April 2009 ISSUU

w w w. m m r m a g a z i n e . c o m

April 2009

s e v o M e r u t a Sign re u t a n g i S & t s i t Ar Series Guitars

Report: FTC Settles with NAMM

PROGRESSIONS OF POWER The Power-All® System provides you with a compact, affordable solution for powering your effect pedals and accessories. Using only one outlet space, our advanced digital circuitry delivers clean, quiet, energy-efficient power anywhere in the world. Save money on batteries while using less energy! The Power-All® is available in a variety of configurations designed to meet every player’s power demands, whether it’s a single stompbox or a multi-voltage pedalboard monstrosity!

PA-9S Power-All® Digital Power Supply Our 9 volt DC supply offers 2000 milliamps of current to power more pedals more consistently! Specially designed low-noise circuit delivers clean, quiet power. Includes 10 foot power cord with ferrite noise filter and locking jack. Auto-sensing circuitry runs off 100–240 volts, use it anywhere in the world. (Available in US, UK, European, and Australian plug types).

PA-9B Power-All® Basic Kit Everything you need to power 5 pedals out of the box. Includes: � PA-9 Power-All® Digital Power Supply. � Cable-5/R Daisy Chain Connector with spring-loaded right-angle jacks. � Cable-Red/R reverse polarity (tip positive) cable with spring-loaded right-angle jack. � Cable-Blue 1/8" (3.5mm) phone plug cable. � Cable-Green reverse polarity cable with 2.5 internal diameter spring-loaded jack. � Cable-Grey battery clip cable.

ACCESSORIES Sold separately. Power-All® Jumper Cables 28AWG gauge cable with oil-resistant vinyl sheaths and spring-loaded jacks to assure secure, trouble-free connections. Available with straight and right-angle connectors in a variety of configurations to fit every pedalboard.

� Insulator Caps (3) for unused male barrel connectors on the Daisy Chain.

IP-1 Iso-Pump Voltage Converter ™

Use with the Power-All® to power pedals that require 12, 18, or 24 volts DC! Isolated output allows operation of pedals with opposing grounds.

PA-9D Power-All® Deluxe Kit Everything you need to power 11 pedals out of the box. Includes: � PA-9 Power-All® Digital Power Supply. � Cable-11/R Daisy Chain Connector with spring-loaded right-angle jacks. � Cable-Red/R reverse polarity (tip positive) cable with spring-loaded right-angle jack. � Cable-Blue/R 1/8" (3.5mm) phone plug cable with right-angle jack. � Cable-Green reverse polarity cable with 2.5 internal diameter spring-loaded jack. � Cable-Green/R reverse polarity cable with spring-loaded right-angle jack. � Cable-Grey battery clip cable. � Cable-Black/R extension cable with spring-loaded right-angle jack. � Insulator Caps (5) for unused male barrel connectors on the Daisy Chain.

UTA-1 Universal Travel Adaptor Plug in your Power-All® or other electronic devices anywhere in the world! Modular design features 9 different plug types.

GH-1 Ground Hound™ Ground Isolator Allows connection of pedals with opposing grounds off a single Power-All.® (not pictured)

All of our products feature professional-grade construction designed to withstand the rigors of the road. We are so confident that the Power-All® is superior to any other switching power supply on the market that it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Complies with these national and international safety and environmental directives.

WWW. GODLYKE . COM

Contents Cover photo by Marc Quigley.

APRIL 2009 VOL.168 NO. 4

Features 24

Report: Case Closed – FTC Settles with NAMM Two years after the Federal Trade Commission brought its case against NAMM for allegedly “violating federal law by enabling and encouraging exchange of competitively sensitive price information among its members,” Commission judges voted to accept a “complaint and consent order,” effectively closing the books on the legal battle with the MI trade organization.

SIGNATURE GUITARS 30

Signature Moves – Artist and Signature Series Guitars MMR speaks with some key players in the design and production of artist model guitars, amplifiers, and accessories.

Dealer Roundtable: Selling Signature Guitars and Related Gear

Signature & Artist Guitar Products

Gretsch’s 125th A summary of how Gretsch Guitars and Drums celebrated 2008, the 125th anniversary of the storied brand.

Industry Voices: Customer Loyalty Joe Fucini, president of marketing and public relations agency Fucini Productions, chimes in on the importance of fostering a culture of customer loyalty.

California Vintage Guitar & Amp

Amati’s Fine Instruments: Getting Real with String Quality MMR speaks with Michael Schear of Cincinnati-based string wholesaler, Amati’s Fine Instruments.

RPMDA Exhibitor Listing

Departments www.MMRmagazine.com

4 Editorial 6 Upfront 18 People

20 Stats 82 Supplier Scene 87 New Products

98 Classifieds 104 Advertisers’ Index

MMR Musical Merchandise Review® (ISSN 0027-4615) founded in 1879, is published monthly by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781)453-9310, publisher of School Band and Orchestra, Choral Director, Music Parents America and JazzEd. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: U.S.A., US possessions, one year $32; two years $40. Canada one year $80; all other countries one year $159. Single issues $5 each. May Supplier Directory $35. Periodical-Rate Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER/SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to Musical Merchandise Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853. Periodicals circulation is directed to music dealers and retailers, wholesalers and distributors, importers and exporters and manufacturers of all types of musical instruments and their accessories, related electronic sound equipment, general musical accessories, musical publications and teaching aides. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competion. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright ©2009 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

2 MMR

APRIL 2009

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Editorial

Volume 168, Number 4, April 2009 PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com

The FTC Stimulus Package

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com

hile there is some disagreement between NAMM and the Federal Trade Commission (see page 24) regarding the exact wording describing the consent agreement between the trade organization and the government watchdog commission, the facts simply stated are that nothing NAMM did had any effect on consumer pricing. Arguably the point can be made that the music consumer (as in most retail disciplines) has never had it so good in an era of discounted prices. The august body might have directed their attention to the plight of an industry that has seen the demise of both chains and independents in what may be considered a larger than normal attrition rate. They could have developed an eleven-page document (Agreement Containing Consent Order to Cease And Desist, as in the NAMM ruling) on the failure of state and federal governments to support the arts; leading to hundreds, if not thousands, of school music programs curtailed or eliminated, depriving our youth of an opportunity to participate musically, and /or an appreciation of the arts. We can also add to the mix the failure of regulatory agencies to address the unfair advantage internet retailers enjoy who do not have the burden of adding a sales tax as do their brick and mortar counterpart. More to the point, a government alphabet (FTC, FCC, FDA, IRS, DOJ, SEC) investigation pretty much guarantees full employment for the lawyers who have the foresight to apprentice within these agencies. Scan the partner roster of any of the D.C. or New York white shoe law firms and their professional backgrounds invariably include a stint with a government body. My un-scientific “bet” is that NAMM, along with the several manufacturers who were subpoenaed to produce documents, retained the services of former FTC (or other government trained) lawyers. In the June 2007 issue of MMR we interviewed a former FTC lawyer not associated with this specific case, David Federbush, who somewhat prophetically stated, “A consent decree may be reached with the FTC where the defendant denies all liability, and its all put behind them without admitting any guilt.” My guess, this is the result in a preponderance of the cases before the commission. (A commission person, when asked what percentage of cases is resolved in fines, consent decrees or complete absolution said they did not have this information available). Here is where the government “stimulus package” for the legal field kicks in. As part of the consent decree, NAMM has agreed to the appointment and maintenance of an Antitrust Compliance Officer for the duration of this Order (20 years – yes, 20 years!) The duties of the Antitrust office include annual in-person training for Board members and employees, along with reviewing “All written materials and prepared remarks by any Board member.” Other parts of the agreement require “The personal attendance of Antitrust Counsel at all NAMM events and Global Summits for three years”...And just for a little frosting on the cake, the FTC requires NAMM to do either audio or video recording of each panel discussion or presentation at all NAMM events which shall be delivered to the Antitrust Compliance Officer for five years. The FTC document concludes, “This Order shall terminate twenty (20) years from the date on which it becomes fi nal.” To this observer it sounds like a seven-figure line item for an FTC trained lawyer, along with some free trips to Disneyland... And finally, in an accompanying document (Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Order) in the Legal Analysis section it states, “Here the complaint alleges that no significant procompetitive benefit was derived from the challenged conduct.” Congressman Duke Cunningham received an eight-year sentence (reduced with time for good behavior) for directing millions of dollars in government funds to a defense contractor and NAMM’s “sentence” is twenty years of legal, travel, and recording for what the government candidly acknowledges resulted in no harm to the consumer! Now that the FTC has “closed the book on NAMM,” they might well direct some of their nine hundred employees to investigating the hourly rate of government trained lawyers who represent corporations and institutions in compliance cases initiated by the regulatory agencies.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Denyce Neilson dneilson@symphonypublishing.com ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED AD SALES Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com WEBMASTER Sanford Kearns skearns@symphonypublishing.com SYMPHONY PUBLISHING, LLC Xen Zapis • Chairman Lee Zapis • President lzapis@symphonypublishing.com Rich Bongorno • Chief Financial Officer rbongorno@symphonypublishing.com Corporate Headquarters 26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300, Westlake, Ohio 44145 440-871-1300 www.symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHING, SALES & EDITORIAL OFFICE: 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310 Fax: (781) 453-9389 www.mmrmagazine.com

sdavis@ symphonypublishing.com

4 MMR

APRIL 2009

Upfront NAMM: Show In Anaheim Through 2013, Summer Rates Reduced NAMM recently announced a new threeyear deal with the City of Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center to continue to host “the NAMM Show,” the association’s 108-year-old trade show for the musical instruments and products industry, through 2013. “Each January, NAMM Members come to Anaheim for the industry’s most important global event,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. “We’re glad to be able to continue our strong partnership with the Anaheim community because they really know how to make our Members feel welcome. And we look forward to many successful NAMM shows ahead.” As part of the terms of the new contract, NAMM used its volume-buying power to negotiate related expenses and

St Louis Music Returns U.S. Band and Orchestra Supplies, Inc. has announced that as of April 1st 2009 the company will be doing business as St. Louis Music. The move follows the acquisition of St. Louis Music by U.S. Band along with the divisions of SLM Marketplace™, Knilling® Stringed Instruments and Austin® Guitars in November 2008. Longterm former employee of St. Louis Music, Stan Morgan has been appointed president, effective April 1st. U.S Band & Orchestra Supplies and St. Louis Music will both be located at the original SLM facility from April 2009. The 75,000 sq. ft. building on Ferguson Avenue, St. Louis, will be headquarters for all departments. Details of the relocation and name change will be sent to all suppliers and customers. Call (314) 429-3439 or email info@usbandsupplies.com for additional information. 6 MMR

keep the show as affordable as possible for its exhibiting and attending Members. NAMM is committed to Anaheim through 2013 and has reserved the option to keep the show in Anaheim for 2014 and 2015. The NAMM Show pulled in more than 85,000 attendees during the 2009 show and generates an estimated economic impact of $75 million annually for the Anaheim area. “Anaheim has 31-year partnership with NAMM and we look forward to providing The NAMM Show planners and attendees with our award-winning level of customer service and hospitality for many years to come,” said Charles Ahlers, president, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau. In an effort to better accommodate those struggling during these tough economic times (who isn’t?), NAMM an-

nounced a 20 percent reduction in space costs for exhibitors at 2009 Summer NAMM. “NAMM has gone through every expense and budget item line-by-line to find ways to tighten our belts and operate as lean as possible,” reads the official press release. “We’ve looked at how we can produce a successful Summer NAMM as efficiently as possible and help you reduce your costs to participate. Our not-for-profit status prohibits us from buying plane tickets, renting hotel rooms or paying expenses for our buyers to come to the show so it is our hope that some of these savings might go towards programs, show specials and marketing to re-enforce to your customers the importance of coming to Nashville.” For more information on NAMM and the upcoming Nashville show this July, visit: www.namm.org

Denis Wick Expands into New Facility Denis Wick Products recently completed their relocation to a new, larger facility. This new building allowed DWP to consolidate their three major activities under one roof, improving quality control and increasing efficiency. “By moving their mute spinning, mouthpiece manufacturing and their packing and shipping departments into one building, Denis Wick Products has significantly improved their quality control efforts,” states Richard Galime, Wick specialist at DANSR inc. “From an operational standpoint, the entire orderfi lling process – from manufacturing to shipping – is becoming much more efficient, resulting in better fi ll rates and quicker response to changing market demands.”

For more information on Denis Wick Products please contact DANSR, inc. at 888707-4455 or go to www.deniswickusca.com

APRIL 2009

Upfront GH and RB Finally Hitting Bum Notes? It’s being widely reported that the music-based video game craze, led by the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, is dying down. According to Silicon Valley Insider, statistics released by the NPD Group confirmed that sales for music games were down significantly from last year. Sales of Guitar Hero were down 22 percent from the same time in 2008, while Rock Band took a huge dive, slumping 52 percent from the same time a year ago. Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone warned investors on an earnings conference call in February that Rock Band, which is partially owned by Viacom, was

dragging down the company’s overall earnings. Activision, manufacturer of Guitar Hero, has both Guitar Hero: Metallica and DJ Hero slated for release in 2009. The same “Silicon Valley Insider” suggested that two factors were contributing to the downturn for musicbased games, explaining, “First, music games sold so amazingly well the past few years the market is approaching its saturation point — most of the potential customers of a music game already own one.” The second reason? “Music games were, basically, a very 2008 sort of fad. And all fads come to an end.”

Music & Arts: Better Than Expected ’08 Results, Name “Peak Performers” Despite a deepening recession that threatened to derail a successful year, Music & Arts generated top line sales and earnings that substantially exceeded company forecast. “We had a great year by almost any measure,” cites Kenny O’Brien, CEO, “and that’s a direct result of the efforts of our people, whose accomplishments we are recognizing in a variety of ways.” The Peak Performer Award program is one such vehicle. Selected from a pool of 44 Peak Performers by the senior management team, Peak Performer finalist Kelly Capobianco is the customer service and general manager of the companies’ Horsham, Pa operation. Kelly was instrumental in launching a major upgrade to the system that allows ed reps to accept rental instrument orders from as far away as Houston and as early as February and ensures that the instrument and related accessories arrive in the fall before the first lesson. “The new process worked great and contributed to our exceeding the company 8 MMR

rental unit goal during the back to school season,” comments O’Brien. When economic storm clouds threatened the all important holiday selling season the company turned to the second Peak Performer finalist, Amanda Schoemer, associate marketing manager to implement the most aggressive holiday promotional program in the company’s history. “Amanda was just amazing,” claims SVP of Sales and Marketing Ron Beaudoin. “We threw everything but the kitchen sink at the marketing effort… newspaper inserts, direct mail, radio and a Black Friday Event that created lines in front of the stores as early as 7:30AM. The pressure to hit deadlines was intense,” says Beaudoin, “and she made every one. It was a big reason why we finished so strong.” Both Peak Performer finalists received a $1,000 cash prize, a plaque and an all expense paid trip to the 2010 NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif. with a three day extended visit to Disneyland for themselves and a guest.

GAMA’s Introductory Membership Program “Guitar companies have a fresh opportunity to participate in market development and promote the teaching of guitar in schools,” reports Harvey Levy, president of the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA), in announcing the trade organization’s new Introductory Membership Program. “GAMA’s programs are growing, and they are successful, drawing support from all segments of our industry,” says Levy, “and we believe it’s a great time for everyone in the guitar business to share in these successes.” For 2009, GAMA is offering a special membership rate for new member companies. New members will enjoy all the benefits of membership and pay only a fraction of the regular dues. GAMA membership benefits include: Updates on import/export legislation from NAMM; An exclusive quarterly report on sales of guitars, broken down by type and price point; Voting rights; GAMA newsletters on arts legislation, GAMA programs, events, product placement opportunities, and more; Recognition on GAMA’s Web site, www.discoverguitar.com; Recognition as a key supporter of school music education in all GAMA communications. Under the introductory offer for 2009, companies with annual sales under $1 million pay just $250 per year, while companies with annual sales over $1 million pay $500 per year. Guitar products companies that are interested in joining GAMA should contact the GAMA office or download a membership application on GAMA’s site, www.discoverguitar.com. For more information on the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association, contact GAMA, PO Box 757, NY, NY 10033, (212) 795-3630, assnhdqs@ earthlink.net, or visit GAMA online at www.discoverguitar.com. APRIL 2009

Upfront Findings of GAO Music and Arts Education Study Announced Senators Chris Dodd (D- CT) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) recently announced the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study addressing access to music and arts education for public school students as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Dodd and Alexander called for the study in response to reports that the testing requirements of NCLB were forcing some schools, particularly those that serve low-income and minority students, to narrow their curriculum and restrict access to music and arts education. “This study’s findings clearly show that many students across the country are losing their chance to study music and the arts,” said Dodd, Chairman of the Children & Families Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. “I hope the Department of Education will follow the GAO’s recommendation and conduct further research into this disturbing trend. Moreover, I hope that the GAO will reconsider its conclusions by reviewing current research on arts education and student outcomes. No child – regardless of family income, race, or hometown – should be denied the opportunity to discover and develop his or her unique talents.” “Emerging research continues to demonstrate the importance of music and arts education to children and young people in U.S. public schools,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of

the NAMM Foundation. “We hope that this GAO study contributes to an on-going and productive dialogue about ways to keep music education strong in our schools and communities to assure access for all children especially those that have experienced reductions in this element of the core curriculum.” The study, entitled “Access to Arts Education,” outlined the following conclusions: •

The study identified a decrease in instruction time for arts education with “statistically significant” differences across school characteristics (low-income, minority, urban/rural). Specifically, teachers at schools identified as needing improvement and those with higher percentages of minority students, were more likely to report a reduction in time spent on the arts.

•

Teachers at elementary schools with high percentages of low-income or minority students reported larger arts instruction time reductions than teach-

ers in schools with low percentages of low-income or minority students. •

Of 32 states that awarded arts education grants (in school years 20012002 and 2006-2007), 37 percent had funding decreases and 15 percent had funding increases. Arts education officials attributed this to decreased budgets and competing demands on instruction time.

The GAO study recommended that the Department of Education, in its planned study of NCLB implementation, include questions that would help clarify why instruction time in music and arts education has decreased for some students. The study also indicated that from the perspective of the GAO, research on the effect of arts education on student success is inconclusive. However, the GAO’s referenced research was published in 2000 and fails to take into account current and ongoing research, both qualitative and quantitative, that provides contemporary knowledge about the role and impact of arts education.

PASIC Registration, Hotels, and Exhibitor Packet Now Available PASIC returns to Indianapolis for the fi rst time in 28 years this November 11-14. Bands of America Grand National Championships and the grand opening of the new PAS Museum will also take place during this fall’s gathering. Registration forms and exhibitor packets are available online at www.pasic.org.

Yamaha Reduces U.S. Workforce Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) recently announced that the company has implemented several cost-management initiatives to offset the widespread effect of deteriorating global economic conditions. Chief among these measures is a reduction of its U.S. workforce by approximately five percent. 10 MMR

“Yamaha is not immune to the effects of the economy, and we are feeling the double impact of a worldwide slowdown in consumer spending and the sharp appreciation in the value of the yen,” says Tom Sumner, senior vice president at YCA. “Reducing our workforce is extremely difficult, and we had taken every cost-saving measure before resorting to this action. Still, it became nec-

essary for us to resize our company based on the current economic reality.” Among the other cost-management actions taken by YCA were a hiring freeze, reductions in travel, entertainment and promotional costs, as well as organizational and inventory management realignments and consolidations to improve company-wide efficiency. APRIL 2009

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t *OUFSBDUJWF FYQFSJFODF GPS ZPVS DVTUPNFST BU 4"#*"/ $0. t -PPL GPS SABIAN in Guitar HeroÂŽ World Tour

Upfront Universal Partners With Zildjian Universal Percussion has announced the availability of Zildjian cast, sheet, and boxset cymbals, along with the full line of Zildjian drumsticks, accessories, and basics – all for immediate delivery. As an extension of Zildjian’s distribution channel, Universal is able to offer attractive dealer-direct prices to all UP retail customers. The addition of

Zildjian makes Universal, “your one-stop source for all your percussion needs – now also including top-quality products from Evans, Remo, Toca, and Tama (hardware & pedals).” Please contact Universal for more information on prices and order-

ing at: (800) 282-0110; fax (800) 979-drum; e-mail sales@universalpercussion.com ; www.universalpercussion.com

Fender Provides Drums for Little Kids Rock Fender Musical Instruments Corporation celebrated “Music in Our Schools Month” in March 2009 by donating 262 Starcaster® drum sets to Little Kids Rock

(LKR), a nonprofit organization that provides free instruments and lessons to low-income public school students. “We’re very excited about our drum set donation to Little Kids Rock, and we know this will go miles in helping children and school music programs nationwide,” says Bob Morris, Fender’s director of music education. “Little Kids Rock is on the cutting edge of music education in our schools, and we feel honored to be a part of their mission.” Some of Fender’s bestknown artists, including bassists Stu Hamm and Fender chairman and CEO Bob Mendello (back row, far right), one of Little Kids Rock’s Duff McKagan (Guns N’ biggest supporters, shown at a LKR event last July.

Roses, Velvet Revolver), and guitarist John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson) are also active supporters of LKR. “This is an amazing gift and an inspired way to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month,” says LKR founder David Wish. “It’s the largest single drum donation in our history, and it comes on the heels of a partnership with Fender where they supply us with guitars. This makes Fender our top corporate benefactor, and they are having a profound impact on the lives of economically disadvantaged kids who are now getting the chance to learn music.” Wish said the drums would be dispersed throughout the program, now active in more than 700 schools in 19 cities nationwide. More information can be found at www.littlekidsrock.org. and www.littlekidsrock.tv

Gibson’s Guitar Hero Suit Tossed A California court has tossed out Gibson Guitar’s patent infringement lawsuit against Guitar Hero maker Activision, saying Gibson’s arguments “border on the frivolous.” The guitar manufacturer filed suit in March 2008, charging that Guitar Hero’s mock guitars infringed on a 1999 patent, U.S. Patent No. 5,990,405 (PDF). That patent, also known as “The ‘405 Patent,” covers “a system and method for generating and controlling a simulated musical concert experience.” Specifically, it details a head-mounted display that includes stereo speakers and is worn while playing an instrument along with a simulated concert. 12 MMR

Earlier that same month, in a series of legal volleys preceding the suit, Gibson filed for declaratory relief—asking for compensation, in other words. But Activision decided it didn’t need a license under Gibson’s patent and said so in a legal countermeasure. Then came Gibson’s suit. In last week’s ruling, a U.S. District Court basically decided that Gibson’s patent only applies to devices that output an analog signal. “As a general observation, no reasonable person of ordinary skill in the relevant arts would interpret the ‘405 Patent as covering interactive video games,” the ruling stated.

The court added that Gibson’s interpretation of its patent could be extended to cover things from a “button of a DVD remote...to a pencil tapping a table.” But Activision isn’t Gibson’s only target. It sued major retailers, including Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart, that sell games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Plus, it added MTV, Harmonix, and Electronic Arts to its list of plaintiffs. MTV acquired Guitar Hero developer Harmonix in 2006, uses EA as the distributor for Rock Band. (Source: cnet) APRIL 2009

Upfront Delta Music Institute Opens with Peavey Endowment Peavey Electronics has endowed a major musical-equipment grant totaling $60,000 to support curricula at the Delta Music Institute, a center for interdisciplinary studies in the music and entertainment industries at Delta State University. “The music of the Mississippi Delta has influenced countless musicians around the world, and it inspired my lifelong passion for mak-

Delta Music Institute student Vickie Jackson operates front-ofhouse sound on a Peavey 32FX mixing console.

ing the tools that allow us to create music,” said Hartley Peavey, founder and CEO of Meridian-based Peavey Electronics Corporation, one of the world’s largest makers of music and sound equipment. “I hope that this endowment will act as a bridge to link the rich musical legacy of the Delta region to the next generations of music professionals.” Music-industry veteran Tricia Walker, director of the Delta Music Institute, said that the Peavey endowment will bolster the program’s burgeoning live audio production department, providing students with a rare opportunity to work with state-of-the-art sound reinforcement technology. Students in the Delta Music Institute demonstrated the gear during its grand opening celebration, held March 7 and 8 on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland. The endowment includes a sound-reinforcement system featuring the Peavey Versarray(tm) line-array loudspeaker system, the ribbon-loaded, high-fidelity sound system used on the 2008 and 2009 Rockstar® Energy Drink Mayhem Tours and the

Peavey Electronics Corporation’s Hartley Peavey, Founder and CEO, and Mary Peavey, President, celebrate the grand opening of the Delta Music Institute on March 8, 2009.

2008 Tim McGraw Live Your Voice Tour. The endowment also includes a Peavey 32FX(tm) analog mixer with fully digital processing; Peavey QW® and SP(tm) Series monitors; Peavey VSX(tm) loudspeaker management systems; Feedback Ferret® processors with patented feedback elimination technology; assorted cabling; and an array of microphones that will pull double duty in the DMI’s studio program. To find out more, visit www.peavey.com.

