Music & Sound Retailer April 2021, Vol 38 No 4

April 2021 Volume 38, No. 4

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

GUITARS’

GREATEST YEAR

Plugging Into Higher Sales

One positive of the pandemic was a wave of new guitar players, with dollar sales rising an incredible 15 percent.

Guitar amp manufacturers have seen sales rise in lockstep with guitars

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NASMD to Co-Locate Convention With Summer NAMM For the first time, NASMD (the National Association of School Music Dealers) will co-locate its annual convention with Summer NAMM in Nashville in July. The NASMD Association represents retailers, manufacturers and service providers who share a passion for helping school music students make music.

“With a mission that closely aligns with NAMM’s vision of a

more musical world, teaming up for the first industry reunion in 18 months is a natural fit,” stated a NAMM news release. “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, NASMD has completely rethought what they do and how they do it. The new collaboration is in line with this spirit.”

“We are really looking forward to hosting our NASMD 2021 Convention in conjunction with

Summer NAMM in Nashville,” said Whitney Brown Grisaffi, president of NASMD and Ted Brown Music. “While so much has changed in the past year, the desire to gather as an industry, sharing best ideas and practices, has not. Budgets are tight. By connecting with NAMM, NASMD members will get a double bang for their buck. We’ll still have the wonderful opening gala and a

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full day of sessions with special guest speakers. Plus, attendees will then have the opportunity to explore Nashville and experience Summer NAMM!” NASMD will showcase two focused days of activity on Tuesday, July 13 and Wednesday, July 14, and then its membership will be ready to experience Summer NAMM in its new two-day format on Thursday, July 15 and Friday, July 16.

GAMA: Guitar Demand Is Off the Charts, But Will Supply Keep Up? The Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) commenced its annual virtual meeting on March 11, featuring a panel discussion titled “What Now … ?

Surviving Post-COVID.” The panel was moderated by John Kelley of Ortega Guitars, the new president of GAMA, and featured Dennis Webster of C.F. Martin & Co., Jeff Moore of ESP Guitars and Brad Johnson of Guitar Center.

Webster first looked at the history of his company to try to determine what the future may hold. “It was exactly one year ago today that Chris Martin addressed us and talked about the 1918 [Spanish Flu] pandemic.

Nineteen-eighteen was a bad

year for us. But 1919 was the greatest year of growth we had,” said Webster.

Webster added guitar sales have been quite strong, and he expects this strength to remain for at least the remainder of this year. “[Growth] will slow. But we will retain people [that joined the MI industry since the pandemic started].”

Demand for guitars and accessories can certainly be considered a great thing. But one problem is supply chain congestion. “Supply is an issue.

It will take much of this year to get it under control,” said Moore.

“There is an inability to get parts from around the world.”

ESP’s goal moving forward is to continue to engage customers, stated Moore. One way of doing so is the online events companies hosted before, during and after NAMM’s Believe in Music Week.

“Everyone had an online version of NAMM,” said Moore. “Our goal is to keep the content fresh. While waiting for supply to keep up, we can keep the excitement going.”

Despite supply concerns, Moore stressed that he believes demand for guitars and accessories will continue for the foreseeable future, and this is good news. “I am optimistic,” he said.

Johnson also expressed opti-

mism about the future of guitars and accessory sales. He pointed out that the post-9/11 and Great Depression eras were good for MI sales and lasted for some time before receding. “A lot rests on us to inspire and retain new customers coming into the market,” said Johnson. “… [Sales] will definitely level out, but we are gaining customers. It will definitely help our industry.”

Webster concluded that today, companies are not making bad guitars. This bodes well for customer satisfaction and repeat purchases. “We are in the golden era of guitar making,” he said.

Hal Leonard Now Distributes Snark, Danelectro, Honeytone

Hal Leonard MI Products Distribution now offers Snark tuners, Danelectro pedals and Honeytone Mini Amps. Steve Ridinger, president of Evets Corp, worked with Brad Smith, vice president of MI Products with Hal Leonard, to add Hal Leonard as one of Evets distributors for the USA. All the aforementioned lines are owned by Evets Corp. Hal Leonard will support Snark tuners’ free goods dealer sales programs.

“Hal Leonard is well known as the No. 1 print music publisher and as a reliable dealer source for a growing stable of musical instrument products and accessories. We welcome Hal Leonard to our family of distributors and look forward to working together,” said Ridinger.

“Evets has created these reliable, affordable products that are amazing store traffic builders,” added Smith. “Our mission at HL MI Products is to support our dealers and make it easy to bring in the right mix whenever they order from us. Along with other necessities like drum heads and sticks, guitar strings, straps and stands, there is a big opportunity for us all to now be a source for these proven best sellers.”

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

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CONTENTS COVER STORIES 20 Guitars’ Greatest Year

One positive of the pandemic was a wave of new guitar players, with dollar sales rising an incredible 15 percent in 2020 vs. 2019, according to MI SalesTrak.

26 Plugging Into Higher Sales

Guitar amp manufacturers have seen sales rise in lockstep with guitars, and diversity is the name of the game in the PA speaker market.

FEATURES

30 Five Minutes With

Gibson CEO “JC” Curleigh talks about NAMM’s virtual Believe in Music Week, the company’s acquisition of Mesa/Boogie, how to keep new guitar players brought on by the pandemic, and more.

34 MI Spy

MI Spy is still awaiting full COVID-19 vaccination, so he/she reports virtually on two stores in El Paso, Texas and two stores from Las Cruces, N.M.

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36 MSR Anniversary: Fender

Fender’s storied history reached the 75-year plateau this year. We look at some of the company’s highlights in this special three-page section.

44 Shine a Light

Ray’s Midbell Music is the thriving descendant of a multi-store chain that started more than 80 years ago, when Jess Midaugh and Sam Campbell combined their talents, and their names, to create the original Mid-Bell Music Co.

46 Under the Hood

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To answer the increasing demand for audio streaming and recording solutions at home, in the studio or anywhere, Shure unveiled the MV7 podcast microphone, the company’s first hybrid XLR/USB microphone.

54 MSR Special

We offer an interview with Joel Menchey, expected to take the reigns as NAMM chairman in July.

COLUMNS 40 In the Trenches

If the customers at your store don’t currently speak a variety of languages, that will likely change sooner rather than later, says Allen McBroom. Here is his advice to better communicate with these customers at your store.

42 Veddatorial

The Lesson Academy model has expanded throughout the country, sometimes led by extraordinary educators who love teaching but have no affinity for retail, but also, unfortunately, sometimes led by people who have no affinity for education, either, states Dan Vedda.

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EDITORIAL

Guitars Are Hot, Hot, Hot The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll.

When it first started, I certainly could have seen some businesses that would benefit from the new normal the virus created. Zoom Video Communications and fitness company Peloton came to mind. In fact, the media has often mentioned these two companies as major players in the stay-at-home era. But not mentioned by the mainstream media is another area that has really percolated since the pandemic. I am not talking about some far-off industry we never discuss in these pages. I am instead referring to something most of you sell: guitars.

I have spoken to many guitar manufacturers via emails and Zoom calls since the pandemic started (I’ll note there have been fewer phone calls recently). Most, if not all, told me they cannot make guitars fast enough. Likewise, MI retailers have told me that, although some areas of their businesses are certainly weak, when it comes to guitars, they cannot keep them on their shelves. But I often take these things in stride. How good could guitar sales really have been since the pandemic? A five percent increase would be considered a great year for guitar sales. They are certainly up compared to 2019, but by how much?

Remember, it was not even four years ago, June 22, 2017, that the Washington Post published a story titled “Why My Guitar Gently Weeps” in which it was said that six-string guitars were suffering from a “slow, secret death.” I vividly recall rejecting this talk as nonsense in this editorial back in 2017 (and, of course, nobody could have predicted the pandemic and its positive effects on the guitar market back then). I opined at the time that, although having fewer “guitar heroes” in mainstream music was certainly a negative for guitar sales, music has been around for millennia, is universally loved and is too engrained in everyone’s lives — imagine a movie or a sporting event without music, for example. I, like many in

our industry, firmly believed that the six-string guitar is so central to modern music that it would never truly die off.

Guess what: The six-string guitar did not die. In fact, according to MI SalesTrak, guitar dollar sales were up 15 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. That is not a misprint.

Guitars were up 15 percent, a growth rate I honestly thought the market could never achieve. Even more impressive is that 2019 and 2018 were also good years for guitar sales, rising more than 5 percent vs. the prior year on each occasion. New guitarists have entered our industry in droves, armed with more free time and money due to the pandemic. And I did not even discuss the blazinghot auction market for those who collect guitars.

This growth has continued through the first month of 2021. According to MI SalesTrak, 2021 rip-roared its way to a 26.4 percent increase in guitar dollar sales in January vs. the same month in 2020.

I know what the pessimists out there must be thinking about these numbers: What comes up must come down, right? Certainly, but it has not happened yet.

Still, these numbers give the MI industry a lot to consider for the future. MI has a good problem on its hands; something I will be asking both guitar manufacturers and dealers about throughout the year. How do we keep all of these new musicians playing guitars and other instruments? Serving the needs of these new customers is going to be a challenge for sure. But it is great to have a major area of strength in our market, which is a testament to your hard work drawing new players in.

MI is no longer a “niche” retail segment. It is now the envy of many.

April 2021 Volume 38 No. 4

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APRIL 2021

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Bonamici to Propose Music and Arts Education Bill

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D.-Ore.) stated that she is currently working on a bill in the House of Representatives to expand music and arts education, especially for those in underserved communities, during a Zoom call hosted by NAMM on March 23.

“I know I will be working hard to get it across the finish line,” she said regarding the bill.

In addition to making this statement, Bonamici described why music and arts are so important to her. She recalled growing up in a household where her mother was a piano teacher and her father was a drummer. She added that two of her favorite genres are Motown and classical.

Bonamici, who serves on the U.S. House’s Committee on Education and Labor, added that every student benefits from music and arts.

“I have always supported the ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act),” she said. “Music and arts improve student engagement and inspires creativity. Employers look for creative people who can innovate.” She added, “We know arts help us understand different people and cultures. I grew up with an appreciation of arts and education.”

Oregon’s First Congressional District representative also championed the American Rescue Plan recently passed by the federal government, which has earmarked $130 billion to safely reopen schools.

But she added that the post-pandemic period for education should strive to be even better than before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“We can and should do better than return to the status quo,” she said.

“I will continue to fight for arts and education.”

Bonamici added that she is especially impressed when hearing stories about how music and arts improve the lives of students and the communities they live in. “I see the joy and passion on students’ faces who are involved in music and arts,” she said. “I hear students’ voices about what music and arts mean to [them].

“They are future leaders,” she continued. “The world is looking for new ways to solve problems.”

A post-pandemic world could be exciting and enjoyable in many ways, but Bonamici said she most looks forward to the future of arts.

“To see artists and musicians get back to work will have a tremendous impact on communities,” she concluded.

Sennheiser Adjusts Its Strategy

Sennheiser revealed plans to focus further on its professional division in the future and is looking to secure a partnership to strengthen its market position in consumer electronics. With this decision, Sennheiser hopes to build greater independence for its individual business units.

“In our professional and consumer divisions, we have four business units in total: pro audio, business communications, Neumann and consumer electronics,” said Andreas Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser.

“In all of these areas, we see great potential for growth. At the same time, they are characterized by different customer groups, customer requirements, product life cycles and market dynamics.”

“To be best able to exploit the potential in each of these markets, we are concentrating our own resources on the three business areas in the professional division and are looking for a strong partner to invest in our consumer business,” added Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO. Talks with potential partners will start shortly.

A partnership for the consumer business enables Sennheiser to place its focus and resources on strengthening its pro audio, business communications and Neumann business units. “All business units are to emerge strengthened from the planned repositioning,” concluded Daniel Sennheiser. “With a strong partner at our side to invest in our consumer business, we will be even better equipped to play to our strengths and to continue to bring the benefit of these strengths to our customers.”

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A TRUE ORIGINAL NEVER FOLLOWS. A TRUE ORIGINAL SETS THE STAGE. A TRUE ORIGINAL DELIVERS THE GOODS.

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TASCAM Celebrates Golden Anniversary

TASCAM, a provider of audio solutions for musicians, engineers, broadcast professionals and AV system integrators, is celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary this year. “From the four-track Portastudio to the Emmy-Awardwinning DA-88 Digital Multitrack and on to the company’s Model series recording mixers and more, TASCAM has redefined audio production at all levels — from the home enthusiast to high-end production facilities and leading installations the world over,” the company stated.

As the professional audio division of TEAC Corporation, TASCAM’s heritage dates back to the late 1960s when the Tani brothers, both engineers, and Dr. Abe (a senior engineer at TEAC) formed a special research and development group named TASC (TEAC Audio Systems Corp.) for the purpose of researching ways to apply TEAC’s recording technology for musicians and recording studios. In 1971, TASCAM (TASC AMerica Corp.) was established for the purpose of distributing TASC products in the U.S. and conducting additional market research. Then in 1974, TASCAM was absorbed by the rapidly growing TEAC Corp. of America sales and distribution company, and TASCAM became the official brand name of all TEAC recording products designed specifically for musicians and recording studios.

The TASCAM name has a rich history, both in terms of the company’s technological achievements and the artists and engineers who have used the company’s products. The TASCAM SERIES 80-8 tape deck was a half-inch, open-reel, eight-track-format recorder.

It was used to record the voices of R2-D2 and C-3PO in the making of the first “Star Wars” movie, “A New Hope,” in 1977. Equally noteworthy, singer/songwriter/actress Lady Gaga’s father gifted her a Portastudio when she was roughly 11 years old. Reflecting on the gift, she said, “I could just sit at the piano and hook up a mic and record by myself. That’s probably the best gift that my dad ever gave me.” Similarly, rock legend Bruce Springsteen initiated a home recording revolution using TASCAM. With the help of his friend and guitar tech Mike Batlan, The Boss used a Portastudio 144 to record what would ultimately become his 1982 album “Nebraska.” Over the years, countless other artists have used TASCAM products to further their careers, including rock artists Tommy Bolan and Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, videographer Chris Beals, and producer/ artist/engineer KC Porter, to name but a few.

Over the course of 2021, TASCAM users and prospective customers will have much to look forward to. There are a variety of promotions planned which will offer music afficionados the opportunity to expand their equipment arsenals. And TASCAM will introduce new products in 2021 and beyond that address a wide range of applications, the company stated.

Letter to the Editor

Hi sir, hope all is great! Just wanted to drop you a quick note to say how much I love The Final Note. It’s so cool to see our community as the people who comprise it versus just machines focused on closing deals. Great job!

—Mike McAfee, Maxwell’s House of Music APRIL 2021

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LPMUSIC.COM

TMP-Pro Now Distributes Electro-Harmonix

The Music People, a division of Jam Industries USA, LLC, announced that TMP-Pro is now a distributor of Electro-Harmonix (EHX) guitar effects pedals, tubes and accessories. This new distribution deal is effective immediately.

Based in New York City, Electro-Harmonix has been an innovator in the guitar effects pedals market since its founding in 1968. In its early years, founder Mike Matthews helped usher in the age of overdrive, and today, the company manufacturers more than 150 guitar pedals along with a range of guitar accessories.

“We’re beyond excited to be partnering with EHX,” said Tom Tedesco, vice president of sales and business development at The Music People. “Our linecard offers so many incredible brands to the MI retailer, and EHX just adds to the value we offer our customers.

EHX makes innovative products, has an amazing company and brand legacy, an incredible staff, and a clear mission of serving average and professional musicians alike. The Music People shares all the same ideals, and this partnership just feels right.”

“Electro-Harmonix is excited to announce our relationship with The Music People,” added Owen Matthews, Electro-Harmonix’s vice president of sales. “TMP has a long history of supplying MI retailers with quality brands and services, and we are proud that they will be representing us as a part of that history.”

Shure Wins Three Top Workplaces Awards

Shure Inc. has been recognized as an award winner in Top Workplaces USA. Shure won in three categories, including Top Workplaces USA Award (National Award), Top Workplaces Manufacturing Award (Industry Award) and Top Workplaces Communication Award (Culture Excellence Award).

Companies honored were chosen based on data collected from employee surveys administered by Energage, a research company and provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. Energage published its first-ever national Top Workplaces lists, the program that recognizes high-performing companies based solely on employee feedback. The awards were first announced on Jan. 27 at the 2021 Top Workplaces National Celebration, a virtual event. Nearly 600 companies are recognized for 2021, including 570 Top Workplaces USA winners and additional winners in the Industry and Culture Excellence categories. Organizations are evaluated against the industry’s most robust benchmarks, based on 14 years of research and data from 70,000 organizations and 23 million employee surveys. Energage supports Top Workplaces and related employer-recognition programs in more than 50 markets nationwide.

