From a distance, NAMM seems the same every year. Cacophonous and carnival-like, with the same major players taking up the same floor space. If you look hard enough, though, there are releases or trends each year that define the show.
While no one product monopolized all of the attention this year, there was a clear trend across many of the releases: this was the year of the singer-songwriter.
The rise of YouTube and the increasing number of small venues wanting live music has made the simple convenience of one performer with one instrument popular and practical again. The industry seems to have taken note.
Here’s a look at the products that showed manufacturers betting big on the singer-songwriter market – some of whom have never stepped foot into the acoustic world before.
Big Day For Small Guitars
Many singer-songwriters like to use smaller-bodied guitars, as they need less volume to compete with when singing. Along with smaller size, the nature of lugging around an instrument and the inherent risks of damage leads many to look for more affordable instruments without sacrificing tone or playability.
If you've ever lugged your acoustic along on a vacation – or even hit the coffee shop trail in your town – you know what I'm talking about.
Breedlove Concerto Acoustics from NAMM 2017
Recognizing this, Breedlove introduced a new body size, the Concerto, across its model range. It features a new bracing system, a deeper body, and a smaller soundhole. These changes allow for a clear and big sounding instrument that's easier to handle and play as a result of the smaller body.
Guild also expanded its affordable line of USA-crafted instruments, adding the M-40 Troubadour ($1500-1900) and the D-40 ($1500-2500). The M-40 features features a smaller body with a solid spruce top and solid mahogany sides, giving it a bit more high end then last year’s M-20. The Guild D-40 follows in that vein, adding a spruce top to the D-20 model features.
Finally, Fender is expanding its acoustic offerings, again highlighting smaller-bodied instruments. The PM-2 (parlor) and PM-3 (000-style) are all-mahogany guitars for $600 each with bone nuts and saddles. Both have a mid-range presence that reacts well when counterbalanced with vocals.
New Players in the Pre-Amp Game
Old stalwarts of the acoustic pedal and pre-amp world revealed new offerings, while other companies that have never ventured into acoustic gear decided it was time. This was perhaps the strongest signal of a focus shifting toward the singer-songwriter.
Boss introduced two amps firmly focused on the singer/songwriter market: the Acoustic Singer Live and an expanded Pro model.
The Live ($499) is a 60-watt acoustic guitar amp that features a looper and vocal harmony effects, as well as reverb and “acoustic resonance” controls. The Pro model doubles the wattage to 120. These amps were designed to be grab-and-go options for singers who need volume and effects for solo performances in one package.
Boss also added an acoustic-themed pedal with the AD-2 Acoustic Preamp. This pedal is designed to add clarity to your acoustic guitar signal no matter what you are plugged into, a definite need when relying on the house gear at a coffee shop or small club.
LR Baggs introduced the Synapse Personal PA System, which adds high quality preamps to a multi-directional PA system. Designed expressly for the singer/songwriter, the amp is configured to add multi-dimensional and directional sound to a room. This portable 500-watt system has 180 degrees of directional sound that can grow and shrink with the room and the artists needs. Though an investment at around $2,000, but it’s one that will last the player a long time.
Orange Acoustic Valve Pre
To everyone's surprise, Orange also added a tube-driven DI – the Acoustic Valve Pre Twin Channel. The acoustic market is new territory for Orange, and the pedal is designed to bring a “hi-fi” sound to acoustic guitarists.
While not really in the affordable realm at $644, T-Rex introduced the Soulmate Acoustic. This all-in-one pedal features compression, modulation, delay, reverb, a tuner, and a looper. T-Rex noted that they worked very hard to make this pedal preserve the acoustic tone while accommodating all of the working player's needs. This marks a rare foray into the acoustic market for T-Rex.
There were plenty of isolated synth and electric guitar revelations this year as well. But the shift in investment by companies toward small-bodied guitars and acoustic pedals pointed to a larger trend – one that finally recognizes the players whose venues are living rooms, bedrooms, coffee shops, pubs and street corners. For the sake of all of those players, we sure hope it lasts.
See more Guitar & Bass News from Winter NAMM 2017