Music & Sound Retailer June 2018, Vol 35 No 6

SUMMER NAMM ISSUE SUMMER NAMM ISSUE SUMMER NAMM ISSUE SUMMER NAMM ISSUE June 2018 Volume 35, No. 6

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

f s o mps e l Sa er a ers If you like a trade show with a bit of a slower pace and a large focus w k w po spea gro on the lifeblood of your business and education, Summer NAMM, set to to e, d an inue pac ectake place June 28-30 at Nashville’s Music City Center, is definitely your y r oj nt cup of tea. co tead t pr ake ugh e e s o p k “Summer NAMM is really an executive retreat. It’s an executive suma r at mar ing s d th e a i mit for dealers at a time that can make the most difference,” NAMM l g th ak t wi peg e so to t ok a sic President and CEO Joe Lamond told the Music & Sound Retailer. “Januu of ns o b ed lo tio th t ant pth he M help o, ary education [at The NAMM Show] is great and can really help. But ow e w n-de so t the udi ’s r Summer NAMM education pays off immediately in the second half of the A g . W e i ts, ht Pro Here 0 or en g 2 year.

There are so many things for dealers. For dealers, these couple 20 h m gm sou ha nc. t te. a u I e r a c of days in Nashville are the time to work on your business. The s o d le m mu MI etai : Ya ound d ab l up e on Retail Training Summit, formerly the Boot Camp, is taking R es S ai ua at th bo und ani ville ies s ann upd a big step forward this year the day before Summer d So omp ork pan our r an n NAMM [June 27].” a & ec Y m or o s he f ef nd co re mp vs. t nd In all, Summer NAMM will play host to more a th ey a ree ore issu r 7 a us e h h m ly v s 1 t than 60 educational sessions. “Every one o a w p i Pe the uc e Ju et. r po in 20 am rev t e t of them is designed to help retailers p r h m t a h rk fo e e uc e wh and k in ma ales reas pow r th rod o. “T be more profitable in the fall and s nc th f r ve , p di les ac ne sa ck b pho with ey i bo ar o rian Au oofe ine o (continued on page 32) e e e t w ll or ro es ad th Ch e he star id les f ast y n Ch a P sub r ful r sal yD h th Last rs. “Sa up l ithi ma ered ou lifie plif a w e r? re N to p im tY k ea yea we ded er, 8 po tion r am P, s r ou p S s ior rs on ag 1 en e fo D pr eake resp man DXS d att pow n of eed its k r r n p o g e ” oy ey s ar, tin ou ew Ou iti he r er t s av B e ye rke s of ren ers. add ng t n o d Pe f ma cces awn eak the mizi ia s t tts,’ al o ason er, r e p g i r u o re na a B su s d d s from in tin W l g a y ha were ted nd m nt.” con ting gina r and l m lt, B u t a i po nefi up a ipme str y arke r or a fai ner res . In t e a u e u t u e re g b s eq ind ‘M n o r a e, As ha ing ard our with d o gea ool ey. et s bo “As tion cuse rior ed P Peav ark ta s fo upe Fr nt, in m d pu s a re main ing ” sai pme to g , o d l e e r ovi ic ve ing pr le pr t de tinu c nd ab odu con ga n e r i p ar in ld , tra ho iss. re we e o to M n nli nue an, e m ven o i i h y r E t t ou con erid ey; ok. at b g h k o M e l t 8) in s nd s, w rs in on i r we red ge 2 a pa xp rm na ati tte ove o e latfo emi duc be disc d on t e s ion g p g s. E th ve inue t dit etin inin basi ow, s ha d on n er a rk tra r c k ( a a m aler gul ers tom de a re stom cus t on r cu ges r u a o rl ou

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Yamaha Acquires Ampeg

Yamaha Guitar Group Inc., the newly formed U.S. subsidiary of Japan-based Yamaha Corp., acquired the Ampeg brand from LOUD Audio LLC, a portfolio company of Transom Capital Group.

The addition of Ampeg to Yamaha Guitar Group’s portfolio alongside the Yamaha and Line 6 brands adds an iconic selection of bass amps, cabinets and pedals to the solutions already available to bass guitarists through Yamaha bass guitars and Line 6 wireless and modelers, stated Yamaha.

“We couldn’t be more excited,” said Marcus Ryle, co-president of Yamaha Guitar Group. “Ampeg is arguably the most recognized

RPMDA Attracts 160 Attendees

The 2018 Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA) 42nd Annual Convention in Minneapolis attracted 160 attendees, including 26 exhibitors, and 20 first-time attendees in late April. Among the many convention attractions, members visited Groth Music Co. and Schmitt Music Co., and took part in an excursion to Fly Over America in the Mall of America, a tour Madeleine Crouch with Alfred Music’s of Paisley Park and the anRon Manus nual awards banquet. Awards presented at the banquet included the Dorothy Award, RPMDA’s highest honor, which went to Madeleine Crouch of Madeleine Crouch & Co. Crouch began her long and distinguished career in the print music industry at Whittle Music and is owner of Madeleine Crouch & Co., a management firm for 30 non-profit organizations.

The Sandy Feldstein Service award went to Jenny VanPelt of the The Lorenz Co., Cristina D’Alessandro of Cosmo Music and Tim Cose of Hal Leonard, for their ongoing and generous support of RPMDA. The Don Eubanks Publisher Representative award was presented to Chrissy Dzioba of Hal Leonard for her consistent and exemplary service to her customers. And the John Walter’s President’s Choice award was presented to Christie Smith of Alfred Music by outgoing president Don Langlie.

Also as part of the 2018 RPMDA Convention, more than 100 retailers and publishers took a two-hour bus ride south to Winona, Minn., to visit Hal Leonard. Multiple buildings with over 400,000 square feet of production and warehouse space house its printing, warehousing, distribution, customer service, personnel and accounting departments.

Visitors received presentations by Hal Leonard employees explaining the basics of printing and what happens once a retailer places an order, from picking and packing it, to shipping and billing it. Visitors got to see the state-of-the-art, 24-hour production and distribution facilities and the many steps taken to maintain their nearly 100-percent accuracy rating of their outgoing shipments.

“We’re thrilled that so many print retailers got to see what goes on behind those brown boxes that show up on their doorsteps every month. We’re extremely proud of our Winona crew and how hard they work every day to print and ship the best books in the business!,” said David Jahnke, Hal Leonard senior vice president, national sales.

The 2019 RPMDA Convention will take place May 1-4 at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

bass amp brand in the world. They can even be credited with having invented the first bass amp. We are honored to take the baton in continuance of that legacy.”

Ampeg’s history dates back to New Jersey in the 1940s, the same decade that Yamaha started making guitars. In the early 1960s, Ampeg was the first company to incorporate reverb into a guitar amp, and in 1969 it introduced the most powerful amplifier ever made, the 300-watt SVT, Yamaha stated.

“There is enormous respect for Ampeg within Yamaha,” said Shoji Mita, Yamaha Guitar Group co-president. “Both Yamaha and Ampeg have histories in the guitar market that stretch back over seventy years, so we see the two brands as great companions for one another.

We intend to maintain the outstanding quality and commitment to tone that the Ampeg brand has long exemplified.”

Both LOUD and Yamaha are working carefully to ensure a smooth transition. Ampeg operations will be headquartered in Calabasas, Calif., at the Yamaha Guitar Group Inc. offices.

“We are enjoying the opportunity to work so closely with Yamaha Guitar Group on this hand-off,” stated Alex Nelson, president and managing director of music gear brands at LOUD Audio. “Ampeg is loved and respected by both customers and by our LOUD employees, so we are happy to see it move into the hands of a company like Yamaha. We are confident that we have found Ampeg the best possible home.”

3

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

Features

VOLUME 35 NO.6

On the Cover

Executive Retreat

Summer NAMM comes a little earlier this year, from June 28 to June 30.

