GUITARS, AMPS & ACCESSORIES
point that’s easily within reach. The two Fullertone models, the SC‘52 and DC‘62, fuse old-world craftsmanship and modular versatility, featuring a Fullertone two-bolt, long-tenon neck design that delivers more tone, sustain and stability. Thanks to a col- laboration with pickup builder ToneRider, both models deliver pure tone while main- taining warmth and projection. “With these guitars we have managed to break through various barriers without cutting any corners,” said Pepijn ‘t Hart, Eastman’s director of fretted instruments. “Again, everything is top notch. This [line] is for everyone, we feel.” AN INDUSTRY UNITED The 2025 NAMM Show marked the first post-pandemic meeting where some of the biggest guitar brands — including Mar- shall, Fender and PRS — had a presence and the first year that Orange Amps had exhibited in its “regularly sized” booth. “As I reflect on NAMM 2025, my overall feeling is that this show really
had a collective sense of strength and positivity,” said Sarah Yule, managing director of Orange Amps. “It’s been an unpredictable period over the last five years. However, it seems to have built a new layer of resilience and determina- tion across the MI business. At Orange’s NAMM booth, we were overwhelmed by the level of traffic and interest we received at the show. Our new Baby range created a lot of excitement, and I’m proud to have joined the Orange family at such an exciting time.” Stalwart NAMM supporters, like Kala Brand Music Co. and Martin Guitar, also reported strong booth traffic, as well as quality discussions with business partners throughout the three days of exhibits. “The 2025 NAMM Show was a great show for us — our booth was busy all three days, and we had the opportunity to showcase some exciting new models while reconnecting with key partners from around the world,” said Chris Martin, Martin Guitar executive chairman. “I’ve watched the landscape of
musical instrument trade shows evolve over the years. There was a time when they were held all over the world, but eventually, it came down to NAMM, [Musikmesse] Frankfurt, and later, Music China. I miss the Frankfurt show — it had a unique energy — but today, NAMM is still the place to be if you’re serious about the music products industry.” Dave Cafiero, Kala’s COO, echoed simi- lar sentiments — especially in regard to booth traffic. “NAMM is always a big deal for us at Kala, so we put significant investment and care into our booth, and seeing it packed again this year was super encouraging and confirms why we do this,” Cafiero said. “Ev- eryone was excited about our 2025 ukulele and U-BASS models, but the buzz and atten- tion around our new 20th anniversary and Light Tone ukuleles was undeniable. After a few quiet years, it’s great to see dealers, distributors and artists coming back to the show in full force. Every year, it feels like more people are rediscovering NAMM, but this year was very apparent.” MI
44 I MUSIC INC. I APRIL 2025
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