Day 1 of NAMM is almost at an end....ALMOST. I'm taking a two-hour break before we head over to the Marriott for the 11pm show, where Ronnie North will be shredding. As always, the first day of NAMM is overwhelming. The sheer size of the show is daunting and it is always a mystery how I am going to sift through the tens of thousands of products to identify those products that will appeal to Guitar Affair customers. And, as some of you know, I also write the NAMM awards for Guitar Jam Daily, so I also have to analyze all of the new gear to identify those products that are worthy of the Guitar Jam Daily awards. I always spend the first days walking the floor without looking at anything too closely, just trying to see what catches my eye and what products I should set aside time to investigate closer. I also spend time saying hello to friends and to our manufacturers. In all the day was long and tiring, and I'm sure that I walked 5 over 5 miles (2 of which were to and from the parking lot). There are lots of new products here to look at, so the next three days will be just as busy. The general mood of the show is definitely down from last year due to the economy. Those manufacturers who I know well and can have candid conversations with, readily admited that things were dismal. Everyone is praying for a better year in '09.
Here are some highlights of the day.
The entrance to the NAMM show is always impressive.
TC Electronic released their new Nova Drive, which features individual overdrive and distortion analog circuits in a single unit that can be used separately or stacked together for vitually unlimited tonal flexibility. This looks like a very cool unit that also integrates seamlessly with the TC Electronic G System. As a G System player, I was particularly interested in this unit and will definitely test it out this week.
TC Electronic also announced the release of VoiceLive2, a vocal processing unit that offers a plethora of pitch correction, harmony generation, and effect options. Particularly cool is the harmony generation which can be driven by a guitar, bass, and even an iPod.
Guitar Affair Gig Bags and CaseXtreme transport cases - Guitar Affair customers will recognize this combination, but this is the first year we've shown these cases at NAMM. The response was phenomenal, they are the best gig bags and transport cases at the show. Period. Look for some upcoming news about a package deal for people who want to ship their own guitars.
Stetsbar Tremolo - Ever want a trem on a Les Paul? Here's your chance. We saw one of these puppies on an XOX, and we loved it. Here's what they look like "in the raw".
Tascam GT-R1 - This unit has potential. It seems to combine some key features of the GT1, which some Guitar Affair guitar rental customers really like, and a guitar recorder. Look for a more indepth review on this unit later as we consider it as a possible addition for a Road Trip Package.
Gary Kramer Guitars - We've been following Gary Kramer guitars since he got back into the market three years ago. I'm very impressed with the quality of his instruments, particularly the US-made line and the custom shop instruments. Guitar Affair customers may well see these as guitar rental options soon. Below are pics of the Illusionist and Cathederal models.
Ibanez Paul Gilbert - Ibanez released a couple limited edition Paul Gilbert guitars. Paul Gilbert is one of my favorite guitarists, but at 10 thousand dollars, I'm not sure about these. Certainly, they are going after the collector market as they did with the Satriani "Surfing with the Alien" special edition."
The PRS Booth - Yes, I know that they are "almost" a mass produced guitar now, but they are still gorgeous and great guitars.
Peavey Orange County Chopper Guitar Line - I admit that I like the design of this guitar. Very sleek.
Some other new Peavey Guitars...
I'm not sure this one is going to sell well.
New Dave Mustaine Dean - cool graphics
Daisy Rock - the Daisy Rock booth gets bigger and bigger every year. These folks are doing something right, catering to young female guitarists. In 10 years, this may have a radical effect on the face of popular bands.
Other "guitar stuff" - NAMM is also filled with a lot of other music-oriented products. There are tons of these types of products and they can be fun.............or not.
Super Cool Guitar Hangers - I thought these things were great. I wish they had a model that worked with slat wall
The most extravagent booth at NAMM - It wasn't even a close competition this year. The Roland booth could hold a small town. Behind that large silver wall is a maze of stages, demo rooms, meeting areas, refreshment areas, and probably some secret stuff for "special Roland dealers". It's amazing. They must have 100 people working this booth.
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