mmr-november-2010

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

November 2010

Signature Series

Drums Do Artist Series Drums & Cymbals Connect with Players?

Elkhart: The World’s ‘Band Instrument Capital’ Revisited

NEW, DIGITAL VERSION: www.mmrmagazine.com

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.

believe in music 5790 Armada Drive • Carlsbad, CA 92008 • 760.438.8001 • www.namm.org

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You can customize the MMR dealer list to your needs. Choose the categories that you need, and contact MMR for an immediate price quote. Contact Melanie Prescott mprescott@ symphonypublishing.com

1-800-964-5150 Sidney Davis x13 Rick Kessel x14

MMR

Corporate Headquarters 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1 Needham, MA 02494 Phone: 781-453-9310 Fax: 781-453-9389

www.mmrmagazine.com

The Power of Ten.

The All New Expedition 510i. Delivering roadworthy sound and a unique, pack-and-go design, Expedition features a 10-channel, 500-watt Class D mixer with digital effects and an iPod dock. Its vented enclosures use 10-inch woofers and 1-inch titanium tweeters for rich bass and crystal clear highs. With Expedition, portable perfection is easier than ever. ÂŠ 2010 Samson | samsontech.com

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Contents NOVEMBER 2010 VOL.169 NO. 11

40 Spotlight:

Signature Series Drums & Cymbals – Connecting with Players? In recent years, we’ve taken a closer look at Artist Series guitars and drumsticks – both pretty big “hits” for suppliers and retailers. The same is sure to hold true for drums, no? Well… sort of. MMR spoke with some of the biggest names in drums & percussion manufacturing and found that, while Signature drums and cymbals have a place and a distinct appeal, drums and drummers represent a somewhat more difficult terrain to navigate… Cover design by Laurie Chesna

26 Upfront Q&A: Trev Wilkinson

MMR chats with the U.K.-based guitar design innovator, who discusses his background in the business and the evolution of his own Fret-King and Vintage instruments.

30 Elkhart – ‘Band Instrument Capital’

We revisit Elkhart, Indiana (last profiled, in-depth, by MMR in 1982) and find that, despite shifting production trends and a difficult domestic and global economy, the town of just over 50,000 is still a major center for musical instrument design, manufacture, and distribution. With the new ownership of E.K. Blessing (Powell Flutes) already clearly committing to step up local production and involvement in the community and a handful of other heavy-hitters staying loyal to the area, things in Elkhart are looking up...

50 Survey: Artist Series Drums 54 Grand Opening: KHS America Headquarters

MMR reports from Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – site of the new 100,000 square-foot headquarters for KHS America, USA parent company of Mapex Drums, Jupiter Band Instruments, Altus Flutes, Walden Guitars, and Majestic Concert Percussion.

60 Central Electronics and Music Warehouse: Family, Community, and Music

64 Black Bear Guitars: A One-Man Show

68 Chasons Music: Faith, Innovation, and… Sailing?

MMR checks in with Dave Chamberlain – pastor, sailor, musician, and inventor and distributor of the OcToBrass.

In every issue: 8 10 18 20 22 82 86 90 96

Editorial Upfront People Letters Viewpoint New Products Supplier Scene Classifieds Advertisers’ Index

72 Commentary: Using Software to do More with Less

Jackrabbit Technologies’ Mark Mahoney outlines the benefits to effectively integrating software into your business model.

76 Fresh Faces: The Music Den

The recently opened Music Den in Butler, N.J. capitalizes on location and the entrepreneurial drive of owners Jerry and Tom Scognamiglio.

80 At a Glance: Springfield Music

www.mmrmagazine.com

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 ©2010 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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NOVEMBER 2010

Editorial Sidney Davis

Volume 169 Number 11 November 2010

A Thousand Points of Light…

PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com

In one of his more memorable addresses (at the 1988 Republication National Convention) George H. W. Bush outlined his vision for a “thousand points of light” – a diversity of social, fraternal, religious and civic organizations “spreading like stars,” in support of their fellow man. As this column has noted in the past, the music industry has become a microcosm of these views, literally a fraternity of organizations to support music education in our schools ranging from the well known VH1 Save The Music Foundation and Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to the grassroots of a Ford Dealership in Royal Oak, Michigan sponsoring the local high school music program, a fund raiser for the music program at the Bay area’s El Cerrito High School by former band members, and the Donna Reed Performing Arts Scholarship for students in Crawford County, Iowa. (For those under 60, Ms. Reed won an academy award for her supporting role in “Here to Eternity.”) Among the brightest of lights is singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, who has literally become a one-person crusader intent on both educating his fan base on the need for music in the schools and then following up with truckloads of instruments in the Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas school districts. This past month, the entertainer chaperoned 600 new instruments to 15 middle and high schools in Vegas and humbly noted, “I am honored to be able to give the gift of music to so many not just for a night, but for a lifetime.” The Manilow Music Project is part of the singer’s Manilow Health and Hope Fund launched in 2008. His previous contributions included $100,000 valued instruments in Los Angeles and $500,000 in the Palm Springs district. An integral part of the overall effort is setting aside concert tickets for fans who donate a new or used instrument and “platinum” seating that includes a meet and greet and photo op with Manilow, with the proceeds going into the Music Project funding. He also encourages fans at concerts or visiting his Web site to give older instruments or purchase new equipment for their former schools. Additionally, he has partnered with an affinity credit card that support’s the Barry Manilow-created non-profit organization’s campaign to save public school music programs, “one swipe at a time.” Another bright light this past month was the Nashville-based Country Music Association (CMA), which donated its entire net proceeds ($2.9 million) from its Music Festival to support music education and aid flood relief in the area. Todate, the CMA has contributed a total of $4.7 million for music education that has been used to build music labs and purchase some 4,000 instruments. Nashville was also a recent beneficiary of a $10,000 donation to the W.O. Smith Music School, which provides music instruction to children from low-income families by the NAMM Foundation’s Wanna Play Fund. And in a final note we mark the passing of music education’s most fervent advocate, Karl Bruhn. He lit the torch; our mission is to keep the flame alive…

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com

The music industry has become a microcosm of these views, literally a fraternity of organizations to support music education in our schools.

EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Denyce Neilson dneilson@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Jason LaChapelle jlachapelle@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED & DISPLAY AD SALES Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com SYMPHONY PUBLISHING, LLC Chairman Xen Zapis President Lee Zapis lzapis@symphonypublishing.com Chief Financial Officer Rich Bongorno 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

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NOVEMBER 2010

Upfront Trade Regrets: Karl T. Bruhn Karl T. Bruhn, who distinguished himself as a leader and visionary throughout his extensive career in the music products industry, passed away on October 5 in Anaheim, California after a brief illness. He was 80. Recognized worldwide as the “Father of Music-Making and Wellness” due to his pioneering work on the Music Making and Wellness Project and tireless support for Recreational Music Making, Bruhn remained a respected and outspoken advocate for incorporating music making into healthcare. “Karl was one of the clearest thinkers I have ever known, and he challenged those around him to do so as well. One of the ways he did this was to begin with a provocative saying, and these came to be known as ‘Bruhnisms,’” said Terry Lewis, close personal friend of Mr. Bruhn and former executive vice president of Yamaha Corporation of America. “There were many. At Yamaha, the employee favorite

Karl Bruhn was a rare gift to the music products industry: a humble man who earned a stellar reputation as an advocate for arts education and the benefits of life-long music making. His influence in our industry may not be fully understood for decades to come. His visionary efforts to link music making with higher brain function and improved health and wellness were at odds with some industry members who often saw things in terms of the next big promotion. He often told me that changing the mindset of a nation took a long time, as evidenced by national campaigns to highlight the dangers of smoking or the fitness movement started by the aerobics craze of the ‘70s. I never actually worked for Karl but he was the toughest boss I ever had. He set high expectations for himself and those around him. And while

10 MMR

became ‘Your salary becomes effective when you do.’” But dealers might best remember, ‘There are two kinds of music dealers: Yamaha dealers and those who would like to be.’ He was a true mentor to me, and to so many in our industry. He will be greatly missed.” Active in both the retail and wholesale sides of the industry, Bruhn served as senior vice president, Marketing, Yamaha Corporation of America, a position from which he retired in 1989. Later that year he was invited to become the rst director of Market Development for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). During his tenure with NAMM he led the music community—educators, manufacturers, technicians and performers to present the work of the National Coalition for Music Education to the attention of decision-makers on the national, state and local levels. An acknowledged statesman of the music products industry, Bruhn served as

that stern look and ever present black framed Ray Bans could be imposing, the sparkle that would come to his eye when he told a joke or let you in on a little secret were token signs that all was OK. His countless acts of little courtesies and kindness to the NAMM staff are legend. Birthday cards, well wishes for an ailing family member or simply remembering the name of the new intern were all examples of what made his regular visits so special… Our hearts are broken; we pray for his family and will never forget his legacy.

both the executive director and president of the American Music Conference, president of the National Piano Foundation, president of Piano Manufacturers Association International and presidential advisor to the American Music Therapy Association. Most recently, he has served as chairman of the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute.

Joe Lamond President and CEO NAMM

part of our music products industry forever. It was my good fortune that I began a close working friendship with Karl just at the time that he was leaving his position at NAMM. Fortunately for all of us he never retired. Karl’s concepts were interesting to see develop, a pleasure to implement and to see them take shape. He was a deep thinker and had the logic and wisdom to envision things that had not been done before. He cared a great deal for our industry and its people. Of course, we will miss him and for those of you who did not have an opportunity to know him, will unknowingly miss him the most.

Karl Bruhn has passed on; leaving a legacy that will not be easily equaled. The results of Karl’s efforts will be a

Remo D. Belli Founder and CEO Remo, Inc.

NOVEMBER 2010

A Sure Cure for Island Fever

Nicole Fox Miss Hawaii 2008

When you’ve been in the Islands too long, a Mahalo Ukulele is just the thing to snap you out of the doldrums. Fifteen models and a full palette of color choices will suit your every mood. It is so easy to get started and Mahalo Ukes won’t pile your budget onto a reef either. Just follow Miss Hawaii into your local music store …surf’s up!

Mahalo Ukuleles Priced from $29.95 Retail Saga Musical Instruments • P.O. Box 2841 • South San Francisco, CA 94080 • [800] BUY-SAGA sales@sagamusic.com • www.sagamusic.com • DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED!

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Upfront An accomplished musician, in his earlier years Bruhn played professionally and led his own orchestra. For his outstanding accomplishments to advance the eld of music education, he was awarded the Honorary Degree, Doctor of Music, by the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In collaboration with Barry Bittman, MD, a renowned neurologist and researcher in the eld of mind-body medicine, Mr. Bruhn collaborated in a series of comprehensive research projects focused on developing and scientically testing the bio-psycho-social aspects of Recreational Music-making. Their protocol, the “Clavinova Connection,” an innovative program designed to foster wellness through active music making in individuals who do not consider them-

selves musical, was introduced to music dealers throughout the US by Yamaha Corporation of America. Additionally, Mr. Bruhn co-authored the HealthRHYTHMS Group Empowerment Drumming facilitator-training program with Dr. Bittman and Christine Stevens, MSW, MT-BC for Remo, Inc. A landmark scientic research investigation conducted by Dr. Bittman and Mr. Bruhn (published November 2003) demonstrated for the very  rst time, statistically signicant reductions in burnout and mood disturbances as well as phenomenal cost savings in stressed longterm healthcare workers utilizing a Recreational Music-making paradigm. Mr. Bruhn is survived by his daughter, Sandy Singleton of Ashland, Oregon;

Sound Technology Distributing EBS in UK It was announced in early October that Sound Technology is the new distributor for EBS products in the UK. Sound Technology’s  rst public showing of EBS was at Bass Day UK in Manchester on

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October 10th where EBS Artists Victor Bailey and Dave Marks performed. For more information, e-mail info@ soundtech.co.uk or visit www.soundtech.co.uk/ebs

son, Craig of Anaheim, California and several grandchildren. A private memorial service will be held in California. In keeping with Karl Bruhn’s wishes, a contribution can be made to any of the following organizations in lieu of owers: Alpha 1 Foundation Research for a Cure for Alpha 1 Anti trypsin Deciency 888. 825. 7421 www.alpha1foundation.org Yamaha Music & Wellness Institute 18201 Conneaut Lake Road Meadville, PA 16335 814. 333. 5015 www.yamahainstitute.org

FCC Frees ‘White Space’ Spectrum

In late September, the Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously in favor of using the unlicensed white space airwaves for what’s being termed a “super WiFi.” Of particular note to us MI folk, the vote also mandates a database mapping out TV channels and major wireless mic users (sports leagues, performance venues, etc.), with at least two channels set aside for minor users of wireless mics. The reserved channels are offlimits to UHF Band Devices that operate in the white spaces between assigned TV stations, thus (in theory) preventing them from interfering with wireless microphone signals on those channels. Large-scale users would be able to achieve extended protection for specic events through the geo-location database prescribed by the FCC in 2008.

NOVEMBER 2010

Stock the newest and bestselling music-making software all from one source: • no minimums required • save time and freight costs with all your Hal Leonard titles in one order • many merchandising and display options to ﬁt your store’s needs • Rack n Roll program helps you manage your inventory effortlessly Whether you’re new to the software world or an established expert, Hal Leonard can help you ﬁnd what your customers are looking for. Call your Hal Leonard sales rep to stock up with software today!

Upfront Fender Music Foundation’s New Leadership Hamid “Gadget” Hopkins has been appointed Chairman of the Board for the Fender Music Foundation. West L.A. Music’s senior account manager joined the board in June 2008 and is the second chairman in the foundation’s history. He replaces foundation founder Larry Thomas, who remains as an active board member. Thomas, founder of the music education charity, had served as chairman since the foundation’s inception in 2005. At the time, the organization was named the Guitar Center Music Foundation, as Thomas had recently retired as co-CEO of Guitar Center Inc. Thomas is the cur-

rent CEO of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). Also voted onto the board at the foundation’s September board meeting were Bruce Ross, CFO of Robbins Brothers, returning to the board after a hiatus; Laurel Kaufman, CEO of Los Angeles Consulting Group; and three executives from FMIC – Director of Entertainment Marketing Del Breckenfeld, senior vice president of Marketing Fender® Brands Richard McDonald and senior vice president of Marketing and Communications Jason Padgitt. According to board member JoAnn Kepler, “Fender

Zildjian Hosts Canadian Partners On September 20 and 21, the Avedis Zildjian Company hosted its Canadian distribution partner, B&J Music LTD of Mississauga, ON, as well as representatives from 14 Canadian retail stores at its manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in Norwell, Mass. CEO Craigie Zildjian welcomed the Canadian partners who participated in two full days of tours, demonstrations, training, and open forum discussions.

“Zildjian must develop goals, in concert with our distribution and retail partners, which are customer focused and mutually benecial,” noted Craigie Zildjian. “It was apparent to me during the two days we shared with our Canadian partners that the trust, commitment, and communication between us will continue to serve us well as we strive to accomplish our goals in the Canadian market.”

Rick Shermack, Axe Music; Joe Boucher, St. John’s Music; Dave Hamilton, Just Drums; Jean-Marc Jette, Drum Bazar; Brendan Jang, Tom Lee Music; Bob Natranski, Central Music; Jerry Hunt, Cosmo Music; Rejean Lacroix, Gagne et Freres; Paul Curtis, The Arts; Mario Zeffiro, Italmelodie; Nelson Toews, Walter Ostanek; Tim Cambridge, Music Centre Canada; Mike Palermo, Mike’s Music; and Mary Piperni, LA Music. 14 MMR

Music Foundation board members represent a fantastic cross section of excellence in experience, commitment and  ery passion.” “I am delighted to join as a board member of the Fender Music Foundation and to advocate the benets of music in more people’s lives,” said Padgitt. “The power of music is undeniable,” he said. “Its effectiveness in therapeutic, developmental and social environments is simply amazing to witness. Music makes a positive difference. The mission of the Fender Music Foundation is  lling a serious need in America today. I am excited and honored to be asked to participate.” To learn more about the foundation or to make a donation, visit www.fendermusicfoundation.org.

Addition to 2010 ‘Wholesaler Guide’ Chesbro Music Co. 327 W. Broadway St. P.O. Box 2009 Idaho Falls, ID 83403-2009 (208) 522-8691 (800) 243-7276 Fax: (208) 522-8712 E-mail: sales@chesbromusic.com Web site: www.chesbromusic.com Vanetta Chesbro Wilson, CEO Tana Jane Stahn, CFO Categories: S&F, PS/R, ACC, PRC, PM, P/KB, ETH Principal Brands:Tama, Ibanez, Anthem, Eleuke. CMC Perc., books & sheets of all publishers, consignment music programs, major-brand music instrument and accessories, display fixtures/literature racks, Futoro Primitive, Musi*Key reference publication, Chesbro Music, Designer Gifts, accessories incl. Hohner, Lee Oskar, Rico, Remo, Vic Firth, Vater, Pro-Mark, Macrolus, Mike Balter, TKL, Rapco, Dunlop, Martin, LR Bags, Ernie Ball, Mighty Mite guitar parts, Cleartone Strings NOVEMBER 2010

Upfront NAMM’s App & Gaming Pavilion This January’s NAMM Show will be the rst to feature a pavilion exclusively devoted to app and gaming companies looking to connect with the music products industry. “Right now we’re seeing more and more new ways for people to make music and express themselves like never before using apps and games,” says Scott Robertson, director of marketing and communications, NAMM. NAMM views these

apps and games as another way to expand the market for music products by getting non-musicians a little closer to playing for real. Our new App and Gaming Pavilion will feature the latest iPhone and iPad apps and games that allow people to create and learn about music. Why NAMM? If these apps and games are making news in the world of music, we want people to see

them rst at the NAMM Show.” The new pavilion will be located in Hall E and will house 25-30 new app and game developers kiosk exhibits this year. App and gaming companies looking to participate in the pavilion can call (800) 767-6266.

MDA Show & Tell 2011 Reservations are now being accepted for the 2011 MDA Show & Tell event, Tuesday, January 11th at the Disney Paradise Pier Hotel in Anaheim. This annual event is an opportunity for suppliers and distributors to network and transact commerce in a “friendly, focused environment.”

Interested parties can click here to sign up online or download an exhibitor application to mail or fax in. Participants can also be part of a coupon book of Show & Tell special offers for attendees. For additional information, e-mail: ofce@musicdistributors.org.

Correction In the September Report on eCommerce, the ownership of Seminole Music & Sound and Veritas Instrument Rentals was incorrectly credited. Robert Troke is the owner of both Veritas Instrument Rental Incorporated, as well as Seminole Music & Sound. John Spinelli is the store manager for Seminole, and Dawson Flinchbaugh is the director of Marketing for Veritas.

