MMR February 2008

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

February 2008

2008 NAMM Show

Gear Explosion Weak Dollar Blues: Suppliers Probe the Impact

NS Design Rides a WAV Wayne’s World: The Charvels Debut a Dealer’s Guitar Washington Music’s DJ Merchandising Rotosound Hits 50 7 Deadly Web Site Sins

See us at NAMM Booth 5876

Contents Cover Design: Laurie Chesna

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FEBRUARY 2008 VOL.167 NO. 2

Features 30 34

Webwise: Avoiding the Seven Deadly Web Site Sins U.S. Dollar Doldrums: Good or Bad? Multiple factors impact the currency picture, characterized by the longstanding weakness of the U.S. dollar versus other major currencies. Suppliers involved in exporting and importing weigh in with their views on this situation.

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Pearl Drums’ Trickle-Down Strategy At Pearl Drums, all lines benefit from their cutting-edge technology employed on high-end products.

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Wayne Guitars Continues the Charvel Legacy Affordable quality is the key for famed luthier Wayne Charvel and his son Michael as they set their sites on launching the new Wayne Guitars line.

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In for the Long Run: Hamilton Stands Turns 125 Under the direction of industry veteran Bill Carpenter, the venerable Ohio firm focuses on new stand designs combining innovation and added value.

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NS Design Rides a WAV Designer Ned Steinberger adds a remarkable new violin model to the company’s WAV lineup.

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Rotosound Celebrates 50 Years of String Manufacturing This well-known U.K.-based string manufacturer got its start when the founder decided to take in a movie …

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Buyer’s Guide to the NAMM Show A concise look at new products to check out at the 2008 NAMM Show in Anaheim.

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At a Glance: Yvonne de Villiers, Luna Guitars A quick visit with designer Yvonne de Villiers, who provides quality guitars for females that are both ergonomically friendly and visually striking.

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NAMM Show Print Music Profiles Talking Tabs -- A New Take on Guitar Instruction A family crisis was the catalyst for Mark Hara to develop an audio-only approach to learning classic rock songs on guitar.

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Retail: Delian Music’s Candace Blankenship Goes Against the Grain

Departments www.MMRmagazine.com

4 Editorial 8 Upfront 22 Letters

24 Stats 124 Light & Audio 128 Keys

144 Supplier Scene 190 Classifieds 199 Advertisers’ Index

MMR Musical Merchandise Review® (ISSN 0027-4615) founded in 1879, is published monthly by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781)453-9310, publisher of School Band and Orchestra, Choral Director, Music Parents America and JazzEd. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: U.S.A., US possessions, one year $32; two years $40. Canada one year $80; all other countries one year $159. Single issues $5 each. May Supplier Directory $35. Periodical-Rate Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER/SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to Musical Merchandise Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853. Periodicals circulation is directed to music dealers and retailers, wholesalers and distributors, importers and exporters and manufacturers of all types of musical instruments and their accessories, related electronic sound equipment, general musical accessories, musical publications and teaching aides. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competion. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright ©2007 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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FEBRUARY 2008

Editorial

®

Volume 167, Number 2, February 2008 PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com EDITOR Don Johnson djohnson@symphonypublishing.com

Help Yourself

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kevin Mitchell kmitchell@symphonypublishing.com

T

he adage is “retail is detail” and, by and large, it holds true: take care of all the small things and the end result will be the best possible outcome. Of course, the downside to attending to the myriad details is a tendency to block out the larger view, also known as the Big Picture. In coping nonstop with the endless brushfires, it’s tough to focus on the future – not the end-of-the-week future , but more along the lines of “Where is this business going to be in four or five years?” and “What steps am I taking to ensure we’re moving in a positive direction?” But this type of thinking is kind of lofty stuff when, say, the last sales promotion laid an egg, the guitar department manager gave notice, the roof leaks, and the latest shipment just arrived full of unplayable instruments, to name just a few things that might keep you from being a Master Planner sagely pondering the long term. Consider for a moment the role of NAMM in the struggle to balance a longer view with the dealer’s detail-dominated world. The trade association has no store to run, but the core of its mission statement is to increase the number of active music makers. In other words, they ideally serve as your partner and, to a large extent, your strategist for making that Big Picture brighter. Over the last few years, the people at NAMM have expressed some frustration that the news of their many programs specifically designed to foster music making are simply not reaching enough retailers via the normal communication routes. Part of the difficulty may be the ambitious volume of initiatives NAMM has undertaken; the other side is the problem of dealers finding the time to investigate what’s available and to act upon it. A short (and quite incomplete) list of NAMM offerings includes new efforts like Wanna Play? and Recreational Music Making and established and successful ventures such as Music Makes You Smarter, Weekend Warriors, and the Sesame Street cooperation. These and other efforts are both worthy and well-funded, but the key is getting the message out there. Last year, NAMM took the bull by the horns, staging a series of “Town Hall Meetings” in four major U.S. markets. The idea was twofold: to explain exactly what NAMM is doing to increase music making and to hear out dealers and gauge their concerns in an open forum setting. It’s a great idea, and this year NAMM’s Joe Lamond and his colleagues are hitting the road again with Town Hall Meetings scheduled for Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Boston this spring. These sessions are a chance to let those pesky details slide for just a few hours and look at what you and NAMM can do to improve your business beyond this quarter and this year. So check it out and, trust me, your store – and, yes, all those details -- will still be there when you get back.

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

djohnson@symphonypublishing.com

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FEBRUARY 2008

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Upfront Yamaha to Acquire Bösendorfer Yamaha announced that it has reached a basic agreement to purchase 100% of the shares of Austrian piano maker L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH from the Austrian Bank BAWAG P.S.K. Group. On Dec. 20 Yamaha signed a contract with BAWAG in Vienna, Austria. According to media speculation in Japan, Yamaha is paying approximately 15 million euros ($21.5 million) to acquire Bösendorfer. Bösendorfer was founded in 1828 and is a manufacturer of premium pianos, especially concert grands. After becoming a subsidiary of Kimball Piano & Organ Company in 1966, Bösendorfer was acquired in 2002 by the BAWAG, an Austrian financial group. Yamaha began manufacturing pianos in 1900 and has built a position as a full-line supplier, offering a wide range of pianos led by the top-of-the-line concert grand CFIIIS. In addition, Yamaha maintains a branch of its European subsidiary in Vienna and has close ties with the musical community in Vienna. Over the years, at the request of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, along with the decrease in the number of local instru-

ment manufacturers, Yamaha has developed, and is continuing to manufacture, instrument groups that inherit Vienna’s sound and musical tradition, including Vienna oboes and Vienna horns in the wind instruments section. Bösendorfer pianos have a uniquely Viennese resonance, and the traditional methods of manufacturing have been preserved over its 180-year history. In its management role, Yamaha believes that going forward it will be possible to support the healthy growth and development of Bösendorfer and contribute to sustaining Vienna’s musical culture and traditions for future generations. Regarding the full acquisition of Bösendorfer shares, BAWAG indicated its intention of making the shares available to potential acquirers through off-market bidding. Although a number of companies indicated an interest in the acquisition (including Vienna-based Brodmann Piano and, reportedly, Gibson), Yamaha was selected as the acquirer for final negotiations on Nov. 28 and subsequently conducted discussions to reach the agreement. Yamaha made its decision to acquire 100% of Bösendorfer’s shares based on

its judgment that the acquisition will make it possible to draw fully on the strengths and special features of both Yamaha and Bösendorfer pianos to contribute to musical culture through continuing to offer top-quality pianos to the market and significantly enhancing Yamaha’s presence in the premium piano market. The actual transfer of the shares to complete the acquisition is expected to take place in early 2008 after the completion of legal procedures. Yamaha stated in a press announcement that it is their intention to continue to manufacture at the Bösendorfer facilities in Austria. Bösendorfer currently employs 180 and had net sales of approximately 13.5 euros ($19.4 million) in its 2006 fiscal year. Total assets are estimated at 15.7 million euros ($22.5 million.) The Austrian luxury piano maker has struggled in recent years, reporting a loss of $2.9 million in 2006 and carrying debt of about 8 million euros ($11.5 million) for that year. The company sold 280 units in 2006, down from an average of 500 in recent years and a high-water mark of 800.

Senseney Honored With Hal Leonard Award Hal Leonard Corp. has announced that Denny Senseney of Senseney Music, Wichita, Kan., has been awarded the Hal Leonard Master Retailer Award. At a recent sales meeting, Hal Leonard president Larry Morton presented the Senseney Music president with a plaque honoring him for excellence in print music retail. Founded in 1984, Senseney Music has been providing exceptional products and services to students, music teachers, and musicians of all levels for over 20 years. Senseney and his knowledgeable staff are the driving force behind the store’s reputation for quality, reliability, and integrity. 8 MMR

Denny traveled to Milwaukee to conduct a Master Retailer session with the Hal Leonard sales team, providing them with insight into how a successful music retailer like Senseney Music can generate business most effectively with its publishing partner. From left: David Jahnke, Larry Morton, Denny Senseney, Keith Mardak, Doug Lady, and “I am touched and honHerman Knoll. ored to be presented with I have truly enjoyed doing business with this award,” said Senseney. Hal Leonard over the years, and I look “My staff and I have worked hard to build forward to many more years of shared up the reputation of Senseney Music, and success.” it’s great to be recognized for our efforts. FEBRUARY 2008

Upfront Federal Court Rules in Geneva’s Favor in Petrof Dispute Geneva International Corp. announced that a federal court in Chicago has ruled in a lawsuit Geneva filed against Czech piano manufacturer Petrof, that, in 2004, Petrof granted Geneva an exclusive license to the Petrof trademark in the U.S. through the end of 2012. According to U.S. District Court Judge James B. Moran, “Petrof did indeed intend to grant Geneva a license that excluded even Petrof from using the trademark for the duration” of the agreement.

The court further said that whether Petrof’s recent announcement that it intends to sell pianos in the U.S. through its own subsidiary renders Petrof liable for anticipatory breach of Geneva’s exclusive license to the Petrof mark depends upon the outcome of an arbitration proceeding now pending the Czech Republic. In that case, Geneva and Petrof have sued each other, each claiming the other breached the terms of their distribution contract, which was also to run through the end of 2012.

The Czech arbitration court is set to convene to hear the dispute early this year. In the case, Geneva contends Petrof failed to supply it with the quantities and models of pianos Geneva projected for sale in the U.S. in 2006. Geneva also contends that, beginning in 2007, Petrof set exorbitantly high prices for Geneva in violation of the parties’ distribution contract and as a pretext for withdrawing from the contract and appropriating for itself the U.S. customer base developed by Petrof over the last 22 years.

The FTC Probe: Silence Not Necessarily Golden It’s official: At the Federal Trade Commission, there is no normal. With it being so quiet on the FTC’s investigation into industry trade practices that was launched last spring, a call was placed to the organization’s public affairs specialist, Mitchell Katz. He was asked if it’s normal for a big investigation to go quiet for so long … “There is no ‘normal,’” Katz replied. “All I can say about the case is that it’s ongoing.” Pushed further, he added. “We haven’t said anything publicly on the case, and won’t until either charges are brought, an agreement is brokered, or the case is dropped.” An FTC investigator had told several high up in the industry and others close to the investigation that some sort of word about the case would come in midSeptember. Katz said he had no knowledge of that and again emphasized that all he can say that the case is “ongoing.” Some might want to assume that no news is good news, but that is not necessarily the case, says Veronica Kayne, the lawyer representing NAMM in the investigation. “We can’t assume anything from a period of apparent silence,” Kayne says. Kayne, currently with the Texas-based firm of Haynes & Boone and a former FTC assistant director, explained that despite what some might think, the FTC is not a mammoth government agency with unlimited resources. Also, it’s important to realize that in addition to investigating 10 MMR

trade practices, the FTC also investigates vestigation and is focusing on price-fi xing mergers, many of which, by law, have a as it relates to Minimum Advertised Price time limit and must be concluded in a (MAP) and looking into whether or not specific time frame. So it’s not uncommon competitors have been communicating for lawyers to be pulled off of a “conduct” illegally. At Summer NAMM in Austin, investigation like the MI case and put to Kayne had said, “My best guess is that the work on a merger with a pending deadline FTC is not interested in any one manu-- in effect, putting a conduct on the backfacturer’s policy, but looking at parallel or burner temporarily. Also collusive activities with recomplicating matters is spect to MAP policy.” that conduct cases going to The second step of trial can also require more an investigation of this lawyers. type involves FTC lawThus, it can be speculatyers speaking to industry ed that the FTC could have personnel. “They don’t intended to issue a statejust gather paper,” Kayne ment on the investigation notes. “Next they may have by September, but other informal interviews, or incases took precedence. formation can be gathered (Those who read the busithrough an investigational ness pages regularly will hearing, which is like a denote that often merging position, where an oath is companies are anxious to taken and a court reporter close the deal before year’s is present.” end, and those deals could The NAMM attorney be depleting agency attenwould not comment on Attorney Veronica Kayne tion.) whether that second stage Based on past experihas been reached. But she ence, Kayne assumes that the investigadid say that in her memory, she doesn’t tion’s first step of a conduct investigation, recall an investigation like this dragging the gathering of documents, has provided on for three, four, or five years. When the a great deal of information that the agency case will end, or even when there’ll be any is sorting through and processing. As reofficial word on the case, is not known by ported in MMR last fall, we know that the anyone — inside or outside the FTC. FTC has “narrowed the scope” of the inAnd, apparently, that’s normal.

“We can’t assume anything from a period of apparent silence.”

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 4618

Upfront Antoine Beaussant Named Buffet Crampon President Buffet Crampon, the French manufacturer of high-quality woodwind instruments, has announced the appointment of Antoine Beaussant as president of the Executive Board of the Group, and Nicolas Boucault as general director, finance. Beaussant succeeds Paul Baronnat, who becomes president of the Supervisory Board. With a background in the media and Internet fields, Antoine Beaussant is also an oboist. As a member of the Supervisory Board, he has been involved in major decisions taken since the purchase of Buffet Crampon by the French private equity firm Argos Soditic in June 2005 and plans to continue the strategy of independence and development pursued in the last two years. Buffet Crampon is a global leader on the market of clarinets for professional musicians and has been growing steadily

Markley NAMM Artists Appearances The Dean Markley booth at the NAMM Show promises to be rockin’ non-stop with appearances by a wide range of Markley endorsing artists. Guitarists and Markley Signature String Series artists Nick Catanese and George Lynch will be demo-ing at the booth. Also scheduled to appear are Dick & Jimmy Dale, REO Speedwagon, Ingwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Michael Anthony, Alice in Chains, Papa Roach, Hellogoodbye, Chimaira, Nikki Sixx, Atreyu, Pat Travers, Scott Stapp Band, Bill Dickens, T.M. Stevens, Rick Springfield, and Skid Row. Several surprise appearances are also anticipated. NAMM show attendees are invited to check at the Markley booth (#5710) for a complete schedule of artist demos and appearances, including latebreaking surprises. 12 MMR

for more than 10 years, thanks to a steadfast policy of research and development combined with close cooperation with the best international musicians. Many successful products have been launched in the recent history of Buffet Crampon, such as the Tosca clarinet, played by musicians of the greatest orchestras, the oboe, bass, alto and contra-alto clarinets, as well as so-called “Mozart” clarinets, basset A and basset horn. Buffet Crampon is the only manufacturer offering such a complete range of clarinets and oboes. While operating in a conservative environment, Buffet Crampon has made use of high-tech solutions, creating the composite material Green Line, an extremely stable component that has been adopted by international solo oboists and clarinetists. The saxophone also made its mark in the history of the brand with the Alto Prestige. In response to global demand, a new line of student and intermediary saxophones was launched in 2007. “My ambition is to reinforce our image of high quality by relying on the French tradition of manufacturing

Antoine Beaussant and Nicolas Boucault.

instruments for the top of our range, as great French luxury brands have done, while at the same time developing manufacturing partnerships in Germany, India, and China for student instruments,” said Beaussant. “Our acquisition in 2006 of two brands of brass instruments – Antoine Courtois and Besson – and the integration of our global distribution network (subsidiaries in the United States and in Japan, as well as a commercial foothold in China) reinforce our group’s growth prospects for the next few years.”

Mapex USA Distributes Vic Firth, Remo Products Mapex USA is now distributing Vic Firth sticks and mallets and Remo drumheads. “We are very excited to team up with two of the top brands in the percussion industry,” said Mapex vice president and general manager Joe Vasko. “We will be able to deliver Vic Firth and Remo products with the same high-quality service, flawless fi ll rates, and same-day shipping our dealers have come to expect.” “Our sales staff has been trained directly by Firth and Remo representatives and we will continue in the future with periodic educational sessions that will

keep our team up to date on both product lines,” said Scott Sasser, Mapex USA national sales manager. Mapex will participate in Vic Firth and Remo merchandising programs and is equipped to outfit its dealers with point-ofpurchase materials and customer service. Products for both product lines are in stock in all three Mapex warehouses in Tennessee, Texas, and California. Mapex dealers can order Remo and Vic Firth products by contacting their regional sales representative or calling Mapex directly at 888-627-3987. FEBRUARY 2008

Upfront Management Shifts at jj Babbitt After 40 years in his family’s business, William (Bill) Reglein is turning the dayto-day operation of jj Babbitt over to his staff. “I’ll still be involved on a regular basis,” he noted, “but I want to spend more time with my family and doing activities I have not had the time to do.” Reglein’s new title is owner/chairman. He was formerly president of jj Babbitt and was the family’s third generation to manage the company that was founded by his uncle Jesse J. Babbitt in 1919. He joined the firm while in high school in 1967. During his 40 years of service, Reglein worked in every manufacturing station

Ron Raup to Co-CEO at MakeMusic On Dec. 10, MakeMusic, Inc. announced the promotion of Ron Raup from his current position as president and chief operating officer to the new position of co-chief executive officer. Raup will share this position with current chief executive officer John Paulson. “This change reflects the way Ron and I have worked together for more than six years,” stated Paulson. “It recognizes and formalizes the team approach that we naturally use to lead the company. Moving forward as co-CEOs, we will continue to execute our strategies to grow SmartMusic and Finale while further establishing our technology standards in the world of music education.” “As the founder of MakeMusic,” stated Jeff Koch, chairman of the board of directors, “John will continue in his role as the visionary force that has enabled the company to develop world-class products that transform the experience of making, teaching, and learning music. Naming Ron as co-CEO highlights the value and importance of his many contributions to the company and the role he will play in creating value for shareholders.” 14 MMR

in the company, including lathe, buffing, and inspecting. He also worked in shipping, sales, and design before moving into Babbitt’s management ranks, taking over for his father, Eugene (Bud) Reglein as president in 1999. Rocco (Rocky) Giglio Bill Reglein has been named Babbitt’s president/chief operating officer. A 47year veteran of the industry, Giglio had been vice president of operations for the company since 1999. Prior to joining jj Babbitt, he served in various management capacities with Woodwind & Brasswind, Selmer’s Bach plant, and UMI (formerly W.T. Armstrong.) A professional musician, Giglio is proficient on flute, clarinet, saxophone and all woodwinds including oboe and bassoon. He plays with the Jazz Assemblage and has played

with A Cut Above and The Nostalgics. During his career, he has played backup for such notables as The Temptations, The Glenn Miller Band, Bob Hope, and Nancy Wilson. Jim Green has been promoted to vice president of manufacturing for the company. He began his 30year career in musical instrument manufacturing as a buffer. In 1983, he joined jj Babbitt as a production expediter and most recently served as plant manager. In his new position, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s manufacturing and production. Linda Nielsen is now serving as chief financial officer of the company. She joined jj Babbitt in 1995 as a bookkeeper. She has held several positions at jj Babbitt, including office manager and controller.

IBC Trading Expands Team IBC Trading (IBCT), specialists in sourcproduct design, product development, ing and international trade, has increased finding the right vendor partners, and its multilingual team, with the addition having effective QC teams to control the of key personnel in Europe output, ensuring the best and China. possible quality and value With over 15 years in the for money. industry, IBCT has gained a “Having people on the reputation for helping comground who understand the panies find the right distrilanguage, the diverse culbution channels worldwide ture, and can communicate and the correct sourcing effectively with customers partners, particularly in and vendors, has been the China. The addition of new key to the success and serstaff means IBCT can exvice we offer,” comments pand its sales and marketing IBCT CEO Iain Wilson. activities and offer customCurrent clients include ers in the U.S. an effective IBCT’S Iain Wilson at a recent trade fair in Fishman, Breedlove GuiCanton, China. route to markets worldwide. tars, Eko Guitars, Stanford The new staff in China Guitars, G7th, and Techra. ensures IBCT can guide For more information, U.S. customers through the maze of visit www.ibctrading.com or email info@ sourcing MI product. Services include ibctrading.com. FEBRUARY 2008

PIANODISC MUSIC LIBRARY The World’s Finest Piano Music Software 800.566.DISC ~ www.PianoDisc.com See us at NAMM Booths 303A, 497

Upfront Guitar Stars Highlight Dean NAMM Webcast Dean Guitars is again giving guitar players worldwide a members-only look at

Dave Mustaine signs autographs at the 2007 Dean Guitars “Live From NAMM” webcast.

the NAMM Show with its second season of “Live From NAMM,” Dean’s live webcast at the 2008 NAMM Show. Dean fans will go to DeanGuitars.com to view an array of rocks stars spending their day at the Dean exhibit. Cameras go live at 12 noon CST, Fri., Jan. 18 and the webcast airs throughout the weekend. “There’s hardly an artist in the building who doesn’t stop by the Dean booth and get on camera,” said Dean Guitars CEO Elliott Rubinson. This year’s event features scheduled appearances by: Dave Mustaine and Glen

Drover of Megadeth, Leslie West, Vinnie Moore, Michael Batio, Rusty Cooley, Tom Maxwell of Hellyeah, Beefcake the Mighty of Gwar, Matt Heafy and Corey B. of Trivium, and John Conelly of evendust. A full list of artists and times will be available online at DeanGuitar.com. Hosting and following this year’s booth action will be Lacey Conner, villainess co-star of VH-1’s hit TV show “Rock of Love” featuring Poison’s Bret Michaels. Dean Guitars is located at booth #5466 in Hall B.

Let’s Eat … Dining Ideas In & Around Anaheim There are several new options for dining out in Anaheim . . . Morton’s opened just before the 2007 NAMM Show and lives up to the chain’s excellent reputation. Ruth’s Chris opened last March and is on Harbor – one block south of Convention Way. If you are walking, take a shortcut through the parking lot of the Anaheim Marriott. They are a great dinner option and there is a rumor that both Morton’s and Ruth’s Chris will be open for lunch during NAMM. GardenWalk is a new dining and shopping center located one block east of Harbor Drive on Katella. They have just opened a few restaurants: Cheesecake Factory: Great décor, • good bar, huge menu, good food. Bubba Gumps: The design combines • all-American optimism with downhome décor. They make shrimp in every way you can imagine. Casual. Very large with tables that will accommodate large groups. Outstanding service! Another new restaurant is the K’YA – located in the Hotel Menage – offering casual fine dinning for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu features a Pacific Rim Cuisine. 16 MMR

Personally, I like to run down to Newport Beach and Costa Mesa during the show, where I stand a chance of getting in. Best Italian in Southern California is Antonello’s, next to South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. The Lido Shipyard Sausage Company, also know as Sabatino’s, in Newport Beach is also amazing. My favorite is The Arches in Newport Beach, which has moved to a new location in the Lido Village, but still has the best Caesar salad in the world, as well as great steaks and seafood. Best restaurant in Anaheim is supposed to be Napa Rose. I’ve never been, but it always gets rave reviews. Don’t overlook Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen and Catal in Downtown Disney, as both are excellent. Kevin Johnstone, NAMM, Carlsbad, Calif.

Having grown up in Southern California, the NAMM Show is my time to “go home” and visit my favorite restaurants. My tastes are very simple (and therefore very affordable), but I cannot visit So Cal without stops at Carmel’s, 23781 El Toro Rd., Lake Forest, CA. Phone (949) 770-7050. Carmel’s is Mexican food the way it is supposed to be. Try the carne asada

burrito. It makes my tongue fly up and smack my brains out! Also, I’ve been bugging Tommy’s to put a location in Anaheim for years but, until then, it is worth the drive to have the best hamburger in the world. Tommy’s is located at 1315 W. Whittier Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631. Phone (562) 6943681 or visit originaltommys.com. I’m hungry and I can’t wait until NAMM! Steven Gibson, Absolute Music, Reno, Nev.

Tortilla Jo’s at Downtown Disney is awesome. Especially try the flank steak. Mike Canady, American Music Co., Fresno, Calif.

My favorite place to eat when at the NAMM Show is Morton’s Steakhouse on South Harbor. I always manage to get taken there at least once during the convention. Dennis Hammond, Sound & Light Source, Inc., North Highlands, Calif. FEBRUARY 2008

i want a vendor that figures out ways for ME to make a profit.

that ’s why I sell mapex.

TONY WILLIAMS 2112 Percussion, Raleigh, NC

© 2007 Mapex USA, Incorporated.

The Saturn Series is one the world’s most critically acclaimed drum series and is now available in glass glitter wrapped finishes like Cosmic Krush. For more information about becoming an Authorized Mapex Retailer, call 888-627-3987 or e-mail mapex@mapexdrums.com

USA.MAPEXDRUMS.COM

See us at NAMM Booth 4826

Upfront

Kutline: Randall A. Johnson, president of E.K. Blessing and Mark Ragin, president of U.S. Band & Orchestra Supplies.

U.S. B&O Named Sales Agent for E.K. Blessing Beginning in 2008, US Band & Orchestra Supplies, Inc. will become the exclusive sales agent for E.K. Blessing’s musical instruments. In addition, U.S. Band will also handle marketing for Blessing. “This is a great opportunity for both companies,” stated Randall A. Johnson, president of E.K. Blessing. “One of the reasons for our decision to partner with U.S. Band was their depth of experience in sales and marketing. Their owner, Mark Ragin, and his team have an excellent reputation and many years of experience supplying music dealers with musical products.”

“We are very excited about this strategic alliance,” said Mark Ragin, president of U.S. Band & Orchestra Supplies, Inc. “Blessing has a track record of providing musical instruments for 102 years so we feel confident in our partnership with them. Also, Vincent McBryde, a wellknown leader in the band industry, is working with both companies as a consultant to help with manufacturing and marketing. By combining our unique strengths, Blessing and U.S. Band will bring an excellent opportunity for our customers and us.”

Joe Satriani NAMM Concert Joe Satriani will celebrate the 20th anniversaries of his Surfing with the Alien album and his work with Ibanez guitars by performing the entire Surfi ng album live for Ibanez dealers at NAMM on Sat., Jan. 19. The concert, which will be held at the Vault 350 club in Long Beach, will also include guitarists Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, and Herman Li, plus an opening 18 MMR

acoustic set by the Canadian band Evans Blue. Doors open at 8:30; the concert begins at 9:30 p.m. Due to limited seating, tickets are exclusively reserved for authorized Ibanez and Tama retailers. Transportation to and from the Anaheim Convention Center and Vault 350 will be provided to ticket holders. FEBRUARY 2008

COMING 2008 See us at NAMM Booth 3254

Upfront Trade Regrets: Bill McCormick, Jordan Kitt’s Owner William J. (Bill) McCormick, who built College Park, Md.-based Jordan Kitt’s Music into on of the nation’s largest keyboard dealerships, passed away Dec. 24 after a battle with melanoma. He was 69. McCormick, who joined Jordan Kitt’s as a consultant in 1971 and acquired the company five years later, revived the dealership and boosted its annual sales volume to approximately $47 million in recent years. He was a member of the Washington Performing Arts Society and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He also

20 MMR

donated 103 pianos to the ner of the NAMM Economic Kennedy Center for the Summit) in Washington, 2005 “100 Pianos” concert, D.C. in 1983. which was part of the FestiBorn in Springfield, Mass., val of China. he was a graduate of the ColAlways an active and lege of Holy Cross, Worcesthoughtful presence in ter, Mass., and received an industry affairs throughMBA from Harvard Business out his tenure with Jordan School. He also served in the Kitt’s, Mc Cormick was a U.S. Army Reserve. member of NAMM, presi- Bill McCormick and Jordan Kitt’s Music He is survived by three dent of the American Mu- were profiled in the August, 1987, issue children, two sisters, and sic Conference (1985-87), of MMR. four grandchildren. His and hosted the Economic wife, Jeanne McCormick, Council of the Music Industry (forerundied in July, 2007.

FEBRUARY 2008

QUALITY SUPPORT PROFESSIONALISM VALUE These principles are the foundation of every Yamaha B&O product and service. They are the reasons you can DEPEND ON YAMAHA.

Band & Orchestral

Š2008 Yamaha Corporation of America. All rights reserved. www.yamaha.com/band

See us at NAMM Booths 100, 4578, 6524

Letters

A Flyer Flap in Baton Rouge

Yesterday afternoon one of my employees brought in a flyer he took off his car in our parking lot. Imagine my surprise to find it was a Guitar Center “for store use only” flyer. Several of the items from Fender, Martin, Roland, and Yamaha were listed as a “Guitar-A-Thon 3 Day Only Sale” at below-MAP prices. When I called the local GC and asked for the manager, I did receive a very weak apology. He also stated he would send someone down to take them off the cars. Needless to say, we had already done that! I have three questions. 1. Is this what we should expect from the new owner, Bain Capital? (Maybe not, I can’t imagine they would condone this behavior.) 2. What are any of the above-mentioned companies going to do? (This one is easy: nothing!) 3. Is Guitar Center so desperate for sales they stoop this low? (I won’t attempt to answer this one.) I also heard from other local music stores who had these flyers distributed in their parking lots. If it gets down to it, I’m pretty sure I can distribute more flyers in GC’s parking lot than they can put in mine! Fred Zeagler Zeagler Music Baton Rouge, La.

Breaking News Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com 22 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 5822

FEBRUARY 2008

Stats MI SalesTrak Snapshot: Electric Guitars Share of Units Sold by Color January - October 2007

31.3%

16.3%

15.1%

8.8%

7.1%

4.4%

3.4%

2.6%

2.4%

1.6%

7.0% (All other colors.)

Source: MI SalesTrak The numbers represent U.S. retail sales in music stores, based on SKU-level POS data from a sample of over 400 online and brick-and-mortar outlets. For further information, contact: info@misalestrak.com

NAMM Global Report:

MMR Web Poll:

Top 15 U.S. Music Products Export Destinations (in millions of dollars) $0

$100

$200

$300

Sales Expectations for the Holiday Season: Final Results

$400

Canada Japan Mexico Germany S. Korea U.K. Ireland Netherlands Australia Hong Kong Singapore France

26%

38%

36%

Better than last year’s.

Same as last year’s.

Bracing for it to be worse than last year.

China Italy Denmark (Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2006, as reported in the NAMM Global Report: Music USA, August, 2007)

24 MMR

Editor’s Note: This data was collected on MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com, from early November through December 26, 2007.

FEBRUARY 2008

SEE US AT NAMM, BOOTH #474, 3rd floor

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FEBRUARY 2008

A Note from Joe...

News

EEWAY ² R & HE T R TE F ! G IN O ' ¹7E´RE

Promoting the Industry to Increase Sales

Our sincere thanks to all of you who participated in the 2008 NAMM Show. We hope it was productive for your business and that it helped charge you up for the year ahead. The success of the NAMM Show fuels our business model where revenues are reinvested to help grow the market. An important part of this reinvestment is promoting music making to the general public. This past year, the industry’s public relations efforts to create music makers of all ages, including our Wanna Play? campaign, reached a record number of people. In fact, NAMM’s commitment to industry PR is up nearly 500 percent in the past two years! So, how do our efforts stack up against other industry association promotions? Well, pretty much everyone’s heard of Got Milk?, which is the gold standard in public awareness campaigns. However, although the Got Milk? campaign has been running since the mid-’90s, the Milk Processors Board still spends $100 million annually. Other industries have campaigns too, including: s s s

26 )NDUSTRY h'O 26INGv CAMPAIGNˆ $15 million !SSOCIATION OF 2EALTORS h5SE A 2EALTORv CAMPAIGNˆ MILLION 2ECREATIONAL "OATING AND &ISHING &OUNDATION h4AKE -E &ISHINGv CAMPAIGNˆ MILLION

By comparison, NAMM’s public relations efforts of nearly $2 million this past year have helped to keep music top of mind with consumers. /UR LATEST 'ALLUP 0OLL SHOWS s PERCENT OF !MERICANS THINK THAT MUSIC should be a part of the school day s PERCENT AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT hPLAYING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT IS FUNv s PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DON T PLAY wish they did. And the majority of NAMM Members say they have seen positive press about music making in the last year as well. The media impressions NAMM generates lead to higher awareness of music beneďŹ ts, which leads to higher per capita spending on musical instruments and products. And that’s good for everyone.

ADVERTORIAL

Media Math NAMM public relations = higher awareness about the proven beneďŹ ts of making music = the world’s highest per capita spending on musical instruments and products.

ADVERTORIAL

NAMM News is published by NAMM. To keep up-to-date on the latest breaking industry news, sign up for our PLAYback Digital e-newsletter at playbackdigital@namm.org.

June 20-22, 2008 Nashville, TN

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OCTOBER 2007

WANN?A PLAY

DECEMBER

2007

Reached 12 Millionting and Coun helps campaign

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2007 FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands

40 Million Reached

NAMM’s partnership with the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands has allowed manufacturers to get involved and created many stories about adult music makers.

100 Bes Commutn for Musicities Educatio n 35 Million R

eached

Every ye ar, for Music the 100 Best Co mmuniti Ed es local med ucation survey grabs th ia e recognize attention of the towns d for their celebrate efforts an s the im d portance education of music .

JANUARY 2007

2007 Tournament of Roses Parade 37 Million Reached

this NAMM’s participation in shares the worldwide broadcast event g with millions message of music makin mers of custo of viewers and potential our industry.

CANVAS CVS30 CVS30FM

The Canvas Vintage 30. Put a strap on it and it balances perfectly and has just enough heft to offer a big, phat sound without pulling your back out. An arched ame maple top accents the select mahogany body for looks and tone galore. The bolt-on hard maple neck has a shape reminiscent of a classic 60’s design. Two Alnico5 Zebra-stripe pickups give the player full control over the amount of drive into the front of the amp, without concerns about the guitar sound breaking up.

Visit us at Namm Upstairs room 204C

Toll Free 866-473-5864 ASC 5300 Ontario Mills Parkway, Suite 100 Ontario, Ca 91764 Phone: 909.484.7498 Fax: 909.484-7890 www.cavasguitars.com

M M A 5 N t 51 a s h3 u e oot e S B

© 2007 America Sejung Corp. All rights reserved.

WEBWISE

I Hereby Resolve … to Have a Better Web Presence in 2008 Avoiding the Seven Deadly Web Site Sins

By Kevin M. Mitchell

T

here’s a good chance that some new year’s resolutions made in earnest have already fallen by the wayside: to lose that 20 pounds, to join a gym, to give up something you enjoy that your spouse/doctor/ maiden aunt considers a vice. But one I’d like to suggest you make - and keep -- is the resolution to improve your Web site this year.

Spending as much time on sites as I do, it’s an easy to conclude that, as an industry, we’re way behind in regard to how we appear on the Internet. A quality Web site is no longer a luxury, but as necessary FEBRUARY 2008

as clean store windows and well-stocked displays. Over 70% of brick-and-mortar customers are browsing online first, then going to a local retailer to make a purchase. Like it or not, your Web site is now the entryway to your business, and this is the year to get it in order. “Getting it in order” means improving it within your means. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown sales site, but it has to be professional in appearance and work to position your store in the manner that will most attract the local customers you want. If you have a bad or poor site, you’re losing business. One of my favorite stories of last year was of a retailer in Iowa, Ray Guntren of Ray’s Mid-Bell Music, who heavily reinvested in his store – new location, new

design, up 10,000 square feet from 4,000 square feet – everything. This included an expanded Web site on which, with some trepidation, he included the tools that allow customers to rent instruments online. He got a call from a woman who was “absolutely thrilled” she could rent an instrument online for her kid because she was so busy it was hard to get to places like his store. She lived three blocks away. Another favorite recent story, appearing in this issue, is about Candace Blankenship of Delian Music in Los Angeles, and her self-described “old-fashioned” ways. Yes, she still hand-writes receipts for her modest 1,800-square-foot neighborhood music store. But she is savvy enough to have a solid Web site, one with detailed bios of her teaching staff that she MMR 29

credits with bringing in many customers to her teaching-based operation.