We take a look a at what to expect in Nashville this year, with the help of NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond.

Speaking Up

Power amps and speakers continue to sell at a steady pace, with more growth expected. We take a close look at these segments with commentary from Yamaha Pro Audio, Peavey and Yorkville Sound Inc.

20

Columns 34 Summer NAMM Product Showcase A look at products that will be highlighted at this month’s show.

27

38 Special to the Retailer

Fender goes out of this world with its Parallel Universe Collection.

40 Special to the Retailer

20

In a special second Special to the Retailer, we feature Wallace Detroit Guitars, which has a unique relationship with Chevrolet.

42 Five Minutes With

Antonio Ferranti, president, Proel North America Inc., is the man behind the strong growth for both Proel and Dexibell in just one-plus years. We get the scoop, as well as taking a look at a special event the company hosted in Italy in April.

46 MI Spy

Things are beginning to look up in the Phoenix region, with the Suns earning the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, and the baseball team looking strong. How was service at MI stores?

50 Front and Center

24

Reverb.com has become one of the world’s largest music gear websites, and one of the main people behind the success is Lynette Sage.

Buzz

3 Latest 16 People 20 Products 22

52 In the Trenches

Handling online complaints — whether warranted or not — is one of the toughest things MI dealers have to face.

54 Shine a Light

E-commerce has been a great boon for Dave Plunk, owner of Illinois’ Music Makers.

56 Retailer Rebel

Gabriel O’Brien reminisces about website design, dating back to GeoCities.

58 'Hire' Learning

Will Mason tackles yet another important topic: making sure you don’t hire the wrong people.

60 Veddatorial

Anything that can make your store more of a destination is a great advantage.

Dan Vedda discusses what synergies can work.

62 Under the Hood

According to Ibanez, the secret to the Artwood Vintage range’s old-school aesthetic and throwback tone is its Thermo Aging process.

70 The Final Note 24 4

Learning about Paul Reed Smith’s mentors and great influences is fascinating enough. But he digs even deeper and answers plenty more of our questions.

JUNE 2018

EDITORIAL

Early Summer Night’s Dreams The Summer NAMM Show is upon us, making it a good time to look back upon the first half of 2018 (I can’t believe half the year is done already) and look ahead to the second half of this year.

First, let’s look back at the first half of the year. The biggest MI headline was unquestionably Gibson filing for bankruptcy and the ramifications this has for the industry. Although finance is one of my hobbies, I am certainly no expert in this category. Therefore, I can’t delve deep into the company’s future as it operates following this filing. I can say the Gibson name is iconic, and somebody would definitely be interested if the brand name and/or Les Paul name were put up for sale. So, I think the Gibson name will live on for a long time no matter what happens.

Staying on the financial theme, despite small unemployment, the economy was shaky in the first half of this year. I’m unsure if it will get better in the second half of the year. I can predict the stock market will not enjoy a 25-percent gain like last year.

Therefore, it’s even more important to redouble efforts to focus on providing an experience for the customer, especially if you can’t compete on price. That’s what makes attending Summer NAMM educational sessions important.

Sure, it may sound like a broken record to say that.

I’ve said educational sessions are important before.

But there’s a difference this year. The economy has been firing on most, if not all, cylinders for the past seven years or so. As the economy seemingly weakens, with a recession possible in the next couple of years, it’s time to enforce the value loyal customers provide to your business.

Perhaps, take a night in the second half of the year to find a way to thank them. That can be in the form of an invite-only party at your store, a discount or simply

a phone call to show your gratitude. Or, you may have a better idea.

If you can’t attend the Summer NAMM Show and its educational sessions, another idea is to check out the websites of some of NAMM’s Top 100 winners, who will be honored on June 29 in Nashville.

You can also find some great retailers in next month’s issue, when we publish our Music & Sound Award Dealer winners. If you made it to Nashville, I hope you enjoyed the show. If not, please check out our August issue for plenty of coverage.

On a separate note, seeing an instrument in person can truly drum up interest in that product. I admittedly hadn’t played the drums in years, but I did attend Roland’s Totally Drums event last month in Los Angeles (see next month’s issue for coverage). Drum sets were dotted throughout the company’s U.S. headquarters, with a couple left vacant. I had to just sit down, put the headphones on (for the electronic V Drums set) and let loose. I forgot the rush you get from playing the drums (or any instrument, in fact). Just seeing the instrument reinvigorated my interest, and now I’m even considering lessons. Although the internet is great for many things, if a saw a drum set online, it would not get me excited at all. That’s just one reason brick-and-mortar stores are still great in my book.

June 2018 Volume 35, No. 6

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Editorial and Sales Office: The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Phone: (516) 767-2500 • Fax: (516) 767-9335 • MSREDITOR@TESTA.COM. Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care and must be accompanied by return postage.

Sound & Communications • DJ Times • Sound & Communications Blue Book The Music & Sound Retailer • The DJ Expo • IT/AV Report The Retailer’s Vnewsletter • Convention TV @ NAMM • InfoCommTV News VTTV Studios The Music & Sound Retailer (ISSN 0894-1238) (USPS 0941-238) is published 12 times a year for $18 (US),

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JUNE 2018

P L AY DEAR BOY

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©2018 FMIC. FENDER, FENDER in script and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender guitars are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. California Series is a trademark of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Female Leaders Create SWIM Fund

Female leaders in the music products industry are combining their energies and resources to establish The Smart Women in Music (SWIM) Fund, a fund designed to foster and support female industry professionals at various stages of their careers.

“The SWIM Fund was born out of a desire to reach and serve women who wish to expand their horizons and professional proficiencies, and who demonstrate ambition for a leadership role,” said NAMM chairwoman and president and CEO of West Music Co., Robin Walenta. “It’s our sincere hope that as part of The SWIM Fund, the female leaders of tomorrow will arise.”

The fund, led by Walenta, Crystal Morris, president and CEO of Gator Cases, and DeDe Heid, executive vice president of Heid Music, aims to support women in the industry in three key areas: offering mentoring, learning and professional development opportunities at The NAMM Show and Summer NAMM; job shadowing of female leaders at industry events; and in-company residencies. In 2019, The SWIM Fund will include a two-day SWIM symposium at NAMM’s offices for 12 to 16 women to expand their professional development and leadership skills.

“With the launch of The SWIM Fund, we now have a resource for female industry professionals to find a path, likeminded individuals, and a resource for the continued development of professional acumen that’s vital to longevity and industry retention,” commented Crystal Morris. “No matter if you’re brand new to the industry or an established veteran, The SWIM Fund aims to provide the ‘next-level’ skills to prepare women for the leadership challenges they’ll face.”

DeDe Heid echoed that sentiment: “The SWIM Fund honors those who’ve gone before us and recognizes the important, longterm role that diversity and inclusion have in strengthening the music products industry. With SWIM, we’re encouraging the industry to ‘dive in’ and support female leadership development with a donation to this cause.”

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Adam Hall NA Merges With Musical Distributors Group

(L-R) Steven Savvides, president at Adam Hall Group, North America, and Gabriel Medrano, COO, Adam Hall North America

Adam Hall North America Inc., a newly-formed subsidiary of the German-based Adam Hall Group, announced it merged with its New Jersey-based North American Distributor, Musical Distributors Group (MDG). The partnership will enhance the Adam Hall Group’s presence in the United States and Canada.

The deal will strengthen the presence of the Adam Hall brands, including LD Systems, Cameo Lighting, Gravity Stands, Palmer and Defender Cable Protection, as well as MDG’s exclusive distribution brands, such as Höfner, Ultrasone, EBS, Mad Professor and Lock-It Straps, by combining the sales and service expertise of MDG in America with the operational, logistics and marketing strengths of the Adam Hall Group.

