GALLERY: Summer NAMM 2017 Day 3
Somnium Guitars Transforma
The build quality and engineering behind Somnium Guitars' Transforma series was rather impressive. It's built around a modular system of interchangeable parts that allow you to swap pickups, center blocks, and body styles quickly and easily. Within a few seconds it moved from humbuckers to single-coils. Really attached to your pickups? No problem. The company will also produce blank pickup modules that can be populated with nearly any type of pickup you can throw at it.
Tomkat Pedals The Ripper
Brooklyn's Tomkat Pedals loves creating inspired takes on somewhat forgotten pedals. The Ripper Octave Fuzz is a modernized version of the Ibanez Standard Fuzz. The result is a beautifully destructive upper-octave fuzz that can go from silicon to germanium clipping via the toggle switch. The footswitchable tone control is also a nice touch that helps add another variation that I'd imagine would cut through a mix. It's available now for $195.
Mezzabarba Custom Amplification Z18
The Z18 from Mezzabarba Custom Amplification is a 20-watt combo that packs some serious American tones despite its Italian heritage. The circuit is based around a pair of 6V6 tubes with a rather straight forward control set with volume, 3-band EQ, and a brill (or presence) control. At about 30 pounds, it's rather easy to haul to a rehearsal or blues jam.
Blackstar Amplification MKII Venue Series
The versatility of Blackstar Amplification is one of the more under sung facets of the company's designs. That's certainly the case with the new MKII Venue series (60 watt combo pictured here.) The amps feature EL34 power sections, digital reverb, plus Blackstar standbys like the ISF control which manipulates the presence to shift its personality between British and more American sonic signatures. We heard killer, chiming cleans from these amps (a very underrated Blackstar quality) as well as the capacity for aggression and grind. With 60 and 40 watt combos and 50 and 100 watt heads it's a varied line too. Prices range from $699 to $899.
Nanolog Audio The WaveFunction Overdrive
Alberta, Canada's Nanolog Audio Inc. brought this nice surprise to Summer NAMM: It's an overdrive featuring two "nanolog" clipping sections. What's nanolog? It's an azobenzebe and carbon means of conduction--beyond that, well, it's hard to explain. But what we heard from these clipping sections was exceptional and very uncommon sensitivity, openness, and dynamics whether using picking attack variation or volume attenuation. Price looks to be about $399 which isn't cheap, but there are truly a lot of great OD sounds to be had here.
Alexander Pedals Syntax Error
One of the freakiest / tweakiest pedals we've seen at Nashville NAMM this year is Alexander Pedals new Syntax Error, a four-knob little filtering and bit-crushing wonder that features four presets (expandable to even more than that) and controllability ranging from simple expression-pedal connectvity to MIDI (both through the same 1/4" jack) and all the way to crazy-deep parameter wankery via USB connection to an app. All for $199 street.
Modulus Bass Guitars RevOLite
It was a treat for many at NAMM to check out the new RevOLite line from Modulus Graphite Bass Guitars. This Funk Persuasion 4 RevOLite is finished in seafoam green, packed with a Bartolini P-style pickup, and weighs just 6 1/2 pounds. And thanks to the advanced carbon-fiber reinforced construction that increases the structural rigidity of the neck and body, the bass is able to maintain the signature tone that has long defined the company.
Integral Samsystems Close Miking System
Integral Samsystems has been testing this cab/speaker-mounted mic for four years now and it looks like lit's going to see the market late this summer. The center of the ring houses a hypercardiod dynamic mic mounted off axis which picks up a nice balance of speaker and cabinet tone. Installation is easy and the options for both players and amp builders are intriguing to say the least. At 99 and 109 bucks for 10" and 12" versions, respectively, the price is right in line with the most popular dynamic guitar mics as well.
CopperSound Pedals The Polaris
The Polaris from CopperSound Pedals is a new chorus/vibrato inspired by the original EHX Small Clone. At its core is the same MN3007 BBD chip as the EHX, but the Polaris features a knob rather than a depth switch and adds a second depth knob that's selectable via the secondary footswitch. Not only that, the Polaris houses a tone knob to add or cut lower bass presence to the signal, a master volume dial at the end of the circuit, and a mode toggle switch to select between chorus and vibrato modes.
Analog Outfitters The Cadet
A few months ago Analog Outfitters reached out to their fans for help in naming their latest creation. The result is The Cadet, a 10-watt, Class A design that runs on a pair of EL84 power tubes. The dead-simple design features a single volume knob that adds some righteous vintage-style breakup as you crank it up. The combo will street for $999 and the head will be $699.
Hungry Robot Pedals The Monastery
Hungry Robot Pedals just showed us a hip new polyphonic octave pedal dubbed the Monastery. Each row of knobs has its own dedicated foot switch which allows for some wacky tones in addition to making moving between presets a snap. It will be available soon for around $200.
Classic Audio Effects Aloft Shimmer Reverb & Space Cadet
If you're addicted to manipulating pedal parameters in real time, then these new offerings from Classic Audio Effects might be right up your alley. On the left is the Aloft Shimmer Reverb, which makes washy, ambient tones more dynamic by adjusting the mix with the expression roller. It also includes independent reverb and shimmer controls to help you dial in just the right vibe. On the right is the Space Cadet, a killer pitch bend with a two-octave range. Both will street for $199.
Greer Amplification Moonshot
Greer Amplification came to Nashville NAMM with a great-sounding little overdrive called the Moonshot. Outfitted with an AC-128 germanium diode, this class-A two-knobber shoots simple but sublime with a master volume and a tone knob that accentuates treble and low mids at its two extremes.
Dwarfcraft Devices The Curse
Ben Hinz's Dwarfcraft Devices came to Nashville NAMM with yet another warped stomp, the Curse. Outfitted with a bunch of bucket-brigade-device analog chips, it rather fittingly yields up to 666 ms of delay, but also features an onboard modulation circuit, a subdivision toggle, a waveform toggle that switches between sine, square, and random, and control-voltage mini jacks for external control of tap-tempo or modulation. Street price is around $400.
Wampler Pedals The Doctor
Wampler Pedals' new lo-fi delay, the Doctor, started out as a one-off for country super picker Brad Paisley, but Brian Wampler thought it was time to put it into production. It mimics the same controls as his Faux Tape Echo, but with a different EQ for the repeats. It's more grotty, and well, lo-fi. It will ship in September for $239.
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