Is NAMM 2026 Still Worth It? | The Real Cost vs. Real Value

Is NAMM 2026 Still Worth It? The Real Cost vs. Real Value. Is the NAMM Show still the best way to take the pulse of the guitar industry — or has the cost finally outweighed the value? Upgrade your guitar with ThroBak Pickups 👉 https://www.throbak.com/Along the way, things get weird, informative, and very guitar-centric — just the way we like it.🍩 Intro — Cinnamon Rolls & Nitrile GlovesWe kick things off with a fan-supplied box of cinnamon rolls. To protect the guitars (and maybe our dignity), nitrile gloves are deployed. A lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek start before diving into serious guitar talk.📬 The ThroBak MailboxA viewer writes in with an unexpected benefit of the podcast: learning blues phrasing by playing along with our guitar jams.We also discuss the new **Keith Richards signature Gibson ES-335 and what it represents in today’s market.🎵 Pickups of the WeekJon demonstrates the ThroBak ’55/’56-SB vintage P-90 Soapbar reproduction pickups installed in his 2009 Gibson R6 Historic Reissue Les Paul.Classic Goldtop tones, real-world dynamics, and why early P-90 recipe details still matter.🔥 The Guitargument & Cool DownIs NAMM 2026 still worth traveling to Anaheim — or has it lost its role as the best gauge of the modern guitar market?Jon and Matthew debate whether NAMM remains essential, or if builders and players now get better insight from direct-to-consumer sales, YouTube, and real customer feedback.🧠 Rorschach RiffsMatthew challenges Jon — and the audience — with short snippets of famous guitar riffs. Can you name them before Jon does?📖 Matthew’s Musical MusingsMatthew reviews Last Rites, reflecting on legacy, honesty, and what it means when icons take one final look back.🎸 About the ThroBak Guitar LoungeThe ThroBak Guitar Lounge is a weekly guitar podcast where tone, history, and real-world experience collide — no hype, no influencer fluff, just honest conversation about guitars, pickups, and the music that drives us.👉 Upgrade your tone with ThroBak Pickups: https://www.throbak.com/👍 Like, subscribe, and comment with your take: Is NAMM 2026 worth it — or are you sitting this one out?ThroBak Electronics is a world leader in classic reproduction guitar pickups. To learn more visit.:https://www.throbak.com/p90-pickup.htmlhttps://www.throbak.com/paf-pickups.htmlhttps://www.throbak.com/stratocaster-pickups.htmlhttps://www.throbak.com/telecaster-pickups.htmlhttps://www.throbak.com/alnico-magnets.htmlhttps://www.throbak.com/pedals.htmlhttps://www.throbak.com/strings.htmlThroBak Electronics, located in Grand Rapids Michigan, was established in 2002 to bring the best of vintage tone back to the guitar player of today.Make sure to watch the ThroBak Guitar Lounge Podcast each Saturday on YouTube.