“We are proud to receive this honor by Top Workplaces USA, and we owe it to our talented and dedicated associates for the contributions they make to the success of our company,” said Chris Schyvinck, Shure president and CEO. “This achievement is a testament to the culture and work environment we are committed to creating at Shure, and we greatly appreciate this recognition.”

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Reverb Reports Best Holiday Sales in History Reverb announced that its sellers experienced their biggest holiday to date in 2020, with fourth-quarter gross merchandise sales up more than 32 percent compared to the same period last year.

“After a year that was challenging for so many in our industry, it was inspiring to see our seller community end the year strong as more consumers shopped for musical instruments online than in stores,” said Reverb CEO David Mandelbrot, who noted that searches for small keyboards and synthesizers on Reverb more than doubled when compared to the same time last year. “Over the past year, our team worked to introduce and improve seller tools, help dealers get more inventory online, create marketing campaigns that drive buyers to our sellers, and more. As a result, when buyers looked for musical instruments online over the holidays, they found our sellers and their inventory.”

Ahead of the holiday shopping season, Reverb introduced two new features that have already helped sellers increase sales while providing a more seamless shipping experience for buyers and sellers: “Free Shipping Thresholds” allow sellers to offer free shipping to buyers that spend at or above an amount set by the seller. And Reverb’s new “Combine & Save” feature enables sellers to offer discounted or free shipping to buyers that purchase multiple qualifying items.

The Reverb team also worked with sellers throughout 2020 to make it easier to integrate their ecommerce platforms with their Reverb shops. Integrations allow sellers to manage listings, inventory, and orders on their website and in the Reverb shop from one central location. This enables sellers to increase their listings and grow their sales on Reverb, the company stated.

“As more and more musicians started buying music gear online last year, and it became clear that trend wasn’t going to slow down, I prioritized working with my Reverb account manager to ensure that all of my inventory was listed online and that I was doing all that I could to connect with these buyers. I was able to easily increase my listings and manage all of my inventory from one location because my Reverb Shop is integrated with my ecommerce platform,” said Heath Berkowitz at Boston Guitar. “Last year, I saw a significant increase in sales, and that’s thanks in no small part to the Reverb team, which is a crucial partner to independent music dealers like me.”

Mark Brunner Professional Audio Scholarship Announced

The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Inc. have established the Mark Brunner Professional Audio Scholarship. The scholarship will be offered annually to students worldwide who are pursuing an education in professional audio.

Brunner was a longtime Shure executive, PAMA founding member and prominent voice in the audio community. He showcased an unwavering passion for education and mentorship throughout his career. The $2,000 scholarship will go to a recipient following their passion for audio in an accredited audio program. While screening candidates, PAMA and Shure will ensure the applicant plans to share their knowledge with others in a manner consistent with Brunner's legacy.

A former president of PAMA from 2011-2013, Brunner was also a key member of PAMA’s Marketing and Retreat Planning Committees. He provided an important and consistent voice to the strategic planning and implementation of various PAMA activities. He joined Shure in 1989 and held several key positions during his tenure, including director of advertising and managing director of the Musical Instrument and Touring Sound business unit. Most recently, Brunner served as vice president of global corporate and government relations. Brunner was also named winner of the 2021 Music & Sound award for lifetime achievement/hall of fame.

“We established the Mark Brunner Pro Audio Scholarship as our way of paying tribute to one of the leading voices of our industry,” said Chris Regan, chair of the board of directors at PAMA. “One of Mark’s tenets was his unwavering pursuit to educate. Whether he was at the U.S. Congress representing the industry on spectrum allocation issues, on one of the countless industry panels he participated in, or with colleagues at Shure and across the pro audio industry, Mark truly embodied the persona of teacher. He valued his time in his personal studio and shared his wisdom with so many throughout his career with passion.”

“Mark Brunner was a treasured colleague, peer and friend,” said Chris Schyvinck, Shure president and CEO. “Our company valued his expertise, whether he was sharing his knowledge with fellow associates, at front of house with a sound engineer, interviewing an endorser or on the front lines in Washington, D.C.”

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DW Music Foundation Unveils Project Timeline The Drum Workshop Music Foundation has unveiled Project Timeline, a new initiative with the objective of highlighting the importance of the African-American musical lineage and the influence it has had on a wide range of music genres. Project Timeline is a music-centric advisory board made up of manufacturing industry veterans and celebrated drummers and percussionists.

It aims to deliver a program working with schools in underserved communities to spark musical interest and engage young people of all ethnic backgrounds, ages and abilities by donating resources and providing qualified, passionate educators.

Special Ambassadors for Project Timeline include award-winning percussionists Kevin Ricard, Mona Tavakoli, Taku Hirano (Fleetwood Mac) and drummer Trevor Lawrence Jr. (Dr. Dre, Herbie Hancock, LeAnn Rimes). “DW is the only company that is progressive and aware enough to initiate a project like this,” Lawrence said of the new initiative. “Project Timeline is a huge step in

Coming in the May Issue of the Music & Sound Retailer • Band & Orchestra Update • The Good Stuff: Great Things Happening in MI Today • Five Minutes With: Chris Martin, C.F. Martin • Shine a Light: Music on the Hill • The Final Note: Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands Inc. And a lot more!

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

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the right direction.”

Additionally, each year during Black History Month, Drum Workshop will design and build an exclusive, limited-edition run of 10 snare drums. These special drums will retail at $1,000 each, with 100 percent of sale proceeds going to Project Timeline.

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Iishi Takes Top Spot at Pearl

in Japan in the position of vice president of sales and marketing. In 2018, he was promoted to executive vice president in charge of group management.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead the iconic and globally renowned company, Pearl. Over the years, I have had in-depth and extensive dealings with all major stakeholders, shareholders, customers, artists, engineers, suppliers, manufacturers and business associates both within and outside the music industry. Using this experience and knowledge my mission is to further develop and expand the Pearl brand in the entire world. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Pearl’s foundation by the Yanagisawa family, and I consider myself fortunate to work with and represent Masakatsu Yanagisawa, a thirdgeneration family member. Masakatsu and I are truly happy and excited to take on the challenges ahead as Pearl steers its path into the future,” stated Iishi.

The Board of Directors of the Pearl Musical Instrument Co. named Max Iishi as the company’s president and CEO. Effective immediately, he succeeds the incumbent president and CEO Masakatsu Yanagisawa, who has been appointed chairman of the board of directors.

Originally from Kyoto, Japan, he graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo with a degree in Max Iishi economics. He joined Pearl in 1995 and was promoted to international sales and marketing manager in 1999. He spent 10 years in the Netherlands and was named president of Pearl Europe in 2006. In 2012, Iishi returned to Pearl headquarters

Fishman Turns to Tom Fishman hired Tom Spaulding as artist relations manager in Nashville.

He will work out of Fishman’s new artist relations office located at Soundcheck Nashville, a provider of professional backline rental, tour support and rehearsal studios. After a decade working and teaching at a retail music store in Madison, Wis., Spaulding relocated to Nashville to take a position with Gibson, eventually ending up at the custom shop. During his tenure at

Gibson Brands, he also had the role of product manager for Oberheim.

Following his time at Gibson, Spaulding spent the next 12 years on the road as a guitar tech with Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Roy Parnell, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Aerosmith, John Fogerty and Hall & Oates. For the last 10 years, he was back home in Nashville as an artist relations representative for D’Addario & Co. “We’re excited to have a bigger presence in Nashville,” stated Chris DeMaria, Fishman’s vice president of marketing and artist relations.

“Tom has the perfect background to represent the Fishman brand.

He’s a longtime Nashvillian and knows everybody in town: artists, managers, venue operators, and other influencers.”

Tom Spaulding

Korg USA Inc. hired Natalie Chami as product specialist. A noted synth influencer and musician, Chami is based in Chicago and will play an essential role in Korg USA’s commitment to creating top-notch product content and training resources for customers and dealers nationwide. Chami arrives at Korg USA from the Chicago High School for the Arts, a school that she helped found and where she served as Natalie Chami Vocal Chair. At ChiArts, Chami developed curriculum for a variety of courses, including music technology.

She also oversaw the development and implementation of anti-racist and trauma-informed curriculum with compassionate instruction, and

In Memoriam: Laurie Austin

RPMDA past president Laurie Austin passed away at her home in Portland, Ore., on Feb. 22. Austin had a distinguished career in the music industry. She served on the RPMDA board for many years and led the organization through many positive changes as president from 2000 to 2002, always with dedication, grace and a sense of humor, stated RPMDA. She rose through the ranks at Heid Music in Appleton, Wis., before moving to Portland to open her own interior design and giftware shop, Please Be Seated, where her gifts for visual marketing were fully realized. Austin later became an etiquette coach and personal chef. She is survived by her sister Lisa Berghuis of Washougal, Wash.

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Maria Tzeka

A Very Special Hire

built relationships with various organizations, including music conservatories and universities, in order to provide opportunities for students.

Ontario-born Chami is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in music education with concentrations in classical voice, opera performance, and choral conducting.

Since 2009, Chami has performed and recorded under the TALsounds moniker, a project that explores drone, ambient, and electroacoustic improv disciplines. After a series of tape releases on labels like Hausu Mountain and Moog’s own physical imprint, Chami released her first TALsounds LP, “Love Sick,” with New York’s Ba Da Bing Records. Her second LP, “Acquiesce,” arrived in 2020 on NNA Records.

As a member of free music trio Good Willsmith, Chami has toured the U.S. and released nine albums since 2012. She also performs as half of ambient duo Damiana and regularly collaborates in informal improv ensembles with musicians from Chicago and beyond.

In Memoriam: Merv Cargill

Luthier Merv Cargill passed away in Australia on his 91st birthday. He was the owner of Cargill Custom Guitars. Cargill made the old Australian brand of Pacific Guitars until he turned his hand to his own custom guitar-making business in 1956 (then named Cargill Custom Guitars).

Cargill’s attention to detail and immense passion for producing instruments of the optimum tonality and finish made the Cargill name one that is synonymous with the guitar industry. From his backyard garage, his reputation attracted some of the biggest names in music, receiving both local and international visitors and customers. Cargill’s son, James, carries on the Cargill tradition.

APRIL 2021

I Believe in Insights...

And the people who bring music to the world.

Summer NAMM has been invaluable for me and my team.

NAMM U sessions and the opportunity to exchange ideas with our peers give us insight and actionable steps to implement in our business strategy.

I recommend taking advantage of Summer NAMM’s offerings, especially this year, when we need to gather more than ever!

Melissa Ceo Business Development Manager C. A. House Music

namm.org/attend We Are Better Together! • July 15-16, 2021 • Music City Center • Nashville, Tennessee

PRODUCT

z z u B Snare This Drum

Icarus Lives!

Peavey Electronics released its invective MH amplifier packs, the company’s second collaboration with Periphery guitarist Misha Mansoor. They are designed to offer excellent tones in a portable and proven 20-watt MH head format. At the heart of the invective MH amplifier is a pair of EL84 power tubes shaped by three 12AX7/ ECC83 preamp tubes, providing everything from pristine cleans to infinitely chunky gated d’jent destruction. The onboard T.S.I. (Tube Status Indication) circuit helps the user diagnose a problem with the power tubes. The bias adjustment pot is located on the top of the small, rugged chassis. Additionally, foot switches allow the invective MH to engage or disengage the tight voicing and any combination of gate and boost on the lead channel, respectively. There’s also an independently foot-switchable buffered effects loop. peavey.com

Gretsch Drums introduced the Keith Carlock Signature Snare Drum (GA5514-KC). One key requirement that Carlock had for the drum was a wide range of sound applications to meet the varied demands of studio work, stated the company. Carlock has also always been an admirer of brass-shell snare drums, especially those that have a more visually aged or fatigued look to them. The drum’s foundation is a 5.5-inch by 14-inch, two-millimeter Vintage Patina brass shell. To capture an “antique” look throughout the shell, a specialized aging compound was developed at the Gretsch factory in Ridgeland, S.C. The company then added Carlock’s preferred choice of the 20-strand snare wire to achieve the increased dynamics and pitch range he desired. Plus, Carlock opted for a standard Permatone drumhead rather than the Permatone Control Sound to give his signature snare a more open sound. Additional features include 45-degree bearing edges, four-millimeter die-cast hoops and Gretsch’s Lightning Throw-Off. Each snare specifies the year of production and is signed by Carlock himself. gretschdrums.com

Utility Player

Gator Frameworks released its line of utility carts. The series includes two models: a standard model with non-pneumatic wheels and an All-Terrain model with rugged rear tires meant for travel over rough gravel, dirt, grass and uneven ground. The utility carts haul gear safely without the hassle, hold up to 500 pounds and are constructed of a rugged, welded steel frame, stated the company.

Both carts feature no-flutter, locking swivel casters and are specially designed to counteract cart wobble and prevent any unwanted noise.

Engage the locking casters when on an incline to prevent cargo from rolling away during loading and unloading. The carts easily adapt to a variety of needs with eight different configurations: Compact DualHandle, Extended Dual-Handle, Compact Single-Handle, Extended Single-Handle, Compact Collapsed, Extended Collapsed, Compact Upright and Extended Upright. gatorcases.com

16

Pedal to the Metal

Electro-Harmonix introduced its professional pedalboard power solution, the MOP-D10, a transformer-based, high-current, linearly regulated pedal power supply. It is equipped with 10 isolated 9VDC outputs: 4x100mA, 2x250mA, 2x300mA and 2x400mA. The MOPD10 relies on a custom-wound toroidal transformer to deliver clean power conversion and isolation, thereby providing a premium transformer-based analog power path with low-noise linear regulators. Its transformer-based power conversion means it is much less susceptible to spurious noises leaking into the audio path, which can occur with devices where switching-power conversion is used.

An AC Voltage Selector Switch also enables the MOP-D10 to be used with a range of voltages commonly found around the world.

Each of the MOP-D10’s outputs provides excellent noise filtering through linear power regulation, stated the company. All outputs are center-negative and are isolated from each other for noise-free operation. The dimensions of each output connector are 5.5mm x 2.1mm. The MOP-D10 Isolated Multi-Output Power Supply is supplied with a six-foot detachable power cord and 10 24-inch-long DC power cables equipped with one straight and one right-angle end. It includes hardware for pedalboard mounting. ehx.com APRIL 2021

PRODUCT

z z u B

A True Benchmark

VocoPro announced what it states is the world’s first touringgrade true diversity wireless mic system requiring no installation.

Perfect for houses of worship and touring, VocoPro’s Benchmark system comes in both dual and quad configurations. It includes an antenna distribution system and directional antenna providing 600 feet of range (line of sight). The system comes pre-connected and pre-installed into a flight case with touring-ready rugged metal housing, includes antenna floor stands and XLR cables, and there is no installation and connection required for a plug-and-play experience. A scan feature with graphic display shows the status of RF traffic when in range, and it offers wireless sync via infrared between receiver and transmitter. vocopro.com

The Rotary Club

Bourns Inc. introduced the Absolute Rotary Encoder. Featuring an IP64 shaft seal rating that delivers an enhanced IP (Ingress Protection) level and a superior rotational feel, the Bourns Model PAC18R Series is designed to provide high-quality performance for use in an expanded range of applications where a sealed menu-select absolute encoder is required. These applications include professional audio and lighting applications, low/medium risk medical and diagnostic equipment, and industrial automation controls. This low-profile absolute encoder family has a 30,000 rotational cycle rating and an extended -35 C to +70 C operating temperature range. It also offers other advantages, such as high contact and insulation-resistance values from the device’s insulated plastic shaft and bushing, as well as a haptic detent feedback option, stated the company. The Bourns Model PAC18R Series is RoHS compliant. bourns.com

Roast the Competition

Players who seek vintage appeal with modern playability and tone should look no further than the new MD24 Floyd Roasted Maple Vintage models from Dean Guitars. The MD24 is now available with a roasted maple neck and fingerboard for improved stability and bright tones, and comes in two new color finishes: Vintage Blue and Vintage Orange. Equipped with a Floyd 1000 Series tremolo system and direct-mount Seymour Duncan TB5/ APH-1 sandblasted Zebra pickups, these basswood electric guitars are performance ready to be taken to the next level, stated the company. Like other series extensions in Dean’s collection of high-quality electric guitars, the fundamentals of the MD24 Select style carry over to the new MD24 Floyd Roasted Maple Vintage models. These latest additions feature a solid basswood body with a flat top, a contoured arm cut and a roasted maple neck. This tonewood combination provides a blend of bottom end, sweet mids and articulate highs. deanguitars.com

for Violin | by Thomastik-Infeld

dominantpro.com | thomastik-infeld.com

PRODUCT

z z u B See the Light

Going Mobile

The AW-TECH MOBILE wireless microphone system is designed for video cameras, education and computer audio with IEM and mono capabilities. The transmitter and receiver provides 50 selectable channels along with a long operating distance of up to 100 feet, enabling end users to use the system in a myriad of applications. The transmitter’s dual-selection input accommodates both microphone and line-level sources, while both the transmitter and receiver feature an easy-to-read LCD screen, auto ID matching, and eight-hour battery life to ensure trouble-free setup and operation, stated the company.

