Welcome to NAMM 2011! Yes, the biggest gear show on earth has opened its doors to a jetlagged and excited industry once again and MusicRadar is, as they say, 'all over it'.
On the guitar and bass frontline, we've already been spoilt rotten with a deluge of releases from the likes of Fender, Vox, ESP, and Orange; and tech heads certainly won't be disappointed - it's hardware heaven out there. Scroll down to see what we mean.
As for drums, it's all about new technology - digital modelling cymbal, anyone?
As usual, you can find all of our up-to-the-minute coverage in one place courtesy of MusicRadar's ultimate NAMM 2011 guide, or scroll down for day one's top picks…
NAMM 2011 guitar and bass highlights
Fender Custom Shop guitars and basses in pictures
New Time Machine, Pro, Custom Deluxe and Limited models
Vox Series 22 solid body electric guitars revealed
Affordable double-cutaway SDC-22 models
Squier introduces new Vintage Modified Instruments
Jaguar HH, Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass hit Anaheim
Marshall YJM100 Yngwie Malmsteen signature head unleashed
Swedish shredder gets a 100-watt amp head
ESP unveils Metallica's Hetfield and Hammett signature guitars
Snakebyte, ESP KH-2 SE and LTD KH-SE announced
DigiTech launches TH-150 tube head, Classic-15 and Fusion modelling combos
DigiTech's first foray into guitar and bass amplification
Fender launches American Special Jazz and Precision basses
Two new US-built models heading to Anaheim
Orange Amps launches TH100 amp head
TH30 gets a 100-watt big brother
Vox launches Dynamic Looper pedal
Loop pedal processor announced in Anaheim
The Kemper Profiling Amplifier explained on video
Christoph Kemper shows off "a groundbreaking concept"
NAMM 2011 tech highlights
Korg Kronos workstation unveiled
Nine sound engines in one keyboard
Avid releases M-Audio Venom virtual analogue synth
Also an audio/MIDI interface
Nord unveils Stage 2
Mixing premier piano, organ and synth technology
Arturia announces Spark drum machine
Uses synthesis and samples to create its 480 instruments
Akai SynthStation49 iPad MIDI controller unveiled
Dedicated keyboard for Apple's tablet
New Fairlight CMI-30A goes back to the '80s
Remarkable prototype of sampling synth unveiled
Focusrite RedNet brings pro audio networking to your DAW
System based on Dante networking technology
Universal Audio unveils UAD-2 Satellite Duo and Quad FireWire DSP accelerators
FireWire 800/400 supported
Next page: NAMM 2011 drum highlights
NAMM 2011 drum highlights
Zildjian unveils Gen16 AE (Acoustic Electric) Cymbal
Digital modelling in a cymbal
Mapex unleashes Black Panther drum kits
Popular snare line gets full set treatment
Mapex launches Raptor direct drive bass drum pedal
Follow up to the Falcon heading to Anaheim
Paiste announces return of Formula 602 cymbals
Popular 1959 series makes a comeback
Gibraltar previews Turning Point drum hardware
Innovative cymbal stands do away with wing nuts
Gretsch collaborates with Mark Schulman on 2011 signature snares
Drums available in 12x6" and 13x6" sizes
“I think we're about to have a big resurgence now in kids picking up guitars, and I think we've got the Gallagher brothers to thank for it”: Should we be hopeful about the future of guitar music?
“I’ve always wondered why there isn’t more support in this industry - not just for the artists, or the band, but for the crew, the people working their asses off from 7 in the morning to 2 in the morning": Backline demand mental health action
“I think we're about to have a big resurgence now in kids picking up guitars, and I think we've got the Gallagher brothers to thank for it”: Should we be hopeful about the future of guitar music?
“I’ve always wondered why there isn’t more support in this industry - not just for the artists, or the band, but for the crew, the people working their asses off from 7 in the morning to 2 in the morning": Backline demand mental health action
