NAMM Show 2023: A Duran Duran bass and Ukrainian guitar among instruments on display

The NAMM Show, running from Thursday, April 13 through Saturday, April 15, returned to the Anaheim Convention Center with its annual preview day on Thursday. A limited group of vendors gathered outside the main exhibit hall to demonstrate their latest products, including several tech and gear innovations this weekend.

The NAMM (originally National Association of Music Merchants) convention has been held in Anaheim since 1978 and draws more than 115,000 registrants from over 130 countries each year. Much like other in-person events disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the  convention opted for a virtual event in 2021. 

Last year it returned with a scaled-down hybrid show, allowing a limited number of guests to attend in person while offering live stream and on-demand options. The convention plans to come back with its usual mid-January dates and at full capacity in 2024. Still, this year continues to bring big brand names such as Yamaha, which had a booth that displayed its new releases of acoustic guitar models, the FG9 R and FG 9 M.

“Since the 1960s, FG has been in the market in the United States,” said Michael Garant, marketing manager for guitars at Yamaha. “This takes all our 50 years of learning and building and then talking to players about how they feel about its sound, playability and how it accompanies their voice.”

Yamaha experimented with the designs, which resulted in two FG9 models, the FG9 R with a rosewood back and the FG9 M with a mahogany back. The FG9 R retails for $6,780, and the FG9 M at $6,620.

Another booth by Dingwall Guitars showcased Duran Duran‘s bass player John Taylor’s signature bass inspired by the band’s “Rio” album. The sleek bass design incorporates the colors of the album and a symbol that resembles an eye found on the album’s cover on the bottom right. The symbol is embedded into the bass guitar’s neck.

“The story behind it, unofficially, was, this is an icon that someone found in the catacombs below Jerusalem,” said Sheldon Dingwall, founder of Dingwall Guitars. “Somehow, it ended up on their album, so John wanted it on the guitar.”

Duran Duran fans and bass players alike will have to wait to get their hands on the model. Dingwall said that only 82 models of the signature bass retailing at $2,830 were made, and they sold out today after their release, but more production versions are slated to be released this summer.

Other interesting finds at the media preview included a 3D-printed violin by 3Dvarius, which specialize in designing electric violins and cellos. Another eye-catching design was a guitar inspired by Ukraine and its fight against Russia.

The guitar, named Voila, was created by the Ukrainian guitar company Universum Guitars and the Swedish company True Temperament. It incorporates colors of the Ukrainian flag and other cultural symbols, such as the style of Ukrainian embroidery and a blooming periwinkle, which is believed to be a symbol of love in the country. The guitar will be sold in an upcoming auction which will benefit Ukrainian efforts in the war.

“It’s more important than a guitar, said Ruslan Radtchenko, a presenter of the Voila guitar. “It’s a symbol of national unity, which is so important in these days when (Ukraine) fights for freedom.”

The convention is usually a weeklong industry engagement exclusive to badge-holders, often including classes, live performances, seminars and workshops. Some of the more prominent talking points for this weekend’s programming include diversity and inclusion, social media skills, branding, and sustainability.

The NAMM Show will also feature a massive marketplace, which serves as a hub where some of the top brands and buyers come together to shop and look at the latest in musical products, recording technology, sound and lighting and more.

Musicians will be performing live throughout the convention. This weekend’s lineup features 150 artists, including Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea, Khalil Nash and the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West’s The Commanders Jazz Ensemble.

A series of awards shows and celebrations, including She Rocks, an award ceremony that honors women in the music and audio industry, are slated for this weekend. In addition, this year, the NAMM Show is hosting the Hip-Hop 50 celebration, which will host a curated slate of sessions and events throughout the conference that pays tribute to the genre and its impact on culture, music, and music-making products. Chuck D, the leader and founder of the rap group Public Enemy, will be honored with NAMM’s Impact Music & Culture Award on Thursday, April 13.