As anyone in the musical instruments industry can tell you, NAMM 2025 came and went in Anaheim, California last week, showing a wide variety of what the world of instruments, equipment and other music gear will look like for the next 12 months.
While not everyone showcased their new products at the massive convention, many major brands (like Fender) returned for the first time in a while to flaunt what they’ve been working on. Overall, the near-week-long event certainly served its purpose in giving gear companies around the world a place to gather with thousands of others within the music industry, even if it at times seemed a bit more chaotic and unorganized than in years past.
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Instead of focusing on a few specific pieces of equipment (like everyone else has already done), SPIN is taking a look at some of the overarching trends and themes that were on display across several booths this year.
Old Amps with New Mods
In many ways, NAMM will always be a “guitar” show. And while that was certainly true this year, the real winners in a lot of ways were the new additions to the guitar amplifier world.
As one of the most iconic names in amps, Marshall has sometimes been known to rest on its laurels while growing the brand’s image in other spaces (Bluetooth speakers, headphones, etc.). But this year, the longstanding industry giant was out to “reclaim the space” by announcing new versions of some of their most popular amps. The Studio 900 is effectively a smaller version of their high-gain JCM900, but the real excitement is in their new “Modified” series which includes a modded version of the classic 1959 model as well as the legendary JCM800 (arguably the most recognizable amp in history). While people around the world have been doing things like adding a master volume control, bright cap and drive stages to their plexis and/or gain boosts, mid boosts and tight switches to their 800s (which is basically putting an overdrive pedal inside of it), this is the first time Marshall is offering it in an official capacity.
But Marshall wasn’t the only one making a splash with their “new old” amps at NAMM. In a private room off of the show floor, Mesa/Boogie was showing off their own revamped flagship, with the recently-announced 90s Dual Rectifier and the Metallica-friendly Mark IIC+. The re-release of these hard rock titans has been so popular (and labor-intensive to produce) that they’re actively having trouble keeping them in stock, and for good reason.
For those who already own their dream amplifier, the update and upgrades to the BOSS WAZA Tube Amp Expander Core make it one of the most versatile and useful pieces of equipment we saw at all of NAMM. Not only is it a rock-solid attenuator that cuts the volume of a super loud amp without losing any of the tone, but its DI abilities for recording or plugging directly into another speaker system are insane. It’s smaller, cheaper and easier to use than the original version, and the firmware and software upgrades they’ve made to go with it provide some of the best digital effects, cab sims and more that we’ve ever heard.
New Upgrades for Traditional Acoustics
Staying on the theme of guitars, one of the biggest surprises to us this year was the innovation happening throughout the acoustic guitar space.
This was perhaps best seen in Taylor’s new Gold Label collection, which brings a ton of new features (and a new sound) into what looks like a very traditional acoustic guitar. Having celebrated the company’s 50th anniversary last year, CEO (and master luthier) Andy Powers decided it was time to start the next half-century with a bang. Of all the tweaks and changes on the new guitars, the biggest one is hidden under the neck. In an area where they already showed industry-leading innovation 25 years ago with their signature neck design (which made it much easier to fix, compared to more traditional acoustic necks), Powers and his team stepped it up yet again, creating a brand new neck system not unlike what’s normally found on electric guitars — meaning they can be adjusted and fixed in seconds rather than the multi-day process of many acoustic guitar necks.
Not to be outdone, C.F. Martin revealed a wide range of guitars (more on that later), including a pair of new signature models with Billy Strings and an insanely fancy model commemorating their 3 millionth guitar covered in gold, diamonds, pearls and more. They also dropped a double-neck acoustic-electric for those inspired by John Mayer in 2023, a few other high-end limited editions and a host of upgrades to their most affordable models to more than make up for their slight increase in price.
In the realm of groundbreaking acoustic guitars that don’t cost the downpayment on a house, Yamaha’s TransAcoustic TAG3 C (which released a couple of months ago but was on full display at NAMM) is probably the most impressive use of onboard electronics we’ve ever seen in an acoustic guitar. With a built-in delay, looper and more all accessible without missing a beat, it’s an incredible amount of functionality and growth for an instrument that hasn’t changed all that much for over a century.
