"Amptweaker's James Brown brought his TightBoost pedalяstill a work-in-progressяto the Nashville Amp Expo to solicit input and feedback on its circuitry and sound. Here, Brown is dialing in the pedal's Mid EQ control. ""Players have requested a feature that replicates the toneйof a parked wah pedal,"" says Brown. ""Using the Mid EQ control, you can gradually introduce a peaky mid boost, but, unlike a wah pedal, you don't lose the highs."" Brown plans to include a switch to select one of either two or three fixed midrange frequencies, plus a knob to control the amount of boost that's blended into the overall signal. "

On the weekend of August 21-22, amp builders, musicians, collectors, and tone fanatics from far and wide convened in Music City for the second annual Nashville Amp Expo. The organizers—Creation Audio Labs—reserved the entire Hyatt Place hotel in nearby Brentwood, Tennessee, for the event.

Hundreds of attendees roamed the hotel hallways, stopping at exhibitors' rooms to hear and test drive some of the world's finest boutique amps, and also ogle guitars, pedals, and related accessories. There were seminars too, including a guitar recording workshop led by Michael Wagener (Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Extreme, Metallica, Skid Row, Dokken, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth). Our photo gallery brings you a hint of the wild sounds and beautiful gear that made this year's Nashville Amp Expo such an exciting experience.