Summer NAMM 2011

I went to the Summer NAMM trade show a couple of weeks ago & had a great time.

Here are a few of the things I saw that were really interesting.

1. Gibson Firebird X.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Firebird/Gibson-USA/Firebird-X.aspx

This guitar is the most comprehensive integration of physical guitar & digital technology I've ever seen. The software & interface is just amazing. I spoke with the guy demoing it at the booth for a while. He played really well & demonstrated about 100 sounds in 5 minutes (presets & tweaked settings). I asked who designed it. He said, "Me, I'm the head of R&D at Gibson." :) Wow, what a pleasure talking to this guy about his amazing creation he got to show off at the NAMM show.

2. Pick Smith

http://www.pick-smith.com/

I finally got a JamKat pick. :) Really interesting idea. It's something I've toyed around with myself for years because I can't get a handle on the thumbpick. But I love to play fingerstyle & with a pick. The problem has always been: what do you do with the pick when you are playing fingerstyle? Palm it? Hold in teeth?

I can hybrid pick like county guys, but when I play "fingerstyle" I have more of a classical approach; I want separation of thumb for bass & fingers for chords & melody. But when I want to shred out an arpeggio or huge lick on the turnaround, then I like to have a pick for articulation.

So, enter the JamKat. :) Now I'm trying to learn how to use the thing! :p

3. Boss Power Stack ST-2

http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=1130

I'm walking from booth to booth & I hear this awesome Marshall sound. I look around, but I don't see a Marshall! All I see is this guy with a guitar, a few Boss pedals & a little PA.

So, I ask what's up?! He shows me the new Power Stack pedal. This is really neat, because it really does simulate not only a Marshall sound, but several of them! You can dial up the gain from old Marshall, to 60s Plexi, to 80s JCM. And your guitar volume knob still has "override control", you don't get all that hairy gain when you dial down the volume. It really "acts like" a guitar plugged into a Marshall. Very clever.

So, there are 3 things I remember. There were a thousand others. Next week is the Nashville Amp Expo. :)

That firebird X looks awesome. I listen to a demo on youtube and the onboard effects sounds pretty good. Although I tend to dislike the idea of making the guitar go "digital", it still is impressive.

So I was impressed until is saw that JamKit pick lol. This is the kind of invention you see and go: "why didnt anybody think of that before ?" So simple.
I play a lot of blues, old and new sound, so I like to play with a pick for solos and "rhytmic swingy" stuff then switching to a more country blues/folk fingerstyle approach. This is for me.

That BOSS pedal looks pretty sweet as well.

Thanks for sharing this with us that live to far to attend those great shows Chris.