. Basically, the subscribers don’t have to do anything at all.

Now we’re thinking about actual contests, where the entrants have to do something beyond type in their name and email address. I imagine broadcasting about a contest through our websites and social media, what the contest is, prizes, how to enter etc.

We’re thinking contests where entrants compete by submitting a video clip (YouTube?) and the entries are reviewed by a panel of judges (probably me and some others here) who decide which are the “best” and therefore win, or perhaps allow the public to vote. The winner(s) gets some kind of gear, the size/value of the prizes and number of places depends on how big of a deal we make of that contest and the effort required of the entrants. I imagine some bigger ones, some smaller ones, keeping the fun going. So here’s some “best” contest themes as food for thought:

• demo of a given model
• story of why you use this model
• how you discovered the brand
• craziest gig story

So do you have some ideas for contests? Well, bring ‘em on!

Dave

hey dave, how about craziest thing done with a G&L in hand, I ought to win something for this



Oh, and while I've got you attention I really miss your old E-Bay offerings, I think I was one of your best customers, I'm sure you have a back room with all kinds of cool stuff lying around collecting dust, maybe some returned BBE pedals or some old Leo era parts and pieces, I'd be happy to fly out and sort all that junk out for you

gary

Sounds interesting.

I'd say Gary's in the running for something!!

How does one get signed up for the Update Hotline e-mails?

Contest Idea: Why not use your basic (contest) marketing idea and use it to tap into the heads of all us marketing geniuses? Have a contest to see who can make up the best ads for G&L guitars (or other BBE product). Submissions could be print ads, videos, musical jingles, etc. Winner gets prize and his ad concept used by the marketing folks at G&L. Just a thought.

- Ed

• demo of a given model

Mine would end up being a demo of a long discontinued model, seeing as how all three of my G&L basses (1984 SB-2, El Toro fretless, L-5000) were no longer in production when 1995 rolled around!

Alright we're cooking now.

Gary - I like that idea, but I'm afraid it'll be a gimme because nobody's gonna top your antics. Or maybe they will. Might need a disclaimer; don't want anyone getting bloodied... or frostbitten. Maybe someday we'll clear out some stuff on ebay again, but it's more likely to happen with feedback like that!

Muleya - you can sign up for either or both hotlines at http://www.bbesound.com/updatehotline.

Ed - I like your idea of having a contest for marketing content. Do you have any idea what the best way is to conduct a consumer vote? We could add some script to the BBE and/or G&L site for consumers to vote but maybe there's a better/cooler way to do it.

Brock - could be a chance on the SB and Bull,l probably not on the 5k. I've got an early SB-2 as well and I dig it.

Thanks, guys.

Dave

Youtube video ideas:

How about the best gig you did with a G&L.

A great story of how you influenced another musician to try a G&L.

How about the best historic G&L model worthy of revisiting or remaking. I know you don't like to term reissue, Dave, but you get the idea.

Brock could do the SB-2 and somebody else could do the G-200!thumbup:

Darth, We often overlook important things. How I sold my wife on G&L. I had to come up with 10 damn good reasons. -- Darwin

I think Gary had forgotten that he had left his Broadcaster out in the snow. No contest suggestions here.....just worried about that poor guitar!

hey dave, how about craziest thing done with a G&L in hand, I ought to win something for this



gary

That definately brings a whole 'nuther meaning to "woodshedding"

That definately brings a whole 'nuther meaning to "woodshedding"

You're right. I'd be afraid to ask, "What woodn't (sic) he shed?"

I like the ideas of contest entries for introducing someone to G&L guitar and the one about throwing out ad campaign ideas.

Maybe a prize could be given by the one who finds the youtube video, in which someone's playing a G&L, that has the most hits.

Dave - I regret that although I'm full of marketing ideas, I don't know what the best way to judge such a contest would be. Your idea is probably as good as any.

JimBob - Great pic. Hope it's Photoshopped!

- ed

Brock - could be a chance on the SB and Bull,l probably not on the 5k. I've got an early SB-2 as well

My SB-2 sold me on bolt-on necks being good when done right (my first bolt-on was crap, and the first good bass I bought is a neckthrough) and made MFD goodness obvious to where I had to drop them in the neckthrough bass so it could keep up. The SB-2 is also the only two pickup bass I've owned where I appreciate both pickups.

I also like the slab body. I'm sure most people would prefer the Lynx Bass incarnation, but I like slab backs, so the SB-2 rules extra there too.

My SB-2 (I bought it from Greg about a decade ago):
http://www.ggjaguar.com/sb-2-84.htm

Brock: Even though I don't play bass, I couldn't resist snagging an early SB-2 in (rare) Bahama Blue due largely to your enthusiasm for the beast. I've fooled around with it, of course, and damn if that thing didn't make me smile. Woody and in-your-face snappy tone. I got it! Having been bitten by the bug and on the advise of you and others, I managed to procure an '81 slot-pole L-1000 in black with an ebony board. Wow! While the SB-2 has a Mustang-like quality to it, I was amazed at the Lexus-like feel and tone of the richly-appointed L1K. I think Bassman will be actually be playing it with his band Rags just a few miles down the road from me at his gig on Friday night. I'm really looking forward to hearing what he thinks about this at particular guitar. I'd love to hear that it actually IS the instrument and not just (six-string hack) me.

Dave: I had a thought: Why not set up the ad contest so that folks can vote by text much like they're used to doing for Idol. Let a dollar of each vote go to a BBE/G&L charity whereby deserving underprivileged kids and/or disabled folks get quality gear and hope for better tomorrows thanks to Leo's legacy. Good cause. Great PR. What thinketh thee?

- ed

I couldn't resist snagging an early SB-2 in (rare) Bahama Blue ... Woody and in-your-face snappy tone. I got it!

Yup. That's the glory of the first style SB-2. People dismiss them sometimes for being bright, but there's a ton of low end in there too. A great instrument. Wonderful balance between the pickups too.

I managed to procure an '81 slot-pole L-1000 in black with an ebony board. Wow!

Those are my two favorite G&L models. I think overall the L-1000 (I'd like mine with an ebony board and a mahogany body) is the best production front pickup only bass guitar ever. It doesn't have the best bridge (a 2Tek is better) and I'd rather have a neckthrough with a slab back as well. These objections are minor, and the reason I give the L-1000 the nod is the electronics, specifically the pickup. It's well made, but then again, so are lots of other instruments. The others don't have a pickup so wonderful, however.

If money was no object, I'd get a custom neckthrough built (mahogany + maple strips) with a custom slab body. L-1000 electronics + a bridge piezo with Bass/Mid/Treble and a Ric-O-Sound output system. That would be spectacular.

Ed, you've heard Sketchpad, so you know how scrappy I can play at times. On the plus, you've also heard the range of sound I run, even on a crappy set of demos recorded quickly. Well, the L-1000 + Piezo arrangement would make the range more substantial, and convenient.