Pulse of the MI Nation Compared to last month, sales are now...

Down 28%

Up 42%

Level 30% Compiled from replies to MMR’s ongoing online survey of MI retailers. Visit www.mmrmagazine.com to participate...

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NOVEMBER 2010

YEP-321S

Quality IS Affordable. As the leading musical instrument manufacturer in the world, Yamaha recognizes today’s challenging economic atmosphere and has answered the call of music educators who require the finest band instruments without sacrificing budget and quality. Starting now, Yamaha is offering its most popular tuba and euphoniums at fresh, new price points, giving educators an opportunity to obtain superior instruments for their students. Contact your local Yamaha dealer today for more information. At Yamaha quality IS affordable.

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Lautzenheiser

Nick Bowcott to the position of direc-

has been named as vice president of Education for

Tim

tor of marketing and artist relations. Bowcott has a long history within the industry, including over 18 years past involvement with Marshall products. Nick Bowcott joins Marc Lee Shannon, VP of Sales and Ryan Rhodes, Brand director as the key members of the Marshall USA Division. In addition, Jon Ellery, Marshall UK managing director, announced that Marshall Ampliď&#x192;&#x17E;cation USA has entered into a partnership with US Music Corp to manage product logistics, dealer support, customer service and warranty/repair/parts service.

Conn-Selmer Inc.

Lautzenheiser served as the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive director of Education Lautzenheiser since 1996. In addition to the summer event, Conn-Selmer Institute, the Division of Education continues to support music educators via many outreach programs connecting directly with music educators around the world. Timâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books, produced by G.I.A. Publications, The Art of Successful Teaching, The Joy of Inspired Teaching, and Everyday Wisdom are best sellers. He is also co-author of Hal Leonardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Essential Elementsâ&#x20AC;? band method. C.F. Martin & Co., Inc. has announced

the retirement of long-time employee John A. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jackâ&#x20AC;? Messer, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice president of ď&#x192;&#x17E; nance and administration, effective September 30, 2010. Additionally, Nathan S. Eckhart joined Martin Guitar in July 2010 as its new chief ď&#x192;&#x17E; nancial ofď&#x192;&#x17E;cer (CFO). Eckhart joins Martin with 25 years of experience the business and ď&#x192;&#x17E; nance, with 17 of those years in the music industry. Before joining Martin, Mr. Eckhart worked at Allen Organ Company from July 1993 to June 2010 as CFO and VP Finance. Harman Professional has named Graham Hammell as director of its core

research and development team, the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG). The recent announcement comes as SDIGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mandate is broadened to address more Harman Professional product families and also a greater number of application markets.

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MADE IN THE USA 18 MMR

The Marshall Amplification USA Division recently announced the hiring of

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Efficient Enterprises and Neo-Neon have announced that John Brown has been hired to assume the position of vice president of sales and marketing and general manager of Energy Efď&#x192;&#x17E;cient Enterprises, Entertainment Division. Brown will be based out of the Chino ofď&#x192;&#x17E;ce. John Brown has previously worked as national sales manager for American DJ, American Audio Line of Products, Neil Imports, B52, RKS, and TASCAM and a sales representative for Chauvet Lighting. Lyris Hung has joined the Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Addario team as a bowed product manager, reporting directly to Brian Vance, manager of product management. Hung comes to Hung Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Addario with a diverse background in both business and musical performance. She is a lifelong violinist who was also, most recently, assistant producer at a game and software design company, Black Hammer Productions. Lyris was also the sound and music designer for most of the projects that the company created in the last few years.

Breaking News! Find it in the Hot News section of MMRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2010

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Letters The article in the September issue National Geographic entitled “Madagascar’s Pierced Heart” presents a very discouraging, but realistic view of the prospects for conservation of Madagascar’s endangered ora and fauna. While the U.S.A., European Union, and Australia have enacted legislation designed to prevent importation of endangered plant and animal products from Madagascar and elsewhere, in actual practice this legislation has remarkably little impact in the third world countries which are home to many of these species. In 2008 the U.S. Congress amended the Lacey Act, requiring that all imports with plant or animal components brought into the U.S.A. be accompanied by a declaration with the Latin name of all species with components in the product, country of origin, and certication that they were harvested legally according to the laws of each country of origin. Europe and Australia have enacted similar legislation. China and Japan which are members of the World Trade Organization have

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not enacted similar legislation, so many products which are illegal to import here remain legal to import into China and Japan which have large enough domestic markets to consume products made with these species until they are extinct. In addition, the U.S.A. and over 140 other countries worldwide have signed the CITES Treaty (Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species) which protects many plants and animals. No matter how endangered a species may be, however, it will not be protected under the CITES Treaty unless the country of origin requests the listing. The governments of Madagascar and numerous other countries have shown little interest in offering such protection to their wildlife. While they are signatories to the CITES Treaty, China and Japan have been remarkably lax in Treaty enforcement. As a dealer of vintage and new guitars, mandolins, banjos, and other musical instruments it has been my experience that the CITES Treaty and the Lacey Act present major challenges. While we are usually able to document the species and country of origin of materials used in new guitars, it is frequently virtually impossible to be certain of country of origin or even exact species of many types of wood purchased from domestic lumber suppliers who receive shipments from all over the world. The difculty is further compounded by the fact that many makers use air seasoned lumber which has been aged as long as 20 years before it is used. Much of this wood was imported before rigorous CITES or Lacey restrictions were in place such that paperwork for these imports is simply not available. As a dealer of vintage musical instruments, I face the further difculty that I cannot retroactively change the content of instruments which are 50 or even 100 years old. Not only is it impossible in many cases for me to determine the exact species or country of origin, but many musical instruments made prior to 1970 contain Brazilian rosewood and other species which are now protected, but which were standard usage components during the 1960s and earlier. Since a ne guitar, banjo, mandolin, or violin can last hundreds of years with proper care, these instruments remain in use and continue to be viewed

as highly desirable a century or more after they have been made. It clearly does absolutely nothing for conservation efforts to attempt to retroactively regulate content of these products or prohibit importation of vintage instruments which can easily be documented as having been made prior to CITES or Lacey restrictions. It is especially ironic that prohibitions on importation of vintage instruments actually increase pressure on living species since restrictions on importing, exporting, or even international travel with vintage musical instruments increases the need to cut lumber for more new ones. While the CITES Treaty species provisions for exemption certicates for items made prior to the listing of various species as endangered, the terms of the Treaty permit each signatory country to regulate how this is to be done. Unfortunately in actual practice the signatory countries have not enacted easily workable exemption certicate processes and not all countries honor another country’s exemption certicate. As a result it can take months of effort and hundreds or even thousands of dollars of expense to import into the U.S.A. even an American made vintage instrument which has been in Europe, Japan, or even Canada. The result is a de facto barrier to international trade in products with no resulting benet to species or environmental preservation. It is abundantly clear that better efforts need to be made to preserve and protect species and their environments, but it is equally clear that the present system isn’t working. George Gruhn, Gruhn Guitars 400 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. Dear George Gruhn, Thank you very much for your intelligent look into the current guitar market in the October issue of MMR. I don’t know if there is any magic panacea for the current ailments in the guitar area, or indeed the entire music products business, but overproduction benets no one in the short term, or long! Thanks for pointing this out to the readers. It will be interesting to see how the pundits will respond to your insight. Whoelsebut, Larry Linkin President Emeritus, NAMM NOVEMBER 2010

Viewpoint Joe Bredau

Just an Observation… Last month I was traveling to three cities doing some consulting work for a non-music client of mine and I decided to drop into a local music store just to get a feel for what was going on in this particular market. I introduced myself to the owner of the store and told him I had retired from the music industry, however I was writing articles for MMR and also doing some business consulting as well.

“Who in the world would want to put their customer through such a nightmare experience?”

22 MMR

I asked him how things were going, what he was doing to manage his business in this challenging economy and what some of the problems he faced were. He looked at me and said, “If more manufacturers would put themselves in the shoes of the retailer things would be easier and certainly better.” I asked him to explain. ‘Put Yourselves in Our Shoes…’ He told me he had been doing business with a major manufacturing distribution company for 14 years and felt he had a great relationship with them. He likes the sales representatives and felt he does an excellent job introducing him to products, training his people and worked hard to support sales. The inside customer service person was attentive, followed up on orders, shipments and service. The credit manager was cooperative and worked with him with many nance programs that helped grow his business. He had nothing but a good experience with the company; until recently. I asked him to tell me what had happened to make him so upset. His story went something like this: Well, I was out of stock on an expensive product and had to order one for a customer, which meant making a simple call to customer service who took my order, shipped it that day and I had it within ve days. The customer asked us to open the box and give him a demo of the product. We took it out of the box and found the product

would not work. I had my sales guys look at it and they were puzzled. We had the tech support person look at it and he had no luck getting it to work, either. The customer stood their watching us fumble around in guesswork and nally commented that it must be a “defective” unit. Just what you don’t want to hear from the customer. I apologized and explained that I would order another one and it would probably take another ve days to get here. The customer said ne and left a little upset, but understood. Now comes the bad part. I called the company and told my customer service representative what the problems were and asked for an RA and a replacement for the defective product. He told me that he could not give an RA, but offered to pay for repair service at an authorized service center, but I would be responsible for freight to and from the service center. This is a $35 oneway charge so an additional $70 total cost was very upsetting. I asked to speak to his boss who came on the phone almost immediately and told me that it is “company policy” not to accept returns if they can be repaired in the eld. He also told me the product was not defective, and probably only needed resetting to factory standards. I even spoke to the sales manager who would not budge from the “company policy” issue. I then called my sales representative who said he was helpless in this matter and he shared with me that the company had made many decisions like this over the past year or so. We are talking about an $1,800 dollar sale. After arguing my position with no acceptance I nally settled for an additional discount that NOVEMBER 2010

barely covered the freight to send the product to a service center. Two weeks later I delivered the product to the customer who was clearly upset because he had to wait longer than expected and he asked for a discount because he felt it was a repaired product, not new out of the box. He made it clear he was not happy with the sales experience. The storeowner then asked me what I would have done. My answer was simple: return the defective unit and replace it with a new one and perhaps even send it overnight or at least faster than usual since the consumer was inconvenienced, the dealer was inconvenienced, and no matter how you look at the situation, the product was now going to be considered a repair; not new out of the box. It was no longer just defective. He looked at me smiling ear to ear and politely said, “Exactly!” I left his store thinking, who in the world would want to put their customer through such a nightmare experience? Wouldn’t they understand that handling the situation in this way would create problems that would tarnish the reputation of the company, their brand(s) and their ultimate relationship with the dealer and the consumer? Don’t they know that people talk to one another, blog on Web sites and send e-mail to others about their bad experiences more than they do about good experiences? Are they not aware of the cost of losing a dealer and a customer; especially in these hard economic times?

ships, which will also drive people to support your company, your products and services. And guess what? It will lead to more sales and hopefully improved protability. Maybe the dealer was right. Try walking in the dealers’ shoes once in a while just to see how comfortable or uncomfortable the walk really is. After 40 years in the music business working on the retail and manufacturing

arenas Joe Bredau maintains Marketing for Industry, a consulting agency with several clients in a variety of business segments. His business career ranges from a merchandising director at Grinnell Bros. to marketing vice president at Korg USA. He has spent extensive time both in Europe and Asia assisting in the development of numerous music products. He has a Master’s Degree in Management and an AMA certification in Strategic Planning. Joe can be contacted at joebredau@gmail.com.

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My observation: What was convenient for the company was inconvenient for the dealer and consumer. The company had no idea what the dealer or the consumer would go through emotionally because of their “company policy” decision. Consider this: Think through the problem and ask the dealer: What is it he or she believes should be done? If you cannot do exactly what is asked, offer other solutions that will provide a shared resolution to the problem. Remember, there may be a consumer at the end of the problem, so keep in mind the solution must satisfy more than just the dealer. When you are done with the offer, make sure the dealer agrees with the solution and signs off with a verbal message of satisfaction. In addition: Make company policy issues t or exceed your customer’s needs, not just your company needs. It will lead to stronger dealer and consumer relationNOVEMBER 2010

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MMR 23

News Note from Skip Bringing Your Staff to the NAMM Show Makes Sense! I attended my first NAMM Show in 1972 and haven’t missed one since. To this day, I still leave the show confident that my time spent was rewarded by opportunity I would have missed if I weren’t there. There’s no more efficient or effective way to keep my staff—and my stores—on top of the latest innovative products than to see and hear about them from the manufacturers themselves. Now more than ever, customers expect us to have all the answers to their new product questions as soon as they’re released. There’s nothing more motivating than sending my sales staff to the shows. After all, the industry is so much bigger and more exciting than what they can experience within the four walls of Skip’s Music. The NAMM Show offers retailers a unique opportunity to help develop the quality staff that consumers seek out when making buying decisions. Nothing can generate more long-term ROI than the investment you make today in the development of your sales staff for tomorrow.

ADVERTORIAL • NOVEMBER 2010

visit us online at www.namm.org Before the show, my sales staff pre-plans their schedules to the minute. Afterward, we have a contest that awards the staff member who returns with best new product or marketing idea that can potentially result in the most new business. In just two days and one night, they cover all the products and catch several NAMM U sessions—a small price to pay for freshly motivated, reignited and productive employees. I remember sending a young employee to his first show one year; it made a profound impact on both his life and mine. He saw how exciting the industry really was—a different side than he had known as a player. He took more notes and brought back more new ideas than even I had hoped for. That employee returned with determination and a renewed commitment to make the music products industry his chosen career path. That employee was Joe Lamond. I hear that retailers are fearful of bringing the staff to the show because they’re afraid of exposing them to other job opportunities. I understand their concern. But then I think, what if you don’t educate, develop, excite and engage your staff in making this their chosen career? The last thing that you want is an unmotivated, dispassionate sales team. For nearly a decade, I enjoyed Joe’s presence and impact on Skip’s Music. I still benefit, along with the rest of the music products industry, from his commitment that came from attending that first NAMM Show. Bringing him along was an investment that certainly paid off, and I believe it will do the same for your employees.

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The Value of Being There...

These Idea Center sessions will offer tips to energize your staff–and your store!

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NAMM News

November 2010

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Upfront

Q&A

Trev Wilkinson U.K. Guitar Builder and Accessory Maker Pushes Into the U.S. Market “I’d like guitarists to look at my instruments in their own right,” says the always-affable Trev Wilkinson. “I want them to compare these guitars to others of the same specs and performance level, and not the same price point. If dealers looks past the shape, they will find punch way above their weight and price.”

The creator of “working vintage guitars” bases his instruments on classic designs, which “required pickups reecting the character of the originals,” he says. This worked out well because for decades Wilkinson has been known for quality guitar and bass parts. “I learned a long time ago that pickups are more than just wire and magnets – they need to be the correct magnets, the correct wire! Equally important are the mechanics of the whole assembly.” He takes a heady approach to his accessories, pointing out that just because the resistance measures the same as the original, and the magnets and wire are no different. That doesn’t translate into exact success. “What if the coil is taller, wider, or longer than the original guitar pickup? Knowing how to manipulate these criteria is one of the secrets of good guitar pickup design.” On his Wilkinson guitar bridges, it’s all on how and where the steel is bent. “The classic 3-saddle design of the Wilkinson TC200 base plate has been around for over 50 years, and is still widely regarded as the tone machine,” Trev says. On the Wilkinson 26 MMR

bridge unit, he noted that his newly designed staggered brass saddles achieve individual string intonation never before available on this type of guitar bridge. “I have been careful not to interfere with success – the base plate itself is a faithful reproduction of the original, made from steel, which is important in a guitar bridge of this style.” Wilkinson-designed Italia guitars are based on a personal, deep love of “those bizarre instruments of the 1960s.” The problem with the originals, though, is, “they were awful to play. Their status as musical instruments was sacriced at the altar of far-out styling and whacky features.” So he set out taking what was good about the era and combining it with the best of modern guitar innovation. “I have many working partners on all continents,” Wilkinson says of his growing operation today. “I put as much thought into something made in Asian as I do my hand built Fret-King Guitars in the U.K.” Both his Fret-King and Vintage instruments are handled by UK distributor JHS. They, lead by managing director Dennis Drumm, “are working NOVEMBER 2010

very hard to produce the very best guitars at any given price point. And there’s more to come – he wasn’t at liberty to talk about it now, but there’ll be some hot news coming out of the Wilkinson camp in time for the Winter NAMM show. Meanwhile, let’s retrace.

MMR: When did you first get interested in music? Trev Wilkinson: About the age of ve, my father taught me to play ukulele. At about age nine, after seeing Buddy Holly on TV, I tried to “electrify” the uke by prying off the back and gluing a telephone mouthpiece into the sound hole and plugging it in to the family radio’s mic input. MMR: Intriguing. How’d that work out for you? TW: It didn’t work, but I guess that’s where it all started! My  rst serious guitar

NOVEMBER 2010

was a Futurama II. Later I progressed to a Burns Tri-sonic. At the time, I had the choice of a brand new [Gibson] ’61 SG Junior or the Burns for the same price. Of course three chrome pickups and a whammy bar was always going to win over one P90. They say ignorance is bliss, don’t they? I bought with my eyes not my ears, but eh, we all have to learn.

MMR: When did you get serious about building guitars? TW: In 1968, I built a uorescent orange Plexiglas Tele-style guitar at Art School. Eventually I made my way to California and started my guitar hardware business in 1984, Wilkinson USA. I traveled to L.A. after inventing the Wilkinson Roller Nut. That business really took off when the Fender Corporation decided to use a version of it that I built exclusively for them.

“Sound is a big factor in the myth and mystique of what makes a great guitar, but it is purely up to the individual.”

MMR 27

Upfront Q&A From that grew a full range of guitar and bass bridges and other accessories for stringed instruments.

MMR: Were you able to meet Leo Fender? TW: I was befriended by Leo, and was able to visit him when I wanted – or he wanted! He was a great inspiration to me, of course, as he was to so many others in the industry. I found him to be open and honest and he answered all my questions about what he did and why he did it in the early days of Fender. He was striving all his life to improve the electric guitar and bass, something he did till the last day of his life. MMR: Let’s talk pickups. TW: I am no expert about pickups; What I have learned is purely by trial and error. My friend Seymour Duncan

28 MMR

has probably forgotten more about them than I will ever know! However I do have a reasonable ear for tone and that certainly helps. Again, I received a lot of information from Leo. Also Seth Lover [inventor of the humbucker] gave me the basics and an insight into the history of those early classics.

MMR: So what is the magic formula? TW: It is impossible for me to choose a pickup that is right for everyone. So I decided that I would produce vintage voiced and hotter versions of the same. That way people can make a judgment on the guitars I design or build. It’s a bit like a Ferrari. You have to put wheels on

NOVEMBER 2010

the car otherwise you can’t drive it and make the buying decision. But once the sale is made, there’s nothing stopping the customer from replacing those wheels. Whether it actually improves the car over the factory tting is purely personal and subjective.

