Kaila White

The Republic | azcentral.com

The show%2C presented by Antique Electronic Supply and sponsored by Jensen Loudspeakers%2C is designed to be part musicians gathering%2C part guitar and trade show.

The most expensive item sold at a previous show was a 1968 Fender Stratocaster guitar for about %2418%2C000.

Five bands will perform on the Gretsch Twang-O-Rama concert stage%2C including Jet Weston and his Atomic Ranch Hands%2C the Octanes and Gamblers Mark.

John D'Amours was playing guitar with a few friends from Intel, as he has done every Friday night for years, when the idea hit him: a wah-wah pedal that fits in a shoe.

Nearly four years later, he'll debut the Soul Pedal at the fifth annual Tempe Guitar Show on Saturday, March 22. Participants will have the opportunity to slip the 3-ounce insert into their shoe and rock away.

"Most people's reaction is like ... they throw in their swear words," D'Amours said, laughing. He has let friends and other musicians test it, but the show will be the first time the public has the chance to check out the wireless guitar-effects pedal.

Soul Pedal will be among about 40 other exhibitors at the free show, including Gretsch, BCH Guitars, Greenboy Audio and Nace Amps. Five bands will perform on the Gretsch Twang-O-Rama concert stage, including Jet Weston and his Atomic Ranch Hands, the Octanes and Gamblers Mark.

The show, presented by Antique Electronic Supply and sponsored by Jensen Loudspeakers, is designed to be part musicians gathering, part guitar and trade show. About 1,800 people shopped, listened, danced and admired antique instruments last year.

"The vision is just to unite the music community and bring more of a musical focus to Arizona," said the show's co-coordinator, Rob Pérez, who works for Antique Electronic Supply and Jensen.

For D'Amours, the show is the last chance to get user feedback about the pedal; he's going to make a few tweaks and then launch an Indiegogo campaign by the end of the month to raise money for production. He plans to have the first pedals manufactured and delivered this summer.

"Basically, I'm making a Cry Baby Classic Wah Wah from Dunlop, only I'm controlling it remotely ... there's radio data coming from my foot," he said. So rather than be tied to a pedal onstage, guitarists could control their effects while cavorting around the stage or standing in the middle of an audience.

Alongside new technology will be antique musical equipment. This year, there's only one entrance to the show, a measure to deter people who try to sneak in early to get a look at rare merchandise.

"People come out in droves to look for that one-of-a-kind piece that no one else has, and you never know who's going to bring what," Pérez said. "Not only do we have new guitars made by local luthiers, but we have guys that bring out vintage gear, and some of that is well sought after and can go for 40-, 50-, 60-thousand dollars."

To his knowledge, the most expensive item sold at a previous show was a 1968 Fender Stratocaster guitar for about $18,000. With the high price tags comes high-level buyers.

Pérez once saw Alice Cooper at the show, but he was gone in the beat of a song. Cooper lives in Paradise Valley.

Vendors at the show take a hands-on approach to selling their goods. Rather than letting a customer try out an instrument for a minute or less, like at many large guitar shows, visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the show's casual outdoor atmosphere — and its lack of noise restrictions.

"We don't mind you turning it up because we want you to be able to purchase from our vendors, and it's all about rock and roll, and rock and roll is loud," Pérez said. Likewise, children are welcome to rock out on the kid-friendly instruments.

The show mainly attracts families, thanks to its combination of shopping and live music, Pérez said.

"As gearhounds are looking at the gear, we provide music and entertainment for their families to sit at while they go off and spend money," he said, laughing. Two food trucks — Rock A Belly and 2 Fat Guys Grilled Cheese — also will be there.

People sometimes dress in retro outfits and swing dance to the live music, the women in poodle skirts or pinup-girl outfits and the men with slicked-back hair and rolled-up sleeves.

"By doing this and bringing the music community together, not only do musicians meet other musicians ... it allows people to be inspired," Pérez said, adding that the show attracts as many technicians as it does musicians.

Although Pérez is a self-proclaimed gearhound, he won't be shopping the rare goods.

"Unfortunately, the show always happens right around the time of my wife's birthday," he said, "so I'll be saving all my pennies to make her happy."

Reach the reporter at 602-444-4307 or kaila.white@arizonarepublic.com.

Tempe Guitar Show

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 22.

Where: Antique Electronic Supply, 6221 S. Maple Ave., Tempe.

Admission: Free.

Details: 480-820-5411, ext. 2070, tempeguitarshow.com.