Leaking Business I’m one of the aforementioned statistics: if I need anything I google “[topic] + [home town]� first. When I needed a tree removed, I googled it and found only one site. But it was reasonably put together (though a bit primitive), had a nice bio on the guy who was going to do it, and he got the job. When I needed my driveway sealed, I was disappointed there was no site that came up and I had to go to the Yellow Pages. So trust me: that 70% number is going to increase every year. Spend a few hours googling “music instrument store,� “piano store,� or “guitar shop� and various big and small towns and you’ll likely come to the same conclusion I have: there is much improvement needed in this industry’s Web sites. What is of concern to me is what the good-to-excellent Web sites have in common: chance. I get to interview many retailers, and I made it a point this year to ask people

about their site as an aside – sort of an unofficial survey. The good sites fell into two categories: either by chance they happen to have someone on staff who could do it, say a college student studying computer graphics, or a computer geek who was working part-time in the store. The owner

“A quality Web site is no longer a luxury, but as necessary as clean store windows and well-stocked displays.� had the vision to know his site was important, and made the time to oversee its construction. And in all these cases they knew they were “lucky� in that they had a way to make it happen under their noses. The second was by chance the owner or manager was the type of person who could just dig in and figure it all out for him or herself. Trial and error, a great deal of research, and the patience and determi-

nation of a saint were the ingredients that enabled them to create a terrific site. For everyone else, though, they either had a weak site, or no site, or a languishing site. The idea of seeking out professional help in this critical area is just something the vast majority of music instrument retailers have not seemed to come to terms with -- yet. And perhaps that needs to be part of this year’s resolution ‌ Because here’s how I see it: If a water pipe breaks in your store, maybe you have someone on staff who just happens to be a plumber’s apprentice. Then you’re in luck! Or, perhaps you’ve watched enough episodes of “This Old Houseâ€? and happen to have amassed some basic plumbing tools, and you get in there with your own two hands and figure out how to repair it. Good for you! If not, you’d call in a professional. You wouldn’t put it off, you wouldn’t fret about it, you wouldn’t talk yourself into things like, “Well, sure the store has an inch of water on the floor and it’s not what some might consider ‘ideal’ but I’ll get to it one of these days.â€? You’d deal with it. If you didn’t know whom to call,

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30 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 5729

FEBRUARY 2008

you’d asked around for references. (Or you’d google “plumber” and “[home town.]”) And if you got a plumber in who did a bad job, you’d sigh, maybe curse, and start over with another one. My point is this: if your Web site is sub par, you’re leaking business.

a turnoff. Today’s consumer want clean, simple designs that deliver the information quickly and easily. Less is more – fewer font choices, fewer colors, and less visual noise.

O

Poor design. “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” doesn’t fly with today’s Web sites. You can think it’s cool because of the funky colors and radical mix of typefaces, but it’s

FEBRUARY 2008

Incomplete/empty pages. We’re all familiar with where a road that is paved with good intentions leads to, and so is the overly ambitious idea of having a “monthly event” or “newsletter” section without having the resources available to commit what’s necessary to make those things happen. Clicking through on a link to find only a blank page with an “under construction” banner makes the consumer immediately lose confidence in your operation. It’s the equivalent of having signage in your store that say, “new guitars over here!” and then when you get to that section of the store, the wall flaunts only empty pegs and a handscrawled “under construction” sign. The worse I’ve seen is an “about the owner” link, and when you get there, there was a line that mumbled the owner is too busy but they’ll be information soon. And it’s dated 2003. Which leads me to …

O

Out of date information. A cousin of the previous sin. It’s absolutely

“If you do attempt something that is going to require weekly updates, make sure you commit to following through.”

The Seven Deadlies As I surf the sites of music retailers all over North America, I have noticed a pattern among the weaker ones. Here’s my list of the seven deadly sins of ineffective Web sites. The worse sites violate all seven; the mediocre ones violate maybe one or two. Those retailers who are keyed into the growing consumer base that make immediate judgments on your operation based on the way the your site looks are enticed by those sites that manage to avoid all of the seven sins. They are:

O

O

Basic information missing/hard to find. I’m still surprised at how many sites I go to and I can’t find the phone number, the address, or directions to the store quickly and easily. They are not on the front page, not at the “top of the fold” (the main part of the site that fits on your computer screen – what you see without scrolling down). Whether you have a simple one-page “business card” site or a full-blown international sales site, it needs to be at the top, clear, and on every page.

See us at NAMM Booth 5729

MMR 31

critical to not take on anything you can’t handle, and to take down those sections you realize you can’t keep up with. Stores really do themselves more harm then good when you click to a “monthly events” page and the last entry is a drum workshop from November of 2005. In another instance I ran into, there is a site that has a “news” section, and when you go to it, it has one entry … from 2002! Many operations don’t have the resources to keep up with such things and that’s fine – but if you do attempt something that is going to require weekly updates, make sure you commit to following through. O

your slogan and reinforce it on every page, and in the same spot. Branding also needs to be done with the tone of the copy – keep it conversational, and personal. That is what appeals to potential customers. O

Missed branding opportunities. You take great care in how your store looks – there is a uniform appearance; the signage throughout the store is the same; your logo and even your slogan are probably seen throughout. Your site needs to be treated in a similar way. You don’t need a different look for every page. You don’t need to razzle-dazzle. It’s best to have your logo, your store’s signage font, and

Not personalizing the site. The last Web Wise column was devoted to this topic, and to summarize, the big box stores can’t be personal – you can. The “About Us” section of your site has to be given priority. As mentioned, bios of those on your sales and teaching staff are an impressive and effective sales tool for the majority of us who research topics online during off hours. If I’m googling “trumpet teacher [home town]” and I come upon a site that allows me to read a paragraph on one of your teachers, your store will have the edge. If I’m looking for someone I’d feel comfortable going to and asking what I think is a stupid question like, “Is it better to start a nine-year-old on acoustic or electric guitar?” and I read about how you got into music, I promise I’ll be at your doorstep before Best Buy’s any day.

O

Not knowing the purpose of the site. Are you just promoting your eBay products? Selling vintage gear all over the world? Positioning your operation as the neighborhood shop that cares? Promising to be the lowest-price leader? Don’t dive into creating or redesigning a site without defining your online purpose. I’ve seen a site that is “both” a neighborhood come-on-down site AND EQUALLY a worldwide mail- order house for recorders. It makes for a confused visitor. Consider separate sites (with links to back to each, of course). Also, as you know all too well, you’re competing against the world, so provide the visitor with a compelling reason to stick around on your site and come on down and go through your door.

Avoiding these “sins,” no matter how big or small your Web presence is (or will be this year), will go a long way in ensuring you get that customer who is doing research on a piano online at night because he or she can’t get out to do it – even though they live around the corner. Resolve to not lose that customer in 2008.

Bridging the gap between an entry level kit relegated to the practice studio and an intermediate set that sees action beyond the woodshed - at an entry-level price that competes over other brands.

See us at NAMM Booth Hall D 2882 www.peacedrum.com

info@peacedrum.com

877-999-4327

Complete 5-pc. outfit includes steel cymbals, throne, and sticks. Rugged Mahogany shells, preferred for tone. Rock or jazz-fusion sizes offered. SHIPPING SUMMER 2007.

32 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 303B

SPOTLIGHT

U.S. Dollar Doldrums:

Good or Bad? … multiple factors impact today’s currency picture

34 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

T

he question is a classic when looking at the anemic state of the U.S. dollar: Is the best of times or the worst of times? “If you are an exporter of American manufactured goods, right now the rise of the euro is stupendous,” says Hap Kuffner, owner of Kuffner International, a U.S.-based export specialists. “Distributors in Europe would be wise to stock up on American musical instruments with a long shelf life.” If you’re importing materials, however, especially if your interests are tied to just one country or place, it’s challenging

times indeed. The only constant is that ignoring the longstanding weak-dollar trend is perilously unwise for anyone creating products for the music products business. At issue is the continue decline of the value of the U.S. dollar against the euro, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, and other major international currencies. It has affected all things Canadian, for example, from products that are manufactured there to the shopping habits of Canadian consumers. As two out of every three Canadians live within an hour’s drive of the U.S. border, reports of shoppers pouring over into the U.S. to spend their “loonies” (dollars) are prevalent. The

U.S. federal government reports that overnight car trips from Canada into the U.S. rose to almost a million in the month of September, for example – the highest level since 1993. Traditionally, the Canadian dollar has been weaker then the U.S. dollar – earning the sobriquet “Hudson Bay Peso” back in the 1980s -- but today it’s trading about even, and has experienced increase of over 10% in just three years. And the American greenback is so weak against the euro that Europeans grabbing cheap flights to New York and Miami just to shop ‘til they drop has become such a phenomenon that it regularly makes the national news. When the euro was first introduced, it was at a ratio

History of the Euro The euro was launched on January 1, 1999 as an electronic currency and became legal tender three years later, in 2002. Twelve of the 15 European Union (EU) countries originally switched from their old currency to the euro: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Greece,

and Ireland. Former Soviet bloc countries within Europe are rapidly switching to the euro: most recently Slovenia phased out its currency and replaced it with euros. Efforts to unite Europe through currency date back to 1957 when the idea was put forth in the Treaty of Rome. Formal implementation of the project began in 1995. Eu-

ropean Union members Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom do not use the euro, having elected to stay with their own currencies. The idea behind Europe having a single currency was to make trade between continental countries easier and more efficient, increase tourism, and establish Europe as a large and unified economic power.

Euro to U.S. Dollar

In 2002, Euro-to-U.S. dollar exchange was $1.05 – as of Dec. 27, 2007 the euro weighed in at $1.45.

FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 35

“If you are an exporter of American manufactured goods, right now the rise of the euro is stupendous.” -- Hap Kuffner, Kuffner International

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of .88 to the U.S. dollar. As of the end of December 2007, the euro has shot up to $1.45 against the dollar. Then there is China, who locks in their currency value, much to the chagrin of U.S. politicians … though it certainly allows them to keep their edge in manufacturing, say, musical instruments for U.S. companies.

Manufacturing Costs Vs. International Sales Richard Hoover laughs and says he had wanted to invest in euros when they were first introduced. “I figured that it would strengthen and other currencies, like the U.S. dollar, would devalue … but I’m a guitar maker, not a economist.” These days guitar makers like Hoover, who has been making Santa Cruz Guitars in California for 30 years, need to be both luthier and economist. Ditto for all in the music instrument business. The first challenge that a diminished U.S. dollar causes is in getting materials for products. “We get wood for our guitars from every continent except Antarctica,” Hoover says. “So it’s making production more expensive here.” Santa Cruz gets a lot of materials from the U.S., though, and they have a considerably inventory of wood, which is helping to soften the blow. Plus they keep a flexible game plan: “We’re not held hostage to buying machines only from Germany, for example, which used to make the best stuff. But now it’s not the only way to go. There are good U.S.-made alternatives.” On the flip side: “We’re enjoying good sales in the U.K. and any place the euro is,” he adds. “And we’re enjoying good sales in Canada.” As far as how this affects business, he says he may delay some purchases. For example, instead of buying a year’s worth of European spruce from countries like Switzerland, Italy, and Austria, he’ll hold off for at least a while. Having been through this before helps, too. “The last time we suffered a weak dollar we had trouble acquiring tools – machinery and equipment. But now we have alternative suppliers domestically.” Overall, for the moment at least, the dollar’s decline is a plus and Santa Cruz is enjoying increased sales, and Hoover plans to take advantage and market more offshore. He adds that companies totally dependent on any one place for selling or getting materials for their products are FEBRUARY 2008

always going to be susceptible to these issues: “Those companies could be caught short in a hurry.” “To be sure, the weaker dollar is having an impact on our business, but not here in the States,” Zildjian’s Craigie Zildjian says. “There are other factors impacting the U.S. business such as the economy, the cost of fuel, and dealers being more cautious about the depth of product assortment they stock. This has put more pressure on manufacturers to ship smaller ‘at-once’ orders more frequently. That’s not an issue for Zildjian as we turn orders around in 24 hours.” But internationally, Zildjian has benefited. “The weaker dollar has resulted in double-digit sales increases in several key markets,” she says. “Some of this has to do with our prices being somewhat more competitive versus locally produced products and Zildjian cymbals being more affordable in general. In Canada for example, our sales have skyrocketed as the Canadian dollar has strengthened significantly.” Looking ahead to the inevitability that the dollar will strengthen, the company is hoping the comparatively low price of their products will have drummers trying more of their products and thus converting to Zildjian products. “We hope that this results in greater trial and conversion of our product line with international consumers so when the dollar pendulum moves the other direction, we won’t be negatively affected.” On the other hand, she says that their raw material costs have increased by over 300% in the last 18 months. Energy costs continue to escalate as well, Zildjian says, adding “these events are having an impact on our manufacturing costs which, thus far, we’ve been able to minimize by

“The weaker dollar has resulted in double digit sales increases in several key markets.” -- Craigie Zildjian, Zildjian

Richard Hoover FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booths 5720, 5928

MMR 37

“When you come through a difficult period like this, you come out a much stronger company.� -- Harvey Levy, Levy’s Leathers Ltd.

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improving efficiencies throughout the company.�

Canada: A Changed Environment “All of our labor is paid in Canadian dollars and the major portion of our revenue is in U.S. dollars,� explains Harvey Levy of Levy’s Leathers. But even with the Canadian dollar’s rise, the guitar strap company can take advantage of the rise of the euro and Asian currencies against the U.S. dollar so their products are even more attractive price point-wise in Europe and Asia right now. “It just makes our products a better deal� in those markets when the U.S. dollar is high, he says. Levy adds that while 2007 was “a pretty tough year,� the company experienced an “incredibly strong� fourth quarter. Helping considerably is that two years ago the Canadian company had begun to implement a series of production efficiency moves to make their overall operation more proficient and profitable. “These initiatives are just coming to fruition now,� he comments, “so while you can’t plan on something like the U.S. dollar going down in value, we happen to be in a good place going forward.� Levy’s is also responding to the currency shifts in other ways, like by bringing more production elements in house, and in working better and smarter. “This year we invested in a lot of new technology, technology from the U.S. and Europe, and it’s allowing us to put out a whole new guitar strap series at a new price point,� he says. “We like to come up with a lot of high- end straps, and we will have two out this year, but we will have more to offer in the mid- and low-range price points. The new technology is allowing us to make great-looking straps very affordable. “In general, in terms of what the consumer is going to pay for a guitar strap, it won’t be much different from last year, but they’ll be more exciting fashionbased choices.� Working to lower the price of their straps this year was no accident, though. “When we saw the U.S. dollar dropping, we knew we had to act – you can’t expect the consumer to absorb all of that at once. So we looked for ways to offer more stylish straps and keep the price point the same.� Levy is seeing the glass as half-full. He points out that an uncontrollable market trend, like the U.S. dollar’s demise, can FEBRUARY 2008

be an opportunity. “When the business environment changes in a way like this, it forces you to look at things differently, do things differently, and make changes you might not have ever thought to make when the business climate was better,” he says. “So when you come through a difficult period like this, you come out a much stronger company.” He adds that it’s tough on other countries that do a lot of business in U.S. dollars and the dollar’s demise is a disadvantage. “If you have U.S. dollars in your pocket, you don’t want them devalued, so I’m thinking that it’s going to strengthen.”

The China Factor Richard Hoover says Santa Cruz Guitars is actually finding a niche in selling their products to mainland China. “There’s a small percentage of Chinese who want high-quality American-made goods, and there are some there that can afford a $4,000 or $5,000 guitar,” he remarks. “It’s still a small percentage, but a small percentage of a country like China can be well worth it.”

FEBRUARY 2008

But Chinese affording such a guitar could ultimately be problematic for the government. Someone who follows all these trends full-time is Kuffner, a self-described “rock and roll export specialist,” who provides rep/broker services to U.S. companies looking to export or partner with foreign manufacturers. He’s been connecting companies with Chinese manufacturers since 1983, for example, and works with European companies as well. Clients include EMG, PRS, Daisy Rock, Schecter, Tone Pros, and NS Design, among others. He believes the birth of the euro was a boon to the instrument-making business, and gave access to both getting U.S. products to those customers and being able to tap into the centuries of quality instrument making taking place in European countries like the Czech Republic. “When you move product around in the U.S., you go from state to state, but in Europe it’s country to country,” he says. “You have three or four different languages, you might have to change currency two or three times, each time

See us at NAMM Booth 5100

costing a five-percent exchange fee, and it made things difficult. Now with the euro, it’s simple for someone to get on the road in Holland and take something to market in Germany.” Meanwhile, in China, their handling of monetary issues is coming under increased fire, particularly from the U.S. The government spurns free market fluctuation, and essentially dictates what their currency, the RMB, is worth. “The RMB started at $8 to the dollar and is now $7.37, and the country needs to deflate it more, to $6, to better represent its true value,” explains Kuffner. But the Chinese have a big problem: their population. “You can’t buy a house in China,” Kuffner notes. “Very few can afford it, and so the government has to make sure it can feed, clothe, and house those people every year. The government needs to keep those people working, and the people need to work. So they want their currency to be weak, which allows them the ability to manufacturer goods at unbelievable prices.” And it’s not just simple assembly line work, either, but also the intricate hand-

MMR 39

work as well as the education and training required in instrument making, for example. Right now, the combination of American technology and ingenuity and the vast Chinese labor pool, plus the artificial deflated value of the RMB, makes partnerships with the country attractive economically, and the dollar’s decline isn’t affecting that too much. “The manufacturer of electronic guitar-related goods in China is unbelievably good today,” Kuffner adds. “China has caught up so quickly … and they are not hampered by what American workers require like benefits and retirement funds. To manufacturer in the U.S. you’re looking at starting out at $20 an hour counting everything, and in China its $2 an hour – and you’re talking quality workers.” But changes could be afoot: one is that growing Chinese middle class (the ones that can afford those $5,000 Santa Cruz guitars) is growing and they naturally want more in wages and want more choices as consumers. This ultimately requires a more economically open country. The government has long tried to have it both ways: the advantages of a government-controlled

40 MMR

economy but with benefits of capitalism (those who visit the country are witness to their not-so-black market, which is thriving due to entrepreneurs, whom the government blatantly tolerates). Another influence could be the political climate, particularly in the U.S. Those who follow politics have noticed the saberrattling of the Democratic presidential candidates fighting for their party’s nomination, several of whom are particularly vocal about the need for China’s RMB to more accurately reflect its true value and promising increased pressure on the country if they are elected. (It’s a populist theme: if their RMB rises in value, then labor will cost more, and ideally slow down the tide of U.S. companies closing factories here and opening them over there.)

Dollar’s Rise Tied to U.S. Election? Levy says that typically the dollar’s rise is tied to the U.S. presidential election cycle, and others back him up, including Kuffner. “I believe if there is a Democratic victory here that things will change and the economy will get better,” Kuffner says, quickly

See us at NAMM Booth 5569

adding that this isn’t a personal preference issue but merely how trends work and how international markets perceive the U.S. government. At the very least, any change politically will likely cause the dollar to rebound to a certain extent. Is this a long-term problem? Few think it is. While the media business pundits talk about the death of the dollar, that the euro will forever rule, most serious economists doubt that will happen. Many believe the dollar’s nadir has already been reached, and forecast a slow climb back to its former strength. And one doesn’t have to look too far back for a rise: as recently as 2005 the dollar gained 21.5% against the euro, for one example. Hap Kuffner points out that the world loves U.S. music products, and while most are adjusting to current economic trends in one way or another, it’s not changing the demand for the product. Craigie Zildjian sums it up when she says: “It is difficult to speculate on farreaching concerns other than to say that the art of making music and the universal enjoyment that it brings will not be going away.”

See us at NAMM Booth 3555

FEBRUARY 2008

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See us at NAMM Booth 5940

DO OVER 3 MILLION PEOPLE KNOW SOMETHING YOU DON’T? If you’ve never played a Young Chang piano, then the answer is yes, they probably do. Over 3,000,000 Young Chang pianos have been sold around the world. What do these people know? They know Young Chang offers the best value in the industry. They know Young Chang offers quality craftsmanship and service ďƒžrst; as well as a commitment to making a piano that both looks and sounds beautiful. Whatever they know, you can expect nothing less from one of the largest piano... read more at

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See us at NAMM Booth 303CD

See us at NAMM Booth 303CD

© 2007 PRS Guitars photography by Marc Quigley

The SE Custom just got more ‘Custom’

SE Custom semi-hollow

Now the SE Custom is available with a semi-hollow option that offers a musical midrange and internal reverb. Give it a try at your nearest dealer and experience PRS. Video demo available on our website prsguitars.com/secustomsh See us at NAMM Booth 5320

PERCUSSION

Pearl Drums’ ‘Trickle-Down’ Technology

… all lines benefit from high-end’s cutting edge

A

t Pearl Drums, research and development is a two-part process: first, use cutting-edge technology and the best materials to create the best drums possible; then the moment those components are included in a high-end kit, find a way to create similar versions of those features to enhance midand entry-level products.

“At this year’s NAMM, you’re definitely going to see examples of us embracing the technology of the Masterworks line and transferring it to other lines.” 46 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

“At this year’s NAMM, you’re definitely going to see examples of us embracing the technology of the Masterworks line and transferring it to other lines,” says Pearl’s Jeff Ragland. “I think many great products begin with the high-end. Our high-end technology is focused on our flagship lines, technology that the working drummer and professional appreciate. Then it all trickles down.” As an example, Ragland cites Pearl’s shell technology, which was created for the highend, but has found its way down to entrylevel drums. “We figure out what works and transfer it to our other lines as quickly as possible. Like our Superior Shell Technology – it’s the same shells for Forum and for Masterworks drums. We hear stories all the time about the drums being in car wrecks, or being submerged in water, and not coming apart. They last and produce a great tone.” At the NAMM Show, Ragland says they will be showing more special-edition kits, especially in the Reference line. Style-wise “everyone wants to be an individual” and have a unique kit, and special limited-production models fi ll that need. “Like last year we had Masterworks drums in what we call ‘Shimmer of Oz’ and we had so many inquiries about it we offered it in the Reference series as a special-edition model. They sold out so quickly.” Ragland adds that a whiteon-white Reference kit with red gaskets instead of black got great feedback at the recent PASIC, and those were produced in limited quantities as well. The Vision series – which Ragland says will get a lot of attention at NAMM – also has benefited from the company’s “trickle down” philosophy. “The combination of woods used in [the higher-end drums] is something we’re trying to make available to all drummers. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a Masterworks kit.” The entry-level Export is “a name that is easily recognizable – so many famous drummers probably started on an Export kit,” he observes. The Forum’s Ready-Set-Go technology allows parents to get their kids drumming right out of the box, which he says has tremendous appeal. Also at NAMM, they’ll be Forum models with features generally associated with higher-priced lines as yet another example of the trickle-down strategy. Ragland is quick to agree that the competition continues to increase in both quality and quantity, particularly in the mid- and entry-level markets, but says FEBRUARY 2008

Taiko: Latest Health Craze to Benefit MI Market? Pearl’s Jeff Ragland tells that one of the other surprises this year is the sudden increase in Taiko drums sales. This is in part assisted by the high-profile use of Pearl’s Taiko drums by the San Jose Taiko group, which dates back to 1973 and is said to be the most popular organization of its kind in North America. The group also works closely with Pearl in product development. But Taiko is being promoted elsewhere too – in fitness and health pages of the nation’s magazines and newspapers. “It’s an impending craze,” Ragland says. The ancient Japanese art of movement and drumming goes back more than 1,400 years, and was used by the military to inspire the troops and intimidate the enemy. Fast-forward to today, and Taiko is now on the verge of becoming the latest health craze. According to taiko.com, there are 30 such groups nationwide (and over 8,000 in Japan). They exist not only in trendsetting places like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, but classes are also popping up in St. Louis, Austin, Fresno, and Bridgeton, New Jersey, among many other markets.

Participants learn choreography and basic drumming technique, and proceed to pivot, lunge, leap, and bang their way to an exhausting workout. Most important to the trade, the combination ballet/martial arts discipline requires drums that can cost as much as $3,000. For retailers interested in servicing this market, go to www.taiko. com. Also, don’t forget the accessories required – most instructors require earplugs, so stock plenty of those.

MMR 47

i r a

M a  o S

Specializing in Instruments for your growing Market. Bajo Sextos, Bajo Quintos Accordions and More.

Contact:

Gulf Music Sales at 866-440-1569

www.gulfmusicsalesonline.com

48 MMR See us at NAMM Booth 2600 Hall D

Pearl is able to maintain its strong position. “When you get into all those names, all these new kits that are popping up everywhere, it tells you first and foremost that the drum market is great,” he says. “But what separates us is our workmanship and quality. So many of those other names have drums and hardware made from the same company overseas. They are just piecing things together.” Ragland says he understands some might feel a trend away from the highend to the middlelevel, as drum makers’ ability to create better drums for less money is arguably causing them to be victims of their success. However, he’s not seeing a movement away from their high end at all. New features, colors, and innovations aimed at satisfying professionals continue to make higherpriced kits attractive to those who can afford it, he observes.

per Timbale Snare. Also their Brazilian line of percussion products, featuring bright yellows and greens, has found a ready market. In general, Ragland sees hand percussion continuing to gain strength and grow. First, it’s good to have in a store because it’s practically an impulse buy. Drummers are always looking for new sounds, and the products are easy to pick up and add to whatever they have already. “And the U.S. market is getting bigger in this , with those who are coming to the country bringing in a different [musical] flavors. The Hispanic demographic is growing and hand percussion is going to continue to get bigger and bigger – I don’t see any way that is going to slow down.” Their Marching Drum line marches on as well – the Championship line, particularly the FFX models in maple, have been well received. With all Pearl products, artist relations plays an important role. “If you saw Jimmy Page playing a Les Paul, that’s the guitar you want to play,” he says. “When you see the best drummers of the world playing the best drums, those are the ones you want. We have the best drummers choosing to play Pearl, and that speaks highly of the brand.”

“The Hispanic demographic is growing and hand percussion is going to continue to get bigger and bigger – I don’t see any way that is going to slow down.”

Beyond the Kit “Our Traveling Congas are hugely popular,” Ragland says. “It’s easy to take to the park and you see people out with them.” He adds that the single biggest-selling product Pearl has had over the last year is the Q-Pop-

FEBRUARY 2008

Lights...Zildjian

has raised the bar once again with its all new Vision Lightbox System. This plugin lighted header is available as an upgrade to your existing display or as part of our new modular Vision System. Attractive halogen spotlights will make your cymbal inventory pop as never before.

Cymbals...We

have taken the best features of our old system and incorporated them into this new design. The modular slat wall system is easy to assemble and allows for maximum display exibility. The exible nature of our new system allows you to congure the display in numerous ways as well as single and double sided.

Ú !VEDIS :ILDJIAN #OMPANY

Action...Sales Action that is. For more details please contact your Zildjian Sales Representative or John Pappone at 1-800-2298672. Now your customers will see what they are hearing, the world’s top selling line of cymbals – Zildjian.

vision lightbox system

See us at NAMM Booth 2940

See us at NAMM Booth 4210

See us at NAMM Booth 4590

FRETTED

Wayne Guitars Continues the Charvel Legacy

… father-and-son team train sites on affordable quality

“M

oney has never been a driving force for us,” Michael Charvel says. “We’re artists first.”

So how do artists take the plunge into making guitars that are affordable to players who may not have rock icon incomes? They tread lightly, creating relatively few guitars, and make it a complete hands-on experience. Wayne Charvel, and now his son Michael, are known for their custom work to the stars. But this year they are releasing a Wayne Guitar model that will be sold in music retail outlets. It’s something that Wayne will put his four decades of experience to work on, including his years as a retailer himself. “The fact that we did a lot of repair on a variety of guitars at my store allowed me to see the flaws in them, and that was a good eye-opening experience,” Wayne recalls. “I know the need to improve certain aspects of the guitar.” 52 MMR

So will Wayne’s guitar become just another boutique guitar builder among scores of others? Michael: “There are a lot of boutique guys out there, many doing good work … ” Wayne interrupts: “There are great builders out there …” “Yes,” Michael continues, not missing a beat: “but the one thing we have that they don’t is Wayne Charvel — literally a legend in customizing guitars.” It’s more than a son’s pride in his dad’s work. Wayne Charvel has in fact crafted axes for some of the biggest names in the business including Eddie Van Halen, Billy Gibbons, Ritchie Blackmore, Pete Townshend, Gregg Allman, and Joe Perry, among scores of others. But FEBRUARY 2008

now he and his son are focused on guitars for the somewhat more average Joe …

History “I grew up wanting a guitar but my dad couldn’t afford one,” Wayne recalls. “Eventually I finally got this cheap junkie acoustic thing that was barely playable.” Later he got his hands on a 1959 Fender Strat (“I wish I still had that one!”), and when it needed repairs, figured out how to do it himself. He became accomplished at repairing guitars, which naturally lead to a deeper understanding of the instrument. The next step was, in retrospect, inevitable. “There were a lot of guitars I wanted, but couldn’t afford, so I thought I would build [them],” he remembers. He next found himself working for Fender doing their out-of-warranty refinishing work, then repair work. In 1974 he opened up his own repair shop in Azusa, Calif., though he continued work for Fender who meanwhile sent him his first rock band client – Deep Purple. “They wanted custom work done to their instruments, such as humbucking cavities routed in the bodies and custom pickups

“We’re not looking to make 400 or 500 guitars a month because we still want to produce high-quality guitars.”

Michael Charvel on the job. FEBRUARY 2008

Wayne Charvel.

installed.” Soon he was getting other requests, including building a clear plastic bass for The Who’s John Entwistle. In was an active time for Charvel. He showed his friend Lynn Ellsworth how to make guitar bodies and neck, and Ellsworth later started Boogie Body Guitars. At one point, Charvel was making aftermarket parts for Gibson guitars. He also manufactured and sold his specially made parts under the name Charvel Manufacturing. Through it all, he never stopped building and repairing guitars for the stars. Next he teamed up with Dave Schecter of Schecter Guitar Research. “Once in a single weekend, we made 100 bodies and finishedsanded them. I was still in the mail-order business selling guitar parts, so it made sense that I would sell his bodies and necks.” Charvel evolved to making his own bodies and necks and selling those, and including in them some new pickups his friend Seymour Duncan was making. By the mid-1970s, he had spent three years with Fender, three years with Gibson as a guitar designer and artist relations rep, and one year with B.C. Rich. Then came the launch of his W.C. Guitar company, which he eventually sold to Grover Jackson in late 1978, and then returned to work for B.C. Rich. As if that’s not all varied enough, Wayne then entered the music retail business in the 1990s, running a fullline music store in Paradise, Calif., with

Michael (“He’s a very good guitarist in his own right,” Wayne interjects with fatherly pride.) “We had the store for about eight years, and then the Internet came and made everything harder,” Michael says. The Internet incursion led to another door opening, though: they noticed a lot of requests on Web sites for Charvel original guitars from the 1970s and 1980s, so they increasingly diverted their focus to their custom shop. “It got to the point where we couldn’t do both, so we got out of retail,” Michael says. So for about a decade, Wayne Guitars have been doing one-offs at a rate of about 10 a month.

An Affordable Boutique Guitar They have been and will continue creating one-off specialty guitars that can cost up to $5,000, but now they are launching a standard guitar that combines their experience with the practicality necessary to bring the MSRP down to around $2,000. The guitar will debut at the NAMM Show (booth number #2996) and both Charvels are excited about this next step in Wayne Guitar’s evolution. “They will be still be American handmade, and have great features like Seymour Duncan pickups, Floyd Rose bridges, and the necks and bodies we’re known for,” Michael explains. “But they will come in simple, solid colors and be more affordable to players and attractive for retailers.” MMR 53

But the “mass production” the Charvels are thinking about is quite a bit different then the standard defi nition … “We’re not looking to make 400 or 500 guitars a month, because we still want to produce high-quality guitars,” Michael says. A modest 25 models a month is all they are aiming to make for now, and for the extra personnel to handle the work they are mostly looking to their family: “My uncle will probably get involved, and maybe my sister will answer the phone,” Michael notes.

54 MMR

The Charvels’ business plan starts and ends with their philosophical approach to achieving a quality life and quality guitars simultaneously. “I personally don’t want the stress of trying to produce thousands of guitars every month like other companies,” Wayne admits. The model of designing a guitar and handing the manufacturing off to people on foreign soil was never considered, either. “The reason why we haven’t gone to, say, Korea like so many others is because of the quality issue,” Michael says. “It does keep getting better, but we’re perfectionists, and when you start doing numbers like that, you have to let things slide …” He says he regularly hears complaints from his fellow guitar players about bad electronics, guitars not set up properly, and so on, and that anecdotal evidence combined with the reality that those laboring on guitars in Asia are very

rarely guitarists makes that idea universally unappealing. “The gal that grinds frets all day, the guy winding pickups … it’s a job for them and they probably don’t care about the guitar.” Michael is also skeptical about many “custom shops” out there: “You have guys out there with body parts that aren’t original, they aren’t really guitar builders but they put parts together, they paint them different colors … but is it really a custom shop?” Meanwhile, for the new standard model they are launching, the Charvels say it is the culmination of all they have experienced in guitar making so far (Michael has built his own reputation for custom paint, graphics and guitar repair – see www.michaelcharvel.com). But this next step is another part of the journey, as opposed to a destination … “We’re absolutely not done learning,” Wayne says emphatically. “I just feel blessed to come to work and do something I really love. When I build a guitar I put everything into it. I played professionally for years, and I know what guitar players want. Our guitars are all concert-ready.”

FEBRUARY 2008

The new Black X™ snare drumheads use a unique suede texturing process applied to 2-plies of 10-mil Ebony film plus a 3-mil reverse dot giving them extreme durability. Black Suede drumheads are available in either Ambassador ®weight or Emperor ®-weight providing focused midrange and warmth with plenty of attack. Step into the darkness and give your kit some serious attitude. remo.com

See us at NAMM Booth 5244

See us at NAMM Booth 5771

It pays to read between the lines

Join Korg USA for…

premium service, premium brands and premium profitability We’re looking for innovative dealers for some of the industry’s most respected brands, Korg, Marshall and VOX. Not just leaders, they’re icons…always in demand, always profitable, always supported – big time.

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ANNIVERSARY

In for the Long Run:

Hamilton Stands Turns 125

S

ince 1883 Hamilton Stands has been a recognized leader in the design and engineering of print music and instrument stands. For 125 years the name of the Ohio-based company has been associated with quality and durability and is widely recognized throughout the music products industry. Stalwarts of the Hamilton line include guitar stands and accessories, wind instrument stands, a bass viol stand, and symphonic, portable, and folding sheet music stands. Historical Overview

The Hamilton line was developed by the Krauth and Benninghofen families in Hamilton, Ohio, as an adjunct to their principal business, the Hamilton Autographic Register Company. The firm made its name manufacturing devices that would print a customer receipt and a duplicate receipt for record-keeping. How this endeavor led to the manufacture of music stands in lost in the mists of time, but catalogs from as early as 1904 suggest the market then was for salon and ensemble music since the earliest products were in no way portable like today’s stands, but rather fi xed furniture pieces featuring lamps, and employing wood and cast iron 58 MMR

music products manufacin their designs. However, it’s turers in the Pacific Rim, interesting to note that even continuing a trend begun at the dawn of the 20th cenin 2004 with the Hamilton tury, the line also boasted a World Stands line. forerunner of the popular What drew Carpenter to KB400 stand. Many of the acquire Hamilton Stands? early Hamilton Stands prod“I had learned from experiucts were patented and the ence that brand-recognition line was featured in a display and equity are of the utmost at the St. Louis International Industry veteran Bill Carpenter, who importance,” he comments. Exposition in 1906. “Without it, a business is a In the ensuing decades acquired Hamilton Stands in 2006. struggle. Hamilton Stands Hamilton Stands established had a great reputation for quality and seritself as a premiere name in the field of muvice that I was well aware of. The other sic and instrument stands. However, by the factor, based on my experience, was that I 1960s the parent company was in decline wanted to be involved in something I could and in 1965 was sold to Chicago Musical do myself. With Hamilton Stands, this was a Instrument Co. (CMI) which was then in case where I saw good potential and I could the midst of building a “music conglomafford to do it.” erate” that would include Gibson, Lowrey Certainly, Carpenter brings a rich and and several other well-known companies. varied professional background to the Hamilton was later sold to the James Datask. A drummer, he joined Remo Inc. vid Company, a furniture maker, and was shortly after graduating from college in acquired in 1982 by Virgil Maines and Ben 1976. For the next six years he worked in Diesbach, who had long been affiliated product development and became what with the Hamilton firm. Maines eventually he terms “a self-trained mechanical enbought out Diesbach’s shares and assumed gineer.” He departed Remo and the MI sole ownership, which he passed on to his industry in 1982 to join Plastiglide, a furthree children in 2000. niture manufacturer and a division of IlliNew Owner, New Directions nois Tool Works, where he rose to general Today, Hamilton Stands is located in manager of the Plastiglide division. DurLebanon, Ohio, where it conducts its acing this period he also earned an MBA tive product design work. Since Hamilton degree from Pepperdine University. was acquired in 2006 by industry veteran Carpenter rejoined Remo in 1994 as Bill Carpenter, the company increasingly its general manager. Most of next two sources its products from experienced years were devoted to overseeing design FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 6698

New at NAMM from Hamilton Stands “Unique” and “value-added” at the watchwords these days at Hamilton Stands. Here are a few NAMM Show introductions [exhibit 3505] that live up to that promise. Portable Nu-Era Microphone Stands are lightweight tabletop and floor- standing microphone stands for home, school, business, remote location, and A/V uses. An innovative leg and brace design is fast and easy to use and nearly horizontal when setup. Both models are exceptionally compact and light enough to be carried in a gig bag, shoulder bag, or backpack. The KB810 tabletop model adjusts from 10”-16” and weighs 10 oz. The KB820 floor standing model

extends from 27 ½”-62” in three sections and weighs 20 oz. The mic clip can be lifted on and off the stand quickly and easily. Both feature durable black finishes and come with a mic clip and cloth carrying bag with a microphone pouch. The suggested retail price on the KB810 is $9.99 and $18.99 on the KB820. Incorporating engineered ‘U’ channel legs and braces, the new KB220 and KB240 cymbal stands are lighter weight. The channel design provides stability while allowing easier transport by the gigging drummer. The KB220 features a flat base design for placing close-in to the drummer and folds to 24”. The KB240

offers a larger footprint ‘A’ shape base and folds to 32”. Both feature dampened telescoping tubes to control rattles, 8mm cymbal post threads, double felt, cast wing nuts and durable black polymer feet. The suggested retail price of the KB220 is $65 and $85 for the KB240. The Encore line of cushioned musician’s chairs is being introduced with back and seat angles designed to promote proper posture in wind and string instrument players. The cushioned seating provides more comfort, less fatigue, and better circulation than hardshell chairs and is recommended for classroom, stage, and concert hall venues. The chairs stack on their square steel frames, rather than on the cushion as some brands do. Protective bumpers protect the finish

Raxxess has been providing high quality, innovative products and rack solutions to musicians, recording professionals and dj’s for eighteen years. We remain dedicated to supporting our customers with a variety of attention-getting displays and merchandising opportunities, sure to attract the consumer. Our margin-making products are backed by a liberal stock balancing program and no-nonsense warranties.

