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NAMM Show 2026 – Pre-opening Day Report

Here's a sneak preview report ahead of the official opening of the 2026 NAMM show. I'm rushing to post this before I fall asleep with my nose on my computer! See you tomorrow for the real start. NAMM 2026 - Wednesday Report Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre

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NAMM 2026, Here I Come Again
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NAMM 2026, Here I Come Again

That's right! A new California campaign is taking shape to cover the NAMM Show from January 22 to 24, 2026. This will be my 11th trip to this trade show. Time is flying by at breakneck speed. Why return to NAMM in 2026 The NAMM Show remains THE major event for the entire musical instrument

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Angel City Guitars Los Angeles, Visit & Interview
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Angel City Guitars Los Angeles, Visit & Interview

It was during one of my trips to California for NAMM that I discovered Angel City Guitars (angelcityguitars.com) in Los Angeles in the Woodland Hills area. Here's a tour of the store and an interview with Olai, the owner. This beautiful establishment carries only high-end and boutique instruments, with a clear focus on European manufacturers. 

2025 Puteaux Guitar Show: a Guitar Show that Sells
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2025 Puteaux Guitar Show: a Guitar Show that Sells

As for the editions of the previous years of the Puteaux Guitar Festival, The Guitar Channel realized a satisfaction survey with the exhibitors of the luthiers show that I was organizing for the sixth time. To my knowledge, the Puteaux guitar show is the only one to conduct a satisfaction survey at each edition and

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Puteaux Guitar Festival 2025 - Sunday
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Puteaux Guitar Festival 2025 – Sunday

It was a splendid day this Sunday for the final day at the Puteaux Guitar Festival (Festival Guitare de Puteaux), with the second part of the demo concerts, which are always popular with visitors and will be available here afterwards. Sunday report in Puteaux Photo album Until the next interview or gear review, keep on

Puteaux Guitar Festival 2025 - Saturday
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Puteaux Guitar Festival 2025 – Saturday

It was a splendid day this Saturday at the Puteaux Guitar Festival (Festival Guitare de Puteaux), with the start of the demo concerts, which are always popular with visitors and will be available here afterwards. Saturday report in Puteaux Photo album Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.

Festival Guitare de Puteaux 2025 - Friday
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Puteaux Guitar Festival 2025 – Friday

It's time for the sixth edition of the Puteaux Guitar Festival (Festival Guitare de Puteaux), for which I have had the pleasure of organizing the guitar show and demo concerts since the event's inception. Here is today's report. Friday report in Puteaux Photo album Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the

Guitar Summit 2025 - Day 3
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Guitar Summit 2025 – Sunday

The 2025 Guitar Summit ended on a high note with a busy Sunday featuring three interviews and plenty of off-camera encounters and discussions. Interviews of the day: Guitar Summit 2025 - Sunday Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Guitar SummitGuitar Show Reports

Guitar Summit 2025 - Day 2
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Guitar Summit 2025 – Saturday

A superb, busy day on Saturday at the 2025 Guitar Summit. Lots of people in the aisles from 11:00 onwards and no fewer than five interviews to boot. Interviews of the day: Guitar Summit 2025 - Saturday Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Guitar SummitGuitar

Guitar Summit 2025 - Day 1
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Guitar Summit 2025 – Friday

Here is the report from the first day of the 2025 Guitar Summit. Despite arriving three hours late due to a train problem on the way to Mannheim, it was a busy day! Guitar Summit - Friday Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Guitar SummitGuitar

Exhibitors at the 2025 Puteaux Guitar Show Organized by La Chaîne Guitare

This is the list of exhibitors at the 6th edition of the luthiers' show organized by La Chaîne Guitare for the Festival Guitare de Puteaux from October 10 to 12, 2025. Some thirty craftsmen from France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Romania and the United States will be there to present their instruments, pickups and guitar gear!

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The Puteaux Guitar Festival will hold its 6th edition at the Jean-Baptiste Lully music academy in the city of Puteaux (right next to Paris, France) from Friday 10h to Sunday 12th October 2025. A great program of concerts is the heart of the festival as well as the guitar show. The fifth previous editions were

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Guitar Show Italy in Bologna - Report & Interviews

The Guitar Show Italy, previously held in Padova next to Venice, has now moved to Bologna, where it was held for the first time for this 2025 edition of the Italian show. Here's the full report and interviews of the day. Of particular note was a meeting with Phil Palmer, who has played with Eric

MIGS 2025 - Day 2 Report
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MIGS 2025 – Day 2 Report

The second day of the Montreux International Guitar Show is a big day. Big crowds and lots of great music. Here's today's report and interviews. Interviews of the day 03/05/25 MIGS Report Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:MIGS ArchivesGuitar Show Reports

MIGS 2025 - Day 1 Report
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MIGS 2025 – Day 1 Report

The 4th edition of the Montreux International Guitar Show opened on an almost summery day in terms of weather. The venue is as magical as ever, and the show as friendly as ever. Here is today's report. 02/05/25 MIGS Report Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For

Wood Wire Volts event report in Anaheim
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Wood Wire Volts event report in Anaheim

During this 2025 edition of NAMM, there was another show a few miles from the Convention Center on Thursday and Friday: Wood Wire Volts (woodwirevolts.com). Here's an on-site report that will give you an idea of the atmosphere, and probably make you want to go next time. 2025 Wood Wire Volts report Photo album Curtis

