NAMM 2016: JHS reveals line-up

John Hornby Skewes (JHS) has a number of announcements lined up for this week’s NAMM show, including new lines from its Fret-King and Vintage brands. 

Having secured distribution in North America through Texas-based RBI Music back in June of last year, Fret-King, Vintage and Encore guitar brands will all be on show in Hall B Booth 5279, along with Paul Tebbut designed Pilgrim Folk Instruments range, including the brand new Morning Star series with ‘tubaphone style’ tonerings.

Fret-King will see the addition of the the new Black Label ‘JJ’ John Jorgensen Signature model, designed by Trev Wilkinson in conjunction with the former Hellecasters and session supremo. It will join the ranks of Fret-King Signature models alongside former band mate Jerry Donahue (pictured), jazz supremo John Etheridge, Queensryche’s Parker Lundgren, former Michael Jackson guitarist Gregg Wright, Procul Harum’s Geoff Whitehorn and UK blues guitarists Danny Bryant and John Verity.   

There will also be a select number of one-off Fret-King guitars pre-fitted with the Fishman Fluence pickup systems on display and ready to try.

The Vintage range has eight new models, including its very first seven-string, the V7HTBB; an homage to the ‘80s rock guitars with the V624M  and the V72, V6P and V6H models which are an upgrade to some classic designs.

Vintage has also had the Dreadnought V501 acoustic and VEC501 electro-acoustic models upgraded to include Graph  Tech NuBone saddles, solid Sitka Spruce or Mahogany tops and Fishman Sonicore underside pickup and Isys+ USB onboard preamps on the electro-acoustic models.

Another addition to the growing range of Vintage Paul Brett designed acoustic guitars is the VTR800PB-USB Viator travel guitar with Fishman Sonitone USB pickup.

Finally the JHS/RBI Music booth will feature daily demo’s at 12 noon and 4pm from guitarist Jerry Donahue with his Fret-King ‘JDD’ guitar and at 2pm from German guitar virtuoso Thomas Blug demoing his Vintage V6MRTBG and V6MRHDX models through his  AMP1.

There will be other new launches from Fishman, Supro Amplification, Pigtronix, Danelectro, Hughes & Kettner, Snark and HK Audio.