Spector’s new line of production basses is on display as well as their deep well of custom shop offerings, including a couple NAMM special builds with special finishes and electronic options. Printing and availability on all models at spectorbass.com.
We met up with Gibson's VP of Product, Mat Koehler, to check out the new Century Collection, celebrating 100 years of flat-top guitars with three 12-fret body styles (L-00, J-45, J-185) featuring featherweight construction, thin satin nitrocellulose lacquer, Gibson's 24¾" scale length, and Art Deco tweed cases. On the Epiphone side, a lineup of new models headlined by the Futura series, boasting color-shifting finishes, hot pickups, and stainless steel frets.
Chris Kies heads to Blackstar to take in a demo of the Beam Mini, a USB-C rechargeable desktop amp with 18 hours of battery life and a companion app featuring amp models, effects, IR speaker simulation, YouTube integration for practice, and upcoming neural amp model support via Tone 3000 with access to over 200,000 captures. Also new: the ID:X Floor series modelers with 18 voices, over 35 effects, all parameters controllable on-unit, and the Artist FR active FRFR cabinets in 50-watt and 100-watt versions.
Blackstar
Beam MINI
Blackstar announces the BEAM MINI, a compact desktop amplifier designed for electric, bass and acoustic guitar players seeking high-quality tone, portability and intuitive control. Previewing at NAMM 2026 and launching worldwide on 24 March 2026, BEAM MINI combines Blackstar’s decades of amp design expertise with advanced component-level digital modelling, powerful DSP and a sealed, acoustically tuned cabinet to deliver immersive sound in a small, portable format suitable for home, studio and on-the-go use.
Vox came fully stocked to NAMM '26. During our visit we checked out the new hand-wired AC30 head and 2x12 cabinet with Celestion Alnico Blues, plus the Treble Booster and Fuzz pedals featuring silicon transistors voiced for AC30s. Also new: the VT20X and VT40X Valvetronix amps celebrating the series' 25th anniversary with circuit-level modeling, deeper 12AX7 tube integration, Class A/AB switching, and (very cool) vintage-style Classic Blue grille cloth.
VOX
AC30
Few amplifiers have shaped music history like the VOX AC30. With the AC30 Hand-Wired, that legacy lives on – reborn with painstaking attention to vintage accuracy and updated with modern refinements that make it stage- and studio-ready.
This is more than a reissue. It's a complete reconstruction of a vintage legend – hand-wired and fine-tuned to bring the '60s sound back to life. Featuring hand-wired circuitry, custom transformers, and vintage-accurate cabinet construction, this amplifier aligns classic British tone with modern necessities including bypass-able master volume, a transparent effects loop, and custom-voiced spring reverb.
Now, the unmistakable sound of a vintage VOX is finally within reach. Built for vintage enthusiasts, aficionados, and modern players alike. The AC30 Hand-Wired delivers the unmistakable voice of VOX!
We met up with Boss' Matt Knight to dive deep into the GX-1, an ultra-portable multi-effects unit with intuitive one-touch controls, 23 amps, and 140 effects featuring Gear Suite for saving individual effect presets within your patches. The unit includes built-in Bluetooth for app connectivity with librarian and session player, looper, stereo outs, USB-C audio interface, IR import capability, and battery power for up to six hours of use.
Boss
GX-1
Ultra-portable amp/effects processor for guitar with premium BOSS sound and features
Authentic tube amplifier tone and touch response with AIRD technology
Straightforward operation with a color display and intuitive effect category buttons
Exceptional audio quality with 24-bit AD and 32-bit DA conversion, 32-bit floating-point processing, and 48 kHz sampling rate
Explore 23 amplifier types and over 140 BOSS effects
Eight simultaneous effect blocks plus volume pedal and noise suppression
Gear Suite feature allows you to quickly configure each amp and effect with the turn of a knob
Includes 99 ready-to-play preset memories and 99 user memories for storing custom sounds
Three footswitches and an expression pedal with toe switch, all freely assignable
Play along with songs from your mobile device via onboard Bluetooth®
Record and play tracks in music production software on a computer or mobile device* via a USB-C®
BOSS Tone Studio for GX-1 app (macOS/Windows/iOS/Android) with powerful practice features and sound-editing tools
Download and share Livesets on BOSS Tone Exchange
Support for loading WAV speaker IRs
Jack for expanded control with up to two footswitches or an expression pedal
Tap into wireless foot control with the FS-1-WL Wireless Footswitch and EV-1-WL Wireless Expression Pedal
Versatile power options: three AA batteries, AC adaptor, or USB (computer bus power or mobile battery)
Compact, lightweight design fits easily in the pocket of a guitar case or bag
We headed to Cort to hear all about the new Space G6MS multiscale with dual humbuckers and the Space G6TR tremolo model with HSS configuration. They both feature okoume bodies, bolt-on roasted maple and walnut necks, roasted maple fingerboards with compound radius, 24 stainless steel frets, and custom headless hardware. Weighing just over 5 lbs., the models include glow-in-the-dark side dots and matte neck finish, with the TR adding a flame maple veneer top.
Cort
G6MS & G6TTR
A headless guitar with multi-scale precision — optimized for ergonomic feel, low-end clarity, and effortless reach across all 24 frets.