The AW-TECH MOBILE System includes transmitter, receiver, camera cold-shoe mount, lavalier with windscreen, belt clip, nylon case and two cables. air wavetechnologies.com

Hal Leonard released “Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo,” a songbook authorized by the Scruggs estate that follows the same notation format of Scruggs’ renowned method book. It features 84 carefully selected and accurately transcribed songs spanning his entire recording career, many of which have never previously appeared in print. In addition to Scruggs’ standards, it includes tablature for many songs not available on any of the Flatt & Scruggs commercial recordings, but that are often performed live. The collection contains tabs for Earl’s banjo breaks, intros and tags, plus complete banjo instrumental transcriptions. It also includes recording references and tuning and capo info for each piece. Songs include: “Bugle Call Rag,” “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Will the Circle Be Unbroken),” “Duelin’ Banjos,” “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” “I Saw the Light,” “I’m Goin’ Back to Old Kentucky,” “Lonesome Road Blues,” “My Little Girl in Tennessee,” “Nine Pound Hammer,” “Petticoat Junction,” and “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms.” halleonard.com

Keyboard to Success

QRS Music Technologies Inc. returned to the digital piano market with the PNOdesk. This contemporary desk incorporates a fully weighted digital keyboard and QRS’s patent-pending QRSConnector technology. The convenience, appeal and functionality of a desk, with the added space savings of a built-in keyboard, are key benefits of the product, noted QRS. Learning to play, practicing in silence, online remote lessons and composing are easy with the PNOdesk, added the company. qrsmusic.com

A Dominant Force

Thomastik-Infeld debuted the DOMINANT PRO (DP100) set of strings. The product is ideally suited for chamber musicians, soloists and orchestra musicians alike. The string set is available in medium tension and is also a superb match when combined with DOMINANT medium violin strings, stated the company. The set sounds darker and more focused, and responds more directly than its predecessor. Despite the direct response, the strings give the musicians the possibility to create a broad range of sound colors. The string tensions have been increased by an incremental amount in order to adapt the resistance to bow pressure to suit the extended playing requirements without overburdening the instrument. When required, it asserts itself very well against the sound of an entire orchestra, meaning that in comparison to its predecessor, the projection in a hall has also been reinforced, among other things, noted the company. Nonetheless, with corresponding dynamics and a capacity for modulation, it also offers optimum possibilities when used in chamber music. dominantpro.com

18

APRIL 2021

PRODUCT

z z u B

It’s My Life

Rebeats announced the forthcoming release of “My Life in Percussion: Five Decades in the Music Products Industry,” the memoir of Karl Dustman’s 55 years in MI. This book offers a rare look into the career path of a recognized industry veteran, covering decades of work in the music products industry as a marketing, sales and distribution leader for percussion brands like Ludwig, Gretsch, HSS, Pearl, Sonor and Korg USA. Nine chapters cover a time span from Dustman’s musical start in a late 1950s school-band program through the present.

More than 300 pages provide intimate details of the people, products and perspectives from Dustman’s experience working for some of the most famous companies and brands in the business. It includes Dustman’s diverse experience with many musical instruments in the retail, wholesale, distribution and manufacturing segments of the industry. The book features hundreds of photographs, illustrations of product literature, campaigns, educational programs, elaborate trade show exhibits and memorable artist relations stories. This is a unique chance to experience what it was like working within the largest drum companies in the world, real-time career survival through multiple company buy-outs and dodging the revolving-door climate of companies going through ownership changes. Insights on the development of Dustman’s own marketing-communications company with recognized clients like Washburn, Baldwin, Clevelander and The Chicago Music Mart at DePaul Center, as well as Dustman’s leadership of the Percussion Marketing Council for the past 19 years, are also included. rebeats.com

Getting Warmer

over

Warm Audio announced the release of the WA-MBA, a new broadcast boom arm. Featuring a robust design with three easy-to-grab tightening hinges, a hidden internal channel for cable management and multiple threading options, the new arm is the final piece in the puzzle for broadcasters, YouTubers and streamers looking for a clean look and the best possible sound quality for their production setup, stated the company. warmaudio.com

The NY Meyer Flexibility. Easy to Blow.

Outstanding Consistency.

Oh So Sweet

This free-blowing alto sax model has superb control and note separation at any tempo or volume level. Offers great intonation and even response, too.

It’s ideal for students and pros alike.

In response to customer demand, the Avedis Zildjian Co. announced its K Sweet series cymbals are now available in a new cymbal pack, offering 15-inch hi-hats, 17-inch and 19-inch crashes, and a 21inch ride. Pushing the Zildjian K sound in a new, sweet and responsive direction, these cymbals are great for all types of music, stated the company. This full setup includes K Sweet models, including oversized 15-inch hi-hats, with a thin top and an extra-heavy bottom offering an excellent wash without sacrificing a satisfying and solid “chick,” noted Zildjian. The 17-inch and 19-inch crashes are extra thin in weight for a fast response with unlathed bells that create nicely balanced high frequencies. The medium-thin-weight 21-inch ride is thin enough to be crashable, but is designed to have great stick definition and a clear bell tone. zildjian.com

jjbabbitt.com

Made of hard rubber

Celebrating OVer 100 years Of Making MusiC traditiOn. CraftsManship. lOyalty.

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6/29/20 2:11 PM

GUITARS’

GREATEST YEAR

One positive of the pandemic was a wave of new guitar players, with dollar sales rising an incredible 15 percent.

By Brian Berk The COVID-19 pandemic has, of course, been incredibly unfortunate for many reasons. The past year has seen a staggering number of deaths caused by the coronavirus, and in addition to the sheer amount of lives lost, we have also lost so much about our daily lives that we had previously taken for granted.

The pandemic has also had a devastating effect on many aspects of the economy, both in the U.S. and around the globe.

This economic devastation has included many segments of retail.

MI retail has not been immune, hit by school rental declines, a drop in sales of live music equipment and more. But, if you’re looking for a bright spot in all this darkness, guitars must be mentioned first. Stated simply, the guitar segment is on fire. Overall guitar sales in terms of dollars rose by 15 percent in 2020 compared to 2019, according to MI SalesTrak. And this increase is even more

We experienced the highest demand growth in our fretted instrument guitar lines [in 2020] than any time in our history.

— Tammy Van Donk, Fender

impressive when considering overall dollar sales rose 5.1 percent in 2019 vs. 2018 and 5.3 percent in 2018 vs. 2017, according to MI SalesTrak.

Perhaps as impressive is that sales of guitars do not appear to be slowing down. January 2021 was yet another banner month in terms of dollar sales. “2020 started out with guitar sales growing early in the year. Then in March, with the pandemic rolling out across the country, sales tanked,” Jim Hirschberg, president of MI SalesTrak, told the Music & Sound Retailer. “But at the same time, consumer data showed that people who were locked down at home were starting to spend more on hobbies, including music.

And starting in April, the retail point-of-sale data began to show big gains for musical instruments that could be played at home in isolation. While other ‘play-at-home’ instruments including keyboards saw sales take off, guitars stood out for their explosive growth. MI SalesTrak reported 2020 dollar sales of guitars up 15 percent, the 20

APRIL 2021

highest year-over-year increase we’ve seen in our nearly 20 years of reporting. And, as of early this year, the surge in guitar sales is continuing.”

Looking at the 2020 data month by month in terms of dollar sales and in comparison to the same month in 2019, January 2020 saw an overall guitar sales increase of 4.1 compared to the same period a year prior, and February enjoyed a 15.7 percent increase (as the chart on page 24 shows). Then, in March 2020, when shutdowns occurred throughout the country, overall guitar sales dropped by 11.3 percent vs. March 2019.

A turnover occurred in April when year-over-year overall guitar sales increased by 5.6 percent. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. May and June of 2020 were likely two of the greatest months in the history of guitar sales, with overall dollar sales increasing year over year by 39.9 percent and 40.8 percent, respectively.

The remainder of 2020 was extremely impressive as well.

On a year-over-year basis, overall dollar sales rose by 25 percent in July, 12.1 percent in August, 19.7 percent in September, 18.1 percent in October, 7.4 percent in November and 13 percent in December. January 2021’s aforementioned great start specifically enjoyed an overall guitar sales increase of 26.4 percent vs. January 2020.

“While retailers experienced difficulties with store closings in the Spring of last year, they were quick to ramp up their online marketing. And guitar enthusiasts, from beginners to

Dealers with teaching studios should offer YouTube teaching classes, master classes and other relevant issues to keep players engaged.

— Ernie Lansford, Tagima

high-end collectors, responded by clicking the ‘Buy Now’ button.

Like comfort food, people were craving guitars,” said Hirschberg.

“Production and supply-chain issues caused some spot shortages. But a byproduct of that was that dealers had an unprecedented opportunity to clear out their existing inventory.”

In terms of dollar sales by type, 2020 saw electric guitar sales increase slightly compared to their acoustic and acousticelectric brethren. Electric sales came in at 48 percent of all guitar sales in terms of dollars, according to MI SalesTrak, with acoustic (no pickup) achieving 18.6 percent of sales and acoustic/electric accounting for 33.2 percent of sales. This compares to 45.9 percent for electric sales in 2019, 19.9 for acoustic guitars and 34.2 percent for acoustic/ electric. We should point out, though, that, as the chart in this story shows, 2020’s dollar sales in terms of type of guitar were highly similar compared to 2018’s results.

In terms of acoustic guitar unit share color trends, natural was the dominant color throughout 2020 and January 2021. At its lowest point in November 2020, natural finishes accounted for 72.5 percent of all acoustic guitar unit sales. Natural reached a zenith at

22

80 percent, or four of every five acoustic guitars sold, in August 2020. Sunburst was a distant second, ranging from 11.5 percent to 15.7 percent of all acoustic guitar units sold depending on the month. Sunburst was at its nadir in September and its plateau in November. Black came in third, ranging from 4.5 percent of all unit sales to 7.5 percent of unit sales.

Conversely, black was quite popular in terms of electric guitar unit share trends. For the 13-month period presented in this article from Januar y 2020 and Januar y 2021, black finished only slightly behind sunburst. However, according to MI SalesTrak, black accounted for the most electric guitar units sold in November and December 2020 as well as Januar y 2021, accounting for 19.6 percent, 22.5 percent and 20.2 percent, respectively, during this period. Black was also No. 1 in terms of unit sales in April 2020, when it achieved 18.6 percent of sales vs. 18.4 percent for sunburst.

Blue placed third in electric guitar unit sales, ranging from 10.8 percent to 14.3 percent of all sales. “For electric guitars in particular, we’ve noticed an uptick in blue and black guitars, perhaps fitting the mood of the pandemic,” said Hirschberg.

Our sales were up 23 percent in 2020, and the trend is continuing even stronger in 2021.

— Evan Rubinson, Armadillo Enterprises

The Manufacturer Viewpoint

Now that we took a look at the data, let’s get the word of some guitar manufacturers. We asked several questions of our panel, which includes Tammy Van Donk, executive vice president of sales, Americas and EMEA, Fender; Ernie Lansford, head of U.S. operations, Tagima; Jaqueline Renner, president of C.F. Martin & Co.; and Evan Rubinson, CEO and president, Armadillo Enterprises.

Let’s start with manufacturers’ take on guitar sales in 2020. “Yes, 2020 was an excellent year for guitar sales,” said Van Donk. “We

experienced the highest demand growth in our fretted instrument product lines than any time in our history. People were at home, and we heard them loud and clear.

They wanted to learn a new skill, and playing guitar is where many of them turned. While entry-level product performed extremely well, we also experienced doubledigit demand growth in higher price points like our Fender Custom Shop products. Our omnichannel and ecommerce-only dealers reported the greatest growth happening through online transactions. I think consumer behavior is still shifting, and having access to a much broader

APRIL 2021

selection of product online is making it easier for consumers to say yes to the purchase.”

“Yes, 2020 was excellent for guitar sales for all brands from our perspective,” responded Lansford. “In the end, the brands with inventory served their dealers best.”

“At Martin, demand for our guitars and strings skyrocketed in 2020, but due to government mandates, we had to shut down production for nearly three months, making it difficult to keep up with the increased demand. And when we did get back up and running, we faced challenges in ramping up our manufacturing while keeping our colleagues safe during the pandemic,” said Renner. “With everyone sheltering at home, we saw a marked increase in guitar playing. Whether it was a distraction, a way to relax, or a way to unplug from constant Zoom calls and screen time, more people picked up an acoustic guitar than ever before. In addition, we found that many people who were forced to cancel their vacation plans put that money toward a new guitar. We also saw how many artists were writing music and streaming live acoustic performances from their homes.

And the instrument of choice appeared to be the acoustic guitar, which likely influenced budding artists. The living room became the new stage. And, in response, we created the Jam in Place social media concert series to share these great performances

by Martin players, and in the year since it launched, it has become incredibly popular.”

“It certainly was an unexpectedly great year for the music industry, and we were no exception. Our sales, across Dean Guitars, Luna Guitars and ddrum, were up 23 percent in 2020, and the trend is continuing even stronger into 2021. I think a big part of this trend is attributable to people seeking a silver lining within what was, and still is, a very difficult period,” stated Rubinson. “Not much travel, not much going out to dinner, not many fun activities for people to look forward to and fill their time with. There’s only so much Netflix you can watch. So I think that a lot of novices decided it was a good time to learn, aficioMUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

nados took the opportunity to hone-in their talents, and parents tried to encourage their kids to do something more stimulating than just playing video games and watching TV all day. Despite the effects of this terrible pandemic, I am really encouraged to see so many people focusing on playing music.”

As mentioned, a lot of the growth came from new guitar players. But now that MI has added these players, how, as

an industry, can we keep these people playing guitars once we achieve a post-pandemic period?

“I raised this question internally at our company a few times over the past year because I think it’s very important to be realistic with forecasts and expectations,” answered Rubinson. “I do think there will be some drop off in musical instrument sales and demand as the global economy gradually opens back up with travel, brick-and-mortar shop-

ping, and dining. That being said, although we are prepared for a potential correction going into 2022 as the vaccine rollout continues, we have seen no signs of a slowdown throughout the first quarter of 2021.”

“The best way to ensure that the new players continue to play post-pandemic is to keep them engaged,” said Renner. “Providing more ways to learn and improve, giving them a community to interact with, and delivering excel-

23

Guitars

Month-by-Month % Change in Dollar Sales (vs. Same Month Prior Year)

50.0%

40.0%

We have seen an increase in female players and are working

30.0%

to make sure women and girls are celebrated and featured in our media and on our web site.

20.0%

10.0%

— Jacqueline Renner, C.F. Martin

0.0%

-10.0%

-20.0% % Change

Jan '20 4.1%

Feb 15.7%

Mar -11.3%

Apr 5.6%

May 39.9%

Jun 40.8%

Jul 25.0%

Aug 12.1%

Sep 19.7%

Oct 18.1%

Nov 7.4%

Dec 13.0%

Jan '21 26.4%

Source: MI SalesTrak®

For further information contact: info@misalestrak.com

GUITARS - DOLLAR SHARE BY TYPE

lent customer service can help turn the newcomers into repeat customers. We are also excited for the return of live music, so anyone that made a purchase in 2020 can see their favorite artists playing those instruments on stage once again. And finally, for Martin, we cannot wait to be able to welcome visitors back to our Nazareth facility for factory and museum tours. There is no better way to connect with our instruments than to see how they’re made.”

“New technology like YouTube and other social media platforms are commonplace now,” answered Lansford. “Dealers with teaching studios should offer YouTube teaching classes, master classes and other relevant issues to keep players engaged.

