NAMM 2025: 10 take-aways from the world's most important music show

Big names returned to the annual National Association of Music Merchants Show in 2025, bringing with them a plethora of musical products from the old school to the futuristic. Companies like Boss, Marshall, Gibson and Fender all made a showing, indicating that the post-pandemic lean period is finally over.

This time round, there were more performance-orientated products than ever before, from stage pianos and a clutch of effects pedals to a trio of innovative takes on the traditional guitar (in addition to the Verso Sine, which was also at the show). Read on to discover ten highlights from 2025.

1. Korg handytraxx turntables

Korg revealed a quartet of portable turntables at the show, ostensibly aimed at the DJ community. In addition to being a straightforward device for scratching with a smooth fader, the handytraxx turntables also have built in effects (a delay and three filters), along with an onboard looper.

The tube model adds speakers to the mix, while the tube J includes a hi-fidelity Clipper MM Cartridge from JICO. Finally, there’s the handytraxx 1 bit model which connects directly to a computer via USB for ripping vinyl to digital files or simply cherry-picking samples.

Korg handytraxx range starts with the play (£359), tube (£699), tube J (£1,099) and 1bit (£919), Korg.com

2. Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer

The Qi is a device for sonic experimentation, dubbed an ‘Etherealizer’ by the American manufacturer. This special Yvette Young signature edition comes with the blessing (and style) of the California guitarist and artist. Featuring a host of effects, including chorus, reverb and delay, the binding ingredient is a granular sampler, which chops up the input audio, processes it and scatters it across the playback to create a glittering, shifting soundtrack.

Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer Yvette Young Signature Ambient Pedal, £449, WalrusAudio.com, @WalrusAudioEffects

3. Polyend Step

Polyend make fine standalone electronic instruments like the Tracker and Tracker Mini. At NAMM, they showed off a new direction in the form of the Polyend Step pedal, a compact foot-operated and fully programmable drum machine designed as both practice tool and support for a solo artist. Minimal product design meets an equally refined interface, helping access the many onboard sounds and flexible editing functions.

Polyend Step, £419, Polyend.com, @MadeinPolyend, Andertons.co.uk

4. Mooer GS1000

Chinese effects specialists Mooer have cornered the market in affordable multi-functional pedal units in recent years. At NAMM, the company launched the GS1000, a sophisticated floor unit that also contains a profiler – a way of digitally sampling and reproducing any kind of guitar tone without the need to haul around the original equipment.

A touch screen allows easy adjustments to the many, many parameters, for the 350 effects and onboard drum machine, while the 1000-Li model comes with an integral lithium battery to minimise cables.

Mooer GS1000, £399, GS1000-Li, MooerAudio.com, Andertons.co.uk

5. Boss VG-800 Guitar Processor

The longstanding leaders in the world of guitar effects, Boss expanded their arsenal of guitar synthesizers with the new VG-800 Guitar Processor. Used in conjunction with the GK-5 pick-up, the VG-800 will transform a regular electric guitar into a veritable music store of alternative choices, including seamless emulation of the bass, acoustic guitar or even a banjo. The pedal also supports a number of alternate tunings.

Boss VG-800, £599, Boss.info, Andertons.co.uk

6. AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ Wireless

Danish audio brand AIAIAI debuted their TMA-2 DJ Wireless headphones at NAMM. Wireless is all very well in the world of music streaming, but when it comes to recording, synching and beat-matching, any additional latency makes conventional cans unusable.

AIAIAI’s innovation is their own W+ Link wireless transmitter, which reduces latency down to under 10ms, with a range of up to 10 metres. Conventional Bluetooth and wired options are also available when the 25-hour battery life isn’t enough.

AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ Wireless, €300, AIAIAI.audio, @AIAIAI.audio

7. Korg Kronos

The Kronos is Korg’s flagship workstation, a heavy-duty stage keyboard that combines a number of different functions alongside conventional synthesis and sequencing. This new version of the model (first introduced in 2011) has no less than nine different sound engines, including ultra-high-fidelity pianos, organs and strings, together with onboard 16-track recording. It’ll be available in three sizes, with 61, 73 and 88 keys.

Korg Kronos 61, £2,649, Korg.com

8. Circle Guitar

Also making its NAMM debut was the Circle Guitar, a radical transformation of the standard six-string into a computer-controller sequencer. The body contains an embedded motorized wheel that holds up to 16 removable picks; as the wheel rotates, strings are plucked.

Combine this with the ability to pre-program the speed and rhythm of the wheel, and suddenly the instrument can create sequences of notes that are beyond human abilities. Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien is just one of the guitarists delving into the possibilities.

Circle Guitar, CircleInstruments.com, @CircleInstruments

9. Lite Jam Guitar

More of a teaching tool than a performance instrument, the Lite Jam Guitar comes complete with LEDs embedded within the entire fretboard – the first time full spectrum LEDs have been incorporated into a guitar.

Developed by a British company, the Lite Jam is used in conjunction with an app that connects to the guitar via Bluetooth, transmitting chord shapes and fingering positions to the fretboard. A scale mode will illuminate all the notes in a given scale, perfect for improvising and breaking out of existing boxes.

LiteJam.com, @LiteJamGuitar

10. Fender Acoustasonic Standard

Finally, a new, more affordable version of Fender’s ground-breaking acoustic-electric hybrid guitar, the Acoustasonic, was launched. Although the Acoustasonic Standard loses a fair amount of the sonic breadth available in the original Acoustasonic range, there’s a dedicated new pick-up design that retains that unique mix of electric and acoustic sounds. It’s taken a stylistic step forward as well with the addition of a new black finish.

Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster, £549, Fender.com