Barry Wood's NAMM Oddities 2011 Edition
Instruments
Scwooy Wabbit
Bunny Brunel has his own line of electric upright basses. I've been assured that no bunnies were harmed in the manufacturing of these basses.
- Brunel Music
- 24310 Moulton Parkway, Suite #0-178
- Laguna Woods, CA 92637
- (800) 300-0950
- www.bbelectricuprightbass.com
Nigel Needs One of These
The Celtic motif would fit in perfectly for a performance of Stonehenge. It may divert attention away from the dwarves trodding on the monument.
- Luna Guitars
- 4924 West Waters Ave.
- Tampa, FL 33634
- (813) 600-3920
- www.lunaguitars.com
All Harp Guitars, All The Time
I've seen harp guitars at NAMM made by guitar manufacturers but this is the first company I've seen that specialized in them.
- Holloway Harp Guitars
- (949) 338-9239
- www.hollowayharpguitars.com
Almost Normal
A 12-string, fanned-fret bass pretty well qualifies as "normal" for the Oddities.
- Prat Basses
- 4637 Yale Ave., NW
- Canton, OH, 44709
- (330) 605-6433
- www.pratbasses.com
Bang Your Head
Or maybe "bong your head?" These tuned Desk Bells were actually pretty fun to play, and not just from a "hitting things to that are just too cute" standpoint.
- Cora & Peter Kuo, Inc.
- P.O. Box 610 Taichung
- Taiwan, R.O.C.
- www.cpkinc.com
Burnin' Bass
Unique body shape? Check.
Interesting graphics? Check.
Include in NAMM Oddities? Check.
- CSG Guitars, LLC
- (972) 768-3198
- www.csgguitars.com
You've Been Very Naughty
OK, I know that the twine binding is part of the traditional gluing process for classical guitars, but I just had to take a picture because it looked like a guitar that was into bondage.
- Manuel Rodriguez and Sons, S. L.
- C/. Hortaleza, 26
- 28040 Madrid, Spain
- 34-1 531 75 84
- mrguitarras.es
Ukadelic
Third year in a row that Kala has made the Oddities. This time it's by way of a passel of gaudy ukes suitable for any lapse in fashion judgment.
- Kala Brand Music Co.
- P.O. Box 751149
- Petaluma, CA 94954
- (877) 853-3853
- www.kalaukulele.com
Peace, Pineapples & Paradise
Q: What could make a funky-cool plastic ukulele even cooler?
A: Its matching clear gig bag.
- Kiwaya Ukuleles
- 29624 18th Ave. South
- Federal Way, WA 98003
- (877) 454-9292
- www.kiwayaukuleles.com
Groove? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Groove
The busy beavers at Ragtime have been, well, busy since I first saw them at the 2003 NAMM Show
Lest you think this a mere novelty, these are the guys who worked with Pat Metheny to build his Orchestrion.
- Ragtime Automated Music
- 4218 Jessup Rd.
- Ceres, CA 95307
- (209) 613-2148
- www.ragtimewest.com
Cello Bass
This 5-string acoustic bass really isn't that odd but there was something about it that caught my eye. Catching my eye = showing up in the NAMM Oddities.
- Ken Bebensee Stringed Instruments
- 29085 Highway 49
- North San Juan, CA 95960
- (530) 292-0156
- www.kbguitars.com
How Low Can You Go?
The aptly-named "Quake" bass sports an ultra-beefy low G# string with a fundamental frequency of 8Hz. Strings courtesy of Circle K Strings
- Knuckle Guitar Works
- 4950 NE 194th Place
- Lake Forest Park WA 98155
- (206) 784-5104
- www.knuckleguitarworks.com
©2011 Barry Wood