Joe Coffey - Editorial Director
 Taylor GS Mini
Taylor rolled out a mini version of their Grand Symphony. The GS Mini is designed to be a highly portable travel guitar that plays well, sounds great, can be used at a gig, and wont’ break the bank. Very innovative for this product category—check out the video for full deets.
taylorguitars.com
The DarkHorse
Traynor lets it all hang out (iron-wise, anyway) as it enters the low watt, sub-compact head category. The DarkHorse is switchable between a 15-watt pentode output mode (6V6) and a 2-watt triode mode (12AU7). The preamp is powered by two 12AX7s. The amp is fairly straightforward, featuring a Gain, Treble and Master Volume control set. There’s also a Pure switch, which bypasses the tone stack.
traynoramps.com
 Giffin Valiant
This Roger Giffin Valiant single cutaway was designed by Giffin and built by Gene Baker through the Premier Builders Guild. Giffin has made guitars for a long list of stars since the ‘60s. The Valiant is his answer to requests for Les Paul specs with his own build quality. This Valiant features a mahogany body and neck, a rosewood fretboard and a cherry burst finish.
giffinguitars.com
Jack Deville Electronics True Bypass Kit
Mod your favorite pedal with this true bypass kit. The switch has a "soft touch" feel to it and it eliminates on/off switching noise, too.
jackdeville.com
Shawn Hammond - Editor in Chief
 Holloway Harp Guitars Model 5
Holloway is bringing this exotic and rare instrument within reach of everyday guitarists. Their harp guitar is based on the turn-of-the-century Dyer design and features a beautifully finished solid spruce top, solid mahogany sides, and a bone nut and bridge pins.
hollowayharpguitars.com
 3rd Power Amplification American Dream 1x12 combo
The 22-watt American Dream features two independent channels, one based on a 1962 brownface Fender and one based a 1965 blackface Fender. Includes a 10-watt mode, global presence knob, triangular speaker cavity, side air vent, and an alnico Celestion speaker.
3rdpoweramps.com
 Reverend Rick Vito prototype
Features retro-cool styling of the Airline and Supro variety—including the company’s most distinctive and alluring headstock design to date—as well as a P-90 neck pickup and a vintage Supro-style single-coil that uses six pole pieces and a blade and is housed in a chrome humbucker cover. Controls include Volume, Tone, Bass Contour, and pickup Blend knobs.
reverendguitars.com
J Backlund Designs.
If you love the look of old hot rods, you'll dig the cool line of electrics from J. Backlund. Combining swept body designs, wild paint jobs, engine-turned chrome, Hipshot Baby Grand tailpieces, and a variety of Duncan, Lace, DiMarzio, and EMG single-coil and humbuckers, these retro-future guitars ooze vibe. Lordy mama.
jbacklund.com
Jordan Wagner - Associate Gear Editor
 DBZ Peacemaker V
Another work of art from Dean Zelinsky and his team, and it's stunning. The construction is a traditional mahogany+maple cap combination, with an intricate Wild West-inspired theme carved into the top.
dbzguitars.com
 Electro Harmonix Freeze Retainer
This might be one of the coolest-sounding effects that I've heard from the famed company. The Freeze is based upon the Freeze & Gliss function on their HOG Guitar Synthesizer, and lets you hold a note infinetly as you play over it. Combined with the POG, Nano Chorus and Cathedral, it can produce some REALLY convincing dual Hammond B3 tones!
ehx.com
 Heritage 25th Anniversary H140
This model is a commemorative tribute to Heritage's first guitar, and comes in a flame sunburst or silverburst finish. The silverburst models are limited to only 25 units.
heritageguitar.com
Levana Studio Wizard
I'm a big fan of cool, huge rack gear with a minimalistic look. The Studio Wizard by Levana is just that, with Overdrive, Fuzz, Compressor and Distortion modes, and is capable of cleanly processing guitars, drums, synths and vocals.
