NAMM 2025 live! The biggest guitar news as it happened
All the red-hot gear news and artist goings-ons from the show floor at the world’s biggest guitar gear trade show
Hello from Anaheim! Mike and Matt have officially landed, and we are badged up and ready to go. The show officially starts tomorrow, but today is press preview day, and we're promised some very special guests...
We're coiled like tightly, erm, coiled content snakes, ready and waiting to pounce on the juiciest tidbits from Martin's annual pre-NAMM conference. The anticipation... It's palpable. Or maybe it's the 2pm beer.
….and while we wait, we’re very conveniently stood next to the Billy Strings D-X2E, which has just been announced. Check out those contours. Very nice indeed.
It’s been unveiled alongside a Billy Strings D-28 signature, which seems to have gone walkabouts from its hanger…
Peter Frampton is only bloody here! The guitar legend discussed his history with Martin, including his classic Camel signature model, and hinted at future guitars with the firm, as well as his desire to keep playing live as long as he possibly can.
This is not a drill, people! Marshall just announced pedal versions of its most iconic amps at the media preview day - and we've got all the info you need. More info on the latest from returning giant of amplification coming soon...
We were huge fans of the Yamaha TAG3 C TransAcoustic when it came out last year, and it turns out so was Yvette Young – who was on hand during today's Global Media Day to demo the futuristic acoustic in all its glory. Those built-in effects are truly something to behold. Young's playing was pretty spectacular as well, of course.
Session man of the moment Justus West joined Taylor visionary Andy Powers to jam on the firm’s just-launched Gold Label Collection, which introduces a new Super Auditorium shape, alongside a new neck joint, bracing and even headstock logo. We also discovered that Powers is a ridiculously good soloist, as well as being an all-round design genius.
Fender’s return to NAMM has been the talk of the town in the lead up to this year’s event, and while it won’t be exhibiting on the show floor as usual this time out, the Big F still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve – one of which was a comprehensive, strictly-behind-closed-doors display of its Custom Shop and Masterbuilt collections for this year.
Meticulously assembled models with unsung retro finishes, bonkers builds with mind-bending artwork, revised takes on wild designs, and downright absurd creations spanning the Fender, Jackson, Gretsch, EVH and Charvel names were all showcased during the evening, which was well attended by notable players and industry execs alike.
Feast your eyes, dear reader; these are the pinnacle of custom shop guitar luthiery. Oh, and please excuse the paper tags – they're from retailers, who clearly shared our enthusiasm in the guitars on display...
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you: that really is an Offset Stratocaster. Built by Master Builder Kyle McMillin, it elongates the classic Strat shape, and pairs it with a Sage Green Metallic Closet Classic lacquer finish for that well-aged look. We kind of want one. Destined for a Parallel Universe model down the line, surely?
Fender CEO Andy Mooney has raided his personal stamp collection for the aptly named Custom Shop Stamp Collection. Each of the 100 unique Telecasters pays tribute to a different country, made up of 100 or so stamps from that country or region. All proceeds from the sale of each model will go directly to the L.A. music community.
No matter how complex the Custom Shop creation, building guitars isn’t technically rocket science. Except when it’s the CNCPT Stratocaster, built in collaboration with aerospace engineer Marshall Doyle.
That web-like design is the result of a proprietary nickel-plated stereolithographic body, which you can see straight through. So, uh, yeah, don’t expect this to crop up in the Player Series anytime soon.
Fender has kicked off the show with one of its most significant product announcements in years. The new, Indonesian-built, $599 Standard series brings the concept of an affordable Fender back to the table – and it’s the greatest show of faith yet in the company's Indonesian facility.
Though he's long been known as a Strat man, Cory Wong has teamed up with Ernie Ball Music Man for one of the show's most striking signature models so far, a StingRay bass-inspired electric guitar. Don't worry though, his ties to Fender are still rock-solid.
We've sure been waiting for this one. At long last, Jackson has revived its offset Surfcaster for a new generation of heavy players – and it’s surprisingly affordable. Interest in the model – which was discontinued decades ago – has surged in recent years as Periphery’s Misha Mansoor and Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer have raved about their own Custom Shop creations – we can only imagine that's helped paved the way for the offset’s return.