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60 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 6246

FEBRUARY 2008

when stacking and all four legs have metal swivel glides for easy sliding and to protect flooring. The rear leg angle makes it difficult for the user to tip the chair back on its legs. Two models are currently offered, the KB1000 for wind and string players and the KB1100 for cellists. The wind and string chair features a back angle that helps develop and maintain a posture for better breathing and diaphragm support. The back, which is lower than some other brands, helps French horn players who need their right arm and shoulder pushed back when performing. The KB1100 cellist’s chair has the seat angle pitched forward to assist in achieving a proper and comfortable playing position. A variety of frame colors and upholstery fabrics and colors is offered. The chair frames carry a 10year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Introduced in the early 1950s, the KB275 snare drum stand from Hamilton quickly became the choice of concert and drumset performers. This classic is now being re-issued by Hamilton Stands. The new KB275 Snare Drum Stand is a faithful reproduction and, like the original, features a drum basket that accommodates 12”-17” diameter without changing the height of the drum’s bottom rim. Also, its design does not put pressure on the counter hoop which can make it out of round. The base is rugged and durable, with double strip steel legs and a specially engineered anti-drop bushing that resists the center post from falling when being adjusted. The range of height adjustment, from 21 ½”-35” is greater than most other stands available. Like the original, the KB275 sports red polymer feet. Also being introduced is a companion stand, the KB274, which is designed especially for drumset use with a smaller footprint and lower height range. The suggested list price of both models is $99. FEBRUARY 2008

Responding to players’ needs, Hamilton has introduced Bone Socks and Pet Socks for the bell cups and support shafts of trombone and trumpet stands. Made of black micro-fiber with an elastic opening, the Bone Sock for trombone and the Pet Sock for trumpet fit the Hamilton and Hamilton World Stands products as well as those of many other brands.

The Socks absorb moisture that collects as a horn rests on a stand and cushion the horn as it is placed on and taken off the stand. The Socks are washable and can be left on the stand during transport and storage. KB511 is the part number for the Bone Sock while KB501 is for the Pet Sock. Both are packed in a poly bag with header card and have a suggested retail price of $3.99.

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MMR 61

and construction of the extensive Remo facility in Valencia, Calif. In 1996 Boosey & Hawkes recruited him to run Rico Reeds, which B&H was in the process of acquiring from the Knaub family. He later oversaw the move of the Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments from the Chicago area to Southern California, where it shared space with Rico. When the decision was made to sell Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments, Carpenter, along with Michael and Joachim Winter (of Germany’s Winter Case Co.), began making presentations to interested parties, but eventually they were given the go-ahead by Boosey managing director Richard Holland to take a shot at acquiring the business themselves. The trio found a venture capital partner in UK-based Rutland Group and engineered the buyout, establishing The Music Group comprised of the Buffet, Crampon, Rico, Schreiber, Keilwerth and Winter firms. The Music Group was short-lived, however, as both Winter brothers departed and Carpenter had the task of selling off the component companies while based in Germany. Back in United States in 2005, Carpenter began looking for new opportunities at

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the NAMM Summer Session in Indianapolis. There he heard about the availability of Hamilton Stands and entered into discussions with its owners. The purchase was completed in January, 2006. After two years at the helm, Carpenter identifies the main trend in stands to be a rebirth of innovation following a fallow period he describes as being marked by “generic design sensibilities, not a lot of creativity or elegance, and meeting a demand for inexpensive products. “There’s a move away from products and brands that are, frankly, tough to tell apart,” he continues. “There really is a great need for more good design, which is something we are addressing at Hamilton (see sidebar, New at NAMM). We are striving to position ourselves as a player in the design end of things by developing new products that are both unique and add value.” The last year has seen Hamilton Stands make the decision to close its Ohio manufacturing facility and concentrate its stateside efforts on bolstering both its marketing and product design. “Before I came here, the company had already outsourced some production to factories in Taiwan and China,”

See us at NAMM Booth 3422

Carpenter reports. “We are continuing to work with these companies as well as a Chinese-owned manufacturer in Vietnam that has been in the stand business for decades. You have to keep a close eye on where products are being made these days because the curve continues to shorten in terms of escalating costs. For example, we moved some manufacturing to Vietnam because prices were rising in China. When you look back, Japan had a 20-year run of manufacturing dominance, for Korea and Taiwan it was more like 15 years, and empirical evidence suggests China’s current position of strength will last no more than around 10 years.” Looking a little further down the road, Carpenter sees a future opportunity for Hamilton Stands in the realm of export. “We were always held back from much exporting in the past because of the weight of many stand products,” he points out. “Now our business model in the U.S. includes using a fulfi llment warehouse to supply our wholesale customers. We’re looking into ways this model might be replicated offshore where we can operate as a value-added supplier in foreign markets.”

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NS Design Rides a WAV … new violin model joins the affordable line

N

ed Steinberger’s name is well known, as he has been on the forefront of new instrument designs since the former furniture designer turned his attention to musical instruments in the 1970s. Sting, when he was with the Police, brought the unique Steinberger Bass to the attentions of millions.

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And currently the likes of Laurie Anderson, Les Claypool, Tony Levin, and many other high-profi le artists play his instruments. “I am known for high-end products, but really, my heart is in products that are more affordable,” he says. “Our products have become high-end because we try to push the envelope in sound and art, and in the end you have something expensive, particularly initially. You’ve tried to make it the best you can, delivering the highest level of performance, whatever the cost.”

But now Steinberger is working on a new line that will feature a lower price tag, making the instruments available to a much broader universe of players. The series, called WAV, already includes a bass model, and the WAV violin is slated to be released this spring, with a preview possible in time for the NAMM Show.

A Designer First Steinberger grew up north of New York City. His mother, Joan Beauregard, is an artist, and his father is the Nobel FEBRUARY 2008

Prize-winning physicist Jack Steinberger. By the age of 13 Ned had his own wood shop. He initially flunked out of college, and eventually found himself in the Maryland Institute College of Art where he studied sculpture and photography, both of which would be key ingredients to what would become his life’s work, creating new designs for string instruments. Steinberger points out that what makes his career unique is the fact that he approaches the art first as a designer, not a player. “Most people are really interested in music and musicians, and the actual instrument, as a tool, is secondary,” he observes. Most of those designing instruments are musicians, and perhaps are not able to make the radical leaps that someone approaching from a design perspective would be more open to. His first career was as a designer of furniture and cabinetry, and some of his early furniture designs are still being manufactured today. In the mid-1970s, he became friends with Stuart Spector, who got Steinberger interested in instrument design. “When I met Stuart Spector, I was designing chairs,” he says. “I was always interested in how you could design things for people ergonomically. With Spector, I played with things a bit -- some aspects were a given, and from there I worked on what would not only be comfortable but would have a look. Looks are very important.” The Spector NS bass guitar came out in 1976 and was an immediate hit, and it was followed by the groundbreaking “headless” bass. That instrument would receive the “Design of the Decade” award from the Industrial Designer Society of America, among many other accolades. “A Steinberger bass was featured in Time Magazine, and that was a huge milestone,” he recalls. “And I hadn’t been accustomed to winning awards, so that gave me the confidence to go forward.” The Steinberger Sound Corporation soon followed and developed and marketed headless graphite instruments, among other products. He sold that company to Gibson in 1986. He continues to consult for Gibson and the Steinberger line, and also for D’Addario and Martin. FEBRUARY 2008

Today NS Design is based in Nobleboro, Maine. “We have a very unusual set-up,” Ned explains. “When I started in guitars, I also started a factory. We have partners around the world, mostly NBE Corp. based in the Czech Republic. They are our longtime partners, and they build our high-end instruments.” And now they have a new partner in China who is building the WAV instruments. With manufacturing off-site, the actual facility in Maine is minimal: NS Design has three employees who check quality and set up the instruments, plus a couple of salespeople and a couple administrative people.

The Challenge of the Violin “All my career, I have given equal weight to sound, playability, and aesthetics,” he notes. “Without a good sound, you have nothing. On the other hand, a lot of instruments sound pretty good, but are limited on articulation, limited in what you can do with them. The most beautiful sound in the world that is in a steady state is not music and is not fun. Music is about manipulating sound, and that’s where playability is so important.” Confident of achieving these criteria in his company’s CR series of instruments, he looked at what he could do to make it all more affordable. “You have the opportunity to concentrate on the next step: how to create a version that is 80% or 90% of that, but do it in a way that is significantly more cost-effective and thus less expensive? First you do whatever you can to push the envelope forward, then you go back at it from the other side: how can you make it the most affordable?” The question isn’t philosophical any more: Steinberger’s answer is the WAV Series. Like his other instruments, these will feature ebony and rosewood fingerboards, the Polar Pickup System, and an adjustable truss rod and bridge. It’s just that he has found a way to develop and manufacture them more efficiently. The Bass WAV debuted in 2006, and he hopes to have the WAV violin out at NAMM. Ned says he initially wanted to start with the violin, but then opted to lead off with the bass. “While the bass is bigger

“The most beautiful sound in the world that is in a steady state is not music and is not fun. Music is about manipulating sound, and that’s where playability is so important.” –Ned Steinberger and more expensive, by nature of its scale it was less demanding to develop and manufacture. The violin presents more of a challenge, especially the NS violin because it has a completely unique tuning system.” For Steinberger, just because something has been done for hundreds of years doesn’t mean everyone should still do it. In fact, it often means the opposite. “If you want to optimize the performance of an electric violin, it has to be headless,” he explains, providing just one example. “The conventional violin uses a completely archaic tuning system. People have learned to deal with this, but there was no way I was going to make a 21st century MMR 67

violin with a friction tuner.” He worked hard to analyze different possibilities, and concluded the only option was to place the tuner on the body, where the weight of it could be better supported. “It’s similar to moving the tuning on our bass guitar – you want to bring the weight back.” The conclusion that a whole new tuning system on the violin was needed led to a major R&D effort at NS. It was a “huge project” he says, but they have come up with something that is extremely stable. Then it had to be applied to the new WAV Series. “You can be sure the basic tuning functions are all going to be there, just developed for the less expensive WAV Series,” he says. In addition to the tuning system, things like the shoulder rest were not taken for granted. It will feature all custom parts, as he points out the instrument is physically difficult to play and difficult to teach since merely holding the violin can cause pains in the neck, shoulders, and arms. So Steinberger developed a new shoulder support system that doesn’t require the hands or the chin to hold the violin up. He comments, “The nice thing is the shoulder rest itself extends across the back and there is a counterweight behind that the audience

JOIN US AT WINTER NAMM / BOOTH 1775

doesn’t see -- the audience just sees a bit of magic defying the laws of gravity. “We are very excited about this and it’s also going to be available for all NS violins – it will fit both the CR and WAV series. But also the final design of the support system will be something that will fit any acoustic violin as well. It’s really quite amazing.” Despite his advancements and developments, Steinberger knows he’s dealing with ultimately a relatively small market -- for now. “In the last ten years that I’ve been involved, there’s been huge changes in the electric string market,” he says. Their Polar Pickup System, which allows the player to control attack and optimize bowing response, has had a big impact on the segment. “The magnetic pickup, which is the core of the electric guitar, is not suitable for the violin,” he states. So for the years developers put magnetic pickups on violins to “electrify” them are years lost, he says, thus making the electric string family “late to the table.” But now he says he looks forward to explosive growth. “Violinists are still just figuring it out,” he laughs. “I was just with an older gentlemen who plays for the New York

866.834.1021 Call for a Closer Look

Laurie Anderson

Philharmonic, and he’s just starting to figure it out! He bought one for fun, just to see what it could do.” And he looks forward to more dealers embracing the new instrument. “Initially, acoustic violin shops were categorically opposed to having any electronic components in their stores, and they wouldn’t let me in the door,” he remembers. “But now, there are very few who won’t talk about it. It’s turned around 180 degrees. “Many are feeling they are missing out if they don’t learn more about the market and participate in it.”

buyersgroup@ospworldwide.com

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ANNIVERSARY

Rotosound Celebrates 50 Years of String Manufacturing

T

zither in his free time: building zithers and collecting and playing the instrument. Eventually, he set to work on his lunch break building a machine to make zither strings. James How’s avocation became a small business in 1958, with orchestral and jazz strings as well as guitar strings

Although he had a music background in playing violin and clarinet, after service in the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an armorer (bombardier) in World War Two, How settled into a career in London as an engineer. His professional path seemed clear until he went to see a movie, the 1949 Orson Welles classic, The Third Man. How’s reaction to the movie is unknown, but it spurred an intense interest in the zither, the featured instrument in the film’s most memorable tune, “The Harry Lime Theme.” While continuing with his “day job,” How essentially gave himself over to the

Left: Rotosound founder James How with The Who’s John Entwistle and, right, with Noel Redding and Jimi Hendrix. Current Rotosound endorsers include Velvet Revolver’s Duff McKagen, Bob Gelfdof, Geddy Lee of Rush, and Doug Wimbish.

here are many entry points to the musical products business, and often they are surprising routes. Perhaps none is more unusual than the story of James How, founder of Rotosound, the UK string manufacturer which celebrates its 50th anniversary in manufacturing this year.

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joining zither strings under what became known as the “Ro-Top” brand. Like other English start-up companies such as Marshall, Vox, and Burns Guitars, there was an explosion in the making by the early 1960s as rock ‘n’ roll took off across the UK, soon spreading to the

FEBRUARY 2008

U.S. in what is now fondly remembered as “the British Invasion.” “Dad started getting requests for strings from a lot of those guys, the Rolling Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix and his band, which included Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell,” says Jason How, who today serves as managing director of Rotosound. “Our first endorser was John Entwistle. “My dad asked him if he could include a note in each string pack pointing out Entwistle played Rotosound. John said that was no problem as long as Rotosound kept him supplied with strings. And that’s been our policy since then: we’ve never paid an artist for an endorsement.” The business flourished during the rock heyday of the 1960s and ‘70s and beyond, with the Rotosound catalog growing to include an array of strings and accessories. Today the company markets strings for electric guitar, bass, acoustic guitar, and classical guitar as well as for traditional instruments, orchestral instruments, and OEM. Accessories include straps, plectrums, cables, connectors, guitar stands, drumsticks, and wearables. With James How’s passing in 1994, the family business continued under he

Jason How

Kathy How

direction of his sons Jason and Martyn, Jason’s wife Kathy, and longtime executive John Doughty. Like his father, Jason How put his engineering background to good use redesigning and updating the string-making equipment at Rotosound headquarters southeast of London. Martyn How concentrates on the sales and marketing side of the business and is known to many in this US from his stint heading American

sales in the 1980s and ’90s while based in the States. Martyn How is working out of England again these days, with Rotosound USA sales in the hands of Dan Roeber at Rotosound’s West Hollywood, Calif. offices. Outside the UK and US, the company’s sales are directed by Zach Frederick and the Frederick Export team. Jason How reports that despite some sluggishness in guitar sales of late, Roto-

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sound’s business has been flourishing, with string set sales up some 40% over the last three years. In the UK, he says sales are “nicely balanced” with bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and classical sets leading the way. In the US, Rotosound continues to be best known for its bass strings, which account for 90% of its American trade. Electric bass strings are of course the lion’s share, but Rotosound has also established a niche among rockabilly and jazz players with its double-bass products. “We still hear people in the US say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you made guitar strings,” he notes with a laugh. “But maybe that situation is okay because the profit in bass strings is better and it’s not such a cut-throat business.” He adds that the ongoing strong pound/weak dollar situation has not affected his stateside business. “We were never the cheapest, and players appreciate the quality and value that’s built into our strings,” How points out. It’s noteworthy in an era in which the buzz words are “outsourcing” and “going offshore” that string manufacturers like Rotosound and its counterparts in the United States and Europe are resisting this global trend. Jason How comments on this apparent anomaly:

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See us at NAMM Booth 3425

Martyn How

John Doughty

“I suppose [offshore manufacturing] could happen, but there is so much knowledge and skill involved in machinery design and technique passed down from father to son, and that’s certainly true here and I’m sure it’s the same with the American companies. There’s a degree of passion involved, I think. In my case, I like to have the control that comes with having the factory right downstairs. To move ev-

erything overseas, well, what do I have left? Now I’m a box-shifter, and not to knock box-shifters, but my interest is in manufacturing. Also, I’d feel like I was conning my customers and our high-profile endorsers. They’d know straight away if we were making our strings somewhere else.” Rotosound exhibits at NAMM Show booth #5274.

See us at NAMM Booth 1214

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 5710

STACKABLE. CUSTOMIZABLE. RETIRE EARLIABLE. No other company offers you as many stick models or as many ways to sell them. DF12 – stack ‘em anywhere compact units • Just 19” wide x 13.5” tall x 15.75” deep • 12 compartments. Easily expandable. • FREE with purchase of 12 dozen pairs (less than $850 USD) DF12

DF 36 — a portable store within a store • 27” wide x 65” tall x 18” deep — just 3.4 square feet! • 36 compartments, 16 hooks and label holders • Front and side panels for hanging additional product • FREE with purchase of 36 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $3500 USD) DF-28 – This IS another store! • Uses only 42” diameter of floor space • Can hold well over 1,000 pairs of sticks • Includes 10 hooks and label holders • Basic version is FREE with 42 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $4200 USD) • Expanded version (pictured) is FREE with purchase of 54 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $5200 – the fi xture alone is valued at $3995 USD!)

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TRADE SHOW

Gear Explosion — THE 2008 NAMM SHOW BUYER’S GUIDE

T

he 2008 NAMM Show, held January 17-20 at the Anaheim Convention Center and Anaheim Marriott Hotel, is the industry’s premiere showcase for new instruments,equipment,software, print music, and accessories. To help buyers maneuver through nearly 1,400 exhibits and to locate the products of greatest relevance to their businesses, MMR offers the 2008 Buyer’s Guide to NAMM, a concise look at what’s new in Anaheim. An earlier installment of the Buyer’s Guide was published in the January 2008 issue, which is available in the Publication Bins in the Lobby of the Anaheim Convention Center as well as at MMR’s exhibit, # 5305. Products featured in both issues, as well as other introductions, can be found at MMR’s Web site, www. MMRmagazazine.com. 78 MMR

LEVY’S LEATHERS Levy’s expands its Tear Wear line of shredded guitar straps with new designs featuring argyle patterns. The straps are constructed with heavy cotton webbing and leather ends. Pictured is model MC8TWA available in four colors. Also new at the NAMM Show is Levy’s Platinum Collection, the strap designer’s most luxurious line of guitar straps ever. Each strap is fashioned with premium leather, foam padding, and soft leather backing, and features a median braid. www.levysleathers.com NAMM Exhibit #4658

MORGAN HILL MUSIC Morgan Hill Music recently introduced the Boulder Creek Solitaire Series acoustic guitars. The line’s unique new design incorporates the patent-pending “SBS” Suspended Bracing System that produces much better tone and sustain than conventional X-bracing systems. The top-positioned sound port directs the tone to the player without compromising forward tone and volume projection. The new AB4-T preamp system provides natural acoustic amplification with less feedback and piezo “clunk” found in other systems. www.bouldercreekguitars.com. NAMM Exhibit #1307 FEBRUARY 2008

YAMAHA PIANO

TAKAMINE

Yamaha Pianos adds two new instruments to its Modus line of digital pianos, which make their debut at the NAMM Show. Previously known as the Yamaha “Slimline” piano, the instruments will now carry the brand name Modus F01 and Modus F11. These models join the Modus H01 “contemporary grand”-style digital piano to round out the product line. The Modus model F11 features player piano-like moving keys and offers Yamaha XG technology, an expanded voice library for fully orchestrated sound, a USB port for computer connectivity and record and playback functionality, as well as a LAN port to enable access to the Internet-based ModusRadio. ModusRadio elevates streaming radio to the level of a live performance. Each station includes a MIDI feed, enabling the Yamaha piano to play live with moving keys, accompanied by specially recorded ensemble parts, for remarkable realism and accuracy. Yamaha Modus owners who subscribe to ModusRadio can choose from a range of music stations including Broadway, Classical and Semi-Classical, Country, Great Piano Solos, Jazz, Pop, Rock and Classic Rock, Soundtracks and Standards. Non-subscribers can access 30-second clips of channels, and can stream a complimentary channel featuring full-length,

Takamine’s LTD2008 2008 limited-edition guitar celebrates our world in a view that few have ever seen. The LTD2008 depicts Earth, as seen from the surface of the moon, suspended in space and illuminated in crescent by the rising sun. The land, sea and atmosphere -- fashioned from semi precious stone, shell, and wood inlay -- adorn the LTD’s soundhole. Its neck features a blazing sun rising as it ascends the fretboard. Other features of the NEX body shape guitar include a gloss black finish top, back and sides, solid cedar top with solid mahogany back, mahogany sides, ebony fingerboard, and CT4B preamp. Retail: $2,499 including case. www.kamanmusic.com NAMM Exhibit #5720

public domain songs. ModusRadio streams selections to Internet-connected Modus pianos, offering nonstop entertainment, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Modus F01 and F11 models in closed position reveal a streamlined configuration that resemble console tables from America’s finest furniture collections. Both models feature a back plate in one of four designer colors: Polished Blue, Polished Ebony, Polished Orange, and Polished Red. Standing flush against the wall, the back plate frames the piano like a work of art. The instrument also offers 88 natural wood white keys and a choice of hard, medium, soft and fixed touch sensitivity. In an industry first, customers now have the option of customizing the look of their Modus F01 or F11 piano by submitting an image of a favorite design or photo to appear on the back plate of the instrument. www.yamaha.com NAMM Exhibit # 100, 4578, 6524

RANDALL AMPLIFIERS Randall Amplifiers launches a Signature Series stack called the V2 Ninja, which is designed and inspired by Arch Enemy lead guitarist Michael Amott. Amott’s style features a wide vibrato, melodic lead lines, sledgehammer riffs, and twin- guitar harmonies. The V2 Ninja Head offers a threechannel head that includes a classic solidstate clear channel, a Randall overdrive channel, and an all-tube pre-amp channel with “attack” and “bright.” It also has a MIDI-assignable six-band graphic EQ and parallel effects loop, a master volume control, power amp, and Ruby 12AX7AC5HG pre-amp tube. The V2 Ninja Head retails for $1,599. The matching cabinet is a G12H100 Celestion speaker cabinet for $1,199. www.randallamplifiers.com NAMM Exhibit # 5244 FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 79

YAMAHA DRUMS

SABIAN Sabian has turned to aluminum to craft its new Alu Bell. Available in 7” and 9” sizes, the Alu Bell features a dome shape and narrow striking edge. Aluminum creates a clear and musical bell-like response and is very light in weight, which contributes to its ability to produce long, sustaining notes. Because every Alu Bell is individually created using traditional sand casting methods, each piece has a rough surface and is comparatively thick with an unfinished look, but the tone is sweet and musical with great sustain. www.sabian.com NAMM Exhibit # 3254

80 MMR

Yamaha Drums, which earlier last year resurrected the venerable Rogers Drums brand name, is adding new size configurations and finishes to the Trailblazer and Prospector drum kits. Both sets come with heavier-duty hardware and competitive specifications at their respective price points. The first new Trailblazer Drum Set will be available with a 20” bass drum, 10” and 12” toms, a 14” floor tom and a matching 14” wood snare drum. The sec-

ond Trailblazer set will come with a 24” bass drum, a 12” tom, a 16” floor tom and a 14” x 6.5” 10-lug steel snare drum. The new Prospector configuration includes an 18” bass drum, 12” tom, 14” floor tom and a 14” matching wood snare drum. Along with these new sizes, Rogers will offer three new fi nishes: Brushed Copper will be added to the Trailblazer Series, Stonewash Blue and Brushed Steel to the Prospector. NAMM Exhibit # 100, 4578, 6524

STAGELINE Musicorp introduces two new Stageline wooden guitar stands. The stands are offered in both acoustic (GS550A) and electric (GS551E) versions. Both are folding guitar stands with metal supports that include black foam rubber padding contact points. With a unique design and

See us at NAMM Booth 4850

attractive look and feel, these stands are suited for displaying a favorite instrument in the living room, studio, or store. The list price is $29.95. www.musicorp.com NAMM Exhibit # 5420

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 3304

GRETSCH DRUMS Gretsch introduces the Catalina Club “Mini Mod.” This petite powerhouse features Satin Midnight Black lacquer finish embellished by a blood-red stripe overlay, the same color combination found on the back of a Black Widow spider. Other Mini Mod features include mahogany shells with 30degree bearing edges and natural

interior finish, black hardware with offset lugs, mini GTS tom suspension system, and Evans G1 batter heads. Retail: $999 / MAP: $649. Catalina Club “Mini Mod” groove kit sizes are: 20” x 20” bass drum, 8” x 12” tom, 12” x 14” floor tom and 6” x 13” snare. www.GretschDrums.com NAMM Exhibit # 5720

in over 60 different sample sets — over 3,200 samples in all. It allows users to layer any two sample sets and apply synthesizer parameters to each layer, creating different envelopes, filter settings, pitch LFO, pan positions, fine-tune amounts, and more. The master output stage then provides a vintage-style phaser and/or ensemble to the final patch. While fully programmable,

this instrument also ships with over 500 factory presets. The Virtual String Machine can function as a stand-alone instrument in conjunction with a MIDI controller or is a plug-in compatible with most popular host applications. The Virtual String Machine has a MSRP of $149.95. www.m-audio.com NAMM Exhibit # 301, 6700

M-AUDIO M-Audio announces the new Virtual String Machine software instrument developed by partner GForce. This virtual instrument for Macs and PCs emulates the tones of over a dozen of the finest vintage string synthesizers, such as the Freeman String Symphonizer, Eminent 310, ARP Omni II, Polymoog, Korg PE2000, Roland RS202, and Yamaha SS30. The software manifests

The stage is set.

UNITED KINGDOM

The UK’s best-selling brand of acoustic guitar is now available in North America. MUSIQUIP INC. PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED IN THE USA BY MUSIQUIP INC. U.S. SALES: 1-866-335-1352 HEAD OFFICE: 1-866-832-8679 WEB: WWW.TANGLEWOODGUITARS.COM

Tanglewood Guitar Co. Uk is not affliated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Music festival

FEBRUARY 2008

Players get it. Come see why at NAMM booth #5947 Hall B

MMR 83

MARTIN The Mania SCX800 is the latest in Martin’s Mania series of scanners. The SCX800 is a rollerscan effect with all new gobo designs, four “fat” beam projections, and a continuously rotating mirror drum. It’s suited for DJs, live performers, and club owners. This scanner effect houses the highest-quality optical system for maximum light output and true high-defi nition image quality. It combines with a long-life

150-watt discharge lamp (6000 hours, included) to kick out a powerful array of graphics and color. Included are eight interchangeable, index-able rotating gobos and a separate shutter for fast strobe effects. Designed for both installation and portable use, the SCX800 is DMX controllable and includes 24 pre-programmed shows. www.martin.com NAMM Exhibit # 5776

PRO-MARK Jason Bonham has worked with the design team at Pro-Mark to create the Jason Bonham SD531W drumsticks. Made of American rock maple, the SD531W is 16 ½” long and .595” in diameter. It features a relatively short taper and a large wood modified acorn-shaped tip for added power and volume. The suggested list price is $13.45. www.promark.com NAMM Exhibit # 3056

WOOD VIOLINS Wood Violins, headed by electric violinist Mark Wood (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Celine Dion) has developed three new products: The Stingray SV4 electric violin, the WVA-10D Wood Electric Violin Amplifier, and the WWP-1 Wood Wah. www.woodviolins.com NAMM Exhibit # 4883 84 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 6976

Holy Stain Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai It’s an echo, multi-tap delay, reverse echo, and performance looper with up to 30 seconds of loop time, all in true stereo! Featuring tap tempo, vintage tape echo filtering, and 8 programmable presets... it’s got all the Hazarai. Designed for the performing musician and destined to be one of the most creative tools on your pedalboard.

Righteous multi-effect possibilities emerge when Reverbs, Pitch Shifting and celestial Tremolo meld with pure analog Drive and Fuzz. The brilliance of the Stain lies in the dynamic interaction of its controls – create novel tonal metaphors. Stain the hearts of your fans!

#1 Echo

Micro POG

Up to two seconds of delay with a warm analog style decay. Sits beautifully in any track or performance. EH has a reputation for quality delays and this number is a prime example.

Make your 6-string ring like a 12. Make your 4-string bass pump like an 8. Convert your guitar into a convincing bass. Generate organ-like harmonic structures. Fast, glitch free polyphonic tracking.

Germanium OD

Holy Grail +

Knockout

Classic 60’s overdrive from genuine germanium transistors. Bias and Volts controls let you easily dial in that perfect vintage germanium tone. Need proof? Listen to the online demo.

This upgrade of the Holy Grail adds graceful Room Reverb and a multi-function control for reverb time, damping, and modulation speed. The Grail just got a little more divine!

This powerful two-filter combination makes your humbuckers sound like single coils and your Strat sound like a Tele. Use it after distortion for the heavyweight punch of the metal masters. Awesome on bass!

See us at NAMM Booth 5396

Stereo Electric Mistress Generate panoramic Axis: Bold As Love textures. Manually flange or freeze sound in Filter Matrix mode. Use Chorus with Flanger for ultra rich modulations. Colorful and seductive in stereo!

www.ehx.com www.myspace.com/ehpedals

COLORADO CASE COMPANY Colorado Case Company announces a new backpack to its Cavallaro line. The backpack-style case holds a flute or piccolo, along with music, laptop and more. It can be carried like a briefcase, or unzip the backpack compartment and the case quickly converts to a backpack. The backpack straps are padded and color-coordinated. The outer pack cloth is available in a wide range of colors, all of which

offer protection from rain and snow. The outside features a traditional horizontal pocket, and a vertical pocket for access when carried as a backpack. The case also features a removable 2” wide shoulder strap. Inside, the case is lined with a shearling material which provides cushioning and style. www.coloradocase.com NAMM Exhibit # 4805

SEYMOUR DUNCAN Seymour Duncan releases a new pedal, the SFX-04 Twin Tube Mayhem, a high-gain guitar pre-amp that uses a duet of subminiature 6205 vacuum tubes. The Twin Tube Mayhem employs a fully encapsulated, toroidal transformer to achieve the high plate voltage required for true tube amplification and maximum dynamic range. Additional gain is achieved with a high-voltage, low-noise Class A input stage. It also features a user-selectable

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 3328

4dB or 8dB boost, which allows for lead and rhythm levels to be set independently. The pedal also features true bypass with gold relays, over 90 dB of gain, a silent switching circuit designed to eliminate pops and clicks, and a heavy-duty chassis with a nickel-plated chassis and “chicken head” knobs. A 16volt AC transformer is also included. www.seymourduncan.com NAMM Exhibit # 4358

See us at NAMM Booth 5861

MMR 87

OVATION

See us at NAMM Booth 5721

Ovation introduced the midpriced Ultra 2071 in June, 2007. For 2008, Ovation’s Ultra family will be expanded to include Ovation’s signature multi-soundhole design. Ultra guitars are a global alliance between Ovation’s factory in Korea and the U.S. factory in New Hartford, Conn. Subassemblies made at the offshore factory are shipped to New Hartford, where craftsmen carry out the final assembly and setup process. The result is a professional instrument with the feel and playability of U.S.made Ovation guitars. Features such as Ovation’s lightweight Contour body, solid AA grade spruce top, scalloped LX bracing, “soft V” neck profi le, and the OP Pro preamp make the 2178 a good value in the mid-priced acoustic/electric market. Other features include a five-piece mahogany and maple neck with two-way truss adjustment and Ovation’s OP Pro preamp with Ovation High Output pickup. Available in Black, Vintage Amber, and Black Cherry Burst finishes. Retail: $1,299 / MAP: $799. www.ovationguitars.com www.adamasguitars.com NAMM Exhibit #5720

SIERRA GUITARS Sierra Guitars introduces the Sierra Compass ST10, a travel-size acoustic guitar. This scaleddown 34” guitar serves as a travel instrument or a comfortable guitar for beginners. Featuring a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides for a warm and natural tone, the Compass incorporates die-cast machine heads and is available in a natural satin finish. The Sierra Compass also displays a signature compass-shaped inlay on the 12th fret marker, unique to each Sierra Guitar series. A padded Sierra gig bag is included for protection and traveling ease. List price is $399. www.sierraguitars.net NAMM Exhibit # 5420 88 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 7002

FEBRUARY 2008

SOFTWARE IS NOW SUPERCHARGED WITH

Test drive the souped-up features of AIMsi’s Version 8 upgrade at NAMM— Booth#1200

Tri-Technical Systems, Inc. Providing Accounting and Inventory Management systems integration for the music retailer since 1984. 3162 Cedar Crest Ridge • Dubuque, IA 52003 • Toll Free 800.670.1736 • www.AIMsi.biz

BARCUS-BERRY The Barcus-Berry Pulse Metro Tuner is a four-in-one digital metronome, chromatic tuner, guitar tuner, and pitch generator with wide backlit LCD screen. The Pulse works with any instrument, including voice. The digital quartz metronome produces synthesized digital sound for a loud and clear tone that is adjustable with a choice of strong chime beats or weak drum beats. The wide LCD meter simulates a pendulum motion, while the two-color screen displays a strong or weak beat with a red or green color. Five different rhythms are possible with tempo ranges that are easily adjustable from 40 to 216 times a minute. The dual tuner has 12-note full-range capacity and can easily transpose into all keys with an easy-toread, illuminated, wide LCD screen that

YAMAHA BAND & ORCHESTRAL Yamaha Band & Orchestral Division launches an update to its SV-120K Concert Select Silent Violin with the debut of the SV-130K. The new model will provide improved electronics that aid in the elimination of background noise and features an auxiliary-in capability and onboard reverb. A broader choice of striking colors are now available including Navy Blue, Antique Brown, Black, and Candy Apple Red. With the inclusion of a 1/4” output jack, the instrument can be played through any standard amplifier, and the violin’s improved circuitry produces higher quality while reducing noise output. The SV-130K may be used along with an MP3 or CD player through the Aux-In jack, useful for practicing and to playing along with favorite songs. The violin can also be played through a traditional amplifier. Available in June, the SV-130K carries an MSRP of $845; the SV-130SK Silent Violin Outfit (violin with wood tear-drop case and wood bow) has a suggested retail price of $1,125. Both products carry a five-year limited warranty. www.yamaha.com NAMM Exhibit # 100, 4578, 6524 FEBRUARY 2008

acts like a tuning meter. A 1/4” line-in jack for electric guitar and a built-in mic for acoustic guitar are included. The Pulse contains quadra flat tuning, so there is no need to remove a capo to tune a guitar. This compact metronome and dual tuner weighs only four ounces and takes two AAA batteries. The retail price is $39. www.barcusberry.com NAMM Exhibit # 5420

Meeting the Needs of Students for More Than 25 Years ... Our Best-Selling SV-175 Cremona Violin! Cremona bowed instruments have set the pace for the vibrant student and rental markets for over 25 years. Strict adherence to international sizing requirements, domestic educational set-up standards and continuous quality improvement have made Cremona Violins, Violas, Basses and Cellos proven sales leaders. Our best-selling, ebony fitted SV-175 Cremona Premier Violin Outfit has again been upgraded to include the new LaSalle LB-15 Octagonal Bow and the TL-33 deluxe rectangular Travelite case.