MMR: How does that idea influence your building of guitars? TW: If people buy one of my guitars then I take it as a compliment if they want to invest further in an aftermarket pickup, because it must be a good “chassis” if they want to spend more money on it. MMR: Where is the market for your pickups? TW: Most of my pickups are offered as OEM in other company’s guitars as well as my own. They are available as aftermarket, but as of yet I don’t do the distribution myself. Maybe later I might. Whether I talk about pickups, or guitars, I try to stay away from the words “sound better.” “Better than” its purely subjective. It’s impossible to prove one guitar or one pickup sounds better than another. We are not selling computers where it is obvious if one is faster than another or whatever you are looking for in that market. Sound is a big factor in the myth and mystique of what makes a great guitar, but it is purely up to the individual. MMR: What’s your approach to your art? TW: I have only ever designed and built things for the guitarist or bassist. I don’t believe in being different for the sake of it. My hardware has to work in a playing environment. Keeping a guitar

in tune is something I have worked towards from the beginning, keeping tone in a guitar is all about how the string couples to the guitar… it would take too long to go into it here, but sufce to say that if the vibrations of the strings cannot transfer to the mass of the guitar, or is restricted in sustaining by something they contact – wobbly, loose saddles for example – then they do not vibrate as long, as their energy is being used to hold something still instead of ringing longer.

MMR: Let’s talk about your Fret-King guitars – you like to say yours are “vintage guitars that are usable.” TW: I love old guitars of all styles, but just because something is old it doesn’t mean it’s good or it works. However, we have become used to the sounds created by these guitars and it is not just down to the pickups, et cetera. Construction plays a big part in this. String tension, neck angles, body mass, truss rods, and hardware all contribute. Many of these things have been changed for mass manufacturing… But just because a guitar looks like a classic, it doesn’t mean it feels and sounds like one. I try to build out in all the good things and leave out the bad. MMR: Who is the typical customer for your Fret-King guitars? TW: People who appreciate both the old and new aspects of guitars. Definitely not people who buy the “right” head stock or decal or give in to peer pressure in the buying decision. They are discerning pros and semi-pro working guitarist who are not hung up nostalgia.

Elkhart –

‘Band Instrument Capital’ “Entrepreneurial Spirit” alive and well

Those who have lived in this charming town for any length of time will likely refer to the bygone days when Elkhart, Indiana was, unquestionably, the musical instrument capitol of the world. But outsiders are apt to still be impressed with how many instruments are coming out of Elkhart today. And the fact that several companies are hiring instead of laying off is encouraging. The population of a mere 51,000 belies this modest region’s rich music heritage. When the rst passenger train passed through in 1852, young Charles Gerard Conn had already been in town for a year. By 1861 he was playing the cornet in the Union’s regimental band. After the Civil War ended, he was a Colonel and returned to Elkhart. Legend has it that a bar ght which resulted in a split lip lead Conn to switch from playing brass instruments to building them. He patented his rubber-rimmed mouthpiece in 1875 and by 1877 had a factory. By 1905 it would be the largest musical instrument factory in the world. “It all started with C.G. Conn,” says Rocky Giglio of J.J. Babbitt. “At the same 30 MMR

time they started their business, they helped many other companies too.” Babbitt still makes mouthpieces for ConnSelmer. He is pleased with the recent developments at E.K. Blessing, too: “They are devoted to keeping their manufacturing in Elkhart.” Many others besides J.J. Babbitt founded companies in the town in the early part of the last century. But market changes, as well as the trend of moving manufacturing overseas took its toll on the town in the last few decades. Yet today things are looking up, and those who live there know why. “Elkhart is a great place to live from a quality of life standpoint,” says John

Stoner of Conn-Selmer. “People here take pride in their work, and that’s a key element needed in the band instrument making profession. They are diligent, hard working, and so many have a background in music. Many who work in our plant today had parents and grandparents who worked here as well.” “Elkhart is a very industrious city – there’s a lot of entrepreneurs here,” Charles Walter of Charles Walter Piano reports. “I’m really condent that Elkhart will come back strong. The new owners of E.K. Blessing seem like they are going to be a little more aggressive, and the recreational vehicle market is recovering some.” NOVEMBER 2010

E.K. Blessing

As the American economy continues to slough off the grip of the recent recession, many are still wondering just how productive the U.S. can ever be, so long as it continues to eschew the bread and butter that made this country so strong generations ago: the manufacturing of high quality goods, made right here in the U.S.A. So it was met with more than a little relief and pride when Powell Flutes purchased E.K. Blessing in late 2009, that one thing was made abundantly clear: Blessing’s trumpets, cornets, ugelhorns, mellophones, baritones, French horns, and trombones would continue to be manufactured in Elkhart. On September 22 of this year, Blessing, led by new president Steven Wasser and general manager and V.P. Steve Rorie, unveiled a brand new manufacturing facility in Elkhart that will be a fullline producer of brass instruments. The property, which had previously housed machinery for RV assembly, was seen by Blessing’s incoming management as a blank slate upon which they could install the latest tools and equipment for making high quality brass instruments, while enhancing the company’s capacity to control batch size and improve manufacturing efciencies. Said Rorie,

“This new facility represents a commitment to how we intend to do business: build great products in a safe and environmentally friendly facility, right here in the U.S.A.” In addition to keeping the factory in town, Wasser demonstrated Blessing’s commitment to Elkhart and the people of the area through the purchase and installation of cutting-edge environmentally responsible waste and chemical management systems. Rorie and Wasser indicated that this dedication to going green was also demonstrated by the new factory’s enhancements to worker safety, including dramatic improvements and re-design to lighting, heat management, debris ventilation, and even state-of-the-art showers for technicians involved in polishing and other often dirty jobs. At the factory’s grand opening, which featured a tour of the facilities, snacks and refreshments, a jazz band, a ribbon cutting, and a number of guest speakers, Elkhart mayor Dick Moore reiterated the community’s dedication to restoring MI manufacturing in the town. “What is good for Blessing is good for Elkhart,” he said. In Wasser’s negotiations with local government ofcials, “there was never a question [of relocating the factory]. Mr. Wasser made it very clear: ‘We’re buying one of your companies and we’re staying

“ This new facility represents a commitment to how we intend to do business: build great products in a safe and environmentally friendly facility, right here in the U.S.A.” – Steve Rorie, E.K. Blessing

Steven Wasser cuts the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Blessing factory.

NOVEMBER 2010

MMR 31

Steve Rorie gives a factory tour.

here.’” Dorinda Heinden-Guss, president of the Elkhart Economic Development Corporation, echoed that sentiment, stating, “E.K. Blessing is a blessing to Elkhart, Elkhart County, and Indiana.” Randall Johnson, who was the third generation of E.K. Blessing and consummated its sale to Steven Wasser and Powell Flutes, told MMR, “It’s great to see money being invested in American manufacturing, and I was very lucky to  nd Mr. Wasser and see my family business carried on like this.” [Incidentally, MMR’s Rick Kessel was recognized and thanked for playing the role of matchmaker by helping connect Johnson with Wasser, thus facilitating the sale of the company.] As noted in his closing speech, Steven Wasser sees Randy Johnson untapped potential in the Blessing facility, considering the already skilled labor force and the unequivocal support of local government. Said Wasser, “In my estimation, E.K. Blessing is like a ower that has not had enough fertilizer and water for a long 32 MMR

time. But the root system is strong. The root system is comprised of the talented people who work at blessing. Randy transitioned to me a fundamentally sound company that simply needed fertilizer, and that is what we have given it. We have brought in talent and we have invested in the people. We have invested in the tools, technology, facilities, and marketing” to make the company grow. While the previous Blessing factory had been forced to scale back workers’ shifts, Wasser intends to ramp up production and restore full shifts to the people that make the factory function. “We kept everybody, and we’ll actually be increasing hours and maybe even adding additional people,” he said. That may be in part because Powell Flutes will be shifting some of its heavy machinery from the company’s Massachusetts ute manufacturing facility out to the new factory in Elkhart. Wasser explains, “We’ll be doing that because of practical reasons: our Massachusetts facility has old wooden oors that don’t

handle heavy equipment very well. Here [in Elkhart], we have concrete oors and plenty of space, so some of our parts making to support Powell will be shifted from Massachusetts to Indiana.” In addition, the new facility gives both Powell and Blessing the potential to expand their respective product lines. “Any new products that Powell is likely to come out with will inevitably be made in Elkart, not in Massachusetts. We will continue to make utes in Massachusetts, particularly the high end products, but anything new is likely to be done here.” The surprise of the evening came when Wasser lifted a curtain and revealed two saxophones. He then informed the assembled audience of local government ofcials, industry professionals, factory workers, and media that Blessing had just purchased the machinery and equipment to being manufacturing saxophones at the same Elkhart facility. Wasser stated that Blessing will be producing a full line of pro-level saxes, with early models expected to be ready for the January 2011 NAMM Show. Once the top-level saxes establish the quality of the Blessing brand in the saxophone market, the company will consider adding midand student-level saxes to the product line. Blessing’s Saxophones will reportedly be NOVEMBER 2010

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the only ones in the world that are made in the U.S.A. Still, even with all for the good vibrations surrounding the opening of the new Elkhart factory, Wasser remains pragmatic about the current state of the MI market: “We’re starting to get traction. It’s a very poor economy for the musical instrument market right now, but we are starting to get some traction and I feel like we are building some momentum in the marketplace. It’s not like if you build it they will come; you still have to actually get out there, work, make the sales, and cultivate relationships.”

Conn-Selmer

President/CEO John Stoner is bullish on his company and Elkhart. “We’re having a very good year,” he says. “We’ve launched several new products, all domestically made.” The focus today is getting that “made in the U.S.A” label on as many instruments as possible. Acknowledging the challenges left after a long, cantankerous strike, the cure seems to be reaching out to retailers and band managers and having them visit the updated factory. Since early 2009, Conn-

Selmer has hosted summits and over 70 dealers and nearly 200 band directors have taken them up on the invitation. “It was a fairly expensive proposition, but it’s paid dividends,” Stoner says. “Those who visited years before saw a dramatic change with regard to efciency and progress.” Hiring at all their U.S. factories was on the rise in 2008, though it was slowed by the economy. Today Conn-Selmer has a total of 750 people employed in their U.S. factories. “There’s no question that it’s still cheaper to make instruments overseas,” Stoner says. But a renewed interest in high quality American-made products has worked in John Stoner their favor. While American-made student instruments might be a little more costly then their foreign competitors, retailers tell them over and over that their old Bach and Conn instruments can be rented for 15 or 20 years as opposed to ve or ten.

“From an economic standpoint, it’s a better investment.”

When Conn-Selmer analyzed their operation, they came up with a conclusion that while simple actually went against more than a century of tradition. “We realized that there was a lot of reworking on instruments before they went out the door, which was labor intensive,” he explains. “Our focus has been on streamlining so we make the instrument right the  rst time.” Stoner, who came to MI from outside the industry, rebuffed the call for more inspectors and instead focused on  xing the part of the process that was the cause of the problem rather than merely reworking the individual instruments over and over again. “If you don’t have to remake the same instrument three or four times, you can get to the point where you can price it competitively. Fixing the root

Inside the Conn-Selmer factory

34 MMR

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cause takes a different mindset, and historically the call has been for more inspectors. But adding inspectors only add cost, so the team has done a phenomenal job in  xing the root cause.” The efforts have paid up, and he says despite the soft economy their student instrument sales are up considerably. “We spent the last three years getting the price point right. People won’t pay $600 for trumpet just because it’s made in the U.S., but $350 seems to be the sweet spot.” He remains optimistic about their progress and their made in the U.S.

of A. philosophy, and is especially enjoying that in an ironic trend, sales of these products are growing overseas, particularly in Pacic Rim nations. “We probably sold $2 million worth of instruments to China last year. As they are developing into better players, they are inspired to play better instruments, and they are very brand-conscious.” Stoner is also pleased that others are enjoying success. “E.K. Blessing is making a comeback, and there’s a lot of smaller custom people doing work out of Elkhart.”

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“ We have so many people who don’t know what we do, so many people who think we have things made overseas. We’d never go overseas.” – Rocky Giglio, J.J. Babbitt

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36 MMR

Rocky Giglio, president of J.J. Babbitt, says the thought of making their mouthpieces elsewhere was never an option. Yet the trend of overseas manufacturing reached such a fever pitch that some assumed that’s what J.J. Babbitt did. “We have so many people who don’t know what we do, so many people who think we have things made overseas,” he says. “We’d never go overseas. We’re very proud of what we do, and our craftsmen have been with us for many years. Most are cross-trained so they understand each job in the factory, and this allows them to do an even better job because they understand how what they do affects into the next person down the line.”

The heritage of this company is rich as well, and last year J.J. Babbitt celebrated their 90th year. They used that opportunity to take a look at their legendary product, the Otto Link mouthpiece. “It’s always been popular with tenor players, NOVEMBER 2010

but some have felt it didn’t quite play like it use to,” Giglio says. The reasons for this is understandable – attrition, tools wearing down, etc. But a Herculean effort beginning with buying out mouthpieces and studying them followed by intense analysis, has lead the new “old” version – the Otto Link Vintage. It’s been a successful reworking, he reports, saying that both the metal and rubber versions of the vintage series has “gone crazy.” “People who have ordered it like it, but we still sell our ‘regular’ Otto Links. Our philosophy has been not to have one replace the other.” He laughs and threatens that “if I ever retire,” he’ll write a book to put out the myths about their mouthpieces and the player’s perceptions. “I’ve learned over the years to try not to convince [players] about why our mouthpieces today are every bit as good as ever,” but perceptions if not prejudices will forever remain. And even creating the Vintage products was complicated when they listened to their customers. “We couldn’t get even two or three to agree” on what made one better then another. “So we had to gure it out by dissecting old products. But even if there are some musicians still convinced

NOVEMBER 2010

Déjà Vu…

Exactly 28 years ago, in the November 1982 issue of MMR, we profiled the ‘World Instrument Capital’ in a feature entitled, “Elkhart – Meeting the Challenge.” Noting that the Indiana town was (is?) “Akron for tires, Hershey for chocolate,” the piece outlined how Elkhart has, since the mid-19th century been in large part defined by the manufacture and distribution of musical instruments. At the time of the article, however, economic challenges and offshore competition were challenges to be overcome (sound familiar?): In recent years, recession and steppedup competition from other regions of the U.S. and foreign sources have had a telling impact on the “instrument capital of the world.” However, a recent MMR visit to Elkhart finds its music denizens undaunted and committed to maintaining their unique position in the industry… Although several of the companies are in direct competition, the music community is a proud, close-knit group demonstrating an attitude of mutual respect. It would seem that, truly: the more that things change, the more they stay the same. But not in all respects – our 1982 cover story profiled 12 area MI companies, many of which have since been acquired, merged with others, or closed outright.

MMR 37

that we’re not doing it right any more, I say we’re selling 2,000 a year so we must be doing something right!” Many things appear to be going right at J.J. Babbitt, as Giglio reports that every year for the last six they’ve experienced an increase prot and sales. Even this year looks “good” – “it’ll be at least as good as last year. We’ve not laid anybody off in years.” This has involved maintaining traditional, and keeping quality job one. But also becoming more efcient has been key. They’ve changed up their method

38 MMR

of distribution. “The problem is that so many dealers are reluctant to keep inventory, which means they want something tomorrow – and that’s been increasingly difcult for us because we’re a traditional company. So we convinced our distributors all over the world to work with us on this, and they give us scheduled orders. And we’ve stayed loyal to the distributors who have been loyal to us.”

Charles Walter Piano

Despite the generally soft economy and the particularly challenging times

acoustic pianos have faced, Charles Walter is still very much in the game. “We’ve done some work on our present models, making improvements on the Charles Walter soundboard,” Charles Walter reports from his ofce in Elkhart. “We’re also working on a new 50-inch model. Though our 45-inch models sound better than most other 50-inch uprights, institutions seem to want the slightly bigger ones.” He adds that their instruments are doing well in school because when compared theirs offer a better tone. As they celebrate their 40th anniversary in the piano making business this year, Charles Walter Piano continues to maintain a strong presence with their dealers. Walters reports that some carry over 50 Walter pianos at a time – though these days that’s the exception. “A lot of dealers are really watching their inventory, and some who are in areas where the economy is especially soft, they certainly aren’t ordering the ve or 10 at a time they used to.” These days he focuses on the business aspect, leaving the manufacturing details to his son, Richard Walter. “I inspect them as far as the guts, making sure they are sound and playing how I expect them to.” The challenges of the general market has also made them to get creative as far as getting the materials they need to build their instruments. “A lot of manufacturers of cabinetry material have gone out of business, and we’ve had to  nd new suppliers.” But they will forever continue to build in Elkhart: “If I had to go oversees to make our pianos, I’d just stop making them!” Walter says. And he too thinks a buy American mentality is on the rise: “I think people are resenting China, but frankly it isn’t the Chinese people that are the problem. American legislators have made it protable for companies to move manufacturing over there. We’ve really been penalized by our own government.” Meanwhile, “we do have one fella’ who is trying to sell our pianos over there.” NOVEMBER 2010

Spotlight

Individuality, Intimacy,

‘Sound’ and the

Are Signature Series Drums & Cymbals Connecting with Players…?