Fender and Gibson's return to NAMM got a lot of the headlines, but equally as notable is the return of Marshall. The none-more-iconic amp brand announced its return in style with a trio of new releases, one of them being the Studio 900, which reimagines the legendary JCM900 by condensing its gain and growl into a portable, practice-friendly head and combo. Peep the company's new Overdrive Series pedals and factory modded takes on the 1959 Plexi and JCM800, too.
First up on MO’s Day 1 schedule was a trip to the Roland room to check out the firm’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. Billy Idol legend Steve Stevens got the nod for Boss this year, but unfortunately wasn’t able to attend. Plenty of cool Boss gear to admire while there, though…
We get the feeling Marshall is back...
…and Gibson is back too, apparently. This huuuge art piece (which is made from a smorgasbord of Gibson bodies, fingerboards, headstocks, and more) is a bit of a giveaway.
MonoNeon gave a truly galactic performance at the DigiTech booth this morning, demonstrating what makes his signature Whammy pedal – the first ever – tick, including that bonkers three-octave up setting. Trust us, it's wild.
Just prior to the opening of the show, Gibson quietly unveiled a new Cherry-finished Warren Haynes signature Les Paul. Fitted with an on-board clean boost, the guitar most notably fulfills Haynes' 2024 promise: “I am about to delve into P-90 world pretty hard.”
Who did we see at Gibson? Why, our ol' pal Jared James Nichols, reliably the busiest man at NAMM.
It's back. Josh Homme's "secret weapon" has returned, with improvements suggested by the Queens of the Stone Age leader himself. At $299, be prepared for used prices to plummet. What's more, Peavey is dropping a new line of pedals based on its classic amps - including the Decade.
It's official: Ernie Ball has won NAMM 2025.
The Jackson Surfcaster is back! And it's real! We touched it! With a slinky satin neck feel, top-drawer upper-fret access and a satisfying heft, it promises to be a real winner in the mid-priced metal guitar market – and beyond. This has got crossover appeal written all over it.
Like many returning brands this year, Gibson isn’t exhibiting its instruments on the show floor. It is, however, showcasing some of its latest releases in an exclusive behind-closed-doors showroom, which we were able to take a peak at.
Gibson’s Mat Koehler was on hand to walk us through the catalog, which featured Warren Haynes’ just-released P-90 Les Paul signature, the returning Tobias bass, a pair of cheekily named Double Trouble Les Pauls, those NAMM Anniversary LPs, and a suave new double-pickguard-loaded J-45 signature for Margo Price. Lots to like here – and we got hands-on with it all.
We saw Martin show off not one, but two Billy Strings signature guitars on the first day of the show. Now we’ve had the full info and prices on the Martin Billy Strings D-28 and Billy Strings D-X2E and, we have to say, it’s refreshing to see a brand dropping a more affordable ($899) option on day one – compared to the increasingly common trickle-down marketing game we've all come to expect.
We've seen it on the show floor...now we've taken a proper deep dive into what Josh Homme fans (and Peavey Decade enthusiasts) can expect from the new and improved Peavey Decade Too. And, oh, Peavey have also packed the original's iconic features into a pedal...
And British tone-smiths Orange Amps have done it again with the newly launched O Tone 40 – a single-channel, no-nonsense, 40-watt solid-state combo amp loaded with integrated tremolo and reverb effects
The Fender Custom Shop can always be relied upon to catch your eye at NAMM and while we already checked out a host of models on the show floor, we’ve now had the official word about the launch of the Cocktail Collection – a series of (truly) unique guitars, each of which has been inspired by a famous cocktail. The theme works better than you’d think...
Rick Beato, Mateus Asato, and Tim Pierce shared their collective wisdom on all-things-content at a well-attended panel this morning (seriously – I had to lurk in the back there were that many people).
The guitar greats shared their insights and personal experiences in content creation, what it takes to crack the YouTube code, and more. Some interesting takes from Asato on his social media hiatus, too, and how Rick Beato helped him through that period…
You never know what you’re going to get when you take a journey through the Boutique Guitar Showcase, but one thing’s for sure: your mind will be blown by the end of it.
