If you’re not actually in the music industry (as in, you don’t actually sell musical instruments,) you might never hear of NAMM… it’s the National Association of Music Merchants.
And their biggest annual show is near me in Anaheim, California… and it’s HUGE. But you can’t get in unless you’re a member of NAMM… lucky for you, I am 🙂
Now, granted, most of the big companies have massive booths with tons of guitars, amps, pedals, and all that stuff. And at this point coverage of NAMM is so widespread that you’ll probably see plenty about it (judging by the “Oh look, another NAMM picture” memes on Facebook.)
So I’ve got some photos and blurbs about some stuff that I found particularly interesting or fun and might be a little off the beaten path…
Aside from having some interesting sounds. the paint jobs on these were too good to pass up.Quilter Amps are probably the best sounding, most portable solid state amps I’ve heard… ever. They have one that will fit ON your pedalboard!!One of the sweetest sounding amps I ever played was an old Vox AC-30. Nothing special from them this year, but the booth sure looked nice…I’ve been using a Kemper Profiling Amp quite a bit the last couple of years and while their booth wasn’t flashy (it’s a lunchbox, after all) they did showcase their new Firmware version 4.0 with what they call morphing where you can program radical changes in sound to an expression pedal.Let me draw your attention to the little row of buttons at the bottom… My friends at Voodoo Labs are coming out with this great loop switcher that actually attaches to the bottom of one of their new pedalboards (see below.) It is GENIUS!The new Voodoo Labs pedalboards. There are going to be a LOT of options in the pedalboard world this year. Pedaltrain really started something and many other manufacturers are getting into this area.The Tech21 FlyRig isn’t exactly new, but the bass version below is. However I was really blow away by just how small and mightly this little thing is. I used an original Sansamp for the original BGU course many years ago and they sound even better now.I took a photo of the Bass FlyRig next to headphones so you can see just how small it really is. Sounds awesome and this one has a tuner in it as well. I am SO getting one for the studio.If you play a modeler like the Kemper, Axe-Fx, 11Rack, or Line 6 unit, you might want to use it like a traditional guitar amp and run it through a speaker cabinet. If you do, this is how you do it. Super nice people with some cool features like Bluetooth and USB so you can pipe music through it to jam along with.Also from Mission, this new wedge version is cool because it’s almost horizontal so you’ll hear it right close up (like when you stand at your pedalboard) without taking up a ton of floor space. Also, it tilts on end to look like a traditional cab and has feet on both sides!More styles, more sounds, just more of the Trio – cool.Anyone see the Marshall booth around here?If you have not yet tried a Wampler pedal then you don’t own one. If you have, then you do already…The obligatory wall of Martins… not much in the way of acoustic stuff this year that was new. Nice guitars, but more of the same.Since Keeley isn’t doing mods anymore (sadness) this is the closest thing you can still get to my trusty modded Blues Driver… the Katana Blues. On low gain settings it does sound very similar, but when this gets going it takes on a life of it’s own for sure. Keeley had a ton of nice new pedals (see below.)Just SOME of the new Keeley pedals…Boss Waza Craft pedals seem like they are meant to compete with the boutique pedal makers and they do. They sound really great and they are Boss so you know they’ll last forever.Big Joe Pedals – look at the little brick on the lower right, it’s a rechargeable power supple for the whole pedalboard. That’s not necessarily a new thing (PedalTrain and others have made one) but this one tells you how much current you are drawing, and how much time it has left – all with the touch of a button. And the display warns you if you’re getting low. Very, very cool…These Mooer Pedals are all for little tiny people with little tiny feet… Seriously they are incredibly small, even the wah pedal is about the size of the palm of my hand. Not sure how I would ever use them but they are cute to look at…
Anything super new and groundbreaking? Not really… there almost never is. The Big Joe power supply is a highlight, but I’m not sure if it’s isolated which means if you try to run an Octafuzz (with reverse polarity) along with everything else you might have issues… but I don’t know without trying for myself.
Last but not least, I got to spend some time playing Nace Amps with a bunch of BGU’ers that were also in attendance at the show. Here we are with Art (Nace) for a group shot:
And it’s always cool to see my former students still playing… the young guy on the left was my student as a teenager and was the resident demo guitar player all weekend.
Back when I subscribed to a couple of magazine publications, always checked the stuff out new at NAMM. Now I have the internet (thanks Grif) bring it. I have a player friend who has been invited on stage by a few blues men as their guest, and has thusly been able to attend for the last few years with his own pass. Bucket list item for him. U Guys Rock!
Griff,
great finally meeting you in person. We had talked for a while at the NACE booth about my perception of your “boot in the back side” to keep your students “focused”…
I’ve enjoyed a number of your instructional courses over the years and looking forward to more.
If you’re ever in N. Cal please stop on by my repair shop, I’d love to give you a “tour” of some “old collectables”.