Remaining U.S. Virgin Megastores to Close The remaining six Virgin Megastores in the United States will shut their doors this summer in another blow to recorded music. The shops received their branding from billionaire founder Sir Richard Branson and remained profitable, but the real estate firms that own the U.S. chain determined they could command higher rent from new tenants. “I’ve been pushing back a little bit on the notion that this is just another casualty of the music industry,” said Simon Wright, the chief executive of Virgin Entertainment Group Inc. 14 MMR

A slowing economy took its toll. To buck declining music sales, the chain broadened its offerings in the past few years to apparel, books and electronics. The six remaining stores took in about $170 million in revenue a year, down from the $230 million from 23 stores at its peak in 2002. The lack of expansion plans and a recent decision to close the Times Square location in New York, which had been on track to make $56 million last year until the fi nancial collapse began in September, made supporting the rest of the chain untenable, Wright said. The 52,000-square-foot Times Square f lagship closes in mid-April,

to be followed by another New York store and outlets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, Fla., and Denver, all by June, Wright said. About 1,000 staff and 60 at the corporate level will be laid off. Music sales have declined nationwide in seven of the past eight years, largely because of illegal fi le-sharing over the Internet and the tendency to buy individual songs rather than full albums through Apple Inc.’s iTunes and other stores. There remain about 150 Virgin Megastores in the rest of the world, in France, Australia, Japan and the Middle East. All are owned by local companies with licensing agreements that lead back to Branson. (Source: AP) APRIL 2009

Upfront HALL GUITAR SLIDES

Trade Regrets: David Williams

Retail: $6.00 to $10.00

HALL

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Rhythm guitarist and longtime Ibanez artist-endorser David Williams performed with some of the best known names in the business: Quincy Jones, the Temptations, Madonna, George Benson, Paul McCartney, Johnny Mathis, and Marvin Gaye, among many others. And as one music writer so well put it, “If the average layman doesn’t know David William’s name, everyone everywhere knows his unmistakable sound from the amazing rhythm solo on Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean.’” David Williams died of cardiac arrest on March 6 at the Sentera CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Va.

Virgil L. Lay Musician, luthier, and founder of S.I.T. Strings Co., Virgil Lay died on March 10, 2009 near his home in Akron, Ohio. In the early 1960s, Virgil opened Lay’s Guitar Repair and quickly became known around the country and internationally for his repair and finish work. In 1980, Virgil founded the S.I.T. Strings Company and spent the rest of his life building string-winding machines, making guitar strings, and developing new guitar accessory products. Although retired from the day-to-day operations of the company for a number of years, Virgil still came into the factory almost every morning to help work on string winding machines until he fell ill in February of this year.

Breaking News

Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com

16 MMR

APRIL 2009

One Yamaha At Yamaha, we strive to enrich the lives of people worldwide through music and sound products with a long tradition of innovation. From hand crafted acoustic instruments like guitars, saxophones and flutes to the latest in digital music production technologies, from portable keyboards to grand pianos, Yamaha brings comprehensive integrated solutions for every musical situation and genre. We put our more than 100 years of experience behind each and every employee, instrument and service that we provide. We are proud to place our name on the world始s top concert stages, in recording and rehearsal studios, among elite marching bands across football fields and especially down Main Street, U.S. A.

People Longterm former employee of St. Louis Music, Stan Morgan has been appointed president of the company, effective April 1st. Stan Morgan joined SLM in 1979 and was instrumenMorgan tal in the company’s overall success prior to its purchase by LOUD Technologies in 2005. Stan worked alongside and reported directly to SLM’s owner Gene Kornblum and held the title of vice president of Sales from 1993 to 2005 before joining Loud Technologies as senior vice president of Sales. “We are extremely pleased that Stan has accepted the position of president of St. Louis Music,” says Mark Ragin, chairman and CEO of the company. Mark adds, “Stan helped make St. Louis Music one of the leading music products distributors in the world and we couldn’t have found a more appropriate or experienced person for the job.” The Board of Directors of the Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC) has announced that Barbara Cole has been appointed to the position of MIAC General Manager. Barbara has worked with MIAC since 2007 as Trade Show and Marketing manager. In her new role, she will be responsible for trade show and conference production, business and membership development, sales and marketing of membership programs and services, accounting and financial management.

Numark recently announced the addition of Paul Daniel Wright as the vice president of Sales & Marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Mr. Wright is an industry veteran who has driven international sales operations for iconic musical instrument companies such as Line 6, Marshall Amplification and Studiomaster. Prior to joining Numark, Mr. Wright was the International Sales Director for Line 6, Inc. where he was responsible for all international business operations, excluding North America. A key member 18 MMR

of the Line 6 senior management team, Mr. Wright achieved record-breaking results by fostering customer relationships, building a world-class international sales team, and flawlessly executing sales and marketing programs. During his tenure, he successfully developed the Line 6 global distribution business establishing “A” level distribution relationships and aggressive sales growth.

grated strategies to lead both divisions of the company. He will continue to report to Kurt Listug.

Arezina

Edward Don & Company has welcomed Andre Mills to its executive team as the vice president of Human Resources. Mills will be responsible for the overall Human Resources strategy at Don including talent management, succession planning, employee/labor relations, and compensation/benefits. Mr. Mills brings extensive HR experience from the foodservice industry. He previously served as Vice President of Human Resources for Sanford Brands North America (a division of Newell Rubbermaid) ConAgra Foods, and US Foodservice (Rykoff /Sexton). The TRX Cymbal Co. has announced that Arin Ilejay, former drummer for Confide, has accepted the position of Artist Relations manager with the up-andcoming cymbal company. Ilejay Arin has performed and recorded extensively with Confide; appearing on the band’s current CD, Shout The Truth, and the 2008 Warped Tour. As Artist Relations Manager for TRX his responsibilities include outreach, development and support of all TRX endorsers.

Taylor Guitars co-founders, CEO Kurt Listug and president Bob Taylor, recently announced the appointment of Brian Swerdfeger as vice president of marketing and sales. In his new Swerdfeger role, Swerdfeger, who had been serving as vice president of marketing, will utilize his expansive industry expertise to develop and implement inte-

Shure Incorporated announced that Vladimir Arezina has joined its Global Legal Services Division. Arezina will serve as Associate General Counsel in the Company’s Corporate Headquarters in Niles,

Illinois. “Vlad will be working on a broad spectrum of legal issues, although I expect a large portion of his time will be focused on patent and other intellectual property matters,” said Paul Applebaum, executive vice president and general counsel. Shure has also appointed Fred Sicko as sales manager for the Company’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Business Unit. In this role, Sicko will be responsible for providing Sicko sales, marketing, and market development support for the channel partners in those regions. “Fred brings extensive pro audio industry experience and knowledge to this position, including seven years as Sales Manager at Shure Distribution GmbH,” said Markus Winkler, managing director of Shure’s EMEA Business Unit. “With his strong background, Fred will be an important part of our future business development in the region.”

Breaking News Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com APRIL 2009

Stats MI SalesTrak Snapshot: Artist Model Electric Guitars - Share of all 2008 Electric Guitar Sales 10%

9.1%

4.3%

Share of Dollar Sales

Share of Unit Sales

Jim Hirschberg of MI SalesTrak reports, “We combed through our database and found there were more than 400 artist/signature models marketed in the electric guitar category alone last year. Artist models accounted for 9.1% of electric guitar dollar sales. They were offered in all price ranges from entry-level to $25,000. Their average price was $957, more than double the average selling price of all electric guitars. Artists whose signature model electric guitars generated the greatest dollar sales included Slash, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Eric Johnson. And, of course there are artist model acoustics and basses, not to mention artist model amps, effects, strings, picks, straps…you name it! There is no doubt that artist models are a hit with consumers.” Source: MI SalesTrak® The numbers represent US retail sales in music stores, based upon SKU-level POS data from a sample of over 500 online and brick-and-mortar outlets. For further information contact: info@misalestrak.com

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famous sayings One of Peter Druckerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s l weather job.â&#x20AC;? fou a is was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leadership g. As you lead your Boy, he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t kiddin NAMM offers a variety of market-building programs through these stores and businesses seem t gh mi it and initiatives that can help you reach a whole , ges en all unprecedented ch waves that new market of consumers or increase your current the st ain ag ne alo that you are . Wall Street, customer base. From DCI and Vans Warped Tour to my no eco r ou g din un keep po Sesame Street Music Works and more, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reaching falling consumer the mortgage crisis, ms to see re out to music makers of all ages and interests with the the itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; me na u conď&#x192;&#x17E;dence, yo goal of bringing new customers through your door. n. tur ery ev at be a crisis Learn more at www.namm.org/initiatives. has fact that our industry the m fro gth en str d Many people ď&#x192;&#x17E;n eat Depression, Business services that can improve re: World Wars, the Gr seen this and much mo rise of new ones. the d nt categories an me tru your bottom line ins n e ca tir we en s of ng l the fal many thi e and gone. There are s ha MM NA , ars Iconic brands have com ye r 108 Because we are o have been there. Fo learn from those wh trenches and have the in an association, ers mb Me r ou with worked side by side and bad. NAMM is able es tim od go in m the been proud to serve to negotiate the re are no quick ď&#x192;&#x17E;xes, the d kinds of rates ď&#x192;&#x17E;n we , ges en all st ch upon In studying these pa ss will be dependent most companies me s thi of t ou th pa e one seems to no easy answers. Th No e. on ery could never get ev of n terminatio the hard work and de deep it will go. But w ho or on their own. t las ll wi n wntur e know how long this do ll be positioned to tak If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wi ive rv su o wh se it seems clear that tho checked into nities that follow. rtu po op le ab vit ine advantage of the what you could be saving, we highly encourage in your efforts and you to do so as a way of reducing your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ny tools to assist you ma s ha on ati today oci ass Your operating costs. Your Membership provides you m. Please call NAMM tea ur yo of rt pa a ationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs, stands ready to be oci ass ur with access to discounts on shipping, special rates yo w ho of analysis to get a personalized can help save you es vic for workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comp coverage and even discounts ser er mb Me aving initiatives and cost-s on credit card services. Have you evaluated your rs. me sto cu money and get more expenses? Maybe now is the time. itely a foul weather ď&#x192;&#x17E;n de is ip rsh de lea ved, And, as Drucker belie friends at NAMM a lonely one. You have be t of no ed ne it t bu , job portunity to be a part please give us the op ready to serve you, so your team. Joe Lamond EO NAMM President/C

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Keeping music in the news The Wanna Play? consumer campaign puts music making in the media spotlight on a daily basis. Your store can beneﬁt from this effort by participating in Wanna Play Music Week, May 4–8, and promoting the contests and events associated with it, like the new Wanna Play? Film Contest. Learn more at www.namm.org/initiatives.

Music in your schools If music education is being threatened in your community, we encourage you to use your voice. By supporting and encouraging school music programs, you not only help students grow their musical and academic potential, you grow your customer base. To join the Support Music Coalition or gain invaluable advocacy tools, visit www.supportmusic.com, or call us at 800-767-6266 to learn more.

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NAMM News

April 2009

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REPORT

Case Closed: FTC Settles with NAMM Cases with Other Groups, Individual Manufacturers Still Ongoing By Kevin M. Mitchell

For NAMM, it’s over – almost two years to the day after it started (March 7, 2007). On March 4, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) closed the books on its case against the music instrument trade organization. The commission judges voted to accept a complaint and consent order in a 4 to 0 vote. The agreement is subject to public comment and analysis for 30 days, and after that it will be permanently closed – at least for NAMM. “What I can tell you is this consent does not necessarily resolve any other related cases,” confirmed FTC’s Patrick Roach, deputy assistant director, bureau of competition. So the investigation as a whole continues to grind on for others who were served 24 MMR

with a subpoena regarding the question of illegal trade practices. It was verified through sources at the FTC and off the record within the MI industry that the investigation into other groups and individual manufacturers are still ongoing. This consent agreement is solely with NAMM.

Guilty or Not? While there is understandable relief at NAMM headquarters, there’s also some frustration regarding the exact wording of the FTC’s statement. “There’s a lot of confusion around this whole thing, and their release is

hard to get through,” says Scott Robertson, NAMM’s director of marketing and communications. “I’ve spent a lot of time talking to reporters with questions. The most important thing is to make sure everybody clearly understands it. A lot of the language out there can be misinterpreted and misread. I keep referring to our statement – that will give you the story.” Roach, however, says the FTC statement is clear. “In a consent decree, the party who received the complaint has to agree to change behavior,” he says. It’s an option that avoids litigation, and one that is favorable to the FTC. “The basic power being exercised here is the issuing of an order to cease and desist.” APRIL 2009

In reference to different language used between the two statements, Robertson says: “We’re disappointed at the way they characterized it. When you read it, watch for the word ‘could.’ There are things we did that could have lead to harm to the consumer, could have lead to higher prices…” An analogy could be the police breaking into your house and fi nding a gun. You could have killed somebody, and while it seems pretty easy to prove you didn’t, the government decides to just “settle” the case. “The complaint is thin, so it’s hard to see exactly what was going on,” says former FTC lawyer Deborah Feinstein and partner of the law firm Arnold & Porter, which specializes in anti-trust complaints. “Essentially what they are saying is: the sharing of information could be bad.” NAMM’s position is that they did not do what the FTC accused it of doing in the original suit. The FTC’s story is different, however. Their statement reads: “The FTC has issued a consent order settling charges that NAMM violated federal law by enabling and encouraging the exchange of competitively sensitive price information among its members. “The FTC alleged that NAMM organized meetings at which its members were encouraged to communicate, and did in fact share, information about prices and business strategy. To the detriment of consumers, NAMM’s conduct enhanced the members’ ability to coordinate price increases for musical instruments. In settling the complaint, NAMM has agreed to stop engaging in such conduct.” In subtle contradiction, NAMM’s statement reads: “NAMM has voluntarily entered into a consent agreement with the FTC regarding our organization’s alleged conduct relating to certain meetings in 2005–2007 during which the FTC alleges industry participants discussed minimum advertised pricing policies, and related topics. Notably, the FTC does not allege that NAMM or any third party entered into a collusive or otherwise anti-competitive agreement or that the alleged conduct resulted in higher prices or other consumer injury. “This agreement does not require any fundamental changes to NAMM’s core activities nor does the agreement APRIL 2009

constitute an admission of any wrongdoing. However, under the terms of the agreement, NAMM will enhance various internal policies and procedures relating to the ways we communicate

Both are Right It appears that NAMM has agreed to “stop engaging in conduct” that they say they never engaged in, in the fi rst place, while the FTC maintains they have evidence of wrongdoing. “Both are right,” says Feinstein. “But the FTC would not ask for consent if it didn’t think there was wrongdoing.” And in allowing the party to not have to admit wrongdoing, “it’s sort of a no harm, no foul” situation. In reviewing the FTC statement case, Feinstein says the FTC almost always enters a cease-and-desist agreement, preferring to just get organizations to stop doing what they think is anti-competitive behavior. But by entering in this agree-

“What is most important is that this is no longer a thorn in our side.” and work with our staff and our members. Rather than pursuing costly and time-consuming litigation on this matter, we are choosing to put it behind us so that NAMM can concentrate on our primary mission of strengthening the global music products industry and increasing active participation in music making.”

The Leegin Decision and MAP In June of 2007, in the middle of the FTC’s investigation of the MI industry over MAP pricing, the Supreme Court ruled in a controversial 5 to 4 decision, Leegin v. PSKS, effectively striking down an antitrust rule that held sway since 1911. In that ruling, the court decided that it was suddenly now not necessarily unlawful for manufacturers to dictate minimum retail prices to their retailers. Some thought if it was now legal for a manufacturer to dictate what prices to sell a product at, then that would seem to make practice of establishing a Minimum Advertised Price moot. What the Leegin case meant was that the longstanding policy against manufacturer’s price fixing was now something that was not per se illegal. “The old rule did not focus on the context of those kind of price restriction,” says FTC’s Patrick Roach, deputy assistant director bureau of competition. “What the Supreme Court said was that these kind of arrangements can be looked at through more

common kinds of anti-trust rules. Think of it as a rule of reason – it’s a matter of figuring out the context of agreements. It’s not what one manufacturer is doing with respect to the choice of distribution, but there may be problems when there is a lot of coordination.” Deborah Feinstein, partner of the law firm Arnold & Porter, which specializes in antitrust complaints, adds that the key to understanding this is thinking of it in terms of vertical pricing (manufacturer’s down to retailer) versus horizontal pricing (competitors sharing pricing information). If Guitar Maker A tells retailer X to sell the guitar for $139, that is legal in the eyes of the court and the FTC; If Guitar Maker B starts telling Guitar Maker B what it’s telling retailer X to sell a certain guitar for, then that’s illegal. “The NAMM case was essentially about information sharing, where as this is establishing that it’s not illegal per se for a manufacturer to make pricing demands,” she says.

“The NAMM case was essentially about information sharing, where as this is establishing that it’s not illegal per se for a manufacturer to make pricing demands.”

MMR 25

ment, “my guess is that either they didn’t feel they got ill-gotten gains through this behavior or didn’t believe they could prove it.” The FTC document does seem to contradict itself when it later says: “A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission of a law violation. When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of $16,000.” Roach explains that in a case such as this there are two basic documents: The first one is the complaint, which is issued when the commission believes it has sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The second document is essentially the final one, can be one of three things. There can be case dismissals (rare); notice that the FTC is starting a lawsuit

“My guess is that either [the FTC] didn’t feel [NAMM] got ill-gotten gains through this behavior or didn’t believe they could prove it.” (more common); or a consent decree like the one NAMM’s lawyers worked out with the government (most common). “In the consent decree, NAMM agrees to change their behavior in the future without them agreeing there was a violation,” Roach says. “But when this occurs, the FTC is pleased with the outcome. They are pleased that [NAMM] is willing to change their behavior in the future and bring them back in line with sound ways of operating a trade organization.” NAMM has been increasingly vigilant about protocols, as anybody at the last NAMM show who had anything re26 MMR

APRIL 2009

motely resembling a meeting on any level knows. All were greeted with a town crier-like reading of their Antitrust Policy. [See Sidebar]

“We’ve been tightening ourselves up to make sure we’re in compliance,” Robertson says. Part of this involves a lawyer who is a specialist into antiwww.bariwoodwind.com www.myspace.com/bariwoodwind

NAMM Antitrust Statement To Be Read Before NAMM Events Get used to hearing this – it’ll be to MI industry-related gatherings what an airline’s in-case-of-emergency instructions are to flying. Any meeting such as this, where direct competitors such as manufacturers and retailers come together, has the potential to create antitrust problems. NAMM is committed to strictly complying with antitrust laws and has put in place an antitrust policy governing all activity during NAMMsponsored events. The antitrust laws promote and protect competition, benefiting consumers. Competition leads to lower prices, higher quality, and increased output of goods and services. Associations like NAMM can promote competition through a variety of activities, such as educating the public. NAMM must not facilitate, encourage, or allow participants at its events to engage in any conduct which restricts competition on price or output. NAMM’s antitrust policy prohibits any conduct at NAMM-sponsored events that would encourage, facilitate, or enforce any of the following prohibited activities: 1.

Agreements on price or output. Here, “price” should be construed very broadly, to include wholesale, retail, suggested and MAP prices for goods and services (including salaries, benefits and wages for employees or independent contractors), components or terms of pricing (including price ranges, pricing formulas, discount, rebate, warranty and credit terms, and margins), and any suggestion of proposed changes to pricing. Likewise, “output” must also be interpreted broadly to include actual or proposed production or changes in production, downtime at manufacturing facilities, and hours of operation.

APRIL 2009

Agreements between competitors to divide markets or allocate customers, territories, products, or services; 3. Boycotts or refusals to deal with any suppliers, customers or competitors; and 4. The exchange of competitively sensitive information among competitors, including price, output and cost data, information related to specific customers, and future business plans (if these plans have not already been made public, as for example, in an SEC filing, press release, or website posting). Remember, all NAMM members must make pricing decisions independently of any agreement or understanding with competitors. Attendees at NAMM events should avoid even the appearance of collusion with competitors. If you find yourself in a meeting where competitors are discussing prices or output at a NAMM-sponsored event, leave immediately, telling everyone why you are leaving, and inform present NAMM staff or NAMM’s attorneys. NAMM takes antitrust compliance very seriously. The U.S. antitrust laws can apply to conduct outside the U.S. if it has an effect on U.S. commerce, and many other countries have adopted antitrust laws, as well. Violations of the antitrust laws can result in civil or criminal prosecution by the government. Violations can also result in private lawsuits and substantial damage awards. Anyone found violating NAMM’s antitrust policy will be immediately asked to leave the NAMM-sponsored event, and members may face expulsion from the organization. This reminder is not a complete list of activities which could violate antitrust laws or NAMM’s policy. NAMM’s full antitrust policy can be found on NAMM’s website.

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MMR 27

competitive actions sitting in on all NAMM meetings. (“Yes, we have to pay for that.”) Those still under investigation might be interested to note that the roots of this settlement go back to when the case was first fi led. Robertson says their law firm Haynes and Boone had an open communication line with the FTC to start working toward such an agreement immediately. This agreement, some of the confusing wording, and the fact that other organizations and manufacturers are still under investigation, will no doubt contribute to a continuing concern about what is legal and illegal. As one NAMM member not-so-joked before a meeting after the NAMM anti-trust statement was read, “MAP is legal; you just can’t talk about it.” So how does one stay out of trouble?

“Whenever competitors are getting a room and start talking about prices, that should generally be off limits,” Feinstein says. As to a couple of retailers in a bar casually talking business and the numbers that are inevitably a part of it, even that is “dangerous. There are just not a lot of good reasons to talk about pricing, and it’s risky. It’s good to be conservative for a while – who wants to take a chance on violating the agreement?” “What is most important is that this is no longer a thorn in our side,” says Robertson. “And its also it’s important to know that while it was a big deal, it’s really something that just me and [NAMM president] Joe [Lamond] have dealt with directly,” he says. “For the organization as a whole, it’s always been business as usual, supporting the industry.”

Word for Word To read the FTC’s statement on the NAMM consent agreement, go to: www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/03/namm.shtm To read NAMM’s statement regarding FTC Action, go to: www.namm.org/news/press-releases/namm-statement-regarding-ftc-action

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An extraordinary opportunity to play side by side with Boots Randolph. Boots Randolph, Gospel Classics..................MMO 4222 Just a Closer Walk With Thee • In The Garden • The Lord’s Prayer • The Old Rugged Cross • Medley : Shall We Gather at the River, When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, In the Sweet Bye and Bye • What a Friend We Have In Jesus • Patriotic Medley: America, God Bless America, When the Saints Go Marching In • Amazing Grace • Precious Lord, Take My Hand • Medley: Give Me That Old Time Religion, Will the Circle Be Unbroken

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SPOTLIGHT

e r u t a n g Si

s e v Mo ARTIST SERIES GUITARS & AMPLIFIERS

ost guitarists of all ages and ability levels draw inspiration from artists who’ve found success as professional axemen. It’s not surprising, then, that suppliers have found instruments and related gear tied to specific guitar heroes to be both strong sellers and effective tools for advancing a given brand’s profile. “Who better to tell you what works than the guitarists who are in the studio or playing in front of 200,000 people at a time,” notes Justin Norvell of Fender, a major player in the field of signature guitars. It’s a point welltaken: in addition to targeting fans of 30 MMR

Anthrax’s Scott Ian with his Washburn HM Series V Murder Weapon Signature Electric guitar. APRIL 2009

individual high-profi le guitarists, having product officially endorsed by – and often designed in close association with – successful musicians lends credence to the line. MMR recently spoke to a number of significant makers of artist and signature series guitars and amplifiers to get a feel for those products’ place in the overall market, the appeal to both retailers and customers, and the future of these specialty instruments.

“A great signature product is always in demand. Stocking these items creates foot traffic… All retailers know foot traffic is good.” - Jody Dankberg, US Music

Fender Musical Instruments Corp. Justin Norvell Director of Marketing Fender Images courtesy of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. For us, the reasons for releasing signature series instruments are several. Bear in mind, Fender started out on a platform of putting our instruments into the hands of key artists and making adjustments based on their feedback, so we’ve always sort of been involved in this market. Who better to tell you what works than the guitarists who are in the studio or playing in front of 200,000 people at a time? Also, just in general, for many, the reason you start playing is because you look up to an artist. A lot of times, artists have interesting versions of our instruments and

it’s cool to make those available to the public. There are always new combinations of specs because our instruments are so modular. It’s one of the pieces of the recipe to unlocking someone’s tone, whether that is Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan. So there’s sort of an emotional, ethereal connection, but there’s also a very realistic approach to wanting to take advantage of what works for successful guitarists. The instruments, when they’re ‘just instruments,’ in a line, on a wall, on a Web site or in a retail display, are just products. When you align them with a musician and a body

of work, you bridge that gap and make that connection to the music and they go from being SKUs into being that artistic, interactive tool. It’s everything about Fender, everything the company was founded upon. Artist models happen for various reasons: Fender instruments have a very wide appeal – from country to punk to blues to funk to rock – and any given artist’s guitar is a way to show customers that a particular type of music could and should be played on our instruments; sometimes, it’s because the product that the artist has come up with is so cool as far as what they’re specs are; sometimes it’s because the artist is extremely popular; sometimes it’s an underserved genre. So we have a myriad of reasons behind why we’d do certain artist models.

Marshall Amplification Danny Thomas Signature Series Product development Engineer When Marshall works with an artist on a signature series product, it’s typically someone with whom we’ve had a relationship with for many years, and it’s our way of acknowledging their use of our products and as a thank you to them and their fans. Since we enjoy a position of being a well-established company, we don’t enter into an agreement beAPRIL 2009

cause we need artists to help us break into the market; it’s more because we’d like to bring to market an honorary product that recognizes our relationship with the artist. We’ve also recognized that the value of a signature series product differs from customer to customer. For example, our high value Hendrix or Lem-

my amplifier products are not something the general public will make use of in a corner pub! They’re generally of interest to serious collectors, extreme fans, or pros themselves. Conversely, some of our other products are more for the general musician buying community, and so with those products, we’ve put into practice what we’ve learned from MMR 31

the artists, and the result is a product that can be enjoyed by everyone. Not all of our signature series products are designed to be used on the big stage–some of the artists use them for practice themselves, and so we’ve offered all levels of signature products–from pro to beginner to backstage warm-up type products. Because of the limited number of amps we produce and the limited number of artist signature models we’ve made over the years, a dealer may end up being one of only a handful in a large area where the products can be purchased.

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It helps them become a “go to” store for players and collectors. An additional benefit for the retailer in stocking signature series products is that sometimes these products can help Marshall and the retailer get closer to their fans through in-store appearances and clinics, which tend to directly or indirectly influence sell through at the store level. In the past, Marshall has worked with Slash, Zakk Wylde, Kerry King, Lemmy from Motorhead, and the estates of Randy Rhoads and Jimi Hendrix. Although we’re extremely selective of the artists we

create signature series lines with, we’re always on the lookout for opportunities that provide a good value to our customers, the artist, and our organization.

