
The PG Editors pick their favorite gear from Ernie Ball, Martin, Huss & Dalton, Seymour Duncan, and more from the first day of NAMM.
Ted Drozdowski - Editorial Director
Huss & Dalton Trey Hensley Acoustic
The adventurous bluegrass burner Trey Hensley & acoustic stalwarts Huss & Dalton combined to release a delightful dread that a thermo-cured Adirondack red spruce, wavy east Indian Rosewood for back, sides & peghead, Honduran mahogany with diamond volute, herringbone purfling, and Gotoh SXB510V open-back nickel tuners.
Jason Shadrick - Managing Editor
Ernie Ball Stingray II
Ernie Ball announced a new collaboration with Cory Wong called the StingRay II. Cory wanted more humbucker flavors in his arsenal, so these models feature his signature HT pickups, roasted maple neck, and stainless steel frets. They start at $2,999 with the Deluxe version listing for $3,299.
Godin unlocked a lot doors for players when they first introduced their popular Multiac. They continue striving to improve their design with slight tweaks and this year was no different as they brought a pair dazzlers that have new, comfier neck shapes (designed to lure the electric player to the nylon-based instrument) and dreamy finishes like the Opalburst (with a maple fretboard) & Oceanburst (with a richlite fretboard). They also are packed with updated custom-voiced LR Baggs electronics. Both models have hollowed silver leaf maple bodies & necks, a solid cedar top with figured flame leap top (that's sunken into the body).
Fishman introduced a new set of Greg Koch signatures, the Gristle-Tone ST Strat-style trio, at NAMM 2025, as part of its Fluence series. They are remarkably hi-fi sounding, with exceptional definition, clarity, and punch. And while they come stock in Koch’s latest Reverend Signature model, the Gristle ST, you can get ’em from Fishman for your S-style axe at $269 (street) per set. PS: You gotta watch the demo video!
Naw, this ain’t a DI. It’s Radial’s NAMM-fresh Highline passive line isolator, which comes in mono ($179 street) and stereo ($249), and uses premium Jensen transformers to preserve your signal’s pure sound. The Highline takes 1/4" cable (with XLR outs) for connecting amp simulators or pedals to your amps or a DAW. It’s compact and pedalboard friendly, and the Mono version sums stereo sources down to mono. The Stereo can take four 1/4 ” inputs and deliver a stereo signal, but it can also sum stereo sources down to mono. And it fits snugly under a pedalboard.
Ren Ferguson is a master luthier and has worked with several companies throughout his impressive career, but his current venture is building custom instruments under his own name (with some help from family). He's putting all the knowledge and expertise he's absorbed over the decades he's worked constructing workhorse guitars that not only sound stellar, but look the part, too. He showed us his slope-shouldered dread that was a clydesdale of an acoustic that looked regal and sounded powerful.