Inaugural Edition Of A New Annual Tradition
Compiled By Dan Ferrisi
As I think you will have noticed, both by paging through this issue and by looking back at our June edition, The Music & Sound Retailer strongly believes in the Summer NAMM show. We think it provides value to manufacturers, retailers and, more broadly, the industry as a whole, bridging the many months between Winter NAMM events in Anaheim. This year, we inaugurate our Summer NAMM Product Spotlight, showcasing hot products from 25 companies that are exhibiting at Summer NAMM. If you’re reading this from the show floor in Nashville, be sure to look for the booth number listing at the end of each Spotlight item, so you can check out this stuff for yourself!
Osiamo’s Mooer Micro Effect Pedals
Osiamo’s Mooer Micro Effect Pedals
Osiamo LLC has introduced Mooer Micro effect pedals to the U.S. market. The micro pedals feature compact size (about ½ the size of a standard pedal), true bypass switching and utilize many rare or difficult-to-find chips that replicate classic pedals’ effects, sounds and tones. The current lineup includes the Ana Echo (analog delay), Black Secret (distortion), Blade (distortion), Cruncher (high gain distortion), Ensemble King (chorus), Green Mile (overdrive), Hustle Drive (drive), Pitch Box (harmony/pitch shift), Shim Verb (digital reverb) and the Ultra Drive (distortion). Mooer has plans to add 40 pedals to the line, for a total of 50 pedals. The compact size, light weight and quality sound suit these for the 2012 holiday season and beyond.
Osiamo LLC . 212.678.4751 . www.osiamo.com . Booth #332
Amptweaker’s New TightFuzz
Amptweaker’s New TightFuzz
The new TightFuzz was requested by Amptweaker players, and this one will add some vintage tone to their arsenal. Whereas most vintage fuzz boxes have few controls, the TightFuzz includes a Tone control to tame the fuzzy edges and the Tight control, a mainstay of Amptweaker pedals, which varies the pick attack from smooth and thick to tight and aggressive. This is particularly helpful for tweaking a fuzz tone, since many can be too flubby on the low end. With requested Boost and Germanium/Silicon switches, this cool pedal also has the ability to get lower gain tones easily, with an Auto Bias that adjusts appropriately with the Fuzz control, to get the cleanest and nastiest distortions possible with one control. Standard Amptweaker features include an effects loop with Pre/Post switch to add delay or combine other distortion and EQs to further tweak your fuzztone.
Amptweaker . 513.410.3377 . www.amptweaker.com . Booth #1710
Fishman’s Triple Play Controller
Fishman’s Triple Play Controller
Fishman’s Triple Play is a new wireless guitar controller. The ultra-slim pro design and Fishman’s software pack get you set-up and working fast. Unlock your guitar’s potential—powerful and unlimited sound capability is at your command—with the freedom of wireless control. Open up creative options with every possible instrument at your command. Full accurate notation lets you share your music with members of your band. If you’re a beginner, accurate note-by-note transcriptions help you learn faster and more intuitively. Integrate your guitar with any virtual instrument or hardware synthesizer to provide on-stage access to an unlimited array of instruments, samples and sounds to enhance your performances. A solution to integrate your guitar with your favorite DAW running on a PC, Mac or iPad as a complete music recording and production tool.
Fishman . 978.988.9199 . www.fishman.com . Booth #1110
Numark’s 4TRAK Digital DJ Controller
Numark’s 4TRAK Digital DJ Controller
Numark’s 4TRAK is a four-deck digital DJ controller with four-channel mixer and effects controls. It gives DJs an array of tactile controls set in a robust all-metal housing. 4TRAK’s built-in four-channel mixer allows turntables, microphones, MP3 players and more to be added into the mix. And its high-resolution platters, exclusive Strip Search needle-drop technology and 12-knob FX Kommand Console allow for more precise control over Traktor than ever before. 4TRAK has a range of inputs and outputs for connecting virtually any device: RCA inputs on each channel, and four line-level inputs with two switchable to phono and two switchable to mic. Each of 4TRAK’s channels has an input selector, so DJs can instantly transition between controlling Traktor’s four decks and their external sources, like CD players, turntables and microphones.
Numark . 401.658.3131 . www.numark.com . Booth #800
Pladd Dot Music’s Devilcat Amplifiers
Pladd Dot Music’s Devilcat Amplifiers
Pladd Dot Music has announced its new line of American amplifiers: Devilcat Amplifiers. They are manufactured in the company’s Statesboro GA facility. The “Jimmy” is the flagship 50-watt all-tube amplifier. The Jimmy features a stackable gain system that offers vintage American clean and modern high gain tones: all in the same amplifier. With 50 watts of 6L6 tube power, the Jimmy retains the warmth you’ve come to expect from American amplifiers while delivering four unique channel combinations. From clean, to dirt, to overdrive, to dirty overdrive, this amp has it all.
