Have you ever felt overwhelmed stepping into a Guitar Center? A bombardment of guitar squeals, bass thumps, and misplayed notes on keyboards usually hit you all at once overwhelming you auditory canals. Going to NAMM is the like walking into a Guitar Center cranked up to eleven. Thousands of booths are battling for your attention with glimmers of shiny new gear.
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My first stop was checking out the ION iLP record player that has a
docking station for your iphone, or ipad to convert your record
collection into MP3s. Since vinyl is making a comeback, it seems like a
good way to rip all the expensive wax in your collection.
docking station for your iphone, or ipad to convert your record
collection into MP3s. Since vinyl is making a comeback, it seems like a
good way to rip all the expensive wax in your collection.
The
Buchla modular synthesizer booth is almost torturous to look at as most
of the individual modules go for upwards of a thousand dollars each.
But it is a small price to pay to create some bizarre analog synthesizer
sounds.
Buchla modular synthesizer booth is almost torturous to look at as most
of the individual modules go for upwards of a thousand dollars each.
But it is a small price to pay to create some bizarre analog synthesizer
sounds.
As an Iron Maiden fan, my jaw dropped
upon spotting Nicko McBrain's custom Premier drum adorned with various
images of the bands mascot Eddie across each individual drums. I don't
play drums, but if I had that kit I would definitely learn.
upon spotting Nicko McBrain's custom Premier drum adorned with various
images of the bands mascot Eddie across each individual drums. I don't
play drums, but if I had that kit I would definitely learn.
My
priority stop was that of the Fender room in order to seek out the new
Johnny Marr Jaguar signature guitar. As an avid fan of the Smiths, it
is only a question of when does it goes on sale cause I was sold. It has
a five position pickup switch and the tremolo arm has a bushing to
prevent it from swinging after being used. I may not be able to get
Marr's exact trademark sound but having his guitar helps right?
After
a full day of NAMM, the afterparty of the evening was at the Grove of
Anaheim as heavy metal guitarist from Ozzy Osborne and Black Label
Society was being roasted by a panel of comedians and musicians. It was a
vicious onslaught of below the belt jabs and potty humor jokes aimed
directly at Zakk Wylde who ironically plays a Gibson Les Paul with a
bull's eye.
Sharon Osborne proctored the
verbal assault on Wylde and lampooned his hygiene and the fact he built
his career on playing Randy Rhoades's guitar riffs. The biggest
unintended slight could have been the fact that Ozzy was supposed to
appear and cancelled at the last minute. After a ten hour day of noise,
the silence at the end of the night was the sweetest music of all.