Amigo Costa Mesa Guitar Show 2025 Report & Interviews
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Amigo Costa Mesa Guitar Show 2025 Report & Interviews

Parallel to NAMM was the Amigo Costa Mesa Guitar Show, 15 minutes from Anaheim. As NAMM ended on Saturday, I had plenty of time to spend my Sunday there to see some fine Vintage instruments. Here's the report to see the magnificent guitars on display and watch the interview with show organizer Larry Briggs and

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NAMM 2025 Day 3 – Interviews & Video Report

The third and final day of NAMM 2025 was definitely a vintage one. It's as if taking place over 3 days instead of the traditional 4 had boosted the allotted time, which makes sense since we're condensing everything. Another very large crowd, probably even denser than yesterday! Interviews of the day: Reports: Pre-Opening / Day

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NAMM 2025 Day 1 - Interviews & Video Report
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NAMM 2025 Day 1 – Interviews & Video Report

The first official day of NAMM got off to a great start with no fewer than 9 interviews! This gives us more than 1 hour of video to find out everything interesting that happened today on The Guitar Channel's radar. One thing's for sure: NAMM is far from over as an event just based on

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NAMM 2025 - Pre-opening Day Report
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NAMM 2025 – Pre-opening Day Report

Having arrived in Anaheim in the afternoon, I was able to get a sneak preview of NAMM while some exhibitors were still setting up. It's a great way to get a taste of what's to come before the show even opens. Reports: Pre-Opening / Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 NAMM 2025 -

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Puteaux Guitar Festival and Its Luthier Guitar Show : Octobre 10th to 12th 2025

As announced last October in this article, the Puteaux Guitar Festival will hold its 6th edition in 2025. It will take place from Friday October 10 to Sunday October 12, 2025! Festival Guitare de PuteauxOctober 10th - 12th 2025Jean-Baptiste Lully Music Conservatory 5 Rue Francis de Pressensé, 92800 Puteaux As in previous editions, The Guitar

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NAMM Show 2025

In 2025, the NAMM Show will be held at the end of January, with a new duration of 3 days instead of 4. It will take place from January 23 to 25, and The Guitar Chanel will be on site for its tenth Californian campaign! Why Going to the NAMM NAMM is THE major event

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Puteaux Guitar Festival, see you in 2025!
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Puteaux Guitar Festival, see you in 2025!

The Puteaux Guitar Festival (culture.puteaux.fr), which has had 5 editions (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023), will be back next year in 2025. The town of Puteaux has decided to take a break in 2024, but the will is there to perpetuate this guitar event, which has taken its place in the French guitar landscape.

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Spinal Vibe Blue Cat Audio : a Leslie inspired modulation plugin

My good friend Guillaume Jeulin's French pro audio software company Blue Cat Audio (bluecataudio.com) is about to release a plugin called Spinal Vibe. The original DNA comes from the venerable Leslie cab, but thanks to the power of digital, Guillaume has turned it into a modulation effect offering enormous possibilities. Spinal Vibe will be released

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The Guitar Channel Gear Reviews: now accessible to all but always independent

The Guitar Channel is the Netflix of guitar, only better. I say it all the time, but it's still true in 2024! To explain the phrase if I had to: it's Netflix because you have to be a paying subscriber to access the exclusive content, it's better because the subscription also allows you to benefit

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Guitar Summit 2024: Report & Interviews – Day 3

The Guitar Summit is Europe's biggest guitar show. It takes place in Mannheim, Germany, and features the very best in guitar gear, as well as a rich program of concerts, masterclasses and demos. Here's the report from the third day, Sunday October 28, 2024. Interviews of the day Report and interviews for Sunday Until the

Guitar Summit 2024: Report & Interviews - Day 2
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Guitar Summit 2024: Report & Interviews – Day 2

The Guitar Summit is Europe's biggest guitar show. It takes place in Mannheim, Germany, and features the very best in guitar gear, as well as a rich program of concerts, masterclasses and demos. Here's the report from the second day, Saturday October 28, 2024. Interviews of the day Report and interviews for Saturday Until the

Guitar Summit 2024: Report & Interviews - Day 1
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Guitar Summit 2024: Report & Interviews – Day 1

The Guitar Summit is Europe's biggest guitar show. It takes place in Mannheim, Germany, and features the very best in guitar gear, as well as a rich program of concerts, masterclasses and demos. Here's the report from the first day, Friday October 27, 2024. Interviews of the day: Report and interviews for Friday Until the

Wicked Game - Slide guitar work session
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Wicked Game – Slide guitar work session

As I often repeat that recording yourself is a very powerful tool for progress, I'm preaching by example with this video. In it, I play the theme from Chris Isaak's Wicked Game on slide guitar. For this session, I first recorded the arpeggio and then improvised over it on the bottleneck. Wicked Game on Slide

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Freedom Custom Guitar Research, a boutique guitar builder from Tokyo - Workshop visit

After visiting his showroom, I'd like to take you on a tour of the large Freedom Custom Guitar Research (fcgrtokyo.com) workshop, also located in Tokyo. Our guide is Makoto Fukano, the brand's founder and master luthier. Finally, it's reassuring to see that guitars are made in much the same way all over the world. That's