NAMM Report - The road to NAMM is paved with gold

- Our mission is to unify, lead and strengthen the global music products industry and to increase active participation in music making -

The biggest and best names in musical instruments come to Anaheim, California every winter for 4 days to show off their new products. This year NAMM boasts over 1,500 dealers and over 85,000 registrants.

NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond said: ‘The 2009 NAMM Show was perhaps one of the most important industry gatherings in memory, our members once again demonstrated their determination and persistence as the best and brightest from around the world gathered to experience four days of new products, NAMM University courses, networking and great live music.’

From world renowned dealers to the up-and-coming, this convention was in no shortage of amazing musical instruments. From what we were told, this year’s convention promised to blow the doors off of previous years …and it did.

This was by far the largest convention I have ever attended or covered from a media perspective. The shear volume of booths was overwhelming, and I did my best for Furyrocks! to get a photo of the booth or a spectacular guitar. I can’t tell you how many times I got lost or started out for one booth and then was taken-in by something at another. I literally was on the convention floor for three solid days, from the minute it opened to the minute it closed and wasn’t fully able to cover every booth or every ‘happening’ at the convention.

To put things in persceptive, the Gibson and Fender booths were so large that they needed their own floor! Fender was a massive convention room which included a Charvel workshop where they actually built a guitar every day, a section for the EVH Wolfgang and 5150 amps and of course the countless Fender Strats.

Being a guitar fanatic, I couldn’t help notice that all the models of this year’s guitars broke the mold on originality. In the past it seemed as if every manufacture tried to duplicate the look and feel of Paul Reed Smith. It was as if everyone was now thinking out of the box from colours, finishes, styles and shapes. I love getting a first hand look into what you will be seeing at your local Sam Ashes and Guitar Centers.

The convention was also in no shortage of guitar shredders promoting their signature series models with the likes of George Lynch, Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Steven, Kerry King and Mick Mars just to name a few.

What I hope to share with you in this article are some of my favourite guitar manufacturers and their guitars. It is only the tip of the NAMM iceberg. Enjoy!

Click on the links below to see all articles from the NAMM Show 2009. You can find also all items under ‘GEAR’ on this site.

NAMM Show 2009 - Ibanez New models

NAMM Show 2009 - ESP New models

NAMM Show 2009 - Peavey - Guitar Hero – New for 2009

NAMM Show 2009 - BC Rich New models

NAMM Show 2009 - Zakk Wylde - Epiphone ZV Custom

NAMM Show 2009 - Eddie van Halen EVH Wolfgang Guitar

NAMM Show 2009 - Zemaitis Guitars

Furder from NAMM Show 2009 on Furyrocks!!!

NAMM Show 2009 - Rikky Rockett Drums

NAMM Show 2009 – Tommy Thayer Hughes & Kettner

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