“Our business has been rapidly growing year after year. We are joining forces in order to further drive this growth for all the Adam Hall brands and for our other exclusively distributed brands. It will also allow us to expand into additional market segments,” explained Steven Savvides, president of the new Adam Hall North America. “Combining our strategic New Jersey-based location, 32 years of industry experience, substantial resources, expert staff and a well established network of customers, the partnership will further improve business growth for our existing customers as well as for new ones.”

“The merger with Musical Distributors Group adds to our capacity and geographic presence to reach and service customers in the North American market,” added Alexander Pietschmann, CEO of the Adam Hall Group.

“Steven and his passionate team have done a fantastic job for us over the last years in building a strong customer network and gaining valuable market insights. I’m looking forward to this new challenge and opportunity working together with the team in order to advance our growth plans and ensure that North American customers will gain from improved service and experience,” noted Gabriel Medrano, chief operating officer, North America.

JUNE 2018

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©2018 FMIC. FENDER AND FENDER IN FANCIFUL SCRIPT ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF FMIC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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z z u B Fancy Footwear

Roland Corp. teamed up with global sports brand PUMA to unveil a new TR-808 inspired sneaker, the PUMA RS-0 Roland. The partnership brings into focus Roland’s iconic TR-808 drum machine, credited by many as the spark that lit the flame of hip-hop music worldwide.

The PUMA RS-0 Roland draws its style from the future-retro look of the Roland TR-808’s multi-colored panel of switches, knobs and LED lights. The sneaker features a premium leather black upper, micro perf vents, six-millimeter flat reflective laces, reflective midsole details and signature TR-808 colors — red, orange and yellow — on the Formstrip.

PUMA formally unveiled the PUMA RS-0 Roland at PUMA’s global launch of the RS franchise in Berlin, Germany.

“Roland is honored to collaborate with PUMA, and we’re looking forward to bringing our story of musical innovation to PUMA fans worldwide,” said Roland Corp. Vice President of Global Key Influencers Brian Alli.

PRICED TO SELL THE PASSENGER U•BASS is an attractive, affordable addition to Kala’s U•BASS line. With traditional looks & the same classic booming sound the U•BASS is known for, this instrument is great for learning and gigging.

The Passenger will accompany you wherever you want to go.

UBASS.COM / PASSENGER

10

(L-R) Mike Morrell, manager, Yamaha Music Education System; Synthia Tjioe, owner, Cerritos Yamaha Music School; Grace Hu, mayor, City of Cerritos; Dave Jewell, marketing communications manager, Yamaha.

Yamaha Music School Moves To New Digs

After 25 years of serving its community at 13201 South Street, the Cerritos (Calif.) Yamaha Music School has moved to new quarters at 17150 Norwalk Blvd., #106, in the Villa Grande Business Park.

Since the school’s inception in 1993, thousands of children and adults have taken lessons and learned how to play an instrument.

“Being able to appreciate music is one of the greatest treasures in the world,” said Synthia Tjioe, director and owner of the school. “Bringing the love of music to young children creates memories that will last a lifetime.”

“I believe the Cerritos Yamaha Music School is a great example of the lasting value of music education,” added Tom Hemphill, marketing manager, Yamaha Music Education Department. “It’s incredible to consider how many music makers the school has inspired over the years, and the new location is ideal to take the business to the next level.”

The Yamaha Music Education System is based in music schools and musical instrument dealers in 40 countries worldwide. In the United States, more than 60 schools nationwide are authorized to teach the Yamaha method. Since its inception in 1954, more than six million students have graduated from the program, and many of them have become professional musicians. Currently, almost 600,000 students are enrolled around the globe.

The Yamaha Music Foundation in Tokyo produces, publishes and distributes music education materials throughout the world. The comprehensive system developed by Yamaha helps students reach a high level of ability not only as performers, but also as improvisers and composers.

JUNE 2018

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D’Addario Awards $2K in Scholarships

The D’Addario Foundation’s Music Education for Girls Initiative provided students in D’Addario’s free stringed instrument program with $2,000 in scholarships to continue their musical training.

“These young women first started with us at the age of 10 and have achieved more than we ever imagined,” says Suzanne D’Addario Brouder, executive director of the D’Addario Foundation. “After four years and 800 hours of free music training, these students have blossomed as players and individuals, winning Academic, Citizenship, and Presidential awards.”

The Long Island Lesson Program — financed completely by the D’Addario Foundation and managed by the Harmony Program — has operated for the last four years in the Copiague School District, chosen because of its constituency of high-needs families. It has not had a string program for more than 30 years. The program provides six hours a week of instrument instruction more than 30 weeks a year, including summer camp.

“Some students want to attend Harvard and know they can get there through their music,” said Kelly Flynn, lead teacher for the Long Island Lesson Program. “One of our students wants to attend Juilliard for cello, and to think she would have never come to that conclusion, if not for this program so graciously funded by the D’Addario

Foundation. I asked that specific student what she remembers from the first day of lessons, and she remembered picking out the cello and falling in love with it.

Her parents had no idea what a cello even was.”

The Copiague students performed together in their end-of-the-school-year recital. The free event took place May 21 at the D’Addario and Company facilities in Farmingdale, N.Y.

ESTA to Return to The NAMM Show in 2019 The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) and The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) have renewed their alliance for The 2019 NAMM Show, set to take place January 24-27.

The news comes after a successful inaugural presentation of the relationship at The 2018 NAMM Show in January, where the organizations welcomed professionals from the music product, pro audio and live event technology industries, according to NAMM. At the show, ESTA provided expert guidance and curation of 94 hours of professional development sessions for live event tech attendees, and its booth on the floor served as a gathering spot for members attending the show, many for the first time.

Award Winning Brands World-Class Service We are dedicated to Music Retailers We are St. Louis Music T: 800-727-4512 F: 314-727-4710 E: sales@stlouismusic.com W: www.stlouismusic.com

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L AT E S T

Guitar Center Opens Two New Stores Guitar Center opened two new stores: a new location in Delray Beach, Fla., and a relocated store in Bloomington, Minn.

The Delray Beach location is a 13,000-square-foot facility located at 510 Linton Blvd., part of the New Century Commons area. The Bloomington location, relocated from a previous store in nearby Edina, Minn., is a 17,000-square-foot facility located at 7971 Southtown Center.

Musician services include Guitar Center Lessons, GC Repairs, GC Rentals, and Guitar Center Workshops.

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Correction

In the May issue, Good Stuff section on p.26, the Music & Sound Retailer presented the incorrect Casio photo. The photo that should have been used is presented here.

We regret the error.

Casio surprises hundreds of music students with a Roshon Fegan appearance and keyboard donations.

Guitar Center Issues Gibson Statement

In the wake of Gibson Brands Inc. declaring for bankruptcy on May 1, Guitar Center issued the following statement: “Based on Gibson’s press release announcing its bankruptcy, we do not expect any substantial disruption to our business. Gibson has noted that its restructuring plan includes a focus on maintaining its core musical instruments business with minimal disruption.

Gibson is a premium brand within guitars that continues to perform well and despite media reports suggesting the contrary, guitars remain a central and growing interest for musicians with sales stable or increasing for most of the past decade. In fact, Guitar Center’s guitar sales over the past year have been the strongest we have seen in our history. We think this bodes well for the future and for future generations to develop an interest in and love for playing music.”

— Jeannine D'Addario, chief marketing, communications and customer officer at Guitar Center.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

13

.ORG 18 • NAMM 0 2 E N JU IAL • ADVERTOR

e Note From Jo

Top 10 Reasons Why 2018 Summer NAMM Is Your Smartest Mid-Year Investment In business we are all looking for smart places to invest—ones with low risk and high reward, but those opportunities can often be hard to find. Summer NAMM makes that decision easy by offering business-enhancing opportunities to discover new products, sharpen your skills, and build professional relationships vital to your company’s growth.

Here are our top 10 reasons why an investment in Summer NAMM will more than pay for your trip.