Pladd Dot Music . 912.764.3230 . www.devilcatamps.com . Booth #1518
Merida Extrema Classical And Acoustic Guitars
Merida Extrema Classical And Acoustic Guitars
Vision Musical Instruments, LLC, is the exclusive U.S. distributor for Merida Extrema Classical and Acoustic guitars. The handmade, solid wood instruments combine the Spanish heritage of old-world craftsmanship with modern innovation. These instruments were inspired by the more than 2,000-year-old historical Roman village of Merida in the area of Extremadura in Spain, just north of Andalusia, the birthplace of the guitar. The famous Puente Romano Bridge was the inspiration of the sound bracings. The guitars feature the TwoWoodtoneBridge, the ultimate sound connection between the strings and the solid wood top. Each guitar in each of the four individual lines is constructed of solid hardwoods. Merida Extrema Guitars feature D’Addario Phosphor Bronze strings, and Savarez Nylon Strings, Graph Tech Tusq XL nut and saddle, Fishman Electronics and Grover Tuners.
Vision Musical Instruments, LLC . 855.205.4911 . www.visionmusical.com . Booth #437
Analysis Plus’ Big Green Instrument Cable
The Big Green instrument cable uses Analysis Plus’ stacked hollow design. The cable is a balanced design even with single-ended mono plugs; this helps reduce common mode noise. It also has three 18 AWG conductors for a very low resistance. With the hollow oval design, there is a very low inductance to give it a very fast rise time so the low level signal at your guitar will get to your amp. This design minimizes frequency effects and creates a neutral cable that lets all the music through without smearing or attenuating notes. Many plugs have poor conductivity because brass or steel is used. Analysis Plus uses copper. The company uses nylon that does not disintegrate with age and is dimensionally stable.
Analysis Plus . 810.659.6448 . www.analysis-plus.com . Booth #407
Remo’s X14 Snare Drumhead
Inspired by the line of X series drumheads, Remo offers the Ambassador X14 snare drumhead. The X14 is constructed with a coated single ply of 14 mil polyester film for Xtreme single-ply durability. The 14 mil single-ply coated film produces darker midrange tones with greater attack and volume. It is 40 percent thicker than the industry standard Coated Ambassador, and 20 percent thicker than the Ambassador X.
Remo Inc. . 661.294.5600 . www.remo.com . Booth #601
Seven Kings’ Pick Tins
Seven Kings has added three designs to its pick tin collection. Hippie, Surfer and Checkerboard themes join the Skull and Camo Pick Tins that have been a success over the past couple of years. These tins are printed with full-color graphics and include 12 picks with various matching graphics inside (six different pick graphics per theme). Seven Kings guitar picks and accessories are offered in music stores throughout the
U.S. Seven Kings offers many gauges and materials of guitar picks for beginners and professionals.
Seven Kings . 317.804.9594 . www.sevenkings.com . Booth #1431
Mighty Bright’s Encore LED Music Light
Mighty Bright has added the Encore LED Music Light to the company’s line of modern LED lights for musicians. Mighty Bright’s Encore LED Light, inspired by Mighty Bright’s LED Orchestra Light, is a sophisticated yet compact, six LED light that delivers worry-free performances for musicians. The Encore LED Light is equipped with two brightness levels to match playing and venue needs. Each of the six high-performance LEDs lasts 100,000 hours, and the Encore clips on to any music stand. The Encore’s integrated fin shields audience members from the 28 bright white lumens the light produces, keeping the audience focused on the performance. The light comes with three AAA batteries and an AC power supply to ensure the show will go on, regardless of the venue’s capabilities.
Mighty Bright . 805.683.9000 . www.mightybright.com . Booth #224
Lacuna Acoustic Art’s Inserts
Lacuna Acoustic Art inserts are designed to adorn and enhance an acoustic instrument while effectively reducing feedback on amplified instruments. They are engineered using lightweight laminated wood to create a strong and low mass insert, installing easily without the use of tools. The company makes a standard size that will fit most dreadnought guitars. However, any shape or size can be produced. Inserts for F hole instruments are also possible. The company’s designs are laser-cut into fine hardwoods and finished with a lacquer top coat. Some of its designs are inlaid with laser-cut natural shell veneer to create a beautiful work of art.
Lacuna Acoustic Art . 865.335.6759 . www.lacuna-acousticart.com . Booth #244
Option Knob’s Oknob Solution
Option Knob, Inc., helps you “control your soul” with the Oknob, an invention that allows you to control your effects pedal by using your foot to adjust the sound while performing. Pull off the factory knob and push on the Option Knob, and then use your toes to tap the wings of the Oknob left and right to alter the effect. Choose any parameter you wish to have real-time control over and unlock the full play potential of your pedal and live expression. Ever needed that extra edge of distortion? Ever wanted real-time control of your tremolo rate, delay time or modulation? A simple, compact solution is here: the Oknob.
Option Knob, Inc. . 800.398.8501 . www.oknob.com . Booth #1227
Taye Drums’ ParaSonic Drum Line
Taye Drums has introduced the ParaSonic drum line. Broken down, the name means “para” (side by side) and “sonic” (sound or tone). Taye has combined the two most popular woods used today in manufacturing professional drums: maple and birch. The smaller diameter drums use a combination of maple and birch within a slightly thicker shell to create a naturally higher pitch and brighter fundamental tone. On the other hand, as the drums increase in diameter, they become slightly thinner and eventually 100 percent maple with 6ply maple SoundRings. The thinner, all-maple shells produce a naturally lower pitch, warmer tone and longer sustain. ParaSonic is being released in three popular shell pack configurations and three new Brilliant High Gloss Lacquer finishes that are exclusive to the line.
Taye Drums . 909.628.9589 . www.tayedrums.com . Booth #607