Peavey Electronics Corp. Hartley Peavey Founder & CEO Signature products are important, not only because they raise a manufacturer’s brand awareness, but also because they show loyalty between a brand and its artists that will hopefully influence consumers. Quite frankly, one of the benefits of pursuing signature products is the challenge of creating a timeless piece of gear that pushes the boundaries of convention. I’ve always maintained that in order to be better, by definition you must be different. That is what we try to do with every product. Having a reputable artist provide their input into that process can be very helpful and rewarding for the manufacturer, artist, retailer and ultimately the consumer. We work extensively with our artists to create models that appeal to their individual needs, but for the success of the project it’s essential to consider how other musicians will relate to the product. A great example is the JSX Series, which is designed with Joe Satriani. Joe is a true player’s player who understands the need for versatility and utility. The original JSX Head is a 3-channel amplifier with special switches and tone tools that are there to provide the widest sonic palette possible. We designed the new JSX 50 to give players a definitive 50-watt head, with plenty of tone options to satisfy working players’ needs – something the original 50-watt amps of the ‘60s could never do. When retailers buy a Peavey signature artist model, they’re buying much more than the artist’s brand; they get a very salable product that stands on its own. Just look at how well the 6505 Series amps have done in recent years for proof of that. Our key artists are Joe Satriani, Rudy Sarzo, Machine Head, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, Nickelback, Slipknot, DragonForce and Black Stone Cherry. We have a new signature Cirrus bass guitar with Rudy Sarzo that celebrates two major milestones: the Cirrus bass’s 10th anniversary and Sarzo’s 25th anniversary playing Peavey gear. APRIL 2009

Composite Acoustics Laurie Abshire VP Business Development Their loyal following are desirous of an exact copy of what the artist is playing so we offer that guitar as a signature series under the artist’s name. It works well for us and helps give exposure to the artist. Everyone wins. Due to the loyal following we see an increasing demand for artist series guitars. Tim Stafford is our first signature model. However, we have done special projects with Arlo Guthrie, Red, Barlow Girl, and Building 429. We do have other projects going on but they are a secret at the moment!

Hoshino USA, Inc. Paul Specht Communications Dept. Well, if I had to answer the question, “What have signature guitars done for me lately,” the simple answer for Ibanez is that they helped put us on the map and

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kept us on the map, when we were starting to slide off. The endorsement of Ibanez by George Benson and the resulting GB10 signature jazz guitar in 1977-78 helped put Ibanez on the map as an innovative guitar maker in its own right, rather than simply a maker of derivative, high quality affordable guitars. The endorsement of Ibanez by Steve Vai, and the resulting JEM signature solid-body models ten years later helped bring about the “Rebirth of Ibanez,” which resulted a new perception of Ibanez as a prestige guitar maker and turned around our sales during turbulent economic times and trends that were, for Ibanez, about as much fun as the times are right now for everybody. Building signature models not only strengthens the association of a guitar company with highly visible and respected artists (thereby also conferring a hipness factor), many artist ideas from signature models are later implemented in Ibanez standard models. So it’s also a significant part of our R&D. The reason a retailer would wish to stock a signature model is not terribly

different than why a guitar maker wishes to supply them: Signature models draw attention to the store as well as to other non-signature models, in addition to the sales of the signature instruments themselves, which are nearly always in the upper price points (although sometimes in the very upper mid-price points). While I’m not a liberty to give the exact percentages of Ibanez signatures vis a vis non-signature models, it is a very significant percentage. Whom do we work with most successfully? Well, in jazz: George Benson, Pat Metheny and John Scofield all have current signature models. In rock, we’ve currently got signature models with Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Andy Timmons, Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall), Herman Li and Sam Totman (DragonForce), Noodles (The Offspring) Munky (KORN), Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (The Mars Volta), and Mick Thomson (Slipknot). In addition to regular signature models, we’ve also had limited edition signature models for George Benson, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Bob Weir (a handcrafted reissue of his old Grateful Dead axe.) For the 20th

APRIL 2009

New All-Nitro Bursts - 1957/2008 Pickups

ÂŠ PRS Guitars 2009 Photos by Marc Quigley

Sunburst 22

Smokeburst McCarty

Sunburst 245

Introducing the Sunburst Series Exclusive wire, magnets and finish materials with new burst colors. We think these guitars are special and have a unique voice all their own. Stop by a dealer near you to play one and to Experience PRS.

Anniversary of his signature model, Paul Gilbert had two limited edition axes, a PGM20TH and a Fireman, on display at the 2009 Winter NAMM Show.

VOX Amplification Brad Hochstetler Brand Manager At VOX, there is a constant balance to recognize the historical significance of the brand while seeking to push our technologies and tones toward the future. VOX artists have played such a significant role in the brand’s identity through the years that partnering with them to create better products only solidifies our place in history. The Artists are the champions of the brand and the voice and sound that the public associates with VOX. We also strive to make our products unique. And while “unique” is a term that’s sometimes a bit of a cliché among manufacturers, in the case of an exclusive artist product line, the product is inherently unique. We strive to work with artists that will bring more than simply their name to the table. Because they are on the frontlines of the music industry, on the biggest stages, and in the best studios, their ideas make for strong products. There is often a built-in fan base that aspires to sound like the artist they favor and seeks to acquire the products that will help them achieve that sound. The ideal situation is an artist whose work stands to represent particular tones, quality of sound, and an innovative approach to music. Bringing not only the fans, but also all players, closer to the sounds they hear on the radio is an important part of what we do. I think every musician wants to play the gear that their heroes have held

before them. It’s what makes guitar and gear collecting so much fun. Our artist products have always been built to suit the fan base first. But often the products exceed those expectations and are accepted by a much larger audience. We do make a conscious effort to consider fans and non-fans alike in our development of artist products so that any player can find value and usefulness in the end result. Artists have exceptional ears and most have very creative ideas. Such ideas have contributed to some of our top-selling products. VOX has always had a wonderful relationship with Brian May who is known for his unique guitar tones. Brian has helped us design several products in the past. We have a great relationship with Joe Satriani, who has essentially become a part of our design team continually testing and tweaking designs for his signature line of VOX/JS Pedals. We released Joe’s Signature Big Bad Wah and Time Machine delay at Winter NAMM ’09 and his Satchurator distortion pedal is already one of the best-selling distortion pedals in the country.

The Music Link Steve Patrino President If your signature series is based around a big artist, you have a niche product for folks who closely follow that artist or are interested in the artist’s playing style. Also having a Signature model helps to differentiate your product from other instruments; they are likely more easily identifiable due to their association with the artist. It adds value to the products for the customers who are

interested in the artist. What you don’t want to do, however, is just put an artist’s name on a product and hope that it sells – you only want to put an artist’s name on a product if consumers can expect the same level of quality from the instrument that they associate with the artist. That’s why we worked so long and so carefully with Sonny Osborne for the Recording King Scout Signature model – to come to market with a product that both Sonny and The Music Link could feel confident and excited about. Depending on the level of the artist, a signature model can add some serious validity and credibility to your product. Having a Signature model as a part of your product line offers some interesting benefits as well as some unique challenges, but if you maintain the artist’s standard with the quality of your product, Signature series instruments can have great sell-through.

Sparrow Guitars Jordan Eshpeter Sales Manager Sparrow Guitars has not introduced a signature series as we have focused on developing our core guitar line. As Sparrow’s line begins to enter the mature stage of our product life cycle we will certainly introduce a Signature Series to differentiate our models. As well, we are continuing to

“Signature products are important, not only because they raise a manufacturer’s brand awareness, but also because they show loyalty between a brand and its artists that will hopefully influence consumers.” - Hartley Peavey, Peavey Electronics Corp.

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develop our endorsee roster and over time will work with our artists to develop their guitars. Sparrow’s artists are at the core of our business, but as it is we’re satisfied with them taking our core line of guitars on the road and into the studio.

Martin Guitars Dick Boak Director of Artist Relations and Publicity What’s the appeal from a supplier’s point of view? Why bother with signa-

ture series products? It has always been a nobrainer for me. You collaborate with a wellknown guitarist that exemplifies your brand. You gain the benefit of the artist’s fi rst hand knowledge of the product. You make a model that will hopefully satisfy the artist enough to be seen in high-visibility performances. You make the model available in the marketplace bringing a special product to fans, collectors and other artists.

You reap significant publicity from the media, and last (in Martin’s case), you typically donate a contribution from the sale of each guitar to the charity of the artist’s choosing. Where is the downside? The retailers will only agree to stock what they feel they can sell in their market. It is true that a Nashville bluegrass artist guitar might not have marketability in Switzerland, and a French fi ngerstyle instrumentalist might not do well in Memphis. It is also true that many dealers might not participate in the sale of artist models, but wouldn’t that make it potentially more viable for the ones that do? In addition to artist signature models, Martin also produces many non-artist related limited and special editions. These are lumped together and usually represent about 15 percent of our total annual business. If you just take a look at artist models, it’s about 10 percent.

Eric Clapton

We don’t like to tip or hat about new projects in the pipeline until actual introduction, but we’ve had great collaborations with Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Mark Knopfler, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, Steve Miller, George Martin, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Trey Anastasio, Andy Griffith, Robbie Robertson, George Jones, Nancy Wilson, Roger McGuinn, Shawn Colvin, Peter Frampton, Andy Summers, Gene Autry, Norman Blake, Ian Anderson, Merle Haggard, Sting, The Kingston Trio, Laurence Juber, Judy Collins, Travis Tritt, Arlo Guthrie, Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Estate of Elvis Presley, plus many, many more, totaling more that 150 projects since 1994. 38 MMR

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PRS Guitars Paul Reed Smith Founder & Managing General Pertner It is very common that an artist in the music business plays a very specific type of instrument which is desired by a significant number of customers in the market. Specifically we received hundreds of phone calls asking for “Can I get a guitar like Carlos plays?” and “Can I get a guitar like David Grissom plays?” These endorser instruments are a very important part of our business. Some of our high profile artist collaborations have been with the likes of Carlos Santana, Mark Tremonti, Paul Allender, David Grissom, Johnny Hiland, Dave Navarro, Al Di Meola, Chris Henderson, Mike Mushok, and Gary Grainger. There are lots of new partnerships on the horizon but none that we can discuss at the moment.

Saga Musical Instruments David Gartland Marketing Director From a manufacturer/supplier standpoint, we look at the relationships that we form with artists as being an integral and valuable part of our business. The idea being that by combining our individual strengths (manufacturer/musician), the outcome will be a win-win or more synergistic involvement that will draw attention to the artist, their career, and our products in favorable ways. In addition, it is through the vigorous road testing and constant playing of our products in real world situations, that our luthiers and engineers are provided with valuable

Peter Frampton 40 MMR

“A Signature model can add some serious validity and credibility to your product.” - Steve Patrino, The Music Link feedback as to how our products perform and how to make them even better. Saga develops signature series instruments and the associated relationships with some of the music industries hottest players because in doing so, we have the opportunity to educate interested musicians about particular styles of music, the instruments used, and how our products would be the perfect choice. At the same time, we realize that the message of quality and value will be more easily and readily heard when it is delivered by a notable player who really stands behind the products we develop together. Our belief is that, because we are forming relationships with some of music’s hottest players in varying genres, most who could have any instrument that they want, yet choose to work with us, lends credibility to our overall objective and message as a company. The level of product “quality and value” credibility that is achieved through this manufacturer/artist relationship has proven to be an effective tool at encouraging end-user traffic and interested buyers to visit qualified retail dealerships. In effect, the relationship that we as manufacturers have with popular artists promoting specific brands or products is a powerful selling tool that can be marketed favorably at the retail level. Our signature products have been extremely successful and have encouraged the sale of all related instruments across the board. One of the great benefits of our signature products is that they are typically priced within the reach of the average player, making the option to own a more traditional model or a signature model equally possible. Most often the decision comes down to which specification the end-user is most interested in, because signature guitars are designed to the specific players’ specifications. Our Signature/Artist models of Gitane Gypsy Jazz Guitars include: John Jorgenson; Dorado Schmitt; Stephane Wrembel; Lulo Reinhardt; Kevin Nolan; Jan Akker-

man; Wolf Marshall; Adrian Vandenberg; Peter Frampton; Vince Gill. We have Blueridge Acoustic Artist models with: George Hamilton IV and V; Ralph Stanly II; Larry Sparks; Melvin Goins; Junior Blankenship; Tomas Donker; James King; Randy Waller; Charlie Sizemore; Earl Slick; Jimmy Capps; and Moondi Klein. We also have a number of Artist models of Kentucky Mandolins, Gold Star Banjos, Regal Dobros, and Cremona Bowed Instruments. Dorado Schmitt is the most recent Gitane endorser, while John Jorgenson is perhaps our best known, with three signature model Gitane Guitars. The Larry Sparks Guitar is the most recent Blueridge signature model.

The Godin Guitar Company Mario Biferali Sales Manager The appeal of artist models is more from a musical point of view. It’s about capturing the tone and feel of what can allow the artist to shine through. It’s a tribute to the artist. Fortunately for Godin, many of the artists who use our instruments, John McLaughlin, Steve Stevens, Lionel Loueke, Daryl Stuermer to name a few, liked what they saw and heard to begin with so they use stock Godin guitars. There are customers who I suppose are ultimate fans of a particular artist who may want to play exactly what the artist plays. Or what they think the artist plays. Maybe retailers feel it can draw attention to the brand and have somewhat of a hallo effect on the whole line. I do believe most artist signature models are totally over priced. We just do one artist model and that’s the Seagull Peppino D’Agostino artist model. It is a very unique instrument with an extra wide neck that appeals to finger style players. As far as percentage of sales goes, obviously this guitar appeals to finger style guitarists who prefer the extra wide neck, and that’s a small percentage. APRIL 2009

We work with artists such as Daryl Stuermer (Genesis) who truly enjoys his LGXT. He has also given us input on our new Godin Passion Series RG3 guitars which he will be using on his next tour. John McLaughlin also uses a stock Freeway SA, and although he was considering doing a special Godin John McLaughlin model with us he finally said, “You know what, I like my Godin just the way it is.” That was a compliment. Although Steve Stevens uses stock Godin ACS and LGXT guitars, we are looking at doing somewhat of a more aggressive version of an LGXT for him. We also have a new Multiac Ambiance that artists such as Lionel Loueke, Peppino D’Agostino, and Benjamin Woods are using.

KMC Music Mike Markure Product Manager Here at Takamine we have a huge roster of legendary endorsers and we have only done five signature models. In every case it was the artist who approached

Tommy Bolan of the band

us with a specific idea that they wanted made into a guitar for themselves. During the design process the projects just evolved naturally to the point that we and the artist decided to go ahead and make it a signature model. We get excited about taking the signature route because it gives us an opportunity to link the artist to our brand and offer players the opportunity to own an instrument that was pretty much configured by their favorite musicians. The artist gets excited about that as well. When it comes to the retail side of the market, savvy dealers get behind signature models due to the fact that the best salesman they can possibly have in their store is a multi-platinum selling artist. What better third party verification as to the value of an instrument than The Eagles or Kenny Chesney. At Takamine our artist model sales numbers may not look impressive next to our mainstream lines like the Natural Series, but we would surely miss them if they were not there. They tend to be

up-market price points and add significantly to our sales and marketing efforts. And sales of these models are cyclical as well. Garth Brooks is in semi-retirement mode, but periodically he will do a TV special of appear on the Grammy’s, and when that happens the activity on the GB7C Garth Brooks signature model goes off the charts. It’s fun to watch. Our Takamine Signature artists are pretty much all legendary performers. Our first signature model guitar was the Steve Wariner model. Steve is one of the most influential guitarists in Nashville and played a very large part in making Takamine a dominant brand in the country market. John Jorgenson, a player that we all just love around here was the next guy we did a signature series with. Then Garth Brooks came to us with the unique guitar shaped soundhole design and we create a model with that design. It has been hugely successful. Recently we worked with Kenny Chesney and came out with the KC70

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guitar based on his themes of guitars, tiki bars, and a whole lotta love. We had a blast putting that one together. Our latest release grew out of our decades long relationship with Glen Frey. He was getting nervous touring with his favorite old Takamine he calls his number one which he has recorded and toured with since 1991. He asked if we could reproduce it down to the exact neck profi le which we were very happy to do. So now Eagles fans can own a reproduction of the guitar that helped write classic rock history.

ers of our brand. It is a very small part of our business and will continue to be. We only want to do signature guitars when we find another unsung hero that we want to raise a flag to. Some of the artists we worked with in the past include Bill Nelson, Colin Newman, Robyn Hitchcock, Earl Slick, Chris Spedding, Buddy Miller, Mick Karn, Julian Cope and perhaps most important, Bubbles from The Trailer Park Boys.

US Music

Eastwood Guitars

Jody Dankberg Head of Marketing and Artist Relations

Mike Robinson President We are associating our products with a few of the unsung heroes, like Pete Shelley and the Buzzcocks, more as a tribute and salute to those bands / guitarists that we feel have contributed to the indie music scene–unknown to most in the mainstream–but significant, none the less. Artist series instruments & products serve as a flagship to the brand, something of interest to like-minded consum-

Suppliers love companies that have highprofile endorsers. For many companies, it’s the artist-driven marketing that creates a demand for a certain product or just a demand for a certain brand name. Signature series products can not only empower your artists as salesmen, but often results in very cool and unique ideas for musical instruments.

It’s these products that have the potential to bring in additional revenue and in some companies can carry a whole company. These artists and signature lines help open doors for US Music Corp. all over the world to new customers and help sustain a brand name and image. It’s the cool factor. Lots of young players who worship their favorite guitar players are most likely to purchase brands that their heroes play. When I was a kid, my all-time favorite player was Slash. Guess what guitar I begged my father for? A Les Paul. I wouldn’t even consider anything else. That’s powerful. The same theory applies today. Artist relations have been my most effective marketing tool. A great signature product is always in demand. Stocking these items creates foot traffic. People want to see it, play it. All retailers know foot traffic is good. That leads to another major reason retailers love signature products. Clinics and meet-andgreet sessions can draw anywhere from 50 to 500 people depending on the level of the artist. The cool factor again. The retailers that have the artists that people want to meet and see in their stores are automati-

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cally deemed the cool place to shop for gear. It’s a great synergy between the retailer the manufacturer and the artist. When all three click, it’s a recipe for success. Depending on the level of artist, sales of certain products and signature lines can generate millions of dollars over a contracted period. In our case, the Kirk Hammett Signature Series line for Randall Amps and the Nuno Bettencourt Signature Series for Washburn Guitars are both significant sales

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figures. Can an artist carry an entire company? In some cases, I believe so. Eddie Van Halen has his own EVH brand and the great, late Dimebag Darrell has a similar cache. These are rare occasions. I have had the fortune to be involved in multiple successful signature products in my short career. When owning my own company, I had the amazing opportunity to work with Dimebag Darrell on his signature line of amplifiers. That product was responsible for 50 percent of our sales that fi rst year. Here at Randall, the Kirk Hammett Signature Series product along with our signature ValveDynamic line including Mike Amott of Arch Enemy, Christian Olde Wolbers of Fear Factory, and Gus G from the Greek

band, Firewind have all been a huge success. Randall had its most significant growth in sales in years. The long awaited Adrian Belew Signature Guitar from Parker Guitars, launched at winter NAMM 2009, has generated enormous interest in the brand. Washburn guitar projects that stand out would be the new Stu Hamm Signature Acoustic Basses and the James Malone Signature Heavy Metal V. Both of these products introduced at winter NAMM were great attractions for new customers. We have a lot of great things yet to come. I look forward to developing the new Scott Ian line of guitars with him as well as new guitars from Greg Tribbett of Mudvayne and Dan Donegan of Disturbed, as well as the legendary Nuno Bettencourt.

“These endorser instruments are a very important part of our business.” - Paul Reed Smith, PRS Guitars

APRIL 2009

Just close your eyes and listen...

Ricky Skaggs Tony McManus â&#x20AC;˘ Martin Simpson w w w. p r s g u i t a r s . c o m / a c o u s t i c s

Artist + Guitar Accessories = Sales?

GUITAR EFFECTS AND ACCESSORY COMPANIES EMBRACE MUSIC STARS There’s signature series guitars and amps with a rock star’s name on it, but why not “Fall Out Boy’s Guitar Strings” or “the John Mayer Capo?” While guitar-related accessory and pedal makers have genuinely embraced artist who are fans of their products and included them in their marketing plan, they have mostly held off on putting names on specific products.

But perhaps that’s changing… “Yes,” answered Taurino Quezada of Real de los Reyes to the question of artist signature series products. “In fact Real de los Reys is going to release a new string exclusive for the most famous Mexican cumbia group, ‘Los Angeles Azules.’” “Sure, we would consider it,” replies Graph Tech’s Dave Dunwoodie. “It does take a big investment in time to be truly involved in the design of a product, as opposed to placing your name on a product. We do get suggestions all the time on new

products and product improvements from our artists. ”

“Individuality and personal taste has a more prominent role in the decisions of the average consumer.” “Different manufacturers have different philosophies,” says D’Addario’s David Via. “Only recently have we started to put out any products directly under

an artist’s name. Presently we offer guitar straps designed by Joe Satriani and Pat Matheny, both of whom contributed their own personal designs for consideration.” “I think we’d always be willing to discuss the possibility,” adds Ernie Ball’s Brian Ball, A/R, marketing. “Time has kind of proven that signature string sets don’t sell nearly as well as company branded products. But we’d always be open to discussing it if it was something the artist truly desired, and we felt that we’d get a good amount of backing from the artist, management, etc.” It is not a situation to take lightly, as additional time and costs are involved. “When addressing the question of whether or not to bring an artist model to market, there are a couple factors,” explains Gary Mobley of Shubb. “Is the artist high profile enough or influential enough to warrant it? And are there unique fea-

the Straight Truth About Pickups by Jason Lollar The “magic” found in some (but not all) classic vintage pickups was created by accident. Don’t let anyone tell you different. And over time, some pretty stellar accidents happened. The only way to recreate that magic is to study more than a few exceptional examples of all the classic pickup types, while acquiring a thorough understanding of exactly what materials were used and precisely how each pickup was constructed and wound. Only then is the “magic” repeatable, if you are willing to spend the time and money required to chase the dragon. I am. I personally design and wind over 30 different pickup models, including all the vintage classics, many obscure works of art known only to lap and pedal steel players like Robert Randolph, and even a few of my own designs that never existed in the past. I invite you to call or visit our web site to obtain a free catalog.

Lollar Guitars PO Box 2450 Vashon Island, WA 98070 (206) 463-9838 www.lollarguitars.com

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tures about the artist’s playing style that would morph into a unique product? We here at Shubb would be more inclined to release an artist model if it just wasn’t our same product with the artist’s name on it, but actually had new features that incorporated the artist’s playing style.”

Accessory Companies Want All to Know the Stars that Prefer Their Products Musicians are, first and foremost, fans. From the Beatles to Dave Matthews, artists want to not only play their music, but also understand how they get their sound. Most agree that this carries over to all guitar-related product. We asked several accessory product makers what the appeal of “star power” is from their point of view, and what advice to the retailer they have about making the most of the high-profi le associations with their products.

partnered with Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom that we believe consumers will embrace and be available at dealers only.

Evan Skopp Head of Marketing Seymour Duncan When you ask an electric guitar player what got them started playing, if they’re being deep down honest with themselves, it’s probably because

as an adolescent, they wanted to be a rock star. For most of us, there are particular players who inspire us, and we naturally want to emulate them. If a player wants to sound like the artist they emulate, using the same gear they use to create the same tones is an important first step. Also, some artists just plain deserve it. I remember having lunch with Richard McDonald and Ritchie Fliegler of Fender some years back and Ritchie said, ‘No one’s sold more Telecasters for us than Seymour.’ A few months later, Fender’s

EMG, Inc. Scott Wunschel National Sales Manager Consumers identify with artists and their type of playing style. This translates into pre-sale work, helping the customer in the decision process and giving them a sense of what the product is like before they step foot in a store. The artist(s) tells the consumer about the product because it is a part of their playing style. Consumers will ask for

Zakk Wylde

the artists’ version by name and model, because that is what they want to sound like. Artist’s versions of our pickups are consistently stocked by dealers due to the continued demand by consumers. Zakk Wylde, Kerry King, Steve Lukather, and Kirk Hammet are longtime partners with EMG. We have announced a new product APRIL 2009

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Seymour W. Duncan signature model Esquire was released. We have artists like that too. When a new player is fi rst learning about guitar pickups and doesn’t know all the ins and outs of DC resistance, resonant peak, magnet type, et cetera, it’s easy for them to look at an artist model and think, ‘So, this is the pickup Dimebag Darrell used. I want to sound like Dimebag. I’ll take it.’ It’s also simple for the salesperson to ask a newbie customer, ‘Whose tone do you admire?’ If they say, for example, ‘Dimebag Darrell,’ the natu-

Jeff Beck” is because we don’t have a formal endorsement arrangement with Mr. Beck. Actually, if you call our customer service line and ask what “JB” stands for, they’ll tell you, Jazz Blues. The Dimebag Darrell model, the SH13 Dimebucker, is consistently one of our top-10 best sellers. The success of that pickup owes as much to the amazing popularity of the artist as to the tone it provides. We’ve also had great success with the SH-12 George Lynch Screamin’ Demon humbucker and the Dave Mustaine LiveWires active pickups.