1

New and Innovative Products

With 1,600 + brands on display, including more than 200 new exhibitors, Summer NAMM attracts your most trusted manufacturing partners, but also welcomes emerging brands that you won’t find anywhere else. Make sure to stop at the Boutique Guitar Showcase, Pro Audio Showcase and the dedicated School Band and Orchestra area to find those one-of-a-kind products that your customers want, and more importantly, that your competition doesn’t have.

2

Learn From Your Peers

More than 14,000 registrants from 38 countries, including 90% of the Top 100 U.S. Dealers, provide a diverse pool of successful peers to network with in Music City. Experience the family reunion feel that Summer NAMM has always been known for.

This year, expanded lobby and food areas will help facilitate connections.

3

The All-New Retail Training Summit

Kick-off the show with the all-new Retail Training Summit, the premier education event for music retailers, designed to give hands-on, proven ideas, techniques and tools for retail success.

Retail professionals will be able to choose from six sessions covering the most relevant topics to stay competitive.

4

Get a Glimpse into the Future

Each morning of the show, Breakfast Sessions will present big ideas about the future of the industry with topics such as “Retail Innovators,” “How to Become a Digital Powerhouse: Seven Steps to Online Transformation, ” and the perennial favorite, “Best in Show,” showcasing the hottest products from Summer NAMM that consumers will be buzzing about into the holiday season and beyond.

5

Solve Your Toughest Business Challenges

During all three days of the show, established and emerging music instrument, retail, and pro audio industry members can tailor their learning experience at the Idea Center with more than 60 future-focused educational sessions covering the biggest ideas and game-changing tactics.

6

Discover New Technologies

TEC Tracks will reveal the future of pro audio for sound, studio and stage pros, and on Saturday, A3E (Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange) will present the game-changing ideas that are driving the evolution of new technologies in our industry. Plus, the community will be able to connect with the famed co-hosts of Pensado’s Place, Dave Pensado and Herb Trawick, during the “Pro Audio Party” featuring their popular web show where they host audio and recording luminaries in an hourlong live interview session.

Six sessions designed to give your entire team strategies for success “We never know what we’ll find at Summer NAMM but it’s ALWAYS something good.

That’s why it’s a can’t miss event for Central Music!”

• Social Media and Online Marketing

Robert Christie, A & G Central Music, Madison Heights, Michigan 2017 Dealer of the Year

• Succession Planning

• Financial Management • Business Growth and Entrepreneurship • Sales and Customer Experience • Website and Google Checklist

Summer NAMM Featured Events:

7

Understand Changing Regulations

New regulations such as CITES and Prop 65 are continuing to shape how our industry operates. Through a series of targeted roundtable discussions, attendees will be informed by experts who will help answer your toughest questions and guide decision making.

8

Be Inspired by the Top 100

Dubbed the “Retail Oscars” by Music Inc. magazine, the Top 100 Dealer Awards spotlights the industry’s very best music product retailers and shares their strategies for success with proven ideas and inspirational moments you can take back to your store and your staff.

9

Networking Events and Star Power

All attendees are invited to the annual Summer NAMM Opening Night Party, featuring the 35th Annual American Eagle Awards, honoring jazz legends Chick Corea and The Manhattan Transfer in recognition of their long-term contributions to American musical culture and heritage.

10 Explore Nashville Enjoy live music throughout the city from legendary Broadway Street to landmark theaters such as the Ryman and Grand Ole Opry. Get inspired in Music City USA!

Summer NAMM At a Glance DISCOVER new products • 200+ new exhibitors • Pro Audio Showcase • School Band and Orchestra • Future of the Guitar • Boutique Guitar Showcase • One-of-a-kind products

ENHANCE your skills • Retail Training Summit • 60 future-focused educational sessions • NAMM U Breakfast Sessions • TEC Tracks • Policy roundtables

BUILD business relationships • Experience the family reunion • 14,000 registrants from 38 countries • 90% of the Top 100 U.S. Dealers • Opening Night Party featuring The American Eagle Awards • Top 100 Dealer Awards • Enjoy Nashville

Check out the show directory and map, download the mobile app, plan your education schedule and we’ll see you in Nashville!

Visit namm.org/attend to learn more about Summer NAMM

PEOPLE

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Lee Oskar Expands Its Team dedicated her career to serving top-notch arts and culture organizations, including Smithsonian affiliate museums and public media/ broadcasting via KPBS. Beckelman spent the early part of her career working in various business office environments, including at hospitals and Boeing. She attended culinary school, and has had the opportunity to work with some television cooking programs.

A Sound Choice Charlene Hovey

Julee Beckelman

Lee Oskar Harmonicas announced a companywide expansion in the United States and internationally, with many employees taking on expanded roles and responsibilities. New to the company are Charlene Hovey as director of marketing operations and Julee Beckelman as executive administrative assistant.

Hovey, raised in a diverse environment of musicians, artists and entrepreneurs, loves working with creative ambitious teams. She has

From Metal

Yorkville Sound named James Greenspan its marketing and communications manager. Reporting to the vice president of sales and marketing, Jeff Cowling, Greenspan’s responsibilities include developing strategic digital initiatives, public relations, enhancing Yorkville’s brand internationally and generating trade-specific marketing material while aiding in Yorkville’s overall strategy.

“James comes to us with a wealth James Greenspan of marketing experience in the music industry. His previous experience with project management, fan engagement and event coordination will be a valuable asset to the Yorkville team,” said Cowling. “He regularly coordinates music events around the city and is an avid guitar and bass enthusiast. James speaks our language.”

Before joining Pickering, Ontario-based Yorkville Sound, Greenspan worked in various marketing, retail and communication roles.

“I’ll never forget my dad coming home with my first amp, a Traynor Block40B,” Greenspan said. “From personal experience, I know I am working on a team that values quality, innovation and culture. I look forward to developing exciting marketing activations to push the needle forward for our brands.”

Morley Picks Pete To Magic

Jesus Christ Superstar at Pembroke Pines Theatre of the Performing Arts - Pembroke Pines, Florida

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Trusst. It’s what gigs are built on.

Trusst.com

Morley, maker of pedals, switches and Ebtech brand products, named Pete Fenech its sales and marketing associate. Fenech previously served UpBeat Daily, Music Inc. and DownBeat magazines. He is also a guitarist and bassist with 20-plus years of playing experience.

Fenech will work directly with longtime Morley sales and marketing manager Bill Wenzloff. “Please help us welcome Pete to our team.

He is a much need addition Pete Fenech to our staff that will allow us to better service our valued dealers and distributors, as well as enhance our market presence. Pete will be meeting everyone at the Summer NAMM Show. We are very excited to add Pete’s skills and experience into the Morley/Ebtech family,” said Wenzloff.

JUNE 2018

PEOPLE

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Grand Marshalls

Marshall Electronics added regional sales managers Cathy Fercano and David Hausman, who will cover the broadcast and Pro A/V markets in the greater Northwest and Southwest United States. Both new hires will increase Marshall Electronics’ market coverage and cultivate closer working relationships with dealer and distributor networks in these areas.

Fercano is an experienced sales executive in the broadcast

Ernie Ball Finds the Right Guy

and Pro A/V industry, having worked for many years as a sales manager for IDX System Technology and Hoffman Video Systems. Hausman is also an experienced broadcast and Pro A/V sales veteran, having worked for many years as a Rocky Mountain district sales manager for JVC Professional.

Cathy Fercano

David Hausman

INTRODUCING

D’ADDARIO’S ALL NEW B2B EXPERIENCE

Guy Balbaert

Ernie Ball Inc. appointed Guy Balbaert to the position of director of international business. Prior to joining Ernie Ball, Balbaert led global marketing and sales efforts for several brands in the music industry including Bose and JamHub, and he most recently held the position of vice president of international marketing for FACE distribution.

“I’m very proud to join the team of good people of these iconic brands in our industry,” said Balbaert. “It’s refreshing to see the drive and commitment this company has to stay at the top end of their game, particularly when it comes to product innovation/quality and market communication. I’m completely inspired to drive our success with distributors and partners in the world to the next level in years to come.”

