Music & Sound Retailer February 2019, Vol 36 No 2 by Music & Sound Retailer

February 2019 Volume 36, No. 2

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

A WHOLE NEW WORLD POSITIVE SIGNS FOR THE FUTURE OF MI AT THE 2019 NAMM SHOW. SEE PAGE 51

Terrific 25 SEE PAGE 24

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Guitar Center Acquires TVTI

Fender Acquires Bigsby

Fender Musical Instruments Corp. (FMIC) acquired the Bigsby brand and its assets from Fred Gretsch Enterprises. The Gretsch family and FMIC have a longstanding relationship and have partnered to ensure that the transition of the business is a smooth one. “We are excited to acquire the Bigsby brand and add to our esteemed portfolio of specialty brands,” said Jeff Cary, senior vice president of FMIC Specialty Brands. “There is such a rich history with the vibratos, and a mystique around the guitars, pedals and steel instruments that is fascinating. Fred and Dinah Gretsch have been wonderful owners, and we look forward to working with them to ensure a smooth transition.” Bigsby vibrato tailpieces have a long history that dates back to the earliest days of the modern electric guitar. The vibratos are featured on a wide range of instruments as original equipment offered by dozens of guitar manufacturers around the world. Bigsby will continue to run as a standalone business under FMIC’s Specialty Brands. “Paul Bigsby, Ted McCarty, Dinah and Fred Gretsch, and Fender Musical Instruments Corp. all have one thing in common and that is an unquestioning dedication to product excellence over the long haul,” said Fred Gretsch. “We congratulate team Fender on this strategic acquisition.” FMIC is currently working with a team in Pooler, Ga., to integrate the business into its systems before moving it physically to a new location.

Guitar Center acquired audio and video integration firm Tunnel Vision Technology Inc. (TVTI). TVTI is the latest addition to GC’s Business Solutions Group, which added Audio Visual Design Group (AVDG) to its portfolio last year. With the addition of TVTI, Guitar Center’s Business Solutions Group will now offer its extensive system design and integration services to commercial and residential customers in the Midwest. “For the last year, Guitar Center has been looking to bring in unique and trusted design and system integration firms that are seeking a like-minded strategic business partner focused on the opportunities in the B2B integration sector. With TVTI, we have found such a firm,” said Doug Carnell, Guitar Center’s vice president of business solutions. Founded in 1999, and with offices in Chicago and Bannockburn, Ill., TVTI is an awardwinning custom audio and video system integration firm serving the residential and commercial market sectors. With a staff of more than 35 employees, TVTI offers personal and comprehensive in-house project management, audio/video design, installation,

programming, IT and 24-hour service to ensure clients the highest level of service. “We are glad to be part of the Guitar Center organization and look forward to helping grow the Business Solutions Group. TVTI has always based our business on providing our clients with the right advice, the right products, the right pricing and unparalleled customer service. Doug and the Business Solutions Group share that philosophy, and working closely together, we will be able to broaden our approach to these goals. It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” said David Welles, TVTI president. “The Business Solutions Group is a cornerstone of our current strategic plan to grow Guitar Center’s B2B services,” concluded Guitar Center CEO Ron Japinga. “Business-to-business has always been an important sector for GC, and our current model, including the recent acquisition of AVDG, provides a highly bolstered set of resources and boots on the ground as we partner with established firms nationwide. We are excited to add TVTI to this roster, and we are continuing to look at other opportunities in key markets.”

QSC, Audinate Join Forces

QSC and Audinate are partnering to develop cross-platform technology that will promote unique integrations between QSC solutions and Audinate licensed products. The first round of co-developed solutions are scheduled for availability later this year. “QSC is committed to bridging the gap between disparate AV systems, peripherals and protocols by providing an agnostic, open-stan-

dard approach to audio, video and control,” said Trent Wagner, audio product manager, QSC. “By partnering directly with industry-leading manufacturers like Audinate, we are able to pursue unique solutions that will not only advance the capabilities of the QSC portfolio, but also push the entire industry toward providing more native interconnectivity options. Audinate has already been a tremendous partner for the Q-SYS Ecosystem, and we look forward to deepening our relationship over the coming months and years.” “Audinate and QSC have both been instrumental to the growth of AV networking over the last decade,” added Joshua Rush, senior vice president, marketing and products for Audinate. “We look forward to expanding our partnership by bringing the benefits of Dante to even more of the QSC product portfolio and customer base in exciting new ways.” MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

VOLUME 36 NO. 2

Features

Columns

24 Terrific 25

30 Pre-NAMM Photo Spread: Yamaha

Last month, we presented 50 products being highlighted at The NAMM Show. This month, we upped the ante with an additional 25 products.

51 A Whole New World

Positive signs for the future of MI at the 2019 NAMM Show.

We highlight the first of two events held in New York City prior to The NAMM Show.

31 Pre-NAMM Photo Spread: Fender

We highlight the second of two New York City events that took place shortly before The NAMM Show.

Buzz

32 Five Minutes With

3 Latest

34 MI Spy

16 People 20 Products

VocoPro CEO Jason Hou talks about nearly 30 years in the industry, why he is optimistic about the future and much more.

Like many others, MI Spy ventured to southern California last month. Let’s see what he/she found.

36 ‘Hire’ Learning

It’s harder and harder to differentiate yourself from the rest. Customer service is the answer.

38 In the Trenches

Allen McBroom picks up on the same theme, detailing why customer service is a lost art.

40 Retailer Rebel

Gabriel O’Brien offers seven tips on how to navigate today’s social media landscape.

42 Shine a Light

Massachusetts’ The Minor Chord Music Outfitters is certainly no “minor” player. Learn what makes the store successful, including its outstanding staff.

44 Veddatorial

Dan Vedda discusses perhaps the most important topic for any brick-andmortar retailer: bringing customers into the store.

46 Under the Hood

We provide an in-depth look at one of Fender’s huge recent launches, the American Performer Series.

54 The Final Note

Despite living in picturesque Sarasota, Fla., Jim Cavanaugh, president of Super-Sensitive Musical String Co., loves to travel with his family. In fact, if he weren’t in MI, he would be a pilot.

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EDITORIAL

Another Good NAMM Experience No matter how many people came to Anaheim last month, The NAMM Show was another great experience for me. I had the opportunity to appear on the Retailer’s video news program ConventionTV@NAMM on a number of occasions, primarily to hand out Music & Sound Awards (winners will be presented in next month’s issue). I also got to chat with MI retailers Robin Sassi and Kimberly Deverell of San Diego Music Studio, Robert Christie of A&G Central Music and Menzie Pittman of Contemporary Music Center for a new feature on our TV broadcast. When I wasn’t handling TV tasks, I visited a large number of manufacturer booths, checking out their latest products. I was impressed by what I saw. There were tons of great new products, as well as some reissues that are really cool. I am excited about these products and the overall MI landscape in 2019. The parties and dinners I attended were fantastic as well. Of course, I couldn’t attend every event I hoped to, but I had the chance to attend events hosted by Lyon & Healy, C.F. Martin, The Music People, Yorkville, IK Multimedia, Celestion, Alfred and NAMM itself, all of which were awesome. I continue to be more impressed by these events every year I attend. Here are some of my other random thoughts about the show: Booth traffic was fantastic, according to several manufacturers I spoke to. This includes exhibitors in ACC North, some of whom grumbled last year in the first year of this addition to the Anaheim Convention Center. I saw firsthand that booth traffic was excellent in several booths when I attended, including Fender and Gibson. Manufacturers I spoke to were upbeat about the show. Although a small number didn’t expect to write a ton of

orders at the show, all at least agreed that seeing people in person was a huge plus and would probably lead to future sales. Overall, I thought the floor traffic was especially robust on Friday and Saturday of the show. The vibe emanating from MI retailers was also positive. Although in the past it has appeared that The NAMM Show is only a business trip for some, I was delighted to see many MI retailers hanging out with each other, chatting and laughing. This is often the vibe at Summer NAMM, but the winter show has seemed more serious in the past. I am glad to see this change. Changes NAMM made to the security checkpoints made tons of sense. Last year, when I went outside in the courtyard from the Arena to ACC North, I often needed to show identification a second time. This year, however, security checkpoints were placed in different locations, whereby a new perimeter was formed where I did not face this issue. Security lines were an issue last year for some, as I heard anecdotally from showgoers in 2018. I did not hear this topic this year, and discussion was mostly replaced by attendees talking about what company booths they wanted to visit — the way it should be. Most importantly, I was pleased to see that bags were being checked and IDs reviewed. I felt safe while attending. On a housekeeping note, you will see our NAMM review cover story in this issue primarily focuses on attendance and the “Breakfast of Champions” event that took place last month. Although this is all we had room for in this issue, please check our March issue for plenty more about the show, a look at the “New Class of 2019,” and photo spreads from Music & Sound Award winners and The NAMM Show itself.

February 2019 Volume 36, No. 2

BRIAN BERK Editor bberk@testa.com ANTHONY VARGAS Associate Editor avargas@testa.com AMANDA MULLEN Assistant Editor amullen@testa.com

GEORGE HINES SKIP MAGGIORA Editorial Advisors

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MICHELLE LOEB WILL MASON ALLEN MCBROOM GABRIEL O'BRIEN

ROBIN HAZAN Operations Manager rhazan@testa.com VINCENT P. TESTA President/Publisher TIM SPICER DAN VEDDA LAURA B. WHITMORE Contributors

Editorial and Sales Office: The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Phone: (516) 767-2500 • Fax: (516) 767-9335 • MSREDITOR@TESTA.COM. Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care and must be accompanied by return postage. Sound & Communications • DJ Times • Sound & Communications Blue Book The Music & Sound Retailer • The DJ Expo • IT/AV Report The Retailer Report • Convention TV @ NAMM • InfoCommTV News VTTV Studios The Music & Sound Retailer (ISSN 0894-1238) (USPS 0941-238) is published 12 times a year for $18 (US), by Retailer Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Music & Sound Retailer, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767

FEBRUARY 2019

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Korg Acquires Spector Bass

Korg USA Inc. acquired Spector Bass Co. According to Korg, it plans to reinforce Spector’s legacy with new products, a creative rebranding project and exceptional global sales support, as well as by focusing on expanding Spector Bass’ reach into untapped markets with new distribution partners around the world. “We’ve been the distributor for four years, and we knew the history and potential of this iconic brand. We also knew we could drive the future growth and expansion of the brand as an owner. Once Stuart Spector decided the time was right to entrust us with the operation of his legacy brand, we worked out the acquisition and are now proud owners,” said Joe Castronovo, president of Korg USA.

Korg USA, based in New York, is now the worldwide headquarters for Spector Bass Co. All global sales, marketing, product design, logistics and financial operations will be based out of Korg’s office. Spector’s USA custom shop will remain in Woodstock, N.Y., where it has been making custom Spector basses for 27 years. “When the time came to transition to the next phase of life for the Spector brand, choosing Korg USA was an emotional and simple decision all at once. With the team in place at Korg USA, we are leaving the Spector brand in the best of hands, and I am excited to see what the future holds,” stated Specter Bass Co. founder Stuart Spector.

Musicality Opens

Musicality LLC has opened a 3,100-square-foot store in Albuquerque, N.M. It features a large selection of sheet music, collections and methods in the area, lesson studios, band and orchestra instrument sales and rentals, a modest selection of ukuleles, and music instrument accessories for all brass, woodwind, stringed and fretted instruments. The store is owned and operated by Michael Keith, who has more than 30 years’ experience in sheet music and music products retail in the Albuquerque market. “Since the closure of Music Mart, Grandma’s Music and Apple Mountain Music over the last two years, the local walk-in clientele had lost valuable resources to shop for sheet music and instruments. Musicality provides a browsable inventory of thousands of titles for all instruments, keyboard and voice, instruments and accessories which are not available at other local merchants,” Musicality said in an email to the Music & Sound Retailer.

GITC Names Service Award Recipients Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom (GITC) announced the recipients of its 2019 service awards. These recipients have been selected based on their devotion, unwavering expertise, time and resources that have aided GITC in expanding and deepening the role of music in education. Winners are: Robert Godin, Biggest Heart for Children Award; Marion Davison, Golden Guitar Award; John Unger, Outstanding Board Service 2019; Guitar Center Inc., GITC Sponsor of the Year 2019; and Chris Meikle, Alvarez Guitars, GITC New Sponsor of the Year 2019. “To these individuals and companies, we say thank you for your marvelous, dedicated and enduring work,” said Jessica Baron, founder and executive director of GITC.

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The Music People Celebrates 40th Anniversary The Music People, supplier of musical accessories and pro audio equipment and parent company of On-Stage and TMP-Pro, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. To celebrate the milestone, The Music People hosted a special 40th-anniversary party at its NAMM Show booth on Jan. 24. Born out of the drive to create innovative solutions to fill musicians’ needs, The Music People was founded in 1979 by Jim Hennessey, who had previously worked in relations for Ovation Guitars. After years of witnessing musicians’ needs firsthand, he invoked his background as a draftsman for Kaman Aircraft and designed the TRI Triple Guitar Stand, an industry first that would also be On-Stage’s debut product. “I’ve always been a creator and designer, so when I saw a need in the industry, I filled it,” said Hennessey, who now serves as chairman of The Music People. “To this day, The Music People continues that initiative by creating and distributing high-quality, innovative products that fill the needs of musicians and audio professionals. I’m so proud of where we are as a company today, and we have all of

KMC Does Not LÂG Behind

LÂG Guitars appointed KMC Music to serve as its exclusive United States distribution partner for its line of acoustic guitars. According to KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart, the appointment is part of a larger North American distribution

agreement with KMC parent company, JAM Industries. “LÂG Guitars clearly understood the benefits to be gained by working with a single distribution partner that can reach deeply across all of the United States and Canada in a way that can’t be matched by any other

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the musicians and audio pros that have used our products throughout the years to thank. It has been a pleasure serving you for the last four decades.” With sales up by more than 20 percent in 2018, The Music People looks for ward to continued sales growth in the future as well as continuing to expand TMP-Pro’s 200-plus line card of distributed audio products, according to the company. “Forty years is a major milestone, and we are endlessly proud each and every day that we get to continue to bring state-of-theart solutions to the market and couple that with top-quality service from our highly skilled sales representatives,” said John Hennessey, co-president. “Throughout the years we have received numerous awards, including NAMM’s ‘Best in Show’ recognition on multiple occasions as well as being named a ‘Top Place to Work’ by the Hartford Courant three times since 2011. We are proud of our past and excited to see where the next four decades will take us,” added Sharon Hennessey, co-president.

distributor,” Hart said. “The combination of JAM-owned Coast Wholesale in Canada and KMC Music in the United States offers LÂG an unprecedented opportunity to present their exquisitely designed and crafted line of guitars to more resellers and consumers than

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ever before.” From its inception in 1981 as a guitar workshop in the heart of the Occitan country in France, LÂG Guitars manufactures acoustic guitars and ukuleles that feature exquisite design and craftsmanship and environmentally sustainable tone woods such as Canadian spruce, cedar, Engelmann spruce and tropical khaya. The lineup includes Tramontane folk guitars, Occitania classical guitars and Tiki ukuleles. “We are so excited to join forces with JAM Industries, for whom we have had the greatest respect for so many years. KMC and JAM have a long history of successfully bringing guitar brands to market, and this is the appropriate time for LÂG in the United States. We brought beautiful and innovative designs to these guitars while Maurice Dupont, one of France’s best luthiers, brought them the sound they deserve, which makes these new LAG guitars extraordinary instruments,” said Gérard Garnier, president of ALGAM, and owner of LÂG guitars and PLEYEL pianos.