 Sonoma Wireworks iPhone Interface
Sonoma wasn't really happy with interface products that utilized its popular FourTrack app, so they decided to just design their own. The pocket-sized unit plugs directly into the docking jack of either the iPhone or iPod Touch, and provides extremely high recording quality.
sonomawireworks.com
Chris Kies - Associate Editor
 Hanson Gatto Deluxe
I really dug Hanson Guitars when I first saw them last year in Nashville, but this year their tweaks to the Gatto really caught my eye. They added the Deluxe to the Gatto family with a flame maple top, slim mid-'60s neck profile and jumbo frets. The best part... it streets at $799.
hansonguitars.com
 Martin Guitars 0-18T Nick Reynolds Tenor Guitar
Every since I heard the Lonesome Spurs' Lynda Kay Parker on tenor, I've been intrigued with the little booger ever since. Martin just introduced a cool, new tenor model with a solid Sitka spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, and a traditional 18-style rosette. Compared to the other full-bodied Martin models, it's much smaller, but the 0-18T packs a meaty punch.
mguitar.com
 Heritage Guitars Alex Skolnick H-150 Signature model
I'll give a listen or look at anything with Alex Skolnick's name attached to it and his Signature H-150 didn't disappoint. The Heritage Alex Skolnick Signature is built with precision and is pretty hefty since it constructed with a solid mahogany body and neck. It has a cream-bound carved ultra curly maple top with a matching headstock that bears Skolnick's John Hancock. It's loaded with Seymour Duncans--'59 neck, JB Jazz bridge. Now available as a production model at $3970.
heritageguitar.com
Rebecca Dirks - Web Content Editor
Guitar Mill
Guitar Mill is a local Murfreesboro, Tennessee company that produces uber-light Tele, Strat, and Jazzmaster-style guitars. The guitars are built with traditional ash or paulownia (see natural Tele, upper left), which make some weigh in just under five pounds! The company primarily uses Lindy Fralin and TV Jones pickups, and debuted their first original body style, the Serpentine at the show. The guitars retail around $2000-$2500.
guitarmill.com
Forrest Lee Jr. Glitter Paisley Tele with B-Bender
Forrest Lee Jr.’s glittery paisley Teles were impossible to ignore. He showcased a brand new purple one (the lacquer was still drying!), but his green glitter with a B-Bender was the standout—particularly when Forrest played it!
myspace.com/forrestcustomguitars
Oriolo Guitars
Disclaimer—if you’re totally serious about your gear, skip this section and go to the next. This brand new company from the owners of the Felix the Cat brand was stocked with absolutely nutty graphics, shapes, and finishes, including kid-sized instruments.
felixguitars.com
 Mad Professor Lower-Priced Pedals
Boutique pedal favorites Mad Professor announced that they’ll be selling less expensive versions of their Little Green Wonder, Sweet Honey Overdrive, and Deep Blue Delay. These versions are identical to the originals, but are built with a more automated process. They will street around $170-$180.
mpamp.com
Voyage-Air TelAir
We weren’t so sure about fold-up travel guitars until we reviewed Voyage-Air’s version of a fold-up acoustic some time ago. That sucker played great and stayed in tune after being folded and unfolded. The company started making solidbodies recently and unveiled their TelAir today. The TelAir is a foldable Fender Tele-style guitar with a Les Paul scale length, stacked Tone/Volume controls, and yarn-wrapped Tonerider alnico pickups. It has an alder body, a Canadian maple neck, and a rosewood fretboard. Pictured (top left to right): the TelAir in its case, the hinge clasp mechanism disabled and locked, (bottom) Voyage Air’s Adrian Bagale with the TelAir ready to play. Street price: $699.
voyageairguitar.com
US-Made D’Angelico Guitars
Classic D’Angelicos are being made in the US again, along with some new models. Quality control continues to get better with the Korean line, but the new US-made guitars enter the market with the kind of craftsmanship that long-time fans of the brand demand. This is being facilitated via the craftsmanship of luthier Bill Comins and assembly assistance of the builders at Heritage guitars. Pictured (left to right): a New Yorker Teardrop semi-solid (small scale version) with a carved maple top and chambered mahogany body; a 16” New Yorker with a carved spruce top and figured maple back and sides; a New Yorker completely hand-built by Comins; and a new Apache Teardrop semi-solid with reconstituted stone and mother-of-pearl inlays. They also had a solidbody, non-teardrop version of the Apache.
