The hobbyist guitar player and the professional guitarist rockstar have one thing in common – the expense of applying layering effects while playing. An engineer named Chris Prendergast has built a solution by customizing his own guitar, which includes drilling a hole for a speaker and a smartphone. This customization led to the eventual birth of what would save guitar lovers and enthusiasts for years to come.
The JamStack.
Electric guitars can typically be a pain to tune, setup and just be “jam ready”. By the time you setup all the required equipment like cables, pedals, power outlets and amplifiers, you may have forgotten why you wanted to play in the first place. What if you could pick up your guitar at anytime and be ready to play? JamStack allows guitarists and bassists to play whenever they feel
inspired without all the setup. It also provides the ability to play along to backtracks, and can connect to a microphone and even an electric violin.
JamStack is a lightweight, portable amplifier that connects to the base of an electric guitar (or bass) in seconds. Weighing under 2lbs (900 grams), the amp fits on the strap button at the bottom of most guitars using a spring load system and soft mount to protect from scratches. Adjust the smartphone mount and connect two short cords to the phone and guitar’s output and you are ready to jam!
The JamStack runs 8-hours on a single charge and works with iOS, Windows, Android, and iPhone Touch. Its 10-watt speaker is designed to sound great at high AND low volume. It’s not distorted like a mini-amp, so guitarists can sound as good practicing in the middle of the night at low volume as they would jamming alongside other instruments on the street. Since it is so small and light, the JamStack fits in a guitar case making it perfect for road trips, parties, entertainers and jamming with friends in the park.
