Is Joe Bonamassa a guitarist you should know? On this episode, we’re sussing out our thoughts on this hotly contested question, which we’ve been discussing off-mic since starting the 100 Guitarists podcast. Come along for the ride, and share your thoughts!
Award-winning Danish design firm Openhagen has introduced the NordicCase, a dual-purpose guitar case engineered to fit both acoustic and electric guitars—without compromise.
The case combines Scandinavian minimalism with practical versatility, offering musicians a smarter, more adaptable way to carry, store, and protect their instruments. NordicCase is designed for portability and protection, and is especially well-suited for players with limited storage space.
At its core is a patent-pending deflation system and flexible panel construction, allowing the case to adjust seamlessly between guitar types – including electric and acoustic guitars – while collapsing flat for storage. Whether navigating tight apartments or airport terminals, the case adapts without friction.
The result is a case that is not only protective—but spatially intelligent.
Key features include:
Dual-Purpose Design: One case for both acoustic and electric guitars via a smart dual-zip system
Adjustable Padding System: Includes interchangeable padding (Acoustic and Electric) and neck supports for a precise fit across guitar types
Collapsible Construction: Deflates to nearly half its size for easy storage under beds or in closets
Integrated Mobility: Smooth-rolling wheels and ergonomic handling for effortless transport
Vertical Storage Hook: Designed to hang cleanly in modern living spaces
Impact-Resistant Shell: Durable polycarbonate exterior protects against travel-related stress
Built-in Charging Port: Keeps essential devices powered on the move
NordicCase includes a modular padding ecosystem, allowing users to configure the interior depending on their instrument:
Built-In Padding → Large jazz & wide-body guitars
Padding A → Full-size acoustics (dreadnought, classical)
All paddings are removable, adjustable, and attach via velcro for quick transitions between instruments.
The case weighs 3.9 kg (8.6 lbs) and is constructed with an impact-resistant polycarbonate shell and velvet-lined interior. It’s designed by Openhagen, a Danish design brand creating musical lifestyle objects that blend seamlessly into the home with a focus on sustainability, craftsmanship, and understated elegance.
Nordic Case carries a $299 street price. For more information visit openhagen.com.
Upon resurrecting the long-lost Dual Op-Amp Big Muff 2 circuit with Josh Scott of JHS Pedals, Electro-Harmonix recognized that the pedal would be an instant favorite of low-end lovers and went to work “bassifying” the pedal. Enter the low-end optimized Bass Big Muff Pi 2 with features selected for full spectrum fuzz tones of all flavors.
The Bass Big Muff Pi 2 features the original’s pushed mid grunt and classic singing sustain any Big Muff lover would feel at home with. The bass version now includes a clean BLEND knob and Bass Boost for extended tone performance with Bass Guitar or any player looking for extra clarity and low-end. The typical VOL/TONE/SUSTAIN knobs set overall output volume, treble/bass eq balance, and distortion respectively. BLEND sets the overall wet/dry mix to dial in the perfect balance of fuzzy chaos and solid fundaments from your clean tone. The BASS BOOST switch adds even more low-end to your signal for booming bass tone even at higher TONE knob settings.
Additionally, the pedal features a silent true bypass footswitch with Latching/Momentary Action. Click the footswitch for normal latching functionality or press and hold the footswitch of a momentary burst of fuzz.
The Mount Rushmore of acoustic amplification, from left to right: Chris F. Martin IV, Larry Fishman, and Lloyd Baggs at NAMM 2026
Photo by Kate Richardson
NAMM 2026. I survived.
I came down with the flu a week before the show. I cocooned, rested, and managed to recover enough to hit the ground running in Anaheim. Not ideal timing, but then again, timing is rarely perfect in this business.
This year marked NAMM’s 125th anniversary. I served on the NAMM board and eventually on the executive committee, which meant that at the end of that journey, I became NAMM Chairman. My time as chair coincided with COVID. Not exactly a calm period in history.
Joe Lamond was NAMM’s CEO when I stepped into that role. When I reminded him that Martin Guitar had survived multiple pandemics over our nearly two centuries in business, he said, “You are the right NAMM chair for these challenging times.” We got through it. NAMM got through it. My family’s business got through it. And here we are at 125 years.