dangelicoguitars.com
Planet Waves NS Capo Tuner
This one is self-explanatory. The NS stands for Ned Steinberger, who has been collaborating with Planet Waves on some products. Street $65
planetwaves.com
Santa Cruz 34D Mahogany Model
Richard Hoover’s new mahogany version of his 34D is the result of a great find. He found an amazing stash of heirloom mahogany that was cut back in the ‘40s. Hoover believes he’ll be able to make about 10 guitars with it. Hoover is on the right, showing the back of the guitar. Santa Cruz’s Rick Fagan is on the left, showing the guitar’s Adirondack spruce top.
santacruzguitar.com
Yamaha APX 1200
Yamaha’s new S.R.T. pickup system is in this acoustic-electric with a spruce top and rosewood back and sides. How ‘bout that translucent black “mocha burst” finish? The S.R.T. pickup system includes a blendable piezo and internal mic, 3 mic models, a 3-band EQ, Resonance Control, a Focus/Wide switch and a tuner.
yamaha.com/guitars/home
Shawn Hammond - Editor in Chief
Benavente SC “Dinosaur”
Fretboard and pickup covers made of snakewood, a bocote top, a Honduran mahogany body with a walnut center strip, and knobs, switches, tuner and strap buttons, and an amazing fretboard inlay made of mastodon ivory.
benaventeguitars.com
The George Gruhn Semi-Hollowbody
Gruhn wasn’t displaying at the show, but his legendary shop full of amazing vintage acoustics, electrics, banjos, and other stringed instruments is about a block away from the NAMM convention center so we took a few minutes to stroll over and say hello. Among the many amazing specimens in the four-story building are his own new Gruhn semi-hollowbody guitars. Designed by Gruhn and built in a workshop a couple of blocks away from his store, they feature a carved, solid spruce top, routed walnut back, ebony tailpiece and pickguard, ebony fretboard, and TV Jones pickups.
gruhn.com
Elixir Cables
Elixir ultra-low capacitance instrument cable uses proprietary materials developed by Elixir’s parent corporation, W. L. Gore & Associates, to drastically reduce high-end signal loss. A/B tests against a similarly priced popular cable were highly impressive.
elixirstrings.com
Andy Ellis - Senior Editor
Wechter Pathmaker SB Maple
The Pathmaker SB Maple is a new solidbody from Abe Wechter, a luthier known for his forward-thinking acoustic designs. Equipped with dual Seymour Duncan humbuckers and Graph Tech's Ghost Acoustiphonic saddle-pickup system, this versatile guitar can move from scorching leads to shimmering, quasi-acoustic timbres with a flick of switch. Particularly exciting: It's the first production guitar to offer Seymour Duncan's Triple Shot pickup mounting rings, which have two mini switches that allow you to turn each coil on or off. As a result, you can quickly put the 'buckers in series, parallel, or a tapped single-coil configuration.
wechterguitars.com
D'Angelico Rockabilly Prototype
For decades, jazzbos have held D'Angelico archtops in high esteem. Soon, rockabilly guitarists will be able jump, jive, and wail with their own thin-line D'Angelico model. We played a rockin' seafoam-green prototype with Kent Armstrong Kentron humbuckers, a Bigsby (of course), a pearloid pickguard, and art deco wood knobs. This yet-unnamed D'Angelico will also come in coral, ivory, and sunburst finishes.
dangelicoguitars.com
Jordan Wagner - Associate Gear Editor
T-Rex Mudhoney II
T-Rex has updated their popular Mudhoney pedal with a second channel, effectively making it a dual high-gain fuzz powerhouse. One of the most impressive features of the pedal is the massive amount of range the dual controls offer.
