NAMM 2016: live highlights gallery
Come on in...
NAMM 2016: The stands are up, the accreditation passes are in their lanyards, and the doughnuts/donuts have been delivered. Yes, we're all set for the 2016 Winter NAMM Show, which runs from 21 to 24 January and takes place in Anaheim, California.
If you're looking for a list of all our show articles in one place, head on over to the utterly comprehensive NAMM 2016 hub page.
This, as you probably know by now, is the event at which all the major players in the music making equipment industry unveil the new gear that you'll be playing with throughout the year.
It's a pretty big deal, in other words, and, this being the case, MusicRadar is there on the show floor, getting hands-on with the best guitar, tech, drum and DJ releases and telling you all about them.
You can browse our frequently-updated live gallery to find out exactly what the team's been up to, and use it as a gateway to other coverage elsewhere. If you're looking for a list of all our show articles in one place, head on over to the utterly comprehensive NAMM 2016 hub page.
For now, though, join us on a pictorial journey as we walk the halls of the Anaheim Convention Centre. There's no need to show your badge to security - just come on in…
ROLI Seaboard RISE 49
The new larger version of ROLI's Seaboard RISE controller is almost twice as long as the 25-note model, as you can see here.
Billy Sheehan
What does it feel like to come face to face with an almost life size picture of yourself at a trade show? We couldn't tell you, but Billy Sheehan could. He's at NAMM to promote the EBS Signature Drive Deluxe bass drive pedal that bears his name.
Blackstar Fly 3 Union Flag Cream Limited Edition
This might be a US event, but amp manufacturer Blackstar is almost literally flying the flag for the UK with this limited edition version of its popular Fly 3 mini amplifier.
Peavey 6505 Piranha micro head
There's something fishy going on at the Peavey stand. By which we mean that the 6505 Piranha micro amp head is on display.
Music Repeater Telecaster
Of all the things we were expecting to see at NAMM 2016, a diamond-encrusted Telecaster with a music box inside wasn't one of them. And yet, here it is.
660 Guitars
We just can't decide what to focus on when we look at this 'character' on the 660 Guitars stand. Should it be the impressive facial hair, the Samantha Fox T-Shirt or the outlandish axe?
Strymon Zuma power supply
Can FX pedal power supplies ever be sexy? Maybe not, but Strymon's new low-noise units are certainly pretty desirable.
Earthquaker Devices Avalanche Run
The first pedal to be built on Earthquaker Devices' new high-powered DSP platform is this reverb/delay unit. You can find out much more about the Avalanche Run and 7 other Earthquaker Devices, um, devices here.
Billy Corgan
Celebrity signing sessions are a familiar part of NAMM - here's Billy Corgan putting pen to someone's paper. He's at the show promoting the new Reverend Billy Corgan Signature guitar.
You can find shots and details ofReverend's Billy Corgan Signature electric here.
Moog stand
We're not quite sure what's going on at the Moog stand, but we think we like it.
James Valentine
More celeb spotting - here's James Valentine from Maroon 5 on the Ernie Ball stand.
Dave Smith Instruments OB-6
Sure to be one of the synth stars of the show, we've been getting our hands on Dave Smith and Tom Oberheim's new OB-6.
Fender stand highlights
As well as the brilliantly unobtainable and occasionally unhinged offerings on its Custom Shop stand, Fender has plenty of brilliant production guitars on display at NAMM. Here we pick out the best of the guitars on display.
Arturia MatrixBrute
Another synth that Everyone's Talking About, the MatrixBrute looks like a labour of love for Arturia, and possibly an object of desire for everyone else.
Vox Nutube
Vox is talking up its Nutube technology, which promises “the same rich harmonics as conventional vacuum tubes” but in a compact size and with low power consumption.
Orange 'O' Edition headphones
"Wouldn't it be great if Orange made headphones?" you've been thinking. Well, now it is.
Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators
Teenage Engineering has produced another three portable synths from its pocket, and we're definitely pleased to see them. The PO-20 arcade, PO-24 office and PO-28 robot all have a retro vibe, and bring the number of instruments in TE's Pocket Operator range to six.
Vox Starstream
Vox's Starstream guitars are likely to divide opinion, but whatever your take on them, you can't say that they're not distinctive.
Teenage Engineering OP-Z
A portable instrument that does audio and video synthesis? Only Teenage Engineering could come up with that one.
Roland Boss Waza Amp on camera for the first time
Building on the company's Tube Logic design, as seen in the Blues Cube series, Roland has unveiled a whole new amp, the Boss Waza Amp, as well as the Blues Cube Hot, a new twist on the Blues Cube formula.
We stopped by the Roland stand for a run through and demo of the Waza.
Orange 10th Anniversary Tiny 'Shiny' Terror
Orange's Tiny Terror is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and to celebrate, the company has released this limited edition 'Shiny' version. Get your order in quick if you want one, though, as only 110 are being made.
Charvel Pro Mod So-Cals
Want to stand out on stage? If you go with one of Charvel's Pro Mod So-Cal electrics - which have HH Seymour Duncan pickup configurations and neon finishes - you'll do that and then some.
Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield signatures and much, much more at the ESP stand
The ESP and ESP Custom Shop display is always a NAMM highlight and this year's certainly doesn't disappoint, with new James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett signatures rubbing shoulders with typically creative one-offs galore.
Digitech TRIO+ and Looking Glass video
Just two months after its original TRIO Band Creator scooped the MIA/MusicRadar Innovation of the Year award, Digitech have launched a new improved version, TRIO+, alongside a brand-new overdrive, the formidable Looking Glass.
10 from Dunlop
Venerable Californian pedal house Dunlop has brought a slew of new pedals to Anaheim.
Most obviously notable are a new official Petrucci signature Cry Baby and an Overrated Special Overdrive designed for Joe Bonamassa, but there are plenty of other Dunlop goodies on offer.
Korg Volca FM: hands-on
The Minilogue polysynth and new Nano controllers might be the hi-tech headliners on Korg's 2016 NAMM stand, but nestled unceremoniously amongst the tables of demo gear, the Japanese brand had another exciting - and entirely unexpected - surprise for us.