Inner Circle, our new B2B Ecommerce experience, is designed to make your D’Addario buying experience more personalized and efficient than ever.

It can process orders in a flash, recommend new and top-selling products to keep you ahead of the competition, and is optimized for all devices to deliver the most convenient ordering experience possible.

innercircle.daddario.com

PEOPLE

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Fender Adds Key Staff

Max Gutnik

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Dan Heitkemper

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Ron Thorn

Fender Musical Instruments Corp. announced executive positions that will lead electric guitar product development and lifestyle product licensing, as well as the addition of two new master builders to its prestigious Fender Custom Shop. Max Gutnik joined Fender as vice president, Fender electric guitars and basses; Dan Heitkemper assumes the new role of vice president, licensing and merchandising; and both Ron Thorn and Kyle McMillin joined the Fender Custom Shop’s team of esteemed Master Builders.

“Our business and our industry have enjoyed steady growth in recent years, and I’m confident these new leaders and world-class craftsman will continue to fuel growth for years to come,” said Andy Mooney, Fender CEO. “Fretted instrument sales remain strong, and the ever-increasing demand for Fender Custom Shop guitars could only be satisfied by hiring some of the greatest luthiers in the business to join our Master Builder team.”

Gutnik has more than 25 years of experience in the music industry. In this role, Gutnik will oversee electric product aspects of the Fender brand, including electric guitars and basses, from Fender’s Hollywood, Calif., headquarters.

Heitkemper, formerly vice president of eCommerce, now assumes the role of vice president, licensing and merchandising. In this new role, Heitkemper is responsible for licensing the Fender brand to various companies, expanding clothing and collectables product offerings to elevate the brand relationship with customers globally.

Thorn brings decades of expertise in guitar luthiery, namely inlay work, to the Fender Custom Shop. Thorn’s relationship with the Fender Custom Shop team stems from his successful inlay business. Thorn has built more than 800 custom instruments under the name Thorn Guitars, and will now build exclusively for Fender Custom Shop. Thorn is among the first to assume the title principal master builder, one of the highest honors at the Custom Shop and in the guitar-building community.

“Principal master builder is a new title we’re introducing to the Fender Custom Shop in 2018,” said Mike Lewis, vice president of product development at Fender Custom Shop. “In addition to making individuals’ guitar dreams come true, the Fender Custom Shop principal master builders help lead in all facets of the business — effectively collaborating to set the tone and direction for shop operations and culture.”

McMillin, Fender Custom Shop master builder, brings 15 years of musical instrument experience to the Fender Custom Shop. McMillin just finished a five-year apprenticeship under principal master builder Yuriy Shishkov, working on nearly 1,000 guitars with the esteemed builder.

Kyle McMillin

In Memoriam: Murray Sunshine

Murray Sunshine passed away on May 14 at the age of 93. As an employee of Manny’s Music, hired by Manny himself, Murray witnessed first-hand the growth of 48th Street as a music center for not only the country, but the world. Murray later opened his own chain of stores on Long Island. Coret Music first opened in 1954 in Queens, N.Y., and expanded to other locations on Long Island. He sold the business 50 years later to retire.

JUNE 2018

My ambition

is to share my passion with other musicians, no matter what they play.

You want to give every musician the ability to play at their very best. Our payment solutions, tools and technologies make it easy to offer your customers more purchasing power. They’ll also help you increase store traffic, raise average transaction size and build repeat business.

Just right for your future.

Find out how we can help you realize your ambitions.

Visit synchronybusiness.com/music or call us at 888-393-1955.

Credit extended by Synchrony Bank. ©2018 All Rights Reserved.

What are you working forward to?

PRODUCT

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Get a Grip

Promark expanded its ActiveGrip line to include a Classic 2B model as well as a clear-finish option for its existing product lineup. According to the company, the technology behind the heat-activated coating makes the ActiveGrip stick tackier as the player’s hands sweat and their body temperature rises, and

ActiveGrip doesn’t tear up players’ hands or cause restrictions to range of movement or technique.

MSRP: $19.75 Ship Date: Now Contact: Promark by D’Addario, daddario.com

Maximum Output

Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH released the UR-RT2 and UR-RT4 audio interfaces. The UR-RT2 comes with four inputs and two outputs, while the UR-RT4 boasts six inputs and four outputs. Both interfaces offer USB 2.0 and MIDI connectivity alongside a range of input/output options for laptop and iPad, as well as providing DSP-powered effects for zero-latency monitoring. It features studio-grade D-PRE preamps by Yamaha and Rupert Neve Designs transformers.

MSRP: UR-RT2: $349.99, UR-RT4: $599.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Steinberg Media Technologies, Steinberg.net

Live Wire

Ultimate Ears introduced Ultimate Ears LIVE, the brand’s flagship custom in-ear monitor, and Ultimate Ears 6 PRO, both using Ultimate Ears’ patented hybrid acoustic architecture. UE LIVE is suited for festivals, arenas and stadiums. Built with a hybrid acoustic architecture, these monitors incorporate the most complex and powerful acoustic systems Ultimate Ears has ever developed, including six balanced armatures, one dynamic driver and the True Tone Plus, the company stated. UE 6 PRO was designed as an introductory hybrid solution for drummers, bass players, DJs and hip-hop musicians. This design includes two dynamic drivers for midrange and bass, along with Ultimate Ears’ original True Tone Drivers for high-frequency fidelity.

MSRP: Ultimate Ears Live: $2,199; Ultimate Ears 6 PRO: $699 Ship Date: Now Contact: Ultimate Ears, pro.ultimateears.com

Add to the Rig

IK Multimedia released iRig Stomp I/O, a USB pedalboard controller for live and studio use, featuring a built-in audio interface. iRig Stomp I/O is a sturdy, portable pedalboard controller that has four built-in switches along with an expression pedal, and features a professional high-definition audio interface with 24-bit audio and up to 96kHz sampling rate, a combo input jack for line, instrument or mic input with phantom power, balanced stereo output and ¼-inch headphone output for use with Apple devices like the iPhone X, stated the company.

MSRP: $299.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: IK Multimedia, ikmultimedia.com

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JUNE 2018

PRODUCT

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In the Mix

VocoPro’s DKP-MIX system is designed for DJs, karaoke bars, karaoke hosts and enthusiasts seeking a pro-quality rack-mounted digital karaoke player with a built-in mic mixer. The DKP-MIX can play a wide variety of media file types, and also combines multiple audio inputs for a custom mix. It offers integration of a mic mixer with a multitude of effects compacted into one solid player.

MAP: $249; Retail: $299 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: VocoPro, vocopro.com

Don’t Stop Reading

Alfred Music introduced Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course: Popular Hits, Level 1, which is correlated page by page with Lesson Book 1 of Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course and Level 1 of Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course.

When pieces from the Popular Hits books are assigned in conjunction with the material in the Lesson Books, new concepts are reinforced in a fun and motivating way, increasing the student’s interest in piano study, according to the company. Titles in the new product include “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Everything Is Awesome,” “I Got You Babe,” “I’ll Stand By You,” Let It Go,” “Mamma Mia,” “Over the Rainbow,” “The Rose,” “Take My Breath Away” and “You Raise Me Up.” MSRP: $9.50 Ship Date: Now Contact: Alfred Music, alfredmusic.com

Practice perfect posture.

A JORB Well Done

RS Berkeley introduced the JORB, an embouchure training tool for brass players.