Signature Series instruments – product tied to, and usually designed with at least some input from, a specic artist – have unique appeal. If an aspiring player is a fan of a particular high-prole musician, it stands to reason that he or she might be interested in owning the gear associated with that individual. As we’ve noted in previous articles on Artist Series instruments, direct association with a “big name” performer can mean increased sales (usually at higher price points, as well), tie-in opportunities, and an aura of prestige. 40 MMR

NOVEMBER 2010

“By stocking a Signature artist product, the retailer becomes the bridge that deepens the consumer’s connection to music by directly connecting the artist to the consumer.” – John Palmer, Gretsch Drums

Our survey of drum & percussion dealers on the topic of Signature Series drums (see page 50), however, indicated that Artist Series drums are a whole different ballgame from, say, similarly marketed guitars. End-users seem less driven to purchase a drum or drum component with a well-known musician’s signature scrawled somewhere on the surface. As a result, some drum and percussion suppliers offer less blatant forms of “artistspecic product,” or shy away from such gear, entirely. What are the reasons behind the disparity between the realm of Artist Series drums and other Signature instruments? There’s no one, single, obvious answer, but it’s possibly because a drum kit is, on average, more expensive than (again, for example) a single guitar and most players only own one set. While guitarists would surely take offense at the notion, a number of the suppliers we spoke with expressed that the greater degree of “intimacy” within the drummer/instrument relationship and a desire to impart one’s own individuality may come into play, as well. The theory being that, if a guitarist has multiple guitars and one of his or NOVEMBER 2010

her collection happens to be a Signature model, that doesn’t infringe too terribly upon that player’s ability to feel they have their own identity expressed through their gear. Signature drum sticks (as reported in the November, 2009 issue of MMR) would also seem to have broader appeal than actual drums, as well, and are a big selling point for both suppliers and dealers. Again – cheaper, easy to replace, less ‘intimate,’ less infringement upon sense of individuality… All that being said, Signature Series kits, cymbals, and components still have a powerful pull and, when exploited effectively, can represent big upside to both dealers and suppliers. MMR spoke with a handful of heavy hitters in the eld to learn about what’s new in the world of Artist Series drums – what’s the appeal, how do these instruments help retailers, what’s new on the horizon in this section of the market… John Palmer Gretsch Drums Product Manager KMC Music

Throughout our 127-year history, Gretsch artists have been closely in-

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MMR 41

Gretsch Vinnie Colaiuta

tertwined with Gretsch drums. Iconic drummers who endorsed Gretsch in the past were part of Gretsch drums branding and advertising that dates back to the 1930s. But our support for Signature products goes beyond our company traditions, especially since historically, Gretsch did very little in the way of offering artist Signature product. We know that drummers at every level are inspired by a myriad of reasons to play a specic drum brand. The artist endorsement roster is an inuencing factor, no question. America’s thirst for pop culture exists for a reason and pop icons drive pop culture. We continue to carry on the tradition that Gretsch endorsees play a signicant part of who Gretsch is and what Gretsch represents in the market. By stocking a Signature artist product, the retailer becomes the bridge that deepens the consumer’s connection to music by directly connecting the artist to the consumer. The retailer is sending the message that they support the intricate connections that music has to offer – from a broad societal NOVEMBER 2010

scale down to the most intimate personal connection. The retailer is reinforcing the message that they understand their consumer base and why music is important to them at a personal level. To me, that’s something that is invaluable. Since most of our artist Signature products are offered in the USA Custom Series – our agship and most expensive series – Signature product does not represent a signicant sales percentage across the entire Gretsch drum spectrum. However, within the USA Custom Series, we have seen some product catagories where Signature product ranges between ten to twenty percent of a specic product group. We have been able to successfully work with Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Ferrone, and are happy to recently add Stanton Moore to this group. We are currently working with Mark Schulman on a snare drum concept that we plan to release in January, 2011. We also have a couple of other things in the early development stage, but it’s too early to discuss at this point.

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Scott Emmerman Director of Marketing & Sales Hohner USA

From a business perspective, when developing new products, the manufacturer’s

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MMR 43

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goal is to identify and offer new, compelling features that will connect with the target market. The more direct the connection, the better the performance of the product in the marketplace. In the world of acoustic drums, the introduction of revolutionary new features are few and far between, so one way to differentiate yourself as a manufacturer is to align yourself with a famous artist and build products in conjunction with their preferences. This is most effective when the artist plays a drum kit that is unique in some fashion. The closer the Signature product is to what the artist actually plays, the more credibility the product will have. In order to be successful, the market demands that the Signature product has a deep connection to the artist that translates into a sound, feel, or look that they can identify with. The manufacturer’s hope is that drummers who are fans of the artist and his or her music will create “buzz” and an instant demand for the product.

From the retailer’s perspective, they are trying to use the market buzz that hopefully surrounds a Signature kit in order to bring customers into their store and subsequently increase sales. Of course, we all have our heroes; many store-owners and buyers are personal fans of the artists, themselves, and may have a personal connection to a Signature product. Most music store owners dream about products that will draw customers into their stores and they all desire hot products that customers will ask for. I would guess that Signature drum products make up ten to  fteen percent of total market sales. If you include drumsticks in this calculation, the percentage of Signature products grows exponentially. We had great success with Sonor’s Steve Smith Signature Beech kit that was introduced in 2008 and we introduced the Phil Rudd Signature kit in 2009. Phil plays large, oversize drums and we found that these appeal to a smaller market. Snare drums, in particular, appeal to drummers, so that they can customize the sound of their kit and Sonor has introduced a number of Signature snare drums that are all unique: Danny Cary (bronze,

“The hope is that drummers who are fans of the artist and his or her music will create ‘buzz’ and an instant demand for the product.” – Scott Emmerman, Hohner USA

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MMR 45

14 X 8â&#x20AC;?); Phil Rudd (chrome over brass, 14â&#x20AC;? X 5 &1/2â&#x20AC;?; and recently Gavin Harrison (9 ply North American Maple 12â&#x20AC;? X 5â&#x20AC;?); and Dave Langguth (9 ply North American Maple 14â&#x20AC;? X 5â&#x20AC;?) model Signature snare drums.

you can use a whole ton of them, et cetera. This is a longstanding Zildjian value, and company philosophy. Guitarists often have many guitars, but most drummers have just one drum set. Terry Bissette

John Sorenson

Tama Division Manager Hoshino USA

Director of Sales Planning Zildjian

Why do we bother with Signature Series cymbals? Wellâ&#x20AC;Ś We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t! In the words of Armand Zildjian, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The cymbalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bigger than all of us.â&#x20AC;? We will do a cymbal and refer to it as â&#x20AC;&#x153;designed in conjuntion withâ&#x20AC;? so-and-so, because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, in all actuality, the truth. An artist may come to us with an idea, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a collaborative effort. He or she may have a concept, but that person doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to make a good cymbal. So we do not release any Signature cymbals, though we do release Signa-

ture pads and sticks. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just something philosophically that we do not adhere to. In fact, one could argue that [Signature cymbals] could work against you. You could have a product that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be considered by the consumer because of the connection to the artist. If they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the artist in question, they may not check out what could be a perfectly good and suitable instrument. We love and respect and work closely with our artists, but we just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do [Artist Series cymbals]. Drums and cymbals have a different level of intimacy with the player than, for example, sticks. Sticksâ&#x20AC;Ś you can have a whole bunch, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re inexpensive,

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Signataure Series drums promote the artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; afď&#x192;&#x17E;liation with the brand. The ď&#x192;&#x17E;nished product is usually a special offering that produces a speciď&#x192;&#x17E;c sound and/or a unique function that the artist is looking for. All too often you can go to a show and see a famous drummer playing a certain brand of drums, but in many cases they are playing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;boutiqueâ&#x20AC;? snare drum. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my opinion that if the artist wants something unique, I think their main drum company should provide it. And if it ends up being something that may have a broad appeal, the brand should attempt to market it as such.

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Case in point: it’s no secret that Kenny Aronoff used to travel to a session with 80-100 snare drums. Of course, this became a very expensive process. So Kenny came to us and said, “If you can take the best of this and that concept, and come up with a drum that I can use that will give me what I want and make the engineer happy as well, I can leave all those other drums at home.” That was the challenge, and after a couple of years of prototypes, the Trackmaster was born. Why bother with Signature Series drums? There again, it represents a partnership with the artists. Some artists consider their snare sound an integral part of their sonic identity. If you think about it, in one second Copeland, Bruford, Aronoff, Van Halen, and Bonham come to mind. Their snare sound is immediately identiable and easily recognized, along with a number of other artists. It’s one more sampling of their musical personality. If the artist is a “high pro le” artist and consumers are interested in capturing or duplicating their snare sound, this is a “win-win” for both parties. Of course, this also

that affect sales, but I think price and uniqueness have a lot to do with this. Andy Zildjian President/CEO Sabian

We don’t really do Signature product any more. We used to – where we would have the player’s name on the front of the cymbal. Since it was that person’s taste, we gured it was a great idea to know and show that this cymbal is “from” this person. What happened, though, was that we started hearing from stores and drummers who said they didn’t really want to play a product that had another player’s name on it. So what we said was, “Great, we’ll put these cymbals in our Vault Line, it’ll still have the artist’s feedback, and still be his or her cymbal, but the signature is now on the bottom and isn’t as visible. It doesn’t have the same prominence as it had before, so people who like that person’s sound can still

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depends on the pricing of the instrument. If it’s way too expensive for the market, sales will be slim. If it’s somewhat affordable, sales will be quite strong as long, as the artist is visible and active. When a new record is released, or a new tour is announced, sometimes we do see a spike in sales for Signature products. The overall share of the market is quite a bit smaller than you might expect. But I’m thinking this is the result of the price; not the artists’ popularity. Also, drummers that are open to purchasing a signature product (some are not) need to see, hear, and understand what the instrument brings to the table. Sometimes it’s just a specic sound, but other times a unique function is recognized. An example of unique function can be found on Mike Portnoy’s snare drums. The throw-off is quite unique compared to others. And John Blackwell’s snare has three removable air vent plugs. Again, a unique function that directly affects the feel and sound. You might also be surprised to know that some consumers buy the drums as a collectible, almost like a souvenir. They may or may not ever actually play the drum. All of our Signature artists have been successful to a degree. Some models sell stronger than others. There are many factors NOVEMBER 2010

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get it, but without feeling like their sacricing individuality. Specically for cymbals, cymbals are so personal. It’s the sound that you have selected for yourself and you don’t want somebody else’s name on “your sound.” But we still value our artist input – any drummer who is making a living by playing a musical instrument is going to have a lot more insight into what’s needed or missing. A lot of times we’ll get some great ideas from our drummers and then go back and forth on developing product. Other times, artists get very involved in the design and creating the sound. We always want to know what’s relevant, what are we missing, what should be different – that’s the appeal of those artist relationships. Signature product is still valid; it just doesn’t have the same cache for drummers as it does with, for example, guitarists. Jim DeStefano Vice President, Sales Drum Workshop, Inc.

As a rule, we don’t offer Signature Artist product at Drum Workshop. We’re very fortunate to have a strong family of endorsing artists that have served our brand well and over the years we have shied away from creating proprietary Artist product. That’s partially because we realize the industry puts out a signicant amount of these products, but primarily because we’re truly a custom manufacturer. We make high-end, highly customizable drums that are tailored to each customer. So in general, an artist model doesn’t t the “pro le” of our company. We understand that some high prole artists have the ability to inuence the sale of products, so we understand why other companies choose to offer artist or Signature Series products. That said, we’ve heard from many of our dealers that, in many instances, offerings have been over-saturated. I don’t know if it’s done in an effort to keep an artist’s relationship copasetic, a marketing angle, or maybe manufacturers 48 MMR

feel that an abundance of Signature product is essential to their line. Either way, it isn’t something that we feel ts our business model. Because we don’t offer “Signature” products, we don‘t tend draw that comparison between our “normal” line and artist-branded instruments . Even our drumstick brand, 3 Drumsticks, is free of Artist models. Even though we don’t offer Signature product, artist visibility has been a pivotal part of our success over the years. Our presence on TV talk shows, award shows, sporting events, and other broadcast medium has enabled us to brand ourselves in a way that continues to benet us greatly. Not to mention, touring acts and enduring recording artists that have waved the DW ag for all to see. Some mainstream names that come to mind are Neil Peart, Tommy Lee, Sheila E., Mick Fleetwod, Max Weinberg and Dave Grohl, but there are a host of other working drummers and DW family members that are always preaching the DW gospel. We very fortunate to be associated with such great musicians and without them we wouldn’t have such a tremendously loyal customer base. Andrew Shreve National Marketing Manager Paiste America, Inc.

Paiste collaborated with a few artists to create “Paiste Artist Inspiration” cymbals. The primary goal of these designs is to capture the spirit of the artist’s sound. The most important element behind these designs is to provide a cymbal sound that  rst and foremost works in the particular musical setting the artist plays in. Whether it is pop, rock, or metal, the cymbal has to function in that setting and comfortably translate to many

drummers who play that particular style. Our customers have told us that they have stocked these cymbals for the high quality of their sound, their very appealing looks, and the strength behind the Paiste brand. When you pair those three key ingredients with some of the most inuential names in the drumming scene such as John Dolmayan (System of a Down), Stewart Copeland (The Police), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maidon), Joey Jordison (Slipknot), and Alex Van Halen (Van Halen), you will surely generate sales. We’ve collaborated with John Dolmayan (Rude Eclipse Ride), Stewart Copeland (Signature Blue Bell Ride), Nicko McBrain (Signature Bell Ride), Joey Jordison (Black Alpha), and most recently Alex Van Halen (2002 Big Ride). All of these models have done well, but the Big Ride has recently seen the most success because it’s still fairly new to our program and the price point is more feasible in today’s market. Kevin D. Packard Marketing and Artist Relations Manager Ludwig Drum Co.

In my opinion, it sends a message to the consumer. In theory, Signature products represent not only the feeling that the artist has given the product their seal of approval, it also represents a union between the company the artist represents and what they are playing. In the case of Ludwig, the position of Artist Relations and Product Development are managed by the same person because the two go hand in hand. You can have amazing product all day long, but it takes a face in the public to put a spotlight on it. The artists are the ones who are playing this stuff every night, and experience helps them know what works and what doesn’t. In developing product, feedback like that is priceless, so Signature products just take it to the next level by stating that the artist had a direct hand in making this product. I think there is a feeling that if Signature models are good enough NOVEMBER 2010

for the artist, it is good enough for the player. A player may not buy a Signature product solely because it has someone’s name on it, but these items may show the end user that an artist who has earned credibility has had a hand in this product’s creation, and it may t for them in their own situation. The two entities, artist and manufacturer, help each other in taking that message to the public, and I think retailers see equity in that. There have even been times where retailers had a hand in creating Artist models. Dana Bentley from Bentley’s Drum in Fresno, Calif. had an idea for an 8”x14” metal drum, which Ludwig had never done. We created some early prototypes and sent some to a couple of artists for testing; one of which was Rascal Flatts drummer Jim Riley. We were working together at the time to nd something that was different than other models but retained “The Ludwig Sound.” Jim ended up loving the 8” depth in Stainless Steel, and after putting a couple of tweaks in the mix, that became his Signature drum. But we learned a valuable lesson in making that drum, and that’s that the product has to have something unique that ties it directly to the artist. You can’t just take any old stock item, slap some dude’s name on it, and expect it to sell.

Some of the  rst projects I got to participate in at Ludwig were Signature Snares for Alex Van Halen and Bun E. Carlos. The last Signature item Ludwig had done was with Buddy Rich in the ‘70s, so we decided to try it for Ludwig’s 100th Anniversary. They sold instantly because of the legendary appeal of these artists, who are both famous for their unique snare sound. We have since done signature drum sets for Bun E. and Jason Bonham. With the success of these projects, we have even gone slightly outside the realm of mere players and tied the art-

work of LA Ink tattoo artist Corey Miller into a signature kit, which sold very well. Corey is a drummer as well as a tattoo artist, and his signature kit lead to Remo doing a series of drumheads with him. One of the big happenings at Ludwig this last year was in the return of Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer. We are working together now on some signature items that may be making an appearance at NAMM 2011. We have also been working on some new projects with Corey, as well as a snare drum for legendary ELP drummer Carl Palmer.

Nicko McBrain Iron Maiden

Photo by John McMurtrie

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MMR 49

Survey

Dealers Share Thoughts on Artist Series Drums… Having, in the past couple years, looked into the realms of Artist Series guitars and drumsticks, we gured it’d make sense for this, our “Percussion Issue,” to apply the same model to drum kits. What became clear, very early on, when speaking with dealers was that Artist/Signature Series drums do not occupy the same space within the larger percussion market as other corresponding instruments and components do within theirs. “A waste of time and money,” declared Honey Voshell of Fenton, Delaware’s Drum Pad & Music, when replying to this dealer survey about Signature Series drums. While hers was perhaps the most blunt expression of the sentiment, there did emerge a majority opinion that Signature drums, while often very “nice” and well-made, do not have the same pull for consumers as other Signature instruments: 70 percent of those replying to our poll (sent out to over 500 dealers) reported that Artist Series kits and components sell markedly less than “normal” gear. That’s not to say that there’s no upside to these instruments, if made and marketed effectively. As John Spinelli of Seminole, Florida’s Seminole Music & Sound noted, “Putting a name on a product can inspire one to play and sound like his or her heroes.” Additionally, a decent amount of folks (28 percent) observe that tie-in sales are a “gimme” when dealing with a customer willing to commit to the purchase of an Artist Series drum (if someone’s plunking down big bucks for, say, a Phil Rudd snare, there’s a better-than-decent chance you can also sell him or her that AC/DC folio or DVD). Read on for more detailed dealer feedback… 50 MMR

Does your store stock any Signature drums or drum-related gear? Yes: 66% No:

23%

No, but we used to: No, but we plan to:

7% 4%

What’s the appeal from a dealer’s point of view? Why bother with Signature Series products? “The main reason to carry the Artist products are because they are, in most cases, different then the normal lines available and in a lot of cases are truly unique and very desirable products. NOVEMBER 2010

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Also, putting a name on a product can inspire one to play and sound like his or her heroes, young and old alike.” John Spinelli, Seminole Music & Sound Seminole, Fla. Some names (very few) will actually generate sales. Most of the signature product we carry is based off the appeal of the product itself, whether it has a name on it or not.” Glenn Noyes, Guitar Center Westlake Village, Calif. “If it’s a cool item, and the price is right, then we do it. I don’t think the signature, itself, adds much.” Jim Rupp, Columbus Percussion Columbus, Ohio “I rarely stock them because of the name on it; I stock them if they offer something unique, which many “Signature” drums do. Also the price has to be right. You can’t just slap a guys name on a drum and jack the price up 50 percent. There has to be more to it than that.” Clark Bennett, Colorado Drum & Percussion Fort Collins, Colo.

How do Artist Series drums sell compared to “normal” product? We sell more Signature drums, and faster: 9%

Artist Series kits and related gear sell about the same as “standard” drums: 21% Signature Series drums sell less then regular kits: 70%

Are tie-in sales particularly easy with Artist Series instruments (songbooks, accessories, et cetera)? Yes: 28% No: 32% Not Sure: 40%

Additional thoughts on Artist Series drums? “Artist drums can be usually more expensive, thus potentially a turn off to the consumer, but if someone really likes the artist model and its sound, they will buy regardless of price.” Greg Allen, Long Island Drum Center of Nyack Nyack, N.Y. “Often these products do not offer the consumer value, though perhaps prestige. My customers would rather take the money saved from not buying an artist series and purchase additional stands, upgrade a footpedal (perhaps double-bass), or put the money into a better throne or cymbals.” Steve Patterson, Full Score Music Toldeo, Ohio “You just have to be careful not to overstock because only so many people are going to buy expensive signature series items. But signature series accessories like sticks and strings sell all the time.” Darren Patrick, Mountain Music & Musician Training Center Red Bank and Harrison, Tenn. “I’m not sure artist drums really sell like the manufacturers would like. I see a lot of companies moving from the signature subject.” Max Maxwell, Mom’s Music Louisville, Ky.

