Anaheim, CA (January 14, 2011) -- The second day of NAMM brought even more useful, beautiful, and innovative gear to drool over. Make sure to keep up with our real-time coverage at premierguitar.com/namm and on Facebook.
Check out what our editors thought was the coolest gear of the show today:
Editorial Director Joe Coffey
Editor in Chief Shawn Hammond
Senior Editor Andy Ellis
Gear Editor Charles Saufley
Web Content Editor Rebecca Dirks
Associate Editor Chris Kies
Associate Editor Jason Shadrick
Seymour Duncan Zephyr Silver Pickups
Duncan’s premium new pickups are said to be a nod to the past while representing what’s next in pickup manufacturing. They’re wound with silver wire and feature bi-metallic pole pieces (nickel cores with stainless-steel exteriors) and glass fiberfill nylon bobbins. The pickups are also cryogenically treated, which the company says aligns the materials’ crystal latticework to improve clarity. MSRP $1195 per set.
seymourduncan.com
Washburn WD26SCE with a B-string bender
NAMM is a good time to see prototypes, custom mods, and one-offs that may not end up in production but are pretty cool nonetheless. Check out this Washburn WD-26SCE outfitted with a B-string-bending device made by Forrest Lee Jr.
washburn.com
Takamine TF77-PT, TF87-PT
You could say these new Takamines are loaded with the ingredients of warmth: a koa back and sides, a sunburst-finished cedar top, a 12AU7-driven onboard preamp, and an inlay of palm trees and a sunset at the 12th fret. Available in OM (TF77-PT) or New Yorker (TF87-PT, shown) body sizes. MSRP $2579.
takamine.com
Neutrik NA2JJ
Here’s a handy item to keep in your gigbag: The Neutrik NA2JJ plug2PLUG is basically a 1/4" female-to-female adapter that allows you to make a longer instrument cable out of two shorter ones when you get in a pinch.
neutrik.com
Harmony H54 Rocket
There’s a fairly rabid following of vintage Harmony semi-hollowbodies out there on eBay and other places, so it’s always intriguing when a brand gets revived. Cort’s parent company has purchased the rights to the name, and Dan Lakin (founder of Lakland basses) is now heading up production of the guitar. The pickup covers, knobs, body, and finish look and feel authentic, though the neck felt a little skinnier than the originals. MSRP $695.
harmonyguitars.com
Rainsong Studio Series Dreadnought
Dollar-wise, the new Studio Series has a lower entry point than previous Rainsongs, and the bodies have a textured feel to their graphite-and-glass surfaces. Just like a dreadnought should, the Studio dread sounded great—loud, clean, and very wood-like—when I dug in with a flatpick, but it also sounded wonderful fingerpicked. MSRP approx. $1800.
rainsong.com
Ibanez SR Premium SR1200EVNF 5-String
This beautiful new 5-string bass features a contoured mahogany body and ovangkol top, a 5-piece wenge-and-bubinga neck with titanium reinforcement rods, a Mono-Rail IV bridge, Nordstrand Big Single pickups, Volume and Balance knobs (the two knobs), Cut/Boost knobs (for Bass, Mid, and Treble), and EQ-bypass and Mid-Frequency toggles. MSRP $1333.32.
ibanez.com
Collings 290 DC S
The new 290 DC S features a one-piece mahogany body, a transparent nitrocellulose lacquer finish, an optional compensated, custom-machined wraparound bridge/tailpiece, and a fat-sounding Lollar P-90 with Collings' black phenolic cover (think Bakelite). To my ears, this guitar just screams “Mississippi Queen." Models start at $2950 with a hardshell case.