Designed by instrument technician Jack Onque and trumpeter Richard Boulger, the JORB offers all brass players a new practice tool that will support the development of one’s embouchure and overall ‘chops’ strength, stated the company. Now available for trumpet/cornet, JORB models will also be available soon for trombone/baritone horn/euphonium, French horn and tuba/sousaphone in the near future.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: RS Berkeley, rsberkeley.com

RedLabelStrings.com A portion of sales will benefit Greyhound Rescue

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

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PRODUCT

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The Whole Kit and Caboodle

MukikiM LLC introduced The SpecDrum — Electronic Drum Kit, intended to help end users learn the basics of rhythm with a spectrum of color. The flexible siliconrubber drum kit includes color-coded drum pads and a color-coordinated instructional booklet that helps guide the beginning drummer through basic rhythms to more complex beats. It includes a colored palette of five drums and four cymbals with hi-hat and bass pedals, drum sticks and headphones. The multifunctional control unit manages seven different drum styles, a variety of demo rhythms to play along with and tempo control to adjust the speed. The record and playback setting allows users to lay down their favorite tracks to listen to again and again.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: MukikiM Toys, mukikim.com

Do the Wave

Kirlin added the Premium Plus Wave 20-Gauge Instrument Cable to its Premium Plus Instrument Cable Collection. The Premium Plus Wave 20-Gauge Instrument Cable has a woven, noise-free cable which is professionally designed with insulation to prevent external interference and ensure signals travel rapidly and smoothly with minimum distortion, delay or loss, stated the company. The Premium Plus Wave 20-Gauge Instrument Cable has a conductive PVC shield with 100-percent coverage, and OFC braided shielding with 95-percent coverage. Kirlin gives its customers the choice between two different metal connectors; either both ¼-inch straight or ¼-inch straight to ¼-inch right-angle. These metal connectors have a gold-plated contact and black barrel designed for a sleek, sophisticated, yet fun and original look. Kirlin also gives its customers the choice between cable lengths of 10 feet and 20 feet. The Premium Plus Wave 20-Gauge Instrument Cable’s woven jacket comes in five different colors.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Kirlin Cable, kirlincable.us

Looking for something different?

JP Musical Instruments

www.jpmusicalinstruments.com

22

Supro Star

The Supro Island Series Baritone applies the retro-modern aesthetics of the Supro Hampton and Westbury guitar models to a 26.75-inch-scale instrument that can be tuned to low A, B or C. The Supro Baritone features a satin-finished maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, and a choice of ash or mahogany tonewood for the body. The instrument’s set-neck design utilizes an easy-access heel joint, a 12-inch fretboard radius and jumbo fret wire to improve playability all the way up the neck.

The Natural Ash version of the Hampton Baritone features a gloss finish on the body with a satin neck. The Djent Black version of the Hampton Baritone has a mahogany body with a satin finish.

The Hampton Baritone features three Mini Gold Foil pickups on a five-way switch. This Strat-style pickup configuration provides hi-fi, low-noise, single-coil pickup tones from the neck, middle and bridge, as well as scooped and funky “inbetween” sounds in the two and four positions. The middle pickup is reverse-wound for hum-free operation when combined with either of the outer pickups.

MSRP: $799-$899 Ship Date: Now Contact: Supro Guitars, suprousa.com JUNE 2018

PACKS A SERIOUS

Punch

NOW AVAILABLE IN STANDARD AND MONEL SETS.

Inspiring Musicians Worldwide.

Visit martinguitar.com for more details.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

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PRODUCT

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Operating System

Roland introduced four new additions to the its SYSTEM-500 modular synthesizer series: the SYS-510 Synth, SYS-555 LAG/S&H, SYS-531 MIX, and SYS-505 VCF. Inspired by vintage Roland modular synths from the 1970s, the latest members of the SYSTEM-500 family fuse classic designs with versatile modern features. Like all SYSTEM-500 products, the new modules are made to exacting standards in a collaborative design and production process between Malekko in Portland, Ore., and Roland in Hamamatsu, Japan, stated the company. The SYSTEM-500 series offers a growing selection of Eurorack-format modules that users can mix and match in any combination to create the ultimate Roland modular synthesizer. Each module is completely analog and designed for maximum compatibility with contemporary synthesizer and effects modules.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: Roland, roland.com

Premier Players

D’Angelico Guitars added several new models to its Premier Series.

Introduced were the Niagara mini-dreadnought and Tammany OM, as well as new koa and aged mahogany options on the Bowery singlecutaway dreadnought. Each model features an onboard preamp, pickup and tuner — making them equally suitable for the stage or the campfire, stated the company. A slim C-shape neck profile guarantees comfort, while lightweight bodies with finely scalloped X-bracing provide warm, unobstructed tone.

MSRP: Starting at $399 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: D’Angelico Guitars, dangelicoguitars.com

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

How to Play Solo Ukulele, by bestselling author Chad Johnson, is designed to help players learn how to elevate their ukulele talents. Designed for the intermediate ukulele player who has a basic command of common chords, strumming techniques, and basic melody techniques, the Hal Leonard publication can show users how they can combine and hone these skills into playing and even arranging their own songs through seven easy-to-follow chapters. Chapter topics include “Scale theory primer,” “Chord theory primer” and “Starting your first arrangements,” with song titles including “All Apologies,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Into the Great Wide Open,” “My Favorite Things” “Ring of Fire,” “Space Oddity” and “This Land is Your Land.”

MSRP: $16.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Hal Leonard, halleonard.com

Back in Black

RC Williams Co. offers its Amazing Bass Stand and Amazing Cello Stand in Concert Black, which allows performers to virtually blend into the stage while still providing a way to protect the instrument from damage and preventing fatigue during any performance. The Concert Black version has rubber bumpers on the contact surfaces to protect the edges of a bass or cello when placed on the stand, as instruments are at greatest risk of damage on the floor of a stage or an orchestra pit, stated the company. The Concert Black version of the Amazing Bass Stand has all the features of the standard model with a more stylized appearance.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: RC Williams Co., rcwilliamscompany.com

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JUNE 2018

We Take Full

Responsibility – For Creating More Music Makers – Yamaha has a never-ending goal: inspire more people to play music.

It’s good for society and it’s good for business. We’re accomplishing this by sponsoring organizations like The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, which helps 250,000 school kids – annually – learn to compose, play and record songs.

Together, we’re inspiring future musicians every single day.

Photo provided by The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

PRODUCT

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In Control

Boveda’s patented two-way humidity management products preserve moisture-sensitive instruments and gear over extended periods of time with zero maintenance required, stated the company.

The product is also designed to eliminate moisture automatically.

The humidity control system is unique in that it responds to ambient temperature and moisture by adding or removing humidity to regulate the pre-determined RH percentage engineered into each product. Convenient packets are stored in an instrument case and absorb or emit purified water vapor through a semipermeable membrane. The Wood Instrument kit prevents cracking, warping and damage to instruments such as the violin, viola, cello, double and electric basses and more.

MSRP: Starter Kit: $22, Four-Pack Refills: $16 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Connolly Music Co., connollymusic.com

Roshon Fegan

Light as a Feather

Galaxy Audio’s TQ6 weighs less than 10 pounds, which the company describes as the true definition of a portable PA. It features a 30-watt amplifier, a six-inch woofer, and wide-dispersion one-inch HF horn. A wired mic input complements a media player with an SD card slot, USB connector, RCA connections, and built-in Bluetooth compatibility for phone or MP3 player. Individual and master volume controls, a tone control, and an echo feature make it easy to mix and control these sources while adjusting voice clarity and music quality, stated the company. The TQ6 can be AC powered or operated from its internal battery for up to 15 hours. It includes a carrying handle and standard pole socket.

MAP: $99.99 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Galaxy Audio, galaxyaudio.com

JUNE 2018

PRODUCT

Viva La Vivo

Dexibell’s VIVO S1 is a professional quality 68-key digital piano with a light-weighted hammeraction keyboard in a pure aluminum body. For musicians on-the-go, it has the capability to operate on plug-in power or standard AA batteries and is Bluetooth-enabled, making this a portable and versatile instrument, stated the company. The VIVO S1 weighs less than 19 pounds and introduces a Virtual Damper Pedal, which allows the musician to perform by fully sustaining notes and pas-

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sages without the use of a physical pedal.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: Dexibell North America, dexibell.com

Cordial Setting

German cable manufacturer CORDIAL introduced its CEON product line, a cable specifically tailored to the specific needs of DJs. One distinctive feature of the highly flexible CEON twin cable is, on the one hand, its thick three millimete jacket, whose spiral shield effectively protects its high-grade copper core (OFC 99.99 percent).