We encourage dealers to build deep long-lasting relationships with their new customers (new players) to keep them engaged with their store as well as set the stage for upgraded instruments (similar to band and orchestra step-up horn programs). Guitars always need accessories too. Then there’s the effects pedal opportunity for increased sales. The idea is to think long term vs. clerking or seeing a new 24

2018

2019

2020

Electric 48.0%

Electric 45.9%

Electric 48.2%

Acoustic (no pickup) 19.0%

Acoustic (no pickup) 19.9%

Acoustic (no pickup) 18.6%

Acoustic/Elec 33.0%

Acoustic/Elec 34.2%

Acoustic/Elec 33.2%

customer as a one-time transaction. We encourage our dealers to build a monthly outgoing ’things to know’ email to their customers. Incentivize the customer to opt in by giving them a set of strings at the time of their first purchase. Music instrument sales, in general should be viewed as multiple transactions rather than one and done.”

“The Fender Play Through free offer we launched about a year ago introduced more than one million new players to our digital lessons,” said Van Donk.

“We recognized this needed to happen to help new players on this learning journey. We also developed our New Player Gear Guide to help select the right guitar if they happened to be a first-time buyer. New subscribers are joining Fender Play and remaining active every day. We see Fender Play as a critical intersect to this engagement in a post-pandemic world, and it’s totally aligned with our mission of creating lifelong players.”

Having all these new guitar players is truly fantastic. But at

the risk of sounding greedy, how can MI add even more new players to the marketplace? “The $1 million question for sure,” stated Lansford. “Word of mouth always works. YouTube allows anyone to be a rock star even with two subscribers. Dealers should consider encouraging their new players to make a YouTube video or social media post about how much fun they are having playing their guitar. Determine how to ’sponsor’ the post to add a logo.”

“We are doubling down on our investments in Fender Play,” said APRIL 2021

Moving Forward

As we look ahead to what we all hope is a post-pandemic future, we began by asking our panelists to describe some of their companies’ recent product launches.

“At NAMM this year, we launched the 00L Earth Guitar, MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

which is the first acoustic guitar that is both 100-percent FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)certified and 100-percent plasticfree. It features a stunning artistic rendering of the Earth on the top, reminding us all of the goal of sustainability: protecting our planet. And I’m proud to say that even the gig bag is sustainable,” said Renner. “Martin has been making ukuleles for 114 years, and in fact, were the first company in the U.S. to produce them.

This year, we added three new ukes to our lineup: the 0XK Ukulele, the T1 StreetMaster Ukulele and a 100-FSC-certified Concert Ukulele. The fun, lighthearted sounds from ukuleles bring joy whenever they are played, and who couldn’t use a little more joy in this challenging time?”

“We released a widely varied assortment of new products covering multiple categories and price points,” noted Van Donk.

“There’s the new Acousta-

sonic Jazzmaster (see “Under the Hood” in the March 2021 issue) with great new sounds and design, the highly collectible 75th anniversar y guitar and bass models, and the alreadyin-high-demand Mustang Micro headphone amp with Bluetooth streaming capabilities. In addition, we launched several signature models, as well as the Ultra Luxe guitars, featuring stainless-steel frets. There’s (continued on page 50)

PLAY IN FULL BLOOM MARK LETTIERI SIGNATURE MODEL

© 2021 PRS Guitars / Photo by Hunter Selman

Van Donk. “We saw tremendous interest in learning guitar in 2021, and we don’t see this trend slowing down. Hence, we are going to invest even more in Fender Play. We are also encouraging our dealers to invest in the beginner-oriented product we present in our New Player Gear Guide so we can direct consumers to their online and physical stores.”

“We have seen an increase in female players and are working to make sure women and girls are celebrated and featured in our media and on our website,” stated Renner. “Ensuring our content is inclusive will help eliminate that intimidation some women feel when they consider playing guitar. We have also created some amazing entry-level instruments with a focus on playability that makes learning so much easier. In addition, we are expanding our line of ukuleles.

Ukes are fun to play and a great gateway to the guitar.”

“Retaining the players that we have gained during the pandemic and adding even more new players are somewhat intertwined,” noted Rubinson.

“Separate of COVID-19, there has been a subtle paradigm shift toward more and more people playing music at home, and as an industry, we have to understand that. The inspiration behind people picking up an instrument in the ‘80s and ‘90s was stadium rock bands, guitar heroes and the allure of the rock star lifestyle. Up-and-coming musicians nowadays have slightly different motivations and influences: learning how to play a solo on YouTube, taking a virtual lesson with their guitar hero on Zoom, ‘attending’ a virtual NAMM show or concert.

Despite being a pretty traditional industry, I believe it’s imperative that we adapt to what younger generations demand so the art of playing music doesn’t fall by the wayside.”

“All guitarists have a sound in their head – a sound that evolves and grows as they progress, discovering all of the beautiful idiosyncrasies that define their individual voice. To facilitate this process, players need a vibrant, dynamic guitar that becomes a free space in which their personality can unfold. PRS and I designed Fiore to be this guitar.”

- Mark Lettieri

Plugging Into Higher Sales

Guitar amp manufacturers have seen sales rise in lockstep with guitars, and diversity is the name of the game in the PA speaker market.

By Brian Berk As you may have already read in this issue’s other cover story, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to unbelievable guitar sales in 2020. Likely as important to the MI industry as the increase in guitar sales this past year are the many new players who have taken up the guitar, whether they were dreamers, weekend warriors or simply people who had more free time thanks to pandemic-related lockdowns, restrictions on public gatherings, or the absence of their daily commute to and from work.

But this spike in sales raises the question: Do good guitar sales also lead to good amp sales?

Although this might seem like the logical conclusion, the Music and Retailer set out to find out for sure. We also examined the pro-audio speaker market (in addition to the amplifier market) to see if speaker sales were materially affected by the pandemic.

Joining us to discuss amp sales are Chris DeMaria, vice president of marketing and artist relations for Fishman Transducers, and David Arnold, guru, ToneWood Amp. And joining us for a look at pro-audio speaker sales is James Greenspan, marketing and communications manager for Yorkville Sound.

"With the absence of live gigs, PA sales took a hit; however, the pandemic put our EXM Mobile battery-powered line to the forefront."

— James Greenspan, Yorkville Sound

"In 2020, we saw a huge surge in new ToneWood Amp users who were first learning their instruments, stepping back into the game after long breaks and lifelong players trying effects for the first time."

— David Arnold, ToneWood Amp (right, with guitarist Andy McKee) 26

APRIL 2021

"I firmly believe outreach and education are important to attracting new players. There are so many great resources out there."

— Chris DeMaria, Fishman Transducers

think is fantastic!”

MI has seen a flood of new players since the COVID-19 pandemic began, thanks to a desire to do something cool, plus more free time and, for many, more disposable income. But how, as an industry, can we keep these people using amps once we achieve a post-pandemic period?

“I think, by design, the ToneWoodAmp is made for the everyday bedroom player who is wanting more out of their

acoustic sound. Guitar effects add a whole new level of inspiration and style, and you definitely miss them when they’re not there. Just by introducing effects to many acoustic players, we hope that they will see the benefits and continue to be inspired by new sounds,” stated Arnold.

“Since we offer acoustic amps from 60 to 330 watts, players can use them to gig, jam with friends, record and livestream,” said DeMaria. “Our homes have

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Special Semi-Hollow

Let’s start with guitar amps.

The all-important question is if a great year for guitars in 2020 also led to a great year for amps.

“It was definitely a good year for Loudbox acoustic amps,” responded DeMaria. “While most people weren’t gigging, they certainly didn’t stop playing. We all had to pivot and quickly get better at livestreaming and creating interesting and engaging content. We heard from quite a few customers who were using our amps for home recording and livestreaming, using the DI to go direct into their computers, adding some EQ or effects. In the warmer months and certain warmer areas, players were using our battery-powered Loudbox Mini Charge to livestream on their phones or to jam outside at a safe distance apart from their friends.”

“Surprisingly, yes,” answered Arnold. “In 2020, we saw a huge surge in new ToneWood Amp users who were first learning their instruments, players who were stepping back into the game after long breaks and lifelong players stepping out of their comfort zone to try effects for the very first time. I think everyone had a bit of extra time last year and was looking for new ways to express themselves.

Many went to music, which I

Studio

Effects of the Pandemic

become recording studios, broadcast studios, practice spaces and virtual meeting spaces. I don’t see that going away at all. Offering amps that integrate seamlessly into these various environments will be a common goal for amp designers.”

But MI cannot stop with the new players that have joined the marketplace in the past year. How can we add even more players?

DeMaria said, “I firmly believe

that outreach and education are important to attracting new players. There are so many great resources out there, whether it’s YouTube or any number of the great educational offerings within our own industry. I’m actually a bit envious of all of the education and information available today on the internet. If only it was around when I was a kid!” DeMaria continued, “The last year has taught us that people need

music, whether they’re playing an instrument, listening to it, or watching it. There were some amazing livestream ‘living room’ concerts with well-known artists and amateurs alike. People found some comfort, diversion and solace in playing an instrument. I’ve heard some wonderful stories of people picking up the guitar again after many years now that they had the time to put into it. Players brand new to the

marketplace are as important as those who are rediscovering the joy of playing music. When it comes to amps, specifically, you would be amazed at how many players use their acoustic amps when playing alone at home; taking advantage of the effects and such just heightens the fun.”

“With the rise of online musicians over the last few years, I just hope we keep the momentum going,” relayed Arnold.

“Music truly has the power to heal and connect people, and now with Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc., it’s easier than ever to inspire people to start playing. Now we have new players emerging every day and setting the bar so much higher. If we, as companies, start to throw our weight behind the players who are stuck at home playing shows online, that gives them all the more opportunity to keep going and inspire more players.”

Post-Pandemic Period

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Guitar amps are one of the rare segments of MI that have seen strong growth during the pandemic but could also benefit when live events return after the pandemic is over. We asked our panelists if they think they will see a big addition to their sales once live music returns.

“Absolutely. We have a huge roster of phenomenal artists who love showing off their ToneWoodAmps to their followers while touring,” responded Arnold. “A few of them are even selling ToneWoodAmps to people while on tour! We always say that it’s better to just put it in someone’s hands so they can experience it themselves, and that is exactly what they are doing out on the road.”

“More opportunities to plug in are always going to lead to more opportunity for sales, in my opinion. With our amp line, we’ve got all the features a gigging musician needs, but they’re still affordable, reliable and sound great,” said DeMaria.

“People are going to be hungry for live music and entertainment. In my role as Fishman liaison to the artist community, I speak to many players who are in places that are now starting to allow live music in clubs and restaurants. What I’m hearing is (continued on page 51) APRIL 2021

The perfect match.

A p e x m a t c h i

Everytime.

n g .

c o m

FI V E M INUTE S W ITH

JAMES ‘JC’ CURLEIGH CEO, Gibson Brands Inc.

By Brian Berk Whether it was its acquisition of Mesa/Boogie, collaborations with Gene Simmons and Nancy Wilson, or one of the many other developments under way, Gibson Brands Inc. has made plenty of news recently. We ask Gibson CEO James “JC” Curleigh about these topics, plus get his thoughts on NAMM’s virtual Believe in Music Week event and plenty more.

The Music & Sound Retailer: Let’s start with NAMM’s Believe in Music Week in Januar y. Did you enjoy the virtual show, and did you set any goals as a company there?

“JC” Curleigh: Of course, we would love to be there with live concerts and 100,000 of our closest friends at NAMM to talk about the past, present and future of music. That was not the case this year. But what I will say is that NAMM was clear and decisive months ago, saying, “It’s not going to happen [in person].” By the way, that was 100 percent the right call. They did not wait. They did not put businesses in limbo. They said to us, “We are going to try this virtual NAMM. We would like you to participate. We need you to bring some content to light. Let’s try this. Let’s all work together.” The way NAMM organized and planned with our team in advance and communicated in advance [was excellent]. And then, when it started to unfold, I thought it was a great experience.

[NAMM president and CEO] Joe [Lamond] was very clear. It was not about replicating a live NAMM Show. It was about bringing information, inspiration and some concrete new product ideas to a market that otherwise would not have existed if we did not do this. We would have had to go dealer by dealer, the old, old-fashioned way of connecting all the dots for the dealers. Believe in Music Week was a way to connect all those dots. It really worked for us. We will see how that communication gets traction regarding the ideas and announcements. But if nothing else, it was a concentrated period of time at the beginning of the year when people were thirsty for information and industry insight. It was a great way to learn to literally set the stage this year. NAMM did it. I think they pulled it off.

The Retailer: No question that NAMM had no choice but to have a virtual show. It is amazing the difference a year makes regarding Gibson’s impressive booth at the 2020 NAMM Show. But you still had plenty of announcements regarding acquisitions, partnerships and new products. Can you fill us in on some of the important announcements you made for the MI industr y?

Curleigh: Think about the change a year made. We had lots of food at our booth [in 2020]. We had Slash and friends at The Grove [in Anaheim]. Thankfully, after the challenges we faced a few years ago, we have gotten ourselves into a position now where last year, we felt we could not be stronger. Gibson was clearly on the right path. We relaunched Epiphone for every stage with Epiphone Originals and Epiphone Inspired by Gibson. We even put energy behind Kramer and KRK, our studio monitors [brand]. We had this great momentum, and then April [2020] came where manufacturers were shut down and dealers’ doors were shut. But all of a sudden, all this creativity was sparked. We did all the right things regarding COVID protocols and adjusted our business accordingly.

More importantly, we are setting our business up for the future and preparing for opportunities. We announced the Peter Frampton Phoenix and the Nancy Wilson Epiphone Fanatic, which is going to be awesome. But we are also working with people I call emerging, like Marcus King, and are even working with some guitarists who people know but maybe not their names. And The Roots guitarist Kirk Douglas, Captain Kirk — we have a signature guitar with him.

Also, in addition to all the new guitars we are launching, Epiphone Inspired by Gibson is something we are going to put some attention on, including made-in-the-USA Epiphones.

And Kramer continues to grow. When I think about vintage, I usually think of the ‘50s and '60s. But I was talking to my son and he said vintage is “really on. I love the ‘80s.” I said 30

APRIL 2021

“JC” Curleigh (right) with Gibson brand president Cesar Gueikian (left) and Mesa/Boogie's Randy Smith

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

31

Gibson Brands has put a lot of effort into boosting the brands of KRK (above) and Epiphone (below left)

“What?” [laughs]. Kramer is perfectly positioned for that next-generation ‘80s kid.

We were talking before this inter view about how people stay connected when they don’t have a physical connection. What I have seen and learned is that putting the Gibson experience in the palm of your hand is critical, so we launched the Gibson app.

There are lots of apps out there that are good and are continuing to provide information and insights.

That is awesome. But we realized beginner, intermediate and expert players have to connect their own Tom Petty SJ-200 Wildflower signature model dots. They may want a tuner. I can be entertained by this, but I also want to take my guitar playing to the next level and connect to the brands I love. The Gibson app has a tuner. It also has an amazing augmented reality platform. It has Gibson TV embedded and it connects to Gibson.com.

We also announced we are launching the Gibson Garage in Nashville. It was about two and a half years in the making. Going around the world, I have seen Gibson presented in different ways. Sometimes, you wish it was more energizing and exciting. Some dealers, quite frankly, do an amazing job of presenting Gibson. But to the left and right of that, there are a few other brands there. So, I thought about what the ultimate Gibson experience would look like. We are going to build it here in Nashville. It will open soon. It will have a livestream stage. People will have the ability to look at the custom shop. Epiphone, Kramer and Gibson acoustic will all be represented. It will also be our artist relations showroom. But it will be open to the public and someone can come in and learn about the story of Gibson and the guitars, but also, try them, play them and buy them if they want.

The Retailer: The COVID-19 pandemic has of course been horrible, but there have been some benefits for the MI industr y. We have seen more people want to play guitars for example. How do we keep the people who joined the industr y because of the pandemic involved?

Curleigh: I think that is the big question we face. One thing I have learned as a leader is none of us can guarantee success in the future. But we should guarantee we set better conditions for success. I think the MI industry has done that. The simple question for me would be, and I have been asking a lot of people this: At what point does an individual declare themselves a guitarist? When you are a beginner, you play a little bit. Then, you play some more and learn a few chords of a song. At what point are they comfortable saying, “Yes, I play a guitar. I am a guitarist?” I fundamentally believe that in the last 12 months, more guitarists have been born than probably the previous 12 years. So, how do we take advantage of this?

