Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

GALLERY: Musikmesse 2014 - Pedals and Accessories

Take a look at the stomps, pickups, and accessories that filled the halls of Musikmesse.

Ampete of Germany showed off their Ampete 444, a powerful amp switcher that lets you combine four amps and four cabinets in almost any configuration. Switch between heads using a single cab, or vice-versa with multiple cabs. You can even send the signal from an amp to any two heads simultaneously.

Musikmesse isn’t what it used to be, show veterans say. Attendance is far from peak. There are fewer full exhibition halls. High participation costs (and the ability to announce and publicize products digitally) have prompted numerous companies to bypass the once-essential event.

But you know what? Messe is still huge.

NAMM’s European equivalent, held each year in Frankfurt, Germany, is substantially larger than its Anaheim counterpart. Far louder, too: As at NAMM, ā€œsound policeā€ armed with decibel meters patrol the floor, but they’re slackers. Messe is deafening.

But, hey, what’s a little tinnitus when you get to spend four days ogling so many cool new music products? From March 12th through 16th we roamed the vast halls, marveling at superbly crafted boutique instruments, solid working-player tools, and some remarkable budget-gear bargains.

The show highlights? For North American players like us, it’s probably the chance to fondle the phenomenal creations of small-production European shops whose instruments tend to be scarce in the States. The phrase ā€œOld World craftsmanshipā€ may be a clichĆ©, but Messe schools you on how it became one. You can hardly turn around without being dumbstruck by a ravishing instrument that blends the engineering chops of Stuttgart or Turin with the design elegance of Milan or Barcelona.

But our report isn’t just some glamour-gear buyers’ guide for investment bankers and lottery winners indulging in a European grand tour. Quality work and compelling style were equally evident in mid-priced gear for working stiffs and in some remarkable entry-level bargains.

It’s hard to summarize such a vast event with a simple tag—but if pressed, I’d go with ā€œretro fun.ā€ Per usual, vintage-inspired designs reigned supreme. But we saw more manufactures playing with vintage aesthetics, recombining old-school elements in winning new ways. By and large, manufacturers seem to be having fun. We certainly were—and it’s not just the beer and schnitzel talking!

- YouTube

PG's demo dude expands his flirtation with active pickups by dropping a set of EMG Fat 55 Retro Active Humbuckers into his warhorse 2003 Gibson Les Paul. Luthier friend Dave Johnson handles the surgery and shares a few key tips to make the project go smoother for you.

Previously, John Bohlinger was curious about what active pickups could do for his anemic 1994 Stratocaster and EMG offered their drop-and-go Steve Lukather SL20 Pickguard set. JB was floored with the guitar's fresh voice and responsive dynamics he wanted to expand the active experiment to his beloved 2003 GibsonĀ Les Paul. So we got a set of EMG Fat 55 Retro Active Humbuckers that required a full install and our luthier friend Dave Johnson walks us through the whole process before John got to test out his old friend's tonal makeover.

Learn more about EMG Fat 55 Retro Active Humbuckers here.

Guest picker Ally Venable

Blues rocker Ally Venable joins PG’s editors to imagine what their dream late-night band would sound like.

Question: What’s your dream late-night show band?

Read MoreShow less
- YouTube

Pick one of these stomps, ranging from silicon-driven to germanium-juiced and beyond, to supercharge your signal.

Read MoreShow less
GTRS Announces the W902, The Latest Update to its Wing-series ofĀ Intelligent Guitars
GTRS Announces the W902, The Latest Update to its Wing-series ofĀ Intelligent Guitars
GTRS has introduced the W902, the newest release in GTRS’ Wing-series Intelligent Guitar lineup, expanding on the series’ cutting-edge features while maintaining an accessible price point.
Read MoreShow less