NAMM 2025: And just like that, NAMM is over for another year. It seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye – it was a day shorter this time around, so that’s probably part of it – but, somewhat paradoxically, it seems that there’s even more to talk about.
Now we’ve recovered from our efforts to bring you the best independent coverage of the world’s biggest gear trade show, our key takeaways from NAMM 2025 are starting to take shape.
For starters, any doubts over the future of NAMM should well and truly be buried at this stage. Sure, the show might look a bit different, and yes, it probably won’t go back to its pre-pandemic format, but don’t let that distract you from one simple fact: NAMM 2025 was one for the history books.
It had almost everything. Fender, Gibson, Marshall, PRS and a number of other big brands made their long-awaited returns; the show experimented with a new format; the stars were out in full force; and we had more product drops than our brains can possibly process.
But what does all that mean for NAMM and the guitar industry at large? Well, read on for our breakdown of the 11 things we learned at this year’s show – and the gear trends you need to watch out for…
1. Indonesia is in
Indonesia has a long history of guitar manufacturing, but where it was once the preserve of budget lines and knock-off builds, the amount of mid-priced big banner releases being produced there is now unignorable.
From Fender’s surprise launch of an entire new $599 Standard line, complete with Acoustasonics, through to Ibanez’s new Korn signatures, and (last year’s NAMM hit) the Yamaha Pacifica Standard Plus, there has been a noticeable uptick in high-quality, branded builds coming out of the country right now.
The tech and ability has been there for a while, but what has changed is the faith put in these third-party facilities by heritage brands. First we had the rise of the premium offshore build post-Covid, which showed just what these factories are capable of – and now the idea is trickling down to the mid-price tier in a big way.
Those post-pandemic forces of component inflation and rising labor costs have played a significant part in this, and now firms are questioning their own norms – all in an effort to get good instruments to players at prices they can stomach, while still turning a profit.
Fender’s new Standard line is a real statement in that sense, particularly given that – like a large percentage of the models coming out of the country – these new Fender Standards are being produced by third-party mega-manufacturer PT-Cort. (MP)
2. Metal guitars are starting to look less metal
There was a time when you simply couldn’t brand a guitar ‘metal’ without giving it a Christopher Nolan Batmobile-black finish and a headstock sharp enough to double as a spear for hunting wild prey. But times they have a-changed, and metal guitars are taking influence from the guitar world at large.
The long-awaited – and from us, long-campaigned-for – return of the Jackson Surfcaster is exhibit A in the metal offset revolution. Affordable, suave and with high-performance specs, it’s a powerful show of intent for the brand, and a sign of things to come. ESP, too, has opted for a Jazzmaster-indebted shape for its latest XJ baritones. OK, there’s still a lot of black on the color palette, but the shapes are definitely surf-inspired.
There’s a bit of drama here, too: one of Jackson’s greatest offset proponents, Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer, has ended up signing with Aristides for his own offset signature guitar – complete with new signature Bare Knuckle Halcyon pickups – which will have come as a blow to the American firm.
Spare a thought, however, for the neck pickup, which appears to be very much out of vogue. ESP’s 2025 range features no fewer than 13 bridge pickup-only models, led by Mick Thomson’s first signature guitar for the firm. Jackson’s Pure Metal range also features a sole humbucker in the bridge.
It’s telling that many of these models feature Fishman Fluence pickups with switchable voices – these guitars are more versatile than their configuration might suggest. Could the arrival of next-gen electronics eventually spell the death of the neck pickup? We’ll wait and see… (MAB)
3. Solidbody guitar shapes are exciting again
It’s easy to come down with a strong sense of gear fatigue while browsing what’s available on the electric guitar market. Stratocaster spin-offs, Telecaster tributes, Les Paul clones… You’ve seen them all before.
Fortunately, we’re starting to see something of a shift. Guitar brands are beginning to favor innovation and experimentation over uninspiring repeats of the past, and it seems we’ve reached a point where players and firms alike are beginning to get restless with the stagnant solidbody market.
To that end, Eastman has been flying the flag for fresh design ideas. Its D’Ambrosio line from last year’s show was followed up this year by the FullerTone – another run of originally envisioned instruments that inject a bit of ‘new’ into a market otherwise obsessed with the past.
The FullerTones were not alone, either. Collings, another boutique brand, threw its hat in the ring with the 71 M, while Dean’s new Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Annihilator, Cream’s Voltage and Dunable’s Evil Instruments Jackhammer pushed the boat out even further with some of the most outrageous solidbody designs.
The point is, solidbody guitars are starting to feel exciting again. There will always be a place for classic models, but a bit of variety is a good thing – and it looks like plenty of variety is on the way. (MO)
4. Solid-state is back, baby
As drive pedals have become more amp-like in their dynamic response and gain structure, guitarists have become more open to the flexibility – not to mention light weight – of solid-state amps. But 2025 might be the year where players are openly seeking the kind of tones that would cause tube aficionados to choke on their caviar.