What we know is that when someone preservers to the point where their fingers are ready to play, they know how to play three to five chords and they have a few favorite songs that they are comfortable and confident playing, whether for themselves or others, they tend to stay as a guitarist for the rest of their life. That kid who saw Angus Young on an AC/DC cover with the SG says, “Hey I want to get one of those.” And then, 10 years later, they work their way up to a Gibson. All of a sudden, 20 years later, they are staring down the Gibson SG Custom Shop.

We know that once we get people on a guitar journey, they tend to stay with it for a long, long time.

From the COVID chaos and crisis, we have creativity and opportunity happening. It is up to us harness that. There has never been a better time for people to have a passion, spend a little time, persevere to get their skill level up, but also, there have never been better learning applications. There are great YouTube videos. There 32

APRIL 2021

are the apps we talked about to help people learn and give them the confidence. There is an ability to go online, get good service and good-quality products, and have the confidence to go online and buy products.

The conditions are set. It is up to us to provide inspiration, energy and ideas to guitarists to keep them in it. I feel very confident we can do that. Other industries have done it. I think we can do the same.

The Retailer: Let’s switch topics to the Mesa/Boogie acquisition. Can you tell us the reasoning behind it and how it will help you grow?

Curleigh: Gibson used to make amps, but we don’t today. Our electric guitars do nothing without being connected to an amp. It was not a question of if we should get back into it, but when and how and what would that look like?

That was the starting point.

We have had a longstanding conversation with Mesa/ Boogie. Randy [Smith], Jim [Aschow], Doug [West] and Steve [Mueller] there are great guys. We were thinking about some collaborations and were wondering if they could do something with us and some of our artists. All of a sudden, the conversation went to a really interesting place. We looked at not only the future of the amp world, but the future of Mesa/ Boogie. Randy is an awesome guy and a living iconic legend in the industry. But he talked about his legacy. He said he was leaving 50 years behind of this amazing brand, but he also wanted a brighter future, and he made the call to bring [Mesa/ Boogie] into the Gibson family.

For us, it is really well positioned as a brand. It is authentic.

It is innovative. It’s original. It is made in the USA. I think it is a perfect fit. I have spent time in Petaluma, [Calif.,] with the [Mesa/Boogie] team and would like to think they are equally energized about this deal. Some of the things folks don’t see is everything we have done at Gibson and Epiphone over the past two and a half years. That is attention to quality, attention to our artists and attention to the industry. I think it is going to be a great deal.

Exciting times are ahead for us. We will integrate them where it is obvious and leave them alone as a standalone brand where it makes sense. What some people don’t see is our reach, locally. A lot of guitarists in Europe still cannot get access to Mesa/ Boogie, as well as parts of Japan, Australia, Canada and Latin America. Gibson is a global company. We operate in every one of those regions. The ability to scale and bring Mesa/Boogie to more

guitarists is a win in itself.

[The Mesa/Boogie deal] is a big move. It proves, as a lot of people have told us, that we are true to our strategy, we are ahead of where we thought we would be, and we are into the mode of bringing brands into our family. It is a vote of confidence for what we have been doing.

The Retailer: On July 14, you began one of the biggestever treasure hunts in the

MI industr y, searching for missing shipping ledgers from 1959-1960, which disappeared decades ago from Gibson’s archives. You even offered a $59,000 prize for the person who finds the missing ledgers and returns them to Gibson. Were you able to recover the ledgers?

Curleigh: No. I think we are going to have to call in my doppelgänger, Nicolas Cage [of (contined on page 53)

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M I SPY

Good news, MI Spy fans: HQ got me added to the waiting list for a COVID-19 vaccination! However, I’m still waiting to get my first dose, and since safety comes first, HQ wants all its spies to stay off the road until they’re fully inoculated.

That means, for this month, I’ll be staying inside my MI Spy Cave and will be visiting my targets virtually by checking out their websites. (This is something I’ve had to do a few times during the pandemic. It’s not my first choice, and I expect to be back on the road soon.) While not quite the same as an in-person visit, these virtual store visits do have their advantages: I can select the websites of any four retailers in any U.S. city or town I want, unrestrained by geography or my meager travel budget.

So I decided this mission should focus on a region I haven’t visited recently. But the sheer number of options at my disposal proved daunting — so much so that I even briefly considered building a “Wheel of Fortune”-type spinning wheel with possible locations on it, and leaving the choice up to chance. But folks, I am not a proponent of the MacGyver style of spying. I’m much more worried about building the perfect martini (and whether it’s shaken or stirred) than I am about constructing gadgets to help me with my caseload. And apparently, throwing darts at a spinning globe goes against another of HQ’s safety protocols.

In the end, I decided to focus on the south/ southwest region, which is an area of the country that I haven’t been able to spend much time in.

Being a big fan of the Western genre, I figured Texas or New Mexico would make for fine digital destinations. But I couldn’t pick between the two, so I decided to flip a coin. Much to my chagrin, however, the only coin I had handy was one of those trick coins developed by HQ that always lands perfectly on its side, no matter how many times you flip it. (You’d be surprised how often those things come in handy; supervillains just love to flip a coin before deciding your fate, and a trick coin like that gives you plenty of time to escape whatever elaborate trap they’ve caught you in.)

Long story short, I couldn’t pick between Texas and New Mexico … so I decided to cover both! For Texas, my city of choice was El Paso, the hometown of singer and screen siren Debbie Reynolds; jazz aficionado and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; punk-rockerturned-politician Beto O’Rourke; and Alan Tudyk, the man who brilliantly played Steve the Pirate in one of my favorite films, “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.” And for New Mexico, my city of choice was Las Cruces, the hometown of one of my favorite saxophonists, Lenny Pickett, of Tower of Power and the “Saturday Night Live” band fame. Since this is the guitar issue, I will unsurprisingly be browsing the stores’ websites in search of a guitar.

34

Hero Music

6430 Gateway Blvd E, El Paso, TX 79905 hero-music.com facebook.com/Hero-Music-USA-173366912796779

“I need a hero! I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night!” The name “Hero Music” made me instantly sing these lyrics. (Unfortunately, you’re reading this stor y in print, so you don’t get to hear my sensational singing voice. I happen to be a former Spy HQ Glee Club third tenor.) “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler — such an underrated song. It always gets me motivated for a mission. Why is Bonnie Tyler seemingly only known for “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” admittedly a great song in its own right?

Anyway, back to the point. Upon visiting hero-music.com, I immediately saw the words, “Are you looking to buy a guitar in El Paso, TX? You’ve come to the right place.” Sounds great to me. Click on the “Guitars” link, and Hero Music describes ever y brand it offers: Fender, Squier, Jackson, Char vel, Gretsch, EVH, Ernie Ball/ Music Man, Sterling by Music Man, PRS Guitars, ESP, LTD, Dean Guitars, Ibanez, Cort, Schecter Guitar Research, Washburn, Yamaha and B.C. Rich in electric guitars, as well as the acoustic brands offered: Fender, Takamine, Alvarez, Yamaha, Ibanez, Luna, Dean Guitars, Washburn, Oscar Schmidt by Washburn, Cordoba and H. Jimenez.

VIRTUAL VISITS NEAR The guitar section of the website also offers the following words: “Rock and roll with a guitar from Hero Music. We sell and repair acoustic, electric and bass guitars in El Paso, TX. Are you searching for a Gretsch or Fender Stratocaster? Strum along to your favorite tunes with a state-of-the-art guitar from Hero Music. Visit our music store in El Paso, TX, today, and we’ll help find you an acoustic, electric or bass guitar that suits your needs. Find your fit at Hero Music in El Paso, TX. Whether you are a seasoned guitar player or beginner, you can find a guitar that fits your tastes at Hero Music.” A “Contact Us” link is also provided that takes you to a page where you can fill out a standard form to send an email. The store’s phone number is also provided.

I liked the introduction on the “Guitars” page. It was well presented and easy to read. The only problem was you cannot find any of the specific guitars Hero Music offers for sale. Nor was there a place to go to buy a guitar. With ever ything going on today, I expected the website to have an ecommerce option, whether it was direct through the site or via Reverb or eBay. There was none.

There was a link to Hero Music’s Facebook page, so I clicked that and found some of the specific guitars the store offers by way of its social media posts. A Dean Guitars Exile Select Floyd Fluence Black Satin for $999.99, a Takamine GD51CE NAT for $549.99 and a Squier Mini Jazzmaster HH for $179.99 were among the social media promotions. The Facebook posts were easy to read, with new posts being placed about ever y two days on average. I liked seeing the retailer being active on social media. In that sense, Hero Music’s Facebook page was more helpful than its website.

To be fair, it’s not unusual for a store to place more emphasis on its social media presence than its website these days.

Guitar Center

6440 Gateway Blvd E #100, El Paso, TX 79905 guitarcenter.com stores.guitarcenter.com/el-paso

Moving on to a familiar store that’s (according to Google Street View) right next door to Hero Music: Guitar Center. With two stores in such close proximity, this shopping center must be a great destination for El Paso music makers.

Guitar Center also lists its top-selling brands on its homepage. In the guitar segAPRIL 2021

THE SOUTHERN BORDER ment, these include Taylor, Gibson, Yamaha and C.F. Martin. You have the option of browsing through the El Paso location’s inventor y by clicking the “Shop This Store” link in the center of the page, or you can shop from Guitar Center’s entire massive online inventor y.

Head to the “Departments” tab in the upper-left corner of the website, navigate to “Guitars,” and click the “Top Sellers” link, and you will find a wide variety of instruments at a range of prices; just a few of these included the Epiphone Les Paul Classic, Mitchell Terra Series T433CEBST Auditorium Solid, the PRS SE A50E acoustic-electric and the Fender Alternate Reality Meteora HH. There are options to narrow your search by brand, price range, handedness, number of strings, performance level, color and more. Further down on the page, GC promotes a few more products; during my visit, these included Sterling by Music Man StingRay basses, the Hagstrom ’67 Viking II and the Fender 75th Anniversar y models in Violin Burst with Gold Hardware (the last of which is detailed in the MSR Anniversar y feature appearing in this issue).

I selected the Epiphone Les Paul Classic, and with a few clicks placed it in my MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

cart for $499. A popup asked if I wanted to add “Pro Coverage,” a warranty plan. I could then proceed to checkout and have the guitar delivered, unless I preferred contactless pickup at the location of my choice, which is always a good option to have during a pandemic (and I guess from now on). The ecommerce shopping experience was easy. As I clicked the back arrow and headed back to the website, a message offered the following: “Price Match Guarantee: If you find a better advertised price on the same product from an authorized U.S. dealer — online or in-store — within 45 days of purchase, we’ll match it.”

Also highlighted was a shipping update indicating that there may be deliver y delays due to COVID-19.

The El Paso store’s inventor y alone included 134 guitars. But before I headed off to the next virtual store, I wanted to check out all of Guitar Center’s guitar offerings, and the website certainly did not disappoint. I clicked on “Electric Guitars,” and there were 4,804 matches. “Acoustic Guitars” yielded 2,393 results. “Electric-acoustic” chipped in 756 products. And there were even 202 left-handed models for sale. I could have looked for basses also, but I knew I would be browsing the site for hours if I let myself get carried away. If selection is your thing, Guitar Center’s website is tough to top.

Mesilla Valley Pro Music

919 N. Valley Dr., Las Cruces, NM 88005 mvpromusic.com reverb.com/shop/mesilla-valley-pro-music

I hopped into my virtual MI Spy Mobile and headed north 46 miles into New Mexico.

The trip basically involved one road, Interstate 10, according to MapQuest. (By the way, visiting MapQuest made me nostalgic for how we used to have to actually print out MapQuest directions back in the day. Those were much, much simpler times.)

I began my two-store Las Cruces virtual jaunt with a visit to Mesilla Valley Pro Music. A short introduction on the homepage gives you a feel for the store’s “friendly neighborhood music store” personality. Clicking “About” at the top of the website gives you some more information about the retailer as well as a few homey images of the store; according to the (cotinued on page 52) 35

Fender’s Diamond Anniversary

By Brian Berk

There is no question about it — Clarence Leonidas “Leo” Fender’s creation of the Fender Electric Instrument Co. changed the trajectory of modern music forever. Now known as Fender Musical Instruments Corp., the company celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. In this 75-year period, Fender has become a household name, and several of its products have also reached this level of fame, including its Stratocaster and Telecaster, commonly known as the Strat and Tele, respectively.

“Fender is 75 years young because we are constantly reinventing and pushing forward,” Justin Norvell, executive vice president, Fender Products, told the Music & Sound Retailer. “Whether it was the Esquire, Telecaster, P-Bass and Stratocaster, Leo did not stop with just the Telecaster. That is the charter we are still running with. We have a lot of new product introductions and models we are still coming out with. We always

look to continuously improve and stay relevant. Even though we are 75 years old, we are not a nostalgiabased company that is always looking over its shoulder at the past.”

Fender has remained a trusted partner for artists around the globe to connect with music fans, and as a result, the company has influenced how the art of music has evolved over the decades. Fender instruments have been a part of iconic moments in music history, from Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock (played on a Stratocaster) to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video (with Kurt Cobain playing a left-handed Mustang) and H.E.R.’s unforgettable performance at the 2019 Grammys (which featured a custom-made clear acrylic Stratocaster).

From the invention of the electric bass guitar in 1951 to producing the world’s first commercially mass36

APRIL 2021

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years ago? How can we reinterpret some of our designs in a fresh new way? That goes back to the original spirit, but also keeps everything fresh and innovative,” Norvell relayed.

In coordination with its diamond anniversary, Fender released its 75th Anniversary Commemorative Series, handmade in Corona, Calif., which celebrates Leo Fender’s bold, revolutionary designs with special versions of the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass and Jazz Bass guitars. Additional Diamond 75th Anniversary guitars include the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz Bass and Precision Bass models and are available as an Ensenada, Mexico-made version with a maple fingerboard. Specs include a “Modern C” profile, medium jumbo frets and a satin finish for supreme comfort and playability.

“We have a lot of product launches

produced solid-bodied Spanishstyle guitar, Fender has been at the forefront of musical instrument innovation, stated the company. “Going back to 1946, Leo had a different trajectory and entry into the business.

While guitars were made in a much more craftsman, luthier style akin to violin making, [Leo] approached it as a service and repair person. A famous saying he had was, ‘If I have $100, I will spend $99 making it work and $1 making it pretty.’ Ironically, he made some of the most beautiful designs that are enduring,” said Norvell. “What he did was anything but normal at the time. Art-

ists like Jeff Beck speak of seeing their first Fender Stratocaster in a window of a store and thinking it was from outer space. It has evolved over time that if you ask people to draw an electric guitar from memory, often, they will draw a Stratocaster or Telecaster.

What was revolutionary at the time has become indicative of the mainstream.

“In the music industry, we might say ‘iconic’ too much,” 38

Norvell continued. “But an icon is a symbol where the object or design is bigger than what it is.

Fender is more than just a guitar.

In the 1950s, there was a new generation looking for a new sound and a new look, so there was a zeitgeist moment of rock and roll, and the Fender guitar was the right tool at the right time. … But it has gone from being timely to timeless. We are moving forward with today’s

artists, thinking about what’s the next new genre, what do new musicians need, and what’s going to enhance their creativity. We make tools so that people can make their art. That is what we are completely obsessed with.”

Keys to success for Fender during its first 75 years involved a lot of hard work, but also a lot of passion. “We often look at what has technology afforded us now that we could not have done 10 APRIL 2021

a diamond anniversary finish — almost a diamond-dust, silvery, beautiful, pearlescent finish with some vintage pickups with a silver and black aesthetic. We are making [both of those 75th anniversary designs] in a Stratocaster, Telecaster, P-Bass and a J-Bass. There is something for everyone.”

Proving Fender is not just a guitar brand, its anniversary celebration includes plenty more non-guitar releases. Among these, Fender is working along-

this year, including a Chrissie Hynde Telecaster and a Jason Isbell Telecaster,” noted Norvell. “[Regarding] the 75th anniversary, we have two series. There is a U.S.-made series that has an anniversary burst on it, gold hardware, custom shop pickups, a unique case and an inlaid ingot in the back of the headstock. It is destined to be a collectible model and is absolutely gorgeous. It even has ash wood, which is becoming rarer and rarer these days. Another model made in Fender’s Ensenada factory has MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

side publisher Motorbooks to release a 75th anniversary book

by Dave Hunter called “Fender 75 Years,” which will be available May 18. The book is the officially licensed anniversary celebration of the company and its instruments. Illustrated throughout with rare images from company archives, the book treats readers to rare behind-the-scenes views of the Fender shop floor throughout the years, as well as studio imagery of guitars, rare advertisements and brochures from past eras, and performance

images of Fender artists.