Breaking News! Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com 52 MMR

“It’s really hit or miss... it’s like having a friend that happens to play drums, but has different tastes then I do build or design a drum for me. I may like and I may not.” Clay Reed, Rainbow Guitars Tucson, Ariz. NOVEMBER 2010

Grand Opening

KHS America’s New Headquarters KHS America, USA parent company of Jupiter Band Instruments, Mapex Drums, Majestic Concert Percussion, Altus Flutes and Walden Guitars, celebrated the grand opening of their new corporate headquarters on October 2. The custom-designed 100,000 square foot facility, located in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., combines all operational functions of the business, including sales, marketing, nance, customer service, quality assurance, and new instrument testing. Additionally the facility includes a climate-controlled

warehouse

capable of maintaining a constant relative humidity of 45 percent for safely storing inventory. The new complex also boasts a recital hall and an artists’ studio where players can try out new

Photographs by Randal L. Struckus The new 100,000-square-foot building at Beckwith Farms, Mt. Juliet, TN. 54 MMR

instruments. NOVEMBER 2010

Rick DeJonge, Artist and Program manager, Jeff Ivester, Marketing Communications manager, Andy Strayer, vice president of Sales, Tabor Stamper, Karl Leong, Rich Breske, vice president of Marketing, and Jason Kennedy, Media & Marketing specialist.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Tabor Stamper, president of KHS America and Karl Leong, CEO of KHS Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. welcomed guests into the building for a celebration that included a drum line performance by the Mapex Percussion Ensemble, followed by a sit-down dinner and a concert by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensemble. A number of guest speakers were featured, including keynote speaker Mitchell Korn, vice president of Education and Community Engagement for the Nashville Symphony Schermerhorn Symphony Center, who discussed the importance of music education in our schools and KHS’s partnership with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in promoting music education and advocacy, both here and abroad. Prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony, MMR sat down with Tabor Stamper and Karl Leong for their views on the recent move.

MMR: Why did KHS relocate from Austin to Nashville? Tabor Stamper: Well, it was an interesting process. First, because of our growth, we needed more space. We also really needed to have Jupiter Band Instruments and Mapex Drums, USA, our two primary companies, in one place. We felt we were missing too many opportunities for synergy and for just working more closely together. That was the rst deciNOVEMBER 2010

sion. The second decision became location. We looked at a number of different sites around the Austin area and we traveled to Nashville to explore a number of sites there. I must say we were very well received by Nashville. They earn their moniker as Music City, USA. We found this particular site in Mt. Juliet early on in our search. We wanted a local government that was looking for companies like ours and we wanted easy access. We found all of that here in Wilson County and in Mt. Juliet, a city which is just a few miles from Nashville. The location itself is important to us. We can reach two thirds of our customers faster and more economically than we could in Austin. We have hotels and shopping nearby and we have the Nashville International Airport, which is only fteen minutes away. So it’s very accessible for when we have our dealers come in – it’s great for them; when we have artists come in to try new instruments or to work with us – it’s great for them; when we have music educators come in – all of our partners in the music industry can nd us pretty easily. The size of the facility was dictated by not only our current needs, but our future needs. We don’t need a big, fancy building. We didn’t need a huge warehouse, but we wanted enough space for now and for the future. We intend to continue to grow. Many companies are downsizing or cutting back and closing facilities, but we’re committed to the future and we’re committed to the music industry, so we’ve built accordingly.

Tabor Stamper welcomes guests at the grand opening.

“Many companies are downsizing or cutting back and closing facilities, but we’re committed to the future and we’re committed to the music industry, so we’ve built accordingly.”

MMR 55

Grand Opening the Internet, obviously it continues to grow dramatically. It’s not going to go away and we all must learn to deal with it more effectively. One of things we’re doing is providing tools for our dealers through databases, les, and other ways to help them utilize the Internet more efciently as they grow their business. The Internet is both a channel and a tool and all of our dealers are using it, whether they are a so-called e-commerce dealer or not, they’re using the Internet in some fashion. We need to be ready to work with them in maximizing the positive effects it can have.

Tabor Stamper introduces the Nashville Symphony Brass Ensemble.

MMR: How many families were relocated and how many new jobs were created by this move? TS: We have about 52 employees in this building. 22 families relocated from Austin and the Jupiter facility and another 10 families relocated from the Mapex facility in LaVergne, Tenn. The rest of our employees are all new positions here. Many of the new team members have a music background and what we’ve tried to do is to make sure that in each critical functional area, whether it be nance or operations or sales and marketing, that we had people with the very highest qualications. I am happy to say that we have accomplished our goal in this area, and we’ve built in room to increase the size of our work force in the future. You see a lot of new construction and a lot of new businesses in this area so we felt like we would t in pretty well. MMR: Who are the members of the management team? TS: One of the great things about this move is that our key employees from both Jupiter Band Instruments in Austin and Mapex Drums, USA, in LaVergne were willing to make the move, so we lost no critical functions when we made this move. Some of our key people include our CFO, Tom Lawdenski; Andy Strayer is our vice president of Sales; Richard Breske is our vice president of Marketing; Blaine Crockett is our Business Logistics manager – these are all folks that were with us before and 56 MMR

are still with us and they are functioning in their same roles, so we’ve lost no knowledge or history. Some of our employees have been with us fteen or twenty years, both in Austin and in LaVergne, and thankfully, those employees moved with us.

MMR: What role does the new Nashville facility play in your recent partnership with Walden Guitars? TS: Walden is owned by KHS and KHS America is the sole sales and distribution arm in the United States, so we do it all from here. We’ve set up a sales and marketing department specically for Walden. The climate-controlled area that we have built into our warehouse allows us to warehouse Walden Guitars properly, probably better than anyone in the country. We have a dedicated space for the Walden Acoustic Guitars that allows us to keep the relative humidity right around 45 percent, no matter how humid it is here in Nashville, which can be high. That allows us to ship out every Walden Guitar in the best possible condition. We literally go through every single guitar. We set up and inspect every guitar before

MMR: In terms of new growth, do you see it coming from new dealers entering the market, from existing dealers opening new stores, from the Internet, or perhaps through some other catalyst? TS: All of these. Certainly it’s a tough business to get into for dealers. Financing is hard to get today, both for new dealers and for current dealers, as the banks have tightened down dramatically on their willingness to loan, especially to small businesses, but we still see new companies come on occasionally. Much of our growth comes from our current partners – we call our dealers “partners” and we work hard with them to help us grow with them in their marketplace. We support them in what they’re doing in their market; we support the music education efforts in their market and hopefully by working together, Will Sellers, vice-mayor, Mt. Juliet, Tenn. officiates at the ribbon cutwe can grow together. As for ting ceremony with Karl Leong and Tabor Stamper.

NOVEMBER 2010

we send it out and we know that when it leaves here, it’s ready to go.

MMR: You recently donated 24 instruments, valued at $23,500, to the Nashville Symphony Orchestra Petting Zoo so that children can sample and learn about the various musical instruments. Could you tell us about your relationship with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and their educational programs? TS: Our relationship is in the very

early stages at this point as we’ve only been here literally two or three months, but what we’ve found with the symphony and with Mitchell Korn, who is the Vice President of Education and Community Engagement for the Nashville Symphony Schermerhorn Symphony Center, is an organization that is absolutely dedicated to promoting music education and making sure that every child in the Tennessee area has an opportunity to participate in music. When they suffered the ood damage that many of the people in Nashville suffered this year, they lost all of their instruments that had been used in their Petting Zoo. We were able to help with reestablishing that inventory, so when they go out and work with young children, the kids have a chance to have a hands-on experience and actually try different musical instruments. We expect in the future a very strong relationship with the symphony.

The Mapex Percussion Ensemble drum line welcomes guests into the new facility.

Their dedication is motivating for us and we think we have something that we offer them as well. MMR: What are the KHS plans for Winter NAMM? TS: We value our partnership with NAMM. We’ve participated in both Winter NAMM and Summer NAMM and especially as our company continues to grow, we want to continue to be involved with NAMM. And yes, there will be new instruments introduced in a variety of categories in January. We’ll have new Majestic Percussion, new Mapex Drums, and a number of different Jupiter Wind Instruments will be introduced. Our commitment to NAMM and our commitment to the U.S. market is strong. The NAMM show is our chance to see a good number of our dealers, allowing us the opportunity to share with them what we are doing and how we can better serve them. MMR: What are the future plans for marketing and growth, both nationally and globally? TS: We want to expand

Tabor Stamper, president of KHS America and Karl Leong, CEO of KHS International. NOVEMBER 2010

our exposure within the United States, especially

for Walden, Altus and Majestic. This expansion will happen within our current dealers as well as strategically located new dealers. We work with most major music retailers in the country and consider them to be our partners, so we are always looking for ways that we can grow together. For any dealers that we’re not working with, we welcome the opportunity to visit with them to help them grow their business. Our focus is on the end user; the musician, the student, the users of our instruments, but we can only reach them with the help of our loyal dealer base. We work in a great industry, with great partners. We provide instruments that allow people to do something they love doing in making music. Not many industries do that, so it’s rewarding for us every single day when we come to work, to know that, by working with our partners, we’ve provided someone with the opportunity to make music. Karl Leong: On a global scale, we usually consider a much longer time span for this industry. At this time we are working in more than 400 countries. We have so many different products in each country. We are looking forward to devoting more of our resources and time to helping the individual countries in promoting music education so that we can continue to grow music and the music industry. This is something we denitely like to do and this is also tying into our company’s culture and mission. MMR 57

Grand Opening

Rich Breske, Mitchell Korn, Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, Nashville Symphony, Katy Southers Zuccarello.

A sampling of the 24 instruments (valued at $23,500) that KHS America donated to the Nashville Symphony Instrument Petting Zoo.

KHS (Kong Hsu Sheh) stands for Contribution to School and Society. This is our mission and we are going to continue to do that for; well, this is our 80th anniversary and we are going to continue doing that for a long long time.

TS: Our USA personnel, our Mt. Juliet personnel, are very heavily involved in both product development and logistics planning with our co-workers in Taiwan. We do some of the prototyping here in the United States for new instruments, and as Karl mentioned, KHS is dedicated to music and the music industry throughout the world. We also understand the impact that the

MMR: What is the relationship between KHS International and KHS America?

58 MMR

U.S. market has on the world market, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very interested in doing all we can here, understanding always that it has an impact on the rest of the world. KHS International is committed to the U.S. market and they all work just as if they are right here in Tennessee. They work to better understand our market and to provide what we need in serving our dealers and our end consumers.

NOVEMBER 2010

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Central Electronics and Music Warehouse: Family, Community & Music

In 1989, MI service technicians Leron Young and Jun Afable opened Central Electronics in Capital Heights, Maryland, just east of Washington, D.C. Central Electronic’s main operation at that time was servicing professional sound equipment. After ve years, Young decided that he wanted to branch out and incorporate retail into his business. Young and Jun dissolved the partnership; however Jun stayed on as a service technician. Leron incorporated the business and Central Electronics and Music Warehouse (CEMW) went into retail sales and instrument rentals. Leron started small, selling instrument accessories. It just so happened that at the same time, the building adjacent to became available. And not long after, Young moved his retail operations into the space and continued to add to his inventory. At the encouragement of his

Owners Leron and Cristal Young. 60 MMR

landlord, Leron also tried his hand at incorporating a recording studio. As he explains, “There was a rap group who rented the building next to us who got a major record deal. The record company gave them a lot of money to renovate the space – oors, walls, and the record-

ing studio.” The group was eventually dropped from their record label and got behind on the rent for the studio, which turned out to be a serendipitous new venture for Young. “My landlord said, ‘Leron, why don’t you give the recording studio a try?’ I agreed, and we leased the third building and took over the recording studio. It was really a blessing for us. It has worked out very well.” When Leron launched his retail business, he also started renting instruments to local students. He began working with Veritas Instrument Rental school band rentals and has had great success with local schools. This was also the segment of the business that remained stable during the economic crisis. CEMW is now a multi-faceted operation, offering retail sales, service, rentals, recording studio, and music lessons. CEMW is also a family business. Cristal Young, Leron’s wife of 38 years, manages the bookkeeping and administrative duties. Kareem, Leron and Cristal’s oldest son, is the piano instructor at CEMW. Their son Rashad is the bass, keyboards, and drums instructor and is also the head studio engineer for the recording studio. In addition to being a close family, the Youngs are part of a close-knit community, and are looking to cultivate that NOVEMBER 2010

dynamic even more. Cristal and Leron have been researching different ways to acquire grant funding. They would like to use grant money to provide music lessons for those who cannot afford instruction, particularly young children from their local school district. Leron would like to utilize his electrical engineering knowledge to teach his students and offer them the possibility of a music-related vocation. They are looking to expand their class offerings all around, including recording studio basics and sound engineering. Young comments, “The kids in this area need a lot of help. We’re trying to create jobs and other opportunities for them.” As far as the future goes, Cristal and Leron want to expand the educational part of their business. Leron explains, “I got into engineering when I went to a vocational high school. That exposure helped me to move ahead. I’ve always wanted to take a group of children from this area to the NAMM show. Theses kids have never been exposed to manufacturing or anything like that.” Cristal adds, “They have never been exposed to the other side of the music industry.

There’s more to the industry than playing an instrument. Of course we would love for them to play instruments, but there’s another side of the business that African-American children are just not exposed to.” The Youngs are hoping to get some interest from manufacturers. They not only would like to take student groups to NAMM, but they would like for manufacturers to visit Capitol Heights, in an effort to peak musical interest in the community and, hopefully create jobs. Leron adds, “We want to develop/nd a product related to the music industry that could be manufactured locally, helping to create job opportunities. We want to help create and sustain the universal language of music.” 62 MMR

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Black Bear Guitars: A One-Man Show by Richard Weissman

Yakima is located in Central Washington state and is a city of around 84,000, in a metro area with a population of about three-times that number. Seattle is 138 miles to the west, and Spokane is 196 miles to the east. Because Yakima has a sunny climate, at least by the standards of the region, it is known as the “Palm Springs of the Northwest.” There are a half dozen music stores in town, spread out in various parts of Yakima. While not a large enough city to attract any of the large chain operations, there is a branch of Ted Brown Music, which has four stores in different parts of the state. Standing in sharp contrast to “chain mentality,” Duane Heilman runs a one-man show called Black Bear Guitars. Heilman has survived through a judicious distribution of his many talents. He builds guitars, banjos, ddles, and ukuleles and he also does extensive repair work on all of those instruments, and instruments of the violin family. In addition to those skills, Duane is also a painter and exhibits his work at local galleries. A Natural Step… Heilman kind of morphed into the building and repair of fretted instruments after he got out of the U.S. Navy. He started by building y boxes for shermen. He sent out brochures describing the boxes and within a month he was in business. He quickly made it into the Orvis and Dan Bayley catalogs and, by the mid 1980s he was kept busy because of the catalog orders. After about ve years the demand for the y boxes petered out, and Duane had to look elsewhere for a career. He 64 MMR

had begun playing guitar as a child, and he decided to try and build one. From there it was a natural step to go into guitar repair. Heilman already had a downtown shop, a spray booth and tools from his previous career, so he went to work… People began to bring in old guitars for him to  x up, and in 1996 he moved into his current space, an unprepossessing shop in a warehouse district east of town. When you see the picture outside his door, you know you’ve come to the right place. In addition to his own work, Heilman does the more complex guitar repairs for the other music stores in town. He also does repair on violins, violas, cellos, and basses for the local school district, which used to take stringed instruments all the way to Spokane for repair. This was costly, and took quite a bit of time, so the school district was delighted to  nd a local repairperson. In addition to doing whatever emergency repairs are necessary, each summer a Duane undertakes considerable amount of stringed instrument rehabilitation. Art Ukes and Weathering Economic Hardship In the late ‘90s, Duane’s free spirit led him to build what can best be described as “art ukueles.” On average, guitarNOVEMBER 2010

ists tend to favor traditional-looking instruments, but ukulele fans seem more open to experimental designs. Duane  rst built a cigar box ukulele and immediately sold it for $160. He followed this up by making ukes with misshapen bodies and Picasso-themed designs. He built the ukes for about ten years, initially selling most on eBay. When eBay substantially raised their rates in November, 2008, Heilman made a shift and now sells ukes on his own Web site. As the economy worsened, he saw the demand for ukes die down. Heilman attributes part of the problem to Chinesemade ukuleles ooding the market. He told us that there are currently about two thousand ukes on eBay, and he estimates that well over 90 percent of them are made in China. The Yakima economic picture is more balanced than some of the areas of the Northwest, and it is still farm-based. There is an Indian reservation just outside of town, and the local Indian-owned casino is doing reasonably well, which mirrors the picture in other areas. Heilman told us that the other local music sores are holding their own, through a combination of lessons, rentals and band instrument sales. Duane  nds that he is doing an increasing number of repairs, as people turn to restoring old instruments because they can’t afford to buy new ones. When we visited the shop, Duane had one of his own spruce top guitars on display for sale: a gorgeous instrument with an ebony  ngerboard and bridge, back and sides have two layers of spruce and one of Brazilian rosewood. Duane retails his own guitar at $2,250, a low price for a hand-made instrument. Heilman told us that he has been fortunate enough to be able “to sell everything I make.” Also At the time of our visit, he was restoring a 1920 Washburn parlor guitar, and he had various other old instruments hung on the wall, including an old Weissenborn slack key guitar. Business & Fun Duane began to paint in 1968, describing the various phases of that career as “full-time, part-time and no-time.” His goal is to eventually stop doing repair work, and to divide his time between building instruments and painting. He 66 MMR

currently has rented another space to show his artwork, and someone else is taking care of sales. To interact with the community of luthiers from a relatively isolated spot like Yakima, every few years Duane goes to the meetings of the American Luthiers Guild in Tacoma. He  nds sources of wood at these meetings, and he gets together with other builders to exchange ideas and have fun. Another source of business and fun is the annual Yakima Folk-Life Festival, an annual event that takes place in early July, and has been running for 26 years. Exhibiting at the festival “brings in a lot of repair work,’ and even an occasional commission. Tourists and musicians come from out of town for the event, which brings in more business to the shop. For some years, Duane was also involved in designing the annual festival t-shirt. At one of the events a performer dropped a guitar, and Heilman was able to repair the guitar and ship it back to its owner within a few days. Many people come by the shop after meeting Duane at the festival, and ask him to appraise instruments or repair them. Heilman remarked that for some reason he seems to have more luck selling banjos at the festival than any of his other instruments. An Individualist’s Road There are always going to be opportunities for a hard-working individual to build a reasonably successful career by providing a service that is isn’t widely available. In Duane’s case, he can repair anything with strings for the hobbyist or professional, or he can build them a good instrument at a reasonable price. He can provide a service to the other music stores in town, who don’t have guitar repairperson on staff, and to the school district which inevitably has to live with students dropping or mistreating instruments. It’s not the ideal life for the fanatically ambitious entrepreneur who wants to create the next big thing, but it’s a  ne situation for an individualist who wants to pursue his or her own road to excellence. For Duane Heilman, Black Bear is a good match for his talents and desires. NOVEMBER 2010

Chasons Music: Faith, Innovation, and… Sailing?

