The WL-14 is Waterloo‘s flagship model and the guitar that started it all. Watch above as Steve McCreary introduces the new maple back and sides WL-14, named Scissortail for its headstock design inspired by an acrobatic kingbird common to the American Southwest. This 14-fret model boasts a spruce top, maple back and sides,…
by Whitney Phaneuf The legendary Dick Boak — a Martin employee for 40 years and wearer of many hats, from design draftsman to director of artist relations to company historian — is retiring next year, on January 8, 2018. Watch above as Boak bids adieu to his music industry family, talks about his…
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Steve McCreary of Collings Guitars introduced a new guitar-case prototype at Winter NAMM 2017. Bill Collings, founder of the company, spent years designing the details, which include the custom-foam padding for the neck rest and fingerboard. The case comes with a latch that was crafted with appropriate spring tension that won’t wear out over time, a custom…
Mark Dalton of Huss & Dalton Guitar Company introduces the latest guitar from its MJ jumbo series: the Dusk Sky. It’s built with a flamed-maple back, sides, and neck; and a Sitka-spruce top. Dalton was inspired by a beautiful sunset he witnessed while sitting on his front porch, and modified the finish on the guitar to have…
At Winter NAMM 2017, guitarist and AG contributor Ron Jackson stopped by our booth to show us the Kremona NG-1 pickup. The NG-1 is a passive piezo pickup that attaches right onto the bridge of any nylon string guitar without any obtrusive modification or detriment to the instrument. Check out more Winter NAMM…
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Jonathan Lee, director of design and development at Washburn Guitars, demonstrates the new Revival Series 1939 Solo Deluxe, a grand auditorium with torrefied Sitka top, solid rosewood back and sides, celluloid ivoroid binding, smile bridge, crown headstock, GraphTech Ratio Tuners, and vintage logo. The varied ratio on the individual tuners…
At Winter NAMM 2017, Takamine launched their new LTD-2017 Magome guitar. Over 400 years ago, during Japan’s Edo period that was renowned for arts and culture, there was a highway called Nakasendō that stretched from Edo (now Tokyo) to Kyoto….Today in the city of Nakatsugawa, Gifu, this section of the road has…
by Greg Olwell Taylor launched a companion to its popular GS-Mini series, the Taylor GS-Mini-e Bass at NAMM 2017. This four-string bass mates a short-scale bass neck to a Grand Symphony body. Though almost ten-inches shorter than a standard acoustic bass guitar’s scale, the GS-Mini-e Bass feels, and more importantly, sounds, like…
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By Greg Cahill Jake Allen demonstrates the ToneWood Amp, a breakthrough in acoustic-electric guitar technology. To understand why this device is so unusual, start with the unique feature that gives the ToneWoodAmp its name. After mounting this small, portable, and easily removable amp to the back of your electro-acoustic guitar,…
In this video from Winter NAMM 2017, Zemaitis showcases several of their guitars including the dreadnought, grand auditorium, and jumbo models. Watch the video for more details on these instruments. Check out more Winter NAMM 2017 coverage.
At Winter NAMM 2017, Faith Guitars released its new Neptune model which features a torrefied sitka spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, and ebony fingerboard and fittings. Available spring 2017. Watch the above video for more info from Faith Guitars. Check out more Winter NAMM 2017 coverage. Review: Faith Releases the Impressive…
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Santa Cruz Guitar Company continues to celebrate its 40th anniversary, which took place last year, by putting its FTC model back into production. Watch above as Santa Cruz founder and luthier Richard Hoover shows off the F cutaway model — made famous by Eric Clapton in the ’80s — which features a stunning, cello-like carved…
Known for its impeccably constructed high-end instruments, Taylor Guitars is charting new territory with its Academy series. “We wanted to give the first-time buyer a quality, affordable instrument, one that enriches their experience, that has the playable neck for which Taylor is known, and makes them want to stick with guitar as…
By Greg Cahill Frank Falbo of Falbo Guitars presents the company’s new Alpha Jumbo Multi-Scale with ziricote back and sides. The guitar features Falbo’s Intension Bridge, which produces negative torque. That innovative design eliminates the need for bracing behind the bridge and allows the top to vibrate in-phase (so all…
At Winter NAMM 2017, Levy’s Leathers released several new designs: the Billy series, which is a strudy hemp top strap with a suede bottom, and the Aura series in bright colored suede, both featuring secure double stitching and Levy’s trademark “ice cream cone” stitch around the peg holes. Watch the video…
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Mark Althans of Collings Guitars introduced a new baritone model at Winter NAMM 2017: the Baritone 1A. Built with the body of Collings’ classic DS slope-shoulder dreadnought, the scale length is extended from 25.5 to 27.5 for that baritone feel. The neck joins the body at the 13th fret, has a modified v-neck shape,…
At Winter NAMM 2017, Cort Guitars launched its new Gold Series line of acoustic guitars. In this video, Cort shows us the features of the new line including a torrefied top. Check out more Winter NAMM 2017 coverage.
In this video from Winter NAMM 2017, Michael Kelly showcases several of their guitars. Some highlights include the Forte Exotic, 3D, and the Koa Special models. Watch the video for more details on these instruments. Check out more Winter NAMM 2017 coverage.
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Stevensville, Maryland-based PRS (Paul Reed Smith) Guitars is best-known for its electrics, but it has turned out consistently fine acoustic instruments for many years, as well, and a number of those were on display at Winter NAMM 2017. Above, watch guitarist/PRS endorser Bryan Ewald talk about PRS’ SE Series, including…
By Greg Cahill An expansion of Taylor Guitar’s flagship 800 line, the Taylor 814ce Deluxe features a comfortable beveled armrest, Adirondack spruce bracing, Gotoh 510 tuners (with a 21:1 gear ratio for an ultra-smooth tuning experience), and other appointments. This high-performance guitar can cover a mix of strumming, flatpicking and…
Texas-based Marchione Guitars, who have been our booth neighbors at NAMM the past couple of years, were once again showing a range of some of Stephen Marchione’s premium handcrafted instruments, and filling the air in our little corner of the hall with sweet music played by a succession of fine…
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By Greg Cahill Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks asked Lewiston, Maine, luthier Dana Bourgeois for a special guitar to be used on the country band’s recent “MMXVI” tour. The result was the White Lady, a spectral-finished LDBO (a version of a classic L-00). This year, Bourgeois introduced the production…
At Winter NAMM 2017, Ovation Guitars released several new models and series: the reissue Glen Campbell Balladeer, the LX Custom Legend and LX Custom Elite series, and the Collectors series, which features a variety of exotic woods. Watch the video for more info from Bill Xavier.
In this video from Winter NAMM 2017, Raul Reynoso of Shubb gives us a little history of his involvement with Shubb capos and shows off the F1 Strirrup capo. Check out more Winter NAMM 2017 coverage.
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In this video from Winter NAMM 2017, Chris Demaria introduces Fishman’s new modular SA Performance Audio System. The SA offers “high quality sound in a portable, powerful and easy-to-set up package.” Check out more Winter NAMM 2017 coverage.