FEBRUARY 2019

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Sweetwater 2018 Sales Reach $725M

Music & Arts Opens Its 200th Store

Music & Arts opened its 200th store in Silverado Ranch, Nev., in the Las Vegas metro area. This new store offers a full complement of services including instrument sales, expert advice, and in most locations, repairs and lessons under the guidance of university-trained, background-checked instructors. Music & Arts also provides support to local school music programs. “A strong music education during childhood provides a great foundation for learning, and we’re proud to play this role in the lives of children,” said Music & Arts president Steve Zapf. “Since the beginning, we’ve held true to our mission: to ensure access to high-quality music education in towns and school districts across the United States. We’ve also taken care to ensure that each store offers personalized attention and a welcoming experience.” In 1952, Music & Arts began as a single location in Maryland. Since the 1990s, Music & Arts has expanded nationwide through organic growth and a series of acquisitions and mergers with other music dealers. Today, countless students from all across the U.S. have benefited from their fun and safe learning environment, and many have gone on to further their musical studies on a higher level or pursue a music-related career.

product categories, with the biggest increases being in pro audio, synthesizers, drums, guitars and microphones. Employment growth continued with the addition of nearly 400 employees, from 1,132 at the end of 2017 to 1,531 at the end of 2018.

“We are proud to bring so many talented workers to Sweetwater and for them to make Fort Wayne their home,” said senior vice president of human resources Jeff McDonald. “It’s clear that Sweetwater has become an employer of choice, allowing us to attract the best and brightest

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Sweetwater experienced a record-setting year in terms of sales growth and job creation, with total sales in 2018 reaching $725 million, up 17 percent from $619 million in 2017. Sweetwater’s annual total sales increases have ranged from 17 percent to 28 percent ever y year since 2010. The company sold more than 128,000 guitars in 2018, up from 107,000 in 2017. There was significant growth across all

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to our outstanding campus.” More students took lessons at the Sweetwater Academy last year than the previous year, clocking more than 14,000 hours with the Academy’s 37 instructors. In 2017 there were 700 active students. That number jumped to 850 in 2018.

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Spreading His Wings

Fingerstyle maestro and Grammy-awardwinning guitarist Laurence Juber joined forces with non-profit Guitars in the Classroom (GITC) and the San Diego Unified School District’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) department to hold a master class for 110 guitar students from Point Loma High school and Correia Middle School. Juber is both a Martin Guitar endorsing artist and the founding artist of GITC. He donated his time and talent for the class, and GITC was able to produce the event as part of their 2018 grant from the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation. First internationally recognized as lead guitarist in Paul McCartney’s band Wings, Juber has since established himself as worldrenowned guitar virtuoso, composer and arranger. Juber, known to his fans simply as “LJ,” has released 23 solo albums during his five-decade career. His solo arrangement of “The Pink Panther Theme” was featured on the Best Pop Instrumental Grammy-winning album “Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar.” Juber has been making a difference for students in public schools with Guitars in the Classroom since 1999.

Letter to the Editor

I recently read the article “The Downsides of Manufacturer Direct Sales” by Chuck Surack (December issue, p. 42) and was moved by the message to manufacturers. A year ago, we launched our own web store primarily as a way to list our prices on our website as consumers were always asking. After reading your article, which has so many truths, I thought you were right, and it made no sense to have a web store. We eliminated our web store last week. We are huge supporters of our 1,000-plus dealer network in such ways as we have a Buy Now/Find Store button listing the locations where you can buy our product. We prefer to lead, and this is another way we show our loyalty to our dealer network. Thanks Chuck for your reminder. Rand Rognlien Founder/Owner Music Nomad Equipment Care

Michael Angelo Batio Welcomed at Bill’s Music

Bill’s Music in Catonsville, Md., welcomed heavy metal guitarist Michael Angelo Batio for a clinic and meet and greet. This event marked Batio’s third visit to the family-owned music store since the late ‘80s. Batio wowed attendees with his innate showmanship, particularly his use of the “over-under” technique, and for his ability to play a double guitar, using both hands to play. Bill’s carries several of the Dean MAB signature guitars, and Batio autographed them all. He was gracious enough to stay until the last fan’s autograph had been signed, and everyone had a chance to grab a selfie with the guitarist. “Mike is an absolute pleasure to have at our store. He is the perfect mix of professional, engaging and witty. We look forward to a fourth visit sometime real soon,” said Brian Higgins, Bill’s general manager.

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FEBRUARY 2019

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KORG Ups the Wattage

KORG announced a strategic alliance with pro audio product designers Greg Mackie and Peter Watts. Their company, M&W, has been instrumental in the behind-the-scenes development of products for numerous major manufacturers during the last 15 years. “We are very excited to be working with Greg and Peter,” said KORG President Seiki Kato. “I have personally known this team since the mid-’90s and have always wanted to collaborate on new products that combine KORG’s engineering and manufacturing expertise with Greg and Peter’s innovative design talents.” Added Mackie, “We are looking forward to helping KORG expand its impressive and well-earned reputation into the pro-audio domain. Peter and I have been ‘gestating’ some product concepts that are perfect for KORG, and which we think will be well received in the market. These guys have a powerhouse engineering department and they are a joy to work with.” KORG products designed by M&W are slated for third-quarter 2019 release. Korg has also been named as the U.S. distribution partner for Darkglass Electronics. It will handle all sales and distribution

Bose Acquires ZiipRoom

Bose acquired ZiipRoom, a developer of productivity and connectivity software for meeting rooms, conferences and devices. ZiipRoom will integrate into Bose Professional, the dedicated group within the company that focuses on the needs of professional audio designers, consultants and system integrators. ZiipRoom CEO and co-founder Martin Bodley, former CEO of RevoLabs, will be leading the enterprise conferencing categor y for Bose Professional at its headquarters in Framingham, Mass. “We are thrilled to bring ZiipRoom technology to Bose Professional,” stated Bodley. “Bose is heavily investing in developing the next generation of communications tools, and we share their values. We look for ward to combining forces to offer market-driven solutions and engaging, user-friendly experiences.”

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

of the Finnish brand’s bass gear. “It’s a combination of stealth looks, solid build, and an incredible sound and player-centric design,” said Brian Piccolo, director of Guitar Brands at Korg USA. “We are excited to support Darkglass in their quest to take over the bass world with unique and

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useful effect pedals and amps.” “Everything we do is meant to be a stepping stone to something bigger and more ambitious engineering-wise, so joining the KORG USA roster is an exciting move for the brand,” added Darkglass CEO and co-founder Douglas Castro.

Note From Zach

ADVERTORIAL • FEBRUARY 2019 • NAMM.ORG

2019 Retail Resolutions You’ve returned from The 2019 NAMM Show, where you took in a range of NAMM U sessions. Now comes the hard part: acting on all those good ideas. And if you need help getting started, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few standout ideas in retail. Look to this as a checklist to help you achieve your new year’s business resolutions. And note: Many of these come from NAMM U Online (namm.org/nammu), your year-round resource for new ideas on everything from marketing to management. Focus your marketing on customer education. Get ahead of your customers’ questions, and you’ll become their resource. Marketing expert and NAMM U Breakfast Session host Marcus Sheridan recommends creating individual videos answering the 10 biggest questions your customers ask—the ones you and your team get all the time. Post them on your website and social channels, then create a mashup video that combines all 10. Any time you get customer inquiries, follow up with this video. Chances are, customers have more questions for you but don’t know it yet. This video can help allay the fears of their spouses or other decision-makers in the family, as well. Adapt to millennial parents. Their shopping habits are different. During his NAMM U session at Summer NAMM, Peter Sides of Robert M. Sides Family Music Centers weighed in on how his company serves millennial mothers, now its primary customer base. Sides mentioned that they value limited deals and offers (think Groupon), bundles and value-added packages, and online recommendations. Also, they often value experience (i.e., the entire package itself) more so than price. Are you giving this critical customer base what it wants? Get creative with student performance opportunities. If you offer music lessons, you’re much more likely to keep students—and create lifelong customers—if you reward them

with an audience. And think outside the lines of traditional recitals. At Wentworth Music in Canada, a drum teacher taught all 40 of his students a song, then filmed them performing it during their lessons. He edited the footage into a video and uploaded it to YouTube (with parental consent). It motivated the students, thrilled the parents and, to boot, elevated Wentworth’s brand in the community. Cater to try-before-you-buy consumers. Resonate Music School & Studio offers one-off music lessons for anyone seeking a single session with a teacher. This lets people audition instructors, and also comes in handy with students prepping for a competition, adult students wanting to learn “Purple Haze” for a cover band and so forth. And then there’s Pedal Genie, a Netflix-like guitar pedal subscription service that lets players try out different pedals by mail. You may not be set up to provide a full-blown subscription service, but it raises the question: Are you catering to the no-commitment consumer with your own products and services? Familiarize yourself with game-changing new laws. Rest assured, new laws related to online sales, employee classification and taxes will likely impact every small business in 2019. Get up to speed now! And start planning for 2019 Summer NAMM, which will be held July 18–20 at Music City Center in Nashville. Expect more ideas to grow and transform your business there! Zach Phillips NAMM Director of Professional Development

New ideas are only a tap away

NAMM | U Online is your one-stop resource for retail how-to, training, tips and strategies. Sales • Marketing • Management • Finance • Lessons • Websites namm.org/nammu

PEOPLE

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The Dave Clark Four

Yamaha Corp. of America (YCA) appointed Dave Clark as Great Lakes district manager for the company’s Band & Orchestral division, overseeing sales in parts of four states: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Clark reports to David Suter, regional sales manager, Band & Orchestral division at the company. “Yamaha is always on a quest to find, recruit and hire the best talent available to best serve Dave Clark the needs of our dealers,” said Doug Steinmetz, national sales manager for the division. “Dave Clark certainly exemplifies this, as evidenced by his experience, success and solid reputation in the industry.” Clark is based in Ohio and has assumed the territory previously managed by longtime Yamaha district manager Chris Jelenic, who retired last year. “I intend to reinforce the core values and integrity that Chris established over a 35year career with Yamaha in the Steve Morris territory,” said Clark. Prior to joining Yamaha, Clark served as district manager for KHS America, providing sales, service and training on all KHS combo division products for nearly six years. Before that, he was an education sales representative for Rettig Music and a Dynasty product manager for DEG Music Products. Clark attended Hondros College in Columbus, Ohio, and has extensive teaching experience in drum and bugle corps activities, including being a battery percussion arranger for various marching bands and indoor lines. Yamaha also announced that Steve Morris has joined the company as creative director of Studio 60, the company’s inhouse creative agency for Yamaha musical instruments and audiovisual products. Morris reports directly to Michelle Guzman, director of Studio 60. “Steve has the award-winning talent we need and more than 20 years’ experience applying it in the advertising world,” Guzman said. “He has a proven track record of crafting effective, imaginative campaigns for a wide range of products and companies, and we’re looking forward to having him continue that success here at Yamaha.” Before joining Yamaha, Morris spent two years freelancing from coast to coast as a creative director on Ford, Toyota, PGA, Morgan Stanley and Aldi. “Music is a personal passion of mine, so the opportunity to help shape the branding of Yamaha is a dream come true,” said Morris. “I’m pleased to discover all the talent at work in Studio 60, and I look forward to forming a core band of creatives and working with colleagues who are devoted to making Yamaha’s communications as exceptional and artistic as its products.”

Case in Point

Case Kuehn was named president of Martin Audio North America LLC. Martin Audio’s management buyout in June 2018 meant that the North American operation took on additional local responsibility that had been handled by the previous company owners, stated Martin Audio’s managing director, Dom Harter. “With sales in the U.S. booming, it became quickly apparent that we needed a structure in North America to support the growth plan,” said Harter. “This structure needed to allow the sales team headed by Lee Stein to focus upon sales and customer management, while bringing in a president that could manage the day-to-day business strategy and core operational functions. I’m delighted that Case has accepted the role, as he is both extremely capable and has a deep understanding of our company and philosophy that means the managed growth of our business there can flourish. Case has a very broad set of functional management experience from board of directors, general management, finance, accounting, human resources, information technology, purchasing and operations, and he pursues business interests with an ethical principle that enables strong relationships to develop.” “I’m naturally delighted to be joining Martin Audio. I’ve seen the growth path over the last couple of years and the further lease of life that the management buyout has enabled for Dom and the rest of the team. It’s an exciting time, and I can’t wait to get going,” said Kuehn.

Joining a New Group

Group One Ltd., the Long Islandbased U.S. distributor for DiGiCo, Calrec, KLANG:technologies, Avolites and several other pro audio and lighting manufacturers, appointed Bryan Bradley to serve as its new president. Bradley most recently served as the senior vice president and general manager of the Americas for Harman Professional Solutions. In this capacity, he managed the retail, live performance, large venue, hospitality and enterprise channels for JBL Professional, AKG, Crown, Lexicon, dbx, DigiTech, Soundcraft, Studer, AMX and Martin Lighting brands in North, Central and South America. Group One’s new president initially joined Harman in 2013, having previously served as chief operating officer of Alfred Music. Before then, he worked for music retailer Guitar Center, during which he held various management positions, including overseeing pro audio/recording merchandise, Guitar Center Professional marketing and technology product marketing. Bradley also served on Guitar Center’s Strategic Planning Group, working on large-scale strategic initiatives and acquisitions for Guitar Center and its subsidiaries, Musician’s Friend and Music and Arts. Prior to GC, Bradley was a songwriter/composer for TV and Film, including a stint as the music director on “The Young and the Restless.” He currently serves on the NAMM Board and holds a BA from Colorado State University, as well as an MBA from California Lutheran University. FEBRUARY 2019

ARTIST:

MADE TO PERFORM INSPE CTOR:

MODE L: L

COLO R:

PICKU PS: PS

TUNE RS:

NECK:

SERIE S:

FRETS: FRETS

INTRODUCING THE AMERICAN PERFORMER SERIES ™ FEATURING ALL- NEW YOSEMITE™ PICKUPS, HANDCRAFTED IN CORONA, CALIFORNIA

©2019 Fender Musicial Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, STRATOCASTER, and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender Guitars and Basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.