But wait, there’s more: PAMP, a bullion brand operating a state-ofthe-art precious metals refinery, has partnered with Fender to launch several products, including legal-tender collectible coins and the Fender Sterling Silver Playable Guitar Pick. These collectibles encourage music fans to break musical boundaries and show their Fender pride. The collection of coins will be released throughout 2021, and their designs will depict iconic guitars.

Also available will be limitededition, Swiss-made versions that are individually serialized, and in some instances, engraved with color.

“The Sterling Silver guitar pick is awesome. We also have the collectible coins, clothing apparel and accessories like commemorative pick tins and straps — all kinds of things to mark the occasion,” remarked Norvell. “We want to celebrate the anniversary, but we also want to have other products that show where we are going, what we are

doing, and how we are rooted in today and tomorrow.”

Norvell added that, although Fender’s 75th anniversary is truly special, the company fully expects at least another 75 years of success. He paused for a second to recognize how momentous 75 years of success is, however. “Seventy-five years is a such an achievement for a company, a brand, an idea, a design,” Norvell stated. “We are honored to be celebrating it with the industry.”

How will Fender remain successful for the next 75 years? “It is about honoring the spirit of the legacy, but not being chained to

the legacy in a way that is restrictive or holds you in the past,” concluded Norvell. “The way people make music changes. The way it is recorded changes. The way it is distributed changes. Even how people collaborate changes. The goal is always not only relevance, but furnishing tools and products that make music-making easier. It is all about enabling artists to do whatever they need to do. We make our guitars so people [can] make their art, their music. That will be the same 50 years from now or 100 years from now. That is an easy philosophy to align to, and that’s our guiding principle.”

39

I N T H E T RENCHE S

How to Communicate With Customers Speaking Another Language

By Allen McBroom

40

If you attended Sunday school as a child, at some point you probably learned the story of the Tower of Babel. The gist of the story was that mankind had gotten kind of pompous and decided to build a tower so tall it would reach Heaven.

God took notice and knocked down the tower.

Just as icing on the cake, God also confused the tongues of those involved, and suddenly everyone was speaking a different language. Bedlam ensued, and people scattered to be with folks who spoke their own language.

It must have been pretty tough to be in business right after the tower fell. Just imagine, you’ve got a stall in the local market there in Babel, selling imported maize cakes and exotic roots, and suddenly all your business is conducted by pointing and shaking your head up and down, or wagging it left to right. The previously reliable shared language is no longer all that helpful. That must have been very frustrating, especially when handling returns or discussing the price of a quart of honey.

Our store exists in sort of a modern-day Babel environment, and maybe your store does, too.

We have a major university a couple of miles east of us, and the international students often come here to browse. Many of our string rental students have Mandarin or Korean as their first language.

Many of our guitar and keyboard customers speak Spanish or some other language as their primary tongue. Since we are a predominantly agricultural area sort of close to our southern border, we also have a lot of Spanish-only-speaking workers who visit the store on a regular basis.

As the only employee of the store with some command of Spanish, I’m usually asked by other employees to work with the Spanish speakers.

Since I also speak a little Korean and Mandarin (translation: I can say “hello” and “thank you” without causing an international incident), I’m called to the forefront every time we have a customer who speaks those languages. My only real skill is my patience, and usually, between my limited vocabulary in their language, their limited vocabulary in English, and a lot of pointing, we manage to swap products for money.

If you often have customers who speak a variety of languages in your store, you’re likely familiar with the scenarios I described above. If the customers at your store don’t currently speak a variety of languages, that will likely change sooner rather than later.

For some time, I’ve been using Google Translate (translate.google.com) on my phone to communicate better with international speakers. I type what I want to say, Google translates my text to their language, and they type in their reply. It’s cumbersome, but it works pretty well. (By “pretty well,” I mean when I say, “I’m sorry, but I have to charge tax,” it doesn’t come out as, “I’d like to date your red umbrella.”) It’s also free, which helps.

If you’d like to better serve international speakers in your store without typing every sentence into Google Translate (or without hiring a team of United Nations translators), rejoice! Google has recently upgraded its translation capabilities to some exponential degree. Now, you can go to the app store on your smartphone (both Apple and Android) and download the Google Translate app.

Once installed, you’ll need to play with the app a bit; it’s not complicated, but it does require a little exploration to find the settings you really want.

Here are the basics of what the Google Translate app can do for you. You tell it your language (for me, English is as close as I can get; there is no setting for Southern), and the language of the other speaker (let’s say they speak Italian). Translate now gives you a screen, written in Italian, that says something along the lines of “Hi, I am going to use my phone to translate my words into Italian, and yours into English. If that’s okay, we’ll get started.” You show the screen to the other person, and when they nod agreement, you press the “Conversation” button.

There are two ways for the Conversation feature to work, and you’ll have to pick one or the other.

APRIL 2021

In the first method, you pick English, and speak. The phone hears you, and then repeats what you said in Italian. The Italian speaker presses the Italian button, responds to you, and the phone repeats whatever they just said in English. (As far as I know, you have no control over the voice that translates what you’ve said, so when I’m being translated, a European female sort of voice comes out of the phone.)

The second method is a button in the middle marked “Auto.” That works just the way you’d expect. If the phone hears Italian, it repeats what it heard in English, and vice versa. If there are only two people in the room, that seems to work pretty well. If there are a lot of voices, you might want to use the first method instead.

The Google Translate app covers pretty much all major languages, and it’s being upgraded as Google’s progress develops. There are other apps in the app store that can also translate conversations. One really good one costs $3 per week per phone, which totals over $150 each year. Putting that app on every employee phone could cost you some real money. But using Google’s free app, every employee can have their own, personal translator on hand at no cost to you. Oh, and as a bonus, the app will work without a cell signal connection.

I’m pretty happy to have this app at my team’s disposal, since I am no longer the only person with the skills required to serve customers who don’t speak English well, or who struggle to find the right words in our complicated language. I’m expecting it to lower not only my anxiety level, but also the level of stress our customers have trying to function in a place where nobody speaks their native tongue. I’ve seen the faces of international customers light up when I greet them or thank them in their own language, and some have told me how welcome they feel knowing someone is trying to meet them where they live (so MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

to speak). I think once they leave the store, they probably look at each other and have a good laugh over my accent — but that’s OK, too. Anything that makes them glad they came in to my store is a good thing.

Here’s my advice: Get the Google Translate app. Have

every employee in the store install it on their phones. Make sure they know how to use it, and you can start mining sales from populations who have been previously hard to reach because of linguistic barriers.

If you don’t want to fool with translation apps, if it’s too much

trouble or you don’t see the value in it, be aware that your competitor down the road may be using one. If you want to keep every dollar you can, get the app, and you’ll be better prepared to serve any customer that may come through your doors.

Happy trails.

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V E D D AT O R I A L

THE LESSON ACADEMY

By Dan Vedda

This month’s rant is about the proliferation of the “Lesson Academy” as a vehicle for music instruction. It’s another example of our industry abdicating (consciously or not) some of its power and influence to entities that will not necessarily work in our best interests. The Lesson Academy model has expanded throughout the country, sometimes led by extraordinary educators who love teaching but have no affinity for retail, but also, unfortunately, sometimes led by people who have no affinity for education, either.

If you’re a retailer that does not offer lessons, this phenomenon may not be on your radar. Perhaps you’ve benefited in some way because local Lesson Academy students happen to buy things from you. You may even have developed a synergy with one or more of these academies to help drive sales, offering some sort of commission for referrals. But to the many stores that still offer lessons, the Lesson Academies are a mixed blessing at best.

Sure, lesson-only facilities get people playing, but often, that’s the endpoint. Nothing guarantees that their students will purchase anything from you.

If you’re a retailer that offers lessons, you are considered competition, at least as far as the academy operator who is solely focused on the number of bodies booked into the lesson studios is concerned. It’s a disincentive to point those students to your lesson-offering store, which is why so many Lesson Academies point to Amazon instead.

Your store’s web presence and ecommerce efforts may help, but again, there’s no guarantee those academy students will buy from you or even discover you. If they’re buying their household needs from Bezos-Mart, the inertia (and that “but I get free freight!” imperative) is hard to overcome.

42

That sense of competition is one reason I have an issue with academies. The other main gripe: Some cause more harm than good, not just to retail, but to the students themselves.

First, let me state clearly that I believe in-person lessons in a brick-and-mortar facility of any kind are still viable. The wave of students we’ve added to our lessons program that are soured by the online experience makes me believe “in-person” still has the advantage, pandemic notwithstanding. But I also don’t think a Lesson Academy is automatically the best expression of this method of teaching.

If you’ve looked at some of the Lesson Academy marketing (and it’s ubiquitous: I get emails, snail mails, Facebook ads and other hits almost daily), the main thrust of the pitch is “How to Maximize Enrollment and Profit.” The tactics and rah-rah motivational blarney recall those sketchy

seminars for house-flippers and Amway meetings.

In all the materials I’ve looked at (and I’ve never “joined,” so of course I haven’t seen it all), the main topics are enrollment, retention and profit. I’ve never seen a word about the quality of the instructors or overall educational goals for the schools. I get the emphasis on increasing enrollment above all else, in the sense that all the revenue has to come from lessons because there’s nothing else to bring money in. I just think it makes it harder to do the best job of educating the students.

I’ve also encountered some owners of these Lesson Academies. Some are truly dedicated, committed to education and feel this is the best use of their skillset. But for every one I’ve met that’s passionate about education, I’ve met one or more that might as well have bought into a Subway franchise instead — if

they could have afforded it. I’ve seen owners who have almost no musical background (other than perhaps playing in band or taking piano as a kid), who have no clue about organization (we’ve seen scores of students fed up with the “no teacher/ double-booked slot” problems they continually encounter with these academies), or who have the personality of a stereotypical license bureau worker.

I have faculty members on my staff who have put in time at some of the many academies in our market, either as regular teachers or as one of the constant “subs” who fill in for absent teachers. (Because the academy motto is essentially “No Lesson Left Untaught,” there is heavy use of substitute teachers. I won’t even get into the confusion and frustration the students feel when faced with a rotating cast of instructors, except to say that I’ve also booked many students who APRIL 2021

would not put up with random teachers showing up to teach.)

Those I know who have taught the academy circuit were frustrated that the focus was more about retention at any cost; angered that the academy often tried to dictate methods and teaching styles, again with an emphasis on retention more than pedagogy; and pleasantly surprised at how much more money they could make teaching at my store.

So, unless the owner is a passionate education advocate, the model as sold by the motivational gurus is not really pedagogically empowered; it’s profit driven. In my opinion, it takes advantage of the students and the teachers, valuing head count and retention ahead of educational achievement, and treating teachers as undifferentiated cogs in the mill machinery. It bears a resemblance to some of those shady dental centers that push procedures on patients and push the dentists to work faster instead of better.

If you’re a Lesson Academy owner who can say, “But I care about our students’ education!” then bravo, this article isn’t about you. As I said, I know some wonderful academy owners. I also know some who only view their business through a spreadsheet, and figure if teachers are in a studio with a student, there’s education going on — mission accomplished.

So, what can retail stores with lessons do? Basically, the opposite of what these problematic Lesson Academies do. Resist the temptation to take half (or more) of the tuition, and instead see that teachers are well-compensated. Avoid using subs for every teacher absence so students can build a rapport with their instructor. Spend the time needed to make sure everything stays organized and on track. Just as important: Don’t treat students as captive sales prospects. Educate them and get them excited about playing, and sales will follow.

If you vet your teachers well, you’ll take on some of the best in the area, the sort who stay long term and bring people in just by MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

their reputation. You’ll have a faculty that believes in you and will point students to your store rather than Amazon. Your students will have a relationship with a teacher rather than a chain of short-term teachers and subs — the kind of relationship that the

best players cite as pivotal in their development. And the progress your students make will get the attention of directors and parents, who will think of your store as a nexus for music education.

No, it’s not quite as easy as it seems, of course. You’ll still have

all the tribulations with your lessons program that you’ve always had. But if you focus on good education rather than squeezing every last dollar out of the program, you’ll more than make up for it in goodwill, traffic, sales and, yes, profit.

S HINE A LI GHT Ray’s Midbell Music 4230 S. Lancelot Lane Sioux City, IA 51106 (712) 276-0351 www.midbellmusic.com Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sat. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Mike Guntren, President

CREATING A BETTER-SOUNDING SIOUXLAND

A ribbon cutting at Ray's Midbell Music's previous location.

By Michelle Loeb

Ray’s Midbell Music is the thriving descendant of a multistore chain that started more than 80 years ago, when Jess Middaugh and Sam Campbell combined their talents, and their names, to create the original MidBell Music Company.

“From my father’s humble beginnings with the company, he slowly grew the business since 1972, and over the past 50 years, we’ve seen several local competitors come and go,” explained Mike Guntren, who has been with the company since 1997, and president since 2016. He is in the final stages of buying the business from his now-retired father and mother, Ray and Karen.

“I was very fortunate to have my parents’ support and wisdom for much of my career, and I’m so grateful I got to work alongside dad for so many years,” said Guntren, who had been lending a helping hand at the family business since he was a child.

That lifetime of experience, as well as Guntren’s background as a saxophonist who studied music and business at Morningside College, and of course, the love and support of his wife, LeAnn, and their three daughters, made his transition into company leadership as easy and seamless as possible.

“They say the best succession plans are so gradual the change in ownership is almost imperceptible to clients and team 44

Ray’s Midbell Music offers a wide variety of products, but school music has always been the “core of who we are.”

members. I really hope this has been true with our business,” said Guntren.

Since taking over the day-today operations of the store — “putting me in charge of people I had worked under as a 10-yearold helper,” Guntren mused — he has worked to expand the store’s footprint and its expertise, without sacrificing the customerfirst approach that has made Ray’s Midbell Music a success for generations.

For example, in 2006, the Guntrens secured an SBA loan that allowed the store to move out of the aging strip mall it called home for more than 15 years.

“We built our own 10,000-squarefoot building in close proximity to our community’s major retail and dining areas, which greatly increased our traffic and sales,” explained Guntren. “We imple-

mented guest-friendly store displays, created instrument try-out rooms, acoustic areas complete with humidification, and all the right lighting and ambiance for real retail.”

What was a school band store with a few guitars and keyboards soon became a full-line music store, selling Yamaha keyboards and Clavinova pianos, as well as top guitar brands like Fender, Taylor, Alvarez and Epiphone, in addition to expanded orchestra, drums and percussion departments. The store’s inventory expanded beyond basic student band and orchestra instruments to include a large inventory of intermediate and professional options.

“School music was, and still is, at the core of who we are, and serving school band and orchestra is our lifeblood,” said Guntren. In fact, helping

students advance into next-level instruments is a key part of Guntren’s plan to grow the business.

“We believe upgrading as many advancing students as possible from their student instrument to a better-sounding, and betterplaying, intermediate or professional-level instrument can be a catalyst for students to take their playing to new heights,” he said.

“We’re always leaning on industry friends for creative ways we can keep kids excited about playing and providing better instruments that help them reach their full potential.” Guntren added, “Our mission is to create a better-sounding Siouxland!”

In addition to expanding the store’s product offering, Guntren was also able to expand the lesson program to accommodate more than 200 students per week, taught by 10 independentAPRIL 2021

contractor teachers.

Of course, the lesson program had to pivot when the coronavirus pandemic started. “Because of the hard work of our awesome studio coordinator, Michael Zellmer-McMahan, we were able to retain two thirds of our pre-pandemic lesson studio by transitioning the students over to the Zoom platform,” said Guntren. “I believe after many aspects of society move back toward the pre-pandemic world, we’ll certainly keep the Zoom option for our students. We’re just scratching the surface of what we can do with video lessons.”

Growing the business online was an ongoing project long before the pandemic, “but COVID absolutely forced us to step up our online shopping cart game,” said Guntren, whose

online orders and rentals surged 600 percent during the summer and fall of 2020, “thanks to the wonderful dedicated work of our marketing and internet manager, Tim Barrett.” Guntren continued, “We’re continuing to pour resources into upping our online game moving forward. Our online clients receive the same level of care that our friends in education, and clients walking in the front door, experience.”

