Hotter Than A Summer Day in Nashville

Five Killer Accessories from Summer NAMM 2016

Summer NAMM 2016 in Nashville, Tenn., maybe the “smaller” of the two NAMM shows, but it packs no less a punch.  In fact, this writer would wager that lots of exhibitors and attendees alike enjoy the slightly more laid-back feel of Summer NAMM.  It was my second time tagging along with TTK, and I had a ball being among a smorgasbord of hot new gear and the awesome people that bring it to life once again.

Reviewing our notes over some really awesome brick oven pizza (though it could’ve easily been cooked on the parking lot asphalt), TTK and I both reflected on some of the really cool accessories that we saw in our travels.  Below are the top five accessories we here at TheToneKing.com believe you should put on your shopping list.

Morley Guitar and Bass Strings

In addition to meeting Ray Burton, father of Cliff Burton, the massively influential metal bassist that was taken from us way too soon, we also got to check out Morley’s new line of guitar and bass strings.  Hand wound in the good ol’ U.S. of A., Morley strings are available for acoustic, electric, and bass guitar and come in an extensive range of gauges.  I’ve been enjoying the set that I picked up at the show; the quality of the construction and materials are evident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7syqeJCunQU

DR Veritas Acoustic Strings

This writer’s first extensive hands-on exposure to DR Strings came as a result of last year’s Summer NAMM extravaganza , and now I always have some sets of DR Blues pure nickel strings on hand.  This year DR introduced what they’re calling a new category of guitar string: the DR Veritas acoustic guitar strings.  Despite lacking any sort of coating or treatment, DR Veritas acoustic guitar strings sets boasts four times more playing life than any other string out there.  The Veritas concept centers around a well-protected, consistent, and durable core wire, which translates into better performance and tone over time.

BUY at Sweetwater

The String Cleaner

Yup, we had a slew of cool string discoveries at Summer NAMM 2016, and another cool one is the perfect answer for those of us that love the feel of fresh or freshly cleaned string.  The String Cleaner is about the size of a credit card and uses micro fiber cleaning pads to clean the entire surface of your strings, not just the top.  Just open it up like a book, slide it under your strings, secure the latches, and run it gently up and down the length of the strings.  You don’t even need to add cleaner; a drop of liquid soap and some water every couple of months keeps the cleaning pads ready to rock.

GRUV GEAR Club and Stadium Cases

Equipment cases and bags seem a bit mundane, but a tough, well put-together case is truly a joy for any musician on the go.  GRUV GEAR Club and Stadium bags are a compact, efficient, and road-ready way to keep all of the odds and ends musicians need easily at hand and organized.  In fact, these cases are so cool that they can easily pull double duty make your non-musical traveling life easier as well, especially if your traveling with things like laptops or other delicate equipment that needs superior protection.

Stomplight

Sometimes no matter how good the tones are, you need that little something extra to elevate the vibe.  The Stomplight is a rock show lighting rig that can be attached even to a modest sized pedalboard.  There’s tons of cool color, brightness, and response control here, letting players fine-tune and customize their presentations easily and on the fly.  The Stomplight would definitely be right at home in the Tone Lounge…hint hint, TTK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztdOfxCqqqo

In addition to these five cool accessories, we should also give a friendly mention to many long-term friends of TheToneKing.com that we got to see and hang out with including the pedal power professionals at Voodoo Lab, Amplified Parts (our favorite place to go tube shopping), and ModKits DIY, whose amp and pedal kits we’ve been assembling and digging for a long time now.

So, dear readers, out of our top five, what products have earned a place on your esteemed shopping list? Let us know in the comments!

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