Cremona SV-175 Violin Outfit: •Six sizes from 4⁄4 to 1⁄16 •Long lasting ebony fittings •Finetuner tailpiece for precise, easy tuning •Rugged TL-33 Travelite case •All-solid carved, graduated construction •Well-balanced LaSalle LB-15 bow with ebony frog Still

149

$

Suggested Retail

SV-175

See us at NAMM Booth 5760

[800] BUY-SAGA www.sagamusic.com Dealer inquiries invited.

MMR 91

TAYLOR Taylor has released three new SolidBody electric guitar models. The SolidBody Custom (sapele body with an inset top of figured walnut and Venetian cutaway) will retail for $3,098; list price for the SolidBody Standard (sapele with a flame maple inset top and Florentine cutaway) is $2,398; and the SolidBody Classic (swamp ash with crushed pearl pickguard and Florentine cutaway) will list for $1,748. All three guitars

feature new proprietary pickups: Style I, a ¾-size humbucker design for Custom and Classic models, and Style II, an opencoil humbucker for the Standard model. Other Taylor-exclusive touches include the T-Lock neck; a sculpted, completely adjustable all-aluminum bridge and volume and tone knobs that are specially contoured for maximum control. www.taylorguitars.com NAMM Exhibit # 213 ABC

HAL LEONARD Hal Leonard C presents two new titles in the Instrumental Play-Along series: High School Musical 2 and Wicked. High School Musical 2 features 10 songs from the popular Disney Channel sequel, including: “All for One,” “Fabulous,” “I Don’t Dance,” “Work This Out,” and “You Are the Music in Me.” Wicked includes 13 songs from the Broadway hit, such as “Defying Gravity,” “For Good,” “One Short Day,” “Popular,” and “The Wizard and I.” Each Instrumental Play-Along pack includes a book arranged for the solo

instrumentalist along with an accompaniment CD. They are available for 10 instruments: flute, clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax, trumpet, horn, trombone, violin, viola, and cello. High School Musical 2 Instrumental Play-Alongs are priced at $12.95 each, and the Wicked packs retail for $11.95. www.halleonard.com NAMM Exhibit # 4618

MICROSONIC MUSIC Microsonic Music provides high-quality music monitors that allow users to hear themselves like never before. Microsonic monitors can greatly help to prevent hearing loss from exposure to the noise intensity on stage. The universal earpiece features a movable nozzle to customize the earpiece, a choice of soft sleeves, and easy adaptation of custom-molded sleeves for maximum sound isolation. The monitors are available in three models. www.microsonicmusic.com NAMM Exhibit # 6698 92 MMR See us at NAMM Booth 6824

See us at NAMM Booth 6230 FEBRUARY 2008

March 12 – 15, 2008 live for the music

As a musical instrument manufacturer you can view the international market place with optimism. Your success is based on high product quality, innovative development and enhancement of product lines and first-class customer service. Make sure you keep your eye on the ball this year by coming to Musikmesse in Frankfurt to learn about the latest technical innovations and try out the latest instruments. As the leading international trade fair for musical instruments, music software and hardware, sheet music and accessories, Musikmesse offers the opportunity to develop contacts with representatives of manufacturing companies and to forge successful business links. You can also enjoy a host of professional product presentations from well-known musicians at this outstanding insider event. Tel. 770.984.8016 Musikmesseinfo@usa.messefrankfurt.com www.musikmesse.com

See us at NAMM Booth 5904

GIG-FX Gig-Fx launches the VOD Variable OverDrive pedal. The VOD features a three-position switch built into the pedal mechanism, allowing the musician to step on the pedal to achieve three different levels of distortion. Each level can be pre-set to give the exact amount of gain and distortion required. Three LEDs indicate precisely which sound has been selected, and a notched pedal mechanism lets the musician feel when each level has been achieved. In addition, the VOD features a three-band EQ to allow the musician to select the tone of the distortion to an individual taste or preserve the natural tone of the instrument. With the pedal all the way back, the VOD is bypassed with a true analog signal path that allows all frequencies and harmonics to pass in the same way a mechanical switch would do. The EQ can be adjusted to provide a choice of a treble cut / boost, or mid cut / boost, or bass cut / boost, so that the exact tone of the instrument is preserved or enhanced. The MSRP is $249.99. NAMM Exhibit # 1338

tycoon’s exclusive signature grand design features: • wider bodies for extra depth and power • hand-selected ash quinto, conga and tumba • premium-grade calfskin heads and classic-pro™ hoops • brushed chrome hardware (909) 393-5555 TYCOONPERCUSSION.COM

See us at NAMM Booth 2746

VIC FIRTH The new Tom Aungst Tenor Hybrid blends the feel of a traditional tenor mallet with the sound of a snare stick. Aungst, DCI Hall of Fame member, arranger and director of percussion for the Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps, and percussion director for the Dartmouth (Mass.) Public School System, designed this implement for multi-tenor playing. The handle features a “step-down” design for grip comfort and creates a shaft dimension that makes for an ideal stick weight. The “rim-shot zone” is perfectly placed just before the pronounced taper. www.vicfirth.com NAMM Exhibit # 3040 FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 95

GATOR

ZOOGEE Zoogee World Inc. announces a new way to customize picks, the “Rick Rock Guitar Pick.” The company offers a photo-quality custom print captured inside a transparent three-dimensional dome. It is produced with a special liquid resin and made to produce superior sound and brighter tones; longer pick durability; and production in any shape or size without die charges. It is available to be put on key chains, necklaces, zipper pulls, and cell phone attachments. The company is seeking retail and promotional distributors worldwide, including guitar manufacturers and distributors. www.zoogee.com NAMM Exhibit #1019

96 MMR

Gator releases the Pop-n-Play series of guitar slinger bags, featuring a built-in PE reinforced bottle cap opener to pop the top off your favorite beverage and an iPod/MP3 player storage pocket with viewable window right on the shoulder strap. The case has a rubber grommet to thread ear buds through, allowing the MP3 player to be used

while it is in the case. The heavyduty 600-denier nylon gig bags have 20mm foam padding, an adjustable sling-style strap, and internal storage for ear buds. The series is available for bass and electric guitar models. MSRP is $49.99 to $59.99. www.gatorcases.com NAMM Exhibit # 5100

CONN-SELMER Conn-Selmer, Inc. announces the new Avanti step-up flutes. Avanti flutes are designed by Bickford Brannen, founder of the Brannen Bros. Flutemakers. Two models of Avanti flutes are available, and each model features a sterling silver Avanti-Brannen headjoint. The Avanti-Brannen headjoint makes the characteristic Brannen sound more accessible to the developing flutist. Hand-cut, each headjoint

is crafted in a “sound-driven” process. The model 2000 features a sterling silver body and foot joint tubing, a sterling silver barrel and receiver, a silver-plated mechanism, and a 10K gold springs set. The model 1000 is identical, except that it features silver-plated body and foot joint tubing as well as steel springs. www.conn-selmer.com NAMM Exhibit #4224, 4600

FEBRUARY 2008

Dear Friends of Schimmel! In a challenging market we made many efforts to strengthen our product lines.

Yourr keys to You to happiness happiness

We received the Choc-Award honoring our quality for the new K230 grand. Your strong sales proved us to be on the right track. We thank you for another record year!

P.S. Come and visit us in booth number 208A and 208C!

See us at NAMM Booths 208A, 209A

Contact for more information: 800 426 3205 | schimmel@ptd.net | www.schimmel-piano.de

Visit us at NAMM Booth 5904 9 – 12 October 2008 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China

- over 35,000 Chinese distributors, dealers, retailers and musicians - nearly 3,000 international visitors from 90 countries of the world - over 1,000 exhibitors showing a broad product mix of both western and traditional Chinese instruments - set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most exciting and rapidly-developing music product markets

Unique ingredients = a unique show. Come to Music China 2008! For information, visit www.musikmesse.com Or email info@usa.messefrankfurt.com

MIGHTY MOE The Mighty Moe Amp Strap is the most portable amplifier in the world, according to its maker. A 2 1/2” boot-leather strap supports the guitar while a dedicated cable connects to the Mightytone amp and speaker. Mighty Moe lasts up to nine hours on a single nine-volt battery and provides a big volume boost

PETERSON for both solidbody and acoustic/ electric guitars. For quiet practicing, a 1/8” jack for a headset cancels Mighty Moe’s speaker. Mighty Moe fits in a guitar bag and is usable for travel, practice, and even performing. The street price is $79. www.mightymoe.com NAMM Exhibit # 1188

MONO CASE MONO Hybrid Cases feature the Neckbrace patented support system for electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. The strap-in design suspends the guitar neck, headstock, and tuning pegs inside the case, protecting vulnerable points during hard impact. The cases feature laminated foam shells with strategically placed ABS panels to create lightweight cases offering heavyweight protection. Exterior features include clip/tuck shoulder straps for on-the-fly adjustments and steelriveted handles built to take abuse. The full

product MONO line-up also includes cases for percussion instruments, and the MSRP for all range from $80 to $259. www.monocase.com NAMM Exhibit #1252

Peterson’s BodyBeat is described as the first metronome that produces a pulsing vibration that allows musicians to easily internalize the beat. The BodyBeat clips onto the belt line and a small separate “vibe clip” transmits the beat, in the form of a pulse (including subdivisions and accents), directly to the user. Research has shown that separate neural pathways to the brain exist for tactile impulses and visible/audible information which is why musicians find that tactile pulses are quickly internalized, allowing them to concentrate on reading and listening to the music without the constant distraction of an audio or visual metronome. Feeling the beat, not having to listen to clicks or look at blinking LEDs makes it much easier to focus on the music and playing in correct time. The BodyBeat can also be used like an ordinary metronome with audible and visual modes. An A440 reference tone is also featured. It is suitable for all musicians and has a MSRP of $129. www.PetersonTuners.com NAMM Exhibit #5990

booth 5856 Legend4 Classic $749.00

Anniversary ‘Bass Bass' $15,000.00 ARC6 Pro list $749.00

FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 99

LITTLITE Littlite introduces two new lamp set models for music stand applications. The MS-12-HI and MS-18-HI use a five-watt halogen lamp, while the MS-12-LED and MS-18-LED provide a warm white light via a combination of red and white LEDs. The halogen model features a dimmer while the LED version includes an on/ off switch. Designed for use with standard, flat-edged Manhasset-style music stands, MS series can be mounted anywhere along the perimeter of the stand, enabling the light to be conveniently positioned without blocking the musician’s view. Additionally, the MS series features Littlite’s new GXF-10 switching power supply. The 2.1mm quick-disconnect will accept Littlite’s accessory cables, enabling users to power multiple lamps from a single power supply. Retail prices are $71.25 for high-intensity models and $105 for LED models. www.littlite.com NAMM Exhibit # 7002

MOSER Moser Custom Shop announces the MCS Scimitar guitar and bass, which feature a traditional double cutaway shape. MCS also presents its Spawn SV guitar, offering a radical sweeping body and headstock. The Spawn SV is available in a variety of fi nishes and either a fi xed-bridge or Floyd Rose licensed double-locking tremolo. Most import models feature alder bodies, 24-fret maple neck, as well as bone or locking nuts and two high-output humbucking pickups. All Moser instruments are available with a hardshell case or deluxe padded gig bag. www.mosercustomshop.com NAMM Exhibit # 1170 100 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

NAMM Booth #2702

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gcXp`kefnkle\j%Zfd 1-800-660-6850

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See us at NAMM Booths 301, 6700

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LASHBROOK GUITARS Lashbrook Guitars exhibits its first production model guitar at the 2008 NAMM Show. The solidbody electric LTH1 features Lashbrook’s new piezo technology, which offers a greater range of natural tones. Lashbrook’s invention features a proprietary design, which employs tone woods instead of metal for the bridge and saddles. www.lashbrookguitars.com NAMM Exhibit #1175

VIC FIRTH Vic Firth unveils the new Vinnie Paul Signature Stick. Heavy metal drummer and producer Vinnie Paul is most known for his work with Pantera, Damageplan, and Hell Yeah. His reputation for playing with power and speed is legendary. While designing his stick, Vinnie commented, “I have always liked playing with the American Classic Rock model. However, I always wanted a little more

overall length and a larger tip. Thanks to Vic, I now have my perfect stick! The length, strength, weight, and durability are exactly what I was looking for.” The stick is made of hickory and designed with a full-sized shaft and an enlarged teardrop tip. Length is 16-7/8” and diameter is .630”. The MSRP is $15. www.vicfirth.com NAMM Exhibit #3040

PEARL DRUMS Pearl Drums unveils a variety of new drum products at NAMM. The Jimmy DeGrasso Signature Snare Drum is a 14” x 5.5” hammered brass snare drum with gold-plated hardware, ideal for loud, amplified music. DeGrasso has laid the foundation for such hard rock acts as Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Suicidal Tendencies, and most notably, Megadeth. The Mike Mangini Signature Snare Drum features a six-ply, 100% birch shell in a unique 10” x 6.2” size, complete with “Phi” graphic covering. Mangini, a Berklee College of Music professor and international clinician, worked with Pearl to create a drum based on the ancient architectural phenomenon that is the Greekbased mathematical “golden ratio.” This snare features Swivel Tube Lugs, SuperHoop II hoops and an included OptiMount holder. Also new from Pearl is the Morgan Rose Signature Snare Drum, made in cooperation with the drummer for the band Sevendust. The model is a 14” x 5” steel drum with stainless steel tension rods, and a green metallic finish with glow-in-the-dark “Alien” graphic. www.pearldrums.com NAMM Exhibit #2634 FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 3040

MMR 103

VOYAGE-AIR The Voyage-air guitar is the only full-size acoustic guitar that fits in the overhead compartment of all major U.S. airlines. This ease of travel is made possible by a patented hinge that allows the neck to quickly and easily fold over the body without the use of any tools or the removal of strings. Starting at $1,499, the standard model OM comes with mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top,

a 14-fret 1¾” neck, and a travel backpack case. Voyage-air Guitar now debuts The Stealth, a carved-top electric inspired by military aircraft. The Stealth is fitted with the same patented hinge as the acoustic, allowing the neck to quickly and easily fold over the body for safe storage in the overhead compartment. www.voyageairguitar.com NAMM Exhibit # 2714

XOX AUDIO TOOLS

Photograph by Thomas Libis

The Handle from XOX Audio Tools was created by the award-winning designer Peter Solomon. Its mono-chassis, hollow-sectioned construction favors direct transmission of acoustic vibrations and creates a resonance chamber similar to that of a semi-acoustic guitar. The Handle is made from carbon fiber, a material developed for the aerospace industry and used in F1 race cars. This ultra-lightweight material is incredibly resistant and won’t bend or deform under high temperatures or humidity. Also, carbon fiber offers a much wider harmonic range than wood. The handle was designed for speed and comfort, with its concave form, thin profi le, slim neck, and light weight. www.xoxaudiotools.com NAMM Exhibit # 2527

X2

®

www.ElecaAmps.com/eAmp iPod® is the registered trademark of Apple, Inc. • iPod® not included.

104 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 4897

X2 Digital Wireless Systems releases the XDR955 Handheld Digital Wireless Microphone. The system ships standard with the Audix OM3 capsule. Features include: high and low RF power mode, user-enabled mute function, and lockout mode for the controls. All modes are accessed via custom back-lit LCD which automatically darkens seconds after setup.

The XDH4 handheld transmitter features polycarbonate material to house the unit’s circuitry. Signal transfer from the microphone capsule is handled by mechanical connection and arrives at the A/D converter millimeters from the capsule, resulting in vocal clarity. The MSRP is r$999. www.x2digitalwireless.com NAMM Exhibit #1874 FEBRUARY 2008

Completely complimentary content... online, all the time.

Check out digital magazine.

’s

We’re leading the digital revolution and are making it even easier for you to connect with players.

Reach readers and visitors when they’re ready to buy!

With Premier Guitar, players have four easy ways to find the gear they need: the magazine, www.premierguitar.com, our new digital magazine, and Gear Search.

To find out how you can reach more than 325,000 visitors and readers a month, call 800-574-7333. See us at NAMM Booth 1445

BLUE BOOK acoustic electric instruments, and serialization on most major trademarks. This edition covers many of the current and discontinued acoustic guitar companies/trademarks, including the new crop of luthiers; contains a thoroughly revised trademark

index with contact information; and features hundreds of photos depicting popular makes and models. The new edition also showcases the full-color Photo Grading System, which is a tool to correctly ascertain the various grades of both new and vintage acoustic instruments. MSRP is $29.95. www.bluebookinc.com NAMM Exhibit # 5400

aluminum faceplate and toroidal power transformer, it also comes with each channel featuring identical controls, including switches for bypass, high cut and low cut, as well as six large aluminum rotaries for the EQ section. The right side of the Hammer faceplate offers a heavy-duty Carling on/off toggle

switch and large jewel lamp for power indication. Connections to and from the product are accomplished on the rear panel via a pair of balanced Neutrik XLR input jacks and pair of balanced XLR output jacks. It has a MSRP of $2,695. www.adesignsaudio.com NAMM Exhibit # 6290

The 11th edition of Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars is now more than 700 pages and features hundreds of new images. Written by Zachary R. Fjestad and edited by S. P. Fjestad, the fully revised edition keeps the reader up to date on new and vintage pricing, technical information on acoustic and

A-DESIGNS AUDIO The Hammer is a new vacuum tubeequipped HM2EQ. The EQ unit is a dual-mono channel, three-band, analog equalizer engineered with a fi ltering system that allows the even harmonics to flow through its 12AT Phillips tubes, fi ltering out unwanted noise. The resulting sound is warm and musical yet highly transparent with a clean, airy high end. Housed in a 2U metal chassis with an

Case Humidifier For Stringed Instruments

The Humidifier that Lets You See When It’s Ready for Refill Humidifies 7-10 Days Before Being Ready for Refill

Full

Ready for Refill

www.oasishumidifiers.com Visit us at NAMM Booth #1114

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 4768

MMR 107

JODYJAZZ Jody Espina has developed the DV baritone to complete the DV series of saxophone mouthpieces. With effortless playing, strong projection, and a rich, throaty baritone sound, the DV is a good choice for all styles of playing. Also new is the DV NY alto. The DV NY alto is inspired by today’s New York City jazz scene, delivering flawless performance, ease of play, and a deep, dark, warm tone. The DV NY has a deep chamber/baffle, which makes the tone very rich and colorful while allowing the player to create a personal voice. Both new mouthpieces are hand-finished and plated in 24-karat gold. www.JodyJazz.com NAMM Exhibit # 2924

New!e and

ton DV Bari Alto N DV Y

See us at NAMM Booth 2924

EPILOG LASER Epilog Laser announces the release of the Legend EXT, a large-scale laser engraver that combines a robust design with userfriendly features that make personalizing instruments as easy as pressing the print button on your computer. Users can create beautiful designs that add style and flair to the instrument of their choice – even large or uniquely shaped items like guitars, horns, tubas and more. Drumsticks are another popular musical item that can be engraved. Users often go beyond standard initials or text, and instead opt to engrave creative patterns on the entire surface of the stick. www.epiloglaser.com NAMM Exhibit # 1051 108 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 5720

FEBRUARY 2008

The Power of

Featuring the new, cutting edge PC3X and the superior SP2X, Kurzweil offers the most powerful and ďƒ&#x;exible line of keyboards and synthesizers available at any price. Choose instruments with award-winning sound and state of the art technology... choose Kurzweil.

See us at NAMM Booth 303CD

www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com

19060 S. Dominguez Hills Drive, Rancho Dominguez CA 90220

the

Right POP

for YOUR Store

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PIONEER Pioneer Electronics (USA) unveils the SVM-1000, described as the world’s first reference audio and video combination mixer designed for elite DJs, VJs, and club venues to enhance their audio/video performance. In addition to mixing audio and video, the SVM-1000 mixer incorporates a built-in 11” LCD touch-panel display, symmetric channel layout, four-channel audio and video inputs, Still Image Sampler, and hundreds of combinations of video effects. Features and audio mixing capabilities of the SVM-1000 are similar to the industry

standard Pioneer DJM1000/800 mixers, which give DJs and VJs the creative freedom to build and create synchronized visual effects to accompany their audio mix. Additional features include multiple video blending technology; audio video effect function; AV Beat Effect; AV Touch Effect; and more. The mixer employs 96 kHz / 24-bit digital sampling and a 32-bit Digital

Signal Processor. The video signal input through the Analog to Digital Converter is image processed at 600MHz / 32-bit / 4800MIPS (Million Instructions per Second) to maintain high dynamic range and minimized noise resulting in accurate and clear visuals. www.pioneer.com NAMM Exhibit # 211 B, 6928

TAMA Tama was first major drum maker to craft all-bubinga drumsets, as the rich-grained but difficult to work with wood had previously seen use only as a drum veneer. Now Tama debuts the Starclassic Bubinga Cordia series, which will be the same price as the Starclassic Bubinga Series that features a premium maple outer-ply. The

shells are eight inner-plies of bubinga wit one outer-ply of cordia (natural finish.) There is a choice of chrome-plated, black nickel-plated, or brushed nickel-plated shell hardware. It features die-cast hoops and a star-cast mounting system. www.tamadrums.com NAMM Exhibit # 4634

Performance Quality...

That’s Affordable •• Banjos Banjos •• Mandolas Mandolas •• Mandolins Mandolins •• Bouzoukis Bouzoukis •• Octave Octave Mandolins Mandolins •• Acoustic Acoustic Guitars Guitars

859-363-7525 Visit Visit us us at at NAMM NAMM Booth Booth 1015 1015 www.jbovier.net • www.acousticplanetinstruments.com FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 111

ON-STAGE STANDS On-Stage Stands has begun a stand-alone brand dubbed On-Stage Gear, which will feature textile, plastic, and electronic-based products for various product categories. The new line kicks off with the Keyboard Essentials series, which includes dust covers and sustain pedals. The new keyboard dust cover models are made with black or gray spandex and are available in an 88keyboard size (KDA-7088) or for 61-76 keys (KDA-7061). Each cover features an elastic cord with locking clasp to perfectly fit most digital pianos and keyboards. The covers

come with a built-in bag to keep the cover neat and easy to pack. The list price is $24. The new KSP-100 Keyboard Sustain pedal comes with a polarity switch and a builtin six-foot cord with ¼” connector to plug into electronic keyboards. The rubbercoated KSP-100 is also equipped with a chrome foot pedal and removable scratch-resistant pedal cover. The list price is $29. www.onstagestands.com NAMM Exhibit # 6854

AIWEIDY LIGHTING LAUREN The Lauren LTB100 Bb Trombone is reliable and affordable and features a lacquer-finished brass body, decorative bell engraving, 8” bell, brass inner and outer slides, and silver-plated mouthpiece.

112 MMR

It comes with a plush-lined ABS case, a polishing cloth, and slide oil. The list price is $349.99. www.musicorp.com NAMM Exhibit # 5420

Aiweidy releases the A-2028. It accepts DMX 512 signals, can run automatically or be daisy-chained with other lights, and features a RGB nonpolar color-mixed system. NAMM Exhibit #7624

FEBRUARY 2008

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MAKE RODGERS YOUR IN THE CHURCH ORGAN BUSINESS

PARTNER

When you add Rodgers organs to your product lineup, you get at least five big benefits. Increase your REVENUES: Digital organs are the highest average sale in the piano and organ market - and they have the highest gross profit margin, too. Brighten your FUTURE: The rate of church construction is near a 40-year high. That’s a lot of new aisles for brides to walk down while the organ plays the wedding march.

S AT U T VISI SHOW E S A 4 M PLE NAM H 266 E TH BOOT IN

Expand your potential CUSTOMER list: Why not sell a product that opens doors for you with every musician in the congregation? (Ask us about recent church sales that doubled when the organist decided to buy an instrument for home practice.) Improve your STABILITY: Serving churches helps you connect with a wellestablished market that you can rely upon while other music trends come and go. Polish your IMAGE: The customer lists of Rodgers dealers around the world are a who’s who in music and worship. Rodgers is the most respected name in the church organ world.

To discuss dealer appointments in selected markets, contact Duane Kuhn 503.681.0461 dkuhn@rodgers.rain.com

Rodgers Instruments LLC A member of the Roland Group 1300 NE 25th Avenue Hillsboro, Oregon 97124 503.648.4181 fax 503.681.0444 www.rodgersinstruments.com Email: marketing@rodgers.rain.com

FORD DRUMS The Ford Drum Company cushions its offerings with coordinated seat backs. The shape of the seat back mimics their logo and matches the seat color and stitch pattern (they offer several styles.) Reminiscent of the upholstery common to classic T-Birds and Corvettes of the 1950s, the drum seat features contrasting seat bands, tops, and piping along with three quilted stitching styles and another called the “thong.” According to Ford Drums’ Jay Gaylen, while they had planned to offer a back to their new stools from the beginning, requests came in immediately for them and so they pushed up the introduction of this accessory. The Ford Smart Ass line of seats feature Swedish pressure-relieving memory foam typically found in high-end mattresses. The thrones are engineered to conform to the drummer’s unique shape

and provide support and comfort not found in traditional stools. www.forddrums.com NAMM Exhibit #3555

PERCUSSION PLUS Musicorp offers a new model in the Percussion Plus Three-Piece Junior Drum Set. The set is designed for the aspiring drummer ages three to five. Quality features and design provide a real drum feel and sound, with 13” bass drum, 10”

snare, 8” tom, cymbal rod with 8” cymbal, and bass drum pedal with felt beater. The drum set also includes drumsticks and a drum key. It is available in a swirl finish, with a list price of $149.95. www.musicorp.com NAMM Exhibit # 5420

MARATHON Marathon announces the release of their ENT V2 Club & Live Sound series speakers. They are equipped with highpower die-cast frame woofers and titanium compression driver, and feature high-quality plywood construction and texturecoated finish. The surfaces are tough and can be painted to suit any background. FEBRUARY 2008

The grilles are high- tensile steel with a black-coated finish. They are available in four models: ENT-115V2 Single 15” 2-way; ENT-215V2 Dual 15” 2-way; ENT-118V2 Single 18” SUB; and ENT-218V2 Dual 18” SUB. The MSRP begins at $299. www.marathonpro.com NAMM Exhibit # 7309 See us at NAMM Booth 3534

MMR 115

2 Ways to Get

MORE BAND FOR YOUR

BUCK

STASH PICKS Stash Picks, Inc., makers of durable picks in original designs, has created a new display to accommodate their new Classic pick and new marketing strategy. The Classic was presented last year’s NAMM Show, and since it comes in four different gauges (0.8mm, 1.0mm, 1.2mm, and 1.4mm), Stash Picks, Inc. revisited the original display configuration. The latest arrangement includes more pegs to accommodate all the company’s offerings, and a new con-

tainer at the bottom for the signature Stash Tin. The top of the display advertises Stash Picks, Inc. using their tagline “Surprise Your Strings” and drops the gargoyle to the middle of the display back. The bag tags have also been redesigned to communicate each pick’s unique feature or benefit to the buyer, and also include the new overall market communication strategy. www.stashpicks.com NAMM Exhibit # 1331

HAMILTON STANDS

•Economical Price •Superior Quality •Reliable Durability •Made in USA Red Label Strings & Bari Esprit Mouthpieces are proven sellers during band season.

Get Yours Today 1800 375 3234

CavanaughCompany.com 116 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 3515

A line of cushioned musician’s chairs is being introduced by Hamilton Stands with back and seat angles designed to promote proper posture for wind and string instrument players. The cushioned seating provides more comfort, less fatigue, and better circulation than hardshell chairs and is recommended for classroom, stage, and concert hall venues. The chairs stack on their square steel frames, rather than on the cushion. Protective bumpers protect the fi nish when stacking and all four legs have metal

swivel glides for easy sliding and to protect flooring. The rear leg angle makes it difficult for the user to tip the chair back on its legs. Two models are currently offered, the KB1000 for wind and string players and the KB1100 for cellists. A broad palette of frame colors and upholstery fabrics and colors are available. The chair frames carry a 10-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. www.hamiltonstands.com NAMM Exhibit #3505

TASCAM Tascam gives its digital Portastudios an update with a new look, new effects, a new display, and a new price point. The DP-02CF records to compact flash media and includes a pair of XLR mic inputs with phantom power, eight-track recording at CD quality, and two-band EQ per track. It includes a 1GB card as an introductory offer, for plenty of recording time without purchasing additional memory. The DP-02 records to a 40GB hard drive instead of compact flash, and includes a multi-effect processor, stereo

reverb, and CD burner for CD masters and song backup. Both units feature a Portastudio-style interface so that musicians can mix with knobs instead of digging through menus. www.tascam.com NAMM Exhibit # 6491 FEBRUARY 2008

The Ultimate Sound Instrument: 1) UHF Wireless In-Ear Monitoring System 2) Wireless PA System with ith Rec Rechargeable Batteries & CD Player AWP6404

H&F Technologies, Incorporated 650 Flinn Avenue, Moorpark, CA 93021 Tel: (800)661-8069, (805)523-2759 Fax: (805)523-2021 E-Mail: sales@audio2000s.com

速

www.audio2000s.com

Audio2000'S

See us at NAMM Booth 6390 Hall A

PERFORMANCE THAT SINGS QUALITY

Distributor:

Connolly Music Company 8 Vernon Valley Rd. · East Northport, NY 11731 Phone: 1-800-644-5268 · www.km-america.com

KÖNIG & MEYER GE R M A N Y

BECOME A K&M DEALER NAMM BOOTH 3500

SOUND INNOVATIONS Sound Innovations is shipping Kickstand, which attaches to the existing factory strap peg on most guitars and stays. The product allows the guitars to stand the guitar up with no stand, and requires no drilling, gluing, or modifications. It was recently nominated “Best New Accessory for 2007” by Guitar Player magazine. The MSRP is $24.95. www.guitarkickstand.com NAMM Exhibit #4198

ROCKANO PRODUCTIONS Rockano Productions presents the Facelift, a custom-cut removable and re-usable vinyl overlay for guitar. It is easy to put on and take off, and does no damage to the guitar. Professional guitarist Rick Parfitt (“Status Quo”) says he got the idea on a UK tour in 2003, and with business partner Mike Hrano, they

spent months on the prototype before taking it to Fender, who gave it their okay. Currently their nine different designs are available on the Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster, and plans are in the works to include more guitar shapes in the future. NAMM Exhibit #2511

America’s Premier Guitar & Bass Parts Supplier

Delta Series by GOTOH 1:21 ratio

HOHNER

AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF FINISHES & STYLES

Send $4 US for COLOR CATALOG 13027 Brittmoore Park Drive, Houston, Texas 77041

FEBRUARY 2008

The Hoodoo Box Harmonica Amplifier, designed specifically for harmonica players, is a five-watt, Class A, tube amplifier featuring a single EL84 power tube, a single 12 AX7 pre-amp tube, a single 12AU7 pre-amp tube (in the 2nf gain stage), classic spring reverb, an 8” Celestion “Super 8” speaker, and a balanced XLR direct out which can be used as a recording output or as a send to the front of house PA. The Hoodoo Box retails for $399.99, MAPs for $279 and features retro styling including a black “Rhino-skin” Tolex cover with white pinstriping and special Hohner grille cosmetics. www.hohnerusa.com NAMM Exhibit # 3240

See us at NAMM Booth 3040

MMR 119

ZILDJIAN The Avedis Zildjian Co. introduces the latest addition to its collection of artist-designed drumsticks. The Antonio Sanchez Artist Series Drumstick is 16 ¼” long with a 0.550” diameter and is suited for jazz, funk or fusion. A longtime Zildjian drumstick player, Sanchez has been working on his personal stick with Zildjian for the past few years. His model combines a standard shaft with extra

length and a heavier front-end, which allow for heavier hitting when the music demands it. The U.S. Select Hickory stick features a barrel tip for excellent stick definition and full drum tones, and is finished with the artist’s “Diablo” signature in metallic red. Antonio Sanchez is only the second drummer in the past 20-plus years to hold the drum chair for the Pat Metheny

Group. Metheny has also consistently called on Sanchez to play in his popular trios, usually reserved for musicians outside of the Group. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Sanchez has also played with Chick Corea, Joshua Redman, and Michael Brecker, among others. www.zildjian.com NAMM Exhibit #2940

suited for recording studio vocals, acoustic instruments, strings, horns, orchestral/choral groups, ambient instrument audio, and many live sound applications. The RSM-8A has low-tension 50mm long, 2-micron thick aluminum ribbon (velocity) design for characteristic “large, mellow” ribbon audio reproduction with smooth, natu-

ral extended low and high ends. Other features include: Over 40db higher gain than most non-active ribbon microphones, so it is easier to use with any mic mixer or preamp; -10dB pad and Low Cut fi lter selector switches for attenuation and elimination of stage rumble; fast, accurate transient response, 165dB SPL capability and overall realism; Fig-

NADY SYSTEMS Nady Systems recently introduced their latest ribbon microphone, the RSM-8A. The mic has the warmth and natural sound of a classic Nady large-ribbon mic plus the higher gain of conventional studio microphones and the selectable features offered by proven ultra low-noise FET active circuitry and transformer output. The RSM-8 meets the requirements of the most demanding digital recording and live broadcasting applications, and is

120 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 1357

FEBRUARY 2008

ure-8 audio directional (pickup) pattern for front and rear sides, extended sweet spots, increased off-axis high-frequency response on sides, with decreased treble and lower audio levels above and below on-axis. www.nady.com NAMM Exhibit #4650

AUDIO 2000’s Audio2000’S presents the AWM6304DU UHF diversity wireless in-ear monitoring system. The AWM6304DU is a UHF band wireless system with a dual-antenna diversity reception and a PLL-synthesized circuitry with 48 preprogrammed frequencies. To insure an excellent sound quality, the product features a volume limiter function, an equalizer setting function, a squelch setting function, and a stereo/ mix audio output selection. A rackmounting bracket is included in the package. The AWM6304DU system and accessories are well organized in a provided hard PVC carrying case for portability. Also new at the trade show is the AWP6407 universal PA and karaoke system. With an anti-shock CDG/CD/MP3 player and a digital recorder, the system is designed and developed to fulfi ll the dual purposes as a portable PA system or as a portable karaoke equipment. Rounding out Audio2000’s introductions are new USB condenser microphones and Ribbon Microphones. The ACM1101 USB condenser microphone, which can be used with a 48V phantom power or connected to the computer USB input. It has an extra-large 35mm gold sputtered capsule, a low cut switch, and 0dB/-10dB pad switch. A headphone jack is included for direct monitoring purpose. The ARM1102 is a professional aluminum ribbon microphone with a special tubular shape. It offers a rich, warm, and classic sound with an excellent transient response. The ATM1104 tube condenser microphone is for the applications requiring low distortion, high sound pressure, and elimination of unnecessary low-end frequency. The ATM1104 features nine different polar patterns remotely selectable on a custom power supply. www.audio2000s.com NAMM Exhibit #6390 FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 5805

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6*+5 +5 %#4. (+5%*'4 MMR 121

At A Glance:

Yvonne de Villiers Luna Guitars

Who: Executive director/designer, Luna Guitars Where: Tampa, Fla. Founded: 2003

Inspiration: “I was inspired to start Luna Guitars with the aim of bringing balance to the marketplace by providing quality instruments for females that were ergonomically friendly as well visually striking. My petite mother [Hilda Williers] made a career as a pioneering bass player in a rock band, so I was aware of the need for more comfortable instruments and set out to make them elegant as well.” Who knew: “Our sales are now 40% female, 60% male so we are on target for bringing forth the balance that was Luna’s original intent.” Personal: Husband Mike, a guitarist; son Shaun, a drummer; cats Shakti and Hummer Kitty. I knew I wanted to be in this business when … “I was a stainedglass artist for 30 years and was asked

to do some inlay designs for Dean acoustics (Key Largo, Zen, Tribal.) The design process for stained glass is exactly the same as for inlay. When I made the connection of using musical instruments as a new type of blank canvas, I was hooked!” In my car CD player right now: Vicki Genfan’s “Up Close & Personal.” Career low point: “The first NAMM show when prototype production was so down to the wire that products were being shipped from overseas to my hotel.” Career high point: “Also my first NAMM show when the prototypes actually arrived and were more beautiful than I expected.” Best part of my job: “Coming up with ideas, sending them halfway around the world and back, and unpacking the results. Way better than presents at Christmas.” Most challenging: “Having to learn patience and surrender to a new process. As a stained-glass artist, I controlled the entire artistic process on my shop table from conception to creation. Now the fabrication is out of my hands, so excellent communication skills and infinite patience are essential.” My biggest mistake: “Being afraid to make a mistake!”