collingsguitars.com
DVK SilverTop
From Down Under comes the DVK SilverTop, a dual-function pedal that combines two psychedelic sounds—a classic overdrive and a swirling rotary-speaker effect—in one unit. Perfect for Jimi Hendrix and Robin Trower riffage, the SilverTop lets you use either effect by itself or in tandem with its mate. If you choose the latter, a handy toggle switch lets you determine which effect comes first. The overdrive takes its essential sonic cues from the classic TS-909, although DVK's designer, Brett Kingman, has voiced the pedal to produce a spectrum of sounds from clean boost to crunch. Using an optional rocker pedal, you can control the rate of the rotary effect. The SilverTop sports five knobs: Rate, Depth, Drive, Level, and Tone, independent Vibe and Overdrive stomp switches, a Classic/Vibrato switch, and the aforementioned toggle to set the order of the two effects. Street $289.
dvktech.com
Vox Series 22
The Vox Series 22 double-cutaway has a pair of new XLM (Extra Loud Mini) humbuckers, a pickup mode switch for selecting either fat or lean tones, and Vox's brilliant aluminum MaxConnect bridge—one of the most innovative bridge designs I’ve seen in a long time. The cool yellow sunburst has a distinctly ’60s vibe, and reminds me of an old Melody Maker. Another nice touch is the SBE strap button extender on the bass horn, which lets the guitar balance nicely when you’re playing standing up. Price TBD.
voxamps.com
Fender Wayne Kramer Stratocaster
There are plenty of cool new Fender products to see and play and NAMM this year, but none got this MC5-crazed editor quite as worked up as the stars-and-stripes-festooned Wayne Kramer signature Stratocaster. I’m not lying when I say it’s one of the nicest-playing Strats I’ve had the pleasure of jamming on in many moons. The maple neck is topped with a beautiful hunk of rosewood with a 7.25" radius that felt supra delicious, and it’s got a Seymour Duncan ’59 in the middle position so you can torture your plexi (or any amp of your choice) in the manner of Brother Wayne. I must have slinked back about three times over the course of my visit to the Fender room to have a bash at “Ramblin’ Rose.” A fitting tribute to Kramer and one of the absolute greatest American rock-and-roll bands of all time. Kick out the jams! MSRP S1299.
fender.com
Godin MultiOud
Aspiring electrified Sandy Bulls take note: Godin’s mahogany-and-spruce MultiOud takes the principles of Godin’s time-tested Multiac (which facilitated stellar acoustic tones in loud stage settings) and applies it to the ancient stringed backbone of great Anatolian jams—the oud. It updates the traditional oud design with machine tuners, a cutaway, and a saddle-mounted pickup that’s routed through electronics that are voiced to emulate the sound of the oud as recorded by various microphones. Although it’s fretless, the MultiOud is easy for a guitar player to adapt to. Need some Turkish flavor in your tunes? Look no further.
godinguitars.com
Fender's 12 Teles
It’s impossible to not find a Tele to love in Fender’s array of 12 limited-edition models, which were built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Telecaster. The dozen Teles here are meant to show how versatile the classic single-cutaway can be, and each is an experiment in pickups, wiring, wood, binding, inlays, and just about everything else that goes into a guitar. There are nods to popular players’ mods along the way, too. There’s a bamboo-laminate neck and top (right side, upper right) and wood reclaimed from an old bridge and barn (left side, upper right, and right side, upper middle, respectively). There are homages to the venerable rosewood Tele (right side, upper left) and Vintage Hot Rod ’52 Tele, the latter with a completely new innovation: brass saddles with an Allen head on each saddle that’s adjustable to get perfect intonation. It’s inspiring to see a company as historic and massive as Fender getting creative outside of the Custom Shop—even if they’re limited to around 500 pieces each. And if out-of-the-box isn’t your thing, they’ve combined the best vintage and modern aspects of the Tele in their official 60th Anniversary Telecaster (center). It’s a good day to be a Tele fan.
fender.com
Ernie Ball Music Man Game Changer
Yes, I watched the hype videos and read the press materials, but seeing the Game Changer in action was not something I’ll soon forget—and not just because it was presented by guys in Hendrix and Elvis costumes. The guitar’s tonal range is impressive before it’s plugged into a computer—among other things, you can save totally analog presets to each position on a 5-way switch—but it’s even more astounding once you access the software and adjust tones in real time. With a USB cord and a click of a mouse, pickups go in and out of phase. Or you can pull up one of the many available artist presets and scroll through their tones. The mind-blowing part is that none of it is digital—this is not modeling, it’s real-time analog circuit adjustment via a computer. I can’t say I understand how they pull it off, but they absolutely do.
