Barry Wood's NAMM Oddities 2012 Edition

 Packrat Barry

You Figure It Out…

Korova Milk Bar

After an impressive Oddities debut in 2010, Dwarfcraft is back with the most innovative effects packaging idea to date–complete with telephone-handset audio input.

Anthony Burgess would approve.

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Dwarfcraft Devices

One Bad Cat

Say what you will about his table manners, but I think that Alien has some serious stage presence.

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One Bad Cat

The Shredinator

If the machine overlords can rock, maybe it won't be so bad.

National Products was showing some of their iPad and iPhone mounting gizmos by way of this attention-getting guy.

  • National Products, Inc.
  • 8410 Dallas Ave. S.
  • Seattle, WA 98108-4423
  • www.ram-mount.com

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The Shredinator

Six-String Samurai

This imposing figure was acting as a sentinel watching over FGN's guitars and prototype amps.

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Six-String Samurai

The Opening Chord

As you may have already surmised, the GuitDoorbell is a guitar that acts as a doorbell. The included travel guitar pops off in seconds to accompany you on trips, which is perfect because when you're not home, you don't really need a doorbell do you?

If you've got three doors you can recreate the opening chord for "A Hard Day's Night."

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A Face Only a Mother Could Love

Audible Disease brought along their mascot this year to give visitors an inkling as to what they had in store for them.

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Audible Disease

The Hat Makes the Man

As you might imagine, I've seen a lot of strange things at NAMM. I didn't expect to see a booth displaying hats any more than I expected the Spanish Inquisition.

Carlos Santana's taste in hats is almost as legendary as his playing so it's this intersection of haberdasher and musical icon that brought us this apparent NAMM non-sequitur.

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Dorfman Pacific

Or.. The Headphones Make the Man

Arial7 had surf artist Drew Brophy in their booth doing custom paint jobs on some of their headphones.

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Ariel7 / Drew Brophy

Scanners Anyone?

I don't know about you, but I'm a little hesitant to put something called Ear Bombz into my ears.

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Ear Bombz

The Innergizer

It seems to me that should have been called the "outergizer." A vibrating device that works on the inside is something that you would see at a different sort of trade show.

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The Innergizer

Same To You Buddy

I think that guy on the left is flipping me off.

The fact that the designer, Ed Sussman, is also a Theremin player adds a little more Oddities-cred too.

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Appletree Design

Switchblade Neck

The evolution of tools for compulsive practicing continues. In 2000 it was the PraxAx, in 2007 it was the Shredneck, and now in 2012 we have PocketStrings.

When you're done practicing, the fretboard slides into the protective plastic body.

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PocketStrings

Singin' On The Chain Gang

Along with this tow-hook mic stand, Raw Metal Edge also had custom risers adorned with the ever-popular trucker mudflap motif.

Their booth giveaway item was a logo-encrusted dog tag with a rubber bumper around it. As I suspected, the bumper served to protect you from its raw metal edge.

If you like this mic stand, you'll love these cymbal stands.

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Raw Metal Edge

Tan, Don't Burn

If you've got a hankerin' for a classic Rudy Vallée sound, a Copperphone mic is just the ticket.

Bonus points to anyone who gets the oblique reference that I'm making in the title.

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Copperphone

Better Than Superglue

Part time player? Give your ravaged fingertips a break and build them up with Rock-Tips.

I always considered bourbon to be liquid callous. It would also serve to take your mind off the fingertip pain as well.

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Rock-Tips

Like a Walmart Greeter

Instead of putting your old kick out to pasture, it can be granted a new lease on life as an illuminated stained glass table.

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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!

Settle down Beevis.

Rockstar Pyro is the leading providers of mind-controlled fire. Yes, pyrokinesis can be yours. For a price.

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Rockstar Pyro

Safety First

Should your newly-acquired pyrokinetic powers get away from you, it might be prudent to have someone standing by with one of these HBS CO2 guns.

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You've Made Your Point Already

Gator Cases really went out of their way this year to establish brand name recognition.

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Many gators

Don't Touch That Dial

Really, you have no idea how much gain that's got.

In classic NAMM style, Eden had a super-sized version of one of their stomp boxes on display.

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Eden Electronics

A Cautionary Tale

Like your parents who regale you with unlikely horrors visited upon those kids who don't behave, Ultracase would like you to think that not using their cases could turn your precious guitar into this.

In reality, they found this abandoned art project in a dumpster near their shop.

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Ultracase

No Waiting

And you wonder why the Post Office is losing money? NAMM Booths don't come cheap and they've got six people manning the booth.

I wish there were that many workers at my hometown post office.

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USPS

©2012 Barry Wood