Some crazy builds are on display again this year, including a crazy Kraken model that took over a year to build and features 500 individual components.
As is the case at every NAMM show, Ibanez’s signature lineup is absolutely stacked with new releases. The biggies here include new signatures for Korn pair Head and Munky, a flashy new Satch model, Josh Smith’s long-awaited FlatV2 (which has been teased for over a year), and a sleek new Lari Basilio variant.
Matteo Mancuso is one of the finest guitar talents of this day and age, so when we heard he’d be performing at the Yamaha Stage we simply had to be there. A 30 minute set simply was not enough - we could have stood there and listened to his playing all day. Awe-inspiring stuff.
Tim Henson had some serious requests for his first ever signature strings with Ernie Ball. We caught up with him to chat new Polyphia, Hans Zimmer and his forthcoming solo album. Dude is BUSY.
I cannot emphasize how overwhelmingly awesome and unashamedly '80s MXR's Rockman X100 pedal sounds. Solid-state guitar sounds are finally getting their due, and this is top of the heap. Four modes, one chorus, stereo out. Huge.
Designing fresh new electric guitars: it’s one of the biggest challenges that modern brands face in an ever-growing market filled with clones, copies and familiarly styled instruments. Eastman, though, has somehow made it look easy once again.
Building on its D’Ambrosio release from last year, the firm’s FullerTone range absolutely oozes with irresistible class. With fresh body shapes, two pickup configurations, a suite of lush colorways and an innovative two-bolt neck joint, the FullerTone guitars are literally the stuff of dreams. I’ve passed through the booth at least six times already… and I’ll probably go back tomorrow.
Guitar amp headphones are increasingly A Thing, and Positive Grid is set to take the fight to Boss with the Spark NEO, which brings AI-powered smart amp tech with fully wireless connectivity. You get 33 amps and 43 effects, the price tag is pretty sweet, and it’s coming out soon. Real soon.
Electro-Harmonix is celebrating 50 years of the Small Stone with a luxurious golden version. Loaded with the original ’70s circuit – utilizing a stock of NOS CA3094 chips the company recently unearthed – just 600 will be made, and even come in a wooden box. They’re priced at $300.
Those new EVH SA-126 Standard models look great up-close, especially that sparkle green. Built in Indonesia, the new models bring the price tag down to $899.
Jack White has really taken NAMM in his stride this year, even making a guest appearance at the Third Man Booth. We got to say hi, and thanks for all the cool gear. He even showed us the new neck shape on his latest blue Triplecaster. Freaking out just a little bit right now.
If there’s a nationwide shortage of 4x12s, it’s because they’re all at the Orange booth. The iconic British amp co was also displaying heads from its history, including the OMEC – the first digital programmable amp.
There's nothing more to say other than bravo, Revv Amps. Bravo.
It’s been a big year for amps at NAMM, and Friedman’s newly launched José Arredondo range – which honors one of the guitar world’s greatest amp builders – is up there as one of the key releases.
Dave Friedman himself spoke about the Arredondo range in a recent interview with us, and we were able to check it out in person on the show floor, where it made its grand debut. This first amp promises to be an “end-all-be-all” amp inspired by the many mods of the late Arredondo, who worked with Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, James Hetfield and more during his career. It sounds killer, looks the business, and apparently there’s still more to come…
At last! A Sterling by Music Man Kaizen! Folks have been asking for this ever since the flagship Tosin Abasi-designed Ernie Ball Music Man model was unveiled a few years back, and now it is finally here. The affordable take on the futuristic, space age design starts from $849 (a far cry cheaper than the $4k EBMM models) and lowers the cost by ditching some of the more high-end appointments of its source material. Still, it’s a gorgeous guitar – and feels like an absolute dream.
It’s joined on Sterling’s 2025 roster by new signature guitars for Ryan ‘Fluff’ Bruce, Steve Lukather and Rabea Massaad. Quite the lineup…
Looking for something to help you nail the Eddie Van Halen 'Brown Sound'? The AmpRx Brownie – which promises to optimize the tone of your tube amp by letting you dictate the desired voltage – might just do the trick. A remarkably convenient sized gadget, too.