122 MMR

“You don’t have to swing at every pitch.” If I could go back in time and tell my younger self one thing, it would be: “Relax. You don’t have to swing at every pitch.” Last good book I read: Running With Scissors. The most important thing about doing business with a retailer is: “To really listen. To understand who walks into their store and what their comments/reactions are when they try our instruments.” The most important quality to look for when hiring someone: “Intensity. Passion. Tenacity. Optimism. Confidence. A sense of humor. The sense of humor is pretty high on the list.” True or False: Can you be happy AND rich in the music instrument business? “Absolutely. If your path has heart, you are rich in any business.” Motto/Favorite Quote/Words to Live By: Rumi: “Take down a musical instrument. Let the beauty you love be what you do.” FEBRUARY 2008

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See us at NAMM Booth 4400

800-348-9737 infomt@humes-berg.com www.humes-berg.com

LIGHT AND AUDIO

Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Makes DJ/Pro Audio Work

R

andy White of Chuck Levin’s Washington Music, knows the market, knows DJ gear, and knows one more thing … Washington Music’s success can be repeated elsewhere. “We’re an AIMM dealer [Alliance of Independent Music Merchants], and we tried to talk the others in the group into making the commitment [to DJ gear] two years ago,” White says. “We’re all in this together, and we wanted them all to try it. We also wanted to help them to make the right selection of products because we believe what we’re doing can work anywhere in the country. There are DJs everywhere and if they aren’t buying products from your store, they are buying from a specialty store or on the Internet.” 124 MMR

White also believes the sluggishness of guitar and keyboard sales in many markets should spur dealers into cultivating the DJ market. “They don’t have to carry a complete selection, just three to five pieces that always sell. A lot of it is just making the commitment,” he points out. White has been at Chuck Levin’s Washington Music for seven years, a part of the retail industry for another decade on top of that and, perhaps most important, a DJ for over 25 years. He’s still active as a DJ and it helps his position as buyer for that department at Washington.

The Visual Element One of the advantages Washington Music has is that their DJ/Pro Audio department is in a separate building from the main store – away from the keyboards, guitars, woodwinds, brass, pianos, and accessories. “We’re in our own complex,” White explains. “And

we probably have one of the largest spaces allocated to DJ of any MI store.” Their DJ operation also includes plasma screens, video, and DVD products. On one hand, White sees DJs and clubs gravitating toward more visual elements; on the other hand, the really good products are too pricey for the average DJ. “Pioneer makes the best DVD players in the world, but a lot of people can’t afford to invest $2,200 to $2,500 per player. And the software is not really costeffective right now, either,” White says. “If you’re going to be truly into video, it’s a commitment the DJ has to make. By the time you get the complete DVDs available, you can have invested $5,000-plus. Some companies, like Numark, already have a couple of PC DJ products that will play video, but you still have to come up with content from somewhere.” The Numark IDJ I and II will play video that the user can use with downloaded FEBRUARY 2008

content off iTunes, “but that still leaves you limited,” White notes. As of yet no one has yet to come up with a way to get massive amounts of video content to DJs. While there are some packages of video content that are attractive, “you can’t pick and choose which elements you want. DJs want videos a la carte. If there was something like iTunes for video, that would be great. “So until that sort of thing happens, beyond the pro DJ, the cost of adding the video element will be prohibitive to a lot of people.” Speaking of visual, merchandising is always an art, and is certainly especially important in the DJ/Pro Audio market. “It’s a hard thing because of the amount of product we carry – we probably have too much out,” he admits. “Sometimes it can confuse the customer when you carry 30, 40 mixers, for example.” You can qualify the sale by asking what features they want, but many entry-level customers don’t know what they want and can get easily overwhelmed. “If they want an all-in-one CD mixer, and you have six tabletops from four different manufacturers, you sometimes have to force-feed them by asking a few questions, and then saying, ‘I recommend this one.’”

FEBRUARY 2008

Trends in the Market White sees the DJ market in a state of transition. He says the death of the CD player is imminent, and there are likely to be fewer and fewer turntablists on the scene, with turntables being used only to rip music from vinyl. It’s all moving to a digital format with hard drives, and units with built-in iPod stations are becoming increasingly common. But overall, White believes the popularity of the segment has not peaked, with a lot of new customers coming from the musician side of the store: “As time goes by, more and more musicians are finding out that they need to do both – be able to play live music and be a DJ. Where other categories have peaked or leveled out, there still is a lot of growth in the DJ segment.” Products that are hot at Washington include Serato products, M-Audio’s Torque, Rane’s TTM 575SL Mixer, the Gemini CDM 500, and Odyssey laptop stands. “Numark’s D2 Director and their CD mix-

ers are staples, and the TT USB turntable is still very hot. Also some American Audio pieces, the systems that have self-powered speakers, are popular with a lot of mobile DJs who are just starting out.” Mackie’s Tapco Thump, which he says their store was one of the first to promote and sell, is a great cost-effective powered speaker for under $350 and doing very well. Lighting is going through a transition too, and he’s guessing that traditional lamps will continue to fall by the wayside. Mid-level lights have not been hot for a while, with customers either wanting the least expensive or willing to pay for the higher end. Otherwise, you can spell what the market is doing with three letters: LED. “What’s happened now is we’ve gone from four or five LED products to over 40 in the last three months alone!” he says. Fixtures under $100 that have no cycle time are replacing traditional lights that generate so much heat you have to turn

“There are DJs everywhere and if they aren’t buying products from your music store, they are buying from a specialty store or on the Internet.”

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In-Store Video Editing Chuck Levin’s Washington Music boasts what Randy White thinks is a first for an MI operation: a full Avid video editing suite. “We’ve seen the progress of video and believe it will become the next big thing – not only with DJs, but churches and clubs,” says White. “And we now have an editing facility for those clients.”

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This advance thinking is nothing new for Washington. “If you go back to our operation’s history, we’ve been on the cutting edge of many things – certainly before the chains stores.” The reason, he says, is because so many people working at the store have 10 years in the industry with diverse experiences and specialties and “we’re able to bring that to the table.” The video editing suite is being used to do clinics for Apple video editing products, in addition to being available for customer’s editing projects, including cutting local commercials. White says it’s not a big source of income yet, but it does add to the bottom line. More important, they see it developing into something bigger because the technology is getting cheaper and more companies and individuals will be taking advantage of the possibilities of creating their own videos.

See us at NAMM Booth 1740

them off periodically (in addition to having to change out expensive bulbs). For Washington Music, American DJ’s Jewel and Spectrum LED, which are light and give off next to no heat, are good sellers on the lower end. That company’s Elation line is producing LEDs offered in three different price tiers and those are rapidly replacing par cans. Customers are attracted to a lot of these products because they don’t need dimmer packs to operate them.” Despite the dealership’s prominence in the DJ and pro audio market, challenges exist, including a few of the usual suspects. First, there are five Guitar Centers within driving distance of the Wheaton, Md. store. Then there’s the Internet, of course. “There are unauthorized dealers selling directly on the Internet and eBay who sell at any price, and that’s tough,” White sighs. “When you have a guy in his basement selling something at any price it’s bad for legitimate, authorized dealers. Of course the consumer thinks it’s a good deal, but then they don’t get any service. “There are manufacturers who aren’t policing that as well as they should, and it’s running wild.”

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See us at NAMM Booth 5949

Keys Yamaha Honors PianoMax for Customer Service The familiar “Piano in the Sky” signage for PianoMax, a member of the Sherman Clay Group, is a towering landmark above the Houston skyline. But the company’s best advertising, says longtime manager of PianoMax’s Southwest Freeway store, Alex Pauwels, “is how we take care of our customers at both of our locations. Our two stores are teamed with a fine company, Sherman Clay, and a fine piano manufacturer, Yamaha Corporation of America, both of whom allow us to offer a ‘no guessing’ approach to our customers. Yamaha and Sherman Clay deliver on promises, and that creates satisfied salespeople, too.” Steve Carver, manager at the PianoMax Willowbrook store, adds, “Our staff believes in the products they sell, and that makes it easy to share information with customers. We have respect for our customers’ intelligence: we give people information and know they are smart enough to make their own decisions.” PianoMax is Houston’s exclusive dealer for Yamaha pianos, Disklavier Pianos, and Clavinovas. In recognition of its customer service, Yamaha recently bestowed an award recognizing “25 years of Outstanding Service to Customers.”

Mark McNeary, Yamaha national sales manager, says, “Sherman Clay does many things we respect, and the number-one thing is they take care of all their customers. PianoMax has earned a reputation for customer care and customer service. They treat their customers to the highest standards and this makes us a proud partner.” Carver and Pauwels assert Yamaha’s Servicebond Assurance Program is a significant factor in keeping customers happy. Whenever a Yamaha piano is sold, it arrives at the customer’s home in tune and ready to go. Then, six to eight weeks later, a piano technician comes to conduct another inhome tuning. At the six-month ownership mark, the technician visits the home again to give the instrument a complete tune-up, and Yamaha sends a letter to ask the customer to complete and return a survey. “The survey covers what they think about the piano, our company, their salesperson – everything -- and all the letters go into a book, which is on display in our showroom,” says Pauwels. “We can point to it and say, ‘Here’s what your neighbors have to say, here’s why they bought a Yamaha piano.’ The program is a very big plus, and

Alex Pauwels, manager, PianoMax, receives Yamaha Customer Service Award from Mark Peterson, Yamaha district manager.

has been in place since the 1960s. Other piano manufacturers don’t do it and Yamaha really encourages us to participate.” In addition to providing outstanding customer service, McNeary cites Sherman Clay’s emphasis on keeping good employees as another contributing factor to their success. “They place a high value on having a solid sales staff, one that they have nurtured for a long number of years. Many of the staff has worked at the Houston PianoMax stores for as long as I’ve been with Yamaha, which is 22 years,” he says. “They treat their employees very well.”

Hailun Distribution Recognized by Rosie O’Donnell At the recent Rosie’s Broadway Kids Gala Fundraiser held at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel, Theresa Perry, president of Hailun Distribution, LLC, was thanked by Rosie O’Donnell for her leadership sup-

Theresa Perry, president of Hailun Distribution, LLC, and Rosie O’Donnell at the Rosie’s Broadway Kids Gala Fundraiser in New York. 128 MMR

porting the public school teaching program of the Rosie’s Broadway Kids Foundation. Perry has supported the work of the Foundation since the formation of Hailun U.S. operations in 2006. “Rosie’s Foundation, starting with a handful of the most unlikely kids seven years ago, has brought a fabulously enriching experience in music and performance to now over 1,700 young people,” said Perry. “The work they are doing is changing lives for the better. We in the music industry know how much such an experience can mean to a person and I fully support the great commitment this organization demonstrates every day in the lives of these kids.” Performing to a selection of songs from Broadway classics, Rosie’s Broad-

way Kids entertained guests of the Gala. Following these young performers, Paul Simon presented a concert whose fi nale was a joint presentation with the RBKids. With O’Donnelll at the podium, a raucous live auction raised $110,000, culminating a fundraising effort that totaled over $1 million. The proceeds go directly to continue funding RBKids programming in Manhattan public schools, whose arts and music funding have been eliminated through budget cuts. O’Donnell recognized the significance of the donation by Hailun Distribution of five pianos to the new state-of-the-art school, the Maravel Center, scheduled to open in March. In recognition of this gift, the piano salon will be named in honor of Hailun. FEBRUARY 2008

Keys California Preview for Steingraeber In January 2008, Steingraeber & Söhne will present its U.S dealers and affi liated PTG members with its newest innovations. Steingraeber will make its official presentation of its new piano, the D-232 Semi-Concert Grand, at the Frankfurt Music Fair this March. The new 7’7” semi-concert grand from the Bayreuth, Germany-based high-end manufacturer has a close resemblance to the Steingraeber full concert grand E-272, but it features new ideas as well, such as the largest capo bar area existing in a modern piano design, starting at D1sharp. The rim is shaped in the same mode as model E272, creating a sound-reflection zone for pianists. The new Steingraeber SFM (magnetic) Upright Action will also be presented. It

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offers a touch comparable to the fast and “deep” repetition of a grand piano and is available for all Steingraeber & Söhne vertical pianos. The development was the result of a cooperation effort between the construction design department of Steingraeber and the German action makers Renner. The new system is based on two small attracting magnets with a longevity of 30 years which are placed in the top of the jack and the hammer butt under the leather. The only alteration to a classical action is the jack spring being unnecessary. U.S. dealers will preview these innovations at Steingraeber’s annual dealer meeting on Jan. 17 at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel near John Wayne Airport in Orange County. The address is 2701 Main St., Irvine, CA 92614. For informa-

See us at NAMM Booths 1526, 204B

tion concerning Steingraeber pianos, call 1-888-725-6633 and ask for Brian Gatchell, U.S. agent.

Galileo Supports Charity Perfomance Digital piano manufacturer and distributor Galileo Music and “Whisperings: Solo Piano Radio” recently teamed up for a charity concert performance at the Mashpee Center for the Performing Arts in Mashpee, Mass. The concert event featured four artists from the “Whisperings” radio program. Whisperings is the largest independent Internet broadcast, attracting over a million listeners each month. Galileo Music donated a Galileo Maestro digital grand piano to help raise money for the charity event. The four artists who performed were: Whisperings founder David Nevue, Galileo Music founder Gary Girouard, internationally acclaimed pianist Silvard Kool, and Boston-area pianist Patrick Gorman. Over 400 people attended the piano concert and enjoyed solo piano performances and storytelling. During intermission, a brief video was shown featuring the charities that benefited from the event. There was a “Grand Finale” eight-hand improvisation that led into the piano raffle drawing at the conclusion of the evening. The charities that received donations were: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Ashford, Conn.; Team Bryce Fund, Wakefield, Mass.; and the Southport Scholarship Fund, Mashpee, Mass. For more information, contact: Gary Girouard, Galileo Music, P.O. Box 633, Falmouth, MA 02541. Phone 888-4254536. Web site: www.galileomusic.com. Email: garyg@galileomusic.com. FEBRUARY 2008

In 1864 Antonin Petrof built his rst concert grand piano. Since then his family has continued in the same tradition of expert instrument craftmanship. Petrof Piano Company of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic is extending their international success to the U.S. market and has announced the formation of PETROF U.S.A., LLC, a new factory owned subsidiary that will be responsible for all sales, distribution and marketing in the United States beginning December 1, 2007.

P118 C1 Chippendale

PETROF’s great success for the past 140 years and current sales records in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, Iceland and Asia have afforded the company the ability to produce new, improved and tested scales and furniture styles that will be offered in the U.S. The high standards of the PETROF company will be maintained and dealers should know that they can expect in-depth inventory, nancing and service never before experienced.

PII

PIV Demichippendale P135 K1 Classic

NAMM Room 202B

Petrof U.S.A., LLC. 5400 Lawrenceville Hwy Suite B1 & 2 Lilburn, GA 30047 O) 770-564-4974 F) 770-564-4978 www.petrof.com

Keys Manhattan Baby Grand Kicks Off Story & Clark Signature Series Collection QRS Music Technologies, Inc. has announced the introduction of The Manhattan, a piano uniquely suited for metro lifestyles and in keeping with current home furnishing trends.

“QRS is firmly established as a technology leader and innovator; our next goal is to begin positioning Story & Clark as a leading style authority in the piano market,” said Tom Dolan, president

and CEO. “This may sound like an odd concept to some dealers, but innovative designs and fashions are what continue to breathe new life and sales into many industries from cars and computers to furniture and home improvement; style is an important factor.” “Price is a key consideration,” continued Dolan. “There are some beautiful and unusual pianos out there but they are all over $60,000. This is not where the bulk of the sales in this industry are. Our pianos are all under $20,000 and are designed to complement today’s lifestyles and home décor.” The Manhattan piano is ebony with bird’s-eye maple accents and will be introduced as a 4’11” baby grand. It is part of the company’s new Signature Series Collection which features styles, scale designs, and specifications determined exclusively by and for QRS. The entire Signature Series Collection will be unveiled at the NAMM Show, exhibit #321.

New Organ Models from Rodgers With new organs to be displayed at the NAMM Show, Rodgers Instruments LLC will make its Trillium Masterpiece Series instruments available in two new versions. Rodgers has created a new Prelude Edition of the two- and three-manual See us at NAMM Booth 366

tab stop organs in the Trillium Masterpiece Series. Prelude Edition consoles offer the same sound, technology, pipe compatibility, and range of custom options as Trillium Masterpiece Series, but at a lower price point. The Prelude Edition will expand to selected models in the Masterpiece line in 2008. In addition, Rodgers is introducing the Trillium Masterpiece Series Medallion Edition. Medallion organs feature fresh samples from prestigious pipe organ installations, wooden keyboards, fi lled finishes, a piston sequencer, and 100 internal memory levels for organist registrations. Like Prelude, the Medallion configuration will be offered in various console sizes and in both tab and drawknob versions. Rodgers plans to unveil two additional products at the NAMM Show. The Model 538 is a two-manual organ for organists

desiring a smaller specification and more compact pedalboard for smaller spaces, as well as top-quality orchestral sounds and beautiful flute tremulants for gospel music. The 538 runs on a new technology platform that offers outstanding sound, flexibility, and extensive onboard voicing possibilities. With a similar technology platform to the Model 538, Rodgers is introducing the Model 548 full-sized console organ built in its Hillsboro, Ore. factory. The new model marks the return of moderately priced console organs being manufactured in the United States. For the second year, Rodgers will also invite show attendees to see and play its five-manual Trillium Masterpiece Series organ, which was a hit with NAMM visitors last year after its debut at the 2007 Organ Power concert at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, Calif.

Wyman New Double Leg Vertical at NAMM Wyman Piano Company is introducing the 46” Wyman Pianoforte Vertical Model WV118DL piano at the NAMM Show. This new instrument is fi nished in classic polished ebony with polished chrome accents. The contemporary cabinet features a unique double-leg design, a new silver plate finish, as well as polished chrome hardware, and an adjustable deluxe artist taboret bench. Quality features of the model relating to performance and durability are consistent with features found in the Wyman Pianoforte grand models: for example, the premium Yumei hard rock maple action; premium Yumei spruce keys; 19-ply hard rock maple wrestplank; solid copper wound bass strings; treble strings crafted from Roslau music wire; Lifetime TriPhonic spruce soundboard; and a transferable 12year parts and labor warranty. “Dealers previewing this beautiful new instrument are impressed with its smooth responsive action FEBRUARY 2008

and its beautiful fit and finish,” said Tim Laskey, Wyman Piano president. George Benson, Wyman’s national sales manager adds, “Dealers are equally impressed with the grand-piano-like tone of the new Wyman Pianoforte WV118DL, and the quality of materials used to manufacture the instrument.” For more information about Wyman Pianos and to learn how to become a dealer, email info@wymanpiano.com or call (941) 661-0200.

See us at NAMM Booth 1264

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New Music at NAMM Hal Leonard Strengthens Series, Debuts Folio for a Video Game Hal Leonard’s NAMM Show releases are a potpourri that has something for everyone – from those who want to sing like Hannah Montana to those who want to play like Marilyn Manson’s guitarist. Perhaps the surest sign of the times is a folio of not a Broadway musical, a movie, or even a television show, but of a video game. The success of the publisher’s Rock Band folio will gauge if that wildly popular game really is turning couch potatoes into players … The Easy Rhythm Guitar Series

Harmonica Play-Along series

This new set of book/CD packs is designed for use by beginning to intermediate guitarists who want to learn to play their favorite songs quickly. The songs are presented with large, easy-to-read “Rhythm Tab” notation. Chord frames are provided to help the player with left-hand fingerings. Lyrics and a melody cue are also included. Guitarists can listen to the CD to hear how the guitar should sound, and then play along using the separate backing tracks. The CD is also enhanced for use with a computer, allowing the guitarist to adjust the recording to any tempo without changing pitch. Current titles include Folk Pop, Classic Rock, with Acoustic Rock, Latin, Country Pop, and more in the works.

The latest addition to the company’s playalong series is for the harmonica. Aimed at helping the harpist play his or her favorite songs quickly and easily, the book comes with melody and lyrics, and the play-along CD has examples of how the harmonica should sound along with separate backing tracks. Titles include Classic Rock, Rock Hits Volume 2, and Blues Rock.

John 5: The Devil Knows My Name Former Marilyn Manson and current Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 is behind an unusual instructional DVD. The guitarist is known as one of the best modern shredders today, and his first-ever DVD takes guitarist into his mind to learn some of the techniques that have set him apart from others. The DVD includes full live performances of four songs, as well as exclusive lessons and instruction on techniques including banjo rolls, behind-the-nut bends, tapping, arpeggios, double stops, country bends, and more. Oh – and it comes with a “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” warning. 134 MMR

Pro Vocal Series Expands Singers now have access to six more titles in the company’s Pro Vocal series: Grease, Hannah Montana, Michael Bublé, Kelly Clarkson, and Josh Groban. Each volume in this series contains the transcribed vocal melody, lyrics, and chord symbols for each song in the book. The accompanying CD features demos for listening and separate backing tracks for singing along. The audio CD can also be used with any computer to adjust the recording to any pitch without changing the tempo.

The Soul of Tone and The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy The Soul of Tone, written by the same team of writers that created The Fender Stratocaster Chronicles, is a full-color, richly illustrated book. It features over 400 images, including legendary guitarists such as Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Neil Young, Pete Townshend, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, and Dick Dale, and comes FEBRUARY 2008

Winter NAMM 2008

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CELEBRITY APPEARANCES!* Guitar shredder, Paul Gilbert. Legendary bassists Victor Wooten and Billy Sheehan. Brian Auger, the Grand Master of the Hammond B3 organ. Melissa Cross, creator of the acclaimed Zen of Screaming instructional DVDs. Dr. E.L. Lancaster, author of the world’s fastest-growing piano methods, Alfred’s Premier Piano Course and Music for Little Mozarts. Dan Coates, famous arranger of popular piano folios.

SHOW-ONLY SPECIALS • 100% guaranteed, bestselling, pre-selected assortments. • FREE countertop & floor displays available. • Extra discounts & incentives!

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with two CDs featuring over 120 tracks that make terms and topics come alive. This hardcover book/CD pack includes a foreword by Keith Richards. The Early Years of The Les Paul Legacy – 1915-1963 includes an introduction by Paul himself. Like its companion book, The Modern Era of the Les Paul Legacy 1968-2007, this book emerged out of author’s years of research, interviews, extensive vintage archives (including original Les Paul/Mary Ford articles, press photos, music, and recordings.) It includes the factory pictures, the designers, the electronics; the first experimental “Log” and “Clunker” guitars, stories of the various Goldtops, the humbucking pickup evolution, and over 80 pages dedicated to the 1950s “Sunburst”

Standard. Included in this hardcover edition are interviews with Les Paul, as well as Michael Bloomfield and Jeff Beck.

Official Songbook of MTV’s Rock Band This Tab Folio features songs from the hot new video game, Rock Band. Developed by Harmonix, Rock Band features the most master recordings of any music game ever by the biggest rock artists, spanning alternative and classic rock, heavy metal, and punk. The only sanctioned songbook for the game, it features note-for-note guitar transcriptions in standard notation and tab for 25 songs from the game. Songs include “Detroit Rock City,” “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and more.

Mel Bay Builds Popular Series, Adds DVDs Mel Bay’s many NAMM Show offerings include more products for guitarists, a continuing partnership with a UK-based company to bring even more DVDs into their catalog, and even something for drummers. New books, CDs, and DVDs for the heavy metal player to the classical guitarist are included in their latest wave of releases. Lick Library’s Learn to Play series Mel Bay’s partnership with the UK company, Lick Library, offers more DVDS including the “Learn to Play…” series. This series features note-by-note demonstrations showing the licks of such artists as Iron Maiden, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Pink Floyd. With full performances of each song, both at full tempo and slowed down, guitarist learn each song from beginning to end. Also new is the Learn Guitar Techniques: Metal series. These DVDs feature lessons in metal guitar licks, techniques, and rhythm patterns in the styles of Dimebag Darrell, Kirk Hammett, and Zakk Wylde. Tutorials include two-handed techniques, hammer-ons and pull-offs, drop tunings, picking licks, and more.

Modern Guitar Method In support of the original Modern Guitar Method, Mel Bay introduces five new supplements: Blues Jam Play Along, Play All-Time Favorite Hits By Ear, Learn Rock Favorites, and Blues Jam Play Along (supplements Grade 2). The Blues Jam Play Along book and CD is a supplement to Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 and presents blues melody and recorded backup improvising track for seven blues songs. Through written examples and audio, Play All-Time Favorite Hits By Ear book and CD supplement teaches how to play Louie Louie, Satisfaction, I Walk the Line, Let It Be, Light My Fire and Smells Like Teen Spirit. Learn Rock Favorites teaches Sunshine of 136 MMR

Your Love, Proud Mary, Like A Rolling Stone, House of the Rising Sun, Blowin’ in the Wind, and Midnight Rider. This supplement book and DVD features a full band playing each tune. Rock Studies covers the fundamentals of playing rock solos. This book and CD set teaches 16 different rock solos while explaining vibrato, hammer-ons, pull-offs, string-bending, arpeggios, unison bends, pedal tones, playing over the changes and more. The fourth title is a supplement to Modern Guitar Method Grade 2. Nine blues songs are presented in Blues Jam Play Along (Grade 2) with each showing two improvising scales per tune.

The Modern Method Series Mel Bay releases The Modern Method Series for various string, percussion, keyboard, and fretted instruments. The new series now includes solid teaching content for drums, piano, fiddling, viola, classical guitar, fingerstyle guitar, five-string banjo, electric bass, cello, and violin. With carefully graded studies and pieces to develop confidence in sight-reading, the methods teach essential music theory to understand performance demands. These 14 new books in the Modern Method Series are available now in various configurations, many with a companion CD or DVD.

Stick Tricks DVD Mel Bay offers something for drummers with its Stick Tricks by Chip FEBRUARY 2008

Ritter. The DVD includes clips as seen on The Late Show with David Letterman. Chip Ritter puts the “fun” in “Funstrunctional” in this presentation, which features 13 Tricks/

Chapters, all of which include step-by-step instruction, normal speed and “Slo-Mo” view of stick movement, and actual footage of each trick performed live.

At Alfred: Something New, Something Old Alfred releases a bevy of new products in Anaheim and even revisits some of their all-time bestsellers. The publisher continues to make the most of the Warner Bros. catalog and is also riding the current wave of Broadway’s popularity. Alfred’s Basic Guitar Library -- Updated More is more: Alfred is releases the newly-revised version of this staple guitar method, which features the same core discipline with 25% more instruction for the same price. This series covers all the most popular music styles – rock, pop, jazz, country, and blues. New features include easier-to-read pages, several DVD titles, and video iPod-compatible fi les. Titles include Alfred’s Guitar Method 1, Alfred’s Guitar Theory, Alfred’s Bass Method 1, Alfred’s Guitar Method 2, Alfred’s Guitar Method 3, Alfred’s Guitar Method Complete, Alfred’s Guitar Chord Chart, Alfred’s Guitar Chord Dictionary, and Alfred’s Basic Bass Method.

The Singer’s Library of Musical Theatre Vol. 1 and 2 Aimed at aspiring and professional singers who love Broadway, Alfred’s Singer’s Library of Musical Theatre presents a collection of the best-loved musical theater songs in their original keys, transcribed from their original vocal scores. Each volume is dedicated to a specific vocal range and contains dozens of songs from a variety of shows that span decades of theatre history. The first two volumes in the series are now available.

Broadway’s Best series The Broadway’s Best series features songs from Broadway shows arranged for easy piano. Titles include: 42nd Street, Anything Goes, The Fantasticks, Mamma Mia!, My Fair Lady, and Sweeney Todd, among others. Each book includes lyrics and a synopsis of the show.

Jerry Lee Lewis: Killer Piano This special DVD had its premiere at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in conjunction with a celebration honoring the piano legend. In Killer Piano, Lewis speaks candidly about his 50-year recording career, reminisces with his family, and

FEBRUARY 2008

waxes nostalgic over his childhood years. Peppered with spontaneous demonstrations of his many favorite rock and country songs, the DVD also includes footage from Lewis’s live performance in Las Vegas, and his electrifying fi rst national TV appearance on the Steve Allen Show in the 1950s.

The Zen of Screaming This DVD for aspiring metal singers is hosted by internationally acclaimed vocal coach Melissa Cross, whose past students include Andrew W.K., Melissa Auf der Maur, and the singers from Slipknot, Killswitch, Engage, and Thursday. The DVD provides information and step-by-step exercises to help vocalists sing aggressively without damaging their vocal chords, while the sequel tackles the finer points of extreme vocals.

Pantera: Cowboys from Hell Shipping now is the heavy metal group’s 1990 breakout album, Cowboys from Hell. Their first album with major label and still their most well-known work, it received top rankings on the Billboard Music Chart’s Top Heatseekers List and was also named one of the greatest guitar albums of all time by Guitar World magazine. Alfred presents the album-matching which includes include lyrics and authentic guitar tab.

Suzuki Violin School Violin Part & CD, Volumes 1-3 This revised edition of the legendary Suzuki method for violin contains new features such as new engravings in a 9” x 12” format, new editing of pieces including bowings and fingerings, 16 additional pages, new exercises from Dr. Suzuki, plus additional insight and suggestions for teachers. CD features new recordings by Bill Preucil, Jr. and piano accompaniments recorded without the violin part.

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Carl Fischer Adds Pop, Educational Titles New at NAMM from Carl Fischer is the book with CD package Polyrhythmic Potential: Creating a Polyrhythmic Vocabulary by Chris Pennie of Coheed and Cambria. Including educational material and note-for-note transcriptions, this book reveals the polyrhythmic concepts employed by one of today’s hottest players. The publisher also presents two additions to The Collective series for drums: Contemporary Jazz Styles for Drums by Peter Retzlaff and Ian Froman and The Roots of Groove by Pat Petrillo. In Contemporary Jazz Styles

for Drums Retzlaff and Froman present an overview of jazz playing from early small groups right up through post-bop and ECM styles. Petrillo’s The Roots of Groove delivers a concise historical perspective on r&b

and funk drumming. Each chapter covers an important sub-style of r&b The secrets of the bass with are uncovered in the newest addition to the Grimoire series, The Bass Grimoire DVD by Adam Kadmon. A DVD representation of the best-selling publication, The Bass Grimoire DVD explores the bass in a twelve lessons ranging from The Major Scale to Scale Tone Degrees. On the educational side, composers Larry Clark and Daniel Schmidt deliver Protocol: A Guide to the Collegiate Audition Process. This collection has versions for clarinet, trumpet, and flute. These publications introduce students to the expectations of the audition process, assist in their preparation for this process, and create a comfort level that allows students to present themselves in the best light possible. Progressive Duets Volumes I and II for Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass is useful in a variety of performance situations and is an excellent way for the student to build ensemble skills with a colleague or teacher. The series features eight books spanning two volumes written so that the instruments can be interchangeably played with one another.

Breaking News

Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com 138 MMR

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PROFILE

A New Vision in Guitar Instruction … an audio-only approach from Talking Tabs

C

ould a rare sight-debilitating illness in a child lead to a new way of learning an instrument? Could a former commodity trader revolutionize the way music education is taught?

These rhetorical questions come from a compelling story of heartbreak and hope. And in an industry where the movers and shakers typically have the advantage of heritage and experience, perhaps it’s good to have a fresh viewpoint from the outside. Mark Hara unexpectedly, unrepentantly, found himself there. Hara, president of TalkTabs, has developed an all-audio method of instruction that teaches consumers to learn guitar by listening only. The company also produces PlayIt-Now, which talks players through playing their favorite songs. The music education products come on CD – there is no book or visual guide of any kind – and features instructors providing audio guides noteby-note, measure-by-measure. Then comes a play-along section when the guitar part is learned. The novel approach was inspired by Hara’s son, Jared, who lost his sight. “Before picking up the guitar, he hated music,” Hara says. “But I sensed it was FEBRUARY 2008

something that was now important in his life. Music saved his life,” comment Mark. Meanwhile, an idea to help his son learn music turned to have appeal to others also interested in the unique approach. Also Hara says they found a market right off the bat with the 10% of Americans who have some form of dyslexia. “That’s 30 to 40 million people right there,” he notes. Then you add all the people who have an interest in learning tablature, which, like traditional note-reading, is not so easy, either. In short, he remarks, “There are people out there who just want to be told what to do.”

And that’s exactly what he’s trying to do. Today Play-It-Now Tunes offers over 160 songs, the majority being classic rock tunes. More are on the way, including the classic, “Stairway to Heaven.”

Interrupted Lives Hara himself took a few piano lessons as a child, and never thought about music again. He would marry, have a son, and make a successful career trading commodities. “Successful” as defi ned in monetary terms: “It provided for the family, but it never provided in the sense of meaning … stock-selling doesn’t fulfi ll MMR 139

a dream, and doesn’t really do anything for society,” he says. He got the chance to revisit it all when he heard Jared say one day: “Dad? I can’t see out of my right eye.” The family spiraled into despair as the diagnosis of a rare genetic disorder caused the loss of their son’s eyesight. The stress on the family led to talk of divorce, which Hara learned is all too typical of similar situations. Luckily, they pulled together (their personal story was made into a documentary that is being considered by HBO).

Jared had been used to a life in sports and, to fi ll the void, a guitar was bought. No one could have foreseen that the loss of sight would lead to a series of events that would be the foundation of a new company. “We realized we had to verbalize instructions,” Hara explains. “There is Braille music, but we didn’t have time [to learn it]. We were just trying to keep him happy, and we were [physically] placing his fingers on the frets … then he would practice for hour after hour.”

The special needs of all sight-impaired people became clear to Hara, as was the important role music therapy could play. Tab or traditional notation wasn’t an option for Jared, and despite all his practice, it was still challenging to play songs with a band. So the idea of getting music teachers to verbalize how to play songs seemed inevitable in retrospect. “Jared couldn’t access the material available out there, he couldn’t access tab or notation, and there was nothing of quality that we could hang our hat on,” Mark remembers. Inspired, he gathered engineers and educators to tackle this problem and at one point there was the proverbial “eureka” moment: “We thought we were onto something.”

“It all gets back to listening. As someone said, this is retro — going back to the way it was.” Thus became the basis of Talking Tabs: The Complete Beginners Series, which is an audio-only guitar method that teaches tuning, picking, strumming, chords, and more. This was followed by the Play-It-Now series. “It’s all about hearing, and we developed a method that is very well structured based on that,” he says. “Every lesson is done primarily the same, professionally recorded and engineered, and then we do four or five tests to ensure that it works. We’re already hearing that this is the easiest way to learn to play.” Ironically, the catalyst of all this, Jared Hara, went ahead and leaped-frogged over the need for his father’s products and became an advanced player and songwriter with his own band.

For Everyone, and Every Instrument It’s an idea so new it’s old: so many players learned guitar by someone, usually a friend, talking them through it. So the CDs do just that: talk the player through the intro, talk about what chord to play and how to play it (“first finger, second string, second fret … second finger, first string, third fret.”) “First it’s the intro, and we talk them through the first bar; then the second bar,” Hara explains. “Then it’s ‘now let’s put four 140 MMR

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bars together.’” Hara notes that if you’re using a teach-yourself book, then you’re not hearing if you’re right or wrong. “But here you have a world-class instructor on CD. The whole time the instructor is with you, and so is the band. It’s very exciting.” Also what they have learned is that is those with sight appreciate their approach, and they are expanding in that direction. Among their many titles are

“Satisfaction,” “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Creep” and “Folsom Prison Blues.” The company is in the process of releasing their version of teaching the perennial favorite, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” which aims to take someone from not knowing how to string a guitar to play the song, complete with the guitar solo note-for-note as created by Jimmy Page. It is going to take six, even seven CDs to do it, and they are hoping to keep the price of learning that one song to $29.95, though it could end up at a $35.95 price point.

Other songs typically take two or three CDs and retail for $12.95. While classic rock is the immediate focus, they also offer titles in the genres of blues, children’s music, country, Christian, and r&b. Also, Talking Tabs is now expanding to other instruments, including keyboard, though that is proving more challenging, Hara says. Still, he says the company is on the right track. “It all gets back to listening. As someone said, this is retro — going back to the way it was. I guess it is! We’re just proud we’re making it easier.”

