Re: LA Amp and Guitar Show 10-6/7-2012
Usually, I go with my camera and spend an hour taking pics. Unfortunately, I didn't do that this year, and opted to just check stuff out. I didn't want to create an Iceman thread with no pics. I've been sick since that weekend too.
Stand out gear.....
www.fixpedalboards.com There was a metal fabricator from Lancaster, Ca. who's got a new business of making pedalboards. He makes them out of aircraft aluminum,
powder coated in many cool colors (not reflected by his new website). He was selling more product than any other vendor, both because his product was modern and beautiful, but also because he was selling them for $125 including a soft carrying case.
I came close to buying one, but opted to wait until I can have one made exactly to my dimensions and specs. Fix pedalboards made the biggest impression on me out of everything. There's so few truly cool boards at normal prices, and this guy's business is going to take off IMO.
The retail will be $200 street.
Friedman amps remain my favorite modded Marshall type amps with Voodoo Amps pretty high up there too. Great British tones coming from Friedman and Voodoo. Oh yeah, David Bray amps too. All 3 really great 'super-Marshalls.'
Suhr had some great guitars, amps, and pedals. I love the Shiba Drive pedal. I asked them what they thought of Joyo copying their designs, and they aren't pleased but said "we're selling Suhr products just fine because good players know quality.
Bogner finally had their new pedal line ready to demo. Good pedals cost money, so even at $300 they'll sell plenty of them. They look and sound great. And of course all the new Bogner amps, which you can see on the updated
www.bogneramplification.com site. I'm biased though. Bogner is my favorite amp company.
My two favorite new pedal companies are Earthquaker Devices and Pigtronix. I wish I'd showed up with a big budget. I would have come home with a few like the Earthquaker Organizer and Rainbow Machine. Also the Pigtronix Echolution.
I saw Frank Falbo at the Wampler booth, and wanted to try some out, but some annoying guys were in there making noise and hogging the demo board. I talked to Frank about some of the other things he's working on, which we can't really talk about yet.......cough, acoustics, cough. I've been sick since the day I was there!
I also liked the retro stuff like Satellite amps, Electroplex, Evil Robot, Tonic, and Club.
The truth is that just about all the handmade amps there sounded great. After awhile your ears start to get fatigued from all the cranked amps and they all blend together. haha
Big thanks to Xotic for the free 1ft angled patch cable I needed, and also the T Shirts I managed to scoop up from Suhr, Wampler, and Fix Pedalboards. That's all I wore this week!
