The Best Of Summer NAMM 2015

Analog Outfitters Amps

In a world of endless tweed and tolex amps playing copycat games, Analog Outfitters products immediately stand out. Made largely from up-cycled old Hammond organ parts, they are gorgeously constructed and impeccably voiced with all-tube complements. Each specimen of their Organic 15, Sarge and Super Sarge models is made slightly differently based on the Hammond source material, making every amp unique. Naturally, these are all hand-made in Champaign, Illinois.

We've been fans of Pittsburgh Modular's eurorack systems for a while, but it was this year's Patch Box guitar pedal that really made us fall in love. It's the perfect product for guitarists looking to expand their effects palette or get more familiar with synth modules. The Patch Box is a essentially a modular synth rack with standard guitar pedal inputs/outputs, dual expression and A/B jacks, and a buffered preamp. There is literally nothing this stompbox cannot do.

If you prefer to twiddle knobs and patch cables instead of scrolling through software menus, this is a perfect (and instructional) way to dial in your sound. Whether you get the empty case or buy it pre-loaded, it's compatible with Pittsburgh Modular, Dwarfcraft or other similar eurorack modules.

Curious what it would look like if Marshall were to enter the boutique amp game? Here you go. The Marshall Astoria Series - available either as a 30W 1x12 combo or head and matching cab - are all point-to-point hand-wired in England, using all-tube construction. An ECC83 (12AX7) preamp leads to a GZ34 rectifier and a cathode-based KT66 power amp, with no negative feedback. Funky racing-stripe style covering and vintage lettering complete the package, available in no-nonsense single channel Classic form, single channel Custom form with a switchable FX loop, or two-channel Dual form.

Let's just get this out of the way: the Dual Citizen was the most impressive amp we saw at the entire show. Local East Nashville builders 3rd Power wowed us in the past with their Wooly Coats and Dream Weaver models, but the Dual Citizen left us speechless. It literally packs the entire library of classic Vox AC tones and Fender Tweed or Blackface voicings into one amp - not digitally, but through innovative use of a hand-built tube platform. Even with a shared EL34 output section, the American voicings are spot on, and the AC tones sound even better than what we think of as the archetypal Vox character.

The Dual Citizen accomplishes this feat with two separate channels. The AC channel has four modes - Normal, Brilliant, Top Boost 1 and Top Boost 2 - each of them shapeable by a Mid-Contour switch or a Top Cut knob. The American channel has separate modes for Blackface or Tweed voicings. The real genius of this amp, however, is its ability to layer the channels together, creating interesting hybrid tones native to some mythical, undiscovered country in the middle of the Atlantic. Given that at these tones are available at any volume, thanks to its HybridMASTER circuitry, this is the only amp a serious player would need for the stage, studio and bedroom.

Yes, a three-stringed short scale electric guitar that you assemble yourself out of the box with a Phillips head screwdriver. All of this is passionately intentional. The whole concept is the product of Rafael Atijas' NYU Master's thesis and a successful Kickstarter campaign, one that is more concerned with making learning guitar accessible and engaging rather than generating a profit.

The idea is that people are more invested in something they've built themselves, that someone will think more deeply about how the sound is generated if they've had to grapple with an instrument's construction. With only three strings, the fretboard becomes less intimidating, chord theory becomes easier to grasp and fingerings aren't as discouraging for children's hands.

Make no mistake, though: this is not just for children. These are a blast to play, great for travel and really illuminate how triads are built, even for experienced musicians. And they make a Lucite model. Enough said.

Guild has a lot of exciting things going on, especially with the opening of their new US factory, but this tribute to the Byrds' bassist takes the cake. With only 70 specimens planned for production, it's definitely a limited edition, but we're still glad to see Hillman getting his due.

The Chris Hillman bass features semi-hollow construction in a gorgeous vintage sunburst finish, with a maple body, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard (complete with a 12th-fret Byrds inlay). A single BS-1 BiSonic pickup and standard D'Addario flatwound strings provide the mellow tone that held down the Byrd's classic songs. Wouldn't it be nice to see this go into wider production?

Unitas & BA Ferguson Guitars

Two luthiers sharing one workshop, cranking out some of the coolest handmade guitars we've seen. You won't see these at Guitar Center (or even many small boutique shops), but we bet you'll start seeing Unitas and BA Ferguson builds more and more on stage among the guitar cognoscenti.

Unitas has really carved out a niche in Mustang/Tele hybrids, using tonewoods (like spalted pecan) that you won't see in any other guitar, but they also make some interesting offsets and an electric Django-jazz guitar.

BA Ferguson models have a shape of their own, with beautiful offset proportions and vintage aesthetics combined with impeccable build quality. After getting our hands on a couple, our skepticism faded. These guitars are not just for show.

Finally, the online fervor of Jazz Chorus worship has been heard and acted on. The original Jazz Chorus was always praised for its incredible clean tones and legendary chorus effect, but lamented for its weight and less-than-perfect distortion tones. The new Roland JC-40 addresses those concerns, with a smaller 40W 2x10 format, full stereo inputs and updated onboard effects. The classic Dimensional Space Chorus is included, with an onboard effects loop. Rather than buying a vintage JC amp and living with the drawbacks, we all now have a chance to get the best of the original in a more manageable and flexible package.

Deering Six-String Electric Banjo

If you were wondering where that deeper, resonant banjo tone came from on Taylor Swift's Grammy-winner "Mean," this is it. With six strings tuned like a guitar, a 1.75" nut and a Kavanjo pickup, this is a perfect crossover for electric or acoustic guitarists. Mahogany construction balances the brighter tone of the banjo strings and resonator, providing a complex tonal character that begs new styles of playing. If you're looking to wade into the waters of the banjo world, this is as good as it gets.