The World’s Finest Mouthpieces 5 Million Dollar Giveaway TalkingTabs announces it is prepared to give retailers $5 million worth of their Play-It-Now Tunes guitar lessons for the greatest hitsabsolutely free. All retailers visiting booth #2702 during the NAMM Show will receive at no cost one Play-It-Now Tunes countertop display for every store they own or operate. Each Play-It-Now Tunes display will come filled with 32 allaudio song lessons on CDs and carries a retail value of over $400. Don Stewart, vice president of marketing, states, “Play-It-Now Tunes are without question the greatest, most inspiring song lessons ever created for guitar players. We want to present them to every retailer with a complimentary no-strings, no-gimmick offer. We know this will be the start of many wonderful relationships.” If you are unable to get by the TalkingTabs exhibit, contact Don Stewart at 1-800-660-6850 to receive your complimentary Play-ItNow Tunes display. FEBRUARY 2008

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MMR 141

DJ GEAR

American Audio’s New SD Card Player & Mixer … digital music on a postage-stamp-size card

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ow DJs can put all their digital music on an SD card – measuring 1” x 1-1/4” -- and mix and manipulate tracks just as they would songs on a CD or MP3 disc. American Audio has introduced two pro audio units designed specifically for use with SD cards: the SDJ-1 dual SD player; and the Q-SD, a 19” four-channel mixer combined with an SD player. Both units have built-in SD slots that allow them to read MP3 files directly from SD cards without any external drives, ad-

ditional software, computers, or separate MP3 players required. An SD (Secure Digital) card is a highly compact flash digital storage media that’s available with memory capacities

up to 4GB and more. To put it another way, you can fit as many as 150 to 1,000 MP3 tracks (128 kbps) on a little square you can hold between your thumb and forefinger. What’s more, SD cards are

VARIETY FROM VJ’S

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inexpensive and they’re widely available. Audio’s traditional Q-Series mixers). Like By making it as simple to use SD cards the company’s MP3 disc players, they have as you would any disc, American Audio’s advanced cueing with track search by franew SDJ-1 and Q-SD me. Additionally, you can player and mixer units search the SD card for the give DJs the ultimate level next song while the curof mobility. rent one is playing. “What DJ wouldn’t love On the SDJ-1 dual the ease of carrying around player, music from either his or her music on an SD SD can be played on either card?” said Tom Freret, side. The SDJ-1 is ultra-fast national sales manager for with no boot-up time, and American Audio. “Until because there are no monow, most of the existing ving parts there’s nothing players’ hard drives had to break down. It features compatibility issues. Other Pitch Bend, Pitch Control alternatives for using MP3 American Audio’s Tom Freret. (+/-4%, +/-8% or +/-16%), files directly require you and dual RCA outputs. to hook up a bulky and expensive laptop The Q-SD combo mixer/player has or an easily stolen portable iPod to your 2 Phono, 4 Line, 4 Aux & 2 Mic inputs, player. Aside from the hassle of an extra with the capability to assign SD to any of component, there were often connectivity the 4 channels. Among its features are: problems when you added external hardgain, treble, mid & bass control for each ware.” channel (-30dB rotary kills); master outThe SDJ-1 and Q-SD, on the other put trim control; zone output control; hand, were designed from the ground cue mixing, cue level and master level up to read digital music fi les directly control; balanced XLR outputs; DJ mifrom SD cards without any additional crophone with volume, treble, bass and hardware or software. “We took a look talkover control; and pitch bend (+/-4%, at what people were doing and came up +/-8%, +/-16%, +/-60%). with an easy-to-use solution for playing For a limited time, with each purchase and mixing tracks from SD cards that of an SDJ-1 or Q-SD unit, American Auwas very native to what DJs already do,” dio is including a 1GB SD card, plus a USB said Freret. “The whole idea is that DJs SD card reader that you plug into your don’t have to learn anything different computer to transfer files onto the SD from what they’re accustomed to doing card. “This way, consumers get a complete – just put the SD card into the unit and package right out of the box that includes proceed as you would with a traditional everything they need to take their tunes, CD or MP3 disc.” drops, and loops from their computer to The two new SD-compatible units their gig,” said Freret. “They don’t have even look like existing American Audio to go out and buy anything else. Plus, the products. The SDJ-1 has a faceplate sigreat thing about SD cards is that you can milar to AA’s PRO series players, and the get them almost anywhere that blank CDs Q-SD resembles the company’s Q-Series are sold.” Using the USB card reader, fi les mixers, making for a smooth and easy can be easily transferred from the computransition to SD. About the only difter to the SD card with a few clicks, witference is that both units have built-in hout requiring any software programs. slots for SD cards – two SD slots on the The SDJ-1 dual SD player measures SDJ-1 and one slot on the Q-SD – each 19”L x 3.46”W x 4.25”H, and weighs 3.96 of which is capable of handling SD cards lbs. The MSRP of the SDJ-1 is $349.95 up to 4GB capacity. The SDJ-1 and Q-SD (includes 1GB SD card and USB SD card are compatible with SD cards up to 4GB reader for a limited time.) and do not accept SDHC (Secure Digital The Q-SD combo mixer/SD player High Capacity) cards. measures 19”L x 7”W x 4.31”H, and Both units come equipped with a weighs 8.5 lbs. The MSRP of the Q-SD is full range of features for pros, including $599.95 (includes 1GB SD card and USB Tempo Lock, Seamless Loop, Auto BPM SD card reader for limited time.) Counter, and Fader Q Start when used To view a video of the SDJ-1 in action, with compatible American Audio producclick on the link: http://www.youtube. ts (the SDJ-1 can be used with American com/watch?v=u2Rj3aj2pa0 FEBRUARY 2008

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Supplierscene JHS Debuts ‘Vintage Series’ at NAMM Leading independent UK music distributor John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd. is featuring its own brand of instruments at NAMM exhibit #1312. Guitar lines include Vintage, Vintage Advance and Vintage Icons. Vintage Advance is a new line of guitars designed and supervised by the UK’s acknowledged guitar guru Trev Wilkinson. The guitars feature high-quality Wilkinson pickups, parts, and components and draw heavily on the classic 1950s electric guitar shapes while at the same time offering a unique take on each design. Vintage Advance guitars offer increased pro ap-

peal, achieved by designing guitars that players can stay with as their ability increases. By introducing unique features on these guitars, the Vintage Advance instruments also offer individuality coupled with levels of specification from instruments which belong in much more high-dollar brackets, according to JHS. Key enhancements include high-access neck joints for unparalleled playability, bubinga heel extensions for better coupling of the neck-to-body jointing on bolt-on neck models, unique electronic innovations, acoustic chambered bodies chambers to add richness to the sound and increase overtones, all matched with Wilkinson hardware, pickups, and electronics, premium materials, and deluxe cosmetics. Vintage Advance Series instruments also offer select tonewoods, including

American alder, mahogany, Indian rosewood, and hard rock maple. Also new from John Hornby Skewes is the Vintage Icon Series. Designed in conjunction with Trev Wilkinson, Vintage Icon electric guitars have a new speciallyaged look with equally aged Wilkinson tuners, hardware, and pickups that look like they’ve been played for decades with all the wear-and-tear to prove it. They’ve been through the mill but they’re cool and ready for the next gig. www.jhs.co.uk NAMM Exhibit #1312

Huge innovation in a new package. The new Vandoren Flow Pack packaging. Every reed we make is now wrapped in humidity balanced packaging resulting in reeds that are factory fresh. The most remarkable part of this innovation is you don’t have to do anything to benefit from it. No special storage, no little bags...nothing. Just put them in the store and watch your customers marvel at the consistency and quality you provide...at no extra cost. Now there’s a new point of purchase display availble! Contact your sales representative for details. It’s a huge innovation, but that’s what Vandoren is all about...one huge innovation after another.

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PRS Debuts 12 Models in Anaheim Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Ltd. is introducing 12 guitar models at the 2008 NAMM Show: The DGT - David Grissom Trem is the result of more than 20 years of collaboration between Paul Reed Smith and David Grissom. The DGT was inspired by Grissom’s wish to take all of the best elements of his PRS guitars and combine them with an extra volume control, a nitro topcoat, vintage colors, his favorite neck shape, large frets, and .011 gauge strings. Gris-

som’s signature model features special pickups, special wiring, a special neck shape (smaller than a wide-fat neck), bigger frets, and heavy-gauge strings that complement rhythm and solo tones. The PRS Mira is a 24-fret guitar that features a 25” scale length, 10” radius, regular or wide-thin neck shape, locking tuning pegs, PRS Stoptail, abalone moon inlays, optional bird inlays, East Indian rosewood fingerboard, a solid mahogany body and neck, Mira Treble and Bass pickups, volume,

tone, three-way blade switch, and mini toggle coil tap. The Mira model is offered in Vintage Cherry, Orange, Vintage Mahogany, Black, Wild Mint, Lilac, Seafoam Green, Powder Blue, and Sandstorm. Korina has come to be known as a rare and legendary tone wood amongst manufacturers and players over the years, and PRS now adds the McCarty Korina to their model line. The new model features an all- korina body with a korina neck and headstock, an East Indian rosewood fretboard, and is offered in several colors. The McCarty II is the successor to the McCarty, the PRS guitar model named for industry icon Ted McCarty. The instrument comes standard with a carved figured maple top with a mahogany back and

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Supplierscene body, 25” scale length, 22-fret mahogany wide-fat neck with rosewood fretboard, moon inlays (new birds optional), PRS Stoptail, vintage-style tuners, McCarty II truss rod cover, and a new Mastering Voice Control. The Voice Control is fully variable from clean, clear vintage tones to powerful heavy metal sounds.

The electronics include new McCarty II Treble and Bass pickups with covers, volume and tone control, three-way toggle pickup selector, and a mini-toggle for turning the Voice Control on and off. The Santana IV is the evolution of the Santana I, II and III models. Carlos

W’

E RE COMMITTED.

Santana and Paul Smith have been working together for more than two years on this new instrument and its new sound. The instrument has most of the appointments of the Santana II and III models but with two major differences. The knobs are now in McCarty positions, and the instrument includes a special Mastering Voice Control. This Voice Control provides an early-1960s sound and clarity to the instrument and turns on and off with a mini-toggle. PRS is now offering a 300-piece run of a large, full-scale hollowbody guitar. Previously, the SCJ Thinline was only produced in small quantities inside the Private Stock department. This newly offered, limited-run model will feature two different bridge/tailpiece setups, a custom-made Bigsby, as well as a PRSdesigned ebony/curly maple unit. The model also features a select grade maple top and back, mahogany middle and neck, and a Macassar ebony fingerboard/ headstock veneer with gold mother-ofpearl birds and signature. Solid alder is once again being used by PRS Guitars with the introduction of the CE 22/24 Alder model. Alder has not been used by PRS since the earlier ‘90s, and the body of this new model, the successor to the CE Mahogany, is made from solid alder without a maple top. The bolton neck is hard maple, and both contribute to a unique CE 22/24 Alder tone.

Our commitment to you... starts with our Romanian factory…and doesn't end until we have a satisfied customer. It’s about our tradition of quality craftsmanship…exemplified by our Mathias Thoma, Leon Aubert and Verona instruments…our competitive pricing… and responsive, active ownership. Contact us re: our full lines of violins, violas, cellos and basses, as well as fine bows and accessories. See our new website www.emmcmusic.com Tel: 800-345-6013 Email: emmcmusic@aol.com

EMMC: CRAFTSMANSHIP. QUALITY. VALUE. 146 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 4227

After the success of the PRS Hollowbody series, PRS has extended the line to include the Singlecut Hollowbody. The guitar is offered in two models: the SC Hollowbody Standard and the SC Hollowbody I, both featuring PRS Stoptail bridges and 22-fret necks. The SC Hollowbody Standard features an all-mahogany body and neck, 25” scale length, 22-fret mahogany wide-fat neck with rosewood fretboard, moon inlays, PRS Stoptail, PRS low-mass locking tuners, Archtop Treble and Bass pickups with covers, volume and tone control, and three-way toggle pickup selector. FEBRUARY 2008

The SC Hollowbody I features a maple top with a mahogany back, sides and neck. All other specifications are the same as the SC Hollowbody Standard. In addition, PRS will unveil four new SE Models at his year’s NAMM Show: the SE Baritone, SE Custom Semi-Hollow Soapbar, the SE Singlecut, and the SE Soapbar. www.prsguitars.com NAMM Exhibit #5320

New B-2-B Web Site for JT Musical JT Musical Inc., South Elgin, Ill., will debut their “Dealers Order Direct” Web site ordering system for independent MI dealers just in time for late January post-NAMM Show operation. Dealers

will be able to access JT Musical’s Web site (www.jtmusical.com) and order products ranging from Tesla replacement guitar and bass pickups (pictured), Parts Planet and Gotoh parts, Proline cables, Olympia strings, Rock ‘n’ Aroma guitar air fresheners, and FantaStixx percussion accessories. “Being a small company doesn’t mean that we have to operate in a small manner,” comments Scott Johnson, president of JT Musical Inc. “Having

worked for a rather large, well-known MI company for many years prior to starting JT Musical, I completely understand the need to give today’s dealers the personal attention that they deserve, freeing their time by giving them the ability to order products from us at their convenience.” Contact JT Musical Inc. toll-free (866) 411-8738 or email info@jtmusical.com for more information. www.jtmusical.com NAMM Exhibit #1449

Ibanez Xiphos Goes Seven-String At last year’s January NAMM Show, Ibanez Guitars delivered on a renewed focus on its offerings to the metal-minded and continued the attack at Summer NAMM in Austin. At the 2008 NAMM Show, the Ibanez

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See us at NAMM Booth 4800

MMR 147

Supplierscene battle for the minds and dark hearts of the metal players shows no signs of abating. One strong indication is the XPT707FX, the fi rst seven-string in the radically shaped Xiphos models. The Xiphos seven-string features a five -piece Wizard II

thru-neck and DiMarzio D Activator seven-string pickups, which offer the characteristic sound of active pickups favored by metalheads, but without the active circuitry. Unlike the original sixstring Xiphos, the new model features a fi xed bridge instead of a double-locking tremolo system. The guitar is fi nished in

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Grey Chameleon, a color which changes hue at different angles. The suggested list price $1066.65. www.ibanez.com NAMM Exhibit #4634

Mel Bay Distributes Murphy Methods Mel Bay Publications announces an agreement to distribute the “Murphy Methods” and will now handle production and distribution for the entire Murphy Method line of instructional products worldwide. Since 1983, The Murphy Method has offered introductory videos for all the bluegrass instruments: banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, bass, and dobro. These DVDs have presented a way of teaching bluegrass music by ear. By showing each song played, note-by-note, the DVDs make it easy and quick to learn. www.melbay.com NAMM Exhibit #3304

Ethan Farmer Joins EMG Family EMG welcomes its newest endorser, Ethan Farmer, bassist with Christina Aguilera. Farmer, who powers all his Fender basses with the EMG-J set, has also played with Janet Jackson and Brandy, along with Hootie & The Blowfi sh. “I’ve fi nally found a sound that complements my hands,” says Farmer. www.emgpickups.com NAMM Exhibit #4850 FEBRUARY 2008

T-Rex Engineering Offers New Pedal Power Supply T-Rex Engineering releases an addition to their family of Fuel Tank power supplies, the Juicy Lucy. It features five isolated 12-volt outputs and a full set of standard and customized power cables. Each of Juicy Lucy’s five isolated outputs delivers 300 mA of 12-volt power, and comes with all the cables the user needs to power his or her pedals. Also included is a Current Doubler that allows the player combine two outputs to deliver 600 mA of 12-volt power, while the link cables lets the user power up to five 60-mA pedals off a single Juicy Lucy output. Isolated grounding eliminates ground loops that can result in a noisy hum.

www.t-rex-engineering.com

Carl Fischer Name Scialfa Sr. VP, Sales Carl Fischer, LLC and the Theodore Presser Company announce the appointment of Chris Scialfa as senior vice president, sales. Scialfa brings 10 years of experience in sales and sales administration at several major music publishers to this new assignment. He will oversee all of the sales functions for the two companies with an eye toward strengthening their relationships with dealers, musicians, and music students and helping to improve

the quality of educational music in the musical community. www.carlfischer.com NAMM Exhibit #2861, 5412, 3586, 3616

Ludwig Drums and Sticks in Rock Band Game Ludwig drum pads and sticks are packaged with the one of the most anticipated video games of the season, Rock Band. The company says that millions of new drummers will learn basic drumming skills playing the video game that features Ludwig in-game drums and a pair of Ludwig-branded drumsticks to play with. The game’s appeal is based on the same idea as Guitar Hero, but for a band. It features songs from vintage Stones to

TAKE THE FIELD WITH FLEXIBILITY Majestic’s Quantum field percussion models feature a rugged frame with up to five horizontal accessory bars and a vertical speaker post to accommodate any performance configuration.

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See us at NAMM Booth 4800

MMR 149

Supplierscene modern-day Killers, and the soundtrack spans rock history. With 58 tracks from five decades, the game allows drummers, along with guitar and vocal tracks, to play along with the greats of punk, metal, and classic rock. The game is offered by Harmonix Music Systems, developer of the Guitar

Hero franchise and MTV: Music Television, a division of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom. It is distributed by Electronic Arts. A variety of Rock Band in-game drum outfits will be modeled after the Ludwig models, including the Vistalite, Stainless, and Glitter sets. The title was released on Playstation 3 computer en-

tertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in time for the 2007 holiday shopping season. “This is more than a branding opportunity,” says Jim Catalano, director of marketing for Ludwig. “Drum players will be learning actual drum patterns when they play the game. Once they experience Rock Band drumming, their next natural step is to check out the latest in Ludwig drums and accessories.” www.ludwigdrums.com NAMM Exhibit #4224

Buffet Crampon Announces New Besson Products Since joining the Buffet Crampon group in 2006, Besson has restructured and re-launched its production of professional instruments. Now available are Sovereign & Prestige Cornets; Sovereign Tenor Horns and Baritones; Sovereign and Prestige Euphoniums; and Sovereign Tubas. International soloists such as Roger Webster and Steven Mead are among those who play the instruments, and soon the company will release EE flat and BB flat Tubas. www.Buffet-Crampon.com NAMM Exhibit #4300

Laurie Anderson Uses Eventide H8000FW on Homeland Laurie Anderson used Eventide H8000FW Ultra-Harmonizer effects processor on her new recording, Homeland. She has applied the Eventide H8000FW digital effects processor on the new album released by Nonesuch Records, and has 150 MMR

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also incorporated the sounds into her performance during her recent European and U.S. tour. Anderson has been a longtime collaborator with Eventide. The H8000FW with FireWire provides an interconnect between the outboard H8000FW and computer-based recording platforms. With direct access to the most powerful Eventide processor ever and its 1,800 programs, each its own algorithm. The H8000FW features Monolithic Tandem, which allows both processors to operate together, facilitating large complex algorithms, including 5.1 reverb and effects or up to eight channels of processing up to 96kHz.

The H8000FW also includes 20 MIDI Virtual Rack preset-algorithms featuring up to five effects processors ganged together with real-time MIDI control, each optimized for voice, guitar or percussion. www.eventide.com NAMM Exhibit #5791

and OEM — as well as overseeing customer support. During his nine-year tenure at Fender, Moore was vice president of national sales, vice president of FMI Wholesale, vice president of inside sales and customer support, as well as director of sales and marketing for Fender’s accessories division.

Ultimate Support Expands Management Team Ultimate Support announces the addition of key players to its new managerial team: Jeff Moore as vice president of sales, Chris Zerbe as director of sales and marketing, and Robin Slaton as director of design/director of marketing. Moore will manage Ultimate Support’s three sales markets — U.S., international

From left: Robin Slaton, director of design/director of marketing; Jeff Moore, vice president of sales; Mike Belitz, CEO; Chris Zerbe, director of sales & marketing.

TAKE THE FIELD WITH QUANTUM

By combining the strengths of three brands in simultaneous development, Quantum offers premium performance and a true ensemble sound for the world’s most competitive marching groups. Visit QuantumMarching.com for a complete look at the Quantum series. DISTRIBUTED BY

QuantumMarching.com FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 4800

MMR 151

In his role as director of sales and marketing, Zerbe’s responsibilities include the design, implementation, and management of company sales and rep training programs. Additionally, he will manage company media marketing programs through Web-based promotions and print. Previously Zerbe was with Line 6. Last summer, Ultimate Support welcomed back Robin Slaton as director of design/director of marketing. www.ultimatesupport.com NAMM Exhibit #6690

audioMIDI.com Offers Prints From Urban Artist Bua

See us at NAMM Booth 5490

Acoustics First

®

Materials To Control Sound And Eliminate Noise BlockAid™ Control On A Roll Vinyl Barrier to block noise. Increases wall mass without increasing its depth. .125 inch, STC = 27

To l l F r e e

1-888-765-2900 www.acousticsfirst.com

152 MMR

Urban artist Justin Bua and audioMIDI. com have entered into a reseller agreement for his art. Russ Jones, founder of audioMIDI.com, has long been a fan of Bua’s art depicting musicians. “We decorated our Chatsworth [Calif.] office with framed Bua posters when we moved in back in 2001. I’ve been a fan ever since,” says Jones. As part of this launch, audioMIDI. com, Native Instruments, and Line 6 have agreed to offer a free Bua poster to customers purchasing online select products from these vendors. www.audiomidi.com

Phonic Offers New USB-Enabled Recording Interface Phonic announces the overhaul of a number of their FireWire-enabled products. Both the Firefly 302 and Firefly 808 will be released in new USB-enabled versions incorporating the same features, but making them more accessible to the average PC user. The USB 302 is a revamp of the Firefly 302 and is a portable USBenabled multi-track recording device. It features a number of 1/4”, XLR and MIDI inputs/outputs, allowing guitars, microFEBRUARY 2008

Your next guitar is here... NAMM Hall E 1312 TM

www.jhs.co.uk Worldwide trade distributors JHS & Co. Ltd. Distributed in Canada and USA by MIDC Ltd. Tel: 1 416 464 2610

Pic: Fret-King™ Green Label Corona 60 HB

phones and other instruments to be recorded anywhere, anytime. The Firefly 808 has been recreated in the USB 808, a 16-in, 16-out USB-enabled recording preamp with a 192 kHz sampling rate. The USB 808 features a 8 1/4” and XLR inputs and outputs, however also includes a number of digital (AES, S/PDIF, MIDI) inputs and outputs to maximize its appeal. www.phonic.com NAMM Exhibit #212A, 6794

S.C. Teacher Wins Pearl Music Room Makeover Heather Simon, music teacher at the Beck Academy in Greenville, S.C., was awarded the top prize of $25,000 worth of new band equipment for her band room, including a Pearl Vision VSX drum set. The contest was created by In-Tune Magazine, in which contestants wrote essays explaining why their music room deserved a make-over. FEBRUARY 2008

In the winning essay, Simon described how a large amount of equipment had been lost, damaged, and stolen when they moved to a new building last year. Simon wrote that it would take nearly 50 years to get her room back to a very basic level of functionality. “Pearl feels very strongly about the importance of music in schools, and this was a great opportunity for us to help a school in need,” said Steve Armstrong, national marketing manager for Pearl Corp.

Simon’s story was chosen from more than 230 applicants across the country. www.pearldrums.com NAMM Exhibit #2640

Alfred Releases Springsteen’s Magic Alfred is shipping the album-matching songbook to Bruce Springsteen’s latest release, Magic. The album features SpringsMMR 153

Handmade in the U.S.A. By Master Guitar Builder

Wayne Charvel

See us at Winter Namm Booth 2996 Hall D

www.WayneGuitars.com 530.872.5123

teen recording with the E Street Band for the first time in over five years, and features the hit “Long Walk Home.” Alfred’s album-matching songbook is now available in a Piano/Vocal/Chords version with lyrics, melody line, and chord changes with professionally arranged piano accompaniment, and an authentic guitar tab version. www.alfred.com NAMM Exhibit #4810

Vandoren’s New Packaging and POPs Vandoren now offers Flow Pack packaging for every reed in its line. Every box of 10 or five now contains reeds in individually wrapped Flow Packs. “The new design is simple by design,” says sales manager Andy Blanco. “We wanted a display that was efficient, and blended in with any store design the dealer has. We upgraded the product by using a device that actually pulls the product forward rather than push it. We found these new ‘pullers’ were easier to load and moved the product forward much more evenly.” In addition to the new look, the Vandoren point-of-purchase displays are also versatile with the VPOP5 doubling as a mouthpiece display for all Vandoren mouthpieces. www.vandoren.com NAMM Exhibit #3100

D’Addario Sets a New Stage D’Addario rolls out Phase II of The Stage (www.tothestage.com), called “D’Addario’s Musician Hub.” The Stage will aim to bring together music education, lessons, exclusive offers, and partner sections where users can 154 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

NAMM Show

Hall E 1312

‘Our snobbery led us to assume that we’d be forced to lay into these guitars. We were wrong, and you should ensure you don’t make the same mistake.’ Simon Bradley

www.jhs.co.uk Worldwide trade distributors JHS & Co. Ltd. Distributed in Canada and USA by MIDC Ltd. Tel: 1 416 464 2610

see what D’Addario, all its brands, and partners, have to offer. The Stage is a company-sponsored Web site that focuses on the sharing of information including videos featuring professional musicians, producers, techs, teachers and instrument builders, and growing discussions and demonstrations of technique, instrument maintenance and all types of music related information. Several forums, for guitars, bowed strings, drums, and woodwind instruments provide other avenues for peer discussion. www.daddario.com NAMM Exhibit #4834

Ed Alves Joins Timberline After a three-year hiatus from the musical instrument business, Ed Alves, former director of domestic sales for Taylor Guitars, has joined Timberline Guitars as executive vice president. “When you’ve been in this business for over 25 years, it’s something that just FEBRUARY 2008

THE GUITAR PLAYER’S BIBLE Pic: Vintage® Advance Series™ AV3PFCR

becomes a part of your life: says Alves. “I truly missed the excitement and the many great friends in the industry that I have made over the years.” Alves says that an article about Timberline guitars happened to catch his eye, “and a new chapter was begun. I was impressed by what I saw and read.” www.timberlineguitars.com

on the home page so dealers can access product photos for their own mailers and Web site promotions.” Other advancements include an easier zoom feature for a closer look at the individual products. www.kaces.com NAMM Exhibit #5956

Kaces Launches New Web Site

Music Directory Canada Released

According to Kaces founder Alan Poster, the new Kaces Web site offers more user-friendly navigation and has been completely re-designed with Adobe flash technology for enhanced customer interaction. “We needed a Web site that could more effectively support our sales efforts.” said Poster. “The latest technology has been used to allow us to more quickly update graphics so customers will know sooner about the latest product advancements. We also added an image download link

Norris-Whitney Communications, publishers of Canadian Musician, Canadian Music Trade, Professional Sound, and Professional Lighting magazines announces the release of the Music Directory Canada, Ninth Edition. This resource for musicians and music industry professionals has been six years in the making and features new categories. The Ninth Edition of this best-selling guide to the Canadian music industry, which has been researched and revised, is 704 pages, and retails for $44.95 CDN. MMR 155

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See us at NAMM Booth 4883

Introducing

Model D-232 (7’7�) Our new SemiConcert Grand joins the tradition of our award winning models 168, 205 & E-272

Music Star Productions Releases New Titles Icons of Rock – Smart Way series has been released by Music Star Productions. The first five titles include Learning Electric Guitar, Learning Acoustic Guitar, Learning Bass, Learning Drums, and Learning Piano. Each fully illustrated book also features an interactive DVD of instruction for all styles and levels of playing. Music Star Productions offers a 50% lifetime wholesale discount on all books in the series as well as 60% off on all DVD titles in their catalog. Formed in 2004 by musicians Patrick McCormick and Tony Williams, Music Star Productions offers “how-to� media featuring members of Kiss, Steve Miller Band, Jefferson Starship, Twisted Sister, and many more. www.iconsofrock.com

Yamaha Drums in New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music Available March 2008

For More Information

Steingraeber & SĂśhne Brian Gatchell, U.S. Agent 1-888-725-6633

156 MMR

The directory features over 60 categories and each listing includes: company, contact, address, phone, fax, email, Web address and an extensive description of products and/or services. www.musicdirectorycanada.com

The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, which includes faculty from the top ranks of professional musicians in the New York City jazz community, has recently acquired 13 new Yamaha drumsets. Founded in 1986, the school enrolls almost 300 students, 20 percent of whom are from overseas. With a curriculum based on the tradition of artist-as-mentor, active artists teach classes. Taking advantage of its setting in New York, the FEBRUARY 2008

Supplierscene school organizes student performances at local clubs as well as top venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center. The school enrolls around 40 drum majors. Drum faculty members include Joe Chambers, Andrew Cyrille, Chico Hamilton, and Charli Persip. “We’ve always taken our educational mission seriously,” said David Jewell, marketing manager, Yamaha Drums, Pro Audio & Combo Division. “It’s great to see that young people are still called to jazz.” www.yamahadrums.com NAMM Exhibit #100, 4578, 6524

Players Music Accessories has New CEO Jodi Ann Parker has been appointed CEO of Players Music Accessories. Parker is the daughter of company founder Tony F. LaLonde. Prior to her appointment, Parker served as the operations officer for the company, and brings 25 years of

experience in the music industry to her new position. LaLonde retired from the family business in 2005. www.playersmusicaccessories.com NAMM Exhibit #3614

Kaman to Distribute Factory Metal Percussion Line Factory Metal Percussion (FMP) announces LP/Kaman Music as the exclusive worldwide distributor for the new Street FX. FMP has partnered with Wolfe Industries, a metal shop based in Southern California. Jim Anderson FMP president says, “The new FMP production facility at Wolfe and the LP/Kaman distribution network ensures dealers the highest quality products and best service available.” LP/Kaman NAMM Show offerings include Street FX Celtic Bells, Cross Crasherz and Hi-Hat Jinglers. www.FactoryMetalPercussion.com NAMM Exhibit #5720

Rock House Adds Instructor Rock House announces that Alexi Laiho, founding member and lead guitarist of the metal band Children of Bodom, has joined Rock House’s roster of instructors. Laiho, who made Guitar World’s list of the top 100 metal guitarist of all time in 2004 and appeared on the cover of Guitar World in January 2005, will be featured in an instructional DVD that teaches his fundamental techniques. The MSRP will be $24.99. www.rockhousemethod.com FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 7309

MMR 157

Daisy Rock Artist Featured in Neil Young Tribute/Benefit CD American Laundromat Records has produced a benefit record titled Cinnamon Girl – Women Artists Cover Neil Young for Charity featuring 21 new cover versions of Neil Young. Artist involved include Tanya Donelly, Britta Phillips, Lori McKenna, Jill Sobule with John Doe,

The brightest

Josie Cotton, Kristin Hersh, The Watson Twins, and more. The Double CD focuses on Neil Young’s early work (19691979), and all proceeds are being donated to charity. Featured Daisy Rock artists include Veruca Salt, featured on “Burned”; Lou-

colors you’ve ever heard.

Introducing a revolutionary new guitar string that will make you look as great as you sound. NAMM booth # 1226 www.StringsbyAurora.com 203.583.9929

ise Post, featured on “Sugar Mountain”; and Kristin Hersh, featured on “Like a Hurricane.” Also included is Cinnamon Girl contest winner Amilia Spicer, who won not only a spot on the CD but her own Daisy Rock guitar. All proceeds are being donated to Casting For Recovery, a national nonprofit support and educational program for women who have or have had breast cancer. www.daisyrock.com NAMM Exhibit #4810, 5010

Kahler Thrashes On Kahler USA announces the endorsement of Napalm Death guitarist Mitch Harris. Harris, who has been using the Kahler 2300 for years, comments, “What I really love about Kahler is that it always stays in tune after a proper thrashing.” www.kahlerusa.com NAMM Exhibit #5727

Fretlight Bows Lefty Acoustic-Electric

See us at NAMM Booth 1414

www.mmrmagazine.com 158 MMR

Optek Music Systems introduces the Fretlight FG-405 acoustic electric guitar, making it the world’s first computerpowered teaching guitar for left-handed players. The Fretlight guitars enable guitarists to learn chords, scales, and songs from a series of LED lights embedded in the guitar’s fretboard, which signify where the user’s fingers should be placed. The guitar combines the simplicity of an acoustic guitar with an electric neck, piezo pickup, three-band EQ, and built-in digital guitar tuner. The body is a compact Telecaster-style, thin-line acoustic with a spruce wood top and mahogany sides and back, and it features a two-way adjustable truss rod. As with every Fretlight guitar, the left-handed FG-405 is delivered with a USB cable for PC or Mac connectivity, a CD-ROM that includes the Fretlight Lesson Player, conFEBRUARY 2008

Supplierscene taining 30 beginner lessons and a library of 2,000 chords and scales, and two-week trials of four software titles. The MSRP is $579.95. www.fretlight.com

New Dreadnought from JBouvier

wheels or solid rubber, non-marring casters. It’s designed to fit inside trailers, semitrailers, and trucks with a 6’ door height. A 14’ trailer can hold six fully loaded OnBoard Cargo Carts. (Each cart measures 72.5”L x 31.5”W x 70.5”H.) www.wengercorp.com

GCG Blues Guitar DVD GCG releases their latest DVD series, I Am The … Blues Lead Guitarist. Hosted by Oscar Jordan, it features blues and rock players. The user can watch and hear them play songs in a live setting,

JBovier introduces the DLS (Dreadnought Larger Soundhole), which has a design chosen from several different tonewood prototypes for its overall tonal balance and responsiveness. It features a solid Englemann spruce top; solid mahogany sides, back, and neck; satin-finished neck; larger-diameter soundhole; ebony fretboard with no dots (only on side); rosewood headstock overlay with abalone and mother-of-pearl inlays; allwood body purfling and soundhole rosette; maple binding on body, neck, and headstock; Tusq endpins (black with mother-of-pearl dot); genuine bone nut and saddle; scalloped bracing; ebony bridge; and Grover tuners. The DLS is aimed at players who like larger soundhole guitars that typically run about $4,000, but will be available for a quarter of that price. www.jbovier.net

Wenger OnBoard Cargo Cart Wenger developed the new OnBoard Cargo Cart to fit the specialized needs and equipment of marching bands, color guards, flag corps, and similar groups that travel with large amounts of gear. It’s designed to save handling time by facilitating transportation, event logistics, and storage. This cart can be configured with shelves for marching band instruments or a garment bar for hanging up to 35 uniforms. Hanger Retainer Clips help ensure hangers stay in place during transport. The built-in bottom shelf holds items like flags, hats, helmets, plumes, or shoes. For indoor/outdoor mobility, the OnBoard Cargo Cart rolls easily on pneumatic FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 5976

Breaking News Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com MMR 159

Supplierscene then the student can join in and learn the jams with each rehearsal and watch for visual cues that will tell you when things

are about to change. There are eight blues jams to choose from. www.gcgmusic.com

MBT Unveils LEDPROPACK MBT Lighting offers the new LEDPROPACK lighting package, a bigger version of the LEDPARPACK lighting package. It incorporates RGB LED technology to produce strong colors using a fraction of the energy and heat associated with standard PAR cans. The system includes four LEDPAR64 fi xtures, each with 200 LEDs (80 red, 66 green, 54 blue) for strong stage power. It includes LEDC easy controller with pre-set color hold buttons, chasing, manual spectrum color choices, full-on, black-out, full dimming capability, and audio chase controls. It also includes 12foot pro lighting stand, four-outlet power supply, and all connecting cables. It has a MSRP of $999. www.mbtlighting.com NAMM Exhibit #5420

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Elation’s Color-Mixing LED Lamp See us at NAMM Booth 4805

160 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 3583

Elation Professional has introduced a new version of its MR RGB LED lamp -- the MR RGB GU10, which features a GU10 lamp base. A bright-output, low-cost LED lamp with RGB color-mixing, the MR RGB GU10 can be attached to any light fi xture equipped with a GU10 socket. Like the other lamps in the MR RGB series, the MR RGB GU10 offers an easy solution for bringing RGB colors to commercial and residential sites, without requiring costly electrical wiring changes or structural modifications. Ideal for retail, the lamp can, in most cases, be plugged into existing GU10 fixtures to give users a rainbow of colors via RGB LED lighting. As a replacement lamp, it attaches to the fixture in seconds via two pins on the back. The MR RGB GU10 uses SMD RGB color mixing technology to create 16 different selectable color shades. Equipped with built-in programs, it can also fade colors, mixing smoothly through the rainbow spectrum, and it comes with two different dim levels. A wireless remote FEBRUARY 2008

controller, the WR LED (sold separately) can be used to control colors, fade, strobing and dimming on the MR RGB GU10, as well as the other lamps in the MR RGB series. Measuring 1.9” in diameter, the MR RGB GU10 has a suggested retail price of $64.95. The suggested retail price of the optional WR LED wireless remote controller is $19.95. www.elationlighting.com NAMM Exhibit #7519

M-Audio Fast Track Ultra Interface M-Audio is shipping the Fast Track Ultra audio interface. This 8 x 8 audio interface with MIDI features high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity. Designed for mobile and desktop production, the compact Fast Track Ultra interface uses USB 2.0 tech-

nology, and delivers the bandwidth for 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution throughout the recording and monitoring process. The increased data speed lets users enjoy exceptional fidelity on all inputs and outputs simultaneously.

