Summer NAMM 2021 Preview

Summer NAMM is back! Here’s a look at some of the many products being shown by Yamaha at the annual Nashville event.

DGX-670 Portable Grand Digital Piano

The DGX-670 Portable Grand digital piano is ideal for beginners and accomplished pianists alike. It has an 88-note weighted keyboard with a graded action that gives the low keys a heavier response and the high keys a lighter response … just as in an acoustic piano.

It’s got great sounds, too, including high-quality samples of the flagship Yamaha 9-foot CFX concert grand piano, as well as over 600 other Voices, including non-keyboard instruments and drums, plus 250 accompaniment Styles. There’s a microphone input with high-quality effects that allows the player to sing along and record their performances directly to a thumb drive, and Bluetooth compatibility enables wireless streaming of the player’s favorite music to the keyboard’s onboard dual speaker system, making practice easy and fun.

Weighing in at less than 50 pounds and offering a streamlined workflow via a full-color touchscreen and dedicated backlit buttons, the DGX-670 is perfect for live performance, but it’s also a great home keyboard. The optional L-300 stand enables an LP-1 three-pedal unit to be added, providing a playing experience similar to that of an acoustic piano.

DTX6 Series Electronic Drum Kits

DTX6 Series electronic drum kits are ideal for quiet practice at home, as well as for live performance and recording. They provide a perfect balance of high-end audio with great feel and great flexibility … plus they’re super user-friendly and fun to play.

There are three models to choose from: the DTX6K-X, DTX6K2-X and DTX6K3-X. All come equipped with a kick drum pad and a TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone) snare drum pad, along with tom and multi-zone cymbal pads, as well as an all-new DTX-PRO module loaded with hundreds of Yamaha drum sounds recorded in professional studios around the world.

The layout of the DTX-PRO is so simple and straightforward, even newcomers to electronic drums will find it easy to understand right away. For example, a unique Kit Modifier offers immediate access to three essential elements of sculpting drum sounds — room ambience, dynamics and effects — simply by turning dedicated knobs. DTX6 Series electronic drum kits provide drummers with great sound and great feel … and without the loud volume levels that come from playing an acoustic drum set.

THR30II Series Desktop Amps

With the introduction of the original series of THR amps some 10 years ago, Yamaha was the originator of the desktop amplifier category. The upgraded THRII Series offered numerous advancements, and the THR30IIA, specifically designed for the acoustic guitar, is the latest addition to the line.

Since an acoustic player doesn’t need amplifier models, the THR30IIA provides mic modeling and preset EQ curves instead, all on a single dial for easy tone shaping. In addition, there are dedicated bass, midrange and treble knobs, along with a three-position stereo imager for control over sound dispersion width. The THR30IIA also comes with every kind of effect an acoustic guitarist needs for practice and performance, including chorus, delay and chorus/delay combinations, plus short and long reverbs.

A second combo XLR input — complete with its own volume, gain and reverb controls — allows you to connect a microphone (or a second instrument), making the THR30IIA the perfect singer/songwriter amplifier system. There’s also Bluetooth support, USB connectivity and footswitch control, as well as an onboard tuner, a stereo headphone output and a dedicated Aux input for playing music from a phone or tablet. The THR30IIA even has a built-in wireless receiver, which, when used with an optional Line 6^® Relay^® G10T transmitter, allows for a fully cable-free experience.

New GigMaker Packaging

The Yamaha GigMaker guitar starter kit product line incorporates everything the beginner needs to start playing immediately. At Summer NAMM, new packaging will be unveiled, giving the products even more eye appeal.

There are four varieties available:

• GigMaker Standard includes a Yamaha F325 steel-string acoustic guitar, available in two different finishes.
• GigMaker Deluxe includes a premium solid-top steel-string acoustic guitar for superior tone and projection.
• GigMaker Classic includes a classical nylon-string acoustic guitar.
• GigMaker Electric includes an electric guitar (available in four different colors), a dual-channel 15-watt practice amp and a connecting cable.

New Pacifica Color Variations

Originally developed in partnership with our Los Angeles custom shop way back in 1990, Yamaha Pacifica electric guitars have a long and storied history and continue to be a popular choice for both entry-level and advanced players. At Summer NAMM, two new colors will be featured: Fired Red (shown above) and Teal Green Metallic (shown below).

Both models feature Seymour Duncan Custom 5 TB-14 and SSL-1 pickups, Graph Tech TUSQ nut and string trees, Grover locking tuners, a Wilkinson VS50 vibrato bridge, an alder body, a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, an H/S/S pickup configuration with 5-position selector, and a push-pull coil-split switch for additional tonal options. Additionally, the Fired Red PAC612VIIFMX model has a flame maple veneer top.

SLG200S SILENT Guitar™

Yamaha SILENT Guitars allow guitarists to play whenever and wherever inspiration strikes, making them ideal for practice, travel and performing. Although the instruments themselves are ultra-quiet acoustically, their Studio Response Technology (SRT) powered preamp system delivers natural-sounding acoustic tone through headphones or the line output. Onboard studio-quality effects further enhance the playing experience, plus there’s a line input that allows jamming along to backing tracks, as well as a detachable wooden frame that facilitates easy transport. There’s also a built-in tuner, and a durable gig bag is included.

The SLG200S steel-string model on display at Summer NAMM comes in a Crimson Red Burst finish (shown above), which adds a bold look to an already modern aesthetic.

SA2200 Electric Guitar

Long a favorite of jazz guitarists, the Yamaha SA2200 semi-hollow body double-cutaway electric guitar combines classic design with outstanding craftsmanship, premium materials and player-focused features. Its laminated sycamore body has a soft maple center block, paired to a mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard. Other amenities include Yamaha/Alnico V humbucking pickups, Gotoh SG30 tuning machines, a Gotoh GE103B bridge, a Gotoh GE101Z tailpiece and the choice of violin or brown finishes.

TRBX605FM Bass

Yamaha TRBX Series basses are renowned for their comfort, power and road-ready durability. The TRBX605FM five-string model shown above provides the same tone and modern look as its four-string cousin, the TRBX604FM, but the added low-B string packs extra punch when extended low-end is needed.

The TRBX605FM offers alder/maple body construction with a flamed maple top, married to a maple/mahogany neck with a slim 1 11/16″ nut width that makes it easy to get around the fretboard in every playing position. Its slightly narrower string spacing (as compared to the TRBX604FM) offers outstanding playability for slap or finger style techniques, and a high-mass die-cast bridge efficiently transfers string vibrations to the body for a full, rich sound. For extra tone shaping, there’s an onboard 3-band active EQ with an active/passive preamp, complete with a battery alert LED that warns the player when it’s time to change batteries.

Here are some pictures from this year’s Summer NAMM — and remember, if you can’t make the show in person, you can always catch the highlights here!

For more information about these and other great Yamaha music products, click here.