This feature guarantees DJs an interference-free sound in the most demanding sound environments, according to the company. In addition, the product also features NEUTRIK connectors. CEON is available in 27 different versions, three different lengths, three neon colors and a choice of three different connector types.

MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: ceon-cables.com

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

27

SPEAKING UP: SALES OF POWER AMPS AND SPEAKERS CONTINUE TO HUM ALONG

(continued from cover)

“The economy is in a good place. There is an influx of outdoor venues, concerts, events. Audiences are more likely to go out and treat themselves to a night out. This further result is a growing rental business for speakers as it is more affordable for end users and a good alternative for short-term use.”

— Steve Hendee, Yorkville Sound embracing Peavey’s education programs, sales increase, customer satisfaction rises and returns decline. Dealers who attend Peavey education programs see a 40-percent increase in sales on average.”

Added Steve Hendee, director of sales for Yorkville Sound: “At the 2017 NAMM show, we introduced a new version of the Elite series.

Our production department was ramping up for the new product while we were slowing down the old version. Our sales remained consistent while we were ramping up the new Elite production. During this transitional period we were happy with staying steady.”

Delving a bit deeper into what sold well in these MI segments last year and thus far this year, Poole said Peavey’s “IPR power amps continue to exceed our sales expectations as more and more customers recognize the incredible value and reliability of the IPR 2 series.

Peavey was the first to break the dollar per watt barrier with the CS 800 and the first company to produce a commercial audio class D power amplifier. Now we can deliver up to 3,250 watts per channel, which equates to pennies per watt using technology that was developed right here in Meridian. Our powered speakers are unique in all categories. Our Dark Matter enclosures were the first to feature user-definable 96K DSP in a $299 enclosure. Our RBN series enclosures feature the only ribbon-driven point-source speakers in class while providing incredible clarity of signal, and our recently released PVXp powered enclosures deliver the performance of so-called 2,000watt powered speakers at half their price.

“The big win for us was our new Elite and our Paraline series,” said Hendee. “Both products feature multi-band limiting. This is appealing especially to DJs, who can now put more power into the speaker, resulting in more musical protection.”

“Our PX amplifiers and our D Series of powered loudspeakers have been selling great,” relayed Cherian. “The PX amplifiers offer lightweight, high-output, Class D power with an extensive array of DSP tools. Our D Series of powered speakers uses our FIR-X processing, a unique Yamaha implementation of DSP that just feels

28

good to the ear; so good that you forget about the speakers and naturally focus on the music.”

Shifting to future and current product launches, Yamaha recently announced the new DZR/DXS-XLF Series of powered speakers.

“These speakers come with high-speed (96kHz) processing that virtually eliminates latency and phase distortion. The speakers are also available with Dante integration, making flexible routing and system configuration options easy to set up,” said Cherian.

“We continue to introduce more sizes of powered Elite cabinets,” added Hendee. “We look forward to adding recently produced power 10-inch-top and powered 12-inch subs and a full complement of passive cabinets to round out the Elite line.”

Of course, technology is a huge component driving the success of both power amps and speakers. We asked our panel to take out their crystal balls to determine what could be next down the pike.

“It has never been easier to use a speaker anywhere and anytime,” responded Hendee. “Our EXM Mobile has Bluetooth capability and can be completely battery powered. It is so simple for buskers,

JUNE 2018

KALA UKULELE

MORE THAN A BRAND. KALABRAND.COM

FROM BEGINNERS ALL THE WAY TO PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT KALA! • Our dealers are secure in knowing we protect margins and MAP.

• Dealers know their customers best, so we make sure they have the freedom to choose which products they want to sell.

• We offer a wide selection of Ukulele, The Original U•Bass®, and Accessories for customers to choose from.

• Kala customers rarely have just one instrument. They are loyal to the brand and always come back for more.

• We create educational materials and programs to accompany our products and provide resources for new players.

• We have an extensive and growing social media following to tap into!

BUMBLE BEE MUSIC SHOP—Plymouth, MA

weddings, speaking engagements, etc. Developments like these will continue to make speakers more and more accessible and affordable for anyone.”

“Audinate’s Dante has the potential to make it easier for end users to deploy complex audio networks,” added Cherian. “For instance, in the new DZR-D models, each speaker in a sound system can not only get its signal from the network, but also deliver another output and accept two inputs locally. Patching is also simplified when used with Yamaha CL/QL digital mixing consoles from the I/O display, while TF console users can select Quick Config for fast setup.”

Looking specifically at speakers, growth looks strong for the immediate future. Our panelists agreed with this statement.

“Yes, I completely agree there is a positive trend at least for the next three years,” said Hendee. “The economy is in a good place.

There is an influx of outdoor venues, concerts, events. Audiences are more likely to go out and treat themselves to a night out. This further result is a growing rental business for speakers as it is more affordable for end users and a good alternative for short-term use.”

“Yes, I do agree,” added Cherian. “With regard to Yamaha, speakers will definitely be selling faster in the near future. Our designs continue to improve on the customer expe-

rience, implementing more advanced technology while simultaneously simplifying the user interface, making great sound more accessible than before. As such, users become more comfortable making the decision to upgrade their existing equipment sooner.”

Remo Belli “We are always focused on growth at Peavey, and we’re looking at a number of upcoming avenues to achieve this in the speaker market,” responded Poole. “Under our Crest Audio division, we have identified an enormous opportunity in the midsize line array market and have recently introduced the Crest Versarray Pro. This line array will combine digital control and Dante-enabled audio with our crystal-clear ribbon drivers. No other company has been able to offer these features and fidelity in the compact mid-size category.”

“Wireworld increased my tone tenfold which makes me play that much better. When you sound great you play great! ” LANCE LOPEZ BLUES & ROCK GUITARIST

Patented design clears the signal path for pure tone Unique Kevlar core provides strength and durability Custom blended insulation controls electrostatic energy Super flexible with high quality construction Silver, nickel and Amphenol switching plugs available

WPA_Polaris.indd 1

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wireworldproaudio.com

See us at Summer NAMM Booth 629

5/10/18 1:38 PM

JUNE 2018

On the Retail Front

Although the power amp and speaker market has been steady and solid, it always could be more robust. Installations provide opportunities for retailers to boost their bottom lines.

We asked the panel for their thoughts about installations.

“Our biggest growth potential is within the install market,” said Hendee. “Retailers are fighting against big-box and internet retailers. Installation is an edge retailers have over their competitors. Big -box outlets and internet retailers do not have this advantage. This is a great opportunity for MI retailers and continues to grow.”

“Today’s retailer absolutely needs to be both a destination business and provide service to their customers. Gone are the days of simply having a music store and expecting customers to walk in the door. Our customers need only to search the device in their pocket and hit ‘Buy it now.’ In order to grow in the MI retail space, you must either have a fantastic selection of what you represent in stock, or provide a service to your customer that cannot be bought online.

The repair and also the installation business fits perfectly into this approach,” stated Poole.

“If an MI retailer has a properly trained and certified staff, insurance, and a team that can perform on-site service, it’s a great opportunity for the retailer to branch out,” noted Cherian.

As for general advice for retailers when selling these products, Poole said to stock the product “deep” and know how it fits in the market. “If you don’t have it in stock, you have absolutely no chance of selling it. Your customer can order it just as fast as you can and have it delivered for free to their couch. Get educated, provide your customers with real and useful information, and in the end, deliver a superior product.

