Winter NAMM 2026 predictions
- Thread starter ragingplatypi
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The Blackstar yt demo is ok but the bs voiced amps suck to me. The ampton amps are better but too few. It’s overpriced by 75$ I think. All 3 models. I can see getting bored with it fast
Jim Soloway
Groupie
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It saddens me to hear that Hall E was closed. I have a lot of very special memories from that part of the show. But I'm not surprised. In addition to a lot of great smaller acoustic builders, there were always a lot of smaller Chinese vendors down there and I couldn't see them coming given the current trade restrictions in the US. I would think that smaller American vendors selling Chinese made parts and gear would also have a tough time justifying the cost.
Maybe if you're gigging. I'm just playing at home so no need to move it.
180W isn't meant to be substantially louder than other amps, it's meant to give headroom.
But sure, I agree the market is mostly pivoting to smaller amps. That's why it's kinda cool that some companies release big amps still.
I need to watch Jeremy’s vid on it. Looks legit.
Do it! Marek is great. Purple Nightmare is also great.
laxu
Rock Star
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Ok holy fuck that's a complex and cool system.
It's one of those "yeah this is too much, I don't need it, but damn do I respect someone made it happen" things.
Their website is https://sharkguitars.com
I liked that bridge a lot so I went to see what it would cost. $780 / 663 € is a lot! And that's just the bridge, the headstock part costs 148 €.
I think their guitars are actually pretty reasonably priced for custom guitars tho.
Stone
Rock Star
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Yes its very complex for a guitar but cool nonetheless, that term is next level for sure solves all the issues
ChordInversion
Roadie
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That's very clever. I don't have the slightest interest in having one myself. But it's certainly clever.
Jim Soloway
Groupie
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I have a feeling that the guitar will fail but the technology will succeed. They have patents on everything and I could certainly see companies licensing individual concepts (especially the way the neck attaches and detaches)
Sascha Franck
Goatlord
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Lotsa things that I'd defenitely love (not all at once, though), but why-oh-why didn't they just copy/adapt the way the Steinberger TransTrem works? Put vibrato arm down = lock, put it up = free floating without any resistance in zero position. Doesn't get any better - and these folks seem to be the company doing such stuff, but they aren't.
Fwiw, the fret system is incredible.
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Yeah, NAMM keeps coming up with clever ways to make it seem like there are more vendors on the main floor. This year it was about moving Hall E vendors up to Halls A-D. So they were still there, just moved.
It's not as big as it was in 2020, and might never be again, but it's still a happening place.
You would think the internet would eliminate the need for NAMM, but people were predicting that during the 2010's and NAMM was growing the entire decade in spite of that. It's still an important gathering place for people in the business. In addition to being a chance for retailers to meet with distributors and manufacturers, it's also a place to have your products get exposure by showing them to the press. But "press" these days is likely to mean youtube influencers...the place is crawling with them.
The other thing NAMM has going for it is "Southern California in January". That's appealing for a lot of people around the world who are living in the midst of a cold winter. That's a benefit that Musikmesse never had.
It's hard to say where NAMM goes from here, but rumors of its demise seem to be premature.
We are looking forward to it
Thank you!
Sascha Franck
Goatlord
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I think it's safe to say that there's been very little surprises @ NAMM in general. Vendors seem to prefer not to attend and present their news shortly pre- or post-NAMM.
Chocol8
Rock Star
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The lack of any Fractal announcement after he had made that post WAS the surprise!!! He got most of us with that one!
nicolasrivera
Roadie
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It’s a bit hard to imagine a product from FAS that makes the current ones look like Game Boys, as Cliff said.
Chocol8
Rock Star
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Two different things. The game boy comment was in relation to the next generation aka AxeIV. He explicitly said that was not happening soon so the "surprise" was always something else.
Oh, and have you not seen the QC mini? It really does look like a handheld gaming platform in a good way, so Cliff wasn't that far off with that comment!
AlbertA
Shredder
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They probably hit some internal snag would be my bet.
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