Case in point: the Peavey Decade, now back as the Joshua Homme Decade Too after a 2021 viral video in which the Queens of the Stone Age frontman badged it his “secret weapon”. Now, the jury’s out on whether it is indeed the source of his studio tone, but it didn’t stop the internet freaking out, causing Peavey to get in touch, and Homme to put his name to a new-and-improved edition.
Then there’s MXR’s take on the Rockman. Sure, it’s a pedal, but it perfectly captures the original headphone amp’s pristine cleans and charmingly boxy distortion, which found their way onto countless ’80s hits. It makes sense: those tones have come back around – it’s the kind of thing we could imagine Mk.Gee having a lot of fun with, for example.
Companies taking solid-state amps to new territories, too, of course. Orange’s entire NAMM 2025 guitar amp lineup was solid-state, debuting the new O Tone 40 combo and a trio of Baby heads. As tube supplies dwindle and the cost of maintaining amps goes up, transistor amps are becoming an increasingly attractive proposition, both practically and tonally. (MAB)
5. Tube builders have caught on to the Marshall mod game
The work of the pioneering, so-called ‘amp wizards’ of the ’70s and ’80s has gained increasing prominence in the last decade, as players and producers have sought to understand the modded-Marshall magic produced by once-unsung techs like Eddie Van Halen collaborator José Arredondo.
These tones were previously the preserve of those in-the-know – or at least those who had the phone number of a decent amp tech – but we’re now seeing a host of products that aim to bring them to a wider audience.
The most notable of these is the Marshall Modified series, which offers factory-modded on its classic 1959 and JCM800 builds – both of which come laced with classic mods (eg the Plexi Master Volume, or JCM800’s gain boost) that have been wired up in-house at the firm’s HQ in Bletchley, UK.
Then Dave Friedman recently announced he had the blessing of the Arredondo estate to launch “an end-all-be-all amplifier with his name on it”, packaging many of his pioneering high-gain mods into one circuit.
Even the fire-breathing circuit on Blackstar’s new Doug Aldrich head is essentially a hot-rodded Plexi – and sounds superb for it. (MP)
6. The amp modeling race has reached a tipping point
Neural DSP, Line 6, and Fractal have hogged the limelight in the amp modeling world, and though IK Multimedia and Fender have made the game more competitive in recent years, it’s historically been a rather exclusive game, played only by players who can afford high-end gear.
Budget amp modelers have never have they been taken that seriously, but now it looks as though there’s a serious ‘best of the rest’ contest going on, and it won’t be long before the pool of accepted amp modelers becomes much, much deeper.
Mooer’s GS1000 stands out in that regard. With premium capturing tech usually reserved for IK Multimedia and Neural DSP, as well as some truly noteworthy tones (GW’s EIC took one for a quick spin on the show floor this year and was impressed by what he heard), it looks like it has all the makings of what could be a popular all-in-one rig solution. Definitely one of the most notable releases of the show this year.
To further illustrate that point, the modeling market is getting wider, too. Headphone amps, for example, are increasingly becoming A Thing, as evidenced by Positive Grid’s upcoming Spark Neo. Donner’s Hush-X Pro travel guitar features guitar and amp modeling built-in, complete with third-party IR options.
There are new competitors emerging, too. Quilter and Neunaber showcased the first fruits of their combined labor since their merger in 2023. The newly developed Elevate has a retro vibe, but its modestly pitched price point and formidable array of amps and effects could make it a contender when it drops in May.
The amp modeling race has always been an interesting watch, no more so than in the last few years, but we have this sneaky suspicion that a new phase of play is about to begin. (MO)
7. The signature pedal market is only going to get bigger
Signature guitars can be divisive: they’re a great headline-grabber and an aspirational purchase for fans. But the more identifiable the design, the more likely it is to put off as many players as it turns on – and fill other guitarists’ heads with preconceptions about what you sound like before you even play a note.
Signature pedals, however, are a much safer bet. Since they’re on your pedalboard, they don’t define your sound in the same way a guitar does; they’re part of a wider sonic palette. And they’re a cheaper, more impulsive purchase for fans, too.
So perhaps it should come as no surprise that we saw so many artist-designed stompboxes this year – Yvette Young, Phil X, MonoNeon, Joe Satriani, Rex Brown, Mick Ronson and Taylor Swift bassist Amos Heller were all touting new own pedal releases.
Besides artist-approved tones, these custom designs are a good excuse for some radical aesthetic treatments, too – the space-age chrome of Joe Satriani’s Tonex Mini; the otherworldly graphics of Yvette Young’s Qi Etherealizer with Walrus Audio; the included stickers with MonoNeon’s fluorescent Whammy.
Gone are the days of nondescript boutique boxes. Long live the colorful pedalboard! (MAB)
8. NAMM has evolved – into the old NAMM
Before it even started, the talk of the show this year was the return of Fender and Gibson. However, anyone expecting a marketing blitz and show-stopping booth wars will have been disappointed. Both let the gear – and the trestle tables – do the talking.