“Often times the micro influence of a local artist, or often times a local teacher, has a much greater influence on sales activities than the macro presence of a national or international artist.” ral response should be, ‘Well, we have the exact same pickup Dimebag personally used: the Seymour Duncan Dimebucker. And it’s in stock!’ Could there be an easier sale? Or, when a friend or relative is doing the shopping, it’s easy for them to make a purchase decision when they know, for instance, that this or that pickup is the exact same model used by Dimebag, or Slash, or Dave Mustaine, or George Lynch, or whomever. They’re assured they’ll be getting the right product if the person they’re buying for is a fan of that artist. It’s all about the popularity of the artist and the performance of the product. Our most popular product and, in fact, the most sought after pickup of all time, is the SH-4 JB humbucker which is based on the pickup Seymour designed for Jeff Beck in the early-‘70s and which Jeff used on Blow by Blow. That pickup defies the traditional product life cycle they teach in business school. It just gets more and more popular every year. In the case of the JB, I think its popularity is based on tone quality more than the artist association: like the Gibson Les Paul guitar. The fact is we don’t call the pickup “the 50 MMR

One of our most successful artist partnerships has been with Slash. Since Appetite for Destruction, Slash has relied on the Seymour Duncan APH-1 Alnico II Pro humbucker for his tone. No one’s sold more APH-1 pickups for us than Slash – he’s the reason it’s a top 10 best seller. If anyone deserved a signature model, it was him. So a few years ago, I started working with him on a Slash model pickup. Midway through sending various prototypes back and forth, he halted the process and literally told me, “Evan, let’s stop this. I’ve realized the APH-1 is perfection.” And you can’t improve on perfection.’ The APH-1 has become the de facto Slash model even though it doesn’t have his name on it. I’m also very proud of our work with someone who wasn’t an artist, per se. That would be the late Seth Lover, who, in 1955 invented the Gibson humbucking pickup. We created the SH-55 Seth Lover humbucker in 1994 as a tribute to the then 84-year old who was living in obscurity below the poverty level at the time. For the last three years of his life, while we promoted the pickup, the very humble Seth was popping up in

full page ads and magazine interviews and NAMM shows appearances. The pickup was very successful and he finally got the recognition he deserved for being a pioneer in the development of the electric guitar. We continue to pay a royalty to his grandchildren 12 years after his death. This is another example of someone who deserved the signature product, even though he never asked for it. I’m also proud that I had a chance to work with another great artist who has since passed away, Dimebag Darrell Abbott. He was a great player and a largerthan-life artist whose popularity and appeal have not diminished in death. The Dimebucker is our best selling artist signature pickup and it gains in popularity every year. At this past NAMM show, Fender launched the EVH Frankenstein humbucker which is an extremely accurate reproduction of the pickup used by the legendary Edward Van Halen in his striped Frankenstein guitar. There’s a limited edition Relic version, which contains all the scratches, wear, rust and string marks as the original, which is built by Seymour and two assistants in our custom shop; and a new-looking version, which is built on our production floor here in Santa Barbara. As for what’s on the horizon, we’re starting to look into our first signature model stompbox. And at this moment, I’m putting the fi nal touches on a signature pickup deal with a major guitarist from one of the world’s biggest heavy metal bands. He’s an extremely influential player, though his face isn’t easily recognizable. But that’s because he always wears a mask. Oh, and his lucky number is Seven…

Dunlop Manufacturing Brandon Lem Marketing Assistant We’re getting ready to release a new KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Wah pedal that we think is going to blow all the metal-heads away out there and wanted to give you the scoop. Now you can command the same killer wah tone as Kirk with the new Kirk Hammett Signature Wah. Developed in close collaboration with the metal guitar icon himself, it has been meticulously tuned and APRIL 2009

tweaked to deliver the wah-wah sound that revolutionized metal solos in the ‘80s and for all time. This is the legendary tone that Kirk dials in on tour, using his DCR1SR Crybaby Rack Wah. Dunlop’s engineers took Kirk’s EQ, volume and tone settings, reflecting decades of blazing Crybaby riffology and reproduced them with exacting precision. The Kirk Hammett Wah is exceptionally even in response as you move from heel to toe, with a thick top end and full dynamic range.

D’Addario David Via VP of Sales It is defi nitely a benefit to have artists associated with our products. The challenge is to maintain a proper balance artist relations and marketing benefits. Music is similar to athletics in this way. Many people immolate, perhaps to some degree even idolize, those that they seek to be like. Over the years, however, as musical categories has gotten more fragmented, and artists’ influence and staying power has become more difficult to sustain, using artists most effectively has become challenging. As members of the industry and the music making community, many of us are fans also. We have our favorite artists, cherishing their work and grateful for their contributions to music. However, the difference between a fan and that of a manufacturer/supplier is that for the latter the artist must ultimate influence sales enough to warrant the investment in the relationship. Just as Nike and other sporting goods manufacturers associate themselves with star athletes, so too should retailers take advantage of the influence that musicians have in our market. However, often times the micro influence of a local artist, or often times a local teacher, has a much greater influence on sales activities than the macro presence of a national or international artist. It really depends on the customer and his or her level of establishment within the market. Like so many things, you want a good balanced blend of artist influence, local teacher associations, and product feature-and-benefit information. That is an ideal combination to influence customers within a retail store. APRIL 2009

[Brian Vance, Senior Product Manager, adds:] Artists often provide ideas, new directions and valuable feedback for product development. This is very true for D’Addario strings. For example, David Grisman helped developed our J74 mandolin strings and Ronnie McCoury our J75 set. John Williams proposed the idea of making classical strings where the surface is slightly polished, creating a smoother feel and quieter sound, and this became our EJ45LP and EJ46LP strings. More recently, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro was the creative force behind our J92 Concert Uke strings. He was using ProArte classical singles and building his own sets, and fans wanted to know what he was using, so we worked together on the set design. While these aren’t signature sets per se, we do acknowledge the artist’s involvement in many of our marketing materials. These products are built from long standing artist relationships, which are based on cooperation, trust and ap-

preciation for the art and the product. Some of these sets don’t sell huge quantities, but they serve a distinct purpose or solve a common problem that many players have, so they are worth offering.

Evans Drumheads Mike Robinson Senior Product Manager I’d make the case that the specific type of influence that marquee artists have has changed over the years. It used to be that their influence extended down to the specific model. Consumers would say: “I want to sound like (fi ll in artist name here.)” They’d then mirror that artist’s product set-up. Due to today’s greater fragmentation of music genres and an explosion in the number of product choices available, individuality and personal taste has a more prominent role in the decisions of the average consumer. Although artist may still hold sway over the specific product choices of younger and more impressionable consumers, their influence over everyone else may

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be stronger in the choice of brand rather than specific models within that brand. The same is true for Evans Drumheads. Artist input, feedback, and direction are especially important for products that target specific musical styles and applications. For example, both Peter Erskine and Adam Nussbaum helped us to develop the J1 Etched, a sand-blasted 1-ply head specifically designed for jazz players. Artists have also played an even more critical role in the development of our marching and concert percussion drumhead lines. In both cases, we relied heavily on the collective knowledge of our artists to help us design the best product possible. We know drum heads, we know fi lms, we know manufacturing, and we know how to design for sound … but we needed to know what sound to design for. We worked closely with Tom Freer, Tim Adams, and James Campbell to design our Strata series of concert percussion heads. For marching, the process started with Thom Hannum and James Campbell, two legends of the drum corps world … but the long-term development of the line included the in-depth participation of our entire marching roster.

Rico Robert Polan Product Manager With $10 million being invested to modernize the Rico factory, artist interaction has been an integral part of what we do. Jazz greats like Jerry Bergonzi, Jim Snidero, and Lew Tabakin act as an important barometer to help us gauge our quality and consistency. They’re the first to tell us if something doesn’t meet their expectations and also when we’re on the money. Several artists like Bob Sheppard are “on call” to drop by the Rico factory as needed and this helps train our inside quality control staff so that they know what professional demands are required for everyday production. We also rely on artists to provide feedback with product development. Whether it’s baritone saxophonist Jason Marshall (Lincoln Center Jazz) evaluating a baritone sax strap or New York Philharmonic clarinetist Mark Nuccio refining the design of a clarinet reed, we rely on our close relationships to get the feedback we need to make sure 52 MMR

APRIL 2009

we’re creating products that address players’ needs.

Real de los Reyes Taurino Quezada General Manager The appeal of “star power” is to show the ultimate consumer the benefits of the product and Mr. Taurino Quezada Sanchez, with to provide a Julio Cesar Oliva. strong connection between product and the artist. It’s a benefit because the way it positions the product in the market place – if a famous artist uses our product, then that means that are good products. We are proud to work with some great artist. In the U.S., some of our most successful have been: Gregg Wright, David Gonzalez, Al Lil; Julio Cesar Oliva, Jaime de la Parra, Roberto Aymes, Felipe Souza, among others; in Norway: Joeri Hommerson The advantage to retailers is that the artist helps to promote our products. We use his image to create interest and excitement about our products. It is well know that if a professional player uses certain brand of strings is because he considers that it has an excellent quality and sound.

Graph Tech

been an incredible endorsee of ours for over twenty years and continues to help us promote our brand and new product lines. The communication lines have always stayed very active and aside from being arguably the world’s most recognizable guitarist, he’s humble and has a huge heart. We treat our artists like family and an extension of our company. Priding ourselves on being artist friendly and hopefully exceeding their expectations has brought us over 50 year endorsement relationships with the likes of Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Angus Young, and many more. I think retailers should promote artists as much if not more than manufacturers do. Guitar Center does this really well through adorning the front of their stores with high quality images of guitar icons. More so than anything, I think properly promoting an artist/product relationship at the point of purchase level needs to be done a lot more.

Dave Dunwoodie President It is a big benefit having artists associated with our products. They add credibility. I relate the music industry to the golf industry. If Tiger Woods is playing it, it is probably a pretty good product and I will definitely at least check it out if I am in the market for a new club. As a manufacturer, that is all you can ask for – for the customer to take a look at your products and give them a practice swing, so to speak. Dick Dale, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Randy Bachman, Kerri Kelli, Jerry Cantrell, Ryan Peake, and Jeff Stinco are just a few of those using our products. Also, we are doing something new in the music industry with our artists: The www.graphtech.me social networking site, which gives Graph Tech artists a great forum to post informa-

“People see their favorite player using the gear and go into the music store looking for that product specifically. It creates demand.” New R a d i u s Design!

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Brian Ball A/R, Marketing Having credible musicians back your product is an extremely valuable testament to the quality of your product. We’re very active in artist relations and have been since our inception dating back to the Beach Boys and The Ventures, et cetera. Each endorsement is pretty unique in the frequency of contact, the rapport developed, and the willingness of the artist to allow you to properly market the relationship. At times, artist endorsements at the regional level, if nurtured properly, can be more effective than artist endorsements with platinum selling artists. Of some of our more successful artists, Slash comes to the top of my mind. He’s APRIL 2009

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tion about themselves and how Graph Tech is used in their setups. Retailers can use these associations and distinguish themselves as being a pro music store. It’s a situation of “we sell the same gear the pros use, not the knock-off or copy stuff, but the real thing!” In store posters can tie this in all together, and it can also be promoted in print and web advertising.

BOSS Paul Youngblood President In general, yes, it is a benefit to have major artists associated with our products, but it depends on the product group. BOSS/Roland Guitar Products and Electronic Percussion are the most successful with this. Drum and guitar customers seem to be more interested in the lifestyle and attainment of tone, whereas synthesizer customers are more tech savvy and interested about the process in general. They seem to be less impacted by who is playing what. In general, it’s hard to quantify exactly the influence on unit sales. Regardless of any artist campaign, there is no substitute

for the right product at the right price with all the right features. A marginal product is unlikely to become a top seller because of an artist campaign. Retailers can certainly take advantage of an artist association. If a current artist is popular, the artist can sway certain customers providing they truly use a particular product. And dealers can use point of purchase items like ad reprints, posters, web print outs from the manufacturers official site. If a manufacturer has rights to an artist’s image, retailers can possibly use the image as well with permission.

Shubb Gary Mobley Sales Manager/Artist Relations Generally speaking the “stars” are the top performers and best players, and they are the most influential on developing artists. Naturally the developing artists are going to emulate the stars, and this extends to the gear they use as well. As a manufacturer we want to cater to the larger number of developing artists so we love it when the in-

fluential guys are using our stuff. It directly manifests into sales. I have been very lucky to work with some great artists including James Burton, Robert Randolph, Doyle Dykes, John Jorgenson, Andy Mckee, Rory Block, Richard Gilewitz, and Johnny Hiland. It seems as though the very best players are almost always humble and down to earth people. Working with these people is one of my favorite things about my job! It’s a little hard to gauge the percentages for us because our artist model is different in features from our other products. I guess the way to find out would be to have two identical products but have one with an artist name on it and compare sales. I do believe that having the artist name on it is the biggest reason for the sale of it. The advantages for a retailer to have an artist use our product is similar to why it’s an advantage for us. People see their favorite player using the gear and go into the music store looking for that product specifically. It creates demand. One thing retailers can do to capitalize on that is to have artists come in and do in-store clinics and performances and have that artist’s signature product in stock.

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s e i r e S e iS gnatur s t n e m u r t s In DEALER E L B A T D N U RO

56 MMR

Photograph by Jon Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Gara

he concept of artist and signature series guitars has been increasing in popularity amongst not only major suppliers, but within smaller operations as well. The sheer number of signature series guitars shows that manufactures believe that artist endorsements result in better sales revenues. To get a better handle on the dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perspective, MMR called in the troops. Here are a few thoughts on signature and artist series guitars from MI retailers across the country.

APRIL 2009

MMR: How long have you been offering Signature and Artist Series guitars? Sam Ash: Ever since they’ve been coming out. Scott Silver: For years... Gary Wineroth: We have specialized in unique instruments for over twenty years. Jesse McGrath: Since they started making them. Mike Sullivan: For as long as they have been offered. Lindsay Petsch: For quite some while... For instance, we’ve stocked Martin’s Eric Clapton Model for about ten years now - it does quite well. George Hines: As long as I can remember them being produced. There has been a large growth in these products over the last 15 years. Jim Lehmman: If a company we deal with makes a signature model and we think it’s a model that people will buy, we’ll try to stock it. MMR: From a retailer’s point of view, what are the benefits to carrying Signature and Artist Series products? SA: You sell ‘em! We stock some twenty different models of Fender, some twenty different models of Gibson, plus all of the signature series by Ibanez, all of the signature series by ESP, Martins, Taylors... there’s at least a hundred different mod-

Sam Ash Owner Sam Ash APRIL 2009

Mark Sullivan Sales Manager Daddy’s Junky Music

els of signature series that we carry.

MS: When there is an initial launch and the buzz is high, we’ll generate traffic and quick sales. In many ways they are just a higher end and higher profile product.

“Signature and artist series guitars, amps and accessories come with a built-in following.”

JL: There’s instant name recognition and credibility, and if it’s the right guy... Guys like Van Halen, Steve Vai and Santana can really sell guitars.

which tends to make them more profitable - for instance, we were able to make $50,000 profit on one Jimmy Page hand-signed Les Paul. It’s a way to make up for the lower margins on other gear.

SS: The small quantity makes them very desirable. These guitars are wonderful collectables for some, and for the people who can’t afford them, at least they get to take a look at them.

LP: Clearly, the customer base that follows whichever celebrity or artist is inclined to at least check them out.

MMR: Do the items, themselves, sell quickly?

JM: Most artist models are well thought out and tend to reach a pretty sizable fan base. They usually make for a unique instrument as well – they play, sound and look just a little different than standard issues.

LP: Sometimes... However, one of the reasons we don’t stock some signature guitars is that we fi nd that people find more value in instruments that are of comparable construction which don’t necessarily bear an artists name.

GH: Signature and artist series guitars, amps and accessories come with a built-in following. There is instant credibility with the artist’s followers who would either like to emulate the artist or the style and sound of the artist and believe that the instrument will help them achieve that goal. Also, there are certain limited production models produced by companies like Martin, Fender, Gibson and Ibanez that have collector value and do quite well.

SS: Some do and some don’t. It’s about 50/50, and to be quite honest it’s almost like rolling dice. You never know which ones are going to do well. You almost have to pick your poison and see what happens.

GW: If they’re from the Custom Shop, they’re usually made in small numbers

Jesse McGrath Manager Manny’s Music

Lindsay Petsch Sales Manager Maple Street Guitars

Scott Silver Owner Chicago Music Exchange

JM: The [Gibson] Slash Les Paul was a very fast seller - we were nearly out of them on the first day they were available. Of course, Gibson did a great job promoting its release, all we did was hand them over to eager customers. The same was true of the Gilmour Strat. David

Jim Lehmman Sales Manager Guitar Resurrection

Gary Wineroth President Guitar Showcase

George Hines Owner George’s Music MMR 57

Gilmour bought his at Manny’s, so it was a pretty easy sell. In my experience, most artist models are very difficult to keep in stock.

“Some good players have released artist models that never really sold. It really is artist and brand dependent.”

GH: For the most part, they experience above average sales and are well received by the consumer. To some degree the sell-through of the product is related to the popularity of the artist. Limited production artist series products have a faster sell through for us.

JL: With most models there will be an initial rush, which will gradually taper off. They’ll still be popular, but you’ll sell more at the beginning of a run than you’ll sell a couple years later. It’s all kind of artist and brand dependent. GW: That depends on the buzz created by the manufacturers. and the popularity of the artist, sometimes it’s better to hold out till most of the dealers have sold theirs, and then make a better margin. They can take awhile to sell, but it’s usually by choice because we’re holding out for top dollar. SA: For the most part, they do quite well, when the Jimmy Page Les Paul came out and was $25,000, you couldn’t get one they were so hot. SS: Those guitars were wonderful collectables for some, and for the people who couldn’t afford them, at least they got to take a look at them. Oftentimes, they’ll buy something similar. For instance, there were only 25 of that particular ‘reliced’ played and signed Jimmy Page Signature models. Later on they released 500 or so... SA: ... which weren’t reliced, played or signed. They retailed for less, but still cost a lot of money. SS: ...so the guy who couldn’t afford the guitar selling for $25,000 might come in and buy the one that wasn’t reliced. Then 58 MMR

again, he might just buy a Les Paul. These guitars do a good job of bringing people in the door.

SA: Sure, they like gawking at them, we like to refer to it as the ‘drool factor’.

GW: They create a buzz which may cause people to come in just to see the special guitar, or more importantly to buy the cheaper version of the same product. It’s very cool to let kids play a superstar guitar, and it creates a lot of word of mouth advertising. MS: Artist clinics, live shows and seminars have always been tremendously successful. We work closely with our promotions/artist relation director in presenting artists that support the lines that we carry. JM: We’ve paired up with artists to do in store appearances – this always draws a nice crowd. Leslie West, for example, brought a couple hundred people in one night. Lots of them not even guitar players, just fans. MMR: Is there tie-in with other products?

GW: Not usually, but sometimes the tie-in is with non-music related products such as NASCAR Les Pauls or Harley Strats. SS: Sometimes they’ll release an Eric Clapton signature pedal or a Brian May amp. Most signature stuff stands on its own and really doesn’t tie in with pedals, accessories or amps. Although, when the new Eddie Van Halen guitar came out they released a limited edition pickup. That way if you couldn’t afford the guitar, you could still get that Eddie Van Halen sound. LP: Yeah, if you have someone who is strongly interested in that particular performer, very often they’re interested in whatever accessories the artist uses as

well. A guy who buys an Eddie Van Halen Wolfgang might also want whatever amps and pedals Eddie uses, too.

JM: Someone who’s after an artist model needs all of the cool stuff that the artist uses. SA: Yeah, Eddie Van Halen, whatever he touches, for the most part sells. It’s a very big part of this business. If you have a hero, you want to play like your hero. Take Joe Satriani for example. There’s a Joe Satriani signature series guitar, a Joe Satriani signature series amplifier, Joe Satriani signature series guitar straps, and Joe Satriani signature series effects. He’s an industry! MS: There are always some players who will want all the components in the artist’s signal chain. JL: Sometimes certain endorsements can go a long way. Like Dr. Z and Brad Paisley, they don’t have a Brad Paisley model per-se, but he has worked with them on developing certain models and amongst country players who love Brad Paisley, Dr. Z amps sell real well. MMR: Are there any specific guitars that have been particularly successful for you either currently or in the past? GH: When Fender introduced the Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton guitars in the ’90s they had incredible sell-through. Over the years, we have seen good sellthroughs on the many artist and signature models from Martin, Gibson, Ibanez and other brands as well. Last year we also had success with limited production models from Ibanez for the Steve Vai and Joe Satriani models. The limited production guitars from leading manufacturers have the added benefit of attracting guitar collectors who are looking for investment grade instruments as well as followers of the artists who enjoy the exclusivity of the instrument. JM: Eric Clapton – for his Fender Strats and Martin acoustics, The David Gilmour Strat, Yngwie Strats, Slash Les Pauls, the Marcus Miller Jazz Bass is a huge seller, and one of my favorites: the Johnny Cash Martin. Great guitar. MS: The Gibson/Slash guitars were a high-hype launch. That created a little APRIL 2009

frenzy the first week they were available. We did an in-store with Joe Satriani for the launch of his signature Vox Satchurator pedal. There was a degree of interest before it arrived, but having Joe there fanned the flames.

LP: Yeah, there have been a few that have been very successful. The Martin Eric Clapton guitars have sold quite well. Also, Martin made a model called the Shawn Colvin that sold very well for us. SA: The perennial success has always been the Eric Clapton Stratocaster. I tend to sell more signature electrics than acoustics, and there are not as many signature basses. The Steve Vai models have always been successful, the Martin Clapton models have always been successful, and Les Pauls by certain artists that have always been successful. GW: Yeah, the Jimmy Page Les Paul and the Harley Davidson Strat that Fender issued in 1993 were hits. JL: The Eric Johnson Strat has done real well around here because Eric is a local. In the early days of PRS, the Santana stuff sold real well. Even if they didn’t buy the Santana model, his endorsement got people really interested in the brand. Les Paul’s... there are so many guys that play those... SS: Yeah, all of the Jimmy Page model Gibsons and many of the Fender signature guitars like the Beck, Clapton, SRV, and Eric Johnson models do quite well. MMR: Any other thoughts on Signature Series Guitars? MS: There would appear to be two schools of artist guitars. Those that are specific, distinct models – possibly made in conjunction with the artist and those existing guitar models that are modified for a particular artists needs. If the guitar is a departure from the catalog, the consumer requires an interest in the both the artist, and that type of guitar. However, if a customer comes in to try the latest signature Strat and decides it is not exactly for them but this other Strat is… Then we’ve done the job of getting the customer in and pairing them with an instrument that works for them. APRIL 2009

GH: The growth of this segment over the years has been good for the industry and has created excitement and desire on behalf of many aspiring musicians. LP: I think that by and large, the playing community is not necessarily focused on that kind of product. Typically, we fi nd that the better values are often instruments that are core representatives of a particular line. For most customers, a Fender Strat is just as good as a Jeff Beck Strat but it costs a lot less and people are usually interested in the better value. We’ve found that artist models, although interesting are more of a marketing technique for companies than anything else. JL: Some good players have released artist models that never really sold. It really is artist and brand dependent. Sometimes you don’t know ahead of time who that’s gonna be. But it does give a certain credibility to the model if it’s the right person. GW: They make a lot of sense if the guitar is tied to the right artist or product. They can be over done, especially if the special run is for too many guitars, or the artist isn’t widely known. The Jimmy Page Les Paul from Gibson was only one of 25. If there had been several hundred, the price would have been much lower because of the lack of scarcity and exclusivity. The Corvette Les Paul was very cool, but the Volkswagen by First Act was another story. We are in a fashion business as well as music – looks and cool factor are very important to collectors and musicians. SA: I don’t know how many more they can come out with. The industry has tapped virtually every artist. Fender owns the lion’s share of the business. And it’s not an easy thing to do: if you want to have all the Stratocasters and you want to have all of the signature series Stratocasters, that’s a lot of inventory. It’s part of what keeps this business exciting. Joe Satriani actually plays a Joe Satriani – straight from the factory. You could pull a Satch model off a wall and it’s gonna play like his. SS: Yeah, I think it’s a wonderful thing that the artists take so much time and care in designing a guitar that they love and that the manufactures are offering it to the public so that they can enjoy the equipment of their favorite artists. MMR 59

s e i r e S e iS gnatur s t c u d Pro Yamaha’s Billy Sheehan Signature Bass Billy Sheehan along with Yamaha’s master guitar builder, John Gaudesi have designed, the new four-string model based on the classic BB414 body style. The bass features a unique woofer pickup, and aesthetic details that include black nickel hardware and a black metallic finish. Sheehan’s current signature model, the ATT LTD II, will also remain in Yamaha’s product lineup and will be available in new colors, including black and red. The new BB714BS has an MSRP of $1,099. www.yamaha.com

Dunlop Manufacturing Kirk Hammett Signature Wah Pedal Dunlop’s Kirk Hammett Signature Wah pedal was developed in close collaboration with the metal guitar icon himself, it has been tuned and tweaked to deliver the wah-wah sound that helped to revolutionized metal solos in the ‘80s. This is the tone that Kirk dials in on tour, using his Crybaby Rack Wah. Dunlop’s engineers took Kirk’s EQ, volume, and tone settings and reproduced them. The Kirk Hammett Wah is even in response, with a thick top end and full dynamic range. The list price is $264.61, street price $159.99. www.jimdunlop.com 60 MMR

APRIL 2009

Eastwood’s Joey Leone & Pete Shelley Signature Models Eastwood Guitar’s Joey Leone Signature model features flamed maple top, back and sides, semi-hollow bound body top and back, one-piece mahogany neck, mother of pearl inlays, and three custom made P-90’s with coil taps. The guitar also includes a deluxe archtop hardshell case. The price is $1549. Thirty years after its retirement, the Starway Guitar is back. Eastwood Guitars and Pete Shelley have teamed up to make a replica of the guitar Pete used in the early days of punk, including the recording of The Buzzcocks’ famous Spiral Scratch record. Each guitar is hand-signed by Pete and comes in a custom form fit hardshell case with original ‘76 Buzzcocks’ logo. The guitar also comes with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity, a reproduction of a 1976 Buzzcocks photo, leather Buzzcocks’ logo strap, and Pete Shelley Signature strings from Rotosound. This guitar is a limited edition model with only 88 made. The price is $1,399. www.eastwoodguitars.com