Donner's Hush-X travel/quiet practice guitar caused a surprisingly large stir when it first arrived – dropping the folding gimmicks for a simple headless bolt-on build that proved ultra portable, had a host of smart features, sounded superb and offered excellent value for money.
Now we have the Donner Hush-X Pro, which adds amp and guitar modeling, plus a suite of effects to the package – all on-board the guitar itself – and still keeps the price tag below $300.
Blackstar has teamed-up with Dead Daisies guitarist (plus, ya know, Whitesnake, Dio, Glenn Hughes...) and hard rock journeyman Doug Aldrich on his very own red special, the Blackstar DA100 – an “aggressive, ripping” tube amp with a nifty secret weapon...
The Tortex is just about everywhere – I mean, I can see three different variants scattered across my desk as I write this – but Dunlop has now announced a new grippy take on the tortoise, the Tortex X Flex, meaning less slip on your pick. Who knows, maybe it will even stop them flying out of your pocket every time you check your phone...
Ibanez has unveiled its signature line-up for the coming year. With Korn guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch back in the fold alongside his bandmate James ‘Munky’ Shaffer, it’s seen fit to reprise one of the first major seven-string builds, the K7 – though as the YIN and YANG model names imply, they both have individual spins on the concept.
Then there are new models for Josh Smith and Joe Satriani, and some lovely black finish options for both Lari Basilio and George Benson’s signatures.
Oh now this does look fun – DigiTech has announced the HammerOn pedal – a 7-in-1 pitch-shifting addition to the Whammy family that promises “hands-free, hammer-ons” to open up new playing frontiers – not least, with its ‘Impossible’ mode.
We're still recovering from the PRS 40th Anniversary party at the House of Blues last night. A cavalcade of PRS superstars including Orianthi, Herman Li and David Grissom performed, but it was this closing solo from John Mayer – accompanied by Mark Lettieri, who had already stunned with his own set – that stole the show.
On Friday, January 24, PRS Guitars celebrated its 40th anniversary in style with a who’s who of the brand’s loyal artists coming out in force to pay homage to the firm’s founder and all-round guitar genius, Paul Reed Smith.
One of these was none other than John Mayer, who joked, “You talk about PRS and some say, ‘They’re too nice.’ What’s too nice? You want that special vibe that only tuning every song can give you? You want bad intonation?!”
Apologies for any typos, but my hands are still shaking: we just visited the discreet Dumble showroom, and it was the single most surreal experience I’ve had on the job. We saw Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Dumble Special, the first ODS the amp legend built, Robben Ford’s own model, and more.
We also played through a brand-new Dumble amp, but more on that soon (I need to sit down for a bit first)…
Taylor has ushered in a new era of its storied acoustic guitar building legacy with the announcement of the Gold Label Collection. It introduces a new Super Auditorium body shape and fresh headstock design, and promises to deliver “ sound and visual aesthetic unlike anything Taylor has ever offered”. Up close, they look very dreamy indeed.
Well, I can finally tick this one off the bucket list. The incomparable Jacob Collier drew an absolutely mega crowd when he rocked up to demo his new signature guitar at the Strandberg booth, and the multi-instrumentalist was very kind to give us five minutes of his time to chat about tunings, techniques, dream guitar collaborators and his relationship with Strandberg. First Dumble, now this. What a day it's been already. I think I need a lie down.
We've already heaped praise on Eastman for its own efforts in designing fresh electric guitars, but we should also give a shout-out to Collings, whose all-new 71 M model is equally easy on the eye and another example of classic-yet-fresh guitar building done right. With the firm's first six-in-a-line headstock, the 71 M is a big release for Collings, and we can't wait to see where the firm will take this classy range in the future.
The Spring King has, ahem, sprung back to life in the form of the Spring King Junior – a fresh new take on the cult classic reverb pedal. Yes, it still has a real spring in it. Yes, you can still kick it to create wild and wonderful ’verb effects. Yes, we really want one.
ESP’s booth may have been closed to the public, but we were lucky enough to be given the full tour – and yes, the Japanese guitar co brought some of its astonishing Exhibition builds along for the ride. Our favorite? That marble-effect finish Viper. Stunning. And that floral hardware on the Eclipses? *chef’s kiss*
Dean’s Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein model has always offered the most pointy bits per dollar. But now a more affordable version, the Annihilator X, is arriving this year, priced at $599. Remarkably, it retains many of the model’s distinctively dangerous features, although we can confirm it’s surprisingly comfortable to sit down and play.
