Gear lovers: it’s that time of the year! The NAMM Show, the music retail industry’s largest gathering, kicks off on April 13 with three days chock-full of the hottest releases in pro audio gear! Sweetwater will be on the ground during the entire event, talking to vendors and artists about the most exciting product launches and emerging technology!
But wait! Before NAMM opens its doors to the public, we’re offering a sneak peak of what you can expect from top vendors. We’re ready to spill the tea on a few of the rumored releases slated to drop at the Anaheim Convention Center in California next week. Check out our rundown of some seriously awesome products unveiling at NAMM 2023, and make sure to sign up below to receive regular updates on newly confirmed releases — delivered right to your email!
NAMM Rumors Confirmed by Manufacturer
Squier
Squier has sunsetted its highly popular Bullet Series of affordable guitars and basses. But don’t fret! They’ve replaced it with an even more value-packed line of incredible instruments with the all-new Squier Sonic Series! Featuring some of Fender’s most celebrated body shapes, a slew of knockout finishes, and modern appointments, Squier Sonic guitars and basses are the perfect choice for your first instrument or to round out your collection with some seriously gig-worthy offerings!
Gibson
This year, Gibson is continuing to pay tribute to its rich history of iconic guitars with new models based on old favorites. Les Paul lovers will be excited to see two distinct eras of LPs represented in Gibson’s 2023 lineup: a gorgeous Tobacco Burst Standard ’50s solidbody electric guitar packed with P-90s and a stadium-rocking Red Wine Deluxe ’70s electric guitar. And if you’re a Kirk Hammett fan, then the Gibson Custom Shop has something special for you: a signature Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V solidbody electric guitar decked out in piano-black ebony. A production model of the Kirk Hammett “Greeny” Les Paul Standard electric guitar in a Greeny Burst finish is also being released!
Walrus Audio
Boutique pedal builder Walrus Audio is delivering a full line of affordable pedalboard essentials with the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series. Aimed at guitarists who want great tone without too much tweaking, the Fundamental Series stompboxes feature stripped-down interfaces but with full-bore sound. These pedals are great for filling in gaps on your pedalboard or building a full rig of bread-and-butter effects!
Blackstar
Blackstar continues to dominate the floorboards with their AMPED floorboard guitar amplifier pedals. Right on the heels of their highly regarded Dept. 10 AMPED 2 100-watt guitar amplifier pedal, Blackstar is launching the AMPED 3. Another 100-watter, the Dept. 10 AMPED 3 guitar amplifier pedal also offers three distinct power amp responses but adds an additional channel, so you can go from clean to crunch to overdrive instantly!
Peterson
Peterson makes some of the most accurate tuners around. They’ve earned a place on many a pedalboard with their incredible StroboStomp HD pedal tuner. But what if you need a compact tuner to fit on an overstuffed rig? Well, Peterson has you covered with the StroboStomp Mini pedal tuner! This pint-sized tuner boasts the same accuracy as its big brother, and it features 80 of Peterson’s sweetened tunings. Score!
SJC Custom Drums
SJC Custom Drums has dubbed 2023 the year of metal! Or, at least, we have on their behalf. This NAMM season, the cutting-edge drum maker is releasing a trio of epic metal snares, including two hand-hammered models in copper and brass and an absolutely striking brushed bell brass snare with a unique 7-inch depth!
Neumann
To our surprise and delight, Neumann has joined the ranks of audio interface manufacturers. And boy, are they coming in hot! The Neumann MT 48 dropped pre-NAMM, but we know the show’s going to be abuzz with talk about this premium 4-in/8-out USB-C audio interface. It should be no surprise that Neumann equipped this travel-sized interface with a host of pro-level features, including two immaculate preamps, onboard DSP effects, and class-leading AD/DA conversion.
SPL
There’s more gear for studio rats — this time from SPL! The pro audio company has refreshed their renowned Crescendo preamp, aptly named for its impossible-to-distort dynamic range. The SPL Crescendo 8 microphone preamp boasts eight channels of stellar preamplification housed in a sleek 2U chassis. If you’re looking for crystalline clarity for your hi-fi recording project, then the SPL Crescendo 8 is a knockout option.
QSC
Industry-leading loudspeaker manufacturer QSC is unveiling a new (ahem!) line of line-array speakers at this year’s NAMM Show. The L Class loudspeakers combine time-tested speaker-building best practices with vanguard digital technology to take your touring rig’s or venue’s sonics to new heights! Ideal for small to medium installations, portable applications, and rental companies, QSC L Class speakers are certain to be fixtures during the upcoming touring season!
