Barry Wood's NAMM Oddities 2016 Edition
Instruments
Going Further Afield
When your commercial product is the Slaperoo, you build things like electric stringed didgeridoos for fun.
- Andy Graham Productions
- andygraham.net
Beaded Baritone
This would be the perfect start for a Mariachi brass band.
- Hermes Music
- www.hermes-music.com
Consistent Mic Positioning
The key to a good mix, and not driving the sound guy nuts, is consistent sound from the mics on stage. This system solves that for a number of different instruments.
- Soundcatchers
- www.soundcatchers.net
Artisanal Mutes
These beautiful wooden mutes are miles away from the drab white and red mutes of yesteryear. I'm kind of disappointed that these are not made by bearded hipsters in Portland.
- Facet Mutes
- www.facetmutes.com
Behind the Walls
While I do like the look of this instrument, it looks like multiple plumbers have worked on the pipes over the years.
- B.A.C. Musical Instruments, LLC
- www.bestamericancraftsman.com
Little Wing
The primary use for these is as practice instruments. I think having a bass that's an octave higher than normal could be put to interesting use in the studio.
- Wing Instruments
- www.wingbass.com
Uphill Battle
You know how it's hard not to look cool when playing a guitar? In this case the opposite is true.
- Tribal Tools
- www.tribal-tools.com
Nemo: Found
Goldfish guitars is still cruising 10 years after I first saw them at NAMM, this time with their "Clownuku" ukulele.
I'm beginning to think it should be the NAUM Show, as in National Association of Ukulele Merchants. I may as well get the uke coverage out of the way…
- Goldfish Guitars LLC
- www.goldfishguitars.com
Emergency Paddles
Every outrigger should have a pair.
- Ohana Ukuleles
- (562)997-9080
- www.ohanaukuleles.com
The Uke in the Stone
The story of a young squire named Aki who doesn't know he's destined to be king.
- Opal Instruments
- www.opalinstruments.com
I Want to Say One Word to You
Plastics. There's a great future in plastics.
- Bugs Gear Ukulele
- www.bugsgearukulele.com
Like a Small Barking Dog
Dean is known for producing some wicked-looking guitars. Not so much with the ukes, though.
- Dean Guitars
- www.deanguitars.com
Way More than 40oz.
I don't know why they named the King Cobra cello after a malt liquor. Who am I to judge?
- Wood Violins
- www.woodviolins.com
Stealth Bass
The bass player is usually hidden behind the guitar player anyway.
- Minarik Guitars
- www.minarikguitars.com
A Jaunty Angle
The (presumably) more ergonomic angled neck looks to be about 45°, for the full 180° look here.
- Artisan Bass Works
- www.artisanbassworks.com
The 32nd Flavor
"Spalted Maple and Walnut"
The wood that the top of this acoustic bass is made of, or an ice cream flavor? You decide.
- Ibanez
- www.ibanez.com
A Different Kind of Tension Loop
The truss rod in the neck is mechanically coupled to the bridge so that the strings pull against the rod rather than the rod pushing against the wood.
- Tensor
- www.tensorbass.com
Warning Label
I'm sure you know a bass player that should have this instrument.
- Weifang Rebon Musical Instrument Co., Ltd
- www.rebonmusic.com
Not Your Father's N'Goni
Resonance Creations have updated the N'Goni with modern tuners but still use traditional construction methods.
Actually it would be pretty cool if your father owned a N'Goni.
- Resonance Creations Ltd
- www.ngoni.org
Belaboring the Point
Bass Clef sound holes are used just in case you weren't clear that this was a bass and not just a big guitar.
- Uncle Dave's Custom Guitars, LLC
- 977 E. 14 Mile Road
- Troy, MI 48083
- (830)469-9996
- brios11@att.net
Texture Maps
This looks like a texture taken from a Doom or some other post-apoc first person shooter.
- Ibanez
- www.ibanez.com
Gold Leaf Bling Bass
This bass sells for 28000 €. Imagine what it would cost to put gold leaf over a bass without a minimal body.
- Paul Lairat
- 388 Route de Beauregard 84350
- Courthézon, France
- www.lairat.com
If Tim Burton Designed Basses
I would imagine that they'd look something like these. Then again if Tim Burton did design basses they would only be playable by Johnny Depp and could only play music written by Danny Elfman.
- Kamil Torun
- www.torun-instruments.com
Government Registry
Banjos tend to put out a good deal of mid-range frequencies. Resonator guitars also strongly project the mids. A resonator banjo should probably be registered as an lethal weapon.
- Rayco Resophonics
- www.rayco.ca
Hoo & What
Rozanna has a history in the Oddities of producing instruments that make me go "hmm" as well as "huh?"
- Rozanna's Violins
- (877) 464-5927
- www.rozannasviolins.com
"Hologram"
The finish of this guitar purports to be produced by some form of holography. Maybe the air quotes are appropriate.
- Spear Guitars
- www.spearguitar.com
Foam Shoulder Pads are Back
But not in the fashion crime form they took back in the 80s. These are alternatives to standard clamp-on shoulder rests.
- Acousta Grip
- www.acoustagrip.com
Gluten Free Grain
This reminds me of my junior high woodshop art project where I used a wire brush to bring out the grain.
- Sandberg Guitars
- www.sandberg-.com
©2016 Barry Wood