NAMM 2016: Bigsbys, two-point trems, Floyd Roses… every vibrato system has its own quirks, but a new solution promises perfect tuning, simple installation and accurate pitch bends on any electric or acoustic guitar: enter Virtual Jeff from up-and-coming Australian guitar tech company, FOMOfx.
Virtual Jeff offers digital pitch control of analogue guitar signals - ie, anything with a pickup - delivering the familiar feel of a whammy bar but doing away with the associated mechanical difficulties: revolutionary stuff.
FOMOfx reckons installation of the Virtual Jeff whammy system takes "30 seconds" via a pair of included mounts - no drilling or routing is required, and the device is easily swappable between electric, acoustic and bass guitars.
A separate processing unit allows players to assign pitch presets from one semitone to two octaves down (or one semitone to one octave up), and offers footswitchable modes, while the device runs from a standard nine-volt power supply and offers true bypass switching.
We're not yet clear on what the processor looks like or how it connects to the whammy system, and no prices have been announced yet, but rest assured, we'll be divebombing our way over to FOMOfx's stand at NAMM.
