Verne Andru
01-26-2009, 01:15 PM
I posted this in EG and never even thought about this forum until I saw Mr. Andertons "thank-you" thread. So here goes - sorry if I'm being redundant.
NAMM 09 was a great time, as usual. Perfect summer weather in the 80's with lots of sun. Aside from a few empty booths in Hall E, vendor turnout was great. Attendance was down a bit, but that's a good thing. Last time I attended there were so many people it was difficult to move around and get time to chat. This year was about perfect [for me] and almost all vendors I spoke with expressed the same sentiment. Security was tighter than I've ever seen it, requiring picture ID every time you entered a hall and a check through any bags for stolen goods every time you left. Even with that, someone walked off with Zvex's new, one-of-a-kind, pedal prototype.
Here's a list of some of the more interesting things I was able to check out. Anybody else that was there, feel free to add anything I may have missed.
Racer X reunion gig @ Sheridan. One of the highlights of the show for me. Paul Gilbert [all of them in fact] absolutely rocks!
Shred O Meter - http://shredometer.com/
http://shredometer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/shredpicture.jpg
An all-analog guitar "speedometer" that measures picking speed. Has a built-in metronome and an analog dial that goes to 11. Shredder Tobias Hurwitz contracted Dave Koltai [pigtronix], Howard Davis [electro harmonix] and myself [Verne Andru] to bring his Shredometer idea to life this past summer and officially announced it during NAMM.
Pigtronix Mothership, EP-2 and Philosopher’s Tone - www.pigtronix.com
Now shipping - Pigtronix Mothership - an analog synthesizer featuring VCO, Sub-Octave and the world’s first Intelligent Ring Modulator.
Announced at the show - EP-2 Envelope Phaser - new features and smaller chassis are some of the refinements over Pigtronix flagship EP-1 Envelope Phaser that is now all sold out.
Announced at the show - Philosopher’s Tone - super-sustaining compressor packed in a miniscule stomp box.
ToadWorks Barracuda Analog Flanger - http://www.toadworksusa.com/
ToadWorks demoed for me their Howard Leese Signature Model analog flanger, Barracuda, based on the custom-made analog flanger he used on the 1977 smash-hit "Barracuda." Great tone that certainly cops the original.
TC Electronics bass amp 2.0 - http://www.tcelectronic.com/Bass.asp
This thing sounded amazing and the lady demoing it was pretty sweet to watch and listen to as well.
Lunchbox amp - http://www.ztamplifiers.com/
The ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Amp features 200 watts power output, 121 db (at 1 meter), volume, gain, tone and reverb controls, 6.5" custom speaker and 7” x 8” x 4” size, 9 lbs under $300 List
This little thing sounds huge through its tiny little speaker and even bigger through an extension cab. SS, but great tone.
Seymour Duncan switching pickup rings - I'm not sure the exact product name, but these are humbucker-mounting rings with a 3-way switch built in. This allows you to wire combinations of coil splits/taps/series/parallel at the pickup and run just 2 wires to the control compartment. Great idea that's very well executed.
Seymour Duncan P-Rails are now available in White and cream covers in addition to black.
Electric Kazoo – http://www.kazoos.com/
With the genuine HUMMbucker [pin intended] custom Kazoon pickup. Believe it or not, this was one of the more novel items at the show and won Sunday's product of the show award [or so they told me]. It's a little microphone that fits into the business end of a kazoo with a 1/4" phone jack at the other end. Simply plug it into any amp and you can take your kazoo into the brootalz. They don't have a picture on their website yet, but president Stephen Murray was kind enough to give me one and I plan on recording some clips.
VOX AC4 & 18 watt head - The little 4 watt VOX AC4 sounds absolutely awesome but their 18 watt chrome head sounds even better.
Roland V bass & floor strobe tuner - Their new V-something-or-other bass synth is really taking the concept to new heights. Tracking was super fast and the tones great. They also were showing a floor-based electronic strobe tuner that would be impossible to miss in a live setting.
Phantom Powered Pedal System - http://www.p3dals.com/
This is another great idea. Using stereo connectors [TRS] they run 9v from the amp's input, back to the pedal board and through any pedals that are wired to accept their topology. They are teamed with Fuchs and when asked about the noise they stated Fuchs are tone snobs and wouldn't have anything to do with them if their stuff was mucking with their tone. Requires mods to both amp and pedals.
Crate has discontinued their all-tube V series in favour of the Blackheart line and is moving the V series into the effects realm ala VFX.
Gibson "bling" - Gibson showed off an array of watches, belt buckles and such that are reminiscent of the Harley bling line. Didn't see much new by way of instruments or amps from them or Fender.