A Different Show
The NAMM Show today is different than it was before Covid. Travel is expensive. Booth space is expensive. Attending a trade show is not cheap. Companies have to evaluate value carefully, but trade shows remain one of the most efficient and effective ways to see your customers in one place: dealers, distributors, artists, media, influencers, and passionate musicians all under one roof. And Southern California is full of people who are passionate about making music.
Our booth was busy from 10 a.m. on Thursday through the end of the show on Saturday night. The show floor was loud and exciting, filled with people who share the same passion for making and listening to music that you and I have. And they demonstrate it on every instrument imaginable at the same time.
The Beauty of Discovery
One of my favorite things about NAMM is wandering. I’ll stop at a small booth to check out what someone is building, and start a conversation about what they are up to. What I appreciate most is when they engage me before they realize who I am. Sometimes the coolest thing I see at NAMM comes from a company I’ve never heard of. Maybe it’s their first show; maybe they scraped together every dollar they had to be there.
I always show enthusiasm and wish them luck. Sometimes they come back the next year with a bigger booth. Sometimes they never return. Either way, I appreciate that they tried, and I want them all to succeed.
Old Friends and New Ideas
NAMM is the perfect venue to both introduce new products and reinforce the enduring value of tried-and-true models like our D-28. We had some new things to show this year. My personal favorite was being able to share a couple of our Project 91 guitars. Innovation remains essential in a company that has been building instruments for nearly two centuries.
After any NAMM show, I always encourage people to check our website and then check our competitors’ websites. See what’s new and cool—our industry never stands still.
On a personal note, NAMM is also a reunion. I get to see old friends and make new ones. This year I participated in a panel discussion about acoustic-electric guitars and pickups with my friends Larry Fishman, Lloyd Baggs, and Craig Thatcher. We all agreed on one thing: Amplifying an acoustic guitar is challenging, no matter how you approach it.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to spend time with Greg Mackie from Mackie Sound. If anyone understands amplification, it’s Greg. I asked him his thoughts on the best way to amplify the sound of an acoustic guitar. I was bracing for a technical dissertation that I might struggle to follow, but he just paused for a moment and said, “Chris, acoustic guitars sound best unamplified.” And that’s the challenge.
The Bigger Picture
NAMM is not just about products. It is about community. It is about advocacy. It is about keeping music alive and accessible for future generations. During the show, I had lunch with several past NAMM chairs, all dedicated to promoting the value of music education. That mission remains central to NAMM’s purpose. The current NAMM Chair, Chris White, and the new CEO, John Mlynczak, are doing a good job of keeping up the enthusiasm for this focus of ours.
One hundred twenty-five years is a long time. I am grateful to have been a small part of that story. Come to the NAMM Show next year so you can be a part of it, too.
Say hello to the new STEREO HEADPHONE AMP - our latest handy little beast from Berlin.
At first glance it might look like “just”a headphone amp. But KMA and “just” don’t really go together. So, we gave it a powerful amplifier that can hook up to two pairs of cans simultaneously, a mixable Aux Input with both analog and Bluetooth, clever auto-sensing Ins and Outs and flexible routing options. Plus, like all KMA Machines pedals, it is still hand-built by real humans in our Berlin workshop.
Our Utility Series boxes have graced thousands of rigs worldwide. This one is no exception - it’s an extremely handy box that will no doubt find a permanent home in many setups. There’s plenty more where this came from in 2026, so stay tuned. As a subscriber, you’ll always hear it here first.
A few years ago we released ENDGAME, which is our ultimate end-of-chain utility device. Featuring IR Cab Sims, Power-Amp simulation, True Stereo Doubling, Stereo FX Loop, Aux-in, Bluetooth, Dual Headphone Amp and much, much more. For those that don't need all this power, we decided to take the pristine and powerful dual headphone output stages as well as the flexible AUX features and in the process created the definitive, yet still affordable, stereo headphone amp in a pedalboard friendly box.
You can use it as a standalone clean headphone amplifier or you can place it after your amp-sim of choice. Maybe you want a simple way to incorporate backing tracks into your setup? Well, you can do that with the AUX in and Bluetooth features. For instance, this could allow you to trigger samples and/or full tracks via your phone or computer.
In addition, it’s full Stereo In and full Stereo Out, so you can incorporate your divine stereo effects as well and output it to a stereo interface, mixer or PA with or without the Aux mix present.
This device might look deceptively simple, but it’s serious value for money in every sense possible.
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