Recording King’s Sonny Osborne Banjo Recording King has teamed up with legendary bluegrass artist Sonny Osborne to create a new signature banjo model. The Recording King Scout (RK-SCOUT) has custom features selected exclusively by the bluegrass icon. This banjo features the classic Recording King peghead with Osborne’s name and arrowhead design in M.O.P., as well as a patterned arrowhead fretboard inlay with Sonny Osborne’s signature block in M.O.P. printed on the 12th fret. The banjo also features a one-piece flamed maple resonator, one-piece figured maple neck, 20-hole tone ring, three-ply maple rim, white binding, a white truss rod cover with “The Scout” printed in black, nickel-plated hardware, American standard thread hardware and a Mastertone-style flange. Sonny Osborne was a member of the influential bluegrass group The Osborne Brothers. Today, he is one of the most respected artists in the bluegrass community. He also produces his own line of banjos under the Chief line. www.recordingking.com

Jeff Beck’s 1954 Les Paul Reissue The 1954 Jeff Beck Les Paul Oxblood is the most detail-precise reissue of this instrument ever produced by Gibson Custom. The guitar features a one-piece light mahogany back, an arched carved maple top, a light aluminum wrapover bridge, and the onepiece Beck-profi le mahogany neck with long-tenon neck joint. Available in very limited numbers, the Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood from Gibson Custom will come in two different series. The first 50 of these historic guitars will be carefully aged by the master luthiers at Gibson Custom to look exactly like Beck’s original, then personally handsigned, numbered, and played by Beck himself. The next 100 guitars will be prepared with Gibson Custom’s V.O.S. finish, bringing the total run to just 150 instruments. Each one also comes with a specially produced Gibson Custom case with Beck’s signature silkscreened on the top, a custom care kit, and a certificate of authenticity. www.gibson.com

The JSX Amp From Peavey & Joe Satriani Peavey and Joe Satriani have collaborated to create the all-new Peavey JSX 50 guitar amplifier head, the latest project in the Peavey JSX Series of signature amplifiers and enclosures designed with the guitar legend. Like the three-channel Peavey JSX Head and JSX Mini Colossal before it, the new JSX 50 aims to give guitar players a wide new tonal palette that allows them to express an abundance of sounds and styles. But that’s APRIL 2009

Ibanez Paul Gilbert Signature Reissue Ibanez has now reissued Paul Gilbert’s original 1989 signature model as the PGM100RE 20th anniversary model. Ibanez is also urging fans to vote for which of Paul’s signature models, some of which were originally only available in Japan, should be the next Paul Gilbert Signature Reissue. The voting result for the next Ibanez Paul Gilbert Signature Reissue will be announced at the Frankfurt Germany Messe musical instrument trade show, April 1 – 4, 2009, and will be available on the Ibanez Web site. Available for order now is the limited edition PGM100RE with its combination of metallic blue body, pink painted F-holes, and pink DiMarzio pickups. The PGM100RE is limited to 300, with approximately 150 of those slated for the United States. The Japanese-made PGM100RE features a lightweight basswood body, fitted with the Ibanez new Super Wizard, the original Edge locking trem, and comes with a hardshell case. The list price is $2666.65. www.ibanez.com MMR 61

where the similarities end. With the JSX 50, Satriani and Peavey have redefined the classic 50-watt guitar-amp format with extensive tone-coloring tools to aid modern guitarists. The JSX 50 design pairs five 12AX7 preamp tubes with two 6550 power amp tubes and two independent channels with three-band EQ. Both the Clean and Crunch channels feature master volume and preamp gain controls, so guitarists can adjust the interplay between the preamp and power amp on each channel for an array of gain possibilities. The Crunch channel also includes a boost switch and

a six-way attack selector that adjusts the bass response. On the rear panel, a built-in Peavey MSDI microphone-simulated XLR direct interface eliminates the need for a mic by allowing users to route the amp’s signal directly to a recording device or mixing console. Additional controls include a line out with level control; active effects loop with send/return level control; impedance selector; and a tube bias adjustment jack. The Peavey JSX 50 amplifier will be available from authorized Peavey retailers in Q2 2009 and carries an MSRP $1499.99. www.peavey.com

Takamine Debuts Glenn Frey Signature Model As a singer/songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of one of the most enduring bands in popular music – The Eagles, Glenn relies on Takamine as the voice to deliver his music. Today, players around the world have the chance to own a replica of the guitar that helped Glenn write classic rock history.

VOX Amplification Expands Its Joe Satriani Guitar Effects Line Following the release of the Satchurator analog distortion pedal, VOX Amplification expands the VOX & Joe Satriani guitar effects line with the introduction of the Big Bad Wah dual wah pedal and the Time Machine delay pedal. These pedals are part of an ongoing partnership between VOX and the legendary guitarist. Satriani has been an active part of the R&D team, pouring his years of expertise into the pedals’ look, feel, and sound. As with all pedals in the VOX & Joe Satriani line, the Big Bad Wah and the Time Machine feature a modern-day pedal design, a high level of workmanship, and the flexibility to express not only Satriani’s signature tones, but also the individual tones of all guitarists playing them. The Big Bad Wah is a dual wah pedal that enables switchable access to two completely different onboard wahs. Wah 1 is classic VOX through and through, with an unmistakable British tone hotrodded to Satriani’s specifications. Wah 2 can be customized to the user’s desired wah tone with the pedal’s controls: two selectable inductors (UKstyle and U.S.-style), a Drive knob that delivers a wide range of gain, mimicking the Wah 1 gain at its lowest setting and delivering a 10 dB boost as the maximum setting for aggressive overtones and soloing. Wah 2 has a powerful Voice switch that can provide traditional wah voicing, as well as a dark, resonant tone reminiscent of a vintage talkbox. The pedal pot itself is also designed to Satriani’s specs, delivering a smooth, musical tone throughout the entire travel of the pedal. The Time Machine delay, named after Satriani’s classic album Time Machine (Epic Records, 1993), offers a unique mix of tonal colors, wide delay range and musical dexterity that sets it apart from other delays. It comes complete with two delay modes: Mode 1 is “Modern” – mirroring the player’s original sound with full clarity and fidelity. Mode 2 is “Vintage” – limiting the frequency response and adding in soft distortion, along with subtle analog-accurate tape warble. Further tone enhancements come from Satriani’s request for a Hi-Fi/Lo-Fi switch. The Hi-Fi setting delivers a transparent, uncolored sound, while the Lo-Fi setting serves up his custom EQ filter settings, allowing smooth blending into any musical situation. The delay time ranges from a 30ms slap-back to nearly six full seconds (5,800ms) of delay. Users can also use the Tap Tempo function to quickly set the delay time on the fly. In addition, the pedal also features both a wet and dry output. www.voxamps.com 62 MMR

Built to Glenn’s exact specifications, the EF360GF is equipped with state of the art electronics and features a dreadnought body with solid spruce top and solid rosewood back. Other noteworthy specs include a concentric ring rosette, slim profi le neck, black pickguard, rosewood pin bridge, bone saddle, GF inlay on rosewood peghead face, CT4B preamp and Gloss Natural finish. The retail price is $1999, including hardshell case. www.takamine.com

Cordoba’s Donavon Frankenreiter & Gipsy Kings Models Córdoba Guitars and Donavon Frankenreiter, one of the world’s best free surfers and an internationally popular surf-rocker, will release their signature beach and travel guitar line, La Playa, this April. The keystone model, Traveler, will be a ½ sized cutaway nylon-string guitar with an onboard pickup, tarpaulin-insulated gig bag, comfortable neck strap, and battery powered amp and cord. Beach-bum-friendly pricing will encourage adventurous guitarists to take La Playa Traveler off the APRIL 2009

APRIL 2009

Dennis Griggs

Known for pure tone, played for pure pleasure. www.pantheonguitars.com or call 410.254.4433

we re not just pickups anymore

beaten path. A signature Donavon Frankenreiter ukulele, simply called La Playa Uke, will be concurrently released. Based on the 1/2 sized Requinto model, the cutaway Traveler will be the perfect size for traveling when extra space is hard to come by. Córdoba, with Frankenreiter’s inpute, has also developed a special guitar bag patterned after surfboard travel packs, incorporating reflective tarpaulin insulation into the design to protect the guitar from sun, surf, and sand. A small, lightweight, battery-powered amp will also be included in the pack for extra volume on the road. MSRP for La Playa Traveler is $340, MAP $279. La Playa Uke’s MSRP is $180, MAP $149. Legendary gypsy-flamenco-pop group The Gipsy Kings and Córdoba Guitars will release two new signature guitar models during the first quarter of 2009. The guitars will be thinbody cutaway acoustic-electrics designed to incorporate elements of the flamenco tradition, but be great for pop musicians as well. FCWE 10th Anniversary Reissue: A limited edition reissue of the first guitar made for the Gipsy Kings, featuring a solid spruce top, solid cypress back and sides, Spanish cedar neck with an ebony fingerboard, and the same hand carved headstock as the original FCWE. The guitars will be handmade in Spain in a limited production run. The GK Studio is the newest Gipsy Kings signature model. With a slightly deeper body than the 55FCE, yet thinner than a standard Spanish guitar, the GK is a comfortable guitar for any player. The tone is bright and snappy, the action is low across the fretboard, and the neck is slightly narrowed. A BBand A3T pickup system gives the GK Studio a clear and natural tone when amplified, and includes both a threeband EQ and on-board digital tuner. The GK Studio features: solid European spruce top; cypress back & sides; rosewood fingerboard, bridge, and binding; hand inlaid wood rosette; 650 mm scale length, 50 mm width at nut (1.96 inches); gold tuning machines; natural lacquer finish Savarez 540J Alliance strings; and includes gig bag. www.cordobaguitars.com

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Amplification Tools for Acoustic Musicians

For dealer inquires, call 805-9649610 • www.dtar.com

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Gretsch 125th Anniversary Year Wrap-Up Celebrating the Past â&#x20AC;Ś and Launching the Future

he year 2008 marked a milestone for the Gretsch family, as they celebrated 125 years as one of the leading manufacturers of drums and guitars. In order to make that celebration as meaningful as possible, the family decided to share it with Gretsch customers, fans, and artists around the world. As a result, Gretschâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 125th Anniversary year was chock full of events and activities. These included meet-and-greets with Fred and Dinah Gretsch in music stores across the country, a highly successful Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competition, recognition and awards for the Gretsch family, and clinics and special appearances by Gretsch artists all over the world. And it all culminated in a phenomenal anniversary concert and party in New York City. No doubt about it: It was a year to remember.

Kicking Things Off The year got off to a great start in January at the annual NAMM show in Anaheim, where Gretsch debuted several limited-edition 125th Anniversary drum and guitar products. These included a 125th Anniversary Chet Atkins Nashville guitar with gold flaked finish over the traditional orange fi nish, and a USA Custom Progressive Jazz drum kit in green sparkle with gold hardware. 64 MMR

APRIL 2009

This particular NAMM show – out of dozens he has attended over the years – was made special for Fred Gretsch by the presence of his son Fred Jr. (“Fritz”), along with grandsons Will and Rane. As a fourth-generation drum-maker, Fred was proud to see the fifth and sixth Gretsch generations represented at the show. Friday, January 18 at NAMM began with an early-morning event recognizing families with a long history in the music business. With 125 years to its credit, the Gretsch family stood high among the honorees. As Fred Gretsch commented, “We now have a nice plaque from NAMM for our studio back home in Pooler, Georgia.” But the honors didn’t end that morning. At Fender’s annual NAMM party that evening (Fender distributes Gretsch guitars), Fred and Dinah Gretsch were surprised with a special glass carving with a real Gretsch White Falcon guitar built in. Entertainment at the party included a tasty rockabilly set by Cadillac Angels, followed by Chet Atkins-style picker Bobby Gibson, who played a custom Gretsch Nashville classic guitar in natural finish. The Fender festivities that followed featured G.E. Smith as band leader, Jimmy Vaughn, and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, in a performance that brought down the house. On Saturday, January 19 Gretsch received a 125th Anniversary Recognition Award from Musical Merchandise Review magazine. The award was presented by editor Don Johnson and publisher Sid Davis. January also saw the launch of the Gretsch 125th Anniversary MySpace page. The sole intention of this new site was to help promote communication between the Gretsch family, Gretsch artists, and Gretsch fans from all over the world.

Gretsch at the Grammys February 10 saw the airing of the 50th annual Grammy Awards, on which Gretsch artists earned significant recognition and exposure. Drumming superstar Vinnie Colaiuta was thanked by Grammy winner Herbie Hancock for his contribution to Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters, which took home Album of the Year honors. The awards show itself featured performances by Gretsch drummers Paul John Jr. (Alicia Keys), Mark Schulman (Tina Turner/Beyonce duet), Garrett Goodwin (Carrie Underwood), and Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters). Says APRIL 2009

Fred Gretsch, “Special congratulations go to Taylor for the five Grammy nominations he and his bandmates received.”

another illustration of Gretsch’s 125 years of influence on the history of music.”

Back to Business

May 1 saw the official launch of the Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competition. Open to bands from the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, and Spain, the contest invited entrants to upload MP3 files of their best songs. The Grand Prize winner would earn the opening spot on the Gretsch Big Event anniversary concert later in the year, along with Gretsch drums and guitars. First- and second-prize packages would also be awarded. Ultimately, nearly 900 entries would be received, from bands in every eligible country. A team of judges including notable Gretsch artists would be challenged to determine the winners from among the abundance of high-quality submissions. (More about those winners a bit later.)

Mid-March saw Fred and Dinah Gretsch back in trade-show gear – this time at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany. The world’s largest musical instrument trade show, it drew 112,000 visitors from 126 countries. In addition to showcasing all of the 125th Anniversary products that had been debuted at the NAMM show, Gretsch sponsored an anniversary celebration of its own. The 1,000 people who attended the party were treated to a concert by The UberKings and Greg Koch, who performed songs by famous Gretsch Greats on Gretsch guitars and drums.

Gretsch in the Movies

Let the Competition Begin

Early April saw the release of Martin Scorsese’s rock ‘n’ roll documentary Shine a Light. The film features The Rolling Stones playing two shows at the Beacon Theater in New York City in 2006. The movie brings into focus Gretsch’s impact across generations of rock ‘n’ roll. Not only is Charlie Watts’ famed yellow Gretsch drum kit the backdrop for all of the band’s concert footage, but when The White Stripes’ Jack White joins The Stones on stage, he comes cradling a big orange Gretsch guitar. Rane, Fred, Will, and Fritz Gretsch of Gretsch Mfg. boast 125 years of family Virtually no other drummer in involvement in music products manufacturing. history has enjoyed the longevity and respect that Charlie Watts has. On the Road The impact of The Rolling Stones on pop Early in May, Fred and Dinah Gretsch culture is unquestionable, and Scorsese hit the road to meet with Gretsch mubrings it all into focus in this explosion of sicians and music lovers. Along with music and anarchy. Like he’s done for over Gretsch Drums product manager John 40 years, Charlie holds it all together with Palmer, they visited three drum shops the chops and rhythm of the ages – comfor “Gretsch Night Out” events. “These ing through loud and clear as only Gretsch events,” says Fred, “gave us the chance to drums can bring it. talk with Gretsch drum fans about the hisWhen Jack White hits the stage he brings tory of our family-owned company, and the swagger and confidence typical of the to field questions and comments about ‘all new generation of musicians. And how things Gretsch’.” Contests and giveaways better to convey this swagger than on the also highlighted the events for attendees. brightest and possibly largest guitar ever The first stop was Drum Headquarters made: the Gretsch Acoustic Rancher. White in St. Louis, Missouri. Owner Jim Udshows that this guitar of yesteryear is just as ing put together a great event at a nearby relevant today as it ever was. “Gene Vincent venue called Focal Point, complete with a would have been proud,” comments Fred three-piece band and Gretsch 125th AnGretsch. “I was half expecting to see a bullet niversary drum kits on display. hole. Shine a Light is a gem of a film, and MMR 65

Next came Memphis, Tennessee, and a visit to Jim Pettit’s Memphis Drum Shop. Fred describes this visit, saying, “Jim, who is a wonderful drummer himself, hosted a ‘Gretsch Drums Roundtable Discussion.’ Dinah, John Palmer, and I answered questions from the audience about Gretsch family history, famous Gretsch artists, the drum-manufacturing process, the story behind buying the company back from Baldwin Pianos . . . and even a question or two about Gretsch guitars.” As far as the evening’s showcase event goes, Fred describes it as “Absolutely over the top! Not only did the show have all three of the 125th Anniversary kits – Rock Legend, Progressive Bop, and Progressive Jazz – on display, but Gretsch guitars were well represented in an all-star, five-piece jazz band. Jim Pettit himself was behind the drum kit, churning out tasty beats and adding to the electricity of the night.” Fred and Dinah also enjoyed the Memphis Drum Shop’s museum, which includes a number of great Gretsch pieces with plenty of back story. The Gretsches rounded out their tour with a stop at Fork’s Drum Closet in Nashville. Attendance and enthusiasm were high, bringing this whirlwind junket to a pleasant and successful conclusion. As Fred put it, “Lots of people, lots of drums, and great conversation.”

Hall of Fame Hosts On Friday, June 20, Fred and Dinah hosted a Gretsch 125th Anniversary reception at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. The reception was held in the Hall’s Rotunda – one of the most sacred places in American music. This amazing space poses the eternal question, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” and features plaques of all the artists who have been inducted over the years, from legends like Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, 66 MMR

Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash to more recent greats like Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Emmylou Harris. Guests were invited to wend their way through the Hall of Fame museum tour, which highlights a number of Gretsch greats, including a special exhibit on Chet Atkins that includes some of his famous Gretsch guitars. Fred’s personal favorite: the 1954 Chet Atkins CA prototype for the signature guitar that later graced the cover of his LP, Chet Atkins At Home. Dinah and Fred had the chance to make a few remarks, which they used to pay tribute to all the dealers, musicians, friends, and family who have been part of Gretsch’s success for the past 125 years.

In Tribute to Chet The Chet Atkins Appreciation Society held its 24th annual convention in Nashville from July 9 through 12. The event culminated with a tribute concert featuring many guitar greats. The Gretsch family, represented by Fred, Dinah, and two of their grandsons, had the honor of picking the winner of a 1962 Gretsch 6119 Tennessee Rose guitar at the start of the show. In addition, Gretsch Guitars took the occasion to re-introduce the Chet Atkins Stereo model, which was played by Berklee College of Music professor Guy Van Duser during the tribute concert. The guitar is called “CGP,” which is short for “Certified Guitar Player” – the name of Chet’s company.

Back to the Road Mid-August featured several events celebrating Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary year. The first

was held at the famous Professional Drum Shop in Hollywood, California. Bob Yeager opened this shop in 1959, and it became the place to hang for LA’s top studio drummers . . . as well as all the great touring drummers who came through town. Bob’s sons Stan and Jerry run the shop today, keeping faithfully to the founder’s vision. It’s chock full of percussion products, historic photos, and even a Gretsch-Gladstone snare drum from the late 1940s. Fred Gretsch comments, “The guys threw an early afternoon party complete with music by Joe LaBarbera’s trio before and after our time for remarks. The exceptional vibe of the shop was enhanced by a packed house of like-minded professional drummers as we met friends, old and new.” Two days and 3,000 miles later came Gretsch Day at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Fred Gretsch’s grandson Will reports on this event, saying, “My grandfather, along with Gretsch Guitar marketing manager Joe Carducci, gave their excellent presentation on the history of the Gretsch Company, which generated a lot of interest among the college students. Later, an exciting clinic featured Bob Sabellico (former Guess Who guitarist and current jazz artist) on his Gretsch Brian Setzer Hot Rod and Duo Jet guitars, Jim Pettit on his Gretsch Renown Maple drumkit, T Lavitz on organ, and a local bassist. After the clinic, a reception was held in honor of Jimmie Webster’s 100th birthday and his dedication to the Gretsch Company. Guy Van Duser played the newly released Gretsch CGP stereo guitar. His excellent fingering, combined with ‘That Great Gretsch Sound,’ wowed the audience.” Next up was an anniversary celebration at Boston’s South Shore Music/DiCenso’s Drum Shop. John Palmer and Joe Carducci repeated their drum and guitar history presentations, and Bob Sabellico displayed his playing technique. Enthusiastic attendees lined up to get Fred Gretsch’s autograph and to have a chance at winning a Gretsch prototype wood snare drum or an Electromatic hollow body guitar.

Off to the Far East Gretsch’s anniversary celebration went international in September, when Fred led a touring group to Japan to meet with industry colleagues and Gretsch customers alike. That group included guitar marAPRIL 2009

keting manager Joe Carducci and Gretsch drum artist Stephen Ferrone. The first stop was Nagoya, which is the home of Gretsch Professional Series guitar production. Says Fred, “We gave an original print of the famous Gretsch ‘Founders Portrait’ to our guitar-building team here. That’s eighty-plus people who have completed at least two years of guitar-building education in the best local tech schools. I was pleased to see four young women in the group . . . and their number seems to be growing.” Friday, September 12 was Gretsch Day in Tokyo, held at the Grand Palace Hotel. Gretsch’s alliance partner of twenty years in Japan, Kanda Shokai Corporation, organized an event for dealers and trade press in the Tokyo area. Video and slide presentations documented the production of drums and guitars. Then Stephen Ferrone gave a demonstration performance on Gretsch drums, and Joe Carducci joined in for a jam session on Gretsch guitars. Two hours from Tokyo by bullet train lies Osaka, where Gretsch 125th Anniversary Night was held at the Rain Dog Club on Saturday, September 13. Then it was back to Tokyo on the 14th in preparation for Stephen Ferrone’s drum clinic on the 15th. Fred Gretsch comments, “September 15 is a national holiday in Japan, called ‘Respect to Elders Day.’ Makes me feel right at home…” Ferrone’s clinic on the 15th was held at the Eggman Club in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. “Stephen put on a whale of a show,” says Fred. “He began with a solo, and then played four songs from his latest album. Halfway through the performance he answered questions from the audience. Since each remark had to be translated, this ended up being a patient labor of love. A high point in the Q&A was when Stephen invited the questioner to come on stage and play along with him – on a second drum kit – to illustrate the point being made. The last set showcased playing drums with bass and lead guitar, with two top session players on hand to play four more songs with Stephen. Bottom line: great power and groove.”

sidered by a panel of celebrity judges including Stephen Ferrone, Chuck Leavell (touring keyboardist for The Rolling Stones), Keith Scott (guitarist for Bryan Adams), and Fred Gretsch. Ultimately the judges chose the three prize winners based on stage presence, performance/ sound quality, and press kit quality. The grand prize winner was Colourslide, an indy-rock quartet from Gainesville, Florida. Along with $15,000 in Gretsch drums and guitars, they earned the opening spot at Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary Big Event concert. Lansdowne, the first-prize

winner from Boston, Massachusetts, won more than $5,000 in Gretsch instruments, while the second-prize winner, London Egg of New York City, walked away with $1,250 in Gretsch gift certificates.

Hall of Famers Themselves September 20 was a special day for Fred and Dinah Gretsch, as they became the first musical instrument manufacturers to be inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The couple was honored with the Mary Tallent Pioneer Award. As inductees, the Gretsches joined the likes

Hear the Changes ANNE DRUMMOND Powell 14K Sonaré 708

LEW SOLOFF Sonaré TR-800

And the Winner Is . . . In September came the announcement of the winning bands in the Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competition. After music lovers from around the world listened to the nearly 900 entries, they cast 55,000 votes to select the top ten finalists. Those finalists were then conAPRIL 2009

just kinda different.

w w w . s o n a r e w i n d s . c o m MMR 67

of Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, R.E.M., The Allman Brothers Band, and industry professionals like music attorney Joel Katz and record label owner Antonio “L.A.” Reid. The 30th annual awards banquet, held at Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, recognized those who have made significant contributions to Georgia’s music industry. “Fred and Dinah Gretsch have been integral patrons and partners since 1994,” says Lisa Love, executive director of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. “They played a tremendous role in our early fundraising efforts, which allowed us to open the museum in 1996. Today, Dinah is an active member of our Foundation board, and both of them continue to support our mission to celebrate Georgia’s rich musical heritage and support our artists and industry professionals.”

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In honor of Gretsch’s 125th anniversary, The Georgia Music Hall of Fame hosted an exhibit aptly titled “That Great Gretsch Sound.” It featured a display of historic and current Gretsch replica guitars and drums used by musical legends such as 1995 inductee Chet Atkins, George Harrison, Brian Setzer, and the late Bo Diddley.

A Really Big Show The culmination of Gretsch’s yearlong 125th Anniversary celebration came on November 18, at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. This was the Big Event, and it certainly deserved that appellation. The show featured performances by new and veteran Gretsch artists alike, in an eclectic evening of outstanding musical presentations. It was enjoyed by hundreds of Gretsch enthusiasts from across the country who’d registered online for a chance to attend.