Crown DC 300 Enters TECnology Hall Of Fame As a cap to Crown International’s 60th anniversary year, the DC 300 amplifier, first introduced 4 in 1967, was inducted into the TECnology Hall Of Fame on the opening day of the 123rd AES Convention in New York City. Gerald Stanley, Crown International’s senior vice president of R&D and the original designer of the DC 300, was on hand to accept the award. “The DC 300 was a classic that really ushered in and defined the era of the modern power amplifier,” says Petersen. “And 1967 was a perfect time for this product to come out. Suddenly there were rock concerts that were high SPL -- very loud -- and needed great amplification. Live sound systems were coming into vogue. Listening levels in recording studios in 1967 started going through the roof and somebody needed to produce an amplifier that was loud enough to take care of this. And even 40 years after its introduction, there are so many of these DC 300s still in service, it’s an amazing testament to Crown reliability.” Introduced in 1967, the high-powered, solid-state Crown DC 300 power amplifier offered 150 watts per channel at eight ohms and AB+B circuitry. The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio established the TECnology Hall of Fame in 2004 to honor and recognize audio products and innovations that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of audio technology. www.crownaudio.com NAMM Exhibit #7800 FEBRUARY 2008

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Supplierscene hardware inputs, then mix them with the eight audio streams coming from the computer without taxing the CPU. www.m-audio.com NAMM Exhibit #301, 6700 The Fast Track Ultra introduces MAudio’s brand-new MX Core DSP technology. The MX Core mixer employs an array of eight individual DSP cores to deliver near-zero latency, effects and a matrix for sophisticated channel routing options -- accessible via an intuitive control panel that uses a separate mixer for each pair of outputs. MX Core technology enables users to apply reverb, or take advantage of the two independent headphone outputs to create separate monitor mixes when recording multiple musicians. The mixer provides for up to a 16 x 8 configuration, allowing users to connect microphones, synths, and other outboard gear to any of the interface’s

sE Electronics Mics Used by Top Artist sE Electronics is a US-based microphone manufacturer offering a full line of handcrafted microphones and accessories. sE users have ranged from industry legends such as Santana and Stevie Wonder to emerging Grammy- nominated artists like Amy Winehouse and J-Moss. Multiplatinum producer and Grammy winner Don Was uses the Reflexion Filter with the sE Gemini. Real World Studios in the UK is a longtime user and concludes

w w w . b a d e n g u i t a r s . c o m

guitars 162 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 1218

that sE offers “the best performance for the money”. Other users include Lakewood Church and Cirque du Soleil. sE products include tube mics, traditional condensers, ribbons, live mics, stereo pairs, USB mics, and a specialized acoustic guitar recording system. www.seelectronics.com NAMM Exhibit #6699

Aiweidy Lighting

Aiweidy Lighting is one of the largest professional lighting factories in China. We are looking for Dealers and Rep Firms in the following areas: Oklahoma, Illinois, The East Coast of the US, especially NY & New Jersey. Interested? Email: james33668@yahoo.com or Mail: Aiweidy Lighting, 138 S Sixth Avenue. City of Industry, CA 91746 See us at NAMM Booth 7624

FEBRUARY 2008

Numark Equips Esquire Bachelor Pad At the beginning of winter, Numark provided the ultimate DJ booth and soundtrack to more than a celebrity-attended charity and private events at Esquire magazine’s “Esquire North: The New View” penthouse. The “ultimate bachelor pad,” created annually, was designed to showcase the finest in technology, décor, and design. This was the first time in the five-year history of the project that a DJ booth has been included. The Numark DJ booth, designed to be a fully functional, mobile system, was positioned on the main patio of the triplex overlooking Central Park on event nights, with renowned DJs Teddy Ted, Special K, and Sir Charles Mixin’ behind the decks. Celebrated attendees to this year’s dozen charity events included actors Bill Murray, Heather Graham, Mary Louise-Parker, Kyra Sedgwick, the cast of “Law & Order,” and musicians Grandmaster Flash, Bono, Moby, and Aimee Man. The DJ booth, which was wired for sound throughout the 5,700 square-foot, three-story penthouse, was a compilation of Numark Industries’ elite products including turntables, mixers, monitors, consoles and software. The MPC2500 from Akai Professional, the leading beatmaking tool in the music industry, was a part of the booth, as was the Numark iDJ2, the first iPod mixing console that has the ability to scratch, control pitch, and simultaneously play two songs from a single iPod. www.numark.com NAMM Exhibit #6400

man says, “So far, we have designed over 100 different models. When we began designing for the consumer market, we chose not to use plastic casing that would cut costs. We always use sheet metal casing for our base units; this prevents unwanted signals from penetrating the unit and causing unwanted noise.”

2008 products include: WRT-5288C Dual Channel Rechargeable Wireless System with Florescent Frequency display at the front panel and two NiMH Batteries included. MAP $199; and WRT-6832 Dual Channel UHF 16+16 PLL Synthesized wireless microphone. MAP $599. www.ark-audio.com

ARK to New Location ARK Wireless Microphone Design Group has moved to a new location in Monrovia, Calif. The new facilities include new technologies to help ARK design future technologies of UHF and 2.4 GHz wide bandwidth spread spectrum wireless microphone systems. These systems will be for professional and commercial use as well as consumer use such as schools, churches, clubs, and public/ private meetings. ARK has been designing wireless products for 30 years. An ARK spokesFEBRUARY 2008

MMR 163

MUSIC STORE OWNERS

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RENT-TO-OWN Do you need capital? For Expansion? Fall Dating?, etc? Let us be your Bank down the street. We will turn your rental receivables into working capital! RETAIL FINANCING We deal only with music stores and have programs that will give you approvals and increase retail sales.

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Phone 800-981-6874 Fax 888-660-0798 dennisnmf@earthlink.net

See us at NAMM Booth 1403

DAWN

OF

PERCUSSION Watch "2006 - An Earth Odyssey" on YouTube!

The from X-Tempo Designs is a different kind of pedal board. It’s the world’s first HANDS-FREE WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL for DAWs. -

Musicians can foot-control their workstation, leaving their hands free. Remote: operate the DAW from another room or from across the stage. Wireless: no data or power cables to run. Sturdy: designed and manufactured in the USA, with 2-year warranty.

Attractive dealer and reseller programs: applications are invited. Visit us at NAMM - Booth 1107. On the web: www.x-tempozone.com

164 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 3494

FEBRUARY 2008

Supplierscene New Lamps from Times Square

To order or for more information, contact: Alan Baker at (888) 2770880.

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ot Bo 70 11

Times Square Lighting introduces the C3MH16, which accepts 20-watt CMH Precise MR16 lamps, is energy-efficient, and offers consistent color over its life of 12,000 hours. The light is UV controlled and has a GX10 twist-and-lock base, plus numerous mounting options and accessories. It’s aimed to be used in a retail environment, and custom colors are available. www.tslight.com

“The result is a guitar with great tone and playability that looks, plays, and feels as if it should cost several times the price.

MCS WRAi

MCS BVi

MCS FSi

Neckthru Perfection Made Affordable

Old Hickory Dreadnought Debuts Musician’s Wholesale America announces the introduction of the Old Hickory D42 Dreadnought Guitar. According to the company, this instrument is the culmination of 10 years of experience in designing and marketing student guitars. New features include: Full-size dreadnought linden wood body for warm tone; binding on the front, back, neck and headstock; rosewood fingerboard; rosewood bridge with compensating saddle; gold die-cast enclosed tuning machines; custom designed headstock with pearlized logo; contoured pickguard; X and curfling bracing; four super-high-gloss finishes, two with Photo-Flame tops; limited lifetime warranty; 100% satisfaction guarantee. “Each Guitar is inspected and tweaked in Musician’s Wholesale’s Nashville guitar shop,” a spokesman reports. FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 1342

MMR 165

Supplierscene Ultrasound Amp Launches DSX With XTC Extension Cabinet Ultrasound Amplifiers of West Des Moines, Iowa, has announced a modular high-performance music system specifically designed for acoustic artists in a performance situation. The DSX amplifier with the XTC extension cabinet offers twice the number of speakers and double the amount of power as the company’s popular DS4 model.

The DSX Amplifier with XTC extension cabinet has four specially designed 8” dual-cone coaxial speakers with 100 watts of RMS power. The dual cabinet design offers performing artists a highperformance ergonomic solution to the problem of toting heavy amplifiers to a venue. UltraSound’s products are cur-

VISIT US AT NAMM, STAND NO. 5274

rotosound is celebrating 50 years in the string making business We would like to personally thank you for all your support over the years. You will be pleased to know that worldwide our market share has increased by over 40% in the last 3 years. Over $1,000,000 of investment in the last 8 years has meant we have been able to keep our UK manufacturing competitive whilst carefully controlling the quality and now with the new string winding machines EVERY string is manufactured to the same high specification with regards to Tension, Wire Feed Angles etc. Simply put, our Quality has NEVER been so consistent! Rotosound's commitment to promoting new young bands has also never been stronger, bands such as Gallows, The Pigeon Detectives, Bullet For My Valentine, The Maccabees, and The Holloways are being featured in all of the prominent UK music magazines, as well as Geddy Lee, Duff McKagan, Dave Kushner, John Paul Jones and Chris Squire in US publications. 2008 is looking to be a very exciting year as we will be bringing on line several new products to further increase our market share. Come and see the new additions to the range at NAMM, Stand No. 5274

into the music

www.rotosound.com

www.myspace.com/rotosoundmusicstrings toll free 1 800 675 2501

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rently being used by acoustic artists including Thom Bresh, Duck Baker, Muriel Anderson, Nokie Edwards, Jim Messina, John Pizzarelli, Leo Kottke, and Brad Davis, among others. “The DSX amp with the XTC cabinet blows away anything out there for acoustic artists,” notes Ultrasound¹s acoustic engineer Greg Farres. “Our amps are compact yet offer a robust sound for the performing artist, and they truly deliver the best tone in the industry.” “This is the first modular music system for acoustic artists,” notes Dean Markley, president of UltraSound, “We believe this will be wildly popular with artists who need a big sound with true tone reproduction that lets the real sound of the music come through.” For information about the complete line of Ultrasound products and endorsing artists, contact Ultrasound Amplifiers, 2150 Delavan Dr., Ste. 11, West Des Moines, IA 50265. Phone: 1-888-308-1557 or visit www.ultrasoundamps.com.

New Small Dog Case Cover Colors Colorado Case Company has announced their Small Dog brand of instrument case covers will now be available in eight new colors. When combined with a separate pocket color, there are now over 80 possible color combinations to personalize your case cover. In addition to the well known black body with gray pocket that Small Dog Case Covers have been made in for many years, they can now be ordered in brown, purple, FEBRUARY 2008

teal, navy, green, burgundy, and royal blue. The pockets can be made in the same color as the body or they can be made in a contrasting color. Additional colors are now available for OEM applications. The different colors combined with an optional embroidery service will let customers make a case cover that is truly unique and representative of their own interests and individuality. The exterior urethane-lined pack cloth and shearling liner remain unchanged. Colorado Case president Steve Simmons says, “The ability to make something custom and unique to the end user is becoming increasingly hard to find. At Colorado Case Company we have always strived to find case solutions by encouraging our customers to build the perfect case for the way they use it. By increasing the color selection and adding this option to the Small Dog brand, we hope to build that same reputation.” www.coloradocase.com

‘Papa’ John DeFrancesco Joins Diversi Musical Instruments Diversi Musical Instruments welcomes jazz/blues organist “Papa” John DeFrancesco as an artist and clinician. “We are so delighted to have “Papa” John join us here at Diversi.” states Tom Tuson, Diversi president. “We look forward to ‘Papa’ helping us launch our new products this year.” Diversi will be launching its new organ products with an all-new sound engine, using Instrumental Modeling Technology. The new organs and keyboards will be shown at the NAMM Show. “When I was in Philly visiting family, I stopped by Diversi and tried the prototypes,” says DeFrancesco. “These boxes just blew my mind! Then when I played it without a rotary speaker, I was totally sold. I am someone who thought you would always need a real rotary speaker.

Zoogee World Inc.

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The “Rick Rock Guitar Pick”; Revolutionizing the music industry from Nashville to Hollywood!

A “New Generation of Guitar Picks” by Zoogee World Inc. provides: • Superior Sound and Brighter Tones; • Longer Pick Durability; • Photo quality graphics inside a 3D coating; • Any shape or size without die charges; • Key chain, Necklace, Zipper Pull and Cell Phone Attachments. Looking for “Retail” and “Promotional” distributors worldwide for sales to: • Guitar Manufacturers and Distributors; • Retail and Online Sales; • Rock Bands and Fan Clubs; • Festival and Event Promoters; • Memorabilia Providers; • Guitar Accessory Companies; • Schools and Associations; Visit Zoogee World Inc.’s NAMM Booth #1019 or contact sales@zoogee.com

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 1019

And now with their new SpectraSound, you don’t. I want all the cats out there to try these organs.” Founded in 2003, Diversi Musical Instruments is located outside of Philadelphia. The company manufactures new drawbar organs and drawbar keyboards. The Diversi Organ can be seen and heard on BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel TV Show, and it is also played by numerous recording artists. For more information, visit www.diversiorgan.com.

Pedal Board Light the Musicians Light AVAILABLE FROM YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC DISTRIBUTOR • See your Pedal Control and set-list in low light situations. • Dual Super LED gooseneck lights, each with separate switches to control light intensity. • Choose both the white Super LED light head or the red Super LED light head. • 3 AAA batteries included or use optional AC adaptor. Clip-on or use Velcro™ (included).

www.mightybright.com See us at NAMM Booth 1313

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Supplierscene Old Dog Launches X-Cabinet Old Dog is set to launch their patented “XCabinet” at this year’s NAMM Show. The “X-Cabinet” is exactly that, a 4x12 guitar speaker cabinet in the shape of an “X”. “The aggressive styling of the X-Cabinet does more than just make you sit up and take notice,” says Derrick Baird, designer of the X-Cabinet. “The shape of the cabinet gives the baffle and back panel added rigidity, limiting excitation. This prevents standing waves and lets you attack the strings more rapidly without the muddy bottom end. The tighter the cabinet, the more energy is converted into sound pressure. This works well for many types of music, from super clean to the most distorted metal.” The “X-Cabinet” is constructed completely of void-free Baltic birch and loaded with Vintage 30 Celestions. It also comes standard with a patent-pending “Plug and Play” (trademark of db Instrument Amp) jack plate assembly, which allows inputs at 4/16 Ohm Mono and 8 Ohm Stereo without the confusing switch. In front of every speaker is a patent-pending High Frequency Foam Diffuser. This component fi lters away the hiss emanating from the speaker center. The Old Dog X-Cabinet is made in the U.S. Old Dog is a Maryland-based company and manufacturer of the Road Warrior guitar stand and modular speaker systems. Product information is available at www.olddogproducts.com and by visiting booth 1357 at the NAMM Show.

models. The TW70-H Grand Auditorium Heritage guitar showcases a solid cedar top, three-piece solid rosewood with flamed maple insert back, solid rosewood sides, and deluxe four-ring abalone rosette with herringbone accents. Prices range from $1,099 to $1,599. The entry-level Evolution series features five laminate and solid cedar top dreadnoughts, ranging in list price from $239 to $399. www.tanglewoodguitars.com

Cherry Lane Releases BLS, Dead DVD Series Cherry Lane Music has two new Legendary Licks DVDs available: Black Label Society and Grateful Dead. They feature step-by-step breakdowns of each band’s guitar styles and techniques with each guitar part played up to speed, then

Tanglewood UK Introduces Heritage, Evolution Series Tanglewood Guitar Company UK announces the launch of Heritage and Evolution, two new series of guitars. The high-end Heritage Series features solid spruce tops, ebony fingerboards and bridges, walnut or flame maple bindings, abalone rosettes and inlays, and B-Band A5T electronics on acoustic-electric 168 MMR

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broken down note-for-note. Black Label Society features guitar instructor Danny Gill showing the style of Black Label Society’s Zakk Wylde. The two disc-set retails for $29.95. Grateful Dead – Classic Songs has guitarist Nate LaPointe showing how to play “Eyes of the World” and “Scarlet Begonias,” among others, and retails for $24.95. www.halleonard.com

Mel Bay Modern Method Guitar Supplements Mel Bay introduces five supplements to the Modern Guitar Method series. The Blues Jam Play Along book and CD is a supplement to Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 and presents blues melody and

improvising track for seven blues songs. Play All-Time Favorite Hits by Ear book and CD teach how to play songs like “I Walk the Line”, “Let It Be”, and “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Learn Rock Favorites teaches visually how to hear and play “Proud Mary” and “Midnight Rider.” Rock Studies covers the fundamentals of playing rock solos. Blues Jam Play Along (Grade 2) is a supplement to Modern Guitar Method Grade 2. Nine blues songs are presented, with each showing two improvising scales per tune. www.melbay.com

Behringer Offers Bass Flanger The new Ultra Bass Flanger BUF300 stompbox from Behringer brings a lot of control in a compact and affordable

foot pedal. In addition to classic swirling flanging, the BUF300 can create thick choruses, tremolo, slap-back delays, and funky tonal effects, all without affecting the bass fundamentals. Individual controls are provided for depth and rate of modulation and fi lter resonance. A manual control varies the starting frequency of the fi lter sweep. The BUF300 features electronic switching and battery or DC power. The MSRP is $44.99. www.behringer.com

New a nd Imp 2 ro More du x Brigh ved! rable cli p and s ter tr on Batte ries ger necks

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AVAILABLE FROM YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC DISTRIBUTOR

www.mightybright.com FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 4198

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Supplierscene Washburn Handcrafted Joe Trohman Idol Series Washburn Guitars announces the addition of the custom-made Joe Trohman Idol series. Showcasing the passion of Fall Out Boy’s guitarist, the guitar is a modern electric singlecutaway style. Dual humbuckers and voice contour control (VCC) allow for a range of tones. The guitar also features a solid basswood body, rosewood fretboard, 22 medium-jumbo frets, and Grover tuners. It is available in both black and white and retails for $419.90. www.washburn.com

David Pichette Endorses Barcus-Berry Violin Pickups Barcus-Berry announces a new endorser, David Pichette, fiddler for country music band Emerson Drive. Pichette is heard in recordings and concerts playing his violin which features the Barcus-Berry 3100 Clamp-On Bridge Violin Piezo Transducer.

See us at NAMM Booth 4410

Breaking News Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site,

www.MMRmagazine.com 170 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 3601

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RETAIL

Delian Music Goes Against Grain … it’s worked for 30 years at a ‘fun little store’ Candace Blankenship still writes receipts out by hand. “I’m old fashioned – maybe I’m an old stick in the mud!” she laughs. Later on, when it’s pointed out that this and other business practices put her at odds with pretty much everyone else in music products retailing, she laughs again and declares happily that she certainly is “going against the grain.” And she’s proud of being old school; so much so she writes on her Web site: “I

FEBRUARY 2008

would say my store is kind of ‘hokey.’ In this era of impersonality, big-box stores, and product over-saturation, hokey serves as a nice change of pace.” It must be. This year Blankenship celebrates her 30th year

in the business, and the 60th anniversary for her store, located in the southwestern part of Los Angeles County. But she’s no slacker, especially when it comes to business: “I attribute the

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172 MMR

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store’s longevity to a couple of things,â€? she says. “I keep Delian small and personal, and I keep costs down as much as I can. I learned a long time ago not to float money – I don’t put products on flooring [plans]!â€? she says. “It eats up profits. Also, my secret is I do business the way I want to.â€? That includes not opening the shop until 2:00 p.m. and closing it at 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (On Saturday’s it opens up at 10 a.m.). “I’m probably missing business with these hours, but it just works with my lifestyle. I used to open at 11:00 but I felt I was just opening up for the UPS guy ‌â€? The men in brown aside, she reasons that as the neighborhood-based operation is lesson-based, kids don’t get home from school until 3 p.m. anyway. As for herself, she only works at the shop two days a week. Rick King, who has been working at Delian for 15 years, is usually the one found behind the counter. The musician no doubt appreciates the untraditional hours, as he does the freedom to take off for gigs (most notably with former Wall of Voodoo singer/songwriter Stan Ridgeway, with whom he plays with frequently.) “When he goes out gigging, I have to work more, boo-hoo,â€? Blankenship says in a faux-pity voice. One other part-time employee fi lls out the store’s personnel. In addition a roster of 200 students a week in lessons, Delian carries entrylevel acoustic and electric guitars, a selection of brass and string instruments, and a lot of percussion (mainly “fun things,â€? she notes.) Delian Music doesn’t do a lot of advertising, instead relying on a well-constructed Web site [www.delianmusic.com]. In contrast to Blankenship’s other “old-schoolâ€? ways, the site is managed efficiently and with considerable aplomb, so much so that it consistently scores high in search engine hits. Mostly Blankenship makes sure those in her immediate vicinity know where she is and what she’s about. “People don’t want to drive anywhere – they want to shop at local stores,â€? she points out. The store itself is certainly physically modest: the freestanding building is a mere 1,800 square feet, but she does own it. She describes it as being in the quiet, sleepy middle-class neighborhood of Inglewood, and that people feel comfortable coming there. Her operation wasn’t always like this – years ago she had a much different store in a FEBRUARY 2008

bigger location. She carried the major lines, and was proud to be one of the first dealers to promote and sell Yamaha’s groundbreaking DX-7 keyboard in the 1980s. But she doesn’t seem to miss those days when she operated differently. “I would go to NAMM and get what I call NAMM fever. It’s when you get so excited about the [products] there, so you buy them … then come home and look at the purchase order and think, ‘How the hell am I going to sell all this?’”

Where High Price is King Blankenship says something you don’t hear every day in this business: “I certainly don’t have the best prices – I’ve always kept my prices high,” she chuckles. She gets away with what is frequently a 100-percent markup by stocking items that the local competitors don’t stock, and that includes the low-entry brass and woodwind instruments from China not always found in music stores. “People don’t want to pay $300, $400, or $500 for one of those instruments and it’s the same with violins,” she observes. Aware of the complaints about some of Chinese instruments based on quality concerns, she comments that many Chinese products are improving all the time and are adequate for her typical customer: “When the Chinese instruments first came out, they were pretty lousy, and they flooded the market. But then they got wise, and started producing some pretty decent horns and those are the ones I carry.” Also attractive is the fact that those companies rarely require onerous buy-ins, which is the reason she doesn’t have a franchise with Americanbased companies that do: “I can’t meet the quotas,” she says simply Blankenship practices to art of stealth retailing: she doesn’t continue to order products that don’t turn fast enough, or those where the margin is too low. The operation includes music-related gift items from Chesbro and AIM. At the end of the year, those trinkets that haven’t sold are given away or partnered with others and placed in gift baskets for a silent auction with proceeds go to her educational foundation that right now has five economically disadvantaged kids taking music lessons who otherwise couldn’t afford to. While overall these gift items don’t fit her otherwise stringent high-margin requirements, they fulfi ll another basic need: she says she likes to look at them. FEBRUARY 2008

A & M Composer Statuettes Marcsmen Piano & Organ Lamps Admira Classic Guitars Masterpiece Clarinet & Sax Reeds Amati Band Instruments & Accessories Modular Band Instrument Cases Mike Balter Mallets MTS Rack & Combo Cases Blitz Custom Polishing Cloths Music Stand Lamp (Pacific Trends) Blitz Instrument Care Products Original Swab Company Buckle-Gard Pacific Trends Keyboard Lamps Clip Light (Music Stand) Plastic Kazoos Conrad Instrument Accessories Populaire Clarinet & Sax Reeds Cory Instrument Care Products Reed-O-Meter Creepnomore Road Tuff Cases Demand Silk Swabs Shield Whistles DJ Music Mobile Cases Sousaphone & Tuba Cases / All Fit Downbeat Merchandise Bags Strunal String Instruments & Accessories Dr. Dan’s Instrument Care DVDs Stump Fiddle Drum Sticks (Whitehall) Tambourines Dukoff Mouthpieces UniTec Cases E.A.R. Noise Filters Wabash Accessories Gemwood Conductor Batons (King David) Whitehall Drums Haberline Cello & Bass Bags Whitehall Instrument Accessories Instrument Straps Whitehall Lanyards Kafko Brasswind/Guitar/Violin Accessories Whitehall Saxophone Stands Kazoo (U.S.A.) Metal Windy City Mutes King David Leader & Gift Batons Woodstock Education Products Latin American Percussion Woodstock Musical Toys Woodstock Toy Piano DAVID WEXLER & CO., 7807 E. Greenway Road, Suite #8, Scottsdale, AZ 85260-1717 Tel: (480) 675-8888 • Fax: (480) 675-8900 www.wexlermusic.com • Email: wexlermusic@aol.com “Merchandising Musical Instruments and Accessories since 1920” NAMM Booth 3331 MMR 173

“My secret is I do business the way I want to.” Prima Donnas Need Not Apply Blankenship turns more serious when talking about her teaching staff made up of a dozen instructors boasting impressive credentials, and listed with photos and bios on Delian Music’s Web site. “I don’t hire prima donnas, I don’t care how well they play,” she states bluntly. “It’s how they interact with children. I’ve had guys come in who will rip the neck off a guitar they play so well, but they have no

business teaching. It’s hard to fi nd and keep good teachers.” But she does seem to have a talent for it: of the 12 on her staff, about half have been with her longer than 10 years. Rightly or wrongly, Los Angeles is stereotyped as home base for the flaky musician, but she weeds them out during an interview process in hiring teachers. Once on board, Blankenship has them commit in writing to certain days of the week they are going to teach and if they have a gig, they have to supply a sub. “I think it’s a mistake to tell a teacher he or she can’t gig,” she says. “A lot are here because they love teaching, but they love to make music too.” The lessons offered at Delian are mainly in guitar, piano, and drums. Further down the list are brass and woodwind lessons, then violin, and finally voice. She has certainly carved out an uncommon niche. Coupled with her emphasis of matching her business operation with her own lifestyle priorities, Blankenship can certainly be envied, but that’s not to say she’s without any concerns. “The thing that bothers me is that kids today don’t seem to have a very good

work/practice ethic,” she comments. “We live in a throw-away society, unfortunately. We do have good students who have been taught the value of practice, but those kids have parents who stay at the store, talk to the teacher after every lesson, and so on. I explain to all parents the need to get involved with the children’s musical education, but … “Sports are a big challenge – and competition – for music making. That, and computers! But I try to advocate all the benefits of music, the valuable social skills a child learns from playing in a band, hand out NAMM’s ‘Music Makes You Smarter’ literature … some [parents] get it, some don’t, so it’s a constant battle. I write articles about it for the local papers, and some of these I post on my Web site.” Overall, Blankenship knows how she runs her business is counter to the current tide, but she lets her personal preference guide her: “The people I deal with like me, and like the store … many are disappointed if I don’t have something: they are like, ‘Gosh, I have to go to Guitar Center to get this?!? It’s too noisy there!” she laughs.

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FEBRUARY 2008

NAMM University

Professional Development Schedule Anaheim Convention Center & Hilton Anaheim Hotel • Jan. 17-20, 2008 Thursday, January 17 BREAKFAST SESSION 8 a.m.

Breakfast of Champions Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO, and Guests (Free breakfast served 8 a.m.–8:30 a.m.; session 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.) Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms Joe Lamond will welcome some of the veterans of the music products indus-

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try for a series of up-close and personal discussions. Listen in on the thoughts of these industry leaders who have managed not only to survive but to thrive in this rapidly changing business environment. Understand their tactics and strategies for the challenges and opportunities of the marketplace. Experience a rare glimpse into the logic that guides these champions of the industry.

IDEA CENTER SESSIONS NAMM Idea Center, Booth #5501 in Hall B Every 30 minutes

See us at NAMM Booth 1051

10:30 a.m.

How to Avoid the Seven Deadly Web Site Sins Presented by Kevin Mitchell, associate editor, MMR Magazine Avoid the seven deadly Web site sins and learn easy ways to make your Web site your portal to increased profits. Over 70 percent of brick-and -mortar customers are browsing online fi rst, then going to a retailer and making a purchase. Your Web site is now your front door, and this is the year to get it in order. Kevin

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Thursday, January 17 M. Mitchell, MMR associate editor and Web consultant to companies from Disney to small retail operations, discusses site dos and don’ts, tips on increasing sales and creating customer loyalty with your site, and why it’s mission-critical to develop a Web site business plan and stick to it. 11 a.m.

Our Lesson Program is Finally Profitable! How Did We Do It? Presented by Gayle Beacock, vice president, Beacock Music Beacock Music has been offering in-store music lessons for 30 years. They have been down every road and back. Now they have found the road to showing a real profit from their education programs. How do they do it? Learn their system for profitable in-store lesson programs. Gayle will give you everything they use: teacher application forms, student handbooks, class schedules, and much more.

11:30 a.m.

How to Make Smart Inventory Buys Presented by Alan Friedman, CPA, Friedman, Kannenberg & Company, P.C. Look around your store and what do you see? Too many guitars and amps, too few accessories, the wrong mix of print music, un-rented band instruments on the shelves, obsolete pro audio gear collecting dust, and aging pianos racking up flooring costs. How does this happen? In this updated session, you will learn how to buy the right product, quantity, and mix at the right cost and payment terms. Alan Friedman, a CPA with several music dealer clients, will give you the inside scoop on making smart inventory buys. 12 p.m. One-Hour Presentation

How to Make the Sale Without Being Pushy Presented by Bob Negen, president, WhizBang! Training

This fun, interactive workshop focuses on practical, proven customer service and sales strategies that can be brought back to your business and used immediately. The focus is not on theory, but on easyto-understand strategies, tips, and tricks to boost your store’s sales while providing exceptional service. In this workshop you will learn: 1 p.m. One-Hour Panel Discussion

Scheduling Teachers and Staff — There’s More Than One Way to Meet the Challenge Moderated by Danny Rocks, catalyst, The Company Rocks How do you schedule your lesson programs? How do you schedule and compensate your staff? There is no one right way — the right way is the one that works for you. Danny Rocks will moderate a panel of independent music retailers who will share their unique approaches to the issues all retailers face today.

Wholesalers of:

Juzek Stringed Instruments Bows Cases Strings Accessories

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176 MMR

sales@metmusic.com See us at NAMM Booth 3124

FEBRUARY 2008

Thursday, January 17 2 p.m.

How to Use Gift Certificates to Bring in a Flood of New Customers Presented by Bob Negen, president, WhizBang! Training Your customers are suffering from advertising overload, and it’s becoming harder and harder to break through the clutter. Giving gift certificates gets you noticed and gets your hottest prospects on your phone or in your door. 2:30 p.m.

Dressed for Success! Visual Merchandising Tips to Sell More! Presented by Paul McManus, chief executive, Music Industries Association (UK)

This includes: 1) The look and clarity of the brand 2) Formats to draw the customer into the store 3) The critical importance of the store window 4) Signage to help the customer understand store layout 5) Sight lines to help customer flow and draw them to the right products 6) The need for good lighting and using it to your advantage 7) The little touches 8) Customer information and services 9) The hero factor 10) People buy people 11) Product, product, product! 3 p.m.

This presentation features a collection of photographs from both music shops and general retailers highlighting a range of ways to approach the look and feel of your store.

FEBRUARY 2008

Powerful Market Research: Do You Really Know Your Customers? Presented by Lisa Gabbert, sales manager (Music), GE Money

GE Money has conducted extensive research in the music products industry over the past year. Learn more about your customers as you hear about information gathered through consumer focus groups, online surveys, and personal interviews. For instance, 84 percent of consumers say they would finance a music purchase if offered to them. Learn about customer purchase motivations and how to increase your value proposition. 3:30 p.m.

Creating a Musical Culture in Your Store Presented by Rick Santos, president, Rick’s Music World, Ltd. Two of the biggest challenges for an independent dealer today are lack of store traffic and customer loyalty. Wouldn’t it be great to increase both and have a great time doing it? In this session, learn some of the ways you can create a musical culture in your store. Starbucks and

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Thursday, January 17/Friday, January 18 Barnes & Noble figured out how to do it; you need to do it too if you want to compete. 4 p.m.

Work on Your Lesson Program Like There’s No Tomorrow! Part 1 — How to Evaluate Your Lesson Program Presented by Pete Gamber, owner, Alta Loma Music With the rapid and unpredictable changes in all segments of the industry, what do you have to depend on? Luck, location, brands, good looks? Being in business for 30 years doesn’t matter either — “Who cares?!” Plus now everyone — from your next-door neighbor to mass merchants — is in the music distribution “food chain.” It’s all about having music lessons at your store (or for manufacturers — at your dealers’ locations). In Part 1 of this three-part session, you will learn how to evaluate your lesson program, take the test, and

look at your lesson program from an outside perspective. How do you score? Pete will have solutions to many of these overlooked areas of your music lesson program.

Friday, January 18

4:30 p.m.

Bill Hinely (Free breakfast served 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.; session 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.) Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms

Work on Your Lesson Program Like There’s No Tomorrow! Part 2 — How to Implement a Successful Music Lesson Program Presented by Pete Gamber Having a successful music lesson program isn’t just having lesson rooms and teachers — it’s about having a real lesson program. Pete will share an easyto-implement approach to developing a successful music lesson program in your store! 5 p.m.

Work on Your Lesson Program Like There’s No Tomorrow! Part 3 — Ask Pete Your Questions Presented by Pete Gamber

BREAKFAST SESSION 8 a.m.

The BIG Issues: Time & Money

If you are a typical small business, the two commodities that are always in short supply are time and money. In the latest BIG Issues session, Bill Hinely will moderate a diverse panel. Learn some of the most effective and profitable ways to invest your precious time and money in your business during the next 12 months. They will examine some case studies of successful small business in our industry and explore the broader trends and expectations for the year ahead.

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See us at NAMM Booth 1521

FEBRUARY 2008

Friday, January 18 IDEA CENTER SESSIONS NAMM Idea Center, Booth #5501 in Hall B Every 30 minutes 10:30 a.m.

How to Attract More Visitors to Your Web Site and Keep Them Coming Back Presented by Jim Norris, president, Norris-Whitney Communications If you feel your investment in your Web site is not reaping dividends, this seminar is for you. Find out how to bring targeted visitors to your site and turn them into customers. Discover the secrets of making your site user-friendly and search-engine friendly, and learn dozens of cost-effective tips on promoting any Web site — both offline and offline. 11 a.m.

How to Market Beyond Your Front Door Presented by Bob Popyk, founder of Bentley-Hall, Inc., and columnist for

FEBRUARY 2008

Music Trades Magazine \Where’s your next sale coming from? Are you just turning the key in the morning and hoping for the best, or are you and your salespeople proactive and doing something to increase walk-in traffic all day long? This doesn’t mean one more “Prices So Low You Won’t Believe It” ad in the local paper. It means coming up with ideas that store personnel can implement on their own to get more customers each day (as well as decent margins) … without spending huge dollars on promotions and advertising. 11:30 a.m.

How to Increase Your Business by 25% ... Starting Next Week! Presented by Bob Popyk Could you use a decent increase in business right away? To increase your business significantly next week, you have to do something about it this week. That’s the catch. Longterm plans are great, but it’s the short-term

ideas that get the contracts written and the cash register to ring right way. 12 p.m. One-Hour Presentation

How to Take Your Company to the Next Level and Beyond Presented by Bill Hinely Join industry management and marketing expert Bill Hinely for this session that some have called “The One-Hour MBA.” Hold on to your seat and take notes as fast as you can — this presentation moves at a blistering pace. In this session, you’ll learn: The five-step process that can help • you focus and propel your business to the next level and well beyond How to create a sales and marketing • strategy that makes since for you, your business and your market How to clarify and communicate • your business goals and objectives so that your whole staff gets behind it How to identify strategies that will • almost certainly work and avoid those that will almost certainly fail

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Friday, January 18 •

Dozens of ideas and tips from one of the most respected marketing strategists in our industry

1 p.m.

How to Create Displays That Sell! Presented by Gayle Beacock, vice president, Beacock Music We are always talking about having great displays and extraordinary merchandising in our stores, but most of us are still not executing to the level we know that we need to. Gayle Beacock’s store is known for creative, inexpensive displays. Learn how to finally get this happening in your store and be a real standout in your community. 1:30 p.m. One-Hour Panel Discussion

Music Teacher Status: A “PointCounterpoint” Panel

Moderated by Alan Friedman, CPA, Friedman, Kannenberg & Company, P.C. Panel Member (tentative): Ellen McDonald, Rick Santos, Gayle Beacock

There are varying opinions by retailers, the IRS, and other tax authorities on whether music teachers should be viewed as “employees” or “independent contractors.” Many music store owners believe they can lower labor costs and eliminate benefits by treating music teachers (and other workers) as independent contractors. Others believe it is better to have complete control over a teacher’s curriculum and lesson quality. Come join industry CPA Alan Friedman and a panel of music retailers who provide in-store lessons for an in-depth discussion on the dos and don’ts of music teacher status.

3 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

Increase Your Profitability Now! Presented by George Hines, president, George’s Music, Inc. George Hines will lead you through a systematic approach toward setting profit goals and using “key indicators” to measure your progress toward increased profitability while facing increased competition and market changes.

How to Create a Profitable Recreational Music Making Piano Program Presented by Medardo & Debra Perez, principals, Valley Keyboards Learn the critical success factors for creating a profitable Recreational Music Making (RMM) Piano Program. This includes the specifics of forming RMM classes, finding the right facilitator, involving the entire staff, and developing promotions that educate, entertain, and sell pianos.

How to Set Up a Practical Music Lesson Program in Your Store Presented by Guy Lee, author and publisher, Guytar Publishing Keep a steady traffic flow in your store all year long with a simple and reasonable music instruction agenda that maintains 25 to 100 students. Guy Lee, author of How To Make A Living Teaching Guitar,

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180 MMR

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See us at NAMM Booth 1612

FEBRUARY 2008

Saturday, January 19 will give you direction on starting and/or preserving your courses. 4 p.m.

