Barry Wood's NAMM Oddities 2011 Edition

Packrat Barry

Instruments

Scwooy Wabbit

Bunny Brunel has his own line of electric upright basses. I've been assured that no bunnies were harmed in the manufacturing of these basses.

Bunny Brunel electric upright basses - dragon, skeleton

Nigel Needs One of These

The Celtic motif would fit in perfectly for a performance of Stonehenge. It may divert attention away from the dwarves trodding on the monument.

Luna Trinity Mandolin

All Harp Guitars, All The Time

I've seen harp guitars at NAMM made by guitar manufacturers but this is the first company I've seen that specialized in them.

Holloway Harp Guitars

Almost Normal

A 12-string, fanned-fret bass pretty well qualifies as "normal" for the Oddities.

Prat 12-string bass

Bang Your Head

Or maybe "bong your head?" These tuned Desk Bells were actually pretty fun to play, and not just from a "hitting things to that are just too cute" standpoint.

Desk Bells

Burnin' Bass

Unique body shape? Check.

Interesting graphics? Check.

Include in NAMM Oddities? Check.

CSG guitar

You've Been Very Naughty

OK, I know that the twine binding is part of the traditional gluing process for classical guitars, but I just had to take a picture because it looked like a guitar that was into bondage.

Manuel Rodriguez and Sons guitar tied up

Ukadelic

Third year in a row that Kala has made the Oddities. This time it's by way of a passel of gaudy ukes suitable for any lapse in fashion judgment.

Kala Ukadelic ukuleles

Peace, Pineapples & Paradise

Q: What could make a funky-cool plastic ukulele even cooler?

A: Its matching clear gig bag.

Kiwaya plastic ukuleles

Groove? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Groove

The busy beavers at Ragtime have been, well, busy since I first saw them at the 2003 NAMM Show

Lest you think this a mere novelty, these are the guys who worked with Pat Metheny to build his Orchestrion.

Cello Bass

This 5-string acoustic bass really isn't that odd but there was something about it that caught my eye. Catching my eye = showing up in the NAMM Oddities.

Ken Bebensee cello bass

How Low Can You Go?

The aptly-named "Quake" bass sports an ultra-beefy low G# string with a fundamental frequency of 8Hz. Strings courtesy of Circle K Strings

Knuckle Guitar Works Quake
Next Up: Techno Geek Toys

©2011 Barry Wood