PEOPLE

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Harper Takes AES’ Reins

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) appointed Colleen Harper as its executive director, effective Jan. 21. “Our Executive Committee’s challenge has been to find an individual with deep and broad organizational management, direct prior experience within professional membership organizations, and a unique skill set that combines operational expertise, marketing skills and team leadership capabilities,” said David Scheirman, AES president for the 2017-2018 term of office. “The Society’s Executive Director Search Team has selected Colleen Harper from a field of exceptionally well-qualified candidates.” Most recently, Harper served as chief operating officer and interim CEO for the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). “I am thrilled to join the AES team,” she said, “and look forward to leading the organization as we continue our work of uniting and educating audio engineers, creative artists, scientists, and students from all over the world.”

Wayne’s World

Wayne Thompson joined St. Louis Music as district sales manager for the West Coast. He brings more than 15 years of experience in retail music sales to the SLM family, with a focus on band and orchestra sales and outside school services sales. “We are thrilled to have Wayne Thompson on the St. Louis Music team,” said Robert E. Lee, senior vice president of sales at St. Louis Music. “Wayne has extensive retail experience, as well as a long history with the band and orchestra side of our business. This knowledge and experience should make him invaluable to the accounts that he will be servicing, and he will be a great point of contact to any stores in Washington, Oregon and California thinking of doing business with us.” Thompson began his career at Showcase Music in Portland, spending five years there before moving to Beacock Music in Vancouver, Wash., where he honed his craft for over a decade. At Beacock Music he was consistently a top-performing salesperson and was also asked to give talks about in-store sales at RPMDA and at NASMD.

Keith Brawley

Bryan Bear

Michael “Monte” Montefusco

David Pelletier

The Core Four

Taylor Guitars has announced four executive promotions in sales and finance. Music Industry veterans Keith Brawley, Bryan Bear, Michael “Monte” Montefusco and David Pelletier assume new roles in 2019 as the company prepares for its next growth phase. According to Kurt Listug, Taylor Guitars’ co-founder and CEO, “Taylor Guitars is a company that values successful industry leadership and experience. We think it makes for smarter business decisions, better policies for our dealers and distributors, and a more congenial workplace for our employees. The promotions earned by these individuals reflect their contributions to our success and their ability to help us grow the company in the future.”

FEBRUARY 2019

‘62 Princeton Chris Stapleton Edition ®

Hand-wired circuitry / Eminence® 12” Special Design “CS” speaker / Two 12AX7 preamp tubes; two 6V6 power tubes; single 5Y3 rectifier tube Fender Vintage “Blue” tone caps; Schumacher transformers / Includes 1-button tremolo footswitch and

Rugged Twill fabric cover

©2019 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script and PRINCETON are registered trademarks of FMIC. Registered in the U.S. and foreign countries. All rights reserved. FILSON and C.C. FILSON CO. are trademarks and registered trademarks of C.C. Filson Co.

PRODUCT

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Deluxe Debut

The Evolution Is Coming

C. F. Martin & Co. introduced its Modern Deluxe Series offered in four styles: D-18, D-28, 000-28 and OM-28. The vintage appointments offered in the Modern Deluxe Series include a Sitka spruce Vintage Tone System top, VTS Adirondack spruce braces, a dovetail neck joint and natural protein glue construction. Other features include a new neck shape, which has an ultra-low profile, and a slightly asymmetrical shape for maximum hand comfort up and down the fretboard. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: C.F. Martin, martinguitar.com/deluxe

D’Addario Woodwinds introduced its newest category under the Reserve line, Reserve Evolution. The Reserve Evolution Bb Clarinet Reeds are the thickest blank reeds under the Reserve line, and they offer a roundness of sound, a heavy spine for increased projection, a thicker tip for enhanced articulation and greater warmth and flexibility. Like all D’Addario Reeds, the Evolution Reeds are crafted using a digital vamping process for excellent quality control, precision and reed-to-reed consistency. The Reserve Evolution Bb Clarinet Mouthpiece delivers a warm and refined tone, featuring quick response and ease of articulation, stated the company. The mouthpiece is medium-long facing for greater flexibility, features an optimized beak shape for added comfort, a revolutionary ramp and bore taper geometry for a fuller, more centered tone, and altered baffle for added projection and articulation nuance. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: D’Addario, daddario.com

Aloha to MAUI

Labor of Love

Adam Hall Group released the LD Systems MAUI P900 column PA system. The combination of state-of-the-art audio technology and unmistakable design was created in collaboration with the design agency Studio F. A. Porsche, stated the company. The LD Systems MAUI P900 is intended for exclusive live events and installation applications requiring exceptional sound quality and excellent sound dispersion, the manufacturer added. With its total of 50 neodymium loudspeakers and a 1,400-watt RMS class-D power amplifier, the system delivers a maximum SPL of 131 decibels over a frequency range of 42 to 20,000 hertz. The three-section MAUI P900 column system is made of high-strength aluminum with a multi-layered elastic front cover. Padded carrying bags for columns and subwoofer and a specially designed flightcase (made of high-quality hardware with precision-cut foam inserts) are available as accessories. It is available in Cocoon White, Platinum Grey or Graphite Black MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Adam Hall, ldsystems.com/MAUIP900

Godin Guitars launched its first-ever line of acoustic guitars. Conceived and designed by Simon Godin, these guitars were two years in the making and were a real labor of love for the CEO, stated the company. The new line comes in three unique models: the Metropolis (dreadnought size), the Fairmount (concert hall size) and the Rialto (parlor body size). Premium tonewoods include rosewood or mahogany back and sides, coupled with solid spruce or cedar select tops. The Metropolis and Fairmount models are equipped with LR Baggs Anthem electronics and the Rialto is amplified with the Q-Discrete preamp. Street Price: Rialto Satina Gray HG Q-Discrete: $799; Fairmount CH Natural HG EQ; $1,495; Metropolis Natural Cedar EQ: $1,295; Metropolis LTD Natural HG EQ: $1,695; Metropolis LTD Havana Burst HG EQ: $1,795 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Godin Guitars, godinguitars.com

FEBRUARY 2019

THERE’S A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT THE

AP62 PERFORMANCE WIRELESS SERIES Start with a dual channel system housed within a durable metal single rack mount receiver that packs 64 MHz of frequency bandwidth. Next move to the true diversity antenna system with 450’ of operating range and up to 24 channels of simultaneous use. Finally, consider the fact that the built in antenna combiner allows the ability to operate up to 8 channels of wireless on one single rack mountable antenna distribution system (Audix ADS48). A single receiver model (AP61) is also available. Now that’s a lot to like.

For more information visit audixusa.com

A SOUND DECISION

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PRODUCT

YOUR SOUND IN COLOR

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Jazzed Up

Kay Guitar reissued the officially licensed Barney Kessel Signature Series Guitars, designed to provide the true vintage classic sound and feel of the original 1957 Jazz Guitars. Features include arched tops and ultra-light flame maple back and sides, player friendly 24 3/4-inch scale, slim maple neck, powerful P-90 style “Kleenex” box pickups, trapeze tailpiece, full headstock gold K-Kelvonator logo and authorized “Barney Kessel” signature on the pickguard. These guitars come in three sizes: K1700-13 Pro, K6700-15 3/4 Artist and the K8700-17 Jazz Special. Available in Natural, Blonde and Tobacco Sunburst. MAP: $799 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Kay Guitars, kayguitar.com

Take Command

CMY

THOMAS LANG

PLAYING PINK COLORTONE™

COLORTONE™ DRUMHEADS FEATURE SKYNDEEP® IMAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR STUNNING VISUAL APPEAL WITH POWERFUL PROJECTION, TONE AND DURABILITY. AVAILABLE IN EIGHT COLORS.

VocoPro debuted its Commander Series. Until now, most wireless systems (handheld mics, headset mics, instrument, etc.), when encountering any interference from nearby mobile devices, would require an interruption of the performance in order to re-sync to new frequencies while being relatively close to the receiver for infrared pairing, stated the company. With Vocopro’s frequency tap-and-sync, re-syncing is as simple as a touch of a button on either the handheld or bodypack transmitters. This function allows for a seamless, instant change of frequency and re-pairing with almost no interruption, the company added. The VocoPro Commander Series comes in several configurations including: USB Handheld mic (comes with two handheld mics and a USB receiver); USB Headset mic (comes with two headset mics and a USB receiver); Tour 10 (comes with one headset mic and 10 in-ear monitor packs with headphones); and Play 4 (comes with four headset mics and two USB receivers). Pricing: USB Handheld and Headset mic, MAP $129, Retail $159; Tour 10, MAP $449, Retail $539; Play 4, MAP $299, Retail $399 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: VocoPro, vocopro.com

PRODUCT

Take It for a Drive

Celestion debuted the Axi2050 wideband axiperiodic compression driver, a high-power, high-output driver that reproduces a frequency range of 300 hertz to 20,000 hertz without the need for a midband crossover. The Axi2050 delivers an exceptionally coherent signal, particularly in the critical listening band, and an extended frequency range, enhancing clarity and speech intelligibility, as well as reproducing music more dynamically and with greater coherence, stated the company. In contrast to most existing highsensitivity, wideband drivers that are designed with two separate diaphragms, the Axi2050 uses

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a single, large-diameter, sculpted, circumferentially axiperiodic, annular titanium diaphragm. This technology enables the device’s remarkable wideband output, as well as providing a number of other significant advantages, added the manufacturer. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Celestion, celestion.com

Paul’s Guitar “The SE Paul’s Guitar is a great example of design, engineering, and teamwork. It’s as close to home as we could get inside of the SE Series, and I am very proud of it,” – Paul Reed Smith

Music Nomad Equipment Care introduced Acousti-Lok, a patent-pending product line of strap-lock adapters that adds the safety and flexibility of using strap locks to an acoustic guitar without permanently modifying it. Acousti-Lok features strong brass construction and is available in three different designs to choose from for standard and metric output jacks, depending on what is compatible with an acoustic guitar output jack. MSRP: $19.99 to $24.99 Ship Date: Spring 2019 Contact: Music Nomad Equipment Care, musicnomadcare.com

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Take Good Care

To learn more about this versatile guitar and to hear the TCI “S” pickups in action go to www.prsguitars.com

You may have thought we had a ton of products for you in our NAMM Show issue last month. We did. But it’s not over yet. We have plenty more products that were featured at The NAMM Show. Here’s a look at 25 of them.

Terrific

Tooting Its Own Horn

Back to School D’Angelico Guitars debuted the Brandon Niederauer Atlantic — a signature model version of its Atlantic single-cutaway solid-body — co-designed with the 15-year-old rising rock guitarist known as “Taz,” who starred in “School of Rock the Musical” on Broadway. Available in both the Premier and Deluxe Series, the Brandon Niederauer Atlantic signature model boasts high output in both sound and aesthetic. Imbued with the energy of one of music’s most electrifying young players, the Niederauer Atlantic comes in a custom sonic blue finish paired with satin chrome hardware for an irresistible aesthetic. The Deluxe Series offering comes strapped with a Seymour Duncan custom DA-59 in the neck and an Antiquity humbucker in the bridge for searing vintage tone, while its Premier Series counterpart sports Duncan Designed humbuckers. Both boast c-shape neck profiles and sleek body designs, guaranteeing performance comfort for players at every level, stated the company. D’Angelico, dangelicoguitars.com

KHS America, manufacturer of XO Professional Brass Instruments and Jupiter Band Instruments, added the XO 1634 Tenor Trombone to its Professional Trombone line. The 1634 is designed for serious trombone players seeking a .508-inch-bore straight trombone. The 1634 features lightweight construction, specially annealed, hand-crafted 8-inch bell with small-bead bell wire, custom tapered leadpipe, ergonomically positioned hand brace, nickel outer slide tubes with rounded nickel silver crook, chromed inner slides, 24-karat gold-plated balance and XO ultralight case. KHS America, khs-america.com

You’re a Superstar TAMA is expanding its range of affordable, mid-grade kits with the Superstar Classic Exotix series, comprising the CL72SPGBP and CL52KSPGBP. This new series offers an added sophistication and high-end look with a Lacebark Pine outer ply to prior models. Built on a foundation of 100-percent Maple shells, the Exotix series kits emit powerful tone with plenty of brightness and projection, along with full resonance. Drum shell hardware includes Triple Flange Hoops and Low-Mass Lugs, which account for open attack and unhindered resonance. Also featured on this series, the Star-Mount System supports resonant tone, versatile adjustability and stability. Tama, tama.com/usa

John Packer Musical Instruments www.jpmusicalinstruments.com

FEBRUARY 2019

On the Fly

Tower of Power

Tech 21 has released three new Fly Rigs. The new Fly Rig 5 version 2 has the same Sans Amp heart, distortion and delay as the original. But it adds a switchable pre- and post-boost, plus an independent reverb that lets users adjust their settings based on room size. It also features an effects loop, a tuner, a connection for headphones and an X-L-R output. And the company has also released signature Fly Rigs designed by guitarists Richie Kotzen and Paul Landers. Tech 21, tech21.com

The Verity Monster Tower is designed to cover the dance floor in both the near and far fields. This four-way system consists of two UHF Conical Horns; two HF Monster Asymmetrical Horns with a 2.5-inch voice-coil HF compression driver; three Monster212 dual 12inch MF cabinets loaded with 700-watt, four-inch voice coil, Neodymium drivers; plus four Monster121S single 21-inch cabinets loaded with 2,000W Carbon-Fiber cone, 6-inch voice coil drivers. Full System response is 28-18.5 kilohertz (-6 decibels) and can reach peak output exceeding 140dB SPL. Cabinets are constructed of 18-millimeter birch plywood, using dado joints and internal bracing. Verity Audio, verityaudio.com

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the Bag On-Stage, a division of The Music People, debuted the DPB3000 Drum Bag Set. Crafted from durable, heavy-duty black nylon, the DPB3000 helps drummers transport their entire drum kit with peace of mind. Five individual bags accommodate everything from a 22-inch by 18-inch kick/bass to a 14-inch and 5 1/2-inch snare to every tom and cymbal in between. Double-pull zippers offer easy access to padded, smoothly lined interiors and high-quality shoulder straps, and handles provide nextlevel comfort during transportation. The Music People, musicpeopleinc.com

TUNING MADE EASY WITH THE RIGHT RATIOS Why use guitar parts... to tune a ukulele?