music-man.com
Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter
Source Audio’s latest pedal for bassists brings about as many funky options as one could possibly need: ¬¬. It sounds great on its own, but when it’s paired with the company’s Multiwave Bass Distortion Pro and Tri-Mod Wah, it creates crazy, synth-like bass tones. Source Audio is simultaneously releasing an Envelope Filter for guitar that is basically identical in features, except that the signal is 100 percent effected, while the bass signal has a wet/dry mix control.
sourceaudio.net
Marshall AFD100 Slash Signature Head
Appetite for Destruction is one of my favorite albums of all time—it has resonated within my soul since I first played air guitar to it years ago. It’s been 23 years since the iconic album's release, and now Marshall is officially unleashing the AFD100 Signature head. The AFD100 is powered by four 6550 power tubes, features five ECC83 preamp tubes, and has two footswitchable modes labeled #34 and AFD. The first is based on the modified JCM800 2203 head that Slash has used since the late ‘80s (“34” is stenciled on its side), while the second is the instantly identifiable sound from Appetite. Noteworthy features include built-in power attenuation and a Valve Fault Indicator feature that lights up to indicate if an output tube goes bad. The run is limited to 2300 heads and will retail at $2899.
marshallamps.com
Mesa Boogie Royal Atlantic
The 100-watt Royal Atlantic RA-100 can be powered by EL34s or 6L6s and runs on class AB power. Tonally, the combo launches off the TransAtlantic platform and mixes both classic and modified British sounds with Boogie's trademark high-gain thump. It also has the company’s proprietary new Multi-Soak feature, which lets you notch either channel down 16, 12, 8, or 4 dB. Front-panel Clean channel controls are Master, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Gain, while the Hi/Lo channel has vintage high-gain and vintage low-gain modes and front-panel Master Hi, Master Lo, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Gain knobs.
mesaboogie.com
EHX Neo Mistress Flanger
Mike Matthews and EHX always provide a good belly laugh and plenty of tone treats, and this year the big snack is the Neo Mistress Flanger—a compact pedal that delivers lush flanging. Rate and Feedback knobs provide a variety of flange sounds, ranging from subtle to ultra thick, while the Filter Matrix disengages the automatic sweep and lets you manually control the filter bank to achieve chiming metallic tones. MSRP $109.80.
ehx.com
Vox TB35C1 & TB35C2 designed by Tony Bruno
Vox Tony Bruno-designed TB35C1 and TB35C2 Boutique amp builder Tony Bruno teamed up with Vox to design a production amp in two flavors—a 1x12 combo (TB35C1) and a 2x12 combo (TB35C2). The 35-watt amps pack punchy tones with plenty of volume, and both really shined with the Macho switch engaged (for a mid boost) and the Master Volume bypassed.
voxamps.com
Veillette 12-String Baritone
A lot of big-name players—including Dave Matthews and Neal Schon—are starting to dig on Joe Veillette’s custom creations, and his new 12-string baritone makes it easy to see why. Colin Hay from Men at Work bought this particular guitar right on the floor.
veilletteguitars.com
Carvin FG1 Frank Gambale Signature Model
Fusion guitarist extraordinaire Frank Gambale teamed up with Carvin for his new signature model, which features a custom FG22N neck pickup that Gambale helped design, as well as a C22B pickup in the bridge position.
carvinguitars.com
Eastman E20P
I am a sucker for small-bodied acoustics, and this Eastman caught my eye. It has an Adirondack spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and a wide ebony fretboard that’s great for fingerstyle players. The slotted headstock is a nice old-school touch, too.
eastmanmandolins.com
Developed in collaboration with John Mayer, Earthwood Bell Bronze acoustic guitar strings are the first to offer this new patent-pending alloy, which was inspired by blends used for bells and cymbals. In addition, Ernie Ball introduces the Tim Henson Signature Collection of strings and the Pino Palladino Smoothie Flats Signature bass strings.