Although his current focus is on his latest invention, the OcToBrass, Dave Chamberlain, founder and CEO of Chasons Music is a man of many talents. On any given day, Chamberlain may call himself a pastor, sailor, musician, or an inventor.

“You can take these things anywhere – you can practice in your Jacuzzi, you can take them backpacking up Mount Everest!”

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“I started everything when I was eight years old,” he says. “I began playing piano at eight, I started sailing at eight, and started playing trombone at ten.” Chamberlain, who grew up in the large farming hub of Spokane, Washington, got his professional music career started by playing keys in local rock bands. “We were the city rock band that would go out and play the grange halls for the farm kids,” he recalls. After losing their lead singer, Chamberlain’s band decided to hire a new guy who had gotten a reputation for being unreliable due to drug use. “I had no scruples about drug usage at the time but told the rest of the band that we were going get a bad reputation if he didn’t show up to gigs. The guys said, ‘Oh, no – something happened to him, both him and his wife. They don’t do drugs any more.’ And that was fairly novel to me. I had sort of thought that you are who you are and then you die. I came to  nd out that they had become Christians.” Inspired by his bandmate, Chamberlain followed suit: “I started to attend The Salvation Army church, ended up going to seminary, and I’ve been ministering here in Chula Vista since 1975. I’ve had the opportunity to start a church in the Soviet Union, ministered short term in Brazil and in Mexico and I’ve been the

senior pastor at this church that we started back in 1980, and just recently stepped down to make room for a younger guy, and focus on Chasons Music.” The OcToBrass Chamberlain’s  rst product to hit the market is called the OcToBrass. “I’ve always been really fond of the pple ute, which includes instruments like the penny whistle, the recorder, and the ocarina,” he says. “Every six or seven weeks, I take my sailboat out for a couple of days, just to get my head back together, and I always take my brass mouthpiece with me, so I can keep my embouchure going. On one trip, I had this 1877 ceramic Italian ocarina with me that I loved playing and I was cooking up a steak or something on my little one-burner stove and had my mouthpiece in one hand and I had the ocarina in the other. I absentmindedly put the trombone mouthpiece on the mouthpiece of the ocarina and buzzed some notes. Not only did I have the note from the buzzing mouthpiece, but also there was enough wind to activate the pple window. So, I got a couple pieces of duct tape and bound that mouthpiece onto that ocarina and I had this little instrument that could play harmony and it was so much more fun than just having my mouthpiece.” NOVEMBER 2010

In addition to having created a fun little instrument, Chamberlain discovered that the ocarina actually provided some resistance that was missing from practicing with the mouthpiece alone. “The resistance created by the ocarina was just perfect, so I took an older practice mouthpiece, permanently attached it to the ocarina and I used that for months,” he explains. At the time, Dave didn’t think that his new invention would be commercially viable. “Ocarinas are notoriously out of tune,” he notes. “You have to really massage them to get the intonation right on and you have to use weird ngerings for each note in the scale, so I didn’t think anything of it until I ran across Mountain Ocarinas.” Mountain Ocarinas currently produces several ocarinas that are totally linear, and have solved the problem of ocarina intonation. “After using this thing for quite a few months I thought, ‘Gosh, this could actually be commercially viable.’ So I called up Karl Ahrens at Mountain Ocarinas and told him about my idea and asked him if he wanted to be associated with me. He was delighted by the idea of modifying his ocarina to accept a brass mouthpiece

and so we started a relationship. I went through about two years of prototyping to get it so I wasn’t hindering the tone of the ute and put on a brass mouthpiece. It worked out well; but it took about two years to develop it to a place where the public would really go for it. So far, the people that who have purchased them have been pretty delighted. I have a ‘no questions asked’ return policy – I’ll give you your money back and I’ll even pay for the shipping – and I haven’t had anybody ship a unit back, yet.” “The OcToBrass is extremely light weight and durable,” says Chamberlain. “We have two different models. One is made from polycarbonate and the other is hard-coat anodized aluminum and you can take these things anywhere! You can practice in your Jacuzzi, you can take them backpacking up Mount Everest – they’re very durable – places where most people would never want to take their favorite mouthpiece. Of course they can still use their favorite mouthpiece on it, but the kit comes with a polycarbonate mouthpiece that they can just bang around. It’s just really a great instrument, I’m very proud of it.”

The Acoustic Personal Monitor (APM) In addition to inventing the OcToBrass, Dave is the creator of the Acoustic Personal Monitor for brass players. “I’m a big band player and I freelance a lot,” he says. “I work in this one horn section called the Shelltown Horns and we subcontract out with other rock bands that want to have live horns on big gigs. We’ll come in without a rehearsal or charts and do the background pops for them. We were hired for one gig at this tavern and the leader of the band would just start off on a tune. He wouldn’t even turn back and tell us what key he was in! So we were turning around and facing the brick wall behind us so we could  nd out what the root tone was – I didn’t want to have the whole club hearing us as we’re hunting down the key. The gig turned out really good, but I got in the car and said ‘God, there’s got to be a way to be able to hear yourself up on stage without a ton of electronics so you can hear what you’re doing.’ Even with the monitors you’re always jumbled up with the sax and the trumpet and you can’t differentiate your own tone. By the time I got home, I actually had a vision of a piece of vinyl tubing coming out around the rim up the bell and then going into an ear bud. I didn’t think too much of it until two weeks later when we were hired for another head gig where we really weren’t going to know what we were doing until we were there. I went ahead and made a crude example, and oh heavens! It worked so well I couldn’t believe it.” Although he’s only sold a couple of his Acoustic Personal Monitors, Chamberlain is excited about the product, which he describes as a stethoscope for your horn. “It is patent pending –I have them sized now for everything from Tuba to Cornet. With your open ear, you can hear the rest of the ensemble and with your ear bud ear you can hear your horn perfectly, It’s so simple its foolproof, there’s nothing to go wrong.” Running on Faith It might seem odd, to the average reader, but for Chamberlain, ‘running on faith’ has a proven track record – and with Chasons Music, Dave’s faith is stronger than ever. “Each of these inventions was really more for my own use, to begin with,” says Chamberlain. Although he’s decided to take the plunge into the MI

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world, Daveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the ď&#x192;&#x17E; rst to admit that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sailing into uncharted waters: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I was in Bible school we learned about press releases and handling ourselves in public; but as far as sales, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anything so I do some business reading every day. People have described the NAMM [Show] to me and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much bigger than I imagined.â&#x20AC;? Up until now, Chamberlainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketing has relied solely upon the Web, where he has used link exchanges to promote his new company. When Dave ď&#x192;&#x17E; rst started Chasons Music, he was still a full time pastor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When my wife and I started the company in 2007, we knew it would be a couple of years before we made any money. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go into debt and we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to take a loan, or use any retirement funds,â&#x20AC;? says Chamberlain, who

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decided to fund the new company with his gig money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been very slow, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been very fun also. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing this to make a living, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not out to make a lot of money. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really want to sell wholesale because I want to make each product for the customer. I have a couple of friends who went wholesale to make more money, but the whole joy of their company just left. I want to have people write me on the Web site or write me a letter and ď&#x192;&#x17E; ll their order for them. That way, I know their names and can develop a personal relationship with each customer. I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make as much money of course, but like I said, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just trying to make a living.â&#x20AC;?

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Find it in the Hot News section of MMRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2010

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Commentary Mark Mahoney

Using Software to Do More with Less “When you make the investment in business management software, you bring in the tools that enable you to do more administrative work using fewer man-hours.”

Prior to the onset of our recent economic challenges, consumers were already demanding more for their money and competition practically determined price points for you. After the economic downturn, it became difcult for many to just stay out of the red, much less to actually grow. How is it possible to get ahead in this game – considering the demands and limitations that owners face? The answer is software. Software enables you to do more at a lower operating cost and use your “people” resources where they are most valuable. While that sounds simple, there are a few points that you need to be aware of before investing any of your time or money in software. Look for software that: Automates repetitive and people intensive processes. 2. Keeps all of your information in one database so that all of your features, including your automated processes, have access to it. 3. Is Web-based so you and your staff can access information even when you’re not in the ofce. 4. Provides a portal to enable self 1.

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service for parents in updating their own information as it changes, in researching and registering for classes on their own and in checking and paying their balances – without intervention from you or your staff. These characteristics are found in some of the business management software solutions offered today. Dig deeply into each solution you consider to ensure that you will be able to fully maximize your business operations with the software you choose. Let’s dig into each of the areas noted in our points above. 1.

Automated features give you the power to improve the way your business operates. Automation can transform your operaNOVEMBER 2010

tions into efcient, low-error producing processes that require little to no attention from you or your staff. Several business areas can benet from automation. Let’s focus on Billing, Registration and E-mail. Automation in Billing: Automated billing will probably have the most visible and consistent impact to your operations. Software can easily perform recurring billing, auto-pay and invoicing processes after initial data is entered one time. Your responsibility in the process may be only triggering the event once per billing cycle – or you may be able to set schedule so that the process triggers itself. The days of processing credit cards one at a time via the phone can be left behind! You can even get NOVEMBER 2010

software that sends credit card decline alerts to your e-mail inbox.

Automation in Registration: Registration can be automated so that upon registering, student data automatically goes into a database and never has to be entered again. The process works the same way whether registration occurs online or from a kiosk or laptop in your facility. An e-mail alerts you, as the owner, that a new student his registered. Automation of registration eliminates errors in keying student, family and payment information and is a tremendous time saver for staff and families since the process becomes a self-service one done by parents at a time and in a place that is convenient for them. MMR 73

Automation in E-mail: Automated e-mails make it possible for owners to communicate with existing clients and to market to prospects without dedicating many hours to the effort. The resulting e-mail “distributions” present you in a professional and organized manner. Editing tools make these systems easy for even non-techie users to create their own e-mails. Delivery can be targeted to certain segments of your complete list so that information can be pushed out to students and parents, instructors and support staff with minimal effort.

Database driven software is a must. Database driven software stores all of your information or data in a single source that feeds all of your software features. All users, regardless of where they are logged in, have access to up-to-date information without the need to sync computers or  les. This is an error-eliminator and time-saver. Once data is entered, it never needs to be entered again. This also means that changes – such as new addresses and phone numbers – are made only once in the database.

Web-based software gives you a platform for the future. Because of today’s mobile workforce, busy schedules and Internet popularity, Web-based solutions are an absolute must for operating businesses in a costand time-efcient manner. Web-based software gives you access to your data even when you’re not in your ofce, and allows you to get better protection and maintenance of your software than you could afford to provide for yourself. With Web-based software, you and your staff can be more knowledgeable and provide better service because answers are easily found. As owners, you can look across your business data for key performance indicators, such as enrollment and income gures, and see your daily business status – at a glance. A Web-based solution enables you to benet from Fortune 500 level security and maintenance to your software because you are part of a large powerful group of customers. You are also protected you from losing data if you have a computer disaster in your ofce because your data is stored safe and secure, redundant facility that is monitored, maintained and managed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A Web-based platform also gives the software service provider the ability to more easily partner with services that can integrate into your business and class management functions to extend capabilities into very specic areas such as accounting and e-mail marketing software services such as QuickBooks and Constant Contact. Finally, a Web-based solution enables you to provide online services, such as registration, directly on your Website or through a portal, enabling staff-consuming tasks to transition into self service features. 4.

A portal is a wonderful thing. Through your portal, you can provide information to customers as a group or individually. Because parents can log in to a secure area, they can manage their own accounts, turning much of your staff’s involvement with customer data into a selfserve process. Parents are thrilled with the convenience of their access and the control it gives them over their own information. You like it because they take the maintenance of their account off your hands! 74 MMR

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How much of an impact can business management software actually have? From my own experiences, I know: Organizations that have eliminated • the need for one or more new hires by implementing good business management software. As owners, you know the myriad of expenses and risks that come with each new hire you make. Single location schools that have • been able to open second locations without increasing staff because they implemented business management software. Schools that have been able to • double and triple student count, instructor to student ratio, classes offered and depth of curriculum because of their business management software. Organizations that have made • complete  nancial turnarounds by streamlining their operations with business management software. Get back to the “people” part of your business. When you make the investment in business management software, you bring in the tools that enable you to do more administrative work using fewer man-hours. You provide yourself and your staff with the opportunity to be more involved with the “people” part of your business instead of the operation of it. Monotonous, repetitive, data intensive administrative and operational tasks are better served with technology. Software practically removes human error from the equation and you and your staff are given the gift of time – which is a rare commodity - to spend with students and their families. You, as owners, are able to take on marketing, customer service and class content initiatives that will help you attract more students and grow your business. Mark Mahoney is co-founder and president of Jackrabbit Technologies where his company designs, develops, implements, and supports management software for businesses that offer education to students of all ages. Jackrabbit helps its clients manage their businesses using one application that is Web-based, easy to learn and use and exible. Visit Mark at www.JackrabbitClass.com. NOVEMBER 2010

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Fresh Faces:

The Music Den Raises the Roof & Their Visibility On August 28, 2010, MI dealers Jerry and Tom Scognamiglio, along with family, friends, and local mayor, Joe Heywang, stood on the former site of the New Jersey Pump Company to celebrate the grand opening of the new, wholly-owned, (real estate and all), Music Den in Butler, N.J. Brothers Jerry and Tom Scognamiglio have been in the MI business since 1984. This was not their rst grand opening, but it was an important and long-awaited one.

For Tom Scognamiglio, this opening, and even more importantly, the location was vital to staying in business “Everything is cyclical. A few years back, the big thing was to have a store in a mall, and we did. When we  rst opened our two mall locations 10 years ago, business was booming. We had over 1,000 students taking lessons. But, over the past three years we watched those numbers slowly dwindle as the malls began to slow down. The economy and the retail market have changed. In this business, you can’t stay still; you have to keep moving with the times. It seems

that now everything is going out of the mall and into what is referred to as “lifestyle malls” – also known as strip malls. People don’t like to walk through a mall to get to a store; they want to drive up, get in, and get out.” The Scognamiglios saw the writing on the wall a few years ago and began looking for property with high visibility. They found a piece of land on busy Route 23 in Butler, knocked down the old building and replaced it with a 4,000 squarefoot store. The process to rebuild and move their inventory took about a year. They are doing the same thing with their

other store, which is still in a mall. The Scognamiglios have already purchased the land for the store in Randolph, N.J. and are now in the planning stages. Construction will begin next month, and they are hoping to open their doors in late spring, early summer. “The Randolph store will be 20,000 square feet and will be our agship store,” Tom explains. The retail section will be approximately 8,500 square feet. With their Internet business rapidly growing, the new location will also house a 5,000 square foot shipping and receiving warehouse. They are also constructing a 2,000 square foot

“You can’t wait for people to walk through the door,”

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recital hall called the “Performing Arts Center.” The remaining space will be used for ofces. The Music Den’s high visibility location on Route 23 has already paid off. In terms of getting the word out about the

new location, they limited their advertising to local radio. Tom believes that the best advertising they have is the sign outside of the store – visible to the 70,000 cars that pass by every day. “I put a lot of money into a really good sign. Just by

being out on the highway, we have lowered our overhead. We are relying on our frontage and signage to bring people in, and it has worked. We got here in July, and since then we’ve seen a lot of new faces.”

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Fresh Faces The Music Den doesn’t have the 1,000 student enrollment they once had, but there are currently 200 students taking lessons, and the numbers seem to be growing. They host their own student recitals, and will be starting an “Open Mic” night for local musicians, who want to get their music out there. Just like the mall, Tom has noticed a change in student enrollment since the economy took a downward turn: “We are located in, I’d say, an afuent town, where kids have lots of activities, everything from sports to music. However, I have noticed parents, even in this community, tightening the belt. They will pay for their child to take music lessons only if they see commitment and dedication; otherwise, they just pull them out of the classes. I think this is a symptom of the economy.” The economy has been a juggling act for everyone in one way or another. For many MI dealers, creativity and variety

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have been the key to survival. The Music Den is a full-line MI operation, offering a complete range of instruments for both sale and rent, which has made them the leading rental facility for the greater part of North New Jersey’s school systems. They also carry pro audio, sheet music, and accessories. The store offers repair services, sound installations, and do gov-

ernment work. According to Tom, it’s this diversication that has kept them in business through the recent rough times. “You can’t wait for people to walk through the door,” Tom says. “Doing a little bit of everything keeps the cash ow going. If we carried one high-end product, we’d be out of business. Our niche is we don’t have a niche – we do everything.”

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At A Glance Springfield Music’s

Donovan Bankhead And not a “dry” heat: Springfield Missouri is hot and humid. Like, for sure. It’s also a great community to raise a family. The local economy is pretty diverse. We have good schools, and there are plenty of outdoor activities.

Who: Donovan Bankhead, vice president of operations What: Springfield Music/Ernie Williamson Music Where: Springfield, Mo./Joplin, Mo. When: Springfield: Founded in 1964; Ernie Williams: 1920s. Both incorporated under current owners in 1986. Type: Full line, sans acoustic pianos

But… You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a music store, so no one else move here and open a store, please! How the madness started: I started playing trumpet in the sixth grade.

The Business

Mom always knows: I realized I wasn’t good enough to make a good living playing the trumpet. My mother says she always knew I would own my own store – I didn’t really believe her until I came to work at Springfield Music.

Previous gigs: I was a district sales manager for ConnSelmer. Before that I managed a Tulsa Band in Tulsa, Okla. Career low point:

You know you’re going to have a bad day when… while restocking guitars you look up to see a car going 80 miles per hour crashing into your store. Watch the video at www.youtube. com/springfieldmusic.

My proudest business achievement: I’ve helped to build a store that is a meaningful business in my community. The staff and I really enjoy our jobs and continue to improve on serving and selling to our customers.

What’s working in the shop right now: A few years ago

“I’d like for manufacturer’s to invest in their independent dealers. Most manufacturers and their reps don’t know the first thing about what it takes to be a successful retailer.”

Without going into too much detail, last year I made some bad decisions that almost cost me everything I have worked toward. I’ve learned that no matter what, you are responsible for your actions.

Career high point(s): Landing the district sales manager gig with ConnSelmer was a real eye-opener for a 26year-old from Tulsa. I learned so much from that job. A more recent high point is having a great group of people I work 80 MMR

with – going to work every day is lots of fun.

we overhauled our education program to make it more exciting and to make it a real profit center. That has continued to be successful, and I look for it to grow over the next several years.