Store Design Secrets for Music Retailers (Part 1) Presented by Chris Miller, president, Pacific Store Designs, Inc. Thinking of a remodel or opening another location? Don’t miss Part 1 of this twopart series. Chris Miller will share his “4 Parts to a Retail Store” and unleash hidden these secrets of how to effectively use space-planning techniques, traffic flow, focal points, sightlines, the 3 “A’s” of lighting, fi xturing, and decor. You will learn how to immediately apply these ideas in your stores.

How many rentals do you get back?

4:30 p.m.

Store Design Secrets for Music Retailers (Part 2) Presented by Chris Miller Learn how traffic flow tied with store design secrets can triple the overall impressions of what a customer sees in your store. If customers are exposed to more merchandise using these concepts, your sales can only increase. Chris Miller will cover space-saving ideas and the latest in fi xturing and merchandising innovations. Find out why Part 1 secrets work in conjunction with each other.

THINK ABOUT IT!! Made in USA by BO PEP, INC Box 144-H South Thomaston, Maine 04858

Saturday, January 19 BREAKFAST SESSION 8 a.m.

The Retail Apprentice Alan Friedman, CPA, Friedman, Kannenberg & Company, P.C., and Danny Rocks, catalyst, The Company Rocks (Free breakfast served 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.; session 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.) Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms “You’re fired!!” But before you go, tell us everything you know about sales, advertising, promotions, store operations, rental instruments, lesson programs, inventory, cash flow, and what business practices actually work (and which ones don’t) in the running of today’s competiFEBRUARY 2008

We Asked! usb(mini)

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Visit our web site: www.MMRmagazine.com MMR 181

Saturday, January 19 tive music store. Join our Alan Friedman and Danny Rocks and a hand-picked panel of industry veterans for our own fun-fi lled “game show” session. Learn insider tips and tricks on the running of a music products retail store, and then decide which panelist is going to be told, “You’re fired!”

IDEA CENTER SESSIONS NAMM Idea Center, Booth #5501 in Hall B Every 30 minutes 10:30 a.m.

The Guitar Strap as Clothing — Fashion Forward Presented by Harvey Levy, vice president, Levy’s Leathers, Ltd.

See us at NAMM Booth 4858

Fashion, previously reserved for eccentric rock stars, is now commonplace. For today’s guitarist, style and image are not an option, they are a necessity. Combo music stores are filled with guitars of every imaginable shape and style to appeal to the style, genre, and fashion sense of their guitar-playing customers. However, the guitar strap is an often-overlooked component of the overall image the guitarist will project. Harvey Levy travels the world looking for materials and trends in the fashion world that can be translated into guitar strap designs that meet the image needs and fashion sense of the contemporary guitarist. Find out how you can increase your strap turnover by thinking differently about the guitar strap: It is an article of clothing. 11 a.m.

How to Create Store Environments That Attract LongTerm Students Presented by Ravi, columnist, clinician, and consultant Do you have a high turnover of students? Are you losing them to outside or former store teachers, or is their interest just dwindling? An inspiring atmosphere that boasts quality up-to-date education in a safe setting is instrumental to keeping students and parents coming back year after year. Ravi will tell you what inspires students and parents to commit on a long-term basis, and how to earn their loyalty to the store as opposed to just the teacher. Discover what technology makes the difference and a cost-effective 182 MMR

See us at NAMM Booth 1726

FEBRUARY 2008

approach for incorporating it, how to create a waiting room that helps generate revenue, which improvements yield returns on the investment and more. 11:30 a.m.

Hire Like a Casting Director Presented by Susan Lipp, president, Full Compass Music

Visit us at Booth 2977

Learn the tricks to hire and keep employees forever -- every time. Learn not to believe those résumés. Learn to test. Learn from Susan Lipp, president of Full Compass, who was formerly a theatre director, fi lm casting director, and professional headhunter. 12 p.m. One-Hour Presentation

How to Set Up Your Internet Marketing … for FREE! Presented by Jen Lowe, president, BoomBoom Percussion, LLC In the summer of 2007, we told you how you could market your store for free using tools on the Internet, such as MySpace and YouTube. In the winter of 2008, Jen Lowe will go live in Anaheim to show you firsthand how to do it yourself. Join Jen at this action-packed session where she will set up both a MySpace and a YouTube site for one lucky retailer. 1 p.m.

How to Turn the Slowest Weeks of Summer into a Financial and Public Relations Bonanza Presented by Myrna Sislen, owner, Middle C Music Myrna Sislen has conducted successful summer rock band camps in her store for the past four years. In that time, the camp has grown from one session to three, and been covered by Fox News, CBS Radio, The Washington Post, the Northwest Current, and the Georgetown Current newspapers. Myrna will share with you all the secrets of conducting a summer rock band camp in your store.

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1:30 p.m.

How to Get More Church Business (Panel Discussion) Presented by Corey Fournier, market development manager, Roland Corp. U.S. Did you know that churches are the fastest-growing venue for recorded and live FEBRUARY 2008

Visit our web site: www.MMRmagazine.com MMR 183

Saturday, January 19 music in the country? Come and dialogue with a panel of influential church music directors and learn how to be more effective in marketing and selling to churches. The panel will represent churches of various sizes, locales, and traditions.

2 p.m.

Promote the Difference! Five Ways to Stand Out From Your Competition Presented by John Stiernberg, president, Stiernberg Consulting

Q: What do car dealers, travel agents, and computer stores all have in common? A: They are going after your customers. Indirect competitors are often tougher to deal with than direct competitors like other music products retailers. The way to stand out is to promote positive differentiation. Join us for five actionable tips geared to building sales and customer loyalty in today’s competitive market. 2:30 p.m.

How MI Retailers Are Using the Internet to Save Thousands of Dollars Per Month (Part 1) Presented by John Gray, president, Back Office Support Services The Internet isn’t just for shopping carts. We will show you how MI retailers have used the Internet to sell more product, provide better service for their customers, and improve their relationships with suppliers and service providers while they have added thousands of dollars each month to the bottom line. 3 p.m.

How MI Retailers Are Using the Internet to Save Thousands of Dollars Per Month (Part 2) Presented by Dave Cox, president, Tri-Tech 3:30 p.m.

How to Fix Your Buying Mistakes Presented by Alan Friedman, CPA, Friedman, Kannenberg & Company, P.C. Even if you guess right in your buying most of the time, you’re still going to guess wrong some of the time. How do you fix these buying blunders? In this follow-up to “Making Smart Inventory Buys,” you’ll learn how to fix your buying mistakes and “manage” your inventory. Alan Friedman, a CPA with several music dealer clients, will present his “one-page solution” to fixing buying mistakes and managing your entire inventory. 4 p.m. One-Hour Panel Discussion

“Why Didn’t I Think of That?” Moderated by Kevin Cranley, president, WiIlis Music See us at NAMM Booth 1697

Visit our web site: www.MMRmagazine.com 184 MMR

You don’t have to look far for new ideas — they are all around us. The trick is to take someone else’s great idea and adapt it to FEBRUARY 2008

Sunday, January 20 fit your store’s situation. It could be a sales promotion or a merchandising plan, even a hiring and training procedure. See it, adapt it, implement it, and document it so that you can use it again next season. Kevin Cranley and his panel of fellow retailers will share the practical ideas that have worked in their stores. Join us for this fast-paced session and be prepared to take away some winning ideas that you can implement next week.

You, the music products retailer, asked the hard-hitting questions. Now, you’ll get answers. Join this panel of Music Inc. columnists to learn solutions to your finance, sales, marketing, merchandising, and staffing issues. These specialists will respond to questions submitted prior to the show and will also take audience

questions in the second half of the session. 12 p.m.

Web Site 101: It’s Never too Late! Jump-Start It Today Presented by Gordon O’Hara, managing partner, Retail Up! Music

Sunday, January 20 BREAKFAST SESSION 8 a.m.

Best in Show — This Year’s Hottest Products Frank Alkyer, publisher, Music Inc., and Panel (Free breakfast served 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.; session 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.) Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms See us at NAMM Booth 1449

With more than 1,400 companies demonstrating thousands of products at the show, it is sometimes difficult to make sure that you have seen all the important new items. Join Music Inc. publisher Frank Alkyer and his panel of retail buyers, media, and gearheads, as they scour the aisles and dig into the merchandise to find the best products, ideas, and trends from the hidden depths of the show.

IDEA CENTER SESSIONS NAMM Idea Center, Booth #5501 in Hall B Every 30 minutes 10:30 a.m.

Church 2.0: How to Win the Next Round Presented by Kent Morris, worship market specialist, Peavey Electronics Now that all your competition knows about the church market, how do you succeed in a maturing market? This class will uncover the steps to separate you from the pack and secure solid business with churches of all types.

Come & Get It! 7 DC & 7 AC Outlets Computer Controlled Sequence All AC/DC Outlets 7000 Joules Reduce Noise, Heat & Waste Firmware & Software Upgrades

11 a.m. One-Hour Panel Discussion

“Ask the Experts”

Moderated by Zach Phillips, editor, Music Inc. FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 185

Sunday, January 20 Your store’s Web site — perhaps you don’t have one, just a few pages, an ecommerce site with a few products, or you use an auction site. Yet over 60 percent of your customers want more online … and in-store. Keep up. Learn how to set up

Internet connections, equipment, domain names and e-mail services; define site goals and features; make choices about site construction; and expand your site usage to integrate store operations, increase store traffic and reduce operating costs.

12:30 p.m.

Web 2.0 and Beyond — What’s In It for You? Presented by Bee Bantug, managing partner, Retail Up! Music Your Web site is up and running. Now what? In this session, you’ll learn about the latest developments on the Internet and their potential impact on your Web site and your business. Which ones present more opportunities to increase traffic and sales, and reduce costs? What ascendant market segments lie ahead within the Web’s wide reach that anticipate new solid customer relationships? Explore the edges of the Web; stay ahead of the curve. This session is for both retailers and suppliers looking to gain from the latest Web-driven business strategies. 1 p.m.

How to Protect Yourself from Web Site Copyright Problems Presented by Susan Anthony, United States Patent and Trademark Office

See us at NAMM Booth 4233

• Relief For Flutists •

Now that Web sites have become an essential part of almost every retail operation, it is important to make sure that you protect yourself from potential copyright problems on your site. Come and listen as the experts from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office explain where the dangers lie and learn everything you need to know to protect your store and your Web site from potential legal issues. 1:30 p.m.

How to Use Consumer Financing to Bring in More Loyal Customers Presented by Lisa Gabbert, sales manager (Music), GE Money Market research has shown that customers who use store-branded consumer financing tend to shop that store more frequently and spend up to 40 percent more per transaction. Learn to increase your sales through the effective use of consumer financing in your store. This session will explore the cost, value, and benefits of consumer financing. 2 p.m.

Box 144 South Thomaston Maine 04858 (207) 596-6595 186 MMR

How to Increase Revenue by Teaching Students and Customers about Hand, Wrist and Elbow Fitness Presented by Dr. Terry Zachary, developer of GHS Handmaster Plus Hand Exercise System FEBRUARY 2008

Sunday, January 20 Add health to your teaching program by becoming the expert on hand, wrist, and elbow fitness in your community. Why are repetitive stress injuries so prevalent in music? Dr. Terry Zachary presents cutting-edge research explaining both the basis and the solution for music-related hand muscle problems. 2:30 p.m.

Building Local Alliances: Keeping Music Education Strong in Your Community

3:30 p.m.

Far Out Strings: Going Beyond the Traditional School Orchestra Program Music Industry Panel Alternative styles, new methods, and innovative designs are reshaping and reviving string programs in schools. Join the discussion and learn more about new methods and approaches that are invigorating school orchestra programs. 4 p.m.

Music Industry Panel Healthy, sustainable music programs depend on community commitments and the involvement of decision-makers, including school board members, administrators, legislators, teachers, and parents who believe in the reasons for keeping music and the arts as part of the school curriculum. 3 p.m.

Teaching Music with Technology: New Tools for the Music Room

More Music in Schools: Now, EVERYBODY Play Music Industry Panel Music teachers are expanding access to music education by offering guitar and drumming programs and expanding the access to music making to children who may not have been drawn to traditional music education offerings. Learn from organizations that are leading this new opportunity for every student to learn music.

Music Industry Panel Technology is transforming the way music is composed, performed, promoted, and taught. Music educators are exploring this frontier and succeeding through partnerships and support from the industry. Join a discussion about how music and technology create a bridge to engage student learning.

Breaking News

See us at NAMM Booth 2954

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Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site,

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Resilient like your fingertip, Because we love music.

GROTRIAN PIANO COMPANY GmbH Postbox 58 33 D-38049 Braunschweig Germany

Tel: 00149.531.210 10.0 Fax: 00149.531.210 10.40 contact@grotrian.de www.grotrian.de

so it will not create tuning problems. www.shubb.com • shubb@shubb.com 707-876-3001 See us at NAMM Booth 6240

FEBRUARY 2008

Please visit us at NAMM

MMR 187

See us at NAMM Booth 1707

The World’s Best Tone Control

“Addictive… a great drop-in replacement for your old tone knob… increased the guitar’s clarity and projection… a practical tool that enhances the guitar’s flexibility and sonic quality… the ToneStyler is the way to go.” – GUITAR WORLD

Get rid of your dull, unused tone pot. Installs in minutes – only two wires to connect. No modifications to your guitar. Selectively cuts treble while retaining vital midrange and rich harmonics. Premium aerospace components. Zero noise analog circuity. No batteries! Made in U.S.A.

www.stellartone.com 541.779.8663

188 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

WITH PRIVATE LABEL INSTRUMENTS

Your Name Here Your Name Here

Your Name Here Your Name Here Your Name Here

Have Your Store Logo on Flutes, Saxophones, Trumpets Clarinets…

Send us a logo and your order, and it will be ready in 3 days! Completion of assembly in our New York warehouse. One year warranty included, $50 one time set-up, and $5 per instrument.

AMERICA LONGXING INC.

3300 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101 (718)706-0828 ■ FAX (718)706-0128 www.huntermusical.com See us at NAMM Booth 5920

FEBRUARY 2008

See us at NAMM Booth 3000

MMR 189

Classifieds

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Accessories

Business Opportunities • 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

Distributors Welcome

Announcements

Business Opportunities

NAMM Booth# 3604 190 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

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Business Opportunities

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17725 NE 65th Suite B235 Redmond, WA 98052 harmony.music @gte.net

1.800.356.2826 1.800.356.2826

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CLASSIFIEDS on the MOVE! check

www.mmrmagazine.com for daily updates!

FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 191

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Help Wanted Educational Marketing Manager & Instrument Repair and QC Technician Jupiter Band Instruments, Inc. in Austin, Texas is looking for two exceptional individuals to join our team.

The national Educational Marketing Manager responsibilities include research and development of marketing-oriented programs for educators and educational resources. Candidates will have strong written and verbal presentation skills, experience in music education, and drive to grow a highly visible, comprehensive program. Some travel involved. The Instrument Repair and Quality Control Technician is responsible for maintaining the highest level of quality standards for all Jupiter wind instruments, Altus Flutes and Majestic percussion instruments. Minimum of 5 years experience in the repair of wind instruments from student through professional level. Must be willing to learn new repair techniques relative to manufacturing process. Some travel involved. Jupiter offers comprehensive health benets and a 401K program. For more details visit our website at www.jupitermusic.com. Email resume to tpeterson@jupitermusic.com. Please reference job position in subject line.

Sales professionals needed for a YAMAHA/Lowrey dealer in Little Rock, AR and Springeld, MO. We offer agreat commission plan plus benets. Please email mspiano01@yahoo.com. 192 MMR

Senior-level Executives:

Bosendorfer Pianos of Las Vegas, a division of All About Pianos, Inc. independent Bosendorfer dealer, is seeking Working Partner/Investor with executive-level experience in the piano industry. Inquiries will be kept strictly condential. Submit resume to louis@bosendorferlasvegas.com FEBRUARY 2008

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

Help Wanted

Instruction

For Sale

Guy Lee’s

“How To Make a Living Teaching Guitar” Guytar Publishing

www.guytar.com For Sale FOR SALE Beautiful central Florida Well-known music store, Located 21 years on East Coast! All inventory/xtures, turnkey! Major brands, full-line. No real property. 6 + studios Owners have aging parents. Call PM only 321-723-6489 Or 321-725-3047

MUSIC STORE FOR SALE IN HAWAII Have you ever dreamed of living in Hawaii? This could be your chance! Full line music store in paradise. All inventory and xtures included. Most major lines are represented. $125,000.00 For more information Call 808 870-5953 MUSIC STORE FOR SALE IN SUNNY FLORIDA Well established for over 30 years 4k sq. ft., newly renovated Full line instruments, rental program, teaching studios, music books, and instrument repair dept. Turn key ready: Inventory, xtures and repair equipment included. $65K + Inventory Owner ready to retire, LET’S TALK For more information contact: doityesterday@verizon.net

Merchandise Studios, Consoles, Spinets Lot Pricing: $195-$350 Solid, Reconditionable Pianos. Some have Benches. JAY-MART PIANO WHOLESALERS P.O. Box 21148 • Cleveland, OH • 44121

800-411-2363

Fax: 216-382-3249 • Email: jaymartpianos@sbcglobal.net “The Piano Store For Piano Stores”

www.mmrmagazine.com FEBRUARY 2008

MMR 193

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Merchandise

equatone@earthlink.net

YAMAHA–KAWAI & MORE

CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED PIANOS

Asian High Quality No other supplier offers superior service before, during and after the sale. You get what you pay for!

Oboes & Bassoons

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

Linton Woodwinds Corporation, Jack Linton

CASES CASES CASES Factory Direct! Any ATA Case For $99 Mixers, Amps, Heads, or Keyboards www.newyorkcasecompany.com

877-692-2738

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 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

GUARANTEED LANDED QUALITY

1-800-782-2694 North American Music 11 Kay Fries Drive Stony Point, NY 10980 Fax: (845) 429-6920

FINANCING AVAILABLE Wristies® ngerless gloves

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warmth for handsfreedom for ngers. Perfect for practice, cold venues and marching. Wholesale, retail and quantity discounts available.

wristies.com

800-811-8290

www.mmrmagazine.com 194 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

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

Merchandise

300,000 Piano Lovers! That’s how many unique, piano loving people visit PianoWorld.com every month. Be smart, advertise your piano or music related business where your new customers are hanging out.

PianoWorld.com

ACCORDIONS: All sizes —

over 100 in stock — new & used. Regular, Electronic, MIDI, etc. JOHN GAUNT, Distributor, 1248 S. Highland Ave., Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 443-4113.

Home of the world famous Piano Forums.

For more interesting statistics and advertising information: Visit www.PianoWorld.com/advertising ... Now!

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

Repair Tools BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIR Complete woodwind/brasswind repair, from rental return service to complete overhauls. Dealers welcome. All work guaranteed. Member of NAPBIRT. Quality Repair Service PH #574-268-5360 email: mwebb451@embarqmail.com

Carter Steel Guitars P.O. Box 851324 Mesquite, TX 75185-1324 USA Info: 1-972-475-2324 FAX: 1-972-412-7353 www.CarterStarter.com OrderDesk@CarterStarter.com Made in the USA

FEBRUARY 2008

*Use Coupon code: NAMM for a 20% Discount on MIGHTY GRIP gloves or powder

FAST TURN-AROUND ON STOCK REPAIRS NATIONWIDE NAPBIRT member, 25 Years Experience Contact: Dan Rieck, 801-733-4243 dan@utahwoodwindrepair.com MMR 195

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Repair Tools

Sales Reps Wanted BOW REHAIRING Expert Bow Service

Order forms,Pricing and Shipping label at:

www.bowrehairing.com 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. 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

REPS WANTED

Codel Enterprises J3 and Aslin Dane Guitars, Basses and Amps Seeking ambitious guitar reps. Major territories open. High commissions Best Dealer Buying Program Contact 860 408-1441 or lamb@codelenterprises.com

School Sales Reps Wanted SCHOOL REP

StringWorks is looking for school reps nationwide to represent our world renowned violins, violas, and cellos All areas available. Contact Todd at tmf@stringworks.com

INDEPENDENT SALES REPS

REPAIRS BAND INSTURMENTS SINCE 1946. Competitive prices, 100% satisfaction GUARANTEED Dealer inquiries invited. Write or Call: PHILLIPS MUSIC CORPORATION 17668 State Highway B Kirksville, MO 63501

For 60 years we have provided musical instrument repair tools to technicians and musicians around the world. We have a wide selection of pads and other supplies in addition to our repair tools. Contact us today for a FREE CATALOG.

Sales Reps Wanted

196 MMR

Seeking Employment I Don’t Sell, You Don’t Pay Pianos/Digitals/Organs Closer for hire! 20 years experience Outside promo specialist timfeager@msn.com • 561-379-4718

SHIPPING YOUR PIANO

with Lone Wolf Trucking

Sales Reps Wanted Michigan-based Brass, Woodwind and accessories line. Join a great new organization with an “artist-endorsed” product. Competitive Commissions with incentive. Contact: db@dymusicusa.com 734-384-1705

(718) 706-0828 Ask for Paul

Services

660 665-5889

Sales Representatives Wanted!!

Sales Reps Wanted Band & Orchestra Instruments Most territories open A Great Job! AMERICA LONGXING

is a “grand” idea!

REPS WANTED

Giannini – Crafted with a Brazilian Soul.

www.gianniniguitars.com

We are seeking motivated and experienced reps to represent our complete lines of guitars and strings. Prime territories available in the USA. Interested candidates should email resume to: georges@etrosmusic.com

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

1-800-982-9505 Alamogordo, New Mexico. 88310

ICC MC-256289 FEBRUARY 2008

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Services

Vintage Instruments

LOCAL & NATIONWIDE PIANO MOVING • CRATING • STORAGE •

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(800) 222-2888

(310) 830-3362 (FAX) • http://www.pianomove.com

Wanted To Buy

Used Instruments Used 4 Less Music

over 2,000 used parts and 400 used instruments. 50 – 70% less than new. Repaired with one year guarantee or not repaired. Brand names Clarinets and utes from $50 Alto saxes from $250 Everything from piccolos to Sousaphone Clarinet & Flute repad $69 Call Jimmy Hayes 800 559-4472

re ’ We ing

y os u B ian P

We are buying grands — and smaller verticals Honest - Professional - We Sell Nationwide JAY-MART PIANO WHOLESALERS P.O. Box 21148 • Cleveland, OH • 44121

800-411-2363

Fax: 216-382-3249 Email: jaymartpianos@sbcglobal.net “The Piano Store For Piano Stores”

Classified Advertising

Please charge my:

To Advertise Call Toll Free 1-800-964-5150 Deadline: Fourth Friday of every month

Mastercard

PLACE YOUR AD BY MAIL OR FAX: Attention: Classified Ads MMR 21 Highland Circle Ste. 1 Needham, MA 02494 FAX your ad copy to (781) 453-9389

AD RATES $20.00 per inch (1 inch minimum). 1 inch = 7 lines, 36 characters per line . $30.00 per inch if one color, logo or graphic added. Add $1.00 per bold face line, $5.00 for use of a box number. Display classified: $45 per inch. PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE.

FEBRUARY 2008

PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE MasterCard, Visa, American Express accepted PLEASE PLACE MY AD UNDER THE FOLLOWING HEADING

__ Books __ Business Opportunities __ Distributors __ For Sale __ Help Wanted __ Instruction __ Lines Wanted __ Schools __ Luthiers __ Merchandise

__ Miscellaneous __ Repairs __ Services __ Sales Rep Source __ Schools __ Software __ Vintage __ Wanted to Buy __ Other ( )

Visa

AMEX

Credit Card #: _________________________ Expires_____/_____ Authorized Signature: ___________________ Name:_________________________________ Company: _____________________________ Street: _________________________________ City: __________________________________ State: _________________________________ Zip Code: ______________________________ Telephone #:___________________________ Fax # _________________________________ Email Address: _________________________

MMR 197

Sales Rep Source

Wanted To Buy Wanted USED TUBAS ANY CONDITION-CASH PAID THE TUBA EXCHANGE 1825 CHAPEL HILL RD. DURHAM, NC 27707 1-800-869-8822 WWW.TUBAEXCHANGE.COM

E-mail: HotJamms@aol.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

www.mmrmagazine.com

Vintage Showcase WE, BUY, SELL, TRADE

What’s it worth? We buy, sell, trade, consign and appraise fine guitars, banjos and mandolins.

629 Forest Ave., S.I., N.Y. 10310 Phone (718) 981-8585 mandolin@mandoweb.com www.mandoweb.com

and ship worldwide. Written APPRAISALS available.

GRUHN GUITARS 400 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 256-2033 fax (615) 255-2021

www.gruhn.com

Call Maureen Johan 800-964-5150, ext 34 or mjohan@symphonypublishing.com

for Special Offer Details! 198 MMR

FEBRUARY 2008

Adindex COMPANY NAME

A

A & G Music Products Co. A-Designs Audio A.I.M. Gifts/Albert Elovitz Accordions Int’l Acoustic Planet Instruments Acoustics First Corp. Aiweidy Lighting USA Alfred Publishing Co. Allparts Amati’s Fine Instruments America Longxing Inc. American DJ Supply Inc. American Way Marketing LLC Anderson Silver Plating Antigua Winds, Inc. ARK International ASC Atlantic Music Centers Audix Corp. Aurora Strings

B

B.Rad Percussion J.J. Babbitt Co. Inc. Baden Guitars Benedetto Guitars Berliner Microphones Bluthner USA LLC. bo-pep Inc. bo-pep Inc. Bourgeois Guitars Breezy Ridge Instruments Ltd.

C

Cable Up Carl Fischer LLC Cecilio Music Chem-Pak Inc. Collings Guitars Colorado Case Company LLC Composite Acoustics

D

D’Addario & Co. Dana B. Goods DBL Distributing Dean Markley Strings Diplomatte Musical Instruments Discount Strings Warehouse Drumnetics Company Dunlop Manufacturing Inc. Dusty Strings

E

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS www.agmusic.com www.adesignsaudio.com www.aimgifts.com www.accordioninfo.com www.acousticplanetinstruments.net www.acousticsfirst.com james33668@yahoo.com dealer.alfredpub.com www.allparts.com Amati.us, amatifine@msn.com www.huntermusical.com www.americandj.com info@americanwaymktg.com www.antiguawinds.com www.ark-audio.com www.sejungusa.com www.audixusa.com www.stringsbyaurora.com

www.uglytips.com www.b-radpercussion.com www.jjbabbitt.com www.badenguitars.com www.BenedettoGuitars.com www.berlinerusa.com www.bluthnerpiano.com

188 154 20 172 111 152 162 135 119 65 189 6-7 177 179 70 183 28 156 85 158

www.pantheonguitars.com www.jpstrings.com

181 141 162 158 54 129 186 181 178 92

www.cableup.com www.carlfischer.com www.ceciliomusic.com www.chem-pak.com www.collingsguitars.com www.coloradocase.com www.compositeacoustics.com

169 121 171 188 182 160 120

www.daddario.com www.danabgoods.com www.dbldistributing.com www.deanmarkley.com psgpi@aol.com email: dswviolins@comcast.net www.drumnetics.com www.jimdunlop.com www.dustystrings.com

45 40 113 75 189 174 183 107 73

E.M. Winston www.emwinston.com E & O Mari www.labella.com Eastwood Guitars www.eastwoodguitars.com EK Blessing www.ekblessing.com Eleca International www.eleca.com EMD Music Inc. www.staggmusic.com EMG Inc. www.emgpickups.com Entertainment Music Mktg. Corp www.emmcmusic.com FEBRUARY 2008

PAGE

96 30-31 36 170 104 63 80 146

COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

Epilog Laser

www.epiloglaser.com

175

www.factorymetalpercussion.com www.ferreestools.com www.firstact.com www.fishman.com www.forddrums.com www.frenchamericanreeds.com

160 186 51 64 40 189

F

Factory Metal Percussion Ferree’s Tools Inc. First Act Inc. Fishman Transducers, Inc. Ford Drum Company French American Reed Mfg. Co.

G

Gator Cases GCG Gemstone Musical Instruments George L’s Gig Gear International Gold Crest LLC Good for the Goose Products Gracie Stands Graph Tech Guitar Labs Grover Grotrian Gulf Music Sales

H/I

H & F Technologies Inc. Hailun Hal Leonard Corp. Hall Crystal Flutes Inc. Hamilton Stands Inc. Humes & Berg Mfg.Co. Inc. InTime Design, LLC

J

JHS JodyJazz JT Musical Inc. Jupiter Band Instruments Jupiter Band Instruments Jupiter Band Instruments Jupiter Band Instruments

K

K& M Stands Kaman Music Corp. Kawai America Corp. Ken Smith Basses Ltd. Korg USA Inc. Kurzweil Music Systems Kyser Musical Products Inc.

L

L. J. Hutchen Corp. Lectrosonics Lee Oskar Harmonicas Littlite LM Products Lowrey Organ Co. Luna Guitars Luthier Music Corp.

M

M-Audio Major Music Supply

PAGE

www.gatorcases.com www.globalcreativegroup.com www.gemeinhardt.com www.georgels.com www.giggearinternational.com www.mightybright.com www.chopsaver.comcom

39 111 71 88 73 167, 169 173 172 189 95 187 48

www.graphtech.com www.grotro.com www.grotrian.de www.gulfmusicsalesonline.com

www.audio2000s.com www.HailunUSA.com www.halleonard.com www.hallflutes.com www.hamiltonstands.com www.humes-berg.com www.intimedesign.net

117 77 11 115 38 123 171

www.jhs.co.uk www.JodyJazz.com www.jtmusical.com www.jupitermusic.com www.jupitermusic.com www.jupitermusic.com www.jupitermusic.com

153, 155 108 185 145 151 147 149

www.km-america.com www.kamanmusic.com www.kawaius.com www.kensmithbasses.com www.korg.com, www.marshallamps.com, www.youngchang.com www.kysermusical.com

118 37 cov 3 182 57 109 127

www.ljhutchen.com www.lectrosonics.com www.leeoskar.com www.littlite.com www.LMProducts.com www.lowrey.com www.lunaguitars.com www.luthiermusic.com

87 96 108 88 161 33 18 178

www.m-audio.com www.majormusicsupply.com

102 74 MMR 199

Adindex COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

Mapex A USA Inc. Marathon Professional Mel Bay Publications Inc. Messe Frankfurt(HK) Ltd. Messe Frankfurt Inc. Metropolitan Music Co. MIAC Microsonic Mono Case Morgan Hill Music Morrell Music Dist. Co. Moser Custom Shop MPathX MPathX MPathX Music Freight Music Star Productions Musician’s Wholesale America Musicorp, Inc.

usa.mapexdrums.com www.marathonpro.com www.melbay.com www.messefrankfurt.com www.messefrankfurt.com sales@metmusic.com www.miac.net www.microsonicmusic.com www.monocase.com www.bouldercreekguitars.com www.morrellmusic.com www.mosercustomshop.com mpathx.com mpathx.com mpathx.com www.musicfreight.com www.musicstarproductions.com www.musicianswholesaleamerica.com www.musicorp.com

N/O

Nady Systems Inc. NAMM National Music Fundingic Co. National Reso-Phonic Guitars NEMC NEO Products Inc. New Sensor Corp. NS Design Oasis Inc Old Dog, LLC OSP Worldwide

www.nady.com www.namm.com www.nationalmusic.com www.nationalguitars.com www.nemc.com www.neo.richroland.com www.newsensor.com www.NedSteinberger.com www.oasishumidifiers.com www.olddogproducts.com www.ospworldwide.com

P

P & D Wholesale P. Mauriat Paris Peace Musical Co. LLC Pearl River Piano Group Peavey Electronics Perri’s Leathers Ltd. Petrof USA Piano Empire PianoDisc Pianotek Supply Company Pioneer ProDJ PJLA Music Products Players Music Accessories Premier Guitar Shows LLC Pro-Mark Corp. PRS Guitars (Paul Reed Smith)

R

Raxxess Metalsmith Real de los Reyes Redland Music Products Remle Remo Inc Reverend Musical Instruments Roc-N-Soc Inc. Rockano Productions Ltd. Rodgers Instruments LLC Roland Corp. U.S. Rotosound

200 MMR

www.monteverdemusic.com www.peacedrum.com www.PearlRiverUSA.com www.pvdj.com www.perrisleathers.com www.petrof.com www.pianoempire.com www.pianodisc.com www.pianoteksupply.com www.Pioneer.com www.pjlamusc.com www.players-music.com www.premierguitarshows.com www.promark.com www.prsguitars.com

ssales@raxxess.com www.realdelosreyes.com www.vision-xxl.com www.remo.com www.reverendguitars.com www.rocNsoc.com www.guitarfacelift.com www.rodgersinstruments.com www.rolandUS.com www.rotosound.com

PAGE 17 157 81 98 94 176 180 59 163 100 173 165 185 183 181 84 125 82 69

163 26-27 164 180 89 185 86 138 107 120 68

121 150 32 130 13 56 131 9 15 174 93 148 112 105 76 44

60 152 165 170 55 22 187 74 114 cov 4 166

COMPANY NAME

S

Sabian Ltd. Saga Musical Instruments Samson Technologies Corp. Schimmel Piano Co. Sennheiser Electronics Seymour Duncan Pickups Sher Music Co. SHS International SHS International Shubb Co. Sibelius Software Inc. S.I.T. Strings Corp. SKB Cases Sonare´ Winds Sonic Distribution Sonora Sound Innovations Stuart Spector Designs Ltd. Stellartone String Swing Mfg. Inc. Sunlite Industrial Corp. Super Sensitive

T

Talking Tabs Tanglewood Guitars Taylor Guitars Timberline Guitars TKL Products Corp. Tolito Musique Tradition Guitar Tri-Technical Systems Tycoon Drums

U/V

U.S. Music Corp. V.J. Rendano V2Go VAM Acoustics Inc. Vandoren Vic Firth, Inc. Vic Firth, Inc. Violet Design VocoPro

W

Wayne Guitars Web Only Piano Wexler Music Co. Whacky Music Inc. Windy City Mutes Wood Violins Wyman Piano

X/Y/Z

X-Tempo Designs, LLC X2 Digitalwireless.com Yamaha Corp. of America Young Chang Avedis Zildjian Co. Zoogee World, Inc.

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

PAGE

www.sabian.com www.sagamusic.com www.samsontech.com www.schimmel-piano.de www.sennheiserusa.com www.seymourduncan.com www.shermusic.com www.shsint.net www.shsint.net www.shubb.com www.g7info.com www.sitstrings.com www.skbcases.com www.sonarewinds.com www.sonicUS.net www.sonorastrings.com www.soundinnovationsllc.com www.spectorbass.com www.stellartone.com www.stringswing.com www.sunlitedrum.com www.cavanaughcompany.com

19 91 41 97 110 172 121 61 100 187 106 159 50 62 92 188 169 99 188 3 140 116

www.playitnowtunes.comom www.tanglewoodguitars.com www.taylorguitars.com www.timberlineguitars.com www.tkl.com www.skullstrings.com www.traditionguitars.com www.aimsi.biz www.tycoonpercussion.com

101 83 5 184 1 164 87 90 95

www.oscarschmidt.com www.vjrendano.com www.v2gotech.com www.vamacoustic.com www.vandoren.com www.VicFirth.com www.VicFirth.com violetdesignusa.com www.vocopro.com

www.wayneguitars.com www.webonlypiano.com www.wexlermusic.com www.gboomwhackers.com www.windycitymutes.net www.woodviolins.com www.wymanpiano.com

www.x-tempozone.com ww.x2digitalwireless.com www.yamaha.com www.youngchang.com www.zildjian.com info@zoogee.com

23 142 126 184 144 103 119 133 cov 2

154 25 173 164 143 156 132

164 99 21 42-43 49 167

FEBRUARY 2008

For the 7th time in eight years, KAWAI has received the coveted

Dealer’s Choice Award

as selected by the readers of MMR Magazine. 2005 Kawai RX Series Grand Pianos Acoustic Piano Line of the Year

2004 Kawai RX Series Grand Pianos Acoustic Piano Line of the Year

2003 Kawai RX Series Grand Pianos Acoustic Piano Line of the Year

Kawai CA91 Concert Artist Digital Piano 2007 Digital Home Keyboard of the Year

2002 Kawai CN270 Digital Piano Digital Home Keyboard of the Year

2001 Kawai ES1 Digital Piano Digital Keyboard of the Year

2000 Kawai CP200 Digital Ensemble Digital Keyboard of the Year

For over 80 years, the Kawai family has been a leader of innovation, always embracing the latest technology in the effort to create instruments of the highest quality and musicality. With its unique “Soundboard Speaker System,” the CA91 digital piano is yet another example of the way Kawai is crafting the future of the piano. See us at NAMM Booth 304 ABC – 3rd Floor Ballroom

See us at NAMM Booth 2664

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