Does tuning your uke feel unresponsive and unpredicatble? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because standard uke machine heads were originally designed for steel string guitars, with an 18:1 gear ratio. The new Ratio for Ukulele machine head tuners from Graph Tech KDYH D JHDU UDWLR VSHFLĹ°FDOO\ GHVLJQHG IRU WKH XNXOHOH (QMR\ VPRRWKHU PRUH HIĹ°FLHQW DQG PRUH accurate tuning with Ratio.

Learn more at www.GraphTech.com/M2

25 Terrific

Yankee Klip-er

Ready, Set, Go! Roland debuted GO:PIANO88, a new addition to the company’s lineup of GO-series instruments and devices. Offering 88 full-size keys and natural sound derived from Roland’s premium digital pianos in a portable cabinet, the product offers built-in Bluetooth and an integrated stereo sound system. GO:PIANO88 works alongside a smartphone to offer a simple and compact learning solution that allows beginning pianists to connect wirelessly and stream audio from online piano lessons, karaoke and tutorial videos. Its lightweight design is easy to carry and set up anywhere, while high-quality onboard speakers, battery operation and Bluetooth eliminate the need to fuss with add-ons such as external amplifiers, AC power and messy cables, stated the company. GO:PIANO88 also supports listening with headphones, allowing users to play at any time without disturbing others. Roland, roland.com

Be Discreet

Let’s Play Ball JMC Electric String Instrument Co. introduced The Galaxy Electric Harp with both a New York Mets finish and a PsychoDelic finish. The 12-string harp is designed to “get the wacky electric-guitar-like sounds but with the sustain quality of a harp electrified,” stated the company. Deluxe models of the harp offer sharping levers. JMC Electric String Instrument Co., jmcinstruments.com

DPA Microphones showcased its smallest high-end pro-audio microphone capsules, the d:screet CORE 6060, 6061 Subminiature Microphones and the d:fine CORE 6066 Subminiature Headset Microphone. Measuring in at three millimeters (0.12 inches) in diameter, the Subminiature mics may be small, but they are powerful in terms of performance. All three microphones incorporate the company’s CORE by DPA amplification technology and have achieved an IP58 waterproof rating, which provides water and moisture resistance. In terms of technical specifications, all three 6000 series capsules are omnidirectional and have a frequency range of 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz. The d:screet 6060 lavalier has a noise floor of only 24 decibels (A-weighted), while the d:screet 6061 lavalier and d:fine 6066 headset have noise floors of only 26 decibels (A-weighted). DPA Microphones, dpamicrophones.com

IK Multimedia expanded its iKlip range of iPhone/iPad and smartphone/tablet mounting products with the iKlip 3 series. This new lineup, which includes the iKlip 3, iKlip 3 Video and iKlip 3 Deluxe, provides secure, flexible support for a wide range of iPad/tablet sizes during live performance, image and video capture, presentations and more, stated the company. The iKlip 3 is designed for microphone stand mounting and includes a newly designed holding bracket with more durable rubber pads and a spring mechanism that allows users to rotate their device up to 360 degrees. The new design enables the device to be mounted on the front, side or boom arm of any mic stand so that the device is in the perfect spot for any gig. In addition, a smart bracket design leaves buttons and ports free from obstructions, and expandable arms offer secure support for all popular tablet sizes. iKlip 3 Video can mount any tablet onto a camera tripod. It offers the same universal tablet support, flexible viewing angle and rugged design as iKlip 3, but mounts to any standard UNC 1/4-inch - 20 thread, for compatibility with virtually any camera tripod, monopod or other mount. IK Multimedia, ikmultimedia.com

Golden Years It’s hard to imagine, but it’s been 50 years since Woodstock took the world by storm. C.F. Martin is honoring the occasion by partnering with the Woodstock Foundation for its D-35 Woodstock 50th Anniversary and DX Woodstock 50th Anniversary models. The D-35 guitar includes tasteful custom headstock and pickguard inlay that replicates elements from the original, famed festival poster from 1969. It has East Indian rosewood back and sides with a 35 Series wedge, a Sitka spruce top with aging toner for a vintage look and antique white binding around the fingerboard to set it apart. It features expressive quarter-inch straight bracing for balanced power and a high-performance neck taper for comfort up and down the fretboard. The DX guitar includes colorful custom artwork by Robert F. Goetzl that replicates elements from the original, famed festival poster from 1969. This X Series D-14 model produces the rich, dynamic sound and look that made Martin the choice of many artists who played at Woodstock. It pairs an HPL top with mahoganygrained HPL back and sides and includes Fishman electronics. C.F. Martin, martinguitar.com

FEBRUARY 2019

Sleepy Hollow

A Bundle That Won’t Cost a Bundle

PRS Guitars’ McCarty 594 Hollowbody II features fully-hollow build construction, making it a resonant guitar with warm, woody tone. 58/15 LT (low turn) pickups add to the organic feel of the guitar

Audio-Technica introduced The PRO-DRUM4 bundle, including a PRO 25ax Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphone for kick, a PRO 63 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone for snare and two PRO 23 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone for toms. The PRO-DRUM7 bundle includes a PRO 25ax, a PRO 63, three PRO 23’s and two AT2021 Cardioid Condenser Microphones for overhead/cymbals. Also introduced were the ATM-DRUM4 and ATM-DRUM7. The ATM-DRUM 4 includes one each of ATM250 and ATM650 Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphones for kick/snare, and two ATM450 Cardioid Condenser Microphones for overhead/cymbals. The ATM-DRUM 7 bundle includes an ATM250, an ATM650, three ATM230 Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphones for toms and two ATM450’s. Audio-Technica, audio-technica.com

while keeping the tone clear and musical. The single-coil settings are especially transparent, and paired with the hollow-body construction, create an almost acoustic quality to the guitar. The details taken from the McCarty 594 model impart old-school character to this already classic instrument. Those details include a 24.594-inch scale length, two-piece bridge, tweaked Phase III tuners, Pattern Vintage neck shape and the control layout. With dual volume and push/pull tone controls, the tonal options are vast with both rich humbucking and sweet singlecoil sounds available. Additional specifications include a figure maple top and back with mahogany middle and a 22-fret mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard and old-school bird inlays. PRS Guitars, prsguitars.com

25 Terrific

Shell Game

Put Some Backspin On It Odyssey Innovative Designs introduced two new BACKSPIN2 digital DJ bags. Odyssey’s new BACKSPIN2CAM and BACKSPIN2GYC DJ gear backpacks strategically accommodate a performer’s digital DJ equipment essentials as they travel from one gig to the next. The BACKSPIN2 bags have a host of padded compartments and pockets to easily store items such as Serato, a laptop, DJ controllers, microphones, interfaces, cables, hard drives, headphones, vinyl and much more. It’s strategically padded in all the right places for the ultimate in digital gear protection and is available in green camouflage and gray camouflage. Odyssey Innovative Designs, odysseygear.com

Anthology Gear introduced “Iwi,” a hand-crafted leather ukulele case. Iwi (meaning “shell” in Hawaiian) is a hybrid between a gig bag and a hard-shell case, designed to offer total protection of a ukulele with its pliable shock-absorbing exterior cage and thickly padded soft interior. Iwi’s exterior is made from the highest-grade full-grain leather and features a stamped Hawaiian floral pattern and overlaid tropical leaves cut from the same high-quality leather. The case is crafted with industrial-grade thread and includes rivet support at stress points. An exterior front pocket provides easyaccess storage for small accessories or personal items. The padded ergonomic handle is steel reinforced at the body for durability. The case can be carried over the shoulder or like a backpack using the two removable padded shoulder straps. Anthology Gear, anthologygearwear.com

Bone Up On Boney Boney James has become one of the premier contemporary jazz saxophonists. He’s sold more than three million albums, had six albums reach No. 1 on the jazz album chart, and received four Grammy nominations. Now, Hal Leonard celebrates the career of this modern jazz icon with its latest saxophone play-along, “Boney James Saxophone Play-Along.” Featuring easy-to-follow notation, “Boney James Saxophone Play-Along” includes eight of James’ biggest tracks of his career for players to play along with. Each track includes a demonstration track so players can hear how the instrument should sound, as well as a play-along track with rhythm section only to play with. Songs featured in the book include “Butter,” “Let It Go,” “Stone Groove,” “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart),” “Sweet Thing (Sweet Thang),” “Tick Tock,” “Total Experience” and “Vinyl.” The audio examples included in “Boney James Saxophone Play-Along” can be accessed online for download and streaming by using a code found in the book. The audio files include PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right. Hal Leonard, halleonard.com

Dead or Alive Latin Percussion introduced the Karl Perazzo Signature Congas and matching Bongos featuring Dia de los Muertos skull artwork designed by Perazzo to match his most recent live setup with Santana. The graphic that adorns the badge of the San Francisco native’s existing signature timbales (LP1415-KP), and now his matching congas and bongos, is said to pay tribute to past generations of loved ones as part of the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. The LP Karl Perazzo Signature Quinto (LP808T-KP), Conga (LP809T-KP) and Tumba (LP810TKP) shells are manufactured from 30-inch Kevlar-reinforced seamless fiberglass. They are finished with durable lacquer and complimented with chrome hardware. Topped with handpicked rawhide heads, the drums feature heavy-duty 5/16-inch tension rods and patented LP Top-Tuning Comfort Curve II rims with ProCare Shell Protectors. The signature collection also offers matching LP Karl Perazzo Signature Bongos (LP794XKP). The set includes 7 1/4-inch and 8 5/8-inch bongos, as well as an 11inch Signature Mini Conga (LPM198KP) complete with chrome-plated hardware and a fully tuneable head. Latin Percussion, lpmusic.com

Pretty in Pink … and Purple Remo has expanded its line of Colortone Drumheads to include Pink and Purple, featuring proprietary Skyndeep Imaging Technology for visual appeal with powerful projection, tone and durability. Colortone drumheads are offered in Powerstroke 77 snare, Emperor and Powerstroke 3 Bass. The Powerstroke 77 Colortone snare Drumheads are constructed with two plies of high-strength Mylar film with an added five-mil Controlled Sound Dot on top and a seven-mil dampening underlay ring for a powerful, focused attack. The Emperor Colortone Drumheads are constructed with two plies of high-strength Mylar film. The Powerstroke three-bass drumheads are constructed with a single-ply 10-mil high-strength Mylar film combined with a 10-mil underlay dampening ring. Remo, remo.com

FEBRUARY 2019

Tortoise and the Hare

A Deal for Steel

Henry Heller introduced the Tort-O TRIGLIDE slider adjustment. “Hardware is often overlooked by strap manufacturers,” said Brett Marcus, partner at OMG Music and originator of the Tort-O design concept. “While simple in design, the Tort-O adds an undeniable unique style to any strap.” “It’s such an eye-catching accessory but pairing it with the right materials is really essential to achieving a certain look and feel. I also wanted to wait until we were able to give it the proper attention it deserves, and what’s more attention grabbing than Tort-O the tortoise rockin’ out with his awesome new strap?” added Marcus. OMG Music, omgmusic.com

Electro-Harmonix introduced electric guitar strings custom designed to its specifications and made in the USA by a premier string manufacturer, stated the company. Each wound string is precision wrapped with round nickel-plated steel onto a high-carbon, hexagonshaped steel core. The plain strings are made from the same high-carbon steel as the hex cores. The high-quality steel and computer-controlled winding process results in strings that intonate accurately, are better at staying in tune and vibrate evenly for maximum sustain. The new strings are available in three different sets. Electro-Harmonix, ehx.com

Take My Breath Away Yamaha launched the P37E Pianica, a new breath-powered keyboard instrument that enables anyone to make music anytime and anywhere. The rich, warm tone and simple, elegant design of the P37E make it ideal for adults who wish to learn their first instrument or are returning to playing later in life, stated the company. The sound of the P37E Pianica is best described as between a harmonica and an accordion, but with more body and depth than other melodica-type instruments, the company added. The lower half of the body of the P37E is constructed from Ecodear plastic, an environmentally friendly, plant-based material that offers improved instrument performance over plastics such as ABS and resonates in a matter more akin to that of natural wood. Yamaha made additional internal modifications to reduce unwanted overtones and contribute to a more organic tone. Yamaha, usa.yamaha.com

(continued on page 50)

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Yamaha on Jan. 15 demonstrated four of its 50-plus product introductions during a pre-NAMM event in New York City. Introduced at the event were Yamaha’s SHS-500 Sonogenic, YVN Model 3, TransAcoustic CG-TA and CSF-TA, and CP73 and CP88.

Tom Sumner, president of Yamaha Corp. of America, warmed up the crowd.

Dane Madsen, Yamaha’s marketing director.

Dennis Webster, Yamaha’s product marketing manager, introduced the TransAcoustic models.

Artist Dillon Kondor performed on the TransAcoustic.

In addition to the product launches, Yamaha introduced its “Make Waves” brand promise.

Nate Tschetter, head of Yamaha’s synthesizer department.

Will Wells was fully dedicated during his performance on the CP88.

Artist Plasmic debuted the SHS-500 Sonogenic.

Roger Eaton, Yamaha’s chief marketing director, offered some closing comments.

Wells enlisted the help of Camille Trust to sing during his performance.

FEBRUARY 2019

Fender on Jan. 10 hosted a pre-NAMM Show event in New York City’s Greenwich Village, where it demonstrated some of the products it featured at the NAMM Show. Here’s a look at the event:

Fender’s Allison Braun and Heather Youmans discussing the company’s new products. A look at the guitars and architectural backdrop of the New York City location.

A closer look at Fender’s recently introduced American Performer series.

Fender’s latest effect pedals.

The Solid Flame Maple Series comes in concert and tenor models, both with a florentine cutaway.

Maple

offers

clear, transparent tone, and ample

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note separation. Along with the Florentine cutaway, the figuring of the Maple, slotted headstock, and Purpleheart binding make this ukulele stand out. The Solid Flame Maple series is an all Maple build including the neck.

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SOLID FLAME MAPLE ULELE UK

FI V E M INUTE S W ITH

JASON HOU By Brian Berk

CEO, VocoPro

Some may think of VocoPro as a karaoke company, but it is much more than that, which we will learn shortly. The La Verne, Calif.based company has been successful for nearly 30 years, a tremendous sign of strength. To find out more about VocoPro, we went straight to the source: Jason Hou, its CEO. Enjoy.

