The Music Gear Expo runs the gamut from well-known guitar makers to indie amp builders, keyboards, mics and headphones to tablet-based apps. New for this year: The Shred Shed (where you can crank up guitars to 11) and the Stompbox, home to dozens of guitar pedals. The Gear Expo Store offers strings, cables, instrument repair and more. Come relax in the Gear Expo Lounge and enjoy daily happy hours. The Expo has become a popular destination for musicians, buyers, gear and tech afficionados.
The Expo is open to the public with free Guest Pass wristbands, available in advance or on-site at the event. Guestpass.sxsw.com for more information.

*The Deli Stompbox and EC Pedals welcome with Rusty Cooley on Saturday 3/15, 3:00pm.
*Hammond USA drawing to win a Digital Leslie Pedal daily at 5:30pm, booth 208
*Win an iPad mini at the Mouser Electronics, booth 405
*Life n Soul, Born Guitars and Fantastic-the smart music player will host daily Gear Expo scavenger hunts with winning prizes. Visit the Gear Expo Lounge.
*Win a classic Casio watch every other hour at Casio, booth 301
*Engler Innovations daily performances by Joe Cosas, Stuart Masters, Kapali Long, booth 217
*Apogee hosts Scavenger Hunts. Posting a series of clues on Twitter (@apogeedigital) and Instagram (@apogeedigital) to packages hidden around the SXSW festival in downtown Austin. Prizes include top of the line Apogee products.
*Trackboost daily giveaways for software packages, booth 312
*Journey Instruments will be giving away one of their Overhead Collapsible Travel Guitars (MSRP $795) to one lucky attendee who comes by their booth and likes their facebook page (www.facebook.com/journeyinstruments), booth 215