NAMM at the Anaheim Convention Center

Still going through lots of pictures and video from NAMM. I am also working on the redesign for Amateurchemist.com. Here is a little bit more from NAMM that caught my eye.

I have always been intrigued by Diezel amps ever since Lollapolloza 1997 when I saw Adam Jones from Tool playing thru a VH4S amp head. I made it a point to stop by the booth and have a chat with the Diezel crew. They were showcasing all four amp heads (Einstein, VH4, VH4S(stereo), and the Herbert). To try and describe the tone that eminates from these heads comes as an exercise in futility. You have to hear these amps in a closed sound room with your favorite guitar plugged in. These amps are unforgiving. The quality of your guitar becomes very apparent when plugged in to a Diezel. One interesting factoid I learned is that Adam Jones was the first customer in the United States to buy a Diezel. Luckily enough, Tone Merchants down in Orange, California sell these beauties so go over and try one out.
Another small history lesson for my readers. Dave Smith authored MIDI(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and was the creator of the Prophet 5(a legendary keyboard) when he was running the Sequential Circuits company. Dave has recent creations in the Poly Evolver and the Evolver. The latest teaser was the preview of the Boomchik. This is a collaboration with Roger Linn (father of the MPC 60) as a combination of an analog/digital drum machine. No information was made available about the Boomchik except for the fact that they had reservations about even debuting the poster.

At the Big City Music space, I bumped into Eric Barbour of Metasonix. He was debuting the Metasonix TM-7. The TM-7 is an amazing guitar preamp consisting of 3 vacuum tubes with a feedback loop rendering the preamp unstable. One of the tubes is a 6AK5 used in military radios used as a preamp paired with another 6AK5 for a drive control. The other culprit is a 6BN6 tube that was used in FM radios and provides a push-pull guitar amp overly saturated sound. I need to add this to my arsenal of music gear...ASAP. Check out the demonstration video above.
One of the first reviews from us here at the chemist was The Hold Steady at the Detroit Bar. Since then their stock has risen to the point of corporate sponsorship. Tad Kubler is shown endorsing the new Epiphone Blues Custom amp. It is a class a or ab amp with lady luck eminence speakers. I can not help but root for the guys of The Hold Steady. Good Job Tad!


The people from E-Mu systems had to be some of the sharpest dressed at NAMM with their blue Addidas track jackets with the E-Mu logo. They brought out an old E-Mu modular system and were demonstrating the E-Mu Platinum series. Also take note of my helpful advice during the video.