Grace Design
Grace Design is supporting live musicians with the release of two new pedals aimed at vocalists and singer/songwriters. The Grace Design REX is a stompbox mic preamp with an onboard boost and integrated send and return for running your vocals through your favorite effects. The Grace Design ROXi preamp pedal adds a combo jack, so you can use it for vocals or instruments. Our advice: pair the REX and the ROXi for a one-two punch of incredible onstage sound!
Selmer Paris
Following the success of the 92 Supreme professional alto saxophone, Selmer Paris is releasing the much anticipated 94 Tenor Supreme saxophone! The byproduct of 12 years of meticulous development, the 94 Supreme Tenor is a marriage of high-tech design and traditional craftsmanship, with a rich voice that can navigate everything from old-school jazz to modern pop.
Sonor
Drummers: time to get excited! Sonor is launching its Kompressor series of value-packed snare drums! With eight new drums covering a range of materials, the Kompressor Series has something for everyone! And at these prices, you can afford to mix and match snares to give yourself access to new tones and colors — all while enjoying Sonor’s top-notch manufacturing!
EarthQuaker Devices
The pedal wizards at EarthQuaker Devices are launching an all-new, three-in-one modulation pedal based on an influential vintage chorus unit. The EarthQuaker Devices Aurelius tri-voice chorus pedal relies on the latest technology to serve up a king’s ransom of woozy chorus, vibrato, and rotary sounds. And it even features six preset slots for instant recall of your favorite settings!
Martin
Martin is serving up something special for bass players this NAMM season: the 000CJR-10E and Martin D Jr-10E acoustic-electric bass guitars. These short-scale beauties are easy to play, have incredible tone, and come well under $1,000! Looking for something with four strings that’s even smaller? Check out Martin’s new ukuleles.
Taylor
Acoustic guitar manufacturers face a diminishing supply of premium tonewoods. What’s Taylor‘s solution? Updating their manufacturing processes to make the most out of every piece of wood. The Taylor 814ce Builder’s Edition acoustic-electric guitar is a perfect case study. Its top is made from four pieces of seamlessly joined old-growth Adirondack spruce to retain the wood’s gorgeous appearance and lively tone.
Shure
Shure is making high-quality wireless microphones accessible for everyone. The Shure BLX288/SM58 dual-channel wireless handheld microphone system is a great solution for small venues. It provides a wireless receiver and two SM58 wireless handheld mics at a value-packed price point!
Apogee
Apogee, a leader in the audio-interface industry, is dropping a pocket-sized audio interface at this year’s NAMM — the Apogee Jam X USB instrument interface. Designed with guitarists in mind, the Jam X features a built-in analog amp circuit and compressor for killer tones on the go! But you don’t need to be a 6-string slinger to enjoy the Jam X — it’s also a great travel interface for keyboardists and bass players.
Universal Audio
Universal Audio is adding three new pedals to their awesome UAFX line of stompboxes. First up is a delay and reverb mash-up, the Del-Verb Ambience Companion. Next is the Galaxy ’74 tape echo and reverb pedal, a spot-on emulation of a legendary tape delay. Third in line is the Max preamp and dual-compressor pedal, which gives guitarists access to a studio-quality signal chain comprised of UA-610 tube pre, a FET 1176 compressor, and an LA-2A OPTO compressor.
Electro-Harmonix & JHS
For anyone familiar with JHS founder Josh Scott, they know that he’s an Electro-Harmonix superfan. That’s why we’re hyped to see these two pedal powerhouses team up for an epic collab: the Electro-Harmonix x JHS Lizard Queen octave fuzz pedal. The idea behind the Lizard Queen is an exercise in historical fiction: What if EHX had released an octave-up version of the Big Muff Pi back in the ’70s? Josh created a fully realized version of the pedal with artist Daniel Danger, and now it’s hitting the shelves as a production model from EHX.
EVH
EVH is expanding its MIJ (Made in Japan) Series for 2023 with the EVH MIJ Series Signature Wolfgang. The MIJ Series Signature Wolfgang is a guitar made for high-performance playing and immaculate tone, built to Eddie Van Halen’s personal specifications by EVH’s highly skilled Japanese luthiers.
Check Back for More Confirmed Rumors!
As NAMM approaches, Sweetwater will you keep you updated on the latest confirmed rumors. From now until April 13, check back in with us or sign up to be on our email list for updates delivered right to your inbox. Questions? Call one of our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700. And make sure to join us on the Sweetwater YouTube channel for first looks at the hottest NAMM releases!