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

GALLERY: Musikmesse 2014 - Amps

From low-watt heads to high-powered, fire-breathing monsters, here are some of the amps we caught at Musikmesse.

Carlsbro previewed a new class A, 15-watt, dual-EL84 combo amp at Musikmesse 2014: the VAC 15 Classic. It will be a budget-conscious model, yet it boasts a bona fide 12" Celestion Greenback speaker.

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!

Advanced

Intermediate

  • Learn how to incorporate open strings all the way up the fretboard.
  • Build velocity in your playing without practicing speed exercises.
  • Discover an easy way to steal licks from the pros using YouTube.
{'file_original_url': 'https://roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/documents/14095/Paisley-Mar22.pdf', 'id': 14095, 'media': '[rebelmouse-document-pdf 14095 site_id=20368559 original_filename="Paisley-Mar22.pdf"]', 'media_html': 'Paisley-Mar22.pdf', 'type': 'pdf'}

It’s universally known in the guitar community that Brad Paisley isn’t just some guy that strums a guitar and sings country songs. He’s widely respected as one of the best players in the country music scene and takes an unusual approach to achieve the sonic insanity that spills out of his guitar. From Telecasters, G-benders, and cranked Dr. Z amps to instrumental records and wild guitar solos getting mainstream country radio airtime, Paisley has solidified his place in the discussion of all-time greats, and not just in the country world. In this lesson, we’ll dive into one of the cornerstones of Brad’s playing that makes him so unique: open strings.

Read MoreShow less

Unleash your inner metal icon with the Jackson Lee Malia LM-87, a high-performance shred-ready axe designed in collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon guitarist Lee Malia. Featuring custom Jackson signature pickups, a fast D-profile neck, and a TOM-style bridge for rock-solid stability, this signature model is a must-have for commanding metal tone and smooth playability.

Read MoreShow less

The Tone King Imperial Preamp Pedal delivers legendary vintage American tube tone with modern control. Featuring two channels mirroring '50s tweed and '60s blackface tones, built-in zero watt poweramp, stereo convolution spring reverb and tremolo, and low-latency impulse response technology. MIDI programmable with up to 128 presets for instant recall.

Read MoreShow less

With a bit of downtime back in Nashville, co-shredders-in-chief Megan and Rebecca Lovell joined Shred With Shifty to deconstruct their face-melting leads on ā€œSummertime Sunset,ā€ off of their 2022 record Blood Harmony.

Read MoreShow less