The night opened with Next Gretsch Greats grand-prize winners Colourslide. Demonstrating the talent that earned them their win, the Gainesville, Florida-based quartet delivered an energetic set of melodic indy rock. (Fred and Dinah Gretsch liked them so much, they invited the band to play at their Christmas party in Georgia a month later.) Next on the bill were David Lee & His Mercenaries. The Gretsch signature guitar artist and his musical cohorts had the house jumping with their special brand of “psychobilly” rock. International pop/rock stars Fountains of Wayne followed, making a rare club appearance. The Grammy-nominated band – best known for the hit single “Stacy’s Mom” and albums like Welcome Interstate Managers and Traffic And Weather – entertained the crowd with their distinctive brand of power pop. Following Fountains of Wayne’s set was a DVD presentation outlining the unique history of the Gretsch Company, illustrating how that history is inextricably connected with the Gretsch family. At the close of the DVD, Big Event emcee Teddy Zambetti (of Sirius Radio) read a

APRIL 2009

letter of congratulations to Gretsch from New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. Zambetti then introduced Fred and Dinah Gretsch. The couple welcomed everyone to the show, and thanked the many companies and individuals who had helped to make the event a success. As they were preparing to leave the stage, they were surprised with gifts from Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (distributors of Gretsch guitars) and Kaman Music Corporation (distributors of Gretsch drums). Fred and Dinah were presented with one-of-a-kind anniversary models of a Gretsch guitar and a Gretsch snare drum. The final act of the evening was an all-star House Band that got the crowd grooving with a selection of rock, blues, and funk tunes. The group was anchored by the stalwart Stephen Ferrone on drums. Keyboard star Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones band) served as the band’s musical director and lead vocalist. Also from The Rolling Stones band was first-call pop and jazz saxophonist Tim Ries. Rounding out the group was former Saturday Night Live guitarist and musical director G. E. Smith, New York studio bassist Andy Hess (Gov’t Mule, John Scofield), and the redoubtable jazz guitarist Bob Sabellico. The evening was also notable for the artists in attendance as guests. Gretsch drummers included jazz greats Bill Stewart and Cindy Blackman. Cindy, who was celebrating her birthday that evening, was surprised with a cake from Fred and Dinah Gretsch. Bass star Will Lee, as well as Rascals guitarist (and Gretsch guitar artist) Gene Cornish were also in attendance, as were the members of London Egg, the New York-based band that was also a winner in the Next Gretsch Greats contest. Helping the Gretsch family celebrate this special occasion were leading members of the musical manufacturing industry. Along with marketing partners Fender and Kaman, Gretsch welcomed the participation of the D’Addario Corporation (makers of Evans Drumheads, HQ Percussion products, and D’Addario guitar strings and accessories), along with Remo, Inc. (makers of Remo drumheads and percussion instruments) and Sabian Cymbals. Specialedition 125th Anniversary Gretsch drum kits were provided for display by Steve Maxwell’s Drum Shop in New York. The Big Event was a memorable evening for all concerned. It served as a fitting APRIL 2009

conclusion to a year of reflection on, explanation about, and celebration of 125 years of Gretsch history – a history that demonstrates the ongoing dedication of the Gretsch family to the manufacture of the finest possible drums and guitars. Currently on their fourth generation, and looking ahead to future generations, the Gretsch family continues to take pride in making instruments that create “That Great Gretsch Sound.”

Postscript It might be said that Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary celebration actually lasted

a bit beyond the Big Event. In fact, it lasted until mid-January of 2009. That’s when, at the 2009 NAMM show, the Music & Sound Retailer award for best drum set of 2008 was presented to . . . drum roll, please . . . the Gretsch Limited Edition 125th Anniversary Progressive Jazz set. The kit that helped launch the celebration of Gretsch’s anniversary year was itself celebrated as the best instrument of its kind, underscoring not only the Gretsch family’s appreciation of their past, but also their commitment to the future.

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MMR 69

INDUSTRY VOICES

Customer Loyalty Costs Less Than You Think By Joe Fucini

oyalty clubs: perhaps no business has become as strongly associated with this marketing concept as the supermarket industry. According to the Food Market Institute, 92 percent of grocery shoppers use loyalty cards every month. With all this loyalty going on, you’d think that grocery shoppers would be as dedicated as Labrador retrievers. Not true – 73 percent of them have no loyalty to their supermarkets, even though they take advantage of “loyalty discounts.” Meanwhile, at Zappos, a billion-dollar online shoe retailer, 75 percent of sales come from repeat customers, thanks to a loyalty strategy that emphasizes special services over price breaks. This contrast provides a valuable lesson for music stores looking to build customer loyalty. Joe Fucini

No one would seriously doubt that loyalty discounts are an effective way for any retailer to attract customers and increase traffic. Plus, given the fact that there are 1.3 billion loyalty club memberships in the U.S. (that’s about four times greater than the country’s population), the business that neglects to offer some sort of loyalty price promotion may well find itself at an immediate competitive disadvantage. Their many marketing strengths notwithstanding, however, discountonly loyalty clubs may not be enough by themselves to build lasting customer relationships. This is very evident in the supermarket industry, where most shoppers have loyalty cards from three to four competing retailers, according to 70 MMR

the Food Market Institute. Not only do grocery shoppers apparently divide their loyalty, they also tend not to feel a strong attachment to any particular retailer. In a 2007 study of 6,000 US consumers, only 27 percent said they would recommend their favorite supermarket to a friend.

Fostering Customer Loyalty Winning a deeper level of commitment from customers requires a loyalty program that goes beyond supermarketstyle discount cards to offer incentives that are more meaningful, personal and rewarding than the chance to save a few points on a purchase. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, researchers Dr. Lars Meyer-Waarden and

Christophe Benavent explain, “By offering different types of rewards to different groups of shoppers, companies set themselves apart and give people a reason to keep coming back. Providing access to a speedy checkout lane, for example, would be a more powerful way to win the loyalty of a person who hates grocery shopping than would a discount on a future purchase.” Hotels and car rental companies have recognized the power of this time-saving perk, which is why they’ve made express check-in a key feature of their loyalty programs. Targeting the specific needs of club members also makes discount offers more effective in building loyalty. Kroger, the nation’s largest supermarket chain, bucked the downward trend in its industry (sales inAPRIL 2009

creased 10.9 percent in the first three quarters of 2008), thanks in part to the success of a program that mails coupons to regular customers based on their previous purchases. Although average coupon redemption rates remained under 3 percent last year, Kroger’s mailings had close to a 50 percent response. Aside from being more attractive to the customer because they’re based on his or her previous purchases, these mailings make recipients feel more appreciated because they are “more personal.” There is no one-size-fits-all reward that works to build loyalty among all customers. Although some customers place a premium on fi nancial rewards, others are more interested in timesaving conveniences, status, or special “luxury perks” like a trip to an exotic vacation spot or free deluxe auto detailing. The Best Buy chain turned its Rewards Zone into one of the most successful loyalty programs in the retail industry by combining discounts with perks like an exclusive gaming site, free concert tickets, and special events for group members. By going beyond monetary rewards, Best Buy makes its Rewards Zone program more personal for club members. The unique rewards also make it much more difficult for competitors to match the retailer’s loyalty offers. The loyalty that Best Buy has earned through its loyalty program has helped the company do more than hold its own during tough economic times, as sales increased four percent in December 2008, while its chief competitor, Circuit City saw same store sales drop by over 40 percent as it headed into bankruptcy. Starwood Resorts, owner of the Sheraton and Westin brands of hotel, also went beyond discount pricing when it enhanced its loyalty club by introducing its “Moments” incentive program in 2007. Loyalty club members who sign up for this program receive special perks, such as the ability to bid on sound check sessions at concerts or Super Bowl packages. The number of club members who stay at Starwood properties 25 times a year or more has increased by 120 percent as a result of the Moments program. Business researchers Xavier Dreze of Wharton and Joseph Nunes of the University of Southern California have demonstrated that giving customers the power to choose how they’re rewarded increases the effectiveness of loyalty programs. This makes sense, not only because rewards chosen by the customer are naturally more APRIL 2009

meaningful to the customer, but also because customers appreciate the feeling of being in control of their retail transactions, whether those transactions involve a purchase or claiming a reward. Research by Dreze and Nunes also sheds light on the role “status rewards” play in making loyalty promotions more effective. In an article published in the Journal of Consumer Research, they described a study they conducted at an unnamed carwash, in which they gave one group of customers a “Tenth wash free” card with two of the washes needed already credited to the customer as a form of recognition. Another group of customers was given an “Eighth wash free” card, but no washes were already credited. Each group of customers needed eight washes to earn their free trip through the tunnel. However, the first group, which was given the two washes toward the “tent free wash,” purchased the eighth washes much more quickly than customers that were given the “eighth wash free” card with no advanced credits. The reason: the recognition these customers received when they were given the two free washes created a closer emotional connection to the loyalty program, which made it more important and gratifying to them.

Service Leads to Stability Of course, to your customers, no form of recognition is greater than personali-

zed service. A study conducted for Goodyear Tire asked customers what type of loyalty promotion would be most likely to increase their allegiance to the company – 20 percent said one based on price reductions, while 37 percent responded “personalized service.” On-line footwear retailer Zappos has locked in a high degree of loyalty by using a variety of service rewards to enhance the customer’s experience. Zappos builds relationships by encouraging its associates to spend extra time with customers, offering free shipping and having a 365-day return policy. As a result of this customer loyalty, Zappos enjoyed a 20 percent increase in sales in 2008, despite tough economic conditions. Approximately three out of four of its sales are made to existing customers. As the success of these retailers illustrates, customer loyalty does not have to come from monetary incentives. Any step you take to give customers a more enriched and rewarding experience at your carwash is going to encourage them to return more often – and this loyalty is certain to make your business more likely to prosper through good times and bad. Joe Fucini is president of Fucini Productions, a marketing and public relations agency serving clients in several industries, including MI. He can be reached at joe@fucinipro.com.

MMR 71

California Vintage Guitar:

NEW But Vintage By Richard Weissman

ver the years MMR has

covered quite a number of acoustic and vintage guitar

shops.

The

question that inevitably surfaces is: How many vintage guitars are still out there? How can a store that centers its operation on old and prized instruments continue to function when, clearly, there are an ever-increasing number of people buying and selling a rapidly diminishing number of items? 72 MMR

APRIL 2009

The strategy that governs the survival of California Vintage Guitars has assumed a variety of methods. Dan Duehren, who opened the store in September 12, 2001 along with Dave Swartz, is a veteran of the vintage business, dating from his tenure at the famed Norm’s Rare Guitars in Reseda. The partners opened their store in Sherman Oaks after a serious search for a good location. They found their storefront on Ventura Boulevard, which features good freeway access, an appropriate size, and they were able to negotiate a favorable lease. It took six months to turn the business into what they had visualized. The store’s theme is vintage, but the partners admit that it has become more and more difficult to keep that focus. As Dan puts it, “it’s easy to sell them, but hard to buy them.” The store has adapted by carrying quality lines, including Martin, Fender, Gibson and Eastman. The manufacturers have also grasped the value of the vintage image, and Martin in particular has been re-issuing new models designed to appear as much like the vintage instruments as possible. In many cases these instruments are issued in limited editions at high-end prices. What makes these instruments identifiable as “vintage” is specific inlay patterns, the use of abalone, and in the highest end instruments the use of carefully hoarded Brazilian rosewood, a material that is no longer exported by that country.

Cultivating an Image Another aspect of the California Vintage Guitars’ business is that it is essentially a pro’s shop, a place where serious players go to find quality instruments. The store sponsors a jazz workshop once a month. John Pisano is the frequent host, and such renowned players as Pat Martino and Herb Ellis have conducted workshops here, as did the legendary jazz guitarist

Dan Duehren, Frank Stallone, Dave Swartz and VP of sales and marketing Tommy Kay.

APRIL 2009

and teacher Ted Greene. The workshops feature considerable dialogue between the students and the teacher, and attendance usually ranges from 50-100, and tuition is charged to compensate the teacher. The attendees include high-level students, and often students at the University of Southern California School of Music attend. Pat Martino drew 120 people, and when Ted Greene appeared the store literally turned people away. Because of the store’s high level of emphasis on jazz, Dan feels that they probably sell more arch top jazz guitars than “anyone in the world.” They also sell “lots of Martins and Fenders.” On Tuesday nights John Pisano plays at a nearby Ventura Boulevard club, and these shows also bring traffic into the store. Besides the Martin re-issues, the store does well with Gibson historical guitars and Fender custom products. The partners commented that Martin and Fender were both easy to work with. They see the Martin and Fender reps. often, and the Martin rep. lives only five miles from the store. California Vintage Guitar doesn’t offer lessons, and most of their advertising dollars go into local trade papers, such as The Recycler, and to do classified ads in Vintage Guitar and occasional public TV and film magazines. The phone book “continu-

“ We deal with a lot of players and collectors who are in the entertainment business and they are still buying. Business has been very good.”

MMR 73

es to be good exposure.â&#x20AC;? The store does sell some t-shirts and accessories such as picks. Traffic is stimulated through their Web site, and the store is something of a destination point for European and Asian tourists. Many of these visitors are extremely knowledgeable about details such as the finish of guitars. Dave mentioned that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we ship a lot of stuff daily. We are one of the only shops that carry Tone Amplifiers.â&#x20AC;?

Another odd aspect of the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location that attracts customers is that the area is a center of high-end automobile dealers, and often customers come in to browse the guitars when their cars are being serviced.

Thriving in a Changing Market Part of the difficulty in locating vintage instruments is the large Internet traffic that currently exists. Customers have

become increasingly aware of the value of vintage instruments as collectibles. The breakdown in acoustic vs. electric sales has consistently been 60 percent electric and 40 percent acoustic, with the electric customers tending to be a younger demographic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even ten year old kids often start on electric guitar now,â&#x20AC;? Dan tells us. The fender Strat VG has done well and Dave notes that it can sound like a twelve string acoustic, and the $2,200 list price is â&#x20AC;&#x153;reasonable.â&#x20AC;? California Vintage finds that they must discount the new instruments, especially with a Guitar Center being only a mile away. They sell some classical guitars, but â&#x20AC;&#x153;not much,â&#x20AC;? although a few Hauser and Ramirez Guitars have passed through the shop. Los Angeles has a specialty shop called The Guitar Salon that focuses on classical instruments and tends to corner that market. Dave describes the function of eBay as providing â&#x20AC;&#x153;a sort of new price standard,â&#x20AC;? and one that has driven prices up. The store prefers to buy used instrument, and tends to stay away from consignments. The storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site, which went live almost four years ago, is â&#x20AC;&#x153;very important.â&#x20AC;? There is an online portal where the con-

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74 MMR

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APRIL 2009

sumer can punch in a specific guitar, and the user is led to California Vintage. Dan told us that the same percentage of people browse the Web site as browse in the store itself. There are the usual “tirekickers, who want photos, ask questions, and you never hear from them again.” In addition to guitars, the store sells mandolins, basses and amplifiers. Eighty percent of the business is done in guitars, but amps and basses are “important for us,” says Dan. The partners discussed the shifting focus on vintage guitars. They saw the price of sunburst vintage Les Paul Guitars skyrocket about a year and a half ago, followed by a correction in those prices. They have seen prices fluctuate, soften and then ramp up. Despite a changing vintage market and a troubled economy, California Vintage Guitars continues to thrive. “We are pretty lucky because we are located in the heart of the film and TV and studio community in Southern California which has not been affected much by the current economic downturn,” Dan explains. “We deal with a lot of players and collectors who are in the entertainment business and they are still buying. Business has been very good.”

APRIL 2009

Zero Stress The store has a luthier who does repairs and also builds guitars. All of the employees are professional players. Currently there are four people who work- full-time at the store. T he partners feel that they need more room, but “we don’t want to expand. We don’t want to grow too much. We want to nurture our customers, the people

who support us. We’re doing fine, and we want to build our reputation and maintain it. We can afford to keep the store the way it is. We want to make money, but it has to be fun. We have a zero stress level. We have no financing debts, because we own everything. We’re like little kids, when an old case walks in we get excited to see what’s in it.”

MMR 75

Getting with String Quality

Real

Amati’s Michael Schear wants wholesale change to retail prices By Franklin B. Tucker

ou won’t be placed into a voice mail system calling

Amati’s

Fine

Instruments.

The

Cincinnati-based string instrument wholesaler

doesn’t have one.

It’s not that Amati’s owner Michael Schear is opposed to employing what’s considered a necessity for any business. He simply wants his customers talking to him or one of his 20 employees rather than a machine. “I’m into providing very personal service,” declared Schear, who makes knowing his customers a hallmark of the family firm he’s been running for the past two decades ago. “I want [customers] to know who we are,” he said. And Schear’s emphasis on treating his clients with quality goods and service has produced an eye popping 38 percent increase in annual sales in 2008 in the midst of an economy that spent the year heading south fast. And Schear is coming out in 76 MMR

APRIL 2009

Amati’s sales force of traveling musicians: Jackie, Rebbecah, Amanda, Patrick and Vince.

2009 with several new lines of musical merchandise he believes will help Amati’s continue its successful sales momentum. This remarkable jump in Amati’s business, according to Schear, was not the fallout of a fire sale or deep discounts that have financially prop up other businesses by moving inventory. In a market known for miniscule profit margins and the prospect that Internet sales will erode traditional wholesalers market share, Amati’s suggested retail prices are at least three times the wholesale cost, greater than the standard two times of its competitors. “We’re in a price sensitive business,” said Schear. “So we have to provide exceptional value for customers, for them to say, ‘I’d rather have this instrument’.” APRIL 2009

While customer service – from sending salesmen to visit dealers on-site to customizing his string instruments – is an important component to his sales success, it was Schear’s early recognition that wholesalers were caught in a stranglehold of substandard instruments from foreign suppliers that has the most lasting affect on his industry. “I just could not see us continuing under this condition,” Schear recalled saying at the time. It took nearly a decade of suggestions, cajoling and handholding until his 20 Chinese suppliers could produce string instruments to meet Schear’s criterion. Schear’s business acumen in demanding low-price foreign manufacturers to set high standards for the string instruments while supporting retailers with

specialize services has allowed Amati’s existing and prospective clients to stock significantly better instruments for their students and customers. “I have been told that I changed the way workshops in China do business,” said Schear, whose love of music and a background in finance – he holds degrees in both – and has served him since his first day in the retail business. In the early 1980s, Schear was a CPA, burned out after one-too-many tax seasons, when he accepted a family loan to start his own retail music supply store, Antonio Violins. He likely would have remained a retailer if not for the systemic problems he faced by the less-than-stellar workmanship affecting his inventory of violins. In MMR 77

What’s new at Amati’s Amati’s Fine Instruments is introducing a collection of new string instrument models for 2009, showcasing them to customers and at the American String Teachers Association national conference in Atlanta in March. Amati’s owner Michael Schear is introducing for the first time four step up quality instruments from Romania ranging from $1,350 to $1,800 retail with a wholesale price from $400 to $600. These instruments include Dominant strings and superior Aubert bridges. The Cincinnati-based company is also carrying Romanian violins for students that includes three different varnish finishes, Aubert #5 treated bridge, steel strings with ebony tailpiece and four fine tuners, a Boltron case with aluminum valance and a Glasser Horsehair bow with retail prices ranging from $750 to $1,100, with the higher priced model including professional setup. Amati’s has also been named a distributor for instruments from German manufacturer Franz Sandner. Student outfits, including a bow and case, have retail prices of $399, $599 and $1,200. Staying in the student line, Amati’s is introducing its Model A80. With a suggested retail price of $795, the outfit includes an attractive and durable oblong case and is available with a Glasser black fiberglass bow with horsehair. The company also offers a string double bass, the Model 100, a plywood ($3,250 retail/$950 wholesale) and a hybrid (retail price $3,750/ wholesale $1,200) instrument that is “the best quality” that Schear has ever seen. There is a matching cello starting at $375.00 wholesale. Amati’s is also supplying a large number of first-class violin cases ranging from $65 to $135 wholesale. Amati’s product mix is 50 percent student or beginner instruments, 30 percent at the step up level and 20 percent for professional performers which Schear believes is a very realistic mix for a wholesale business to have. 78 MMR

Schear’s first years, the retention rate for his rental customers was only 50 percent, requiring him to roundup a slew of new students to keep his head above red ink. He quickly discovered the most common reoccurring problem plaguing his rentals was the pegs – the four screw-like tuning attachments located at the end of the violin’s fingerboard – and the bridge that elevate the strings were constantly slipping or moving, resulting in the instruments continuity becoming out of tune. “I was losing money on each rental and that simply couldn’t be sustained,” Schear observed After making the necessary repairs to all his violins – a process he calls “a wrist breaker” – Schear decided the only longrange solution that made fi nancial sense was for his daughter, Jackie, travel to the Chinese workshops. “I said ‘We have to fi x this’,” said Schear, who noted that the student violins being supplied were “of poor quality.” In China, Schear’s daughter discovered a chicken-or-the-egg situation: many wholesalers never broached the quality of instruments so it was not considered a pressing issue at the workshops. “We demanded better and they gave it back to us with the improvements and then some,” said Schear. Remarkably, the first year with the peg and bridge improvements saw student retention rates soar to 70 percent. The reason was simple. “Students were staying in tune and practicing rather than waiting for a repair,” he said. Each subsequent year Jackie Schear would make up to three trips to China carrying with her a list of issues such as improving the selection of wood for aesthetics and sound and what varnish and how much to use. Each improvement would hike the price of each instrument between 15 cents to half-dollar, which Schear saw as a good investment. And when the artisans told Schear about their inability to achieve a minor detail on the instruments, he had the correct tools shipped from Germany to the workers. The results were immediate. “The improvements were geometrically higher in quality,” noted Schear. Now he receives the highest quality professional violins and violas from such well-known artisans as Guan Kai Ming and Ming Jiang Zhu producing replicas of Stradivarius and Guarneri that retail for $4,000. And the student/beginner

models have substantially improved in tone and workmanship. As the quality improved each year, so did the number of students renting the next year. Today, Schear’s store’s rental retention rate is over 80 percent. In the decade since his first trip, Schear had an instrument – the Amati model which wholesales for under $200.00 and retails above $600.00 – that he calls his first “real violin that’s hand oiled varnished and properly graduated” for the beginners market. “It’s pretty simple when you think about it. A student who is playing a better instrument that is in tune will want to practice more and stay with the instrument longer,” said Schear. While his business consist of providing violins, violas, cellos and double basses primarily to his wholesale customers stores across the country and schools locally in Cincinnati, Ohio, Schear puts as much effort in selling “a personal touch.” Schear’s commitment to understanding his business lead him to apprentice with a violinmaker for 7 years while his daughter Jackie learned to speak Chinese. Schear has focused on being a complete music wholesaler, not just a warehouse with a shipping department. Customers are not simply purchasing a violin, he said. They are buying an instrument adjusted and properly tuned by a sales staff that are string performers. “Every step up and professional instrument that we sell is always played and tonally adjusted before it is shipped out.” said Schear. This add on set-up service is also available for student string instruments including full adjustments of the bridge, sound post, fingerboard and pegs for an additional cost of $35 to $80 for violins to $250 to $350 for a double bass. It’s a small but critical service for retailers to provide since an instrument properly attuned can make or break a sale or rental agreement. The simple act of the accurate placement of the sound post – a slight twoand-a-half inch piece of wood located inside the body of the violin – is a technique that is required when selling an instrument that is played by more skilled performers. The sound post “can make [a violin] sing. It’s the soul of the violin,” said Schear. Better quality and emphasizing hands-on assistance has Schear recommending retailers to list instruments he supplies at a much higher retail prices than his competitors. APRIL 2009

This business approach, said Schear, is based on better products and with his service allows for “realistic” pricing that directly assists in the survival of local music retailer outlets. “We’re not going to set a retail price so the dealer will lose their shirt,” said Schear. Typically 80 percent of violins that leaves a music store are under a rentto-purchase agreement. Rental fees are expected to covers a retailer’s operating expenses, insurance, rent, salaries, taxes and repairs to all the dinks and scrapes to the instruments, bows and cases. If a retailer cannot price the instrument correctly, they will find themselves at best just breaking even on their largest business transaction as customers will have accumulated enough equity over time in their rental agreement to purchase a new instrument at a minimal additional cost. Giving retail customers added quality and pricing was the impetus for Schear to offer free training at the store or in Cincinnati to set up instruments such as how to fit bridges, string the instruments and tune them. It is part and parcel of his belief that quality and service sells.

APRIL 2009

“You can’t grow a business only on the lowest price. So we needed to be superior in all parts of our business,” said Schear. And this includes the personal touch Schear provides. Beginning in and around the Midwest, the firm’s sales area now covers three-quarters of the continental US, “costing me a large fortune in travel expenses,” said Schear. Yet he is willing to spend money so his five sales reps and himself are able to meet dealers up to three times a year to discuss the products and services. It is this duel approach of quality and knowledgeable service that affects sales on the retail level. “Retailers can go to school districts and tell them of the quality that they will be getting with our instruments,” said Schear. In the past few years, Schear said private teachers and school music administrators are his best advocates who through word of mouth will tell parents that they prefer Amati’s Fine Instruments. Yet wholesalers are facing a myriad of financial pressures that is threatening all small businesses. Prices have shot up and despite the upswing in sales, “2008 was very tough,” said Schear, especially for a

company that needs to reinvest in product development to allow his business model to succeed. Even the volatility of foreign currency markets hit Amati’s in 2007 when its Chinese workshops switched payment from dollars to Euros. “I didn’t know the prices I was paying until the shipments came in,” said Schear, who noted that his workshop suppliers have returned to accepting dollars as the euro has weakened. His daughter, Jackie, is making fewer trips to China as an increasing number of his vendors are coming to the US to promote their new instruments. And while the coming year doesn’t appear to be any better than 2008, Schear believes that promised increases in federal government school funding and his commitment to personal services will allow Amati’s sales to increase. “If you are passionate about and stand by your products, consumers will take notice,” said Schear. Amati’s sales staff include Jacqueline Schear “Jackie”, Amanda Scoggins, Vince Scacchetti, Patrick Higgins, and Tracy Leenman.

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2009 RPMDA Convention Exhibitor List The 2009 RPMDA convention is the only convention dedicated to print music retailing and publishing. RPMDA prides itself on promoting a close working relationship between dealer and associate members, and the organization strives to be known as a positive model of open communication to the entire music industry. Members alternate between keynote addresses and educational breakout sessions providing professional development

to owners, managers and staff, ing optional social events. In and time spent exclusively in 2009, RPMDA convention atthe exhibit hall. Exhibitors tendees will enjoy dinner todrive traffic to their booths by gether followed with a short participating in a convention private concert by the famed coupon book mailed to memMormon Tabernacle Choir. bers a month in advance, with New and first-time attendees discount offers available only will find a sharing, welcomto convention attendees. After ing network of colleagues in Madeleine Crouch, RPMDA hours, members enjoy spendSalt Lake City, April 29-May ing time together sightseeing and attend2, 2009, at the Downtown Marriott Hotel.