t-rex-effects.com
Above Ground FX Tap Tremolo
Another really cool pedal from the guys at Above Ground FX, this time offering a high quality tremolo tone with a tap tempo option. The sound can get extremely choppy, but keeps a slight high end roll off that tames the sometimes harsh nature of fast tremolo.
abovegroundfx.com
Taylor V-Cable
Taylor offers a simple solution to a common problem with their new V-Cable. The cable's plug has a volume knob (with built-in off switch) that allows the player to completely mute the sound while changing instruments.
taylorguitars.com/
Chris Kies - Associate Editor
TV Jones TV Savalas Bridge Plate
The TV Jones TV Savalas Bridge Plate allows you to put a TV Classic, Power'Tron, Super'Tron or Magna'Tron dual-coil pickup into your Fender American Standard Telecaster or of the vintage footprint. The only drawback of this for some die-hard originalists is that a small amount of routing of your guitar is mandatory to fit the larger Filter'Tron-style pickup to replace the stock single-coil. It may take a little off its value, but what the Tele will make up for tone will be worth it.
tvjones.com
Ibanez RG321EBK
Yesterday I went high-end, but after strolling through the Ibanez village I fell for the new Ibanez RG321EBK electric guitar. With its double cutaway mahagony body, three piece maple neck with a bound rosewood fingerboard, and a Gibraltar Standard bridge. To top it off, it's loaded with EMGs--an H4a in in the neck and a H4 in a bridge. The best part, this sexy shredder machine has a MSRP of $466.65.
ibanez.com
Electro Harmonix Headphone Amp
When it comes to gear there are two things that generally make happy almost every time--Electro Harmonix and small, travel-friendly gear. Everyone was geeking over the new effects they released this week, but I was all over their Headphone Amp. It's not much bigger than an iPod Nano and it delivers everything you need to practice... anywhere! I live for gadgets, but particularly ones that have practicability and functionality. It has a lone Volume control and welcomes input from a pedalboard offering a full practice session.
ehx.com
Diamond Positron
While I love the 100 watt, high gain, bite-your-face-off tones from Diamond's Nitrox heads, I truly enjoy the lighter side of Diamond. At the show they unleashed the Diamond Positron. This little Class A rocker is loaded with 2-EL84s and clocks in at 22 watts. It isn't as big or gnarly as its big brother Diamonds, but this is a no-joke tone machine with only two controls--Tone and Volume. It has crystal cleans, but it begs to be dimed so it can create some Mike Campbell-esque rock 'n' roll. Street $1499.
diamondamplification.com
Rebecca Dirks - Web Content Editor
Janglebox The Byrds 45th Anniversary Tribute
A variation on the Janglebox 2, the Tribute model adds a Tone control so the JangleBoost has separate Tone and Gain knobs, opening up a wider range of tones that are still grounded in the chimey, bright, jangly sounds of the original. The very first prototype was finished just prior to the show, so the company expects late summer or early fall availability.
janglebox.com
Low End Fbird
Murfreesboro, Tennessee-based Low End specializes in bass clones, but showcased their new Fbird guitar. The US-made Fbird—in Fiesta Red—features custom Kent Armstrong pickups and retails for $2899.
lowendbasses.com
Trev Wilkinson ATD Auto-Tuning Bridge
Trev Wilkinson, the brains behind the UK-based Fret King and Vintage brands, debuted a brand-new auto-tuning bridge that can store five user-programmable tuning presets, in addition to the pre-loaded standard E, open G, DADGAD, and open D. It’s very easy to use, and tunes very quickly and accurately. The bridge comes installed on the Fret King Super-Matic, but will also be available for all manufacturers to install in their models.
fret-king.com
Ernie Ball Music Man Reflex Bass
The new Reflex basses are a progression from the 25th Anniversary bass. Pictured is the humbucker and two single-coil configuration, but it's also available in dual or single humbucker configurations. The bass incorporates the detailed electronics system found in the 25th Anniversary bass that allows you to go from active to passive, and more. The three-pickup version has three pickup selector buttons, and an active/passive selector button.
music-man.com
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