NAMM Oddities 2004 The Other Room
Guitars Goodies Percussion Instruments Techno Geek Toys You Figure It Out
Instruments
Conn Double Bell Euphonium

Conn Double Bell Euphonium

Even NAMM is joining in the Oddities. I found this in a clear display case at the entrance to hall E. This double bell 5-valve euphonium was made in 1917. The fifth valve is used to open the second bell that sounds the same note as the main bell.

 

Continuum

The Continuum Fingerboard

I've seen my share of odd controllers in the years I've been prowling NAMM and many of them are only playable by the person who invented it. This is not one of those. This is a soft keyboard-like controller that will track pitch, velocity, pressure, front to back position and side to side position for each note. This opens up huge expressive possibilities.

Haken audio
1906 Augusta
Champaign, IL 61821
www.hakenaudio.com

Continuum

 

Universal Bass

If Calista Flockhart were an acoustic bass, this would be her.

Universal Music
3534 White House Place
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(213) 387-7033
www.unimusic.co.kr

Universal Bass

 

Barker Vertical Bass

Barker Vertical Bass

As long as we're looking at tall, skinny basses, here is the Barker. In this case it's an electric, upright, fretted bass. It uses a 34" Fender Jazz Bass style neck so it ought to feel fairly comfortable for normal electric bass players.

Barker Musical Intruments
1842 SE 1st, Ste. F
Redmond, OR 97756
(541) 923-2571
www.barkerbass.com

 

Double-neck Ztar

I think that this instrument has been around for a while but it's first time I've seen it so here it is. One of the necks has a normal guitar neck with strings and pickups. The upper neck has the Ztar switches. If you're good at tapping you could play both simultaneously. You can order this with a Roland MIDI pickup but that seems a bit redundant to me.

Starr Labs
1717 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-6715
www.starrlabs.com

Ztar

 

Joey G Basses

Joey G Basses

This outfit represents about a dozen high end luthiers. There were some very striking instrument in their booth.

Joey G Music
(212) 334-8839
www.joeygmusic.com

 

Short Bone

I spotted this at the Kelly Mouthpieces booth. It's essentially a valve trombone that's been twisted up to make it shorter. They might want to come up with a new name though, I can't imagine someone admitting that they play the short bone.

Superior Solutions Corp.
674 south Pioneer Road
Fond du Lac, WI 94935-9190
(920) 922-9888
www.mouthpiecewizard.com

Short Bone

 

Conklin Bass

Conklin Bass

This is an interesting hollow body electric bass that extends the body a fair distance up the neck.

Conklin Guitars & Basses
P.O. Box 1394
Springfield, MO 65801
(417) 886-3525
www.conklinguitars.com

 

Jisheng

Jisheng Musical Instruments

Many of the Chinese and Korean companies showing at NAMM generally produce knock-offs of existing gear. It was a pleasant surprise to see some innovative going on. This company has a series of electric instruments with imaginative designs. I also liked the case with the built-in amplifier.

Jisheng Musical Instruments
Rm. 111, Bldg. 41
Taoyuan st., Xihua Rd.
Guangzhou, China
0086-20-81840008
gzjsheng@pub.guangzhou.gd.cn
www.minjisheng.com

Jisheng

 

Bee Basses

Bee Basses

This year it seemed like half of the bass manufacturers were adding the large piece of wood over the top of the neck. I thought that combined with seven strings and fanned frets deserved and honorable mention in the Oddities.

Bee Basses
P.O. Box 1032
McMinnville, OR 97128
(503) 917-1122
www.beebasses.com

 

Moog Theremin

Moog Theremin

Moog has come up with what's probably the most stylish Theremin I've ever seen. Quite an improvement over their earlier models. This would make a beautiful addition to any room in the house.

Moog Music, Inc.
554-C Riverside Drive
Ashville, NC 28801
(828) 251-0090
www.moogmusic.com

 

CMG b. genius 2 pro

This is the midpoint between an acoustic and electric upright. It still uses a piezo pickup system but the bass will generate more complex harmonics being a hollow body.

CMGuitars
47495 Rheinberg
Rheinstraße 5, Germany
(+49) 2843 16306
www.cmguitars.com

CMG bass

 

Adler Single Cut

Adler Single Cut

I saw several 11-string basses this year, this one was tuned in 4ths starting at a very low C# (17hz). At that frequency you don't need a tuner, you can just count the cycles as you watch the string vibrate.

Adler Guitars
P.O. Box 553
Calimesa, CA. 92320
(909) 203- 6549
www.adlerguitars.com

 

NAMM Oddities '04 Home | Guitars | Other Goodies | Percussion
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©2004 Barry Wood