More to follow as I'm able to remember it.
NAMM 09 was a great time, as usual. Perfect summer weather in the 80's with lots of sun. Aside from a few empty booths in Hall E, vendor turnout was great. Attendance was down a bit, but that's a good thing. Last time I attended there were so many people it was difficult to move around and get time to chat. This year was about perfect [for me] and almost all vendors I spoke with expressed the same sentiment. Security was tighter than I've ever seen it, requiring picture ID every time you entered a hall and a check through any bags for stolen goods every time you left. Even with that, someone walked off with Zvex's new, one-of-a-kind, pedal prototype.
Here's a list of some of the more interesting things I was able to check out. Anybody else that was there, feel free to add anything I may have missed.
Racer X reunion gig @ Sheridan. One of the highlights of the show for me. Paul Gilbert [all of them in fact] absolutely rocks!
Shred O Meter - http://shredometer.com/
http://shredometer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/shredpicture.jpg
An all-analog guitar "speedometer" that measures picking speed. Has a built-in metronome and an analog dial that goes to 11. Shredder Tobias Hurwitz contracted Dave Koltai [pigtronix], Howard Davis [electro harmonix] and myself [Verne Andru] to bring his Shredometer idea to life this past summer and officially announced it during NAMM.
Pigtronix Mothership, EP-2 and Philosopher’s Tone - www.pigtronix.com
Now shipping - Pigtronix Mothership - an analog synthesizer featuring VCO, Sub-Octave and the world’s first Intelligent Ring Modulator.
Announced at the show - EP-2 Envelope Phaser - new features and smaller chassis are some of the refinements over Pigtronix flagship EP-1 Envelope Phaser that is now all sold out.
Announced at the show - Philosopher’s Tone - super-sustaining compressor packed in a miniscule stomp box.
ToadWorks Barracuda Analog Flanger - http://www.toadworksusa.com/
ToadWorks demoed for me their Howard Leese Signature Model analog flanger, Barracuda, based on the custom-made analog flanger he used on the 1977 smash-hit "Barracuda." Great tone that certainly cops the original.
TC Electronics bass amp 2.0 - http://www.tcelectronic.com/Bass.asp
This thing sounded amazing and the lady demoing it was pretty sweet to watch and listen to as well.
Lunchbox amp - http://www.ztamplifiers.com/
The ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Amp features 200 watts power output, 121 db (at 1 meter), volume, gain, tone and reverb controls, 6.5" custom speaker and 7” x 8” x 4” size, 9 lbs under $300 List
This little thing sounds huge through its tiny little speaker and even bigger through an extension cab. SS, but great tone.
Seymour Duncan switching pickup rings - I'm not sure the exact product name, but these are humbucker-mounting rings with a 3-way switch built in. This allows you to wire combinations of coil splits/taps/series/parallel at the pickup and run just 2 wires to the control compartment. Great idea that's very well executed.
Seymour Duncan P-Rails are now available in White and cream covers in addition to black.
Electric Kazoo – http://www.kazoos.com/
With the genuine HUMMbucker [pin intended] custom Kazoon pickup. Believe it or not, this was one of the more novel items at the show and won Sunday's product of the show award [or so they told me]. It's a little microphone that fits into the business end of a kazoo with a 1/4" phone jack at the other end. Simply plug it into any amp and you can take your kazoo into the brootalz. They don't have a picture on their website yet, but president Stephen Murray was kind enough to give me one and I plan on recording some clips.
VOX AC4 & 18 watt head - The little 4 watt VOX AC4 sounds absolutely awesome but their 18 watt chrome head sounds even better.
Roland V bass & floor strobe tuner - Their new V-something-or-other bass synth is really taking the concept to new heights. Tracking was super fast and the tones great. They also were showing a floor-based electronic strobe tuner that would be impossible to miss in a live setting.
Phantom Powered Pedal System - http://www.p3dals.com/
This is another great idea. Using stereo connectors [TRS] they run 9v from the amp's input, back to the pedal board and through any pedals that are wired to accept their topology. They are teamed with Fuchs and when asked about the noise they stated Fuchs are tone snobs and wouldn't have anything to do with them if their stuff was mucking with their tone. Requires mods to both amp and pedals.
Crate has discontinued their all-tube V series in favour of the Blackheart line and is moving the V series into the effects realm ala VFX.
Gibson "bling" - Gibson showed off an array of watches, belt buckles and such that are reminiscent of the Harley bling line. Didn't see much new by way of instruments or amps from them or Fender.
More to follow as I'm able to remember it.