The Music & Sound Retailer: Please tell us about your background and family, including your time at VocoPro. Jason Hou: As a teenager, I found myself intrigued by high-end sound systems. I even began to build my own speaker systems using various parts from different manufacturers. I enjoyed putting together different systems for my friends and for myself. However, my first job wasn’t audio related, as I was a customer service representative for a garment company. In that job, I was responsible for communicating with our sales and buyer teams for big department store groups. I believe this taught me a lot about how to be really customerservice-focused. I still use a lot of those early lessons I learned back then with our customers today. But working for someone else was never really for me. When I was 20 years old, I used that ambition to open my own small video rental shop near downtown Los Angeles. The video rental business was good for a few years, but I wasn’t sure it would be right for me long term. Around that time, I started bringing in VHS tapes with Asian karaoke content and selling them to other video shops. These were big sellers for many years, but then laserdisc karaoke became very popular due to Pioneer’s heavy promotion of the format. I found myself doing well with the laserdisc format and thought, OK…now I need to step into hardware! We were the first to promote a 150-laserdisc changer that really shocked the whole industry at the Consumer Electronics Show. From there, we knew we could be great at hardware, software, and music and sound products. And the rest is history. I founded VocoPro in my garage. I remember every day looking forward to shipping out the orders from my garage via UPS and then helping customers connect and use our system. The most exciting feeling back then was when I could fix a customer’s technical issue over the phone. The Retailer: Take us through an average day at your job and what you do. Hou: My CEO title at VocoPro is more like 32

CPS (Chief of Problem Solving). Anytime we run into an obstacle, I’m usually the person that decides how we’re going to address it. Other than that, I’m in charge of developing new products that our customers want/need. I also draft marketing materials for our graphic department so they know the clear selling points and the background of our products.

I’m optimistic about the MI industry. Humans have been singing since the very beginning of time and will be singing long after all of us are gone. Music remains a constant in our world, and no matter how the various tools and technologies may change, music will be always be with us. That makes me optimistic about the future.

The Retailer: VocoPro has been going strong close to 30 years now. What have been some keys to your success? Hou: First, we always work hard to answer the needs of our customers, and we develop our new products to meet their needs, not just because technically we can do something. Second, we take care of our retailers to make sure they are competitive in the marketplace, and we back up our products 100 percent, so our retailers won’t have to worry about getting stuck with something. At VocoPro, we believe in strong retailer relationships and doing our part to make sure they are successful. The Retailer: Although VocoPro is well known for its karaoke products, you offer much more. Please tell us about your complete product offerings and how those help maintain your success. Hou: Again, it comes back to our customers. We take our customers’ input very seriously. That’s the reason we developed many of the non-karaoke products you see out there, like the multiple-channel wireless systems for bands and conferences, as well as wireless assist listening systems like the Silent PA and the Silent Symphony series. If the customers need it and we can technically produce it for them, we will. The Retailer: What is the state of the overall MI industry today? Are you optimistic and why? Hou: I’m optimistic about the MI industry. Humans have been singing since the very beginning of time and will be singing long after all of us are gone. Music remains a constant in our world, and no matter how the various tools and technologies may change, music will be always be with us. That makes me optimistic about the future. The Retailer: Please tell us about your philosophy regarding MI retailers. What approach have you taken to make sure both the retailer and yourself have a harmonious relationship? FEBRUARY 2019

Hou: We are constantly trying to get feedback from our end users and retailers. We also pay attention to how and where our customers will use our systems. We share this information with our retailer partners to make sure they will be more successful.

The Retailer: How can retailers best sell your products? Are there any tips you can provide? Hou: Our musician customers have things they need to solve in order to deliver the best performance, so we start there. Find out what the customer needs solved and recommend the best VocoPro product to solve it. Our retailers trust the VocoPro name and our values. They know we always reply to email or phone inquiries in a timely matter. We feel that businesses who offer not only great products, but great ser vice, will always do well in the marketplace. The Retailer: Please tell us about VocoPro’s recent product launches and what makes those products cool. Hou: Technology is evolving. And we always take advantage of those new technologies to

make our products more innovative and more financially reachable for musician consumers — both amateur and professional. For example, we have a wireless microphone system that switches frequencies with just a touch of a button on the transmitter that does not use IR to sync to different frequencies, so the musician does not have to stop the show in order to change the frequency in case of any interference from other devices in the room. We also have a very cool wireless audio transmitter and receiver for powered speakers that effectively makes your entire PA system wireless. This gives musicians a lot more flexibility regarding speaker placement and how that system will ultimately deliver their sound in any room. It’s very exciting.

The Retailer: What was The NAMM Show like for VocoPro in terms of product launches? Hou: On average, we launch 10 to 15 new products per year, and 2019 was no exception. We definitely had some new surprises coming for The NAMM Show. We showed new innovative technology for karaoke, wireless systems and audio.

The Retailer: In an inter view with us four years ago, you said you “believe karaoke continues to be a great way to bring family and friends together. We also believe the passion for singing will be even greater because the equipment is simple to use, and it provides professional results even as costs are lower due to the evolution of technology.” Do you still believe in these comments as you look for ward to VocoPro’s success in the future? Hou: Yes. Wireless systems used to cost $400 to $500 minimum. Now, we are seeing systems with great features like those systems, but at half of the price. This makes good-quality equipment affordable for the masses who want to use it — and this has been our philosophy since we started VocoPro. The Retailer: Is there anything you’d like to add? Hou: Power to the singers! They sometimes are forgotten in all of the instruments on stage, but singers give music its words, its soul and its voice. We strive to help the singers of the world with the best tools on the market.

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M I SPY

C—A ATN CD HM UI SNI C GA L ISN SOT MR U EM E N ST S U —N IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA After the dust settled from The NAMM Show, your intrepid sleuth hung around the area, gathering intel to give you some idea of what is available in southern California to keep the western coastline of the United States well supplied with music gear. I mean, we can’t have major amusement parks going without live music, now can we? I was particularly interested in musical numbers that required pretty shiny brass horns, so I was looking for trombones for a young professional musician. Why? I don’t know. I wanted to be different. No candidates of the plastic variety needed apply for this particular quest. A good pro trombone, aside from making Wagnerian works lovely and dark, will also liven up any parade. Since we are talking southern California, I donned my secret agent yuppie sandals and 100-percent cotton outfit so I could fit in with the locals. I have always been told how wonderful and generous the vibes are from the people in SoCal, but I wanted to see if it was true. I hoped my masquerade as a white-haired, older citizen would expose the deeper truths to be uncovered in the land of alternate realities. Now that I am in a relaxed mood, let’s get it started.

Mo’s Fullerton Music Center Inc. u 121 North Harbor Blvd. u Fullerton CA 92832 u 714.871.1805 Mo’s Music Center is an establishment that has been a musical landmark of age and service for more than 73 years in this southern California region. It is in a good-sized building in the downtown area of Fullerton. My disguise hit pay dirt right away at this first store. I was greeted almost instantly by an attentive young helper who was a rock guitar player. He unabashedly confessed to his utter ignorance of the fine points of brass instruments and volunteered to search out help for my trombone quest. As I snooped around, I discovered that Mo’s has a popular feature not in evidence in most other music stores. There is a large internal boutique with all sorts of music-related items. Need a musical tie featuring an oboe to pair with your suit? No problem. How about a music-themed wall clock to encourage practice time? 34

Got it. Besides large aisles filled with all sorts of fun things to buy, there is a kids’ corner for the very youngest to have their love of music nurtured. Think tot-sized instruments that actually sound decent. They have it all covered. My new assistant introduced himself as the oldest broom pusher on the payroll and saved me from what could have been many an hour in the boutique if I wasn’t careful. On the way to the brass wall for a look at the trombones, I discovered a wall with a great selection of harmonicas and some serious banjos that I couldn’t go past without a few chords being played. Even a steely professional operative like me needs some fun. My helper was patient and full of information about Mo’s and the history of the business and the company outlook on things in general. When I outlined my quest

for a pro tenor trombone with an F key attachment, he was happy to lead me to the brass selections while letting me know the sorts of options that were in stock at the moment. There were the usual candidates of new instruments, all ranging in price from the few-hundred-dollar student models up to the pro instruments. More interesting for this current search was a Courtois Buffet series from Europe at around $3,845 with the F-attachment, which is a good price for that line. Lower down were the Conn 88H at $2,659, a Selmer, a Blessing at $1,749 and a Bach at $3,340. So, there was a large selection for my trombone-playing cover. My attendant let me know that all instruments will be price matched or sold lower than the big chains. Since the shop caters to professionals, there was also quite a nice second-hand se-

lection of older instruments, including a Conn 88H with a trigger at $2,200 and a King at $2,639, which of course for a trombonist is just fine. The older instruments they had on hand were “made differently in the old days” according to my assistant, who seemed to know everything about how all the brass should function and why. It made him a thorough source of information for a pro who needed the views of a master. With almost no encouragement, my assistant told me that the original owner of the store way back had a philosophy that was based on an idea that customer service should be the major focus of its business. Happy, takencare-of customers would return. Mo’s wants happy musicians, and it doesn’t feel like it has to be in competition with other vendors. The owner kept telling her staff that there was room for everyone as, “There are a lot FEBRUARY 2019

Sam Ash Music u 14200 Beach Blvd. u Westminster CA 92683 u 714.899.2122

of people who love music out there.” My helper turned out to be out to be one of the master craftsmen from the full-service repair shop, which I was encouraged to take a tour through. The facility offers guaranteed satisfaction, and judging from the evidence of tools and various instrument problems being dealt with, I’d believe it. Many a professional name have sent their horns to the master craftsmen there, apparently. Minor to medium-sized repairs, as well as a couple of complete restorations, were going on. All in all, my experience here was a very positive one given the professional instrument and support I was looking for. A quick check of the competitive business websites verified that the experience I had there for help and service is very common, indeed universal among the clients who bother to write reviews online. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Just outside the imaginary line that divides Anaheim from other parts of the Los Angeles area lies Westminster and the nearest Sam Ash store. My detective eye noted that it’s just a little smaller than some, but clean and well stocked for my California mission. My help was very quickly at my side and knowledgeable about the hunt for the type of instrument I wanted. As we made our way through the store, my helper carefully went over exactly what this horn would be expected to do for the particular player I was shopping for. He wanted to steer me toward an instrument that would be good for my needs. When going past another staff member and client in the guitar section, I heard the staff member finding a person who could speak Spanish to better help the client understand the products he was trying out. We got to the nicely presented brass wall, and my detective radar had me looking over the two Cannonball trombones at $1,199 and $2,375 in yellow brass. My helper volunteered the information that, “No, those are absolutely not Chinese. They are put out by a newer company here in the U.S. Pro horns still require more skills and finesse than those being churned out by the Chinese lines making student horns.” With my encouragement, my assistant helped a patiently waiting student to try out an Olds Music & Arts u 504 S. State College Blvd. Ambassador Trombone that had been made in Anaheim CA 92806-4221 u 714.999.5015 the 1920s or ‘30s. The price was good at $400. Since it was the weight of a small battleship, Now my detecting took me took me to the heart of getting a good sound required a different techthe suburb generally known for the Magic Kingdom nique for the potential buyer. I watched as my and other childhood dreams. What my gumshoe radar assistant guided the student to get a good sound wanted to uncover was this: What were the musical cliwith patience. I wish I’d had that kind of help as mates like? Right now, the suburb is getting press about I’d decided on my second horn. a huge housing crisis. A wide variety of local musicians More to my taste was a slick Getzen jazz are living in some rather primitive circumstances due trombone on the wall for $1,500. It was brand to the shortage of places to live. One young trumpet new and just out of its box. The store had been player lives in a garage with his wife and child. He waiting on it for a while, I was told. There was holds down several jobs and teaches as well. So, what no F key on those, but it was an excellent horn was a local music shop like? for a young pro. After your incognito detective Music & Arts has no shortage of space in its shop, attempted a lick or two on the Getzen, a cusand it’s located on the corner of a small plaza-type mall, tomer who knew a thing or two took over and so there is easy parking. The interior is well laid out, so tried it out. His superior technique showed me it was easy for your scout to locate things. This being that this instrument did have a nice, warm tone California, I used my trusty sunglasses to stay incogand excellent response on the slide. nito. I was steps away from a variety of hamburger and All told, my experience at Sam Ash showed taco joints, and for further disguise, I stopped in around some great service and a sufficient selection the corner at the huge Goodwill Center for a fresh of horns. (continued on page 53) 35

‘ H IRE’ LEAR NING

By Will Mason Customer service. Everyone knows that customer service matters. It is literally the only reason that any of our businesses exist. The way you interact with your customers creates an impression, it makes an impact, and it shapes the way they think about, talk about and tweet about your business. If our customers are so vital to our existence, do we spend enough time thinking about them? Do we really understand what their experience is like when they walk through our doors or order from us online? Or are we too busy worrying about operational details like paying bills, counting inventory, submitting payroll, scheduling lessons, etc.? Of course, these operational things must happen in order for a business to function, but what would change if we understood what motivates our customers? What do they need? What do they want? What matters most to them? What do we do that really bugs them?

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE DIFFERENTIATOR These questions, if properly explored and answered, can provide insight that will lead to unprecedented growth for your company. Customer experience is the last (and I believe greatest) competitive edge brick-and-mortar stores have against online giants. As we explore this vast topic over the coming months, we will focus in on methods to create stronger bonds between you and your customers, bonds that will stabilize and grow your business with the fuel of loyalty. We will begin by collecting information… Listen, Learn, Lead I love data. There, I’ve said it. I’m a geek for it. I’m convinced my brain is actually one giant spreadsheet at this point. I mean, brains have cells, spreadsheets have cells … I digress. Data is only as helpful as it is actionable. At Mason Music, we collect data from our customers regularly, so we can take action to improve. Often, this takes the form of a survey. After every camp, every semester of lessons, every group lesson and every program, we send a short survey to our customers to collect information. The responses we get are incredibly valuable and have led to numerous improvements in the way we deliver service to our customers. As members of an organization, we 36

have to develop the ability to listen to the feedback we receive, learn from the themes and patterns within it, and lead our team in a new direction as a result. Sur veys provide insight into what your customers are thinking. We all know people who are all too willing to share their opinions about the quality of service they receive. They are the people who ask for a manager at the restaurant, or who request to speak with a supervisor when on tech support calls. You know who I’m talking about. The truth is, not everyone is as forthright as these friends of ours. Most people are not going to come up to you at the front desk of your business and tell you what they think about you and your company. But if you ask them in an anonymous survey, you’ll be amazed at the answers you get back! Feedback for the people responsible for delivering the ser vice is useful. If you have employees who work for you when you’re not around, it can be difficult to give them feedback on how FEBRUARY 2019

they are doing in your absence. Whether it’s positive or critical in nature, our feedback has to be based on dependable sources. We can’t just say “you’re doing great work” if we don’t really know what’s going on, and people crave feedback. Everyone wants to know where they stand with their boss. People want to be appreciated, noticed and valued. Operational tasks are easy to follow up on. We can check the system to see if a specific task was completed. Customer service interactions are more difficult to research, especially when they involve in-person interactions. Survey questions can get at this behind the safety of anonymity. We must be careful to run anonymous feedback through the filter of our own judgement to make sure one negative comment doesn’t have an unreasonable impact on an employee’s reputation in the company. Every criticism and accusation must be approached with curiosity when presented to an employee. Take the opportunity to connect with unhappy customers. Whenever we fall short of a customer’s expectations, whether due to a mistake, a miscommunication or an outright failure to deliver on a promise, we have an opportunity to make things right. Survey responses from upset customers are an opportunity in disguise. I used to view them as a threat, as in, “Oh no, this person is mad. I hope they don’t post about us online.” I have learned that by picking up the phone and calling the people we have let down to talk through their experience and explore solutions to their problems, oftentimes, we can fix the issue and then some. Our team now knows that customers who have problems that are resolved can end up becoming your biggest fans. If we never ask, we’ll never know.