Mooer’s GS1000 has been the talk of the office since it was announced just ahead of the show. I/Mike had a chance to plug in for five minutes and run through some presets, and can attest to the quality of Mooer’s algorithms these days.
The touchscreen navigation wasn’t as intuitive as the Quad Cortex or Tone Master Pro, but at $519, maybe it doesn’t have to be.
Yvette Young conjured some absolute MOODS at the Walrus Audio booth as she gave us a guided tour of the Qi Etherealizer. Probably the most serene tones we heard all weekend.
Bare Knuckle dropped the Halcyon humbucker for Spiritbox djent-slinger Mike Stringer. Apparently, it’s the highest-output pickup the firm has ever produced – and as someone who has used and abused the brutal Black Hawk, I can confirm that’s quite an achievement.
We caught Vernon Reid, the man behind a thousand pedalboards, roaming the halls in search of fresh sounds, and thanked him for bringing attention to so many underrepresented players. This man is such a force for good in the guitar world. We’re lucky to have him.
Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez has started his own brand, Evil Instruments, produced under the watchful eye of Dunable. The Jackhammer brings Sanchez’s own custom model to the rest of the guitar world, and will be available in South Korean and USA-built tiers. We’re big, big fans of this.
Suhr has dropped a shorter-scale model – we’re talking 24.625” here – called the Oso. It’s a fresh outline for the firm and was drawing plenty of eyeballs at the show.
Last night’s PRS anniversary bash also played host to some incredible artefacts from the guitar firm’s history.
Most notable was this build from 1976, handmade for Peter Frampton, and the first Paul Reed Smith guitar to ever feature bird inlays.
The inlay material was hand-carved by Smith out of old piano keys, and the design was inspired by his mother’s love of birdwatching.
Ciari Guitars, the firm responsible for those insane folding builds, has launched a Steve Stevens signature model, the Ascender Premier. Kitted out in Josie Pink, with Stevens’ trademark ray gun accents (and Bare Knuckle Ray Gun pickups), it’s one of the most premium models we’ve seen yet from the company.
The combined forces of Quilter and Neunaber have borne fruit in a big way with the Elevate, the companies’ multi-effects powerhouse.
Simultaneously old-school and forward-thinking, it sounds killer, and will drop later this year at a price point that will compete with the big boys of modeling.
Jack White’s tech Dan Mancini showed us around the latest iteration of the Third Man mastermind’s Blue Sparkle Lowrider Telecaster – and this one is getting an official release, courtesy of the Fender Custom Shop.
Guitarist and YouTuber Maxxxwell Carlisle - AKA Guitar MAX – has teamed-up with Harley Benton for a budget-friendly signature model, the Guitar MAX Fusion. It’s a surprisingly versatile spec, with a flexible pickup combination (including coil-split option), plus a Floyd Rose 100 trem. It comes in a variety of finish options – and is priced at an attractive $435.
Appropriately, given their stealthy garb, Jackson has stealth-launched a trio of no-nonsense limited edition single-pickup models, with the Pure Metal range. It says they are “built for speed, equipped for domination” and each comes loaded with a Fishman Fluence pickup, meaning they’re more versatile than you might think...
This little box is bigger news than you might think – Fender has clearly been eyeing up the iRig when it comes to its new Link I/O interface – a studio-grade audio interface that can fit in your pocket.
It’s the latest move from the firm that, following its PreSonus acquisition in 2021, is aiming to be a one-stop shop for the home recording player. What’s more, at just under $80, it’s priced to compete...
As the Convention Center closes its doors and the outdoor stages are packed away, we bid farewell to dear old Anaheim. By all accounts, it's been a vintage NAMM – the best since 2020, some would argue – and it was packed with the most January gear releases we've seen in quite some time.
We'll be rounding up the hottest trends in gear this year and sharing demos and interviews from the showfloor in the coming days, but we are officially calling time on this here liveblog. Thanks for joining us on our journey. See you next year!
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