News From NAMM 2017

Click here to view our full NAMM 2017 schedule of Q&A sessions, performances and signings.

Sunday – 2:00pm

Tim of Evanescence and Kyle of Beware of Darkness came by the booth to show off their affinity for Ernie Ball Slinky strings.

Sunday – 1:00pm

Mike Dawes took the stage soon after to share his take on acoustic virtuosity, including an impressive cover of “Somebody That I Used To Know.”

Sunday – 11:00pm

Percussive acoustic guitar Don Alder performed on the stage here in our booth, wowing the crowd with his unique stylings.

Sunday – 10:00pm

We are honored to have been awarded “Best In Show” at Winter NAMM 2017 for our new Paradigm electric and acoustic guitar strings. This launch has been exciting for us, and it’s fantastic to see the positive sentiment from the guitar playing public and the industry in general.

 

Saturday – 5:30pm

The day closed out with a performance from 7-string shredder Jason Richardson, followed by Jason and Of Mice & Men guitarist Phil Manansala signing autographs for fans.

Saturday – 4:30pm

The Cult guitarist Billy Duffy joined us to sign autographs as well as provide some sense of humor and general positivity, including being an influence to some members of the next generation of guitarists.

Saturday – 3:30pm

Paul Gilbert made an appearance in the afternoon, capping off a day filled with some of the most respected virtuoso guitarists on the planet spending time here at our booth.

Saturday – 1:00pm

Our biggest signing event of this year’s NAMM show took place today, featuring Ernie Ball artists Steve Vai, Tony MacAlpine and Chris Broderick. The crowd was in a near-frenzy to get even a glimpse of these three incredible players together in one place. In fact, fans began lining up more than two hours early, and the line wrapped all the way around our very large booth. Vai stopped at one point to take a photo alongside Ernie Ball Music Man artists John Petrucci, Steve Lukather and CEO Sterling Ball, and the crowd in the booth went wild.

Saturday – 12:00pm

Rex Brown and Shavo Odadjian visited the signing table in our booth for a great turnout of excited fans. Rex also took a few moments to check out the Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass guitar in the new HSS configuration.

Saturday – 11:30am

Ilan Rubin (Angels & Airwaves, Nine Inch Nails, The New Regime) and Butch Walker came through the booth for some photos and a signing session, during which Butch took a moment to catch up with Sterling Ball for a bit.

Saturday – 10:30am

Day Three of Winter NAMM 2017 kicked off with a visit from Jesse Keeler of Death From Above 1979 and MSTRKRFT, who signed autographs and spoke about his Ernie Ball Regular Slinky bass strings.

Friday – 3:00pm

Dustin Kensrue and Teppei Teranishi, guitarists for Thrice, had quite a turnout for their autograph signing session.

Dustin Kensrue and Teppei Teranishi play Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinky strings.

Friday – 3:00pm

Andy McKee returned for a repeat performance of his percussive, fingerstyle fretwork, followed by an autograph session.

Andy McKee plays Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze acoustic guitar strings.

Friday – 1:00pm

Young gun Daniel Donato hit the stage in our booth to perform with legendary guitarist and fellow Ernie Ball Music Man artist Albert Lee.

Daniel Donato plays Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings.

Friday – 12:00pm

Guitarist Jeff Loomis joined us in the booth to sign autographs for his fans.

Jeff Loomis plays Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky strings.

Friday – 11:00am

Guitarists Josh Carter of Phantogram, Bobb Bruno of Best Coast and Eli Maiman of Walk The Moon came by the booth to kick off NAMM day two with a triple-team signing session.

Josh Carter plays Regular Slinky strings, Bobb Bruno plays Skinny Top Heavy Bottom M-Steel strings, and Eli Maiman plays Regular Slinky Cobalt strings.

Thursday – 4:45pm

Jason Richardson took the stage for a second time today, wowing the crowd with his seven-string acrobatics. Afterward, he signed autographs and took photos with his fans.

Jason Richardson plays Ernie Ball Regular and Power M-Steel electric guitar strings.

Thursday – 4:00pm

After a Q&A session with Sterling Ball, during which the new 30th Anniversary StingRay 5 bass was unveiled, King Crimson bassist Tony Levin hit our signing table.

Tony Levin plays Ernie Ball Super Slinky bass strings.

Thursday – 2:30pm

Andy McKee performed a fantastic second set, followed by an autograph session.

Andy McKee plays Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze acoustic guitar strings.

Thursday – 1:00pm

Albert Lee and Daniel Donato huddle up to plan their upcoming set.

The jam is impressive to watch, as the two trade licks back and forth effortlessly.

Following the jam, Albert and Daniel sign autographs for a line of eager fans.

Albert Lee and Daniel Donato play Ernie Ball Regular Slinky electric guitar strings.

Thursday – 11:15am

Ernie Ball artist and percussive fingerstyle acoustic guitarist Andy McKee played an excellent set on the stage in our booth.

Andy McKee plays Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze acoustic guitar strings.

Thursday – 10:45am

We’re here in booth #5440 at the 2017 NAMM Show, and it’s already been an eventful few hours of Day One. We officially launched our brand new Paradigm electric and acoustic strings – the strongest guitar strings known to man. We even asked our friends John Petrucci and Kenny Wayne Shepherd to try and break a string, and they couldn’t. Watch both of their attempts below.

Paradigm will be available for pre-order on March 1. Head to our website to learn more and sign up for updates.