Best of NAMM 2026: Bass Pedals That Defined the Show
Every January, the NAMM Show brings together manufacturers, artists, retailers, and media from around the world for the largest and most influential music industry trade event. For gear companies, NAMM is the ideal stage to unveil new products, gather real-time feedback from players, and set the tone for the year ahead. New releases debuting at NAMM often reflect where technology, design, and player demand are heading, making the show a reliable snapshot of the future of music gear. Our Best of NAMM 2026 series highlights the most noteworthy bass pedals launched at this year’s event—tools that stood out for innovation, tone, and real-world usefulness for working bassists.
The Jad Freer Audio LUCE brings true tube character to the bass DI world with a compact yet uncompromising design. Built around a single ECC88/6922 tube and a high-quality audio transformer, the LUCE delivers warm harmonic content and natural compression while maintaining exceptional clarity and low noise.
Unlike many tube-based devices that emphasize coloration, the LUCE is designed for unity gain operation, enhancing the instrument’s tone rather than reshaping it. The result is a DI that adds depth and dimensionality without obscuring articulation or transient response.
Additional features such as active summing allow two instruments to be connected simultaneously, making it a practical choice for studio sessions as well as live performance. For bassists seeking authentic tube feel and transformer richness in a pedalboard format, the LUCE stands out as a refined and musical option at NAMM 2026.