Smoke ‘em if ya got em: People might be surprised to know I love cigars!

If I could change one thing about how MI business is done, it would be… Only one thing? Really? Okay, if I had to pick one thing, I’d like for manufacturers to invest in their independent dealers. Most manufacturers and their reps don’t know the first thing about what it takes to be a successful retailer. It would be great if they helped to grow and nurture a stronger independent network. Hey manufacturers! Need help with this? Call me! NOVEMBER 2010

America’s Premier Guitar & Bass Parts Supplier

Delta Series by GOTOH 1:21 ratio Who I admire most in this business: I’ve certainly stolen a lot of great ideas from George Hines (George’s Music) and the Averwaters (AMRO Music).

The Personal

When I’m not working, you’ll likely find me: playing bass guitar or trumpet, being with my family, and “living the dream” (whatever that means).

Finding love in formation: I met my wife of 13 years on a hot August afternoon in marching band. Today she is a band director. The family: son Caleb, 8; daughter Maddox, 2; boxers Heidi and Tigger; and Romo the cat (go Cowboys)!

If I could lunch with any musician living or dead it would be: Victor Wooten. I love his outlook on life.

When I get a chance to sit in front of the TV, I’m watching: Oh geez, this is going to be embarrassing. Probably some mix of “Pawn Stars,” “Real Housewives” (shame), and the Dallas Cowboys.

True or False: Can you be happy and rich in the music instrument business? Absolutely true. Words to live by: “Show Me the

Money!” I enjoy music and instruments, but I’m in this business to make money. Favorite musician joke: What

does a trumpet player use for birth control? His personality! Thanks, I’ll be here all week. NOVEMBER 2010

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Reach 10,000 music dealers, suppliers and wholesalers

with a click of the mouse! Check out the classiﬁed advertisement link on the MMR web site (www.mmrmagazine. com) and place your on-line and/or print advertisement . Within minutes your message will reach more than 8,000 music dealers, 1,000 plus suppliers and hundreds of wholesalers, distributors and sales representatives throughout North America and with our expanded international e-mail list major markets in Europe, Asia and South America. Whether you are selling a product or service MMR’s classiﬁed pages are the largest, most well-read of all music publications.

You are a click away from promoting your instrument rental program; buying vintage products, hiring a keyboard specialist, obtaining a sales representative in the Mid West or purchasing that one-of-a-kind part. Send your message today, sell your product or service tomorrow!

www.mmrmagazine.com or call Maureen at 800-964-5150 ext 34 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com MMR 81

New Products Vic Firth Stick Caddy Vic Firth’s stick caddy features a rubber insert at the bottom of a metal tube that protects the stick tips when being thrown into the tube and prevents any noise when the sticks hit the bottom of the tube. The screw clamp design locks the stick caddy  rmly in place and ts all standard hi-hat stands, cymbal stands, and can be securely fastened on a tom leg as well. Lock washers  rmly hold the stick caddy at the perfect angle for the drummers’ preferred location. Both adjustments are quickly made with wing nuts. The stick caddy will hold three pairs of 5A sticks. www.vic rth.com Yamaha’s Tyros4 Yamaha’s Tyros4 Arranger Workstation keyboard features the new Vocal Harmony 2 engine and exclusive built-in vocal Style and Voice content, created with advanced sampling techniques. Additionally, the Super Articulation 2 Voice library has been upgraded for non-keyboard instruments like strings, guitars, brass, and woodwinds. The expanded Super Articulation 2 Voices automatically switches to various attacks (note-on), main-bodies (sustain), and note releases (decay), based on how the player hits the keys.

Playing a Saxophone Voice with legato technique makes the passage sound like it is being delivered all in one breath by a horn player, for example, but playing staccato notes creates a sound where the notes seem like they are blown individually. Placing notes together – or spaced far apart – automatically determines how 82 MMR

a note might bend up or down to arrive at the next note in a passage. Tyros4’s new Flash Expansion Board stores custom sample data (instrument recordings) either purchased online or sampled by the end user, which stays in the keyboard even after the power is turned off. It also includes hard-disk recording that captures anything played or sung through a new XLR balanced microphone combo-jack. MP3 audio  les can be stored as part of the registration set up for instant recall and playback. Tyros4can reproduce instruments and arrangements from over 500 different styles of music from around the world with the press of a button. Studio-style DSP effects like reverb, chorus and EQ add an extra element of pro-level sound quality to the 2,153 dynamic instrument Voices, 30 organ utes, and 44 drum sets. Multi-pads allow for special phrases, and even trigger selected samples in sync with a particular style in real time. www.yamaha.com

SuperStrings series. When stress tested in the factory, the DR’s new K3 coating did not strip away, peel, or come off under any playing conditions. NEON strings are available in orange, pink, yellow, and green in standard electric guitar sets. Bass strings available in same colors and medium four string gauge (45-105) and ve string gauge (45-125). www.drstrings.com Modtone’s True Bypass Space Flanger Modtone Effects’ MT-FL Space Flanger unit features a die cast steel housing, quality switching and in/out jacks, blue LED light, nine volt or AC operation. Rate, Range, and Mix controls offer a wide range of ange modulation. The retail price is $99.95. www.modtone-effects.com New from SHS International Stone Case Company, a division of SHS International, has added four new double gig bags that hold two guitars at once. They

Dixon Bass Drum Lift from Cappello Music Cappello Music is now distributing the Dixon Bass Drum Lift. The Bass Drum Lift works with 16” through 24” bass drums. The list price is $66. www.cappellomusic.com DR Strings’ NEON With K3 Technology DR Strings’ NEON are color-coated guitar and bass strings that are UV and black light active. DR’s NEON strings are 100 percent black light active and glow under UV lighting. Featuring DR’s new K3 Technology coating, NEON strings are the second in DR’s

include a double solid body electric bag, double solid body bass bag, double acoustic bag, and a bag that will hold one acoustic and one electric. All bags feature 600 denier nylon jackets with smooth interiors, 11 mm of padding, dual opening metal zippers, outside accessory pocket, dual shoulder straps, and a ve year warranty. Tune Tech’s TT-10 Shark tuner, named so for its shark  n shape, is a fully

NOVEMBER 2010

chromatic clip on vibration tuner with four mode selections and a backlit screen that changes color when in tune. The Shark tuner is available in black, silver, red, pink, and blue. The retail price is $19.95. www.shsint.net Levy’s Ukulele Gig Bags Levy’s new polyester ukulele bag for soprano-sized ukulele features half inch foam padding, plush lining, back-pack shoulder straps, and pouch pocket. The interior dimensions are 22” X 7 1/2”. Also available for concert-sized (CMUC), 25” X 9”; tenorsized (CMUT), 27 1/2” X 9 1/2”; and baritone-sized (CMUB), 31 1/4” X 11 1/4”. www.levysleathers.com Fernandes Revolver Classic Series Fernandes’ Revolver Classic Series guitar features a Seymour Duncan distortion humbucker in the bridge, Cool Rails in the middle, the Fernandes Sustainer in the neck position, coil tap switch, Pearl pickguard, Gotoh tuners, and Wilkinson Vintage tremolo. www.fernandesguitars.com CE Distribution’s MOD Oil Capacitors CE Distribution’s MOD caps are oil impregnated dielectric capacitors enclosed in an aluminum “mug.” Oil capacitors

are said to enhance the ability to get true vintage sound, giving a guitar amp or audio equipment a natural and smooth tone. www.cedist.com New & Anniversary Titles from Alfred Carpentier and Alfred Music Publishing have released The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, a comprehensive account of Howard NOVEMBER 2010

Shore’s scores from the popular trilogy, by musicologist Doug Adams. The culmination of almost a decade of writing and research, The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, is a journey into the heart of

Howard Shore’s Academy Awardwinning score, with extensive music examples, original manuscript scores, a rarities CD, and glimpses into the creative process from the composer himself. The 416-page full-color book features a foreword by

VIC FIRTH DEALER NEWS

8th Edition

Vic Firth’s Sales Support Helps You Earn More Money WEB FEATURES

NEW PRODUCTS

STAY CONNECTED—Are YOU following the Vic Firth updates on Twitter? Learn about new artist interviews, new DCI “in the lot” features, new live tour videos and much more as the activities are taking place! “Follow Us” is featured on the bottom left of our home page at vicrth.com. Sign-up today, go to: www.twitter.com/ Vic_Firth

Pink is IN! After dozens of requests Vic Firth is now offering PINK 5A (5AP) and PINK kids stick (KIDSPINK). Specications are at: www.vicrth.com/products/newproducts.php

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT—The Kinetic Force has been another innovative product ONLY available from Vic Firth. Kinetic energy is a function of mass and speed. By adding a more dense material to the butt end of the sticks’ they can be played longer and harder with less fatigue. They can also help you play faster. Call VF for a sample to demonstrate to your customers!!! Specications are at: www.vicrth.com/products/newproducts.php HARD & HEAVY CD PRIZE PACKS— Vic has enhanced the Hard & Heavy play along CD offer by asking our artists to participate in interactive prize packages and great free gear offers for the participants and lucky prize winners. Which artist is being featured this week, what is the current prize package? www.vicrth.com/features/hard-heavy2/ contest.php

Bill Bachman “Billy Club” Tenor Sticks (SBBTS) are selling very well. The Sta-Pac(registered R) design provides maximum strength and density. Product information and “solo footage” at: www.vicrth.com/products/bachman_billyclub.php NEW PERFORMANCE VIDEOS The Vic Firth artist support crew had a busy summer! DCI performances, artists on tour- catch all the new video footage of our artists at vicrth.com. Warped Tour performances at: www.vicrth.com/features/warped_tour2010.php, DCI “in the lot” videos at: www.vicrth.com/features/DCI2010.php and more artist videos added weekly! BUTT END OF KINETIC FORCE 5AKF

AMERICAN CLASSIC® 5A AND KIDSTICK NOW IN PINK

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New Products Howard Shore, introduction by Lord of the Rings writer and producer Fran Walsh, original sketches by John Howe and Alan Lee, and numerous images from the  lms. Also included in the book, courtesy of HOWE Records, is a CD titled The Rarities, which features 21 tracks of previously unreleased music created for the  lms, as well as an audio interview with Howard Shore. The Alfred’s Beginning Drumset Method reached its milestone 20th anniversary in 2010. Written by renowned authors and educators Dave Black and Sandy Feldstein, this classic method has been used by students and teachers at all levels. Originally released in 1990, the publication has expanded from its original book format to include a DVD and play-along CD. Lessons in the book are written with a practical approach, and start by immediately teaching students to play their  rst beat. Students will learn the hi-hat, ride cymbal, snare, and bass drum in the styles of rock and jazz. www.alfred.com New Hal Leonard Instructional Book for Drummers Hal Leonard’s Drum Aerobics book/twoCD pack by Andy Ziker is a 52-week, oneexercise-per-day workout program for developing, improving, and maintaining drum technique. Players of all levels, beginner to advanced, can increase their speed, coordination, dexterity, accuracy, and lick vocabulary. The two accompanying CDs contain all 365 workout licks, plus play-along grooves in styles including rock, blues, jazz, heavy metal, reggae, funk, calypso, bossa nova, march, and mambo. Free video content to supplement Drum Aerobics will be available using the 84 MMR

Closer Look feature on Hal Leonard’ Web site. Ziker and Dan Tomlinson, long-time touring drummer for Lyle Lovett and Acoustic Alchemy, will add drums to the 25 (drumless) play-along tracks that comprise CD two. Viewing these clips will give book purchasers a point of reference, seeing and hearing how two professional drummers approach playing along with the tracks. www.halleonard.com PureSound Percussion’s Custom Pro Snare Wires PureSound Percussion’s Custom Pro series of snare wires are designed with Anti-choke end plates that are said to reduce snare buzz and also allow the player to crank up their snare tension for a tight response without choking the drum. The Anti-choke end plates lift the coils away from the edge to reduce sympathetic buzz and increase the wire tension range.

The Speed Release straps allow the player to disengage the snare wires without releasing the straps from the strainer or butt clamps, enabling quick head or wire changes. In addition, the numbered alignment marks on the straps ensure straight and repeatable positioning in the clamp. The Custom Pro series is available with either steel coil for a quick response, or brass coil for a bright and resonant response. Both alloys are available in either 20 or 24 strand congurations and in 13” and 14” lengths. All models retail for $34.99. www.puresoundpercussion.com Cactus Picks from St. Louis Music Cactus Picks are made in the U.S. and feature a cat tongue grip that makes

them hard to drop. The picks come in three gauges – light, medium, and heavy. They are available to retailers in bags of 10, 25, 50, and 100. Depending on the count, they can retail for 30 cents each down as low as 15 cents each. St. Louis Music is the exclusive distributor of Cactus Picks. www.usbandsupplies.com Tascam’s Solar Tuner The Tascam TC-1S tuner charges its battery from a bank of solar cells on the front panel, and a USB input is also available for quick-charging when com-

pletely in the dark. It’s wrapped in a shock-proof silicon cover and available in six colors. A strap and clip can keep it charging all day long on a gig bag. The TC-1S has a built-in microphone as well as a 1/4” input for guitar and bass tuning. Its pitch detection is shown on a wide bar graph display for instant feedback. Four display modes are available, including  ne pitch display, and the tuner can be calibrated to an external source. www.tascam.com Blueridge Guitar Honors Bluegrass Pioneer George Shuffler Blueridge’s new guitar honors 84 year old guitar pioneer, George Shufer. The BR-4060 model features select solid spruce and mahogany, and a slim, adjustable low-pro le mahogany neck. The distinctive peghead design features a atpick inlay of Ivoroid, torNOVEMBER 2010

toise plastic, and black pearl, as well as George’s signature in gold script. www.sagamusic.com Theodore Presser’s Stepping Out Theodore Presser’s Stepping Out is a solo work for contrabass and piano by American composer Peter Schickele. Commissioned by bassist Gary Karr and his accompanist Harmon Lewis, Stepping Out features two highly stylized dances (polka and tango) followed by a driven, jazz-tinged  nale with virtuosic passages. It is best suited for advanced players. www.presser.com

levels. With the bright/thick switch in the bright position, the two-band EQ is engaged. In the thick position, the EQ is bypassed for a thicker sound with increased gain. The Matching V110NT cabinet houses a ten-inch VX speaker from Celestion. A premium (16 AWG) VOX

speaker cable is included for connecting the head and cabinet. A polishing cloth for the Lil’ Night Train head is also included. The VOX NT2 head and matching V110NT cabinet are sold together as the Lil’ Night Train set and retails for $650. www.voxamps.com

VOX Lil’ Night Train VOX Amplication has added the new NT2 Lil’ Night Train to its Night Train amplier lineup. Lil’ Night Train is an all-tube lunchbox-style amp that comes complete with a matching 1x10” Celestion speaker cabinet. Weighing in at less than ve pounds, the Lil’ Night Train is truly little. Sharing many cosmetic elements with the original VOX Night Train, the new Lil’ Night Train features mirror-nish metal exterior, cut with the distinctive VOX diamond pattern. Inside, it features two 12AX7 vacuum tubes in the preamp stage. A single 12AU7 power amp tube delivers two watts of power into the matching V110NT cabinet. The Lil’ Night Train can be run without a speaker cabinet. The headphone/line output features an emulated speaker response, for a silent practice or for direct recording with no cabinet mic-ing required. The preamp section features both gain and volume controls for adding an overdrive edge at a range of listening NOVEMBER 2010

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Supplier Scene E. K. Blessing: Made in the USA Powell Flutes has announced plans to introduce the only saxophone “Made in the USA” during the grand opening reception of its E. K. Blessing division in Elkhart, Indiana. The design of Powell’s Sonaré saxophone is the brain child of Mike Smith, jazz sax player from Chicago. Smith plays with the Frank Sinatra Jr. band, and for many years handled artist relations for Keilwerth brand saxophones. In addition to Mike Smith, the development team includes John Weir and Chris French. Weir, based in Toronto, previously worked for various Elkhart instrument makers and now produces his own Taplin-Weir clarinets. French is a professional clarinet and saxophone player who has also been involved with woodwind instrument design for several Elkhart instrument makers. The initial, limited production run will be aimed at professional saxophone players. The acoustical design is based on an American model, and will include unique improvements on this design. For more information, visit www.blessingbrass.com. David Childs Joins Besson Antoine Beaussant, president of Buffet Crampon, has introduced international euphonium soloist, David Childs, as a Besson artist. During August of this year Buffet Crampon acquired SchreiberKeilwerth, owners of the York brand.

