Tee Posted January 18, 2017 Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) Anything of note to look out for at NAMM 2017? I know Mike Watt's Reverend 'Wattplower' bass will get its official launch. I'm not a Reverend fan, but I'm a huge Watt fan and I've seen him play his prototype bass live, just a few feet infront of me and its quite punchy/meaty sounding for a short scale. The body is thicker than it might look, from the front and the neck dimensions are copied from his '65 EB-3. So I bet it will play/sound good. The colours are a bit different (yellow or green). Nice to see a company giving him some recognition. Edited January 20, 2017 by Tee Quote
NancyJohnson Posted January 18, 2017 Posted January 18, 2017 I worked for a company that had brand ambassadors that took our money and never went near the product, so I'm always wary of stuff like this. He's too associated with his original bass and I kind feel that many perspective purchasers would likely be going, 'Mike who?' before going to look at the Fenders. Maybe a year down the line, I'll be proved wrong. Sure, I know people will go, 'Well, Geddy Lee, blah blah blah.' He didn't actually play a Japanese build one live though did he? Quote
Musicman20 Posted January 18, 2017 Posted January 18, 2017 Reverend make a nice guitar - quite 'punk' in their approach and only cheap as they are as they don't have a middleman dealer (more companies should opt for this). Quote
Tee Posted January 18, 2017 Author Posted January 18, 2017 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1484738203' post='3217883'] I worked for a company that had brand ambassadors that took our money and never went near the product, so I'm always wary of stuff like this. He's too associated with his original bass and I kind feel that many perspective purchasers would likely be going, 'Mike who?' before going to look at the Fenders. Maybe a year down the line, I'll be proved wrong. [/quote] I think Fender or Gibson could have released versions (Tele bass/NR Thunderbird, EB-3...). While in recent years he's been known for his modded EB-0/3s I still associate his previous basses with him, from his Minutemen/Firehose/solo career, but then i'm a fan. I'm just happy for the guy, he deserves the recognition. Quote
acidbass Posted January 19, 2017 Posted January 19, 2017 I'm in Las Vegas at the moment and tempted to drive to NAMM for a day - any tips? Can you buy tickets for entry at the door? Quote
BigRedX Posted January 19, 2017 Posted January 19, 2017 [quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1484794189' post='3218533'] I'm in Las Vegas at the moment and tempted to drive to NAMM for a day - any tips? Can you buy tickets for entry at the door? [/quote] IIRC it's supposed to be a trade-only show and not technically open to the general public, so unless you have a contact there who can get you in, I wouldn't risk it. Quote
throwoff Posted January 19, 2017 Posted January 19, 2017 Yep BRX is right, trade only, you can get in but you need to know someone who can put you down as 'freelance press' or something to get you a pass. Warwick has a couple of nice bits again, all out of my price range though. Quote
Owen Posted January 20, 2017 Posted January 20, 2017 Sustain pedal. I want one. http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/namm-2017-has-this-plus-pedal-piano-style-sustain-won-namm-before-its-started-647110?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=16750&utm_term=3973837&utm_content=297305 Quote
Tee Posted January 21, 2017 Author Posted January 21, 2017 (edited) Watt talking about his bass. [url="http://youtu.be/gnVyH-tZ9Ac"]http://youtu.be/gnVyH-tZ9Ac[/url] Edited January 23, 2017 by Tee Quote
bassix Posted January 21, 2017 Posted January 21, 2017 Mike Watt comes across as totally mad but in the best possible way! Quote
GreeneKing Posted January 21, 2017 Posted January 21, 2017 [quote name='bassix' timestamp='1484996640' post='3220229'] Mike Watt comes across as totally mad but in the best possible way! [/quote] I didn't get the mad thing. Passion yes. He seems absolutely lovely. Quote
fftc Posted January 21, 2017 Posted January 21, 2017 [quote name='Tee' timestamp='1484992708' post='3220190'] Watt talking about his bass. [url="https://youtu.be/gnVyH-tZ9Ac"]http://youtu.be/gnVyH-tZ9Ac[/url] [/quote] Pleasure to watch that. Still full of enthusiasm! The bass looks nice too. Think I fancy one. http://reverendguitars.com/basses/mike-watt-wattplower Quote
doctor_of_the_bass Posted January 21, 2017 Posted January 21, 2017 Anyone over here in Anaheim attending the show, come and say hi, am working on the Enfield Sims stand, we have George Anderson from Shakatak here with us too! Booth 3496 in Hall D, near the back of the hall as you enter from the front! Quote