Why? Well, NAMM was first established to build relationships with dealers and distributors, and that’s the value for most gear firms. Guitar-makers have YouTube now; they don’t need to use NAMM to reach the world. Instead, they want to talk to retailers and, perhaps, get them shaking hands with a star endorsee.
This year’s show felt like a real event, but at the same time it was notable just how many brands operated closed-door showcases and appointment-only previews. It made us wonder whether NAMM might resort to limiting public access once more. We suspect there’s a balance to be struck down the line there, either way.
This was also the year that the ‘massive product drop’ returned. Guitar World was on hand and in the office throughout to bring the most comprehensive independent coverage of NAMM out there, but even we were shocked by how much new gear news dropped over the last few days. Just take a look at our NAMM news hub this year – it’s a beast! (MP)
9. Collaboration, not confrontation, is the focus
There has been a marked shift in the way guitar companies interact in recent years. There’s (finally) an awareness that nobody uses one brand, one type of guitar… one anything. Artists endorsing multiple brands – Kirk Hammett being perhaps the most famous example – has become de rigueur.
But it’s emblematic of a wider sea change, and one we observed most keenly at NAMM this year. Company reps were keen to get out of the booths and check out new gear – and it didn’t matter who made it.
Jack White has really pushed that sense of collaboration with Third Man Hardware, which has worked with everyone from mass-market budget companies like Donner all the way to boutique builders like Coppersound. IK Multimedia marketed its new TONEX cab – a major undertaking for the firm – to users of all amp modelers, not just its own.
Strat poster boy Cory Wong, meanwhile, surprised everyone by designing a new guitar with Ernie Ball Music Man – but made it very clear that the dual-humbucker design serves a different purpose to his main squeeze. And Fender was OK with him branching out.
As he told us, “We’re at a point where the guitar is in a different place in the zeitgeist of general music where it’s like, ‘You know what? Maybe we can be a little more “community” together.’ Guitar companies, guitar players, I see less and less competition. If everybody finds their lane and finds their thing, I think they can coexist in a wonderful way.”
At this year’s show, there was an increasing awareness of how brands can work together in the wider ecosystem of guitar gear. As Wong points out, “Ernie Ball Music Man wants Fender to do well because they’re going to sell more strings!” (MAB)
10. Firms are reclaiming their legacy
Iconic gear will always inspire spin-offs, tributes and even replicas, but sometimes the gear that started it all is precisely what players want. The trouble is, it’s usually not readily available, and guitarists are left looking for the next best thing – or searching for an off-brand alternative – to satisfy their G.A.S.
This has two knock-on effects: players don’t get exactly what they’re after, and the brands that pioneered the gear have had to sit back while their competitors ride on their coattails.
This is most apparent in the case of Marshall – a firm so steeped in the history of amp modding, but yet is somehow entirely detached from it in a practical sense owing to the fact that it’s never addressed and acknowledged its heritage through product releases.
Instead, it has had to watch on while the likes of Friedman and other firms take the ‘modded Marshall’ blueprint and repackage them under their own banners.
That’s all changed now, though, because Marshall has spearheaded its amp comeback with the Modified Series – a range of amp heads that directly pay tribute to the company’s past by offering in-house mods for the first time ever. It’s a big move from the UK amp builder, leafing through the history book and taking back something that has historically been associated with it, but (if we’re being honest) it’s also long overdue.
Dumble is now being run by the ‘Dumble Preservation Society’, which will work to maintain the legacy of the Overdrive Special, while Peavey entered the preamp pedal game with stompbox recreations of its most famous amps, alongside its Josh Homme Decade Too.
Iconic brands are aware of what guitarists want from them, and that is cause for cheer. (MO)
11. NAMM can still thrive in 2025
There was one message that kept getting bandied around by all the company reps we spoke to: this was the best NAMM since 2020 – before Covid made us all question the very idea of trade shows. But where events like video game staple E3 may have shuttered permanently, NAMM has managed to make a triumphant return, against all the odds.
Music is a communal activity. And guitars are tactile, tangible. They’re tools to convey emotion. And in-person interaction is important to share that experience. For some of the larger companies – Fender, Gibson, PRS, ESP – there was a push to focus on the dealers, and closed-door meetings were the order of the day. Regardless, to have them back made a big difference to the scope and scale of the event.
And then there were the events around the show. This year’s gigs are destined for the NAMM hall of fame – PRS’ 40th anniversary lineup alone was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, with Orianthi, Herman Li, Mark Lettieri and John Mayer all paying homage to Paul Reed Smith’s history-making guitars, while the likes of Jack White, Tom Morello, Nita Strauss, Marty Friedman, Rob Trujillo, Alex Skolnick and countless others could be found performing in and around Anaheim across the weekend of the show.
Throw in the sheer volume of product releases and stars roaming and performing on the floor, and this felt like a vintage NAMM. It’s proof that, 123 years on from the first gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants, there’s still plenty of life in the guitar world’s biggest trade show. And long may it continue. (MAB)
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