Part I:

Part 2:

Wound on the historic Leesona machine that created humbuckers for Gibson back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the set features an Alnico 2 magnet in the neck pickup and Alnico 3 in the bridge. Period-correct butyrate bobbins, lightly antiqued nickel covers, wooden spacer, and retro-style “Bonamassa” P.A.F. stickers heighten the vintage vibe.

Only 1,959 Custom Shop sets will be sold. Each will be hand signed by Seymour Duncan and Joe Bonamassa and include a special USB flash drive with video interviews, special features, and more.

Here’s Joe talking about the pickups:

Let’s face it. You are the type who would happily crank up a full Ampeg SVT stack in your living room. Heck, who needs neighbors anyway? And noise violations are really just a badge of honor, right? For the rest of us, there is the Ampeg Micro-CL Stack, delivering 100 watts of pure Ampeg tone. It’s perfect for those just getting into Ampeg or for the seasoned bassist looking to practice in far flung locations like the master bathroom.

• Includes tough 2 x 10″ cab
• Stereo input / headphone out for silent practice
• Effects loop and direct out

Fender have introduced their first-ever floor-based effects unit, called the Mustang Floor:

The Mustang Floor is a user-friendly, versatile and high-performance floor unit that delivers professional caliber modeling and effects in a richly varied wealth of musical styles.

A natural offshoot of our Mustang series amplifiers (in essence, a Mustang amp without the power amp and speaker), the Mustang Floor is designed for a variety of applications, only one of which is a great multi-effects unit for any basic guitar amp that puts more than three dozen digital effects at your feet.

The Mustang Floor is also a modeling preamp with low-impedance speaker-emulated outputs for running direct to a PA system, a modeling preamp with line-level outputs for use with a power amp and speakers, a silent practice system with stereo headphone output and auxiliary input perfect for playing along with an iPod or other media player, and a fantastic tone machine for direct-to-digital USB recording.

Mustang Floor features include nine footswitches and a solid aluminum treadle-style control pedal, intuitive Mustang III control panel and LCD window, 12 amp models, 37 effects, 100 onboard factory and user presets, “individual stompbox” mode in which amp models can be bypassed, headphone output and auxiliary input, dual XLR and dual ¼” line outputs with level control (outputs can be programmed for optimal response with PA system, power amp or guitar amp), chromatic tuner, and easy USB connectivity for high-quality low-latency audio output and interface with free Fender FUSEÔ application.

The Fender FUSE software, included as a free download, offers on-screen parameter control, deep editing, “hidden” parameters, unlimited preset storage, easy firmware upgrades and additional free content from Fender, Fender artists and other users worldwide.

The Mustang Floor mates perfectly with the all-new EXP-1 Expression Pedal, an add-on accessory that also works great with Mustang III, IV, and V amplifiers. The EXP-1 Expression Pedal is a dynamic device that allows for increased control of volume and parameters such as the frequency of a wah effect, or the rate/time parameter of a modulation or delay effect.

Orange Amplification launches at Winter NAMM the Micro Terror – their smallest Terror ever! Building on the winning recipe of the rest of the popular Terror series, the Micro Terror retains the beautiful unpretentious design, delivering a classic Orange sound way bigger than it looks, with a size and weight making it the most portable Terror yet!

The Micro Terror has a single 12AX7 pre-amp tube with 20 watts RMS of solid-state output. It is powered via a 15 volt DC supplier (international PSU included), features auxiliary input for MP3 player or CD, and can be plugged into to any speaker cabinet with 4 ohm or greater impedance (even a 4 x 12) and you will be ready to rock.

With a high tensile steel case it is built to the same rugged specifications as the other members of the Terror family and is incredibly compact and highly portable. This is a true Orange Amp classic, with masses of vintage British character, clean crunch and full-on overdrive sounds.

Matching the new Micro Terror is the launch of the new PPC108 cab, ideal for building your own mini-terror stack and a perfect partner for the Micro Terror. The scaled down cab, is available to purchase separately and its 8”speaker delivers a punchy tone and sound that has to heard to be believed. Like all Orange speaker cabs it is built to last, with rugged construction and attractive styling Orange’s Tolex and basketweave grill cloth, complete with the legendary crest and badge.

Premier Guitar met with Marshall at the NAMM show to demo the new amps (which I think sound pretty good):

Taylor have expanded their GS Mini model this year by adding a new mahogany-topped model as an option. Here’s what Taylor says about the GS Mini series:

A marvel of scaled-down design, the GS Mini is a fun little acoustic cannon that has taken the world by storm. Sporting a rich, full voice that belies its compact size, the Mini is ultra-portable, yet just as comfortable to cradle in the comfort of your home, making it the ultimate modern-day parlor guitar. Featuring the Taylor NT® neck, the Mini comes with either a solid spruce or mahogany top. And with the easy-to-add ES-Go™ pickup and Taylor V-Cable™, you’ll have a viable performance tool, too.