Sonic regards
Hey Griff, How about getting BGU people tickets to the show next year. I have always wanted to go to NAMM but could never get in. I realize it is for merchants only, but as a consumer of music gear I would think NAMM would want the exposure. Thanks for the photo’s and sharing. Wish I could have been there. 🙁
So much to see and in your case hear no doubt. The majority of the items mentioned, we do not see all that much on sale over here. I must get out more.
You look very happy to be with the guys at the show Griff.
Griff,
I’m so glad that you made it to the Quilter booth. I’ve been working with them and QSC for the last couple years. What is even better about how these amps sound is how they have been ruggedized for road use. I have been torture testing products such as amplifiers and TouchMix to be played in direct sunlight on hot days, bounced into the back of a truck and driven to maximum power without blowing. For the gigging musician you couldn’t get a more easily transportable and versatile amp. Well worth the money!!
Thanks for the inside look Griff that’s a show I’ve always wanted to attend but never been at the right place at the right time looks like a good time !
Nice roundup of gear. Wish some of the pedal makers would do some R&D for pedal steel and lap steel players in the overdrive and distortion vibe. Traditional stomp boxes don’t respond the same for steel guitar as the tend to sound like a bees nest on steroids.
Cheers Griff
for the inside peek it proves you are good at what you do to be there and to have some former students
As demo guitar player at the show now back to my gig in a box 2
28 replies to "NAMM 2016 Fun Stuff…"
Thanks for the insight on the new equipment that is out there.
It’s a good thing those shows are out west. I guy could go broke at them.
Back when I subscribed to a couple of magazine publications, always checked the stuff out new at NAMM. Now I have the internet (thanks Grif) bring it. I have a player friend who has been invited on stage by a few blues men as their guest, and has thusly been able to attend for the last few years with his own pass. Bucket list item for him. U Guys Rock!
Thank you Griff for the look at all that good equipment.It looks great.
Hi Griff,thanks for the NAMM photo display.
Great pics griff
looking to get me one of those Nace pro 18 amp this year.
thanks for sharing.
Hey Griff,
Thanks for a Peep into the NAMM show must be big. Do you know of anything similar in Australia where Users can attend as well?
Michael-Sydney-Australia
Thanks griff
Never hurts to go to the candy store?
Griff,
great finally meeting you in person. We had talked for a while at the NACE booth about my perception of your “boot in the back side” to keep your students “focused”…
I’ve enjoyed a number of your instructional courses over the years and looking forward to more.
If you’re ever in N. Cal please stop on by my repair shop, I’d love to give you a “tour” of some “old collectables”.
Sonic regards
Nice stuff right there just wish I was there!
Hey Griff, How about getting BGU people tickets to the show next year. I have always wanted to go to NAMM but could never get in. I realize it is for merchants only, but as a consumer of music gear I would think NAMM would want the exposure. Thanks for the photo’s and sharing. Wish I could have been there. 🙁
There you go. A drawing, raffle to a good cause or some random method of being a guest of Griff to the NAMM Show. Good idea!
Hi Griff,
Thanks for the peek inside the NAMM show!
Louis
Thanks, Griff
Drool.
clif
So much to see and in your case hear no doubt. The majority of the items mentioned, we do not see all that much on sale over here. I must get out more.
You look very happy to be with the guys at the show Griff.
Griff,
I’m so glad that you made it to the Quilter booth. I’ve been working with them and QSC for the last couple years. What is even better about how these amps sound is how they have been ruggedized for road use. I have been torture testing products such as amplifiers and TouchMix to be played in direct sunlight on hot days, bounced into the back of a truck and driven to maximum power without blowing. For the gigging musician you couldn’t get a more easily transportable and versatile amp. Well worth the money!!
Awesome, I’ve been to the NAMM show, for me it’s better than any porn convention, and new gear won’t get you in as much trouble with the Mrs……
Thanks for the inside look Griff that’s a show I’ve always wanted to attend but never been at the right place at the right time looks like a good time !
Nice roundup of gear. Wish some of the pedal makers would do some R&D for pedal steel and lap steel players in the overdrive and distortion vibe. Traditional stomp boxes don’t respond the same for steel guitar as the tend to sound like a bees nest on steroids.
Thanks for sharing Griff, great guided tour, my gear stash is pretty full but I guess there is always room for one more thing.
Cool. Thanks Griff
Loved looking at the photos and enjoyed your comments. Pushes me harder to keep practicing and keep playing.
Thanks for all you do!
Hi Griff,Very interesting,wished I had a few more dollars.Cad dollar now buys .69 cents worth of gear.Len.
What fun! Thanks, Griff!
Cheers Griff
for the inside peek it proves you are good at what you do to be there and to have some former students
As demo guitar player at the show now back to my gig in a box 2
Very cool stuff Griff! For me, all I can do is dream.
Going to the OC guitar show today. Getting tickets for NAMM ain’t as easy as it once was…