Gather success stories to share with your team. Positive feedback from surveys can provide a much-needed boost to the morale of your team and cement the importance of great customer service in their own minds.

When your manager shares a positive survey with your name in it, it means a lot. We could all stand a pat on the back from time to time to show us when we are on the right track. All of this information allows

you to tweak your secret recipe to improve the next batch of customer experiences. In the next article, we will explore how to set guidelines that define what excellent service looks like for you and your team.

I N T H E T R ENCHE S

THE LOST ART OF

By Allen McBroom

I’ve been thinking a lot recently (especially today) about the rampant decline of good customer service in America. It seems many businesses, especially large ones, are doing all they can to erect barriers between themselves and avoid serving their customers in some sort of satisfactory way. In the past, when I bought a load of groceries, some nice cashier checked out my purchases, smiled and took my money. Today, the grocery store does all it can to push me toward the self-checkout lane. Not only that, the grocery stores are trying their best to get us to order our groceries online, pay by credit card and not even come into the store. “Just pull up to the curb,” they say, “and we’ll load your bags, and you never even have to get out of your car!” While that sounds nice on paper, the reality is that the same guys who used to put the potatoes on top of the bread will now be picking out my tomatoes. Does this prospect excite me? Yes, but not in a good way. Fast-food joints now want me to order at kiosks, rather than tell the nice lady at the counter that I am allergic to (fill in your favorite allergy) and would she please tell them twice to leave that item off my Extra-Fat-Jumbo-Deluxe-Burger. (This is a lot of darkness, but there is a blue sky ahead, just wait.) Website after website now leaves off the phone number for their customer service department, instead offering only a contact form as a replacement. “Don’t call us, just fill out the form. Some anonymous person may or may not read it, and they may or may not respond,” is what that contact-form-only approach tells me. A business organization to which I belong told me the second week of November that a specific person would call me the week after Thanksgiving to follow up on a large meeting I was planning in our area. No phone call followed. When I called them back, I was told neither the person who took my message nor the person who was supposed to call me still worked there, so could I call back next week and talk to the new person who was still figuring out her job? “No,” I thought. “I’ve only got six months left before the event. I need faster service.” So, I bypassed the group to whom I pay dues and took care of things without them in the loop. The dearth of customer service has become so bad that I’m surprised these days when someone actually calls me back. (If you’re feeling depressed at this point, just hang in there a bit longer … There is a blue sky to come, I promise.) The last straw came earlier today. We needed some crossovers

and horns for a customer’s cabinets. We are dealers for those types of products. I called our rep and got a phone number and email for the parts department. My email got an automated reply that told me how important I am to them as a customer, and the email was addressed to “Dear ___________”. On the good news front, the email also said that my need for information had been assigned a case number, and I would probably get a reply email within 24 hours. It was looking like just getting the products’ pricing and availability may take days. So, I called them. Guess what? (If you’re seeing the pattern here, you know what comes next.) I spent an hour and five minutes on speakerphone listening to a recorded loop tell me the next available agent would be with me shortly. But, I could press 2 and leave a voicemail, and that would get a return call within 24 business hours. On most calendars, 24 business hours is three days. I’d rather try my luck on the email reply that I probably won’t get. So where is that evasive blue sky, you ask? It starts in the next paragraph. Recently, I’ve been shopping some shipping rates. There is one company we’ve never used on the front end, but I contacted them (by email) in mid-December. I got a call the next day. A cheerful-sounding lady answered all my questions, FEBRUARY 2019

told me all they could do for us, and since we were in the middle of Christmas shipping, said she’d like to call me back in the second week of January, after things settled down, to set up my new account with her company. Today marks the second week, and she called me back yesterday, right on time. She told me every step I would need to take (there were only three, not counting some brief training), and those steps happened 1-2-3 as she or her associate talked me through them on the phone. Each conversation we had was followed by an email outlining what we talked about. She gave me her first and last names, and the trainer who called me also had a first and last name. Not employee numbers, but names. Tomorrow morning at 9:30, she is going to call me for the last time to set up our rates, and I have no doubt she will call right on the money, as she said. The blue sky is this: The one customer service rep described above, the one who did exactly what she said she would do, when she said she would do it, has become such an anomaly in today’s world of slipshod service that her excellent performance (performance which was once the norm, not the exception) has just about guaranteed that we’ll do all we can to ship using their service. Customer service has value — real value — and good service attracts customers like moths to a flame. The other part of the blue sky is that we, as MI retailers, can stand out from the crowd by making sure we do the simple things that were once considered to be the norm, but are today considered to be exceptional service. Return phone calls as soon as possible. Return the phone calls that you dread returning. Reply to emails. Reply to customers who review you online. Call customers to tell them you don’t have an answer yet, but you’re working on it. The basic idea here is if you say you are going to do something, do it. If you think the customer is expecting a communication,

make sure they get it. If you have to stay late to get it done, stay late. In this era of cell phones in every pocket, text the customer and let him or her know what’s what. If the answer is too long to text, text them and ask that they call you. Opposable thumbs separate us

from the monkeys, and customer service quality separates us from the competition. Another bit of blue sky is that good service doesn’t take a full roster of service people to make your MI store look good; it just takes a few minutes to make sure

you’ve returned all the calls, texts and emails you need to return before you go home. At the very least, text your customer and tell her you’ll follow up with her tomorrow with a full report on what she was asking for. Then do it. Happy trails.

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7 TRENDS FOR 2019

NAVIGATING THE NEW SOCIAL LANDSCAPE

By Gabriel O’Brien Social media has quickly become the ground on which the battle for customer acquisition and loyalty is being fought. Like ecommerce before it, early adopters have benefitted greatly from engaging in the social media space and establishing a presence. Unlike ecommerce, social media isn’t driven by search engine optimization (SEO), but by interaction, thus somewhat leveling the playing field between large and small retailers, provided small retailers capitalize on the opportunity. You don’t need an army of social media warriors like giant ecommerce operations employ. You don’t need a dedicated SEO team. You need to be engaged, be quick to respond and establish a rapport upon which your customers can rely. Here are a few key factors I see as playing an outsize role in social media for 2019.

1. AUTHENTICITY BECOMES THE KEY FACTOR IN DRIVING CONSUMER LOYALTY.

Consumers have had it with cookie-cutter big-box stores. They’re fed up with automated customer service phone systems, canned responses and complex filters to get them information. They’ve become allergic to phony, in short. In this, independent retailers have been given an edge. Being small makes you nimble, and therefore quicker to make adjustments to your consumer engagement standards and processes. Consumers want to know they’re talking to a person they can relate to, who cares what they want and who’s listening with the intent of solving their issue. One of my favorite independent retail stores is Empire Music in Pittsburgh, which is owned by my friend Joe Ravita. Ravita personally attends to tons of customer inquiries via social media, email and even regularly gives out his personal cell phone number to customers. Does that sound overzealous? It’s not. Chuck Surack of Sweetwater answers customer calls and emails too. Translating your personal commitment to being good at what you do across social platforms is how you differentiate yourself. Developing a personal relationship with consumers builds consumer loyalty, and you do that by being a relatable person as the face of a business.

4. LINKEDIN HOLDS STRONG GROWTH POTENTIAL.

2. INSTAGRAM IS THE EPICENTER FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT.

Instagram is rapidly becoming the biggest growth platform, especially with younger demographics. Integrated shopping platforms and the adoption of Instagram Stories as a tool for reaching consumers has made it a more attractive platform. Instagram’s appeal is in its expediency: the whole platform is based on images and videos. Text is far less important, and reach is instant. Your grid is your catalog, not only for products but for your brand, and is an opportunity to reach customers on a personal level. Paying attention to the quality of the images and videos you share here is paramount to having success on the platform. Understanding that easily digestible, high-quality content is the key to grabbing and holding consumers’ attention opens you up to opportunity. Effective and interesting Instagram ads are also a huge factor in driving sales potential.

3. SOCIAL SHOPPING WILL GROW CONTINUALLY.

Consumers will shop more and more through social portals instead of traditional ecommerce platforms, with the exception of sites like Reverb, which still drives a lot of traffic because of its own continual social engagement blitz. Instagram and Pinterest are more and more regularly becoming the funnel for finding new products and new stores. Attracting new customers through targeted marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of this equation. Where ecommerce has traditionally relied heavily on SEO strategies, and later Adwords, social shopping is about strategy and targeted appeal.

LinkedIn is one of the most underleveraged platforms for growth and will become the new place to try and reach potential consumers. Because of its business- and networking-focused platform, adapting to this landscape will become a challenge to some. Information-sharing mediums, such as blog and video posts, are still the best onboarding opportunities on the platform. Direct marketing ads and soliciting sales are largely foreign to the landscape.

5. FACEBOOK GROUPS WILL BECOME MORE IMPORTANT TO BRANDS THAN PAGES.

Facebook has been mired in controversy over the last year and will continue to be. People are avoiding their friends, families and timelines to keep from being sucked into daily political discussions, and they are increasingly using Groups and Messages as their social interaction points on the platform. Fan groups and activity groups largely attract more people than FEBRUARY 2019

buy-sell-trade groups. They require more work but can be a great way to build longterm relationships through potential customer interaction and passive acquisition, such as sharing photos or videos of inventory rather than directly chasing sales.

6. VERTICAL VIDEO WILL BECOME THE NORM AS SMARTPHONES CONTINUE TO REPLACE COMPUTERS AS MOST PEOPLE’S WEB BROWSING DEVICE.

More and more, smartphones and, to a lesser degree, tablets are becoming the devices upon which consumers navigate the digital world. For the vast majority of the population, a traditional desktop or even laptop computer is no longer necessary. You can browse, shop, read, email and even record music on your iPhone now. As such, the expectations of consumers will continue shifting to reflect their delivery-system preference for content. Vertical video will increasingly become a normalized format for content, both because it’s the standard orientation for the device and because the device is far easier to hold one handed in that orientation. This means content needs to be tailored to the platform. When shooting that video for YouTube on your digital single-lens reflex camera, keep in mind that it’ll need to be cropped to vertical to populate your Instagram story and frame accordingly.

7. GENERATIONAL NOMENCLATURE WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY INVALID.

When people say “millennial,” they’re just identifying themselves as unrelatable by age. People are tired of being grouped and labeled and are more readily rejecting

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

traditional labels every day. For those who have come to view younger generations as “lazy” or “entitled,” this will become an inflection point that signals their exit from the traditional retail landscape. If you can’t put aside your predispositions and search for a way to relate to your customers without burdening them with your assumptions, you aren’t going to get very far into the 2020s. Adjust or perish. They’re all just people, and while there are many things that make them different from you, there are as many that make them just like you. Find those and leverage them into a personal connection. Millennials are not anathema to profit.

How are you preparing to engage with consumers via social platforms in 2019? What strategies are you rethinking? Write to me at gabriel@ upperhandstudios. com.

SHINE A LIGHT

MINOR CHORD: MAJOR PLAYER

The Minor Chord Music Outfitters 80 King St. Littleton MA 01460 978.486.0112 www.theminorchord.com Mon.-Thurs. 11a.m. – 9 p.m. Fri. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun. Noon – 5 p.m. Carl Strathmeyer, Owner

By Michelle Loeb Though he describes himself as a lifelong “avid amateur musician,” Carl Strathmeyer didn’t originally have designs on running his own music store. But after taking an early retirement from one of the big global computer technology manufacturers, he was looking for a new career, and he found one in 2010 in the form of The Minor Chord, a popular Boston-area musical instrument and lessons shop that dates back to 1984. When Bill Brown — who himself had started The Minor Chord as a second career after retiring from the pharmaceutical industry — was looking to sell the store, Strathmeyer found the perfect convergence of his hobbies and his business experience, and he set about making the store the place where “We Help You Make Music.” “In other words, helping our customers to make music — whatever that requires — is our mission and goal,” Strathmeyer explained. “We strive to make this feel completely different from the ‘We Sell You Music Gear!’ vibe of the big national competition.” A big part of what makes The Minor Chord a helpful and welcoming place is its staff. When Strathmeyer purchased the store with his wife, Andrea, they made sure that the store’s staff stayed on, not only to offer continuity to customers, but also to share their many years of experience and knowledge as Strathmeyer got up to speed on his new career. The store employs two full-time and one part-time staff member, as well as two younger workers who put in approximately six to 10 hours per week, with responsibilities like bookkeeping 42

FEBRUARY 2019

and website maintenance. In addition, the store employs a dozen teachers to handle approximately 150 weekly students, which is the same number of students the store had at the time Strathmeyer purchased it. “Although there is a large music school just down the street from us, we don’t see much competition for students because the philosophy of the two programs is very different,” Strathmeyer said. “The music school has a very formal program with a more rigid syllabus, while our teachers take pride in helping their students achieve their own personal goals. For any given student, the choice between these two programs is pretty clear.” Strathmeyer encourages his staff to take the time to listen to customers’ needs and offer them personalized service rather than high-pressure sales tactics in order to set them apart from online and big-box competition. When thinking about the personal touch offered at The Minor Chord, Strathmeyer recalled a moment involving his wife Andrea, who serves as the store’s woodwind technician for a few hours a week, handling woodwind repairs on the side of her full-time job in the tech industry. “A mother and ninth-grade daughter brought an alto saxophone into our repair department. They were well into a rental with one of the big regional rental agencies, and the daughter had just entered high school and found she wasn’t able to play the more challenging music,” he recalled. “Each time it was returned to the rental agency for service, it came back with a report that no problems were found, so the daughter was becoming frustrated and embarrassed, thinking maybe the fault lay with her playing and not the horn.” Andrea Strathmeyer took the time to work with the girl, having her play the instrument and even play-testing it herself. She found that the fault actually was with the horn and not the player. “Andrea spent about 20 minutes making some minor repairs and adjustments, and MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

after Andrea’s repairs, it played beautifully! The smile on the daughter’s face said it all, and she gave Andrea a big hug,” Strathmeyer recalled. “It’s not often that a customer gives you a hug. Andrea knew she had made a friend, and that this family was going to tell others about our ex-

pertise and especially about the way we care for our customers at The Minor Chord.” After eight years running the store, Strathmeyer has come to expect similar customer service from his vendors and has even made the decision to drop brands at times — marquee brands in-

