Watch above as Chaz Winzenread from Michael Kelly Guitars shows off the Forte Port model, and lets viewers in on the “hole” truth regarding the intricacies of soundholes. (For more details and guitar puns, see Michael Kelly’s blog on the topic.) With its new Port Technology, the Forte Port model offers a solid spruce top, an offset…
ToneWoodAmp, the Kickstarter-funded portable device from HONZ Technologies, allows acoustic guitarists to easily add sound effects without having to use of external speakers or amps. Watch above as Ofer Webman gives a demonstration of ToneWoodAmp’s many effects, such as reverb, echo, delay, and tremolo, all of which interact with the natural sounds coming from the…
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Eastman Guitars was founded in 1992 by Qian Ni, who originally came to the United States from China to study music. He started by building handcrafted violins and bows, but Eastman soon became well-known for its craftsmanship and expanded to archtop guitars, flattops, mandolins, and other string instruments. Watch above as Eastman’s…
Epiphone’s first collection of Masterbilt archtops came about during the 1930s, and — per the company’s website — “were renowned for their warm woody tone, wide tonal range, and punchy volume.” Watch above as Epiphone President Jim Rosenberg gives a tour of the company’s headquarters in Nashville, and introduces its new line…
Uncle Dave’s Custom Guitars started in 2011 when founder Dave Dwylitis — a cabinet maker in the Detroit area — made an acoustic guitar for his good friend Benjamin Rios. The friends became business partners, focusing on unique custom guitars. Watch above as Rios demonstrates a Double Locking Floyd Rose…
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Companies at Summer NAMM introduced a wide array of accessories for the acoustic guitar player looking to record, amplify, add percussion, and hold a tablet while on stage or in the studio. First, Tascam‘s Eric Larsen talks about the new iXR USB Audio/MIDI interface with iOS connectivity, making recording easier…
Elliott Capos has been making capos by hand in its family-run shop in Texas since 1975. Watch CEO Scott Elliott, with his wife Melisa, talk a little about the company’s history, its “push button” capo design, and its new Integrity capo. Watch more videos from Summer NAMM 2016 here.
Breedlove launched a new limited edition guitar — the Journey Concert Rush — at Summer NAMM 2016. Watch as Devin Percell, Breedlove’s International and GCI Sales Manager, describes the specs of the guitar, which highlights the precious Brazilian rosewood Tom Bedell brought into the company. It’s limited to 20 and…
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More dispatches from Summer NAMM in Nashville! Above, it’s Music Link Director of Product Development Travis Atz showing off two new guitars in the Recording King line and one from the Loar: Recording King’s Torrefied Series dreadnought (RD-T16) and EZTone PLUS Single 0 (RP-A9M), and the Loar LO-14. In between,…
Michael Smith of Composite Acoustics walks you through the Cargo model, the company’s new travel guitar. The Cargo is built entirely from carbon composites, from bridge to nut and including the fretboard. The one-piece construction, including carbon-fiber bracing used for acoustics, results in an instrument that sounds like a full-sized…
Mandolin picker Rory Hoffman demonstrated Saga Musical Instruments’ new Kentucky Master KM 505 A-Model mandolin with some hot licks at the NAMM Show in Nashville last week. “It’s our artist series mandolin and it’s designed to have artist-level features but still be affordable,” Saga spokesman David Gartland said, pointing out the instrument’s maple…
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Simon Godin showed off Godin Guitars’ new line of Seagull acoustic guitars at Summer NAMM in Nashville, including the Performer series the company introduced in Anaheim, California, in early 2016. Check out this stunning Performer CW concert Hall Burnt Umber QIT:
Always looking for new ways to make banjos more accessible to guitar players, Deering’s new Goodtime six-string is “kind of a change in thinking,” said Deering’s Barry Hunn at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville last week. “The neck on this instrument is much more slender and very shallowly profiled, so…
Earlier this year, Fender Musical Instruments unveiled its Paramount line of standard and deluxe models, arguably Fender‘s most impressive acoustics to date. At Summer NAMM 2016, the company introduced new models in the Paramount line, as well as new T-Bucket electro-acoustic models. Those new Paramounts include an entry-level, all-mahogany model…
Product manager Brandon Medici discusses D’Addario’s nickel-bronze alloy acoustic-guitar strings, and other new accessories.
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Martin & Co. introduced several new models at the Summer NAMM 2016 show in Nashville last week. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the dreadnought body shape, Martin has issued the 1931 D-1 Authentic, built at the custom shop using hide glue and other high-end construction techniques. Martin and…
Acoustic Guitar managing editor Whitney Phaneuf is in Nashville this week for Summer NAMM 2016. Since Thursday, Phaneuf has been reporting from Music City Center, where she’s come across lots of brand new guitars and gear. She’s also headed out to mythic Music City institutions such as Gruhn Guitars, where she caught owner George Gruhn playing a rare…
Taylor’s design team has been hard at work redesigning the company’s rosewood/spruce 700 Series, one of the few remaining guitar classes in the Taylor acoustic line that hasn’t undergone a makeover in the past couple of years. The redesigned 700 Series features several tonal enhancements, including Lutz spruce tops (provides…
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Ready to rock your acoustic like Keith Urban — and get the same tonal quality? PRA Audio has your back. The wireless instrument company unveiled its brand new system this week at Summer NAMM 2016 in Nashville. “We’re crazy about tone as much as you are,” company spokesman Pyotr Belov says in this…
At Summer NAMM 2016, in Nashville, held in late June, Yamaha Guitars showcased its new TransAcoustic model, a high-tech acoustic guitar for home or performance. The groundbreaking ransAcoustic guitar was named “Best in Show” by a panel of industry experts at the annual music products trade event. The guitar features…
Takamine has introduced four new models at Summer NAMM 2016, in Nashville, including an updated reissue of the EF75S. The original model, a small-body OM, was issued between 2005 and 2008 and featured a solid Sitka spruce top, and Brazilian rosewood back and sides. The updated EF75M TT has a…