Watch PG's John Bohlinger take a swing at handshaping an acoustic neck. Plus, learn how Martin's master craftsman reverse engineers the company's gold-standard profiles from their most-heralded instruments.
Instrument design manager Rameen Shayegan leads Bohlinger into the Martin Custom Shop where he gets a crash course in how their team makes neck shapes that are snowflakes. However, the talented crew also divulges how they explore guitarcheology by reproducing some of the neck profiles that are on their most-iconic instruments within the Martin museum. This is one of the process that helped create the company's popular Authentic Series.
Watch the full factory tour here.
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 Kochās latest Reverend Signature model, the Gristle ST, you can get āem from Fishman for your S-style axe at $269 (street) per set. PS: You gotta watch the demo video!
Naw, this aināt a DI. Itās Radialās NAMM-fresh Highline passive line isolator, which comes in mono ($179 street) and stereo ($249), and uses premium Jensen transformers to preserve your signalās pure sound. The Highline takes 1/4" cable (with XLR outs) for connecting amp simulators or pedals to your amps or a DAW. Itās compact and pedalboard friendly, and the Mono version sums stereo sources down to mono. The Stereo can take four 1/4 ā 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.