5 things we can't wait for at NAMM this year
The world's largest trade-only music convention, NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) will be making its return to Anaheim, California's Convention Center starting today. This year's convention will feature premiere artist performances, signings, interviews and showcases on new product lines and gear from some of your favorite bands and brands. Alternative Press will be there to capture the action, but until then check out our most anticipated showcases:
SJC Drums- Josh Dun
Josh Dun of twenty one pilots will be making an appearance to highlight his custom kit from SJC Drums (as pictured above), along with potential appearances from SJC partners Tre Cool of Green Day and Rian Dawson of All Time Low.
Ernie Ball – St. Vincent guitar
Ernie Ball will be showcasing their most recent collaboration with indie artist St. Vincent and her new signature guitar series, available to the public later this spring.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Annie Clark “St. Vincent” features an ergonomic body shape made from lightweight African mahogany, three DiMarzio mini-humbucking pickups and custom wired 5-way switching. Signature knobs, inlays, molded pickguard, 25.5-inch scale, gun-oil finished rosewood neck and 10-inch radius fingerboard, with Ernie Ball’s trademarked 4-over-2 headstock and compensated nut, designed for superior tuning stability as well as Ernie Ball Music Man’s exclusive super smooth modern tremolo are among the guitar’s additional features. It will be available in Black and St. Vincent Blue on March 1, 2016, for $1,899.99 SRP/MAP.
ESP – Alan Ashby Signature Guitar
ESP wil be teaming up with Of Mice & Men's Alan Ashby to release a new signature series.
New Signature Series artists include Alan Ashby (Of Mice & Men) who has a customized TE series guitar for the LTD AA-600.
Dean Guitars – Jacky Vincent JCVX Guitar
Dean Guitars have teamed up with Jacky Vincent signature series, including an Alder top and body, maple neck and fingerboard, a 5-way pickup selector, a classic black finish with purple and black hardware.
This stunning new offering from Dean Guitars combines slick and modern looks in a hum/single/hum with affordability. Jacky Vincent, of Falling In Reverse fame, embarks on a new metal project in 2016, “Cry Venom.” A new tour and album are in the works for a guitarist already regarded as a true new breed of shredder. Jacky has appeared as a video instructor and columnist for Guitar World Magazine, and has a guitar-centric video out with Fret 12, entitled, “The Sound & The Story. The guitar will retail at $399.
Vic Firth, TRX Cymbals, Remo Practice Pads
Lastly, for the drummer fanatics, Vic Firth will be hosting a showcase with Korn’s Ray Luzier for his own line of drum sticks, TRX will be showcasing Ice Nine Kills drummer Conor Sullivan's own custom cymbals and Remo will be demonstrating its new product line of practice pads.
The Silentstroke™ Practice Pad is the perfect tool for all drummers looking to keep their chops up at low volume levels. Features our Silentstroke Drumhead for an 80% reduction in volume. The durable single ply mesh drumhead material has a soft spring-like feel and great response. The Pad also has a protective rubber bottom for non-slip and non-scratch tabletop use.
The Silentstroke™ Practice Pad is available in an 8” diameter and fits on the Remo standard Practice Pad stand. It can also be used on a cymbal stand with the new Remo Practice Pad Stand Adaptor. Simple slip the Adaptor onto your cymbal stand then the Practice Pad onto the adaptor and tighten with a drum key.