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cluded — when he felt he wasn’t getting it. “We see manufacturers going in two different directions — some see value in the independent dealer and our knowledge of our market; others see no value in the independent dealer other (continued on page 48)

V E D D AT O R I A L

HOW TO BRING CUSTOMERS INTO THE STORE By Dan Vedda

In my last article, we talked about the future of brickand-mortar retail (there is one) and the crucial importance of attracting people to your store. In conversation online and on the phone with people throughout the industry, I hear from many who have been unsuccessful so far, or who are unsure about how they can drive the process. Here are a few thoughts and some things that seem to be helping my situation. First of all, keep in mind that this isn’t a switch you can flip, but a way of life. Tossing off a promotion and saying it didn’t work is like chomping on some broccoli and saying, “I ate healthy, but I don’t feel any better.” I firmly believe that you can increase store traffic only through a sustained, consistent and multi-faceted approach to this task. I also feel that “promotion” in the sense of sales or product-centric tactics don’t work unless day-to-day branding is already in place. Online entities provide plenty of doorbuster sales. What we need to do is find something that customers want to physically experience. It has to be tactile, immediate, convenient and distinctive. So, forget doorbusters. The main people who will come in for them are the retail hyenas that smell a deal, grab what they want and skulk off to the next meal. We’ve long (and mistakenly) catered to the deal chasers because they immediately respond to the dog whistle of savings. But there is no loyalty in them; without a deal to score, they disappear. Let’s focus, then, on the customers who can support us in the “new normal” of brick and mortar. This type of customer is grateful for help, values convenience and is willing to spend a little extra for it, and this customer loves music-making and the trappings and vibe that surround it. This customer has always come into our stores, but in the pre-internet days, we had enough assorted traffic that we often didn’t take positive notice of them. I distinctly remember industry owners, staff and sales reps talking about them as “time wasters,” because they took too much time to buy and needed handholding after the sale. Thankfully, this customer is still out there, looking for help. How do we bring them in? I think the store that can successfully do this does a good job with four things: education, display, activities and community involvement. Notice that none of these are instrument-specific, nor do they deal with the products we sell per se. Those products are always present, of course, like desserts on a buffet. People will step up to the buffet, but you have to invite them in first. Of course, there is also overlap in these categories, but the idea is that what you’re doing to bring people in should fit into at least one of them. 44

Education has been talked about endlessly, but most people just think in terms of lessons. However, we also have to tell the story of our passion and our products. I often feel that much of what I do resembles the job of a docent at a museum, who educates the public with history, anecdotes and trivia about the item(s) being viewed. Part of the vibe we have created centers on a number of vintage instruments and other oddities we’ve acquired over time. We have an assortment of “conversationpiece” instruments on display, from a C melody saxophone to 1/16 violins, to funky old ukes to vintage sheet music. People love to hear the backstory each has, and it’s not unusual to have someone bring in a friend to see some of the vibed-out old stuff we display. None of it is “valuable” in the conventional sense, so we can allow hands-on opportunities. It’s easy to find people who will geek out with me about old stuff or are keen to learn the “secrets” of their instruments.

Display includes decorative touches like the vintage instruments, but it also pertains to the clean, organized, attractive setting in which we showcase our goods. Any book or article on effective retail display can give you plenty of pointers; I just want to stress that it’s a crucial part of making your store “shoppable.” The nicer the place looks, the more likely it is that customers will come back — and the longer people will hang around.

FEBRUARY 2019

the causes and projects you choose to support. I believe that there are many customers who will respond to this approach. Just like a favorite restaurant, they will patronize their favorite music store regularly, elevate its profile in the community and do so long term. If you have a comment, feel free to share it on facebook. com/veddatorial, and as always, post an inquiry if there’s another topic you’d like to see covered here. (Please post to the page rather than PM, so others can see the dialogue.) Activities vary widely, and concerts or other live performance events are great. But there’s an extra power when it’s an active rather than passive event. Jam sessions, uke and drum circles, and other group gatherings are great. Your market may provide more specific areas of interest. We’ve hosted Irish sessions, and we have a monthly jazz afternoon jam attended by students, hobbyists and local pros. Bluegrass meetups or open-mic nights may be more your thing, but it is very likely that there is a group performance opportunity that would draw people in.

Community involvement is far more than taking out an ad in the band-booster program. That’s really just advertising. Certainly, you want to be out in the community, attending school performances or gigs, and generally supporting your customers. But I’m also talking about hands-on, shoulder-to-shoulder work in the community. We do drives for the local foodbank, for example. There are a thousand ways you can get involved in a manner that suits your store’s style and viewpoint. The visibility you achieve in this way is far more effective than any advertising in terms of producing loyalty to your brand and word of mouth for your store, because it resonates so deeply with the people who care about

U N DER T H E HOOD

By Brian Berk

FENDER’S AMERICAN PERFORMER SERIES

Approximately a decade ago, Fender released the American Special series. Based upon current artist feedback, Fender determined it was time for a line refresh. That led to the release of the American Performer series, which debuted on Dec. 4. In speaking with the Music & Sound Retailer, Fender stated that it believes its research and development department hit it “out of the park” with this product launch. Designed in Corona, Calif., the American Performer series is intended to deliver the exceptional tone and feel end users expect from an authentic Fender, with new enhancements that make it even more inspiring to play. The American Performer series blends traditional Fender design with new elements for modern tone and performance, including Yosemite pickups, patented double-tap humbucker pickups, ClassicGear vintage-modern tuners, enhanced electronics including Push-Pull Pot and six new colors including two satin finishes. “Made in Corona, Fenders are the beating heart of our electric guitar and bass line,” said Justin Norvell, executive vice president, Fender Products. “It’s our connection to the original history at our company. With this series, we intended to make the American Performer the best they could possibly be. We wanted these to be as fully featured as possible. These guitars are not stripped down to meet a price point.” The American Performer series is designed for working professionals and performers. “I saw a statistic from Live Nation that 86 million people in the [United States] went to a concert [in 2017],” said Norvell. “Live music is alive and well. People think the guitar genre is waning, but it is not at all. So, to serve these professionals, we have new models, new colors, new pickups, new electronics, new tuners. Whenever we redo a guitar or bass, we strip it down all the way to a skeleton and build it up in a unique way. We wanted to inject excitement into U.S.-made guitars at an accessible price point. We think 46

this makes the [American Performer] series compelling and magical.” In addition to the press the American Performer series has been receiving, this article included, Fender launched a vast marketing campaign, with a message of, “We make our art, our instruments, so people can make their art, their music,” Norvell noted. “We are highlighting real touring musicians who are out on the road, as well as ourselves in the Corona factory crafting these instruments. Our tagline is, ‘Made to Perform.’ We are highlighting our mix of craftmanship and [the musician’s] craftmanship of sounds and how those two work symbiotically.” This approach is a tradition at Fender. Norvell stated that in Leo Fender’s early days designing instruments, he would take prototypes of products to artists to get their feedback. “He made changes to instruments based on that feedback, and we have kept that spirit alive,” he said. “The connection between ourselves and the people who use our products is at the core of what we do and who we are. That is exemplified in our marketing campaign.” Speaking of feedback, early returns on the American Performer series have been excellent, said Norvell. “Reaction from the dealer network has been really positive,” he said. “We’re excited.” Regarding the release date of the American Performer series being before, not during The NAMM Show, Fender responded that the American Performer series is a very important launch, and it wanted to “give the series its own moment.” “We often ‘take the

curtain off’ a product at NAMM,” relayed Norvell. “But allowing dealers to take advantage of the high [holiday] selling season pre-NAMM was something we thought would be great. The fourth quarter is when a lot of business is done. So, getting these products out there while excitement and foot traffic was high was tremendous. Then, we [went] to NAMM and reinforced what we just launched and gave its official debut.” The American Performer series certainly had its own “moment” during the holiday season. But Fender separates new releases from its other prominent product launches in other ways as well. “It is a challenge to separate our products from one another,” acknowledged Norvell. “From 25 paces away, one Stratocaster looks like another Stratocaster, looks like another Stratocaster. Finding ways to differentiate ourselves is really important. We use different fretboard material on a certain series, different types of colors, different levels of pickguard materials, inlay materials, etc. We also have point-of-purchase stickers that go on the pickguard, so if you walk up to a wall with 20 Strats, you will find three bullet points explaining why this guitar exists and how it is different from other models.” “Also, consumers like so many different things,” he concluded. “Some like to go totally vintage. Some prefer totally modern. And some like vintage looks with modern features. We have so many different series because there are so many different player types.” Fender’s American Performer series guitars and basses retail for between $1,099 and $1,199. FEBRUARY 2019

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(continued from page 43) than as a channel for product volume,” Strathmeyer explained. “These latter manufacturers tend to set one-size-fits-all stocking profiles, forcing every dealer to stock similar selections of merchandise regardless of what will sell in a given geography or market. I suppose that works at the big-box chains, but we independents cannot afford to stock items that we know from the outset our customers aren’t interested in.” When his customers are interested in something his store doesn’t carry, Strathmeyer wants to make sure that his customers get the products and service they desire. To accomplish this, Strathmeyer has formed an alliance with some of the other independent music store owners in his community whose business models differ from his own. “In our metro-west Boston area, there are other inde-

pendent shops with their own specialties. We do not consider them competition; in fact, we actively refer customers to them,” said Strathmeyer. By working together, he and his fellow MI retailers are not only adding value for their customers, but they are helping to keep the Boston-area independent music store community active in the face of changing business models and added competition. “To sur vive in today’s market, an independent music store can’t tr y to be all things to all customers. None of us has the space or financial resources to stock a broad selection in ever y MI categor y,” Strathmeyer said. “But what we can do is find a niche that will draw customers because of the depth of our inventor y and knowledge in that specific categor y. The big-box generalists can’t match us there.”

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Ad Index

Company

(continued from page 29)

ALFRED PUBLISHING..............39 AMAHI UKULELES...................41 AUDIX CORPORATION.............21 BOURNS PRO AUDIO................51 CHAUVET LIGHTING................C-II CHEM-PAK..................................52 CHESBRO MUSIC.......................45 D'ANGELICO GUITARS........C-III

Making Waves Godlyke’s TWA released the MM-01 MiniMorph Dynamic Waveshaper. It features an envelope-dependent drive circuit where the amount and type of saturation is intricately and inextricably linked to the input signal level. Multi-layered, highly complex waveforms meet and morph to create sizzling, splatter-full effects bordering on the bizarre, stated the company. It took the original DynaMorph circuit and stripped out the envelope-controlled level section to create a pint-sized powerhouse that’s simple to use yet can still conjure cascades of cacophonous creativity. Depending on control settings and playing technique, the MiniMorph can expel an almost unlimited variety of filthy, flittering filter effects that will add depth and dimension to your notes. Tight chirps, greasy gurgles and long, yawning sweeps are all available by simply varying your picking attack. Godlyke, godlyke.com

FARIDA GUITAR & UKULELE.................................52 FENDER.......................................7 FENDER.......................................17 FENDER.......................................19 FRET ZEALOT............................37 FLOYD ROSE..............................53 G7TH, THE CAPO COMPANY................................11 GALAXY AUDIO........................3 GRAPH TECH..............................25 JOHN PACKER............................24

A Splash of Bluetooth Fishman introduced its popular Loudbox Mini portable amplifier with Bluetooth wireless connectivity, enabling users to easily and neatly add backing tracks and a variety of vocal or recorded accompaniments. Lightweight and portable, the 60-watt, two-channel Loudbox Mini weighs 21 lbs. and faithfully reproduces the sound of acoustic instruments with the advanced tonal qualities for great acoustic sound, stated the company. The Mini includes high-quality digital reverb and chorus for the instrument channel, and reverb for the microphone channel. The Loudbox Mini also features an MP3 input and balanced XLR D.I. output, a must for both jamming with others and recording performances. Features include Master Volume and 3-band EQ with low, mid and high tone controls for the instrument channel; a Reverb level control; dual-function Chorus and a feedback-fighting Phase switch; a 1/4-inch input for active and passive pickups along with a 1/8-inch auxiliary input; a D.I. output and a balanced XLR output. The Microphone Channel features an XLR input for dynamic mics; 2-band EQ with low and high tone controls and a Reverb level control. Fishman, fishman.com

KALA BRAND MUSIC CO........31 KYSER MUSICAL PRODUCTS................................12 LEE OSKAR PRODUCTIONS....51 MANHASSET SPECIALTY COMPANY................................6 NAMM..................................... 14-15 ODYSSEY INNOVATIVE DESIGNS...................................27 PEAVEY.......................................9 PRO X...........................................43 PRS GUITARS.............................23 QRS MUSIC TECHNOLOGIES....33 RAIN RETAIL SOFTWARE........10 RCF...............................................5 REMO...........................................22 TRUSST........................................18 U.S. BAND & ORCHESTRA SUPPLIES.................................29 VOCOPRO....................................13 WD MUSIC PRODUCTS............8 YORKVILLE........................... C-IV While every care is taken to ensure that these listings are accurate and complete, The Music & Sound Retailer does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

A Sound Choice Alfred Music debuted “Sound Percussion for Individual or Group Instruction.” Dave Black, one of the biggest selling percussion authors in the world and composer, clinician and instrumental music teacher Chris Bernotas, have teamed up to write this complete and comprehensive resource for teaching percussion, stated the company. “Sound Percussion” comprises four books: “Snare Drum & Bass Drum,” “Mallet Percussion,” “Timpani” and “Accessory Percussion,” all focusing on developing skills of intermediate to advanced percussion students. Each book can be used independently to focus on a particular instrument or in combination with each other as a full-percussion ensemble. With a clear and consistent approach, students will learn the fundamentals necessary to become well-rounded percussionists. Lessons are presented in a fun and interesting way so that all members of the percussion section are engaged. Every student has a meaningful and thoughtful part for every exercise. A Teacher’s Score is also available. Alfred Music, alfred.com

Lights, Camera, Action D.A.S. Audio debuted the ACTION-500 series, consisting of eight active and eight passive loudspeaker models, which include a 12-inch monitor, full-range systems consisting of eight-inch, 12inch, 15-inch and two-inch-by-15-inch, and three subwoofers. The complete renovation of one of D.A.S Audio’s most recognized series upgrades both design and physical features — making the systems more compact and lightweight, with an attractive modern design, stated the company. The ACTION-508 incorporates a newly designed DAS 8-gigavolt transducer and M-34 compression driver. The ACTION-508A powered version incorporates a new Class D power amplifier — providing higher power, thus optimizing the performance of the system. D.A.S. Audio, dasaudio.com

FEBRUARY 2019

A WHOLE NEW WORLD (From left) NAMM “Breakfast Of Champions” participants Joe Lamond,Chris Gero, J.C. Curleigh, Robin Walenta, DeDe Heid, Crystal Morris, Nathan East and Jun-ichi Miki.