And outside of traditional full-sized guitars, ukulele builders were flexing their muscles all across NAMM — perhaps none more impressively than Brad Kahabka’s insane creations at the Ohana Custom Shop.
Other Genres’ Tech Comes to Rock
On the complete other end of the spectrum, some of the biggest and most popular names in electronic and hip-hop equipment are also looking to show how their tools can work for rock bands and other artists as well.
Perhaps one of the biggest NAMM reveals in this theme is the partnership of Akai Professional and Native Instruments. For those unaware of either brand, Akai is one of the biggest names in MIDI controllers with a long history among beat-makers and producers in rap, pop and electronic music. The other side of the new collaboration is the creator of some of the industry’s leading production software — meaning that Native Instruments’ expansive included suite now puts a sonic library of sound packs on Akai’s various MPCs without the need of a computer or additional hardware.
While those familiar with one or both brands likely understand the importance of this new relationship (both sides are referring to it as a “Nintendo and Sega” situation), it’s perhaps most impactful for up-and-coming bands and bedroom musicians out there who aren’t going to have a laptop with them at all times. Considering how good home studios and DIY production setups have gotten, being able to use an MPC for recording, production, effects and more could be a gamechanger for creating music both inside and outside of a studio environment.
The Wireless Revolution
As far as technology across all genres goes, the word that kept popping up was “wireless” in quantities that haven’t been seen since phone cords went away.
One of the leading companies in microphones, Shure, not only revealed a new quad-channel version of their SLX-D wireless receivers, but also a new headset mic to go with it. While the headset mic may be better suited for pop stars who need their hands free for choreography while they sing, the new addition to the SLX-D line would allow an entire band’s wireless arsenal (three guitars and a vocal mic, four guitars, two and two, whatever) to run through a single device (and only use one rack space, for when that matters). Hell, two of them could even be linked together for an eight-channel option, if needed.
Speaking of new takes on existing technology that could make a band’s live performances much easier, the German sound wizards at Beyerdynamic launched a new line of in-ear monitors that may very well take over the entire industry. With four different versions (DT 70 for engineers, 71 for bassists/drummers, 72 for guitarists/vocalists and 73 for orchestral musicians) all powered by their new TESLA.11 dynamic drivers, the new IEMs are sure to be as common among professionals and pro-sumers alike as Beyerdynamic’s defining studio headphones and microphones.
Getting back to the wireless conversation, Pioneer DJ had their entire range of live products on display at NAMM, centered around a massive array of turntables and controllers (including wireless models designed to throw in a backpack and bring anywhere). But outside of the DJ-specific equipment, Pioneer also showcased their assortment of headphones and speakers — particularly featuring wireless ones that a DJ (or band, artist, or any other kind of public performer) could set up alone or with several others to create a full wireless sound system in any venue.
Guitars for Everyone
When it comes to guitars this year, one of the key points for many of the big brands was accessibility — particularly as far as price goes.
The giants at Fender re-introduced a new Standard Series, which brings the Fender name to a line of Indonesian-made guitars with a lower price point than anything above their Squier models. While they’re not as feature-packed as the popular Player II line and probably won’t make as many fun headlines as the new American-made options, there’s no shortage of people who miss the ability to get a genuine new Fender for less than $600.
In a slightly different vein, Ernie Ball introduced a variety of new StingRay models into its line of guitars. From the new colors (including the popular “Dazzler”) on StingRay Special basses to a handful of different artist models (ranging from Dustin Kensrue from Thrice to Vulfpeck’s Cory Wong), the expanded line is likely going to put more Music Man guitars in players’ hands, and not just the classic basses.
Speaking of signature models, Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez partnered up with Reverb to announce his new “Jackhammer” guitar at NAMM. The leading online marketplace of instruments also dropped a new exclusive colorway of the Bumble Buzz pedal for the 10th anniversary of Jack White’s Third Man Hardware.
As alluded to earlier, several other high-end brands also upped some of their more value-based offerings, with names like Martin and Taylor bringing new upgrades to some of their more entry-level acoustics and even Gibson really pushing the USA Collection of Epiphones. Even some boutique builders are finding that while their customers may want a $3,000 handmade guitar, doing a production run created overseas for half the price (or less) is a lot more sustainable.
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