NAMM 2016 – THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC MERCHANTS
THE MUSIC BEGINS HERE
If you’re a music gearhead, The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show is a dreamscape where brands like GIBSON, SHURE, PEARL, and many innovators display and demo their new music products for 2016 before some even hit the market. From guitar, drums, synthesizers, pianos, band and orchestra instruments, recording equipment and DJ gear, it was all there. The NAMM Show took place on January 19-22, 2017 in Anaheim, California and drew nearly 100,000 music industry leaders. Highlights from the show included:
Annie Clarke, who you may know as St. Vincent, 2015 Grammy Award winner for Best Alternative Music Album, demoed her new signature Music Man guitar by Ernie Ball, which features Schiller locking tuners, 5 way pick up selector with custom configuration, 3-mini hum buckers, and finished with, of course, St. Vincent inlay. The rosewood neck feels great and the guitar plays similar to a vintage Airline.
Fender debuted The Fender Custom Shop 2016 Prestige collection, a group of exquisitely handcrafted guitars from Fender’s Master Builders. Our favorite was the stained glass and cardboard Fender guitars. We also checked out the Fender Vintage Noiseless Strat pickups which had a brilliant clarity attributed to vintage single-coil Strat tone, but without the hum!
The Shure KSE1500 Electrostatic Earphone System was a pleasant shock to listen to. The KSE1500 is the first portable electrostatic sound-isolating earphone system and DAC amplifier for a customizable listening experience with any portable media player. We listened to a live Jazz band and the rattle on the snare was unimaginable.
Our favorite gig of the night was Bonzo Bash, where 21+ legendary drummers ranging from Jimmy DeGrasso (Megadeth) to Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) backed by band The Moby Dicks descended upon Anaheim to pay tribute to the legendary John Henry Bonham of Led Zeppelin.
– Dani Oliva
PHOTOGRAPHY (CREDIT: CRYSTAL MORRIS)
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