ALFRED PUBLISHING CO. ALPHONSE LEDUC/ ROBERT KING MUSIC SALES, INC. BARENREITER BREITKOPF & HARTEL CALVIN TAYLOR PUBLISHING CARL FISCHER MUSIC CHERRY LANE MUSIC CO., INC. DE HASKE INTERNATIONAL AG DESMURS MAX DUCKS DELUXE FABER MUSIC FJH MUSIC COMPANY INC.

FREDERICK HARRIS MUSIC CO. LTD. G. HENLE VERLAG HAL LEONARD CORPORATION HERITAGE MUSIC PRESS JACKMAN MUSIC CORPORATION LORENZ CORPORATION MASTERS MUSIC PUBLICATIONS, INC. MAYFAIR MONTGOMERY PUBLISHING MAYFAIR MUSIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

Visit us at RPMDA Come see our

NEW GIFTS! Ask about our

MUSIC GIFTS COMPANY OF ENGLAND, INC. MUSIC SALES GROUP MUSIC TOOL BOX NAMM INTERNATIONAL MUSIC PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION NEIL A. KJOS MUSIC CO. NORTHEASTERN MUSIC/RONCORP OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PENGUIN GROUP USA PUBLICATIONS CHANT DE MON PAYS INC. RETAIL UP! MUSIC SCHAUM PUBLICATIONS, INC. SCHOTT MUSIC SHAWNEE PRESS, INC. SOUNDFORTH THEODORE PRESSER COMPANY TRI-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS, INC. UNIVERSAL EDITION, INC. WILLIS MUSIC CO.

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The Music Gifts Company 6403 West Rogers Circle Boca Raton, FL 33487 Phone: 866-981-8133 Fax: 561-997-0611 E-Mail: musicgiftsusa@aol.com Website: musicgiftsofengland.com

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Breaking News

Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com APRIL 2009

145 PETROF years sounds

A NEW WORLD OF PRECISION

Asymmetrically crowned, tapered soundboard extends under all bridges resulting in superior transfer of vibrations.

The (front and rear) duplexes are tuned up to higher harmonic intervals as quints, octaves and their sums.

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Supplierscene Harmonix Donates Games to Sick Kids A number of children with serious medical conditions will soon have something to help ease their pain thanks to a new partnership between the videogame development company Harmonix Music Systems and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Along with a minimum $50,000 donation to Starlight, Harmonix, the creator of “Rock Band,” is giving away more than 650 bundles of the popular game to hospitals across the United States. The company will absorb all shipping costs, says Jenny Isaacson, VP of brand marketing and communications at Starlight. “Their support of us is very robust,” Isaacson says of Harmonix. “They, like us, firmly believe in the powerful therapeutic effect of music and that it can provide distractive entertainment therapy for seriously ill children, teens and their families, both in the hospital and on an outpatient basis.” The foundation was founded in 1984 and is dedicated to “helping seriously ill children and their families cope with the pain, fear, and isolation of serious illness through entertainment, education, and family activities,” Isaacson says. (Source: Billboard)

Roy Rogers’ Martin Expected to Fetch Big Bucks A rare guitar owned by singing cowboy and actor Roy Rogers is hitting the auction block next month, the first of its kind ever to be offered at auction, Christie’s said on Wednesday. The C.F. Martin OM-45 Deluxe guitar is one of only 15 made by the Nazareth, Pennsylvania, company founded by a German immigrant in the 1830s. Only 14 were believed to have been manufactured in 1930 but recent research brought to light a 15th, owned by Rogers since 1933 and the very first one produced. The auction house expects the OM (Orchestra Model) guitar, last played by Rogers and in its original, unrestored state, to sell for $150,000 to $250,000 when it is 82 MMR

offered along with three more of Rogers’s guitars on April 3. The guitars are being sold by The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Missouri. “Back in 1933 performing cowboys started going for the hand-tooled boots and handmade shirts, and Roy went out and purchased the flashiest guitar he could find,” said Kerry Keane, Christie’s musical instruments department head and specialist for the sale. “That was this guitar,” which still bears the green sash cord Rogers attached and a gold star sticker from a flour promotion campaign Rogers did in the mid-1930s. “It has all the sparkle and twang a Hollywood cowboy could ever want.” Rogers, who died in 1998, was a twotime inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame and starred in over 100 fi lms plus a popular television show. Other highlights of the sale include a Gennaro Gagliano violoncello circa 1765, which is expected to fetch $200,000 to $300,000, and a Gibson Inc. Les Paul solid body electric guitar estimated at $150,000 to $250,000. (Source: Reuters)

VTC Pro Audio Elevation Series at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre VTC Pro Audio’s Flagship Elevation Series line array was used exclusively on the So You Think You Can Dance Canada tour, including the February 13th stop in Toronto’s famed Air Canada Centre. VTC Elevation Series Cabinets & Subwoofers were used in all SYTYCD Canada events, including 48 EL210T cabinets and 16 ELS212T subwoofers providing concert sound for the Air Canada Centre show. All system time alignment, tuning, and signal processing was handled with VTC Pro Audio DLMS4080 processors. To find out more about VTC products, visit www.vtcproaudio.com.

Lowrey Organ Adds New Dealers Building on plans for expansion, Lowrey has announced they have added four new dealers between January and February

of 2009. The new dealers, three of which were previously piano dealers exclusively, will now move into the active adult market through the Lowrey brand. The new dealers were added as a result of Lowrey’s latest marketing campaign Think Big, Think Rich which demonstrates Lowrey’s key offerings to dealers - the high profit margins, turn-key programs, no Internet, no catalog or big box distribution, exclusive territories, and guarantees of multiple customer purchases in the first year. Lowrey will continue to add to its roster of new dealers throughout the year. For more information, visit www. lowrey.com.

Irradiant Inc. Moves to Larger Facility Irradiant Inc. has announced that they have completed the process of moving their main Mid-West office to a new location at 3804 Hawthorn Court, Waukegan Ill. The new office facility also has an adjoining warehouse to accommodate Irradiant’s authorized dealers with a centrally located warehouse. The new warehouse is currently stocked with many of Irradiant’s products including various segment lengths of their Neo-Truss square, triangular, and ladder truss. Many styles of corner pieces and trussing accessories are also being housed there. In the near future, the Waukegan Ill. warehouse will also stock a variety Irradiant’s entertainment and architectural lighting products as well as new audio products from Irradiant’s audio division, Peak4orce. A new product showroom within the facility is under construction that will display many of the newest and most popular of Irradiant’s products. To find out more, visit www.irradianthq.com.

Taylor Guitars Kick Off Third Year of Road Shows Taylor Guitars is poised to bring its Taylor Guitars Road Show to dealerships across the U.S. and abroad in 2009. Now in its third year, the Taylor Guitars APRIL 2009

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DF12 DF 36-A — “Mini-Store” • 21.5” wide x 65” tall x 15.75” deep — just 2.3 square feet! • 36 compartments. Optional side racks for additional merchandise. Shown with one optional side rack. • FREE with purchase of 36 dozen pairs (less than $2700 USD) DF 36 — Portable Drumshop • 27” wide x 65” tall x 18” deep — just 3.4 square feet! • Front/side panels with hooks and label holders • Large bottom storage compartment • FREE with purchase of 36 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $3500 USD)

DF-28 – Master Merchandiser • Holds well over 1000 pairs of sticks in a 42” diameter circle • “Basic” unit is FREE with 42 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $4200 USD) • “Expanded” unit (pictured) is FREE with purchase of 54 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $5200 USD)

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Supplierscene Road Show is an in-store gathering that brings enthusiasts together with Taylor clinicians and experts straight from the company’s factory in El Cajon, Calif. At each Road Show, the Taylor Road Show team shares insights on the company’s guitar making process, including an informative demonstration on how body shapes and woods affect tone. After the demonstration, players are invited to take part in the show’s “Petting Zoo”: an opportunity to pick up and play a variety of different models, as well as rare and custom build to order models. Admission to each Road Show is free. At select locations, a special Electric Road Show will highlight Taylor’s electric lineup, including the new T3 and T3/B, the Taylor SolidBody, as well as the electric/acoustic hollow body, the T5. Attendees will also have the chance to explore Taylor’s line of acoustic guitars. The 2009 Road Show tour kicked off in March with multiple dates in California and Oklahoma, as well as an East Coast swing with stops in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Each Road Show attendee will receive

a complimentary copy of Premier Guitar magazine and, while supplies last, Taylorware gear, and Elixir strings. Attendees will have the chance to enter to win the grand prize - an opportunity to build their own custom guitar through Taylor’s Build To Order program. For latest Road Show cities and dates, visit www.taylorguitars.com/roadshow.

Rock House announced that three lucky fans of Rock House from the New York/ Connecticut area were invited to a February 25th DVD shoot with Michael Paget of Bullet For My Valentine. The lucky

Buffet Crampon Welcomes Gregory Oakes Buffet Crampon USA welcomed Gregory Oakes, professor of clarinet at Iowa State University, to the Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist Roster. Mr. Oakes has been a member of several orchestras including the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Ballet, Central City Opera, Colorado Music Festival, and the Chicago Civic Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Mr. Oakes has performed as a member of the woodwind quintet Category 5, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quintet, and the award-winning clarinet quartet Ensemble Syzygy.

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Rock House Helps Three Aspiring Musicians Meet Their Guitar Hero

aspiring musicians are brothers, Mike and Danny Graziano and their friend Jake Levine all students from Somers High School in Somers, N.Y. Their visit is part of a new program instituted by Rock House designed to reach out into the community and motivate young musicians to keep playing guitar. Rock House invites local musicians to come to the studio to meet their idols and get a behind-the-scenes look at how a Rock House instructional product is made. For more information, visit www.rockhousemethod.com.

Jazz Education Network Joins The National SupportMusic Coalition NAMM has announced that the Jazz Education Network (JEN) has joined the SupportMusic Coalition, a public service led by U.S.-based NAMM and MENC, the National Association for Music Education that seeks to strengthen community commitment and support for quality music education in schools. The coalition comprises more than 190 organizations, representing more than seven million concerned citizens, working to ensure that music and arts instruction are part of a complete education for all children. Since strengthening music education is a worldwide concern due to its many proven benefits for students, several APRIL 2009

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� A No Fee Licensed Affiliate Rental Program. � Rental agreements that are customized to the specific laws of the Affiliate’s state. � State licensing and/or registration of the Affiliate’s rental program at NEMC’s expense. � Only one quality level of name brand instruments in New and Like-New condition only. � The restoration of all rental returns to Like-New condition at NEMC’s service facility. � Multi-colored Promotional & Educational handouts provided. � Motivational mailings to the Affiliate’s customers. � No inventory investment and all normal freight costs are paid by NEMC. � One of the largest staffs of skilled repair technicians dedicated only to rental instrument service. � Hands-on repair training in our NJ repair center with one-on-one private instruction (FREE). � Billing and collecting rental fees for the Affiliate’s accounts. � Ability to review customer accounts 24/7 through a dedicated web site. � The NEMC Calling Plan for collections. Working for the Affiliates from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

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� Business is promoted into the Afﬁliate’s retail store, not onto the Internet. NEMC does not Afﬁliate’s individual marketplace. NEMC does not post rental prices on the Internet.

� An Affiliate’s territory is protected. NEMC will not set up its own retail stores in an Affiliate’s territory. compete against its own Affiliates by renting ‘On-Line’.

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Supplierscene international organizations also participate in the SupportMusic Coalition. The JEN is a network of teachers, students, performers, and jazz aficionados from around the world. The network is dedicated to building the worldwide jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences. “Our organization is pleased to be a part of this team dedicated to increasing support for all kinds of music involvement,” said JEN President Mary Jo Papich. “Making music, especially jazz, is about expressing ideas that words alone cannot convey. Getting involved in music - whether it’s learning to play an instrument, singing, listening, or performing enriches our lives. NAMM’s SupportMusic Coalition is just what we need today to help everyone involved in music become better advocates because of the power of music to change lives.” The coalition invites all interested arts, parent, education, civic engagement, and youth-serving organizations to become affiliates. Affiliate organizations actively participate by contacting local, regional, and state school officials, distributing pertinent information to other supporters in their communities as well as networking with other coalition members. For more information and links to national, state and local organizations working together to keep music education strong, interested parties should visit www.supportmusic.com. Organizations interested in participating in the SupportMusic Coalition, can write to info@namm.org.

but we just weren’t ready. We needed time to establish the brand, expand our product offering, solidify production and fulfillment and refine our support systems. Now we’re ready to introduce ACCESS to the world. And in this challenging global economy, the exceptional quality, value & profitability of ACCESS Bags and Cases will be welcomed by distributors and dealers everywhere.” Interested parties attending NAMM Show ’09 may inquire at the ACCESS Bags and Cases, booth 4697 in Hall C, to learn more about international distribution opportunities and to schedule a private meeting. ACCESS Bags and Cases is a division of ACCESS Products Group, LLC. ACCESS, through its OEM division, Music Express, is a full-service supplier of quality products to many of the music products industry’s leading brands. Ordering Info: ACCESS Bags and Cases, 877-288-7881, 864-335-0035, www.accessbagsandcases.com

Lars Johansson Records with Hughes & Kettner Lars Johansson, lead guitarist of doom metal pioneers Candlemass, has been using a Hughes & Kettner Switchblade full-

ACCESS Goes Global With International Distribution ACCESS will make available for the first time its line of bags and cases to international music products distributors at NAMM Show ’09 on January 15-18, 2009 in Anaheim, California. “ACCESS Bag and Cases debuted at Winter NAMM in 2004 and we were literally inundated with inquiries from interested foreign distributors at that show,” said Marty Harrison, Sr. VP of ACCESS. “That was very gratifying 86 MMR

stack for quite some time now. As a fully programmable tube amplifier with digital fx, the unit provides great flexibility and a wealth of sounds on stage. Johansson’s fretwork - and the H&K Switchblade - can be heard on Candlemass’ new album, Death, Magic, Doom.

To find out more, visit www.hughesand-kettner.com.

Taylor’s T3 makes April Retail Debut Fresh off its debut at Winter NAMM, the T3, Taylor’s first semi-hollowbody, is reportedly in high demand. Dealers around the globe were quick to place their orders following the show and anticipate the arrival of the guitar as their waitlist of eager buyers continues to grow. Morgan Pettinato from Eastcoast Music Mall, a Taylor dealer in Danbury, Conn, has been adding names to his store’s waiting list since the T3 was first announced. “We had a Taylor Road Show here not too long ago, and despite having more than 16 inches of snow on the ground, some brave souls trekked through the storm just to see that guitar,” he says. “And once the audience heard it, they were blown away. Just about every day someone walks in and asks, ‘When will the T3 be here?’ People are putting purchases of other guitars on hold and requesting the T3.” Since the unveiling of the new model, Taylor has been inundated with inquiries, says vice president of Marketing and Sales, Brian Swerdfeger. “From its first sighting, the T3 has enjoyed rave reviews from the media and a flood of interest from our dealers and players around the world who can’t wait to get their hands on one.” Featuring a quilted maple top with a splash of chromed-out-cool hardware, the T3 offers a wide range of tones and high-performance playing in a semihollowbody. The T3 expands the classic semi-hollow sound with Taylor’s Style 2 HD (high-definition) pickups, three-way pickup switching, and coil-splitting capabilities that gives players a spectrum of humbucker and single coil sounds in one guitar. On the T3/B, an authentic Bigsby vibrato tailpiece is paired with a roller bridge for smooth functionality and an added dimension of sound. The T3 and T3/B will be available at domestic Taylor dealers starting in April and at international Taylor dealers by May. www.taylorguitars.com APRIL 2009

Newproducts New Products from GCI Technologies’ Brands Gemini has realeased their new professional DJ mixers, which include the PS 828EFX, 12” Professional DJ 4 Channel Mixer with built in effects, MM-1800, and MM-2400, 19” Professional DJ Mixer with EQ. They have also released their newly designed CDMP Series CD/MP3/USB players, consisting of the CDMP-5000 CD/MP3/USB all in-one mixing station, the CDMP-2600 rack mountable dual CD/MP3/USB CD player, and the CDMP-1300 single CD/MP3/USB player. The Gemini GVX Series Loudspeakers and GVX Powered Subwoofers were designed with a custom painted enclosure, compact look, and the ability to use them either for installs or a mobile event. Professional MIDI and keyboard capable DJ software called GROOVE is also new from Gemini. The software features beatmixing, auto bpm, three band eq, built-in effects, and auto-play mode. Cortex adds new features to the dMIX-300. Cortex’s dMIX-600 all-inone digital mixing station comes with three on-board effects such as flanger, reverb, and echo. GCI’s digital recording brand, iKEY Audio has released the iKEY G3 (portable instrument recorder), IKEY M3 (portable digital recorder), IKEY HDR7 (portable digital field recorder with mic), and the IKEY RM1 (rack mountable digital recorder). www.gci-technologies.com

Mapex Elm Snare & Enhanced Web Site The Black Panther Special Edition Elm Snare Drum from Mapex is 14 x 5.5, features a 6.1mm maple shell, with an exterior ply of elm, and is fi nished in a high-gloss clear lacquer. Additionally, the drum is designed with a 3.4mm thick walnut sound ring at the top and bottom edge of the shell. The Special Edition Elm Snare comes with die cast hoops and a fully adjustable Black Panther throw-off. The hardware is plated in black chrome. APRIL 2009

Also featured are Remo Ambassador heads and a 20-strand snare. Quantities of this snare drum will be limited. The drum comes with a padded Black Panther Deluxe Carrying Bag. MSRP is $744.99.

Mapex has launched two new integral modules on its Web site. All new Black Panther Snare Drum and MPX Snare Drum sections are now live and ready for consumer reference. In addition to a new look for the snare drum sections, which feature flash-based graphics that allow the user to quickly navigate from one model to another, Mapex has added a complete set of audio samples for each snare drum in both the Black Panther and MPX Web sites. Both pages have been integrated into the Mapex USA Web site and can be clicked to from any other page on the site. All audio samples (as well as visual images) can be downloaded for playback on any MP3capable device. All eight of the new MPX line snares are displayed in the same manner as the Black Panther Drums and each includes its own set of audio samples. www.mapexdrums.com

Joe Bonamassa Purchases Rockbox Rosetta Prototype First previewed at the 2009 NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif., the new Rockbox Rosetta amplifier made an early fan of blues-

rock blazer Joe Bonamassa, who purchased the very first 100 watt prototype on the spot after playing the amplifier at the busy Rockbox booth. The amplifier is now on tour with Bonamassa, which will include a performance at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London. Rockbox Electronics new two-channel amplifier features normal and FET input, two EQ settings, a range of controls, and is available in 50 and 100 watt versions, with half-power settings. Other features include: treble; mid and bass boost; external drive trim control; and four, eight, and 16 ohm speaker impedance settings. The Rosetta also comes with a lifetime transferable warranty. www.rockbox.com

Recording Software from Superscope Superscope Technologies introduces Elevation, music practice and recording software, designed for musicians, students, and educators. The software features Elevation Library, which allows the user to import music from a PC or Mac, or from an SD card, USB stick, or CD. Elevation handles common fi le formats - WAV, AIFF, MP3, and WMA. Superscope uses tempo and key control provided by iZotope, Inc., with DSP settings including modifications to key, tempo, fine tune, voice reduction, EQ, and balance. Play any file at a different key while preserving the tempo of the original recording, or adjust a file’s tempo without affecting the key. Seamlessly loop any MMR 87

Newproducts section of audio in the Library and slow down, or change the key of the loop, or create a practice loop (by ear or waveform interface), and save the changes as a new file. Save a playlist and burn a custom CD with changes or backing tracks. For educators, files can be sent to students via e-mail or placed on a Web site as an MP3. Record vocals or instruments using any file or snapshot in the Library as accompaniment, review performances, or adjust the mix between voice, instrument, and the accompaniment. Add performance notes, digital sheet music from scanned images, PDF’s, or notation programs into Elevation. Capture rehearsals or concerts with resolution up to 24-bit - equipped with iZotope’s precise sample rate conversion (SRC) and Mbit+, psychoacoustic word length reduction, Elevation transfers 24-bit recordings to CD. www.superscopetechnologies.com

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Gator’s New Guitar & Amp Cases Gator’s TSA ATA Guitar Case has taken the GPE ATA series to the next level. The exterior of the case features military-grade Polyethylene construction with black powder coated valance and hardware. Gator has incorporated a surface mounted impact diversion latch housing with a TSA approved locking center latch to make this case suitable for airline travel. An ergo-grip injection molded handle, extended reach protective neck cradle, crushed velvet luxury plush interior, and universal fit EPS protective foam have also been added to the open cavity design. The Gator Roto Amp line of cases is specifically

designed to fit most popular size amplifiers. This case is available in 1-12 and 2-12 sizes and allows the amp to sit safely and securely on top of the case during use. The open-top design provides access directly to the amplifier handle providing easy transport. The Gator Roto Amp height expands from 16” to 21” for multiple heights and incorporates two wrap around straps with clips to secure the lid to the base along with 3” heavy-duty casters providing protection during transit. Gator’s Viper Series Guitar and Laptop Gig Bags protect the guitar inside the rigid sidewall. The quilted, padded gig bag has a reinforced headstock/bridge section and adjustable neck support system. The bag is available in a standard version with upper and lower accessory storage compartments or

APRIL 2009

the laptop version complete with storage for your laptop. The pocket system of the laptop version has a built-in laptop pocket, business resource pocket, sheet music pocket, and multiple gear pockets for pedals, recording and midi interfaces, headphones, tuners, and general accessories. The dual textured, weather resistant nylon bag also features a reinforced firm-grip carry handle, and an ergo-fit air cushioned padded shoulder harness strap with adjustable sternum strap. The laptop version has a hideaway bungee waterproof weather cover. www.gatorcases.com

Gibson Amplifiers 1933-2008 from Blue Book Publications Blue Book Publications has released Wallace Marx Jr’s new book, Gibson Amplifiers 1933-2008: 75 Years of the Gold Tone. Over the course of 192 pages, including a 16-page

full-color pictorial section, Marx charts the evolution of Gibson’s amplifiers from the early offerings of the 1930s to the rejuvenated GA series produced today by Gibson Pro Audio. In addition to Gibson amps, the book also documents other brands covered by the Gibson stable, including Maestro amps of the ’50s and ’60s, Epiphone and Kalamazoo amps, and Lab Series solid state amps of the late ’70s to early ’80s. The book also features back stories, anecdotes, and explains the evolution of a legendary amplification line through the better part of a century. There is also a central color photo section, along with ex-

tensive illustrations in the history section. In addition there is a back-cover-mounted CD-ROM reprint of the Gibson Amplifier Master Service Book. First published in the mid-’60s, this manual contains a wealth of information that is otherwise difficult to access in one place, including schematics for every Gibson amp made from 1936 to 1966, and owners manuals for many models. Retail price is $29.95. www.bluebookinc.com

Madarozzo Drum & Percussion Bags The Madarozzo Series of Boutique Drum & Percussion bags are said to offer excellent gear protection. The compact range is available in a choice of colors and price points for stick, cymbal, and drum bags. The bags feature 600D water-repellent polyester, soft nylon lining, comfortable

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Newproducts handles, and various functional accessory pockets and pouches. www.madarozzo.com

ModTone’s New Power Supply & Pedal The ModTone Power Plant is a professional quality power supply. The Power Plant features a toroidal transformer creates performances and plays DisklavierRadio - multiple channels of music data broadcast over the Internet. www.yamaha.com

with eight isolated outputs. Five outputs are switchable from 9vdc to 12vdc, two feature SAG controls to go from 4v-9vdc, and the last is a 9vAC output. The Power Plant is designed to be used in conjunction with almost any pedal you can put on your pedal board. Each output is isolated and designed to operate without adding any noise to the signal path. Designed by MohoMod, the ModTone Clean Boost pedal features a proprietary circuit design that allows for up to 25db of boost without overdriving the signal. With the level knob at 12 o’clock, the effected signal is in unity with the bypassed signal. This allows for the Clean Boost to also function as a clean cut. In addition, the Clean Boost has a tone knob allowing the user to tailor their sound, adding more treble, bass, or anything in between. www.modtone-effects.com

Yamaha Disklavier E3 The Yamaha Disklavier E3 player piano is a technologically advanced, yet simple, powerful home entertainment center. It performs complete concerts by recording artists, which can include piano solos, orchestral pieces, rock ‘n roll, and everything in between. The E3 also plays and accompanies audio CDs, records and re90 MMR

NuBone from Graph Tech Graph Tech Guitar Labs has created NuBone Luthier Packs for repair shops. These packs of ten give luthiers a quality alternative to plastic. NuBone is a

EMG has unveiled their latest advancement in pickup technology, the solderless install. Beginning with their Pro Series pickguards and the new XSeries pickups, EMG will phase in the new components to existing products throughout 2009. www.emgpickups.com

On-Stage Gear Guitar Straps

derivative of Graph Tech’s proprietary TUSQ. NuBone is said to transfer the optimum frequencies to the guitar allowing for more volume, more tone, and more harmonics. NuBone is an environmentally friendly, man-made material that is made to close tolerances under high heat and pressure which contributes to its hardness, workability, and appearance. It is odorless when sanded and harder than plastic. www.graphtech.com

EMG’s X Series & Solderless Install EMG’s X Series is a new line of high-output guitar and bass pickups for all styles of playing. These pickups are said to have an organic nature to their overall sound due to a newly designed internal pre-amp, which allows for more gain to come from your amp and instrument, rather than from the pre-amp. The effect of this new design is to provide more headroom and overall body while still maintaining clarity and response.