Since taking the decision to discontinue York’s range of brass instruments, David Childs has become Besson’s  rst signing as an international artist. David’s grandfather’s instrument of choice was a Boosey & Hawkes euphonium; his father Robert endorsed Besson as the Childs Brothers for over two decades; and David played his  rst Besson euphonium at the age of nine and continued to do so for sixteen years. To nd out more, visit www.besson.com. 86 MMR

Mason & Hamlin’s Annual Dealer Meeting The Mason & Hamlin piano company recently hosted their annual dealer sales meeting in September, at their factory headquarters in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Mason & Hamlin dealers from across the country attended the sessions to learn about the latest new models,

Gary & Kirk Bugett – owners Mason & Hamlin

technical innovations, and sales techniques as well as to have an opportunity to tour the factory and view the piano making process from beginning to end. Hosts of the Tom Grace, Exec. VP Jordan Kitts Music annual sales meeting included owners Gary and Kirk Burgett, as well as Tom Lagomarsino, VP sales and marketing. Special guest speaker included Tom Grace, executive vice president of Jordan Kitts Music, Maryland. To  nd out more, visit www.masonhamlin.com. Symphony Publishing Welcomes Jason LaChapelle Symphony Publishing is pleased to welcome Jason LaChapelle as its new sales and marketing manager. In this newly created position Jason will be responsible for sales, business development, branding and digital content creation for MMR, School Band and Orchestra, JAZZed and Choral Director Magazines. Jason comes to Symphony from the Avedis Zildjian Co., where he held the position of marketing communications manager. An avid guitarist, Jason received his BM from Berklee College of Music as a Music Business major, and his MBA from the Boston University School of Management. He

lives in Boston’s South End with his wife and his passions include everything from Parker to Pearl Jam with a little golf, skiing, and running mixed in. Traveler Guitar Artists Roster Katy Perry guitarist, Patrick Matera, is on tour with the Traveler Guitar, and Shinedown bassist Eric Bass recently played his to record all the guitars for his band’s Alice in Wonderland soundtrack contribution. Matera and Bass are part of a growing list of musicians that won’t leave home without their Traveler Guitars. Members of Aerosmith, Matera Lady Gaga, the Beach Boys, John Fogerty Band, and Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister have chosen Traveler Guitar as their go-to guitar when a full-sized instruBass ment isn’t convenient, or lacks the features they need to get the job done. To see the full roster of Traveler Guitar artists, visit travelerguitar.com. Michigan’s Marshall Music Throws a Marshallpalooza Marshall Music Company celebrated a Marshallpalooza this past September featuring performances throughout the day and storewide promotions. The daylong event featured performances by high school drum lines, private lesson teachers, and Summer Rock Camp bands. Neighboring businesses participated offering discounts to customers who made purchases at the Marshallpalooza. The genesis for Marshallpalooza was to re-introduce the community and Marshall

NOVEMBER 2010

Music customers to the new look of the 35,000 square foot agship store in Lansing, Michigan. The renovation included a completely functional rock stage with lighting and amplication on the main oor. Performances included private studio teachers from guitarists and chamber winds to a string quartet. The day concluded with the Summer Rock Camp bands playing to a packed store. The Summer Rock Band Camp was an experiment for Marshall Music that was has been a success. After taking lessons all summer long, the kids formed two bands and had inaugural performances to christen Marshall’s new stage. www.marshallmusic.com

provided to supply percussion instruments and workbooks for the students, along with instructional materials for the teacher. In addition, The Gretsch Foundation, the charitable arm of the Gretsch Family, donated guitars to supply guitar students with practice instruments. The Foundation’s In-House Visiting Artist program was also inaugurated

at Thomas Heyward Academy with a presentation this past September 10 by top drummer and Gretsch endorser Mark Schulman. Mark has played with such artists as Cher, Foreigner, and Sheryl Crow, and is currently touring with Pink. Dinah Gretsch also gave students at Thomas Heyward Academy the op-

Dinah Gretsch Establishes “Mrs. G’s Music Foundation” In June of this year Dinah Gretsch created the Mrs. G’s Music Foundation. The Foundation’s initial goal is to promote music education in schools located within the greater Savannah area, where The Gretsch Company is based. The Mrs. G’s Music Foundation is tied in with the Savannah Community Foundation as a way to solicit funds for direct aid to schools. The aid is being used to fund instructional music programs, as well as seminars, workshops, and con-

DINAH GRETSCH WITH MAULDIN SAULS, WHOSE LOGO DESIGN WILL BE USED FOR THE MRS. G’S MUSIC FOUNDATION – AND EARNED HER A $500 PRIZE.

certs by visiting artists. The artist visits serve double-duty as teaching programs and motivational sessions. The Foundation’s efforts were inaugurated recently at the Thomas Heyward Academy, which is located near the Gretsch USA factory in Ridgeland, South Carolina. One hundred fty students are taking part in a World Drumming Program created by noted educator Dr. William Schmidt in conjunction with Remo, Inc. Funds were NOVEMBER 2010

MMR 87

Supplier Scene portunity to design a logo for her new foundation, to be featured on all written materials and promotional items. The winning design, by eighth-grader Mauldin Sauls, was selected from a large group by Mark Schulman. Mauldin received a $500 prize for her efforts. To nd out more, visit www.gretsch.com.

Nashville & Kawai Team Up To Benefit Flood Victims Christian music songwriters and Kawai artists Bob and Jayne Farrell were among those hardest hit by the recent ooding in Nashville. Over ve feet of water inundated their home and studio, wiping out virtually everything in its path. Among the items lost was the Farrell’s

prized white Kawai grand piano, which they had owned since the 1970s. Many of the Farrell’s award-winning songs were penned on that very instrument and its loss was particularly heart-breaking. On July 28th, a team of musicians, including Amy Grant, came together in a benet concert for the Farrells. Kawai artist and inspirational speaker, Kim Deardorff, offered words of support on behalf of Kawai America and its local dealer, Shuffs Music. In cooperation with benet concert committee, Kawai and Shuffs announced plans help the Farrells to acquire a new instrument once they return to their home and studio. For more information, visit www.kawaius.com. Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon Joins Vater Artist Family Vater Percussion welcomes Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill to their Artist Family. Kings of Leon are currently on what will become an extensive worldwide arena tour in support of the new album

that will also include television performances on “Saturday Night Live” and David Letterman among many others. Kings of Leon have also been nominated for two 2010 MTV European Music Awards in the categories of “Best Live Act” and “Best Rock Band.” Nathan Followill is now using the Vater 5A in wood tip and Grip Tape exclusively. For more information, visit www.vater.com. Connolly Music Named Distributor for Bazzini Connolly Music Company has been named the U.S. distributor of Antonio Bazzini, a new line of step-up violin and cello outts especially designed for today’s adult amateur and progressing student musicians. Three different levels of instru88 MMR

NOVEMBER 2010

ments – Studio, Concerto and Maestro – provide a pathway for students to progress from an entry level step-up model to a professional one. All Bazzini instruments are fully set up and come with a bow and a case or a bag. The complete outts are priced starting at $1800 for the violin outt and $4800 for the cello. For more information, visit www.connollymusic.com. RS Berkeley Welcomes New Endorsers RS Berkeley has introduced new endorsers, Barry Danielian, Christian Fabian, Matt Garrison, René McLean, Dave Schroeder, and Peter Whitman. Jazz musician Barry Danielian’s most memorable performances have been with Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Paquito DeRivera, and Branford Marsalis. As a New York-based freelancer he performs regularly on Broadway and in clubs, while serving on the musical performance faculties at three universities in the New York City area.

Born is Sweden and raised in Germany, bassist Christian Fabian is very active in the New York City jazz scene and regularly plays with a dozen different jazz Christian Fabian groups in addition to playing with his own group, The Fabian Zone Trio. Matt Garrison has performed with a variety of notable musicians. Some of Matt’s most memorable performances include sharing the stage with the late Dennis Irwin, Pete Malinverni, Doug Munro, Neal Smith, Sam Yahel, Jeff Hirsheld, Jon Cowerd, Andy Laverne and was in a band with trumpeter great, Ray Vega. For more than ve decades, Renè McLean has served as protégé/apprentice to Jackie McLean; twenty of those years as musical director to the numerous ensembles Jackie and Rene co-led. Renè is currently a

professor of African -American music on the faculty of the Jackie McLean Institute at the University of Hartford, and Master Artist /Director In-Resident of Music at the Artists Collective, Hartford Conn. Since 2003, Dave Schroeder has been the director of the Jazz Studies Program at New York University. Schroeder’s vision for jazz education combines theory and practice, taking advantage of NYU’s proximity and interaction with legendary jazz clubs, recording studios and record labels. Dave Schroeder Saxophonist Pete Whitman heads the brass and woodwinds department at McNally Smith College in St. Paul, Minnesota and is very active as an educator and clinician. For more information, visit www.rsberkeley.com.

MiBlueBook.com™ was the first and only, database driven, used musical instrument price guide, driven by eBay Marketplace Data. Starting today, you are able to search for any and all types of used items,. MiBlueBook.com is a simple, efficient interface designed to lead you to the specific used product and values you are seeking as easily and quickly as possible. Log in today and put the power of MiBlueBook.com™ to work for you!

NOVEMBER 2010

MMR 89

Classifieds

RATES: Classified Display: $30 per column inch for text only. $40 per column inch, 1 color, logo, graphics. $50 per column inch 4 color. PAYMENTS: ALL ADS ARE PREPAID. Charge on Mastercard, Visa or American Express. SEND YOUR ADVERTISEMENT TO: 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 • mjohan@symphonypublishing.com. QUESTIONS? Call Maureen Johan at 800-964-5150 x 34 • mjohan@symphonypublishing.com.

Business Opportunities

Distributors • Band and Orchestra Rentals • New and Like New Educator-Approved Brand Name Instruments • Personalized Rent-To-Own Program • No Franchise Fee or Inventory Investment • No Shipping Costs • High Commissions Paid the 1st of Every Month • Exceptional Service

Manufacturing

Pacific Music Distributors, Inc Wholesale Distribution 15935 Redmond Way Redmond WA 98052 www.pacificmusic.com • 425.885.9703

Breaking News!

Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com 90 MMR

Visit the Classifieds on the Web: www.mmrmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2010

Business Opportunities

Call 877-727-2798 Ext. 4

Contact Roger at 877-727-2798 Ext. 5

Merchandise ACCORDIONS, CONCERTINAS, & BUTTON BOXES new, used, buy, sell, trade, repair, tune, CASTIGLIONE DISTRIBUTING CO. 13300 E 11 MILE WARREN, MI 48089 PH # 1-586-755-6050 WWW.CASTIGLIONEACCORDIONS.COM

www.mmrmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2010

USED PIANOS at WHOLESALE PRICES consoles, studios, uprights,grands. DISCOUNT PIANO WHOLESALERS (323) 377-3644 MMR 91

Business Opportunities

Merchandise

equatone@earthlink.net

Merchandise

Over FIVE MILLION Unique Visitors That’s right, Piano World has enjoyed over ve million unique visitors in the last year. Wonder how many of them could be your next customers? Advertise on Piano World and nd out.

Visit www.PianoWorld.com/advertising ... Today! PianoWorld.com The World’s Most Popular Piano Web Site Home of the world famous Piano Forums 92 MMR

YAMAHA–KAWAI

CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED PIANOS Japanese High Quality

GUARANTEED You get what you pay for!

1-800-782-2694

North American Music 11 Holt Drive Stony Point, NY 10980 Fax: (845) 429-6920

FINANCING AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 2010

Help Wanted

For Classified Sales Call Maureen

800-964-5150 ext. 34 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com

Merchandise Hunter Music Instrument Inc adds in an accordion line. From button accordion to Piano accordion, from Kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to adult, from entry level to professional, from solid color to combo, we have a wide selection for the accordion player.

718-706-0828 www.huntermusical.com

Merchandise

Oboes & Bassoons

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

Linton Woodwinds Corporation, Jack Linton 1013 Alma St. Elkhart, IN 46514 U.S.A. PH: 1-866-220-2909 Fax: 574-266-7658 E-Mail: info@lintonwoodwinds.com www.LintonWoodwinds.com NOVEMBER 2010

MMR 93

Merchandise

Repair Tools FAST TURN-AROUND ON STOCK REPAIRS NATIONWIDE NAPBIRT member, 28 Years Experience Contact: Dan Rieck, 801-733-4243 dan@utahwoodwindrepair.com

PORCHBOARD BASS The UCL-S PorchBoard Bass offers analog, clean bass rhythm with the tap of a foot. Durable passive magnetic sensor system and 3-way frequency response switch eliminates low-end feedback and delay. Features both 1/4 inch and XLR outputs. No batteries, wall worts or external power supply required. Includes carry bag. $299.95. www.porchboard.com (608) 752-2229

www.mmrmagazine.com

Repair Tools

BOW REHAIRING Expert Bow Service

Order forms,Pricing and Shipping label at:

Publications

www.bowrehairing.com

HaMaR

Violin bows as low as $10.00 per bow in quantity incl. shipping (see website for details.) Large inventory of replacement parts both new and vintage. IRA B. KRAEMER & Co.

PERCUSSION PUBLICATIONS www.hamarpercussion.com 94 MMR

Visit the Classifieds on the Web: www.mmrmagazine.com

Wholesale Services Division

“An industry leader since 1967” 467 Grant Avenue, Scotch Plains, N.J. 07076 Tel: 908-322-4469 Fax: 908 322-8613 e mail: info@bowrehairing.com

NOVEMBER 2010

Services

Wanted To Buy

Wanted USED TUBAS ANY CONDITION-CASH PAID

SHIPPING YOUR PIANO

with Lone Wolf Trucking

is a “grand” idea!

An independent, long-distance Mover specializing in coast-to-coast residential Relocation.

1-800-982-9505

www.lonewolftrucking.com Alamogordo, New Mexico. 88310

ICC MC-256289

Store For Sale For Sale Brand new air conditioning and lease. Store and/or inventory. 25 year reputation Studios, full line $500 k in stock $185,000 cash/takeover/partner Call Bruce in the PM at 321 725-3047

THE TUBA EXCHANGE 1825 CHAPEL HILL RD. DURHAM, NC 27707 1-800-869-8822 WWW.TUBAEXCHANGE.COM

WE, BUY, SELL, TRADE and ship worldwide. Written APPRAISALS available. GRUHN GUITARS, 400 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 256-2033

fax (615) 255-2021

www.gruhn.com

For Classified Sales Call Maureen

800-964-5150 ext. 34 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com

Vintage Instruments

OWNER RETIRING

MUSIC SCHOOL for SALE (in operation since 1986)

Housed on its own PRIME REAL ESTATE property in a beautiful, affluent suburb of Houston, TX

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 2009 & 2010 Recognized as HOUSTON’S BEST by the US Commerce Association

Call Owner at 832 445-5668 Real Estate and Music School operation can be sold separately

Guitar Show Operators

Promote your show dates and reach every guitar dealer in the US through the classified pages of MMR. Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext 34 NOVEMBER 2010

PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT 1. Publication Title: Musical Merchandise Review. 2. Publication No.: 0027-4615. 3. Filing Date 9/30/10. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly. 5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 12. 6. Annual Subscription Price: $32. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: Musical Merchandise Review, 21 Highland Circle Ste. One, Needham, Norfolk, MA 02494. 8. Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters or General Business Office of the Publisher: (Same as #7). 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Sidney L. Davis, 21 Highland Circle Ste. One, Needham, Norfolk, MA 02494; Editor: Christian Wissmuller, 21 Highland Circle Ste. One, Needham, Norfolk, MA 02494; Managing Editor: None. 10. Owner (If owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereafter the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of stock): Zapis Capital Group, LLC; Leon Zapis, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Xenophon Zapis, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Richard Bongorno, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Maria Wymer, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Donna Thomas, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Renee Seybert, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145. : 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12. (For Nonprofit Organizations - Does Not Apply) 13. Publication Name: Musical Merchandise Review. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: October 2010 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months/Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: a. Total No. Copies : 11,351/10,665 b. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution: (1) Paid/ Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions:. 6,465/6,247 (2) Paid/Requested In-County Subscriptions:.0/0 (3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, and counter sales:.0/0 (4) Requested copies distributed by other USPS mail classes:.0/0 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation:. 6,465/6,247 d. Nonrequested distribution: (1). Outside county nonrequested copies:.4,104/4,228 (2) In County nonrequested copies:. 0/0 (3) Nonrequested copies distributed through other USPS mail classes:0/0 (4). Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail: 626/40 e. Total nonrequested distribution:. 4,730/4,268 f. Total Distribution:11,195/10,515 g. Copies not distributed:156/150 h. Total: 11,351/10,665 i: Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 58%/59% 16. This Statement of Ownership will be printed in the November 2010 issue of this publication. 17. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions and/or civil sanctions. Sidney L. Davis, Publisher

MMR 95

Ad Index COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

PAGE

COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

PAGE

Peterson Strobe Tuners

www.petersontuners.com

A.I.M. Gifts/Albert Elovitz In

www.aimgifts.com

PianoDisc

www.pianodisc.com

Alfred Music Publishing

www.alfred.com/dealer

Praxis Musical Instruments Inc.

www.sterlingbymusicman.com

Pro-Mark Corp.

www.promark.com

A/B

Al Cass

Allparts Music Corp

www.allparts.com

Amati’s Fine Instruments

www.Amatis.us

81 69

American Way Marketing LLC

info@americanwaymktg.com

Remo Inc.

www.remo.com www.rockhousemethod.com www.rolandUS.com

2-3

Antigua Winds, Inc.

www.antiguawinds.com

Rock House

Barcus Berry

www.barcusberry.com

Roland Corp. U.S.

49 cov 2

C Cappello Music Co./Traps Drums www.TrapsDrums.com

Sabian Ltd.

www.sabian.com

Connolly & Co.

Saga Musical Instruments

www.sagamusic.com

Saga Musical Instruments

www.sagamusic.com

Samson Technologies Corp.

www.samsontech.com

D’Addario & Co.

www.daddario.com

Samson Technologies Corp.

www.samsontech.com

4-5

Direct Sound Headphones

www.extremeheadphones.com

Schilke Music Products

www.schilkemusic.com

Dunlop Manufacturing Inc.

www.jimdunlop.com

Seymour Duncan Pickups

www.seymourduncan.com

Seymour Duncan Pickups

www.seymourduncan.com

Seymour Duncan Pickups

www.seymourduncan.com

45 75

www.connollymusic.com

F Floyd Rose Marketing

www.floydrose.com

Shoreview Distribution

www.shoreviewdistribution.com

French American Reed Mfg. Co.

www.frenchamericanreeds.com

SHS

www.shsint.net

Shubb Capos

www.shubb.com

SKB Corp.

www.skbcases.com

www.stetsbar.com

H Hailun USA

www.hailun-pianos.com

Stets Metal Arts Inc

Hal Leonard Corp.

www.halleonard.com

Super-Sensitive Musical String Co. www.cavanaughcompany.com

Humes & Berg Mfg.Co. Inc.

www.humes-berg.com

Supernatural Percussion Inc

Hunter Music Instrument Inc.

www.huntermusical.com

www.supernaturalcymbals.com

T TKL Products Corp.

www.tkl.com

Jack Rabbit Technologies

www.jackrabbittech.com

ToneGear

www.theStringCleaner.com

Kyser Musical Products Inc.

www.kysermusical.com

Tycoon Percussion

www.tycoonpercussion.com

www.levysleathers.com

Vater Percussion

www.vater.com

Vic Firth, Inc.

www.VicFirth.com

Vic Firth, Inc.

www.VicFirth.com

Visual Sound

www.visualsound.net

J/K

L/M Levy’s Leathers Ltd. Miami Audio Music Corp.

www.miamiaudiomusic.com

29 cov 4

NAMM

www.namm.com

24-25

NAMM

www.namm.com

2-3

National Educational Music Co.

www.nemc.com

W.D. Music Products Inc.

www.wdmusic.com

New Sensor Corp.

www.newsensor.com

West Music

www.tjflutes.com

NS Design

www.thinkNS.com

Wittner

www.wittner-gmbh.de

O/P OnBoard Research Corp.

www.tuners.com

Y/Z

P & D Wholesale

www.PDWholesale.net

Yamaha Corp. of America

www.yamaha.com

Avedis Zildjian Co.

www.zildjian.com

Peace Drums

www.Peace-Drums.com

Percusion Marketing Council

www.playdrums.com

96 MMR

NOVEMBER 2010

SAVE THE DATE!

2nd Annual JEN Conference January 6-8, 2011 New Orleans, LA Historic Roosevelt Hotel – Famed Blue Room Details online NOW! • Exciting Headliners • Enlightening Clinics/Panels • Exhilarating School Ensemble Performances • Enticing Exhibits – 20,000 sq. ft.! All under one roof, two blocks from the French Quarter! Registration, Housing, Exhibitor & Volunteer Applications available online NOW!

Check the website often for updates as they materialize! www.JazzEdNet.org Your portal to the global jazz community!