That customer service experience means doing whatever is required to take care of the customer, and each of the store’s 20 employees “is empowered to go off-page to make our guests happy, whether it be a price match, or an extra service or delivery,” Guntren explained.

“Every guest is greeted upon entering our business, and when

someone calls our store, an actual human being picks up the phone 99 percent of the time.”

Guntren added that he gives his personal cell phone number out to educators, who “are welcome to call me anytime.”

Seven full-time instrument technicians make up the repair team that Guntren calls the heart of the business and, under the leadership of Whitney Turner, they work overtime to fix instruments of all types, “whether they were bought from us or not,” said Guntren. Meanwhile, the road team is out picking up and delivering repairs and supplies to educators and schools all year long, “in the snow, ice, and heat,” he said.

Guntren takes pride in the store’s 4.9 rating on Google, pointing to that as proof that he

and his staff must be doing something right. “A rating like that doesn’t just happen; it is earned by treating our clients like friends time after time, and making sure we go the extra mile every day,” he said. “Maybe we go too far sometimes, but that’s OK with me. Whatever it takes, we try to never lose sight of who the boss is: our clients.”

And, after surviving a global pandemic with the business intact, Guntren plans to take that belief more seriously than ever.

“The most important takeaway from the pandemic was the gift of gratitude. We appreciate our clients more than ever, and we tell them every day,” he said. “It’s our long-term clients that made it possible for our business to survive during COVID. What a great opportunity to say thanks.”

U N DER T H E HOOD

SHURE’S MV7 PODCAST MICROPHONE

By Brian Berk

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has, of course, been awful, it has resulted in an influx of many new guitar players, as has been often discussed. In addition, many people have also been experimenting with podcasting and at-home audio production during their time in lockdown.

To answer the increasing demand for audio streaming and recording solutions at home, in the studio or anywhere, Shure unveiled the MV7 podcast microphone, the company’s first hybrid XLR/USB microphone.

Intended for both entry-level and experienced creators, the MV7’s intuitive design makes it incredibly user friendly and simple to set up and control.

Harnessing the company’s engineering prowess that developed the SM7B vocal microphone, the MV7 dynamic microphone delivers versatility and control, flexible connectivity options and highquality audio in a sleek, compact design, stated Shure. “[In 2020], we witnessed a significant uptick in the demand for tools and accessories that support livestreaming and podcast-

46

ing, especially as many continue to broadcast their talents from home,” said Soren Pedersen, associate manager, global product management, at Shure. “Regardless of the application, creators understand the importance of clear and intelligible audio.

We’ve designed the MV7 to be laser focused on the user’s voice, so the audience always gets a clear and rich reproduction no matter the type of room they record in, so their audiences can focus on the content.”

The MV7’s features begin with Shure’s Voice Isolation Technology that elevates the user’s voice to help take podcasts or live streams to the next level, stated Shure. No matter the environment, the microphone’s pick-up pattern focuses solely on the vocals by bringing it to the forefront of the recording, for uninterrupted audio every time.

Because a user’s vocal level and mic position are always fluctuating, the MV7 features an Auto Level Mode that sets gains perfectly in real time, so the output levels stay consistent.

This enables creators to focus on the content, and not on their mic technique, resulting in less time spent editing post-recording, and more time spent creating. Auto Level Mode also acts as a virtual audio engineer and adjusts audio levels on the fly, giving audiences a more consistent listening experience.

“The Auto Level Mode feature that can be enabled when connected by USB is one of our favorite features; simply select your distance from the microphone and vocal tone preference

within the ShurePlus MOTIV Desktop app, and the microphone will adjust your level in real time,” Pedersen said. “What’s cooler than a microphone that saves you valuable editing time?”

Additional features include an integrated touch panel that optimizes control for quick, convenient adjustments. With just a few taps, the touch panel control lets the user adjust the gain, headphone volume, monitor mix and mute/unmute, with an option to lock customized settings.

Complemented by the new, free Shure MOTIV App for desktop, the MV7 offers the flexibility to control audio functions with the convenience of various preset modes. Users can select their tone (Dark, Natural or Bright), depending on if they want a deep “radio” voice or a crisp and clean sound. These settings are available in Auto Level Mode and can be selected with one click in the MOTIV app. Similarly, users may select their mic distance from the MV7 (Near or Far), depending on

how they are positioned. For podcasters and streamers who like to be up close and personal with the mic, Near mode is ideal. For those who need a little more breathing room, Far mode offers a consistent level up to 18 inches. The MV7 is also certified by voice-overinternet-protocol (VoIP) solution TeamSpeak.

Compatible with virtually any device or hardware, the MV7 is easy to integrate into an existing technology setup, whether creating content in a home studio or recording on the go. The mic offers a professional XLR output for use with interfaces, mixers and professional audio equipment, making it a multipurpose solution for podcasting, radio, gaming, voiceovers and recording studios, stated Shure. It also supports a USB-A and USB-C output for Mac and PC. When mobility and onthe-go recordings are needed, the MV7 works with select Android devices. A Lightning cable is available separately for use with iPhones and iPads.

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GUITARS’ GREATEST YEAR

(continued from page 25) tune and Floyd options, and light-upside dot markers. The limited-edition Kerry King V has been one of the most indemand guitars we have ever seen, so I’m really glad we can finally release an affordable, high-quality import version.

“On the Luna front, we recently launched the Vineyard series of ukuleles, which is our crème de la crème, high-

truly something for ever y type of customer!”

“This year has been a huge year for our company in terms of new product releases,” relayed Rubinson. “The standouts for the Dean brand include the new Exile in satin black with Fishman Fluence pickups, the Kerry King signature V, and the Zero and Vengeance models, complete with stainless-steel frets, Ever-

Acoustic Guitars

MI SalesTrak

Color Trend - Unit Share January 2021

100%

White Sunburst Red Other Orange Natural Green Gray/Silver Burgundy Brown Blue Blonde Black Amber

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Jan '20

Feb

Mar

Amber Black Blonde Blue Brown Burgundy Gray/Silver Green Natural Orange Other Red Sunburst White

Apr

Jan '20 0.4% 5.6% 0.2% 0.8% 0.7% 0.2% 0.4% 0.1% 77.9%

0.8% 0.9% 11.6% 0.4%

May

Feb 0.2% 5.7% 0.1% 1.1% 0.7% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 76.9% 0.0% 0.4% 1.2% 12.7% 0.4%

June

Mar 0.3% 6.8% 0.1% 1.3% 0.9% 0.1% 0.9% 0.2% 74.8% 0.1% 0.5% 1.5% 12.4% 0.3%

Apr 0.6% 5.8% 0.1% 0.9% 0.5% 0.1% 0.4% 0.2% 77.7%

0.5% 1.1% 11.8% 0.4%

July

May 0.7% 5.0% 0.1% 1.1% 0.7% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 75.5% 0.0% 0.5% 1.0% 14.4% 0.5%

Aug

June 0.5% 4.7% 0.2% 1.0% 0.5% 0.1% 0.3% 0.1% 76.5% 0.0% 0.5% 0.8% 14.5% 0.4%

Sept

Oct

July 0.2% 5.3% 0.1% 1.3% 0.6% 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 77.3% 0.0% 1.0% 1.4% 12.1% 0.4%

Aug 0.4% 4.5% 0.1% 0.8% 0.4% 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 80.0% 0.0% 0.8% 0.7% 11.6% 0.3%

Nov

Sept 0.2% 5.5% 0.1% 0.8% 0.7% 0.1% 0.3% 0.1% 79.0% 0.0% 0.6% 0.6% 11.5% 0.4%

Dec

Oct 0.1% 7.5% 0.0% 0.7% 0.5%

0.3% 0.1% 74.6% 0.8% 1.3% 13.7% 0.5%

Jan '21

Nov 0.1% 7.3% 0.1% 1.3% 0.5% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 72.5% 0.1% 0.5% 0.9% 15.7% 0.5%

Dec 0.3% 6.9% 0.0% 1.1% 0.5% 0.0% 0.3% 0.3% 74.4% 0.0% 0.5% 1.1% 14.0% 0.4%

Jan '21 0.3% 6.5% 0.0% 1.6% 0.5% 0.1% 0.2% 0.5% 73.7% 0.0% 0.5% 2.2% 13.4% 0.5%

Copyright © 2021 Marketing Information Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Electric Guitars

MI SalesTrak

Color Trend - Unit Share January 2021

end concert and tenor models with a solid koa top, Fishman’s Kula preamp, and a nice bevel for comfortability,” continued Rubinson. “We also released a variant on our ultra-popular Vista series, called the Vista Stallion.

This design concept spans ukuleles, travel guitars and full-sized acoustics. As for ddrum, we have placed a renewed focus on the electronics line with a new five-piece mesh-head e-kit, a new sampling multi-pad, and a facelift for our iconic triggers and trigger interfaces, all to be available later this summer.”

“We had a total revamp of our Tagima Acoustic Series. It offers improved quality with walnut back and sides that appear to be rosewood (each guitar is clearly labeled with walnut back and sides), lower pricing on Canada Solid Top Acoustics ($299.99 MAP, no EQ version), and the new Café Series solid top, back and sides with Fishman Infinity EQ system,” said Lansford.

Lastly, let’s get our respondents’ take on their main goals for the remainder of 2021 as well as the future, when we hope to move on from this pandemic.

“Our No. 1 goal for 2021 is to keep our employees safe as we expand production. After that, we are working feverishly to catch up to demand for both guitars and strings, and we continue to work to expand on our sustainability initiatives,” relayed Renner.

“I have stressed the importance of adaptation within our company during this pandemic,” said Rubinson. “No one truly knows what the remainder of 2021, and into 2022, looks like,

100% White Sunburst Red Other Orange Natural Green Gray/Silver Gold Burgundy Brown Blue Blonde Black Amber

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Jan '20

Feb

Mar

Amber Black Blonde Blue Brown Burgundy Gold Gray/Silver Green Natural Orange Other Red Sunburst White

Apr

Jan '20 0.6 19.5 2.9 10.8 2.4 1.0 1.4 4.1 4.8 5.2 1.2 5.3 11.0 21.1 8.8

May

Feb 1.1 16.5 4.3 11.4 2.7 1.2 1.4 3.8 4.3 5.1 1.7 5.9 9.5 21.3 9.7

June

Mar 1.1 17.1 3.8 11.0 1.9 0.9 1.2 4.6 5.9 5.4 1.6 5.6 10.6 20.3 9.0

July

Apr 1.3 18.6 4.4 11.8 1.9 0.7 1.6 4.3 6.7 4.5 1.3 5.4 10.0 18.4 9.3

May 1.1 17.2 3.5 13.1 1.8 1.1 1.5 3.8 5.8 5.1 1.6 5.7 10.9 18.4 9.3

Aug

June 0.6 16.8 2.8 13.9 2.1 0.9 1.2 4.2 5.9 5.9 1.5 5.6 10.7 19.0 9.1

Sept

July 0.9 17.4 3.9 13.9 1.3 0.9 1.8 4.1 6.2 5.4 1.3 4.8 9.9 20.3 8.0

Oct

Aug 0.8 19.1 3.3 13.1 1.7 0.5 2.1 4.3 4.8 5.3 1.2 5.3 10.1 19.5 8.9

Nov

Sept 0.9 17.7 2.8 12.6 1.5 0.6 1.6 4.0 6.4 4.2 1.6 6.2 10.8 20.2 8.8

Dec

Oct 1.1 18.8 3.1 12.8 1.5 0.8 1.6 3.4 5.6 3.7 1.4 6.4 10.8 19.8 9.1

Jan '21

Nov 0.9 19.6 2.8 14.3 1.4 0.6 1.5 3.7 5.2 3.9 1.2 5.9 11.7 19.0 8.3

Dec 0.6 22.5 3.2 13.2 1.2 0.8 1.1 3.5 5.2 3.6 0.9 5.6 9.9 19.3 9.5

Jan '21 0.7 20.2 2.6 13.0 1.6 0.6 1.6 3.9 5.1 4.4 1.0 5.5 10.0 19.8 10.0

Copyright © 2021 Marketing Information Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

50

APRIL 2021

PLUGGING INTO HIGHER SALES

but I believe there is always opportunity, irrespective of circumstance. We have pivoted in certain areas and expenditures to better meet the current needs of our partners, consumers and artists alike. That, to me, is a very important part of running a company in any industry. After a record month in January, we are looking forward to carrying that momentum forward into the remainder of 2021.”

“Our primary goal this year will be to continue supporting our retailer network with bestin-class sales support, product innovation for committed players and an expanded commitment to bringing more players into the industry through Fender play.

We believe this will grow our industry and drive the purchase of physical products,” said Van Donk. “We are also uber-focused on finding capacity to satisfy the strong demand we see continuing through 2021 and even into 2022. The commitment to our dealers remains top of mind as we support the evolution of their business onto ecommerce platforms and the return of traffic to their retail stores. And personally, [I plan to] go to a ton of concerts!

I am very excited to welcome back live music events.”

“We are running our own race. We’re competing against ourselves,” Lansford concluded.

“We work daily to live by our ‘H.I.T.O.P.’ mantra (Humility: We aren’t arrogant. We’re here to serve. Integrity: We will do the right thing regardless of cost.

Level playing field pricing. No off sheet deals. Truth: Always tell the truth. If we mislead unintentionally, we apologize and make it right. Observe: Ask questions if something doesn’t ‘look right.’ Use the Air Force pilot ‘O.O.D.A.’ concept: observe, orient, decide, act. Perform: We must perform to serve well.

We must work to outperform ourselves daily, even if by onetenth of one percent. Each day is a day for improvement from the day before. Each relationship can grow deeper with each transaction.) Yes, there are other runners in the field, which we acknowledge and honor, but they too are running their own race. We’ve met the competition and we’re it.”

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

(continued from page 28) that the audiences are ready to be entertained and the players are eager to perform. Music heals all! I hope that after we get through all of this, enough venues survive and can host live music.”

Lastly, we asked our respondents about their company; specifically, and what new products they recently released or are soon to release. “The one that comes to mind is our TriplePlay Connect. Players are using their guitars in so

systems. The lack of live music was expected to negatively affect sales of these products, which are typically used for live touring productions or permanent installations in dedicated concert venues. However, many pro-audio manufacturers also sell portable speakers, a product category that seems less likely to be affected by pandemic-related restrictions on public gatherings. We asked Yorkville Sound’s Greenspan for his thoughts.

“With the absence of traditional

The spike in guitar sales in 2020 and thus far in 2021 leads to this question: Do good guitar sales also lead to good amp sales? It is the logical solution to make, but let's find out the answer for sure with the help of our panelists. many new ways. With Connect, they can plug into an iPad or a computer and trigger a whole universe of virtual instruments and synths. It opens up a lot of creative possibilities for acoustic and electric guitarists,” stated DeMaria.

“Our PowerTap pickup systems allow players to use their guitars for percussive as well as melodic music-making. So many of our products cross over between super-functional performance and repertoire/palette expanders for those looking for something new to explore.”

“Not a new product, but we recently launched our ‘Effects for Strummies’ YouTube series that gives helpful insight to new users who may not know exactly what effects are used for,” said Arnold. “We have always received questions like ‘What is insert any effect name here and how do I use it?,’ so we teamed up with guitarist Connor Thomas to do a series of videos explaining all of the different effects and how they sound with the ToneWoodAmp, using popular songs as reference. So far, it has been a great resource for new potential customers or people inquiring about what the ToneWoodAmp does.”

Speaking Up

Now, on to the pro-audio side of things with speakers and PA

live gigs, PA took a hit; however, the pandemic put our EXM Mobile battery-powered line to the forefront,” he responded.

“Our mobile speakers made gigs possible on driveways, porches — anywhere safe, socially-distanced shows were conceptualized.”

Greenspan added that the PA speaker market always relies heavily on live events. So how has Yorkville Sound weathered the COVID-19 pandemic storm?

“We have a diverse product line and were able to focus on topical brands and products that [are suited to] end user’s pandemic projects,” he answered.

How will the hopeful return of live events in the future affect Yorkville Sound’s business? Does Greenspan think this will provide a huge addition to company sales when this happens? “Because Yorkville Sound is trusted and has a vast line of sound reinforcement for all applications, the return of live music will certainly have a huge impact on our PA sales,” Greenspan responded.

But one thing that has helped the entire MI industr y is not only the influx of new players, but a huge rise in stay-at-home recording as well. How, as an industr y, can we keep these people playing once we achieve a post-pandemic period?

“Learning an instrument or building a home studio is a lifelong adventure. During the

pandemic, we facilitated webinars to introduce new gear and learning sessions,” relayed Greenspan.

