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What are some piano or piano-related companies that regularly skip NAMM? I know that among the American piano companies, I think Steinway and Charles Walter (?) skip it. I think Kawai skips also. Correct me if I am wrong.

And do you guys know why these companies skip NAMM? After all, it is a trade show that can't do any harm to business and can even attract business partners and/or customers!

Nope. Kawai has an entire room to themselves, and display their full acoustic and digital product lineup. Walter displayed last year (Mr. Walter was there, in person). Steinway doesn't display there.

Why wouldn't a company exhibit there? A few companies are content with their sales relative to their production capacity, and don't have a booth. I am sure the cost to exhibit is extremely expensive, so some companies don't do it at all, or alternate years. Some of the company reps at the international level seem to be more excited to talk about the goings on at the Musikmesse or at Shanghai, FWIW.

The booth sizes tend to vary from year to year, and it's interesting to see the relative amount of real estate devoted to pianos vs the other instruments that had been encroaching on the space traditionally occupied by pianos. You can read more about who's there (and where they will be) by downloading the NAMM app.

OK, my bad. I was trying to think of a few examples. So, if Steinway doesn't go to NAMM, do they go to Musikmesse or Shanghai? If they do, do they exhibit Hamburg Steinways or New York ones?

On a side note, is Steinway New York involved in any music/piano trade shows?

In the US, Steinway has their own event for their dealers. Outside this market, I've no idea - hopefully someone else will chime in.

Music Trades pictured a large Steinway presence at the Shanghai show. Looked like Hamburg pianos.

Lots of European piano makers dont do NAMM

basically they dont have to.

As I noted in this thread it appears to be different this year, which should be fun.

Steinway usually hold a simultaneous event in a hotel local to the NAMM Show. That way its dealers can attend both and the Steinway portion is private..