In case you don’t already know, The NAMM Show is the largest showcase for musical products of any kind. It’s definitely the place to be if you’re a gear head! We’ve rounded off the winter NAMM for 2015, and the summer NAMM (SNAMM) is currently underway.
Let’s take a look at some interesting products that have been showcased this year.
Yamaha SLG200 Silent Guitar
I didn’t know that “silent guitars” existed until I came across the new Yamaha SLG200 at NAMM this year. My question was, what’s the purpose of this instrument and when do you use it? It turns out it’s great for feedback-free stage performances, quiet practicing and recording.
It’s basically an acoustic guitar without a body, and features a piezo pickup as well as an acoustic emulation system. It can even be dismantled to fit in the overhead locker of a plane. There are two types available, a steel-string version and a nylon-string version. Classically orientated players may be more in favor of the nylon-string version.
Tube Screamer Mini
Another interesting piece of gear being showcased was the Tube Screamer Mini. It looks like Ibanez have decided that their extremely popular TS808 may be too large, and have released a mini version. I guess this is great for people looking to free up some real estate on their pedalboard, however I personally don’t mind the size of the 808. That being said, the pedal does look great and includes true bypass as well as 100% analog circuitry.
The Stoner Guitar
This guitar features a built-in vape pen so that you can toke while you jam. Designed by boutique instrument manufacturer Evolution Guitars, this instrument is probably the first and last of its kind. Personally I don’t see this appealing to many people (especially those looking to buy a guitar for the first time), however it’s definitely worth a look.
Boss ES-8 Effects Switching System
This looks like an amazing switching system and I would love to get my hands on one to test it out. A switching system essentially allows you to completely remove an FX pedal from your signal chain when it’s turned off. It does this by incorporating a series of loops (the ES-8 features 8 loops). You can also enable multiple effects from a single toggle switch, as well as change the order of your pedals without swapping any cables.