Positive signs for the future of MI at the 2019 NAMM Show. By Brian Berk An increase is an increase. NAMM reported 115,301 registered attendees for The NAMM Show, 216 more people — or a fraction of a percent increase — compared to last year’s 115,085 registered attendees. But compared to a lot of industries that have seen trade show attendance decline, any increase is a positive. And let’s point out that 115,301 people is a lot of people. In fact, 115,301 people would comprise 34 percent of the entire population of the city The NAMM Show took place in, Anaheim, Calif., if such a comparison were made. “We live in accelerated times in technological developments and global business and market conditions, and that can create unpredictability in any industry,” said Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO. “However, if you take a look around The NAMM Show, one could find many reasons to feel quite comfortable about the importance of music around the world and future of the music products industry. From the exciting innovations of our exhibiting members, the creativity of our retail members in finding enhanced ways to serve their communities, especially music educators, to the expanded live sound, lighting, and event tech professionals and companies who made the trip to Anaheim, the connections, business opportunities and education offered each the tools needed to succeed in the year ahead.” There were many storylines at The NAMM Show. A large MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

number of companies introduced innovative, if not game-changing, products. And of course, there was the return of Gibson to The NAMM Show after a one-year hiatus, this time led by an entirely new executive team. The company saw brisk traffic throughout the show. “The NAMM vibe goes way beyond just presenting your product. It’s about creating energy and moments for our Gibson players,” Gibson CEO, James “J.C.” Curleigh, told NAMM. “You create the memories, and they stay with people forever. It’s pretty exciting.” Another highlight was the surprise announcement that Ed Sheeran launched a line of guitars with Irish-based Lowden Guitars. The Sheeran by Lowden brand was officially launched during an event on Jan. 23, before The NAMM Show opened. At launch, the Sheeran by Lowden acoustic guitar range features eight individual models across two small body sizes familiar from the Lowden range, known as the S and the Wee Lowden. The guitars have been designed by George Lowden. “Working with our aerospace engineers has enabled us to dream up new ways of making a guitar very efficiently, using hightech processes that are normally used in making aeroplanes,” said George Lowden. “We also incorporate our traditional methods including voicing all the struts by hand using Japanese hand chisels as we want the guitars to really speak to the player.”

Originality was the theme of the Jan. 24 “Breakfast of Champions.” Lamond kicked off The NAMM Show by calling it the “Crossroads” of the music, sound and event technology industry. He added the goal of the trade organization is to achieve a “changed human being.” “We want to help to succeed in the year ahead,” Lamond told attendees. NAMM’s president and CEO subsequently brought out some

industry stalwarts who have succeeded in any economic environment. Lamond stated he picked an originality theme because the “old world” is gone and a “new world” is coming to replace it, although it has not arrived yet. “But by being here, you are participating in this change and creating a new world every day. These guests today are originals and are helping define what this new world will look like.”

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These originals are always in the “zone,” Lamond added. “I think [former New York Yankee] Bernie Williams said it best,” NAMM’s CEO said. “He said, ‘Joe, being in the zone is like walking up to the plate, facing a pitcher that you know throws a 95-mile-per-hour fastball, and being so focused and relaxed that what you really see is a beachball.’ And in the meantime, 30,000 Boston Red Sox fans are screaming for you to miss.” George Lowden, founder of Lowden Guitars, and Ed Sheeran.

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The first guest to join Lamond on stage was Curleigh, who formerly served as president of Levi Strauss & Co. “You might have heard. [Gibson] went through kind of an obstacle course,” he said. “If you do go through an obstacle course, once you’re through it, you look back and say, ‘Let’s make it worth it.’ I told our team to take advantage that we are through this obstacle.” Curleigh added both Levi’s and Gibson share in the fact they are iconic brands that needed to overcome obstacles. “There’s an old adage, ‘Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’” he said. “People have asked me what the most surprising thing has been for me [at Gibson] so far. I think people have been looking for the ‘dark side’ answer. But so many people said to bring Gibson back to where it belongs. So, in some ways, it’s just this amazing journey in three months [since I became CEO of Gibson]. There has been so much support from artists, my team and the whole industry.” Curleigh was followed by Jun-ichi Miki, CEO of Roland Corp., who said “innovation is the DNA” of the company’s success. He added all new products come from Roland’s engineering department, as opposed to its marketing team. “All of our engineers know how to create an instrument and communicate with the instrument. This is the secret of Roland,” said Miki. To gain new music makers, Miki said Roland focuses on what it calls “sleeping musicians.” This includes going after students who may have previously played an instrument but stopped once they accepted a full-time job away from MI. Certainly, an “original” is a new group founded by DeDe Heid of

Heid Music, Crystal Morris of Gator Cases and NAMM Chairwoman Robin Walenta, called SWIM (Smart Women in Music). Walenta said the idea goes all the way back to 30 years ago, when she walked out on The NAMM Show floor and found few women. “It was at that moment that I realized we had an opportunity to make changes,” she said. “I took that opportunity very seriously and worked hard over the course of my career to not only advance myself in the company but give back to the industry as well. Through the SWIM initiative, we are giving other women like opportunities.” Heid said her eyes opened when, during her first week at work, she was introduced as Todd Heid’s wife. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate being Todd’s wife. But I do have a degree. I did have professional experience prior that I was very proud of. I have a driving passion. For me, it was about freeing my path and showing that I wanted to drive our business forward and to be part of this amazing industry. So, for me with SWIM, it’s about how we evolve opportunities for women and make sure we are having these conversations.” Heid added she has two daughters ages 11 and 14. “They have been told multiple times that their 6-year-old brother will take over operations and be the fourth generation of the business. [Our daughters] may not choose to be in our business, but I want them to know they have the opportunity to create the path they want. It’s not who they marry. It’s what they want to do for themselves.” Morris grew up in the music industry, but after college, she didn’t know if she would end up back in the industry. “My

road took some different paths. Nineteen years ago, my dad and I started our current company together, Gator Cases. At the time, as a young female, I would go into meetings and I felt I would have to work twice as hard to get credibility, and even then, sometimes I still would not get the credibility I was looking for. I never thought there was a difference between a male and a female going into a situation. So, when Robin [Walenta] approached me about this initiative, I couldn’t be more excited, because I knew that in that early stage in my career, it was really difficult to get to the next [level].” Following the powerful SWIM conversation, the Breakfast of Champions switched gears to another “original,” Chris Gero, founder of Yamaha Entertainment Group (YEG), which presented the Jan. 25 Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand, featuring Jon McLaughlin, Loren Allred, Jonathan Butler, Sarah McLachlan and James “J.T.” Taylor. Gero was joined by Nathan East, music director for the All-Star Concert for a portion of the interview. Gero remarked that YEG’s goal today is to create a synergistic partnership with an artist throughout his/her career. The company determined it must become an important aspect of its artists’ lives and not just serve an endorser-endorsee relationship. The Breakfast of Champions concluded with the presentation of NAMM’s 2019 Music for Life award to Nancy Wilson of Heart. “A guitar pioneer. A songwriting pioneer. A film composer. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. And she has done so much for the cause of music making,” said Lamond. Wilson recalled how it all got started for her. “As a kid, The Beatles happened. That was the lightning bolt that struck me and my sister Ann,” she said. “We were driven to have guitars, write songs, be in a band, get up on stages and ‘turn it up.’ We grew up as military brats, and we had a [work] ethic of ‘go get ‘em.’ We just went and did it.” Editor’s Note: This is just a taste of our NAMM coverage. For much more, including a look at two other Breakfast Sessions, check out the March issue of the Music & Sound Retailer. FEBRUARY 2019

MI SPY

(continued from page 35) T-shirt displaying musical themes. At Music & Arts, I was met near the door by a person of popular music persuasion — a rock drummer this time, who took time to mention he approved of my new T-shirt. When I told him of my mission, he immediately found me a young lady with a wealth of information on brass instruments and trombones in particular. She was good, too. It turns out her best friend is a trombone player who works at the same store, and they play games that involve closed eyes and figuring out which instrument is in their hands. Not kinky and a great way to start really understanding the specific nuances of various horns. Jackpot for this one. There was a lot of information for me here via my aide, and it was very well presented. There were eight trombones on the wall when I was there. Of interest to me were the usual candidates; a top-of-the-line Yamaha 600800 pro series at $2,600, a Conn 88H for $2,800, a Jupiter XO for $2,500, an Eastman Giardelli ProSeries at $2,000 and a Shires axial flow valve for $3,300. These were all new items. My helper pointed out that they also had a nice selection of mouthpieces to go with the horns, generally in the $80 to $110 range. She also made sure to mention and point out the sheet music area to help me part with a little more money. The zone was surprisingly well stocked with a good variety of music. My attendant took care to mention that twice a year, the store has events called “Horns a Plenty,” which are popular with the public. Vendors bring in a variety of expert players and horns to showcase their wares. The next one for the Anaheim store was going to occur in the near future, and I was enthusiastically told about the events and musical pros who would be there to play and answer questions about instruments. There was also a nicely produced little flyer about it that I was handed in case I was interested in attending. The other attractive thing to note is that this was the only shop that ever took the time to contact me a week or so after my original visit to see if they could be at all helpful and tell me about new products coming in. So, the MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

service here was very good and well qualified for my mission.

Imperial Music 15847 Imperial Hwy. La Mirada CA 90638 562.245.6043

Imperial Music is a familyowned business that specializes in brass and woodwind instruments. Once again, I was met near the door by a knowledgeable assistant. By this time, I was amazed at how many southern Californian music store assistants knew so much about pro brass instruments and trombones in particular. I found out in short order that this store had a beautiful, well-appointed repair department staffed by friendly technicians, so no wonder they understood my quest. I was taken back to the wall and introduced to a variety of new and used horns. My helper told me that all had been thoroughly tested and adjusted. I saw a Conn 88H trigger horn with a bronze bell with a 547 bore for $2,549. It was like Christmas for your undercover agent to see and try the brand new Getzen 2 trigger lacquer model for $3,200. Still made in the United States, the waiting list for that one is currently a year long, my assistant told me. Boy was it responsive. Imperial

also had available some Getzen Eterna Bass trombones and a King 2B jazz horn. All would be price matched. My aide informed me that, for those with student needs, there is an arm of rental instruments at Imperial, all of which are very good quality for clients. In the rental contracts, clients receive maintenance servicing, so students are not struggling against the instrument itself while they try to learn. I was told that there is a commitment to excellence in the store. From the quality instruments they offer for sale and the way I was handled as a customer, it seems to be true.

Round Up

Now that I have packed away my sunglasses and sandals, I’ve done a careful comparison of this month’s contenders. It was a tough decision, as all the contenders had great service. Several also had website reviews to back up the claims of being pretty special as well. I want to stress that none of the retailers did anything wrong. All were excellent, a tremendous sign. But I had to pick a winner, which took a while for me to do. Finally, I awarded Mo’s Fullerton Music Center the winner’s-circle honors for this month. A variety

of reasons made this the obvious choice for this month’s task. While Mo’s instant, affable service was closely paralleled by other stores, Mo’s stood out in its breadth of knowledge and in the stocked options for this snooping. There were excellent continuing service options, including the full-repair facility, which was almost matched by Imperial’s, but Mo’s had the extra aisles of goodies for people waiting or otherwise wanting a gift for a musician. The extra delights there seem inspired. Besides Imperial Band Instruments, Music & Arts made a good showing for knowledgeable, personable staff and the number of horns available. There was a wide selection of possible instruments for a young pro to choose from there. Its pricing was excellent, and its very helpful salespeople made this a nice place to go. Sam Ash had an excellent staff who went out of its way to be helpful and understood brass instruments with some interesting horns to look over. Although there was nothing on the floor to animate a professional, the newer U.S.-made horns from Cannonball could excite professionals of a variety of interests. I did not encounter those instruments elsewhere, so they were a treat.

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THE FINAL NOTE

JIM CAVANAUGH

President, Super-Sensitive Musical String Co. By Brian Berk The Music & Sound Retailer: Who was your greatest influence or mentor and why?

Jim Cavanaugh: My grandfather, Vince Cavanaugh. He taught me everything I know about machinery.

What was the best advice you ever received?

“People buy from people.” That is from my wife, Susan Cavanaugh.

What was your first experience with a musical instrument?

I started out on the violin at a very young age. However, I was looking to progress to something larger.

What instrument do you most enjoying playing?

Upright bass to this day!

Tell us something about yourself that others do not know or would be surprised to learn.

Susan, I, and our kids are heavily involved in greyhound rescue and adoption.

What’s your favorite activity to do when you’re not at work?

Travel. As of this year, we will have traveled to all seven continents and visited 40 countries with our children.

What is the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Hands down: Earth, Wind and Fire.

If you could see any musician, alive or deceased, play a concert for one night, who would it be and why?

Original Beatles. An amazing cross section of music.

What musician are you hoping to see play in the near future?

Jimmy Buffett.

What song was most memorable for you throughout your childhood, and what do you remember about it the most?

John Denver. His music was always light, fun and easy to listen to.

What songs are on your smartphone/iPod, etc. right now?

Anything “Rat Pack”-style. Frank Sinatra, etc.

What’s the most fun thing you saw/did at a NAMM Show?

Ray Charles in concert.

If you had to select three people, past or present, to have dinner with, who would they be and what would you ask them?

Ben Franklin: What inspired your ideas? Steve Jobs: What was your thought process for new technologies? Richard Branson: What is your management style?

What is the best thing about the MI industry?

We all share the common goal of bringing music to as many people as possible.

Who do you admire most outside of the music industry?

Malcolm Gladwell.

If you weren’t in the music industry, what would you be doing and why?

I would be a pilot. Our family always has the travel bug.

Tell us about your hometown and why you enjoy living there.

Sarasota, Fla., is an abundance of culture and arts, almost all genres. Not to mention the weather too!

What are you most prized possession(s) and why?

Photo album collection. Nothing can replace the original look and feel of the photos or the memory of creating and arranging them. It is a simple joy.

What’s your favorite book and why?

“Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. The message of working hard and reaping the reward is very inspiring.

FEBRUARY 2019

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Music & Sound Retailer February 2019, Vol 36 No 2

Articles inside

Under the Hood: Fenders American Performer Series

NAMM 2019: Terrific 25

NAMM 2019: A Whole New World