On-Stage Gear has added 15 guitar straps to its line. The straps are woven from either durable polypropylene or nylon. The Click-It Strap is strong and fray resistant, made from automotive seat belt quality nylon webbing. It features reinforced stitching and an added Click-It lock design, making for quick and easy use. The Click-It features a secure quick attach/release clip. The female end of the clip remains secured to the guitar when the strap is not in use, yet will not interfere with the fit of molded cases. This low profi le, all Black strap is adjustable from 32-55” in length. The list price is $16.99. The Nylon Guitar Strap is also woven from the same strong and durable nylon webbing APRIL 2009

used to make automotive seat belts. It features two-ply leather ends and reinforced stitching. Adjustable from 32-55” in length, it is suitable for players of all sizes, and its solid black design complements all guitar fi nishes. Includes lacing for use with single-button acoustic guitars and is priced at $10.99. www.onstagegear.com

D’Addario Improves EXP Strings The new line of EXP strings from D’Addario features 50 percent less coating with ideal concentricity, said to create a more consistent, brighter sounding, and longer lasting string. With the creation

APRIL 2009

of the EXP Wire Company back in 2007, D’Addario announced improvements in the string manufacturing process to enhance the performance and longevity of the precision-coated wire used in EXP technology strings. The EXP String offers an exclusive compound-plated (not coated) plain steel string, with corrosion resistance. The new EXP wire has been utilized in D’Addario strings sets for much of 2008, but as of January 2009, all packaging has been updated to reflect the new product offering. EXP strings retail for $22.99 - $25.99. www.daddario.com

Eastwood Guitars Limited Edition Supro Dual Tone Eastwood Guitars has released their limited edition tribute to the 1950s Supro Dual Tone guitar. The Supro Dual Tone comes in white or black with a chrome trapeze

tail; an optional Bigsby tremolo tail is also available. It has a solid bass-

wood body, bolt-on 24 ¾” scale maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and 1 5/8” nut. The pickups are Valco VVDC (Vintage Voiced Dual Coil) humbuckers, and the headstock features a replica brass Supro logo. The initial 100 guitars of this Limited Edition Supro Dual Tone are in stock now and are available for shipping worldwide. www.eastwoodguitars.com

The Highland Guitar Company’s Redesigned Web Site Highland’s new Web site is designed with navigational ease in mind and provides

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Newproducts expanded image libraries and product information. Multiple views of each instrument provide the visitor with the interactive ability to click and enlarge images taken from different angles. Highland has also added feature pages to provide detailed specifications for each instrument. The Highland Guitar Company is distributed exclusively by Power Group Ltd and offers a full range of acoustic, archtop, bass, and solid electric guitars. www.highlandguitarcompany.com

Hennessey Guitar’s XTRASECURE Guitar Strap Locks The XTRA-SECURE Guitar Strap Locks, the first entry to the new Hennessey Guitar Parts line, are designed to provide easy removal and a secure connection. Employing Hennessey’s signature Compress and Release Action System, a thumb and two fingers are required to release the lock from the guitar button. The locking device is made up of five, three mm diameter ball-bearings inserted into a center hub. Positioned 72 degrees apart, these bearings apply even pressure on the custom locking button attached to the guitar. The button is attached with a one inch long, hardened-steel number two Philips-head wood screw. The screw ensures that the button is securely fastened to the guitar. A felt washer cushions the contact point between the button and guitar finish. The heart of the lock is its spring-loaded retaining ring. The ring is held firmly over the top of the ball bearings until it is pulled back. This releases the bearings and disengages the strap lock, making for a simple, safe mechanism. 92 MMR

The new NSL7300 Metallic series Guitar Strap Locks are made of aircraftgrade aluminum, making them light yet strong. They feature an anodized fi nish and come in bright colors. The locks are available in anodized black, gun metal, purple, silver, blue, and red. The anodized finish is thin, allowing for tighter tolerances, making it ideal for mating metal parts that must be secure yet easily disconnected. Hennessey strap locks are also available in brass versions, designated as the NSL7200 series. They share the same design features as the NSL7300’s, but the brass construction allows for chrome, gold, and black plating, thus matching the hardware of most production instruments. All models within the NSL7200 series and the NSL7300 series are packaged and sold in pairs. List price starts at $30.99 a pair for the brass strap locks and $33.99 for the metallic. www.hennesseyguitarparts.com

Noise Reducers from Health Enterprises, Inc. Health Enterprises has introduced new ear plugs. Music Impact Noise Reducers are said to provide a consistent reduction of sound across all frequencies. Unlike other earplugs that muffle sound, the Impact Noise Reducers maintain sound quality allowing music to be heard clearly. Comfort Fit Earplugs are dual-use earplugs that help seal out water and block out noise. These 27 noise reduction rating earplugs are reusable, easily cleaned, and made from soft silicone. The Foam Ear Plugs feature a 31 noise reduction rating. Health Enterprises offers a two-pair and 18-pair assortment of comfortable foam earplugs for maximum protection against continuous noise. www.healthenterprises.com

Hal Leonard Adds Lewis & Minnelli to Original Keys Series Hal Leonard has released two new Original Keys for Singers collections featuring songs from Leona Lewis and Liza Minnelli. The Original Keys Series offers hits from leading vocalists in exact vocal transcriptions with all songs in their original keys and piano accompaniment. The Lewis collection retails for $17.95 and the Minnelli collection for $19.99. www.halleonard.com

Cecilio’s Sax Partner The Sax Partner is a multifunctional silencer, designed to reduce the saxophone’s out flow volume while the player monitors his/her performance through earphones. The internal hi-fi pick-up microphone can cleanly collect each and every sound detail produced by the saxophone. Connect Sax Partner to CD’s or MP3’s for background accompaniment or computers and digital audio recorders for studio quality recording. Sax Partner’s built-in audio-exporting connection freely connects to output devices such as stage monitors, PA systems, or desktop speakers. www.ceciliomusic.com

Groove Juice’s Stick Grip Stick Grip from Groove Juice is a spray-on grip enhancing product that is said to allow drummers to fine tune their grip on the sticks giving them more control. Stick Grip is an aerosol spray-on product that is applied to the gripping portion of the drum stick. Simply spray a light coating of the product on the sticks, and wait about one minute for the formula to dry. Drummers can “tune” the tackiness of their sticks by spraying on successive thin coats until the desired level of tack is achieved. Once the formula dries on the drum stick, there will be no residue left on hands. Stick Grip is rubber based and holds up in sweaty, APRIL 2009

hot, or cold conditions. Stick Grip has a suggested retail price of $13.95 for a four ounce can (about 75-80 spray applications). groove@myexcel.com

Parker Guitars’ Fly Mojo Single Cut Series Parker Guitars has added the Parker Fly Mojo Single Cut to their line of electric guitars. Designed for the professional player, the Fly Mojo Single Cut brings a new single cutaway design to the Fly Mojo Series. Parker engineers have designed the single cut series from the ground up, utilizing a solid mahogany body and mahogany neck joined together using Parker’s multi-fi nger joint technology. The Fly Mojo Single Cut features Graph Tech Ghost Piezo Saddles on

APRIL 2009

a TonePros bridge, a Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup in the neck, and a JB pickup in the bridge. The Mojo Fly Single Cut is available in the following fi nishes: Black Burst; Black Cherry Sunburst; Dusty Black; Emerald Green; Galaxy Gray; Italian Plum; Majik Blue; Ruby Red; Trans Blue Burst; Trans Purple Burst; and White. www.parkerguitars.com

Rolls Corporation’s Source Mixer The MX153 source mixer from Rolls is a revision to the MX152.The power supply has been changed to DC, making it quieter and compatible only in DC applications. The MX153 is a one-half rack space, two microphone, and three stereo source mixer. The unit provides a compact and efficient way to mix sources such as AM/ FM tuners, CD and video players with dynamic or condenser microphones.

Each microphone channel has phantom power and level and tone controls. Sources one and two have level adjustments, bass, and treble controls. There is also priority ducking on mic one and source three. The mixer is 5.4’’ X 1.7’’ X 5.5’’ and is compatible with any rack tray. www.rolls.com

New from Lollar Pickups Lollar Pickups releases the P-90 replacement pickup and pickguard for original Melody Makers that requires no modification to the guitar. The pickguard is available for double cutaway, early 60’s models with single pickup and later and double cutaway SG styles with single pickup. The pickup comes in black only; pickguards

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Newproducts are available in single ply black, white, or parchment. Installation is as easy as removing the original pickguard along with all its attached electronics and dropping in the new pickup and pickguard. Also new from Lollar is a single coil pickup for humbucker, the SCFH, is designed to fit into a standard humbucker rout and offers a unique single coil sound, while sharing some of the tonal characteristics of Lollar’s P-90 style pickups. www.lollarguitars.com

Pantheon Guitars’ Bourgeois Very Vintage Mahogany The Bourgeois Very Vintage Mahogany from Pantheon Guitars, “pays homage to an earlier era of American guitar making.” The guitar is designed with traditional materials, an Adirondack red spruce top, Adirondack braces, genuine Honduran mahogany back, sides and neck, and features hot organic hide glue construction and an oil varnish finish, which gives the Very Vintage Mahogany the sound and feel of considerable playing mileage. Additionally, oil varnish imparts a deep amber hue to the natural colors of the woods, evoking the look as well as the sound of a vintage-era guitar. Additional features include ebony bindings, Mammoth ivory nut, ebony bridge and end pins, and oval nickel Waverly tuners. Standard string spacing includes a one nut and two 5/16 spacing at the bridge. Like all Bourgeois guitars, the Very Vintage Mahogany is individually hand-voiced by Dana Bourgeois. To enhance the quickness of the response, Bourgeois Guitars pays particular attention to the weight of the guitar with a focused effort to make it as light-weight as possible. The list price $5895. www.pantheonguitars.com

GHS & Rockbag, Rockcase, and Rockstand Lines GHS Corporation is now the exclusive USA distributor for Rockbag, Rock94 MMR

stand, and Rockcase. These new product lines, added to the existing GHS mix, which already includes GHS Strings, Rocktron, and D’Angelico, will fall under the new GHS Music Products umbrella. The Rockbag and Rockcase lines include a large assortment of soft cases, hardshell cases, and ABS cases for guitars, keyboards, drums, and many other instruments. The Rockstand line includes guitar stands, multipleguitar stands, microphone stands, speaker stands, and more. www.ghsstrings.com

Levy’s Slimline SonicArt Guitar Straps Levy’s has designed guitar straps to match the skinny tie. Narrow 1 1/2” polyester webbing is used for the printing of Levy’s Slimline SonicArt designs, which feature decorative black binding, leather ends, and triglide adjustment, adjustable to 60”. www.levysleathers.com

ADG Productions’ Latin Brass Soloist Latin Brass Soloist by Gabriel Rosati provides an extensive study into the various trumpet and trombone styles including: Salsa; Mambo; Merengue; Calypso; and Cha Cha. The book is transcribed note for note from the recorded audio CD. Each

example is recorded twice, the first version with brass, piano, bass, and percussion, and the second version with just piano, bass, and percussion so that the brass player can practice along with the rhythm section. www.adgproductions.com

Fred Gretsch Releases The Story of Paul Bigsby Fred Gretsch Enterprises has released a new book entitled The Story of Paul Bigsby: Father of the Modern Electric Solidbody Guitar. The book is written by Andy Babiuk, author of Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four’s Instruments, From Stage to Studio. Most musicians are familiar with the famous Bigsby Vibrato, but not as many know about the guitars that Paul Bigsby built in the 1940s. Bigsby, who was responsible for developing and refining the pedal steel guitar, also built the first modern solidbody electric guitar for Merle Travis in 1948, predating Leo Fender and Gibson’s Les Paul by a number of years. The Story of Paul Bigsby tells the untold story of how Bigsby influenced Fender and Gibson, as well as a number of other guitar manufacturers, in building techniques and design. This well-illustrated coffee table book contains over 300 color and black-and-white photos. Many of these photos have not previously been published, and over 50 are actual Bigsby instrument photos. The book also comes with an audio CD of Paul Bigsby, recorded in the late 1950s, telling stories of his business. The hardcover trade edition of the book is being distributed worldwide by Hal Leonard Corporation and retails for $50. A deluxe edition of the book with a special embossed leather-bound cover, gilded gold edges, cloth-woven bookmark, autographed by Fred Gretsch, and packaged in a special clothbound commemorative Bigsby clamshell box, is APRIL 2009

available in a limited edition direct from Gretsch and retails for $150. www.gretschgear.com

JBL Bags Sub Transporter Bag The JBL Sub Transporter is made specifically for the JBL 18” sub. The Sub Transporter snugly slips over the woofer enclosure and zips to fully enclose the cabinet and is equipped with a solid caster board and rolling casters. The Transporter also features handles that are positioned to the easiest lift points and has a soft padded interior. The Sub Transporter is embroidered with the JBL logo. www.jblbags.com

Tregan Guitars’ New SyrenXT The SyrenXT is the second generation Syren by Tregan Guitars. The new look of the XT features a two-tone paint job, Floyd Rose licensed tremolo, Grover tuners, black hardware, a passive/active switch, along with the built in powered preamp, and a more comfortable tapered back. In passive mode the Alnico humbuckers give smooth tones. The active mode adds more bite and enhances tone and harmonics. The XT has Tregan’s fast neck with twenty-four frets, Syren Wing inlays, and deep cutouts for easy access to all twenty-four frets. www.treganguitars.com

Sabian Buries Cymbals In an undisclosed location near the Sabian Cymbal factory in Meductic, in eastern Canada, 100 cymbals are buried and are undergoing eight months of dry, wet, hot, and cold soil conditioning, as part of the company’s “One of 100” program. These buried Artisan APRIL 2009

Medium Ride cymbals are the result of hundreds of annual queries from drum enthusiasts regarding the aging of cymbals by burying them in the ground. The cymbals in the “One of 100” collection will be available to the first 100 eligible buyers who submit a purchase submission form on the Sabian Web site. Once dug up, the cymbals will be sonically approved by the Sabian Vault Team and then individually packaged in a deluxe wood box, complete with official documentation of authenticity signed by master product specialist Mark Love. These cymbals are now available for purchase on the Sabian Web site. The excavation date is June, 1, 2009. The purchase price is $800, with a portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity. www.sabian.com

New Marketing from Stash Picks Stash Picks, Inc. has rolled out new marketing efforts and ad campaign to sell picks per piece rather than in bags. The ads will show in industry magazines and on t-shirts. For store retail, Stash Picks now offers fishbowls fi lled with an assortment of single picks. Customers can purchase one pick, set at the store’s price, as an entry into the line of products. Stash Picks also now offers empty tins for purchase – 24 tins to a box. Stores can sell the tins in conjunction with any pick sale. www.stashpicks.com

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Newproducts ing and printing. A new sizable collection of music creation and sound-processing plug-ins have been added including 20 new effects and five new virtual instruments, which include: mini grand piano; Boom drum machine; DB-33 tonewheel organ; vacuum tube-modeled synthesizer; and Xpand!2 sample player. Also included is amplifier simulation via Digidesign’s new guitar amp emulator Eleven Free as well as Tech21 SansAmp amplifier emulator. Pro Tools|HD 8 also enhances the extensive capabilities of Digidesign’s flagship Pro Tools|HD audio hardware, with support for the new Satellite Link option, which allows users to control up to five Pro Tools|HD systems as one. Additionally, the Avid Media Composer based Video Satellite option brings Avid HD/ SD video playback into the Pro Tools|HD audio workflow, while the new Video Satellite LE option allows Pro Tools|HD editors to play QuickTime HD/SD video or Avid SD video from a separate but synced Pro Tools LE system, thereby preserving track count and processing power on the host Pro Tools|HD system. For project studio owners, Pro Tools LE

8 and Pro Tools M-Powered 8 support up to 48 simultaneous audio tracks out of the box. Adding the new Music Production Toolkit 2 or DV Toolkit 2 (Pro Tools LE only), gives users access to up to 64 audio tracks. And for serious Pro Tools LE users, the new Complete Production Toolkit (Pro Tools LE only) combines the content of both toolkits and offers up to 128 simultaneous audio tracks and 7.1 surround mixing. Pro Tools 8 software is available for Windows Vista- (32-bit Business or Ultimate with Service Pack 1), Windows XP(Home and Professional with XP Service Pack 3), and Mac OS X 10.5.5 (Leopard)based Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered systems. Customers who have purchased a new Pro Tools system or upgrade since October 3, 2008, are eligible for a free software upgrade. Customers purchasing new systems with old software are also be eligible for the free upgrade. Pro Tools 8 software is currently available through authorized Digidesign dealers and Digidesign’s Web site. Pricing is as follows: Pro Tools HD 8 Upgrade $249; Pro Tools LE/M-Powered Upgrade $149; Pro Tools M-Powered Full

Version $299 US (available through authorized dealers only). www.digidesign.com

Jet Fretz’s New Radius Frets Jet Fretz’s new version of their radius frets are designed for balanced tone and increased volume and are available for electric and acoustic guitars. The

newly designed frets have stabilization plates that are f lush with the fret board on each side of the fret. These frets also have and a dovetail base that slides into a specially slotted fret board. The notes are said to be more balanced and achieve 35 percent more sustain than traditional frets. www.jetfretz.com

Schecter’s Hellraiser Solo-6 The newest addition to Schecter’ popular Hellraiser Collection is the Solo-6. Based on an offset solo-cut design, the newest Hellraiser is armed with EMG Active 81tw and 89 humbuckers, which can be split via the Tone controls, making the Solo-6 as versatile as it is eye-catching. Other upscale features include a TonePros locking TOM bridge, abalone binding, GraphTech Tusq nut and Schecter’s newly designed locking tuners. A Lefty version is also available. www.schecterguitars.com 96 MMR

APRIL 2009

Keep Music Education Strong Learning to play music is so much more than memorizing notes and scales. It helps a child develop creativity and instills self-discipline, commitment and conﬁdence. Your leadership in the community assures that music is a part of quality education for every child. Keep music education strong—go to supportmusic.com.

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Classifieds Classified Advertising To place an ad, please call Maureen at 800-964-5150 x34 or email mjohan@symphonypublishing.com Payment by: Visa, MC, Amex or Check Classifieds must be paid in advance. Symphony Publishing 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 Fax: (781) 453-9389

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Business Opportunities

Guitar Show Operators

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Piano Tuner retiring

Selling my Sanderson Accu-Tuner III / SN 6449 $650.00 e-mail: evanko2n@juno.com

Dealers Wanted

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APRIL 2009

For Sale www.ukes.com URL and Website For Sale THIS IS A VERY POPULAR WEBSITE FOR SELLING UKULELES. Price includes $100,000. in inventory $950,000 For info 808-870-5953 MUSIC STORE FOR SALE ON MAUI Have you ever dreamed of living in Hawaii? This could be your chance! Full Line Music Store in Paradise. All inventory and ď&#x192;&#x17E;xtures included. Most major lines are represented. Established in 1979 $1,800,000 For info 808-870-5953 MMR 99

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Help Wanted Full time piano salesperson wanted.

Position available immediately. Sell in the nest piano market in the world. Generous commissions, great benets. Submit your resume to: nycpianosales@gmail.com

Great Opportunity Will train energetic person to run a small\music store and give them an option to purchase. Southern California locale. Contact Joel at (949) 290-2945 Retail Piano Manager

Menchey Music Service, one of the country’s leading school music and piano dealers has an immediate opening for a Piano Manager in our Baltimore MD location. The location is a focused store specializing in school music rentals and Yamaha acoustic pianos, Clavinova digital pianos, and Disklavier electronic player pianos. Candidate should have at least 5 years of piano sales experience. Draw against commission based compensation plus comprehensive benets package including health insurance, 401k, etc. Please email resume and earnings history in condence to jmenchey@menchey.com

Merchandise

Wristies® fingerless gloves Warmth for hands-dexterity for fingers! Find out why so many musicians are wearing them for practice and performance. Wholesale, retail and quantity discounts available.

wristies.com 800-811-8290

Merchandise

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For Classified Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34 • mjohan@symphonypublishing.com 100 MMR

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Merchandise Oboes & Bassoons

HARD SHELL PLASTIC CASES Flute $9.00, Piccolo $6.00 Clarinet $10.00, Oboe $12.00

We create the finest hand-crafted Oboes & Bassoons. Also replacement 5K Bassoon Bocals.

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For Classified Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com

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Miscellaneous BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIR VIDEO Save $$$ on repair expense. Earn extra income. Journeyman repairman offers “How To” videos on the repair of brass and woodwind instruments. For information write to: B.I.R.V. Co. 880 Slater Rd. Bellingham, WA. 98226 (360) 384-6707

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fax (615) 255-2021

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Adindex COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

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www.Amatis.us.com www.huntermusical.com www.americandj.com www.americandj.com info@americanwaymktg.com www.audixusa.com

96 95 21 89 7 15 93 88 13

www.BGFranckBichon.com www.pantheonguitars.com www.jpstrings.com www.xmusicpro.com

9 63 28 54

A Al Cass Allparts Amati’s Fine Instruments America Longxing Inc. American DJ Supply Inc. American DJ Supply Inc. American Way Marketing LLC Anderson Silver Plating Audix Corp.

B BG Franck Bichon Bourgeois Breezy Ridge Instruments Ltd. Bridgecraft

C/D Composite Acoustics D’Addario & Co. Dunlop Manufacturing Inc.

www.compositeacoustics.com www.daddario.com www.jimdunlop.com

59 32 52

www.eastwoodguitars.com www.eleca.com www.FarleysEssentials.com www.forddrums.com

51 75 42 54

G GHS Corp. Godin Guitars Godlyke Inc. Good for the Goose Products Graph Tech Guitar Labs Grover Guitar Hanger

www.ghsstrings.com www.godinguitars.com www.godlyke.com www.chopsaver.com www.graphtech.com www.grotro.com www.theguitarhanger.com

39 41 cov 2 95 44 68 44

H/J Hall Crystal Flutes Inc. Hutchins Guitars of North America Jet Fretz Jones-Fletcher

www.hallflutes.com www.hutchinsguitarsusa.com www.JetFretz.com jonesfletcher@comcast.net

16 79 53 91

K/L Ken Smith Basses Ltd. Kyser Musical Products Inc. Levy’s Leathers Ltd. Lollar Guitars

www.kensmithbasses.com www.kysermusical.com www.levysleathers.com www.lollarguitars.com

26 49 43 48

sales@metmusic.com

M/N Metropolitan Music Co. 104 MMR

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

PAGE

Music Gifts Usa NAMM National Educational Music Co. National Music Funding New Sensor Corp.

www.musicgiftsofengland.com www.namm.com www.nemc.com www.nationalmusic.com www.newsensor.com

80 22-23 85 89 55

P P & D Wholesale Peterson Strobe Tuners Petrof USA Pocket Songs Pro-Mark Corp. PRS Guitars (Paul Reed Smith) PRS Guitars (Paul Reed Smith) Prudencio Seaz USA Inc.

www.PDWholesale.net www.petersontuners.com www.petrof.com www.pocketsongs.com www.promark.com www.prsguitars.com www.prsguitars.com www.prudenciosaezusa.com

80 26 81 29 83 47 35 75

www.qmpsales.com www.realdelosreyes.com www.rockhousemethod.com www.rolandUS.com www.rolls.com

28 52 19 cov 4 91

Q/R QMP Real de los Reyes Rock House Roland Corp. U.S. Rolls Corporation

E/F Eastwood Guitars Eleca International Farley’s Essentials Ford Drum Company

COMPANY NAME

Sabian Ltd. Saga Musical Instruments Samson Technologies Corp. Schecter Guitar Research Seymour Duncan Pickups Shane Music Products Shubb Co. SKB Corp. Sonaré Winds String Swing Mfg. Inc. Super-Sensitive Musical String Co.

www.sabian.com www.sagamusic.com www.samsontech.com www.schecterguitars.com www.seymourduncan.com www.shanemusic.com www.shubb.com www.skbcases.com www.sonarewinds.com www.stringswing.com

11 71 3 45 63 38 28 33 67 5

www.cavanaughcompany.com

www.tkl.com www.theStringCleaner.com www.traditionguitars.com www.treganguitars.com

1 79 34 46

www.WestheimerCorp.com www.wilkinsguitars.com

37 84

www.woodviolins.com www.wymanpiano.com www.yamaha.com

74 71 17

T/U TKL Products Corp. ToneGear Tradition Guitar Tregan Guitars

W/Y Westheimer Corp. Wilkins Wood Violins (Mark Wood Music Product Wyman Piano Yamaha Corp. of America

APRIL 2009

Jazz Education Network

The

is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences. The Jazz Education Network was founded in the spirit of collaboration and excellence. Our goal is to be a vital resource for a constantly evolving art form that lives globally.

Who we are: students, teachers, directors, musicians, composers, authors, fans, media, industry...WE are YOU!

Full Individual Membership (18 and up) - $50

lead the transformation of the jazz education culture

eJEN Membership Levels:

(18 and up) - ($35/25)

Partner Membership Levels:

Festival/Event- $100

Institutional - $300 • Corporate - $500

Afﬁliate - $25 Annual Fee + $10 per person/member 17 and under categories to be launched soon! Please check the web site for updates.

JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK

www.JazzEdNet.org

For complete membership information/beneﬁts please visit us at: www.JazzEdNet.org

V-Piano technology is based upon Roland’s deep research of the acoustic piano. It oﬀers no sampling, looping, velocity switching or polyphony limitation associated with traditional sampled pianos. TM

The V-Piano uses Roland’s “Piano Component Object Sound Modeling Synthesis” to reproduce the components of an acoustic piano. Its virtual strings, hammers, f ra m e, soundboard and case combine to create an exceptional musical instrument. TM

Hammer hardness is completely adjustable. Go from a bright, pop sound to a more mellow sound naturally. Voicing a piano has never been easier.

The V-Piano is the ﬁrst truly tunable digital piano. Many artists choose a piano based on its “sweet spot.” Now, you can de-tune any area or single note to create your signature sound.

You can even change the material used for the strings from copper to silver creating a brighter, bell-like tone to cut through the band when you need it.

To learn more about the amazing V-Piano, visit www.RolandUS.com.