Passinwind Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 [quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' timestamp='1485009864' post='3220378'] Anyone over here in Anaheim attending the show, come and say hi, am working on the Enfield Sims stand, we have George Anderson from Shakatak here with us too! Booth 3496 in Hall D, near the back of the hall as you enter from the front! [/quote] Wish I had seen this earlier. I just got home from a 2 1/2 day stint at the show, which was just crazy busy at the booth I was in. I did get to spend a few minutes with Sibob, which I enjoyed a great deal. This was my first year officially exhibiting any of my stuff, and I'm still having a hard time digesting how it all played out. I was there mostly to get feedback on my open source onboard preamp design, but the amp I brought along as an afterthought ended up being in use for pretty much every minute of the show. It was kind of surreal to watch the show open via webcast while I was in the airport waiting for my plane, and seeing someone killing it on my amp, which I didn't think would even be set up until I arrived. Quote
Musicman20 Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 I don't think the bass side of things had anything super exciting, for my tastes anyway. Loads of awesome guitar stuff though. Quote
JapanAxe Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 [quote name='Tee' timestamp='1484732285' post='3217799'] [/quote] I quite like the look and concept of that bass - P-style pickup, short scale, nice colour. When I saw Mike Watt with the Stooges he was playing some kind of EB, which I've never really fancied. On NAMM and the whole 'new kit' thing, the trends I've seen in recent years are: (1) Cheaper knock-offs of famous pedals (e.g. Phase 90, Tube Screamer) in micro-size boxes; (2) Ever more far-out boutique pedals with (as far as I can see) very limited application, despite huge cost; and (3) Yet more (and presumably more accurate) digital modelling amps. Only (1) is of any interest to me (for guitar anyway), but I live in hope of a pleasant surprise... Quote
zapp Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNumTHXivZ8"]https://www.youtube....h?v=ZNumTHXivZ8[/url] Nice to see Fodera making a more 'affordable' instrument... Edited January 23, 2017 by zapp Quote
LewisK1975 Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 I heard a lot of people raving about the Trickfish Bullhead .5k - 500 watt amp. I think it won one of the awards at the show. [attachment=236490:bullhead.JPG] Quote
Musicman20 Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 Really not keen on the Fodera guitar (6 string) designs...no doubt well made though. Quote
Passinwind Posted January 23, 2017 Posted January 23, 2017 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1485162458' post='3221542'] I don't think the bass side of things had anything super exciting, for my tastes anyway. Loads of awesome guitar stuff though. [/quote] Just curious: what would it take to get you excited? I barely even noticed that there were guitars there beyond the ones in the next booth to me and the Ibanez and Heritage jazz boxes. Quote
Musicman20 Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1485196907' post='3222028'] Just curious: what would it take to get you excited? I barely even noticed that there were guitars there beyond the ones in the next booth to me and the Ibanez and Heritage jazz boxes. [/quote] I had a look at the bass releases, obviously not all of them as I didn't go, but it was the usual boutique P and J, a few more daring designs like Ibanez, then Fenders latest Professional series which I won't be bothering with. Lot's of mini Class D amps, the only one of which I currently find interesting is Genzler. Whereas guitar had interesting designs like the Musicman St Vincent, Valentine, etc...lot's of guitar effects that are clearly more fun to use on guitar (latest delay and reverb by Source Audio), recently released Boss pedals, and so on. Edited January 24, 2017 by Musicman20 Quote
Passinwind Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1485249352' post='3222376'] I had a look at the bass releases, obviously not all of them as I didn't go, but it was the usual boutique P and J, a few more daring designs like Ibanez, then Fenders latest Professional series which I won't be bothering with. Lot's of mini Class D amps, the only one of which I currently find interesting is Genzler. Whereas guitar had interesting designs like the Musicman St Vincent, Valentine, etc...lot's of guitar effects that are clearly more fun to use on guitar (latest delay and reverb by Source Audio), recently released Boss pedals, and so on. [/quote] You might take a look at the Talkbass NAMM picture thread, there were a ton of non-Fender based builds at the show, although the luthier whose booth I was in sells about three Jazz Bass variants for every one of anything else, much to his chagrin. Genzler was two booths down from me, really liked the new smaller "combo" format. Really cool people to hang out with too. The new smaller Trickfish rigs got a lot of love, as did the Quilter stuff. Quote
Cuzzie Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 @LewisK1975 I always fancied a trickfish and have loved sounds I have heard from it, never in person though. One downside of being in the UK is lack of easy access to some of the cool stuff which is just off main stream Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.