Earthwood Bell Bronze
Developed in collaboration with John Mayer, Ernie Ball Earthwood Bell Bronze acoustic guitar strings have been carefully crafted to meet John's exacting standards, providing a new voice for your acoustic guitar. Inspired by alloys used traditionally for bells and cymbals, ErnieBall's patent-pending Bell Bronze alloy offers a richer, fuller sound than any other string in our catalog. These strings will breathe new life into your guitar.
“Earthwood Bell Bronze strings are a giant leap forward in tone, playability, anddurability. They’re great in any musical setting but really shine when played solo.There’s an orchestral quality to them.”
- John Mayer
- Developed in collaboration with John Mayer
- Big, bold sound
- Inspired by alloys used for bells and cymbals
- Increased resonance with improved projection & sustain
- Patent-pending alloy unique to Ernie Ball strings
- Available in 4 gauge combinations:
- Extra Light (10-50)
- Light (11-52)
- Medium Light (12-54)
- Medium (13-56)
Acoustic Earthwood Bell Bronze Demo on a Gibson L-00 - YouTube
Tim Henson Collection
Ernie Ball introduces the Tim Henson Signature String and Accessory Collection ,developed in collaboration with one of today’s most innovative players. Designed to meet Tim’s unique specifications and versatile performance style, these new classical strings pair fluorocarbon trebles with silver-plated copper basses for a dynamic, brighter response with a percussive tonality. The electric strings comprise Cobalt and Paradigm technologies for maximum output and clarity with unmatched durability.
Classical Strings
- Dynamic, percussive sound
- Silver-plated copper basses
- Fluorocarbon treble strings
- Gauges: 24, 27, 33, 30, 36, 42
Electric Strings
- Engineered for maximum output & clarity
- Nano-treated for maximum life and corrosion resistance
- Paradigm core wire for added strength
- Gauges: 9.5, 12, 16, 26, 36, 46
The Ernie Ball Tim Henson Signature Collection will be available this spring. The SignatureElectric strings, Classical strings, and Fretwrap will all be available to purchase separately. TheSignature Cable will be available to purchase as part of a box set bundle. This Tim HensonSignature Bundle will include all of the products in the collection.
Ernie Ball ntroduces Pino Palladino Smoothie Flats Bass Strings, designed for effortless playability and exceptional tone. Precision-polished for an ultra-smooth feel, these premium flatwound strings glide easily under your fingers. Crafted with a cobalt alloy ribbon, they deliver a deep, rich tone that perfectly balances vintage warmth with modern flexibility.Developed with legendary bassist Pino Palladino, Smoothie Flats offer unparalleled performance and a silky-smooth playing experience.
Key Features:
- Premium flatwound strings developed with Pino Palladino
- Precision polished for an ultra-smooth feel
- Wound with cobalt alloy ribbon for a rich, deep sound
- Smooth, vintage tone and flexible, low-tension feel
- Available in 2 gauge combinations:
- Extra Light (38, 54, 68, 98)
- Medium (43, 61,76, 108)
The Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II and StingRay II Deluxe were designed in collaboration with Cory Wong to deliver unmatched clarity, versatility, and precision for every performance.Both models feature a roasted figured maple neck, 22 stainless steel frets, ultra-clean CoWong HT humbuckers, and an ergonomic body design for smooth playability and effortless fret access.
The Deluxe model adds a roasted maple fretboard, parchment binding, and a matching headstock for a refined touch. Inspired by the iconic StingRay Bass, both guitars showcasleek styling with a redesigned larger headstock, a custom Cory Wong neck plate, and gold hardware for a sophisticated finish.