Know the people you do business with. What happens when you call the company? Does a person pick up the phone? Can you get tech support? Who is actually running the company?

All of these questions are easily answered at Peavey, and we are proud to continue to support the MI industry by continuing to provide superior gear and MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

customer service.”

Hendee’s response was to “sell with confidence.” “Yorkville has an amazing reputation for durability and fidelity that we’ve lived up to for over 50 years.

We do not get returns on our product and have the best twoyear unconditional warranty. I have travelled around and have done in-depth comparisons. Our product just sounds amazing.”

“Yamaha makes high-value products. We are neither the

least nor the most expensive; however, our offerings are designed to solve specific customer concerns. Therefore, it makes sense to highlight the solution, not the price. Most customers know that they want to get louder, but aren’t really sure what this takes. This provides an opportunity for a retailer to showcase a value that the customer can’t get anywhere else, tailored to the customer’s needs,” said Cherian.

“Education is the key to selling loudspeakers,” Cherian concluded. “Customers want to be informed, not pitched. It’s important to take every opportunity to train your sales team until they know the product inside and out. Fortunately, there are many free online resources out there to make this learning easier, including resources that we supply at usa.yamaha.com. Additionally, we offer on-site sales training for our dealer partners.”

Scott Hathaway, Sales Rep

Years at Alfred Music: One year Instruments: Guitar, Voice, Bass & Keys Best Perk of Working at Alfred Music: Amazing people Favorite Genres to Play: 60’s–mid-70’s classic rock Favorite Artist: Led Zeppelin First Concert Experience: KISS/Uriah Heep, “KISS-mas” concert, 1976

alfred.com

Ready to get the "Led" out? Alfred Music has now made available—for the first time ever—guitar transcriptions from all nine studio recordings in one massive hardcover edition. Yes, even the Coda album is in there! This amazing volume opens with 15 pages of detailed information from noted Zeppelin expert Brad Tolinski. The transcriptions are clear and precise, never crowded or difficult to read and include all overdubbed guitar parts as well. Don’t miss out on this historic edition!

EXECUTIVE RETREAT: SUMMER NAMM AGAIN TAKES ON MUSIC CITY

(continued from cover) holiday time,” said Lamond. “That’s the real reason to go to Summer NAMM.” The NAMM executive will lead the opening breakfast session on the morning of June 28, titled “Retail Innovators,” set to take place in the Music City Center’s Davidson Ballroom. “We’ve been working on finding several new concepts that have been working in retail and who’s doing them,” he noted. “It will be a really interesting mix of folks — people you have never heard of before that are doing something unique, along with the veterans who are also trying to do new things. You know at the Grammys when they pair up a new artist with a traditional icon artist? It will be a bit like that. We will pair them up [on stage] and will look at brandnew ideas they have. That should be a fun, interesting session.”

This opening session will follow up on a powerful breakfast session at last year’s Summer NAMM, which highlighted the idea of promoting a store experience as a way to take on the competition.

A year later, Lamond said the feedback has been excellent for last year’s breakfast session. “We have some great quotes about what people took away from that opening session. It really changed their business around,” he recalled. “During that session, we were comparing our industry to the download/recorded music industry. We know that side of the business. We are consumers of recorded music and we love music. The equivalent was, ‘What if you woke up in the morning, you opened up your store, and everything hanging on your wall was all of a sudden free?’ That’s what the artists and record companies went through when downloading

32

Photos by Getty Images

Joe Lamond

became popular, as well as illegal downloading and sharing. Artists had to find new and innovative ways to be successful. Touring, merchandising and sponsorships were ways they went.

“It was an interesting challenge that was thrown out at that session,” Lamond continued. “Could you build a business if everything in your inventory became free?

That made people ask what they could do in lessons, installs, repair and other areas they could add value beyond just the selling of merchandise. We found this session really helped retailers change their business and

JUNE 2018

ucts industry that are combining lots of other neat stuff, includthey are doing well because of need to be there,” he said. their energies and resources ing the Top 100 Dealer Awards it. It was a powerful wakeup. …

A new wrinkle is the Women to establish The Smart Women [set to take place June 29], and Finding more service-oriented at NAMM networking event, in Music (SWIM) Fund; a fund the American Eagle Awards are ways to generate cash flow is following up on its success at The designed to foster and support going to honor The Manhattan really important today.”

NAMM Show. Lamond reported female industry professionals at Transfer and Chick Correa.

That A shift in retail has led to a more than 600 people attended various stages of their careers. will be a fun party to be at on focus, more than ever, on investthe January event, and he’s The fund, led by NAMM ChairThursday night [June 28].”

And ing in the people you employ, excited to add it to this month’s woman Robin Walenta; Crystal you can’t forget about the showNAMM’s president and CEO agenda. This event will take place Morris, president and CEO of Gafloor experience, where retailers added. “If you do that, you are on June 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. tor Cases; and DeDe Heid, execucan build or cement long-term probably doing more to grow At the forefront of this event tive vice president of Heid Music, relationships.

But for me, it’s an your business than anything will be the recently announced executive retreat and dealers else you can possibly do,” he (continued on page 66) female leaders in the music prodsaid. “Success in retail going forward is about the people. To be successful today, retailers must recruit and retain the best people. To do that, you need to keep training them and put them on a path to success.”

The June 29 breakfast session will be led by the “Sales Lion,” Marcus Sheridan, who will draw on his years of digital marketing and impart the transformative strategies needed to win online with “How to Become a Digital Powerhouse: Seven Steps to Online Transformation.” “People really like Marcus Sheridan,” said Lamond. “We looked at a lot of surveys after the last time he spoke, and retailers said he was helpful in how they thought about their business.”

The NAMM Idea Center educational sessions at Booth 453 will take place throughout the show, and the TEC Tracks sessions at Booth 153 will provide many more educational opportunities. “We will have a lot of specific topics that are really on dealers’ minds right now,” stated Lamond. “The TEC Tracks will be focused more on those who are getting involved with event technology: sound, lighting, ™ video. There’s a lot of opportuni............................................................................................................................. ty there, and we are seeing more and more dealers take it. In their Everyone appreciates the sound and appearance of a beautifully aged, vintage communities, they can add a instrument — and now that rare tone and aesthetic are accessible to more than lot of value by being involved in a privileged few. By putting select tone woods through an accelerated aging sound, lights, rentals and event process called torrefaction, Ibanez has harnessed time to reawaken the rich, technology in helping to produce smooth tones that have inspired players for decades. ibanezacoustic.com local events. Most have the expertise anyway, and building out that side of their business from a profitability standpoint is really helping balance out some of the challenges that are impairing retail.”

OLD SOUL SOUND

ARTWOOD VINTAGE THERMO AGED

That’s Entertainment

As always, Summer NAMM will have non-educational events, as well. “Of course, there’s MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

AVD11ANS 33

Summer NAMM Here’s the Pitch Korg introduced the Pitchclip 2, a refined clip-on tuner designed to feature high-tuning precision with excellent visibility and an enhanced clip for better holding power. The Pitchclip 2 also includes a reverse display function, allowing for an easier tuning experience for left-handed guitarists or players who want to keep their tuner behind the headstock.

While carrying on the compact body of the original, the new Pitchclip 2’s display is even thinner than before.

The new series also includes a larger, easier-to-read screen and improved detection sensitivity for the low-frequency region, making it ideal for tuning basses and extended-range guitars.

Booth #1343

Out of this Earth Nashville-based Rare Earth Music LLC is debuting the EarthBoard, which the company states is the world’s first magnetically-powered effects pedal board.

This patented design makes the EarthBoard uniquely cordless (no daisychaining) and portable. It also creates a completely isolated power circuit, ensuring a purer sound without electrical interference, according to the company.

Booth #2010

Aqualung Kodak Moment KODAK PIXPRO will showcase its full line of 360-degree cameras at Summer NAMM. With the KODAK PIXPRO SP360 4K VR cameras, musicians can capture their set