“There is always more to learn and interesting gear to add to the toolbox, and it is an exciting journey for everyone.”

We also asked Greenspan how manufacturers and dealers can work to add even more new players to the marketplace. “By keeping our end users engaged, informed and creating,” he replied. “Our end users are our most valued ambassadors, and they have a bigger voice than ever. It’s commonplace for the end user to share their work on YouTube, livestream or even collaborate with other musicians remotely by video. After over a year of at-home practice, rehearsals and gigs requiring PA will follow.”

Lastly, we asked Greenspan to tell us about some products that Yorkville Sound recently launched or plans to launch, and to describe what makes them cool. “We have a breakthrough in the batter y-powered mobile speaker categor y with the EXM Mobile Sub, the first ever lithium-batter y-powered subwoofer,” he concluded. “The EXM Mobile8 is a true threeway speaker in a landscape where most batter y-powered compact speakers of this size are two-way models.”

The Best Selling OVERDRIVE

email us now to become a dealer! nobels@OSIAMO.com 51

MI SPY

Ad Index Company

Pg

AMAHI UKULELES................. 45 ARMADILLO ENTERPRISES.... C-II AVID TECHNOLOGY............... C-III B3 GUITARS.............................. 23 CE DISTRIBUTION.................. 28 CE DISTRIBUTION.................. 29 CHAUVET LIGHTING.............. 8 CHAUVET LIGHTING.............. 9 CHEM-PAK................................ 53 CONNOLLY MUSIC COMPANY.............................. 17 DRUM WORKSHOP................. 10 DRUM WORKSHOP................. 11 FENDER..................................... 5 FISHMAN .................................. 33 GIBSON...................................... C-IV HOSA TECHNOLOGY............. 12 JJ BABBITT............................... 19 JMAZ LIGHTING...................... 6 NAMM........................................ 15 NEW SENSOR........................... 41 MANHASSET SPECIALTY COMPANY.............................. 3 MUSIC NOMAD........................ 18 OMG MUSIC.............................. 20 OSIAMO..................................... 51 PETERSON ELECTRO-MUSICAL PRODUCTS............................. 22 PRS GUITARS........................... 25 PRS GUITARS........................... 27 QRS TECHNOLOGIES............. 47 REVERB..................................... 37 TECH 21..................................... 21 TONEWOODAMP..................... 7 VOCOPRO.................................. 13 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.

52

(continued from page 35) page, Mesilla Valley Pro Music has grown with the Las Cruces community and is currently celebrating its 45th anniversar y, a tremendous accomplishment. Other than guitars, it sells other music products, as well as pro audio, lighting and DJ equipment.

I clicked the “Shop Online” tab and discovered curbside pickup is available, as well as in-store sales, of course. There was a link to the store’s Reverb page, so I clicked it.

First, I checked the Reverb feedback rating; Mesilla Valley Pro Music has a lifetime 97 percent positive grade. Most ever y review was four or five stars. I had to scroll down to find a negative review. Once I found one, I saw that Mesilla immediately offered a full refund to the unhappy customer, who claimed a vocal effects processor they purchased from the store did not work. That type of response was certainly ever ything you could ask of a retailer. The customer left up the negative review, however, because he did not want to ship the product back for a refund. I had to go back all the way to August to find another negative review, which was based on UPS losing an item. Mesilla also refunded the price of this product, according to its response to the negative grade. Beyond those two negative reviews, I looked at about 50 positive reviews.

The Reverb site was clean and easy to navigate. As for product available on the Reverb site, there were 27 electric guitars for sale when I checked. Oscar Schmidt, Jackson, ESP, Epiphone, Ibanez, Yamaha, PRS and Fender were all represented, with prices ranging from $149.95 to $3,900. Fifteen acoustic guitars were for sale, a majority made by Yamaha, with Ibanez, Taylor and Fender sprinkled in. Prices ranged from $295.95 to $2,395.95. Also, 17 bass guitars were for sale, ranging from $199.95 to $1,249.95.

Ibanez, Fender, Yamaha and Schecter Guitar Research models were available.

Hubbard’s Music-N-More 108 Wyatt Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88005 hubbardsmusic-n-more.com facebook.com/Hubbards-Music-NMore-156640437701232 reverb.com/shop/hubbardsmusic My last stop was Hubbard’s Music-N-More, founded in 1979. Before the mission, I exchanged a message with the Hubbards, and I was advised to check out Hubbard’s Facebook page and Reverb store instead of their website.

I figured this is 2021, right? Let’s go for it.

I started with the Facebook page, which Hubbard’s created in 2010. I have to say, I liked the store’s approach to posting on social media.

There were several posts that featured photos of guitars with messages like “Nothing compares to getting your baby back after a fresh repair.” “Who else just fell in love?” and “’Just browsing’ is a lie we tell our wallet to keep it happy.” These may seem like simple Facebook posts, but I found them enjoyable. They have a quality to them that the best internet memes

tend to have: they’re simple and relatable, and they put a smile on my face. Isn’t that what MI retailers are in the business of? Putting smiles on people’s faces?

I then decided to check out Hubbard’s Reverb page. There was no Reverb link on Hubbard’s Facebook page, however there was a link to what looked like the store’s website, so I clicked that, thinking I would find the Reverb link on the website. However, the website link on the Facebook page didn’t work (it seems to be missing some hyphens that are supposed to be between words in the URL, which breaks the link). So, I turned to the old standby and did a Google search for “Hubbard’s Reverb page,” which of course proved successful.

The Reverb page featured a total of 33 products for sale; 12 were electric guitars, three were acoustic guitars, and there was one listing for a Gibson Thunderbird in the bass guitar categor y.

Among the electric models for sale, Fender and Gretsch accounted for most of the listings, including several popular recent Fender launches, such as the Tash Sultana Stratocaster, H.E.R. Stratocaster, Brad Paisley Esquire and Parallel Universe Uptown Stratocaster. The acoustic guitars for sale were the RainSong CO-OM1000NSX, the Godin Rialto JR HG Q-Discrete acousticelectric and the Breedlove Frontier Concertina.

A humungous positive for Hubbard’s: Its Reverb feedback rating for the past six months stood at a perfect 100 percent, with a 98-percent lifetime feedback rating. I had to head all the way back to April 21, 2020 to find someone who did not leave a five-star review. That says a lot about Hubbard’s excellent customer ser vice, at least according to its customers.

The Sale

When it comes to an online mission report, there is a major element missing from consideration: customer ser vice. The winner could easily be totally different if actual, in-person customer ser vice was a factor. However, this month, I am grading on the stores’ online presence alone.

I really liked Hero Music’s website, but the lack of an ecommerce offering was a detractor.

I just felt it is too important to have an easily accessible ecommerce offering these days.

Hubbard’s Music-N-More has a fun Facebook page, and whoever handles its social media posts should be applauded for their excellent work.

Based on its positive customer reviews, Hubbard’s might have easily won if I was able to visit the store in person. However, the offerings on its Reverb page were slightly limited.

That left my decision between Guitar Center and Mesilla Valley Pro Music. I really liked both websites a lot, and it’s hard to decide between the two. Should I flip a coin? Oh, right. Bad idea.

I ultimately decided to select Guitar Center as the winner due to its price match guarantee, as well as its sheer number of offerings. Of course, a big chain has a huge advantage there, but the availability of 4,804 electric guitars and even 202 left-handed guitars was too much for me to overlook.

APRIL 2021

FIVE MINUTES WITH

(continued from page 33) “National Treasure” fame], to figure that one out [laughs]. We have a lot of hypotheses. Was there really a ledger? Did it get burned? Did someone take it?

But what is interesting is that out of this, a lot of people came out with more information about guitars and other things missing that help bring Gibson’s missing pieces together. So, we have not got the ledgers back, but we got a lot of information, connections and insights that are really relevant to our past that we can connect the dots and do a little “CSI” on. There is a lot of energy around that. I am hoping we still find them.

The Retailer: It is always tremendous to give back.

You have really grown your charity arm, Gibson Gives, which is doing just that. Can you tell us what is going on there?

The Retailer: I can remember on a personal level, there are certain people or companies that paid attention a little more than average and you really appreciate it. At a time you really need it, somebody stepped in with help, support or providing something. It is a human condition that we learn how to pay it for ward. For us, Gibson Gives’ central notion was giving the gift of music one guitar at a time. That’s

what we do. We relaunched Gibson Gives in the summer of 2019 at Summer NAMM. We had a challenge to give away 1,000 guitars in 1,000 days. We have now given away 2,000 guitars in 500 days to those in need. We sync up with organizations like Guitars 4 Vets, whom we have an amazing connection with.

Notes for Notes is another charity we support. And MusicCares, who supports artists whose livelihood depends on ticket sales and live tours. We are a big supporter of MusicCares.

But there are also less obvious platforms we support. It was about a year ago when a tornado ripped right here through Nashville. There we were, staring at piles of rubbish, with guitars in them. I woke up saying, “Anyone who lost a guitar deserves to get one back. Right now.” We put the word out in Nashville. If you lost your guitar legitimately [because of the tornado], come see us and we will get a guitar in your hands. It did not even have to be a Gibson or Epiphone. Whatever guitar they lost. It was amazing we could do that.

More recently, who would have thought that at the end of [2020], there would be a bomb in Nashville? One of

our artists lives right next to the [site of the] bombing and lost ever ything. We were able to step right in. We can’t control the actions that took place and rebuild ever ything, but we did say, “We can get you some guitars and get your livelihood back.”

So, Gibson Gives is for the big platforms we want to support, but also little issues and actions we should be supporting. Off of that, we launched a new platform called Play it Forward, where we get lots of notes from people in challenging situations, and at the end of every month, we go through all these notes and determine who is the most deserving.

We also want to support our own team of about 1,600 folks around the world. A majority of them are craftsmen and craftswomen making guitars.

If the factor y shuts down, they are shut down. So, the first thing we did when our factor y shut down — way before stimulus checks were handed out — was to put $1,000 into each of their hands. And just before the holidays, we launched a Gibson Gives back program for our employees. We said if they donate to Gibson Gives, they get a chance to spin the wheel with me. We had strings, T-shirts and guitars on it, but basically, ever yone

were looking for opportunities to occupy themselves. Learning a musical instrument seemed to rise to the top. We are grateful for that.

Probably the biggest challenge is keeping our staff enthusiastic and motivated during all of this.

Our leadership team has done a great job of keeping people engaged and upbeat. It’s been a tough year. We will see what happens on the other side [of the pandemic], but we spent a lot of time regarding the staff.

students may not be vaccinated by September?

Menchey: It depends which week you ask me because I will change my answer. [Recently], I started to hear from some teachers who were concerned that next [school] year may be as challenging as this year. We are going in the right direction right now. I have to believe the majority of the adult population that chooses to become vaccinated will be by sometime this summer. You raise a good point about the students, but I think even a lot of students will be vaccinated.

That is not to say there will not be, and should not be, safety precautions involved. But I think this country will look a lot different once we get to mid- to late summer.

I am optimistic.

was going to get a guitar.

There were 700 employees who participated, and they all left with a guitar. We raised more than $100,000 from our own employees for Gibson Gives, and we were able to give them the gift of music one guitar at a time. I am really proud about it. There will be lots of energy behind Gibson Gives in the future.

The Retailer: Anything you would like to add?

Curleigh: I am a parent of teenagers. We are so connected to smartphones. I was talking to some people who say, “JC, I keep telling my kids to get off the phone and do something.” But if my parents told me not to do something, it was an indicator I would do more of it. So, I tell them to say, “Get on your guitar and play more,” and you have to have two hands playing the guitar for most people. So, if their two hands are on the guitar, they are not on the phone.

If we steer it in the right direction, it can be a balancing act between screen time and song time by playing a guitar. We should think about the positive of what to do and not the negative of what not to do. I think it is a good message for all of us to remind ourselves.

MSR SPECIAL

(continued from page 54) in the fall of 2020 than 2021. I am not sure how, but they did.

That is the bad news. The good news: We are an 85-yearold business, so we can withstand a year, or even two years, of [a pandemic]. What has been surprisingly resilient has been the activity in our retail stores after we reopened last May and June. You mentioned guitars and keyboards. We are not a big guitar retailer. We sell a lot of guitars up to the $600 to $700 price point. We are selling a lot more of those and a lot of ukuleles and a lot of keyboards. In fact, if we got more keyboards, we could sell more keyboards. The biggest bottleneck has been product availability. While people were cooped up for a few months, they MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

The Retailer: Lastly, are you optimistic about MI in a postpandemic period? Perhaps a more normal school year, beginning in September, can help? Or is it a concern that

53

MSR SPECIAL

An Interview With Incoming NAMM Chairman

JOEL MENCHEY

By Brian Berk

Menchey Music Service president Joel Menchey is set to become NAMM chairman in July, succeeding C.F. Martin CEO Chris Martin. An official announcement is expected at the Summer NAMM Show. We reached out to Menchey to get his thoughts on being the next NAMM chairman, the state of his eight-store retail business in Pennsylvania and Maryland, and more.

Editor’s Note: To see comments from Chris Martin on being outgoing NAMM chairman, see “Five Minutes With” in the May issue.

The Retailer: Thank you for joining us. You have ser ved on the NAMM board of directors for nearly six years. Can you tell us your thoughts on becoming NAMM chairman?

Joel Menchey: It has been a great six years so far. Joining ex comm [NAMM’s executive committee] in 2015 has exposed me to so much more of what is happening in the industry. It is the normal pattern. I started as secretary, treasurer and now vice chairman. What’s nice about the vice chair role — something that started with Chris Martin — is the vice chair is also vice chair of the NAMM Foundation, a 501c [non-profit organization], which has truly taken on a new level of importance. We are actively fundraising. Chairing that and having the opportunity to expand our opportunities with the help of Mary Luehrsen [director of public affairs and government relations at NAMM] has been a great two years. Obviously, the last 12 months have not been as great because we have limited opportunities to fundraise, but at the same time, Believe in Music Week turned out to be a great fundraising opportunity. I have had a lot of fun. I assume the next two years will be the icing on the cake serving the industry 54

Joel Menchey (right) performs outside one of his stores.

in the capacity of NAMM chair. It has been a great ride.

The Retailer: NAMM plans to have an in-person Summer NAMM Show in Nashville in July. What are your feelings about that and what have told your employees about potentially attending?

Menchey: I think it is great we are planning to go to Nashville in the summer. Eighteen months [since the 2020 NAMM Show] is a long time not to see your friends. I am optimistic there will be a lot of pent-up demand that will fuel the trade show. We are not only having the Summer NAMM Show. We are partnering with a couple of partner organizations in the industry to make it a weeklong gathering. I am excited about its potential.

Regarding our employees, we would normally send four people to the summer show. If our employees feel comfortable attending, there are no reasons to feel we would not send them.

We may even send more people because we normally send people to NASMD [the National Association of School Music Dealers show taking place right before

Summer NAMM in Nashville]. As long as people feel safe traveling, we are prepared to send them.

bonding increases. We really got to enjoy getting to know everyone better.

The Retailer: You love playing at Nashville’s Hard Rock Café during Summer NAMM. Will you still be able to do that?

Menchey: [Laughs] My good friend will be organizing that. I did a podcast with him recently and he assures me that if Summer NAMM is on, the Hard Rock Café gig will be on.

The Retailer: When you come in as NAMM chairman, you will find a bifurcated market with some areas doing ver y well like guitars, keyboards and at-home recording equipment. However, band and orchestra, rentals, and anything involving live music is another stor y. Is that a big battle you will have to face as NAMM chairman and as an MI retailer?

Menchey: Let’s get through the bad news first. The school music component of our business, as well as the school music component of almost every retailer I know, has been challenged.

We have stores in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The school districts in both of those states had different philosophies about how they should teach. In most of our Maryland markets, the students learned virtually this year. That obviously had an impact on new student enrollments. Pennsylvania was a mixed bag. We actually had some districts that did more (continued on page 53)

The Retailer: As NAMM vice chairman, has it been difficult to learn from Chris Martin as you cannot have in-person events?

Menchey: Actually, as vice chair, there is limited travel.

Normally, the chairman travels internationally with [NAMM president and CEO] Joe [Lamond] and develops those relationships. Sadly, Chris [Martin] did not get to do nearly as much of that. Chris has been a real trooper through this whole last 12 months. Everything we could do, we did. What we have done is, ex comm has met on a weekly basis. When you see them weekly on a Zoom call, the

APRIL 2021

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