Features
- Ultra-clean Cory Wong HT humbucking bridge & neck pickups
- Ergonomic body design inspired by the StingRay Bass
- Select alder body with roasted figured maple neck
- Gold hardware with Cory Wong neck plate
- 2 finish options including Charcoal Blue & Cashmere
- Mono CaseStingRay II Deluxe Features
- Ultra-clean Cory Wong HT humbucking bridge & neck pickups
- Ergonomic body design inspired by the StingRay Bass
- Select alder body with roasted figured maple neck
- Gold hardware with Cory Wong neck plate
- Parchment binding and matching headstock
- 2 finish options including Pine Green & Polaris White
- Mono Case
Both StingRay II finishes along with the StingRay II Deluxe in Pine Green are available authorized Ernie Ball Music Man dealers. The StingRay II Deluxe in Polaris White is limited to 30pieces and available exclusively from The Vault at www.music-man.com. All models are available for purchase starting today.
Silvertone Guitars is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking collaboration with Rio Grande Pickups to introduce a new Silvertone Lipstick pickup. This partnership combines Silvertone’s iconic legacy with Rio Grande’s expert craftsmanship to create a pickup that delivers a bold, traditional single-coil tone while retaining the classic Lipstick look.
The original Lipstick pickup, invented by Nathan Daniels, is celebrated for its distinctive sound with a bright, trebly top end and scooped midrange, offering a unique sonic character that stands out both in recordings and live performances. While the classic Silvertone Lipstick pickups are known for capturing this vintage tone, the new Silvertone/Rio Grande Lipstick pickups provide an exciting twist for players seeking a higher-output, traditional single-coil sound.
Designed and handmade in Houston, Texas, the new Silvertone Lipstick pickup features an Alnico 5bar magnet, plain enamel 44AWG pure copper wire, and a shielded 2-wire connection for versatile wiring options. This pickup strikes a perfect balance between a '60s Strat®-style sound and the powerful punch of a P90, offering a beefy midrange and enhanced output for dynamic lead playing and driving effects pedals.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Rio Grande Pickups on this new Lipstick design,” says Rick Taylor, Guitar Product Manager at Silvertone Guitars. “This collaboration has allowed us to expand the tonal palette of our Lipstick pickups while preserving the visual appeal that players love. The new pickups deliver rich, powerful sound that will inspire musicians to explore new creative possibilities.”
These new pickups are the perfect way to supercharge your guitar, combining the distinctive look of the Lipstick design with the versatile, high-output tone that modern players demand.
Pricing is $279 for the calibrated set, and $159 for the neck or bridge alone.
Silvertone Guitars proudly introduces the 1373 Baritone, a contemporary reimagining of the iconic 1958 6-string bass.
In 1958, Silvertone made waves with the revolutionary 1373 model, a 6-string bass tuned low E to E, paving the way for the distinctive tic-tac technique in Nashville. This technique involved doubling acoustic bass lines with the six-string bass played with a pick. This unique tuning was also famously featured in Glen Campbell's iconic six-string bass solo on the hit single "Wichita Lineman."
With the 1373 Baritone, Silvertone pays homage to this rich history by transforming the instrument into a baritone tuning marvel. The 28” scale neck is meticulously designed for B to B tuning, echoing the popular baritone tuning that left an indelible mark on 1960s surf rock and spaghetti western soundtracks.
Crafted with a solid mahogany body, the 1373 Baritone delivers unparalleled punch and sustain. The string-through body bridge enhances resonance, and the 28” scale strikes the perfect balance, allowing the lower strings to resonate authentically without sacrificing the comfort of standard tuning guitars.
Equipped with the new Alnico 5 Silvertone Lipstick pickups, the 1373 Baritone retains the clean tones and bell-like top end of the original pickups, with a bit more output. This additional output provides the flexibility to comfortably drive pedals, tube amps, or digital modelers, making the 1373 Baritone a versatile instrument across various musical genres.
The 1373 Baritone carries a $449 street price and is available in three striking colors: Black SilverFlake, Pelham Blue, and Silver Metal Flake.
For more information, please visit silvertoneguitars.com.
The Babies
Each lightweight, studio grade 100W, twin channel, Class A/B, solid state amp weighs only 3kg and is compact, reliable and tour ready. Watch the launch video here.
