D'Addario unveiled their new NS Artist capo at the 2014 NAMM show. It utilizes a patented trigger design that requires only 1/3 of the force to operate, has a micrometer tension adjustment dial, and includes a tuner-mounting bracket.
Eastman Guitars E1000SS, is a beautiful little take on the 00 shape. This version is Adirondack Spruce and mahogany and the MAP is around $1,100. A rosewood version streets at $1,200.
ESP Guitars Custom Shop brought this intricately detailed Armor Custom axe to NAMM.
Frank Falbo brought his first electric guitar to the show. It's a hollowbody, handcarved, one-off that's packed with Fishman Fluence Classic Humbuckers. Priced at $6,250, Falbo will be releasing a production-esque model later in the year that will be less expensive.
The great Jerry Donahue did us the favor of bending away beautifully on his new signature Fret-King--alder body with a thin ash cap, a five bolt neck, five way switch, and custom Seymour Duncan pickups, all for $1,199.
Gallien-Krueger unveiled a trio of new enclosures with the CX Series: a 2x10, a 1x15, and a 4x10. All are equipped with proprietary ceramic drivers and offer a compact design and light load.
Gallien-Krueger showed their new MB108 combo which should be available in May 2014. It's a 25-watt practice/bedroom amp that sports a single 8" speaker and 3-band EQ. Anticipated street: $149.
Ibanez Guitars and Korg joined forces for the RG6--a super expressive fusion of six string and Kaos pad. It's at prototype stage now, but a green light for production sounds like a near certainty. Be sure to watch for our demo--fun stuff!
Mod Kits DIY brought their new Wahtz Wah to NAMM. The point-to-point kit will cost around 100 bucks and sounds fat as heck!
Schecter Guitars new Hellraiser Hybrid C7 features a mahogany body, quilted maple top, ebony fretboard, graphite binding, Hipshot bridge, and EMG Pickups 57 and 66 pickups. $999 street.
Taylor Guitars brought a completely reimagined 800 series to NAMM. Master builder Andy Powers was given free-rein to update the venerated models with thinner finishes, hyde glues, new bracing patterns and profiles, and Expression System 2 electronics. The 814ce has the usual Sitka spruce top and East Indian back and sides—and pickguard. Prices start around $3,000.
Zon showed off their new Mosaic Mojo basses at the 2014 NAMM show. The Mojo models are outfitted with Aguilar pups, come in three electronics configurations, and start at only $899.
Australia's Cole Clark Guitars always brings extremely unique instruments to NAMM. In addition to reviving the Taliaman model, they brought the brand new Triumph 2 (pictured here) is built from Queensland Maple (back and sides) and a Bunya top. The Australian Blackwood inlay is crazy cool too. $2,999 MAP and available now.
The new Gibson Skunk Baxter Firebird has ultra-hot alnico 5 pickups with individual on/off switches and coil taps, 9-ply walnut-and-mahogany body and neck, Steinberger gearless tuners, and a Lyre tailpiece.
Doesn't get much cuter than Ibanez's new 5-watt Tube Screamer amp. This little guy comes complete with reverb and overdrive controls, and those little legs and vintage radio/TV-like design make it a pretty groovy piece of furniture too!
Kramer's new 25 1/2"-scale Assault Plus has a slim mahogany body and 24-fret set neck, Seymour Duncan pickups (an Alternative 8 bridge and '59 Classic neck), and two push-pull volumes for splitting the pickups in series or parallel.
PRS Guitars brought a ton of cool stuff to Anaheim, including (left to right) a new Zach Myers SE signature ($799), Private Stock Alex Lifeson Thinline acoustic, Private Stock Brent Mason, Marty FriedmanSE ($649), and the new 100-watt, high-gain Archon amp—which features a 6L6 power section, a half-power switch, and two channels with five gain stages for $1,799.
Rick' fans rejoice!!!! Rickenbacker unleashed their new Walnut series here in Anaheim. A thin oil finish gives the bodies a luxurious, natural aura, and the all-maple neck creates a striking contrast. The series includes the 360-12W, 4003W, and 330W. Wow....
Jim Dunlop Guitar Products brought several smokin' pedals to NAMM. MXR's Phase 99 pairs two Phase 90 circuits that can be sync'd or run in series or parallel, and in "script" or "block" modes. The MXR Micro Amp+ offers 26 dB of gain and super-interactive bass and treble knobs. The redesigned Way Huge Swollen Pickle features a smaller chassis and custom graphics, and puts controls that were previously internal on the top of the unit. MXR's La Machina is a Foxx Tone Machine-style fuzz, and the Uni-Vibe is back in a smaller enclosure with dual modes. The Echoplex pedal features a preamp styled after the front end of a vintage EP-1, and the new Cry Baby CM-95 Clyde McCoy features a halo inductor for warm, rounded vintage tones.
Reverend came to Anaheim with a slew of debuts, including this new Pete Anderson signature model, the PA-1 HB Custom. This classic looking axe boasts features like a trapeze tailpiece, flame maple back and sides, a bound headstock, and a set of Reverend's Classic H pickups.
Rotosound delivered the goods at the show by introducing six new killer pedals: the Wobbler Tremolo, the King Henry Phaser, the Crusader Chorus, the Leveller EQ, the Aftermath Delay, and the Pusher Compressor.
Tech 21 is celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, and to celebrate, they unveiled the Fly Rig 5. It's an ultra-compact unit that allows a player to access the sounds of five pedals in Tech 21's celebrated line-up: a SansAmp, reverb, delay, boost, and Plexi distortion.
Traynor Amps introduced the YBA-1Mod1 amp at NAMM 2014 in response the popularity of the LE 50th Anniversary YBA-1 they unveiled last year. The YBA-1Mod1 is an all-tube, 2-channel beast that's capable of running at 40, 20, 5, 1, or 0.1 watts.