Barry Wood's NAMM Oddities 2024 Edition

 Packrat Barry

You Figure It Out

Army Of Pinkness

In 2022 they were a curiosity. In 2023 they claimed the high ground. This year they have become legion.

creamguitars

Soon™

If I had a nickel for every time and exhibitor at NAMM told me that a product would be available "soon", the NAMM Oddities would have actually generated some income for me.

soon

What a Drag

While the old school cigarette lighters worked at 12V, their required 10 amps is going to be far beyond what your pedalboard power supply can provide.

acornamps

Guilt-Driven Practice

The UWU buffer pedal has a little Tamagotchi-like creature that levels up the more you play. At least it just reverts to an egg instead of dying and traumatizing the player. For demo purposes they've sped up the process in the device I filmed.

Ovum Audio

Of course these pinned the meters of my oddity sense but I was not prepared for how good they actually sounded. Hopefully you don't need to fill out any paperwork while you're in one of these.

solodome

Icebox Boombox

I don't really need a Cerwin-Vega ice chest, but I think I need a Cerwin-Vega ice chest.

cerwinvega

These Guys Know Singers

Equipping a personal monitor mix system with a whisky bottle holder is pure unadulterated genius.

wolffaudio2

Master of the Otamatone

If you hadn't already guessed, I'm a sucker for unique instruments and controllers. Maywa Denki is a kindred spirit.

The Pit of Despair

This guy is a dead ringer for the albino in the Princess Bride but I always had him pegged as a Les Paul guy.

warmaudio

Stage Defense

Never worry about fans rushing the stage. Ever. Not that is a problem for most bands.

metaldozer

Life On the Road Is Hard

…and this guy is a one-man case study.

dirtyrigger

Ok, You've Won Me Over

I've poked fun at companies who gratuitously toss some LEDs into something for no real reason but this speaker actually looks pretty damn cool.

21st Century Strolling Minstrel

With this rig you can entertain locals, stream to your fanbase, and work your glutes all at the same time.

suatism

The Bandwagon is You

SUAT's rig seemed to be a home grown affair but it looks like there are off-the-shelf options should you find that life attractive.

walkaboutcarriers

Lenticular

I almost passed this booth by until I noticed that the images moved as you changed positions. I was immediately taken back to my childhood when the Cracker Jacks prize was a little toy that used the same technology.

Talk About Vintage

Celestion was celebrating 100 years and had their first product on display. I've got to imagine that there was at least one guitar player who wondered what that speaker would sound like in their cabinet.

celestion

Flatpack Ass

I don't recall Bitwig using a donkey as a mascot so I'm a bit perplexed as to why they had one distributing literature on the corner of their booth.

bitwig

Great Expectations

After seeing the Endless Beat Machine last year, I was expecting more than just static instructions on the screen for the K.O. II.

teenage-engineering

Redefining Bedroom Studio

Perfect for the prepubescent content creator set. This under-the-bunkbed setup had sound proofing panels and ventilation. Don't have your livestream ruined by your stupid little brother again.

musicus

Of Course You Are

I'm sure that's what its mom told it every day before sending it off to school so she could escape her seemingly pointless life by watching soap operas and drinking cheap cooking sherry.

chinakeyboards

70s Sci-Fi Vibe

I know these were simply vehicles for showing off their OLED displays but they would have been right at home on the set of Logan's Run.

Can I Be Of Service?

They just want to help.

ehcknobs

Grudging Respect

At first I thought this was some poor schmuck who was getting paid to run around NAMM with an electric billboard on his back, but it was the guy who invented it. That still doesn't mean that I've got to like it, I mean, I really hate it when a gas pump starts playing commercials.

blmtd

Loc-Nar & Friends

Something about this lighting display reminded me vaguely of the Taarna segment in the film Heavy Metal. I'm probably the only person in the world to do so.

©2024 Barry Wood