The 2-channel, Tour Baby guitar amp is incredibly versatile in a variety of playing situations. The onboard studio grade VCA compressor of Tour Baby’s refined clean channel, offers pristine clean tones with active or passive pickups. It provides a consistent dynamic range and low noise in extreme settings without the need for separate pedals. It includes precise bass and treble EQ controls.
The naturally voiced dirty channel of this tone machine allows players to easily get that sought after ‘point of breakup’ sound . A custom voiced presence control and powerful 3-band EQ control means the Tour Baby’s tone can be shaped to cut-through the mix. Add to that a footswitchable volume control, that provides a stage-friendly volume boost option for live applications. Watch the Tour Baby video here.
The Gain Baby clean channel is the same as that of the Tour Baby with its integrated VCA Compressor to alleviate the need for an additional stomp box and incorporates bass and treble EQ controls to dial in a desired frequency. The compressor provides smooth, transparent compression for dynamic control without compromising tone.
Four distinct stages are available on the high gain channel allowing players to dial in their preferred level of crunch and saturation. Like the Dual Baby, Gain Baby’s Tight Switch operates as a bright switch, boosting the upper mid at lower gain levels, to give shredding solos a little something extra. Volume control is footswitchable, the buffered FX allows effects from pedals to be patched in and the onboard 3-band EQ allows tone to be tweaked even further.
With multiple output options such as a balanced XLR output with no Cab Sim, as well as dual speaker outputs, the Gain Baby is equally comfortable on stage or in the studio. Watch the Gain Baby video here.
The Dual Baby is a powerhouse in a pint-sized package. It’s simple A and B channel design offers duelling tones and alternating rhythm opportunities. Channel A mimics the rich responsive tones of the Orange flagship Rockerverb amps in a reliable solid-state design. From clean to classic crunch to full-on saturation, there is no shortage of Orange mojo. The brand-new Tubby Switch, which boosts the bottom end early in the signal path, offers a much ‘rounder’ tone when playing clean or when searching for just the right ‘dirty-clean’ sound.
Channel B allows players to dial in the desired level of grit, with ample saturation and a valve-like high-gain tone, unheard of in any other solid-state unit. The ‘bright boost’ of the Tight Switch gives the amp spring and bounce and raises the top end at lower gain levels for players who want to tighten up, shred and play blistering solos with plenty of cut. The 3-band sweepable EQ presence control allows frequencies to be tweaked, shimmer added and mids that sit perfectly in the mix to be dialled in. Watch the Dual Baby video here.
Pack or rack any of the three Baby amps with included gig bag or an available rack ear kit. Each Baby is a mighty unit that delivers100-Watts into 8 ohms or 70-Watts into 16 ohms, to power any full-sized guitar amp with ease!
Check out the triplets, Dual Baby, Tour Baby and Gain Baby and all the other Orange products at
https://orangeamps.com/
The O Tone 40 Combo Amp
Watch the launch video here.
The single channel, 40-Watt Class A/B solid state combo has onboard tremolo and reverb controls, a buffered effects loop and plenty of punchy volume. With a distinctive clean tone, it is an ideal amp for any pedal set-up or a small venue workhorse for guitarists who are fond of warm, vintage tones.
The amp’s bias-wobbled, single-ended JFET tremolo circuit offers huge depth and breadth, delivering everything from grand sweeps to a staccato sonic character via insistent, whirling helicopter patterns. The effect is footswitchable, allowing for even more adaptability during performances.
Modelling a classic spring reverb, the O Tone 40 incorporates a digital reverb module to add a warm spaciousness to sounds, ranging from subtle shimmer to ethereal trails.
The combo’s fully buffered, low-impedance FX Loop allows for any number of effects and cables to be patched between the amp’s input and output sections without sacrificing tone, making it an excellent pedal platform.
The powerful volume of the 12” Voice of the World speaker, combined with the amazingly sweet tones and harmonic chimes of the new O Tone 40, makes it ideal for rock, country, blues and so many more music genres. A direct output is included to facilitate studio and live non-miked situations.
The amp is finished in trademark Orange Tolex with Orange’s signature basket- weave grill and Crest badge. Check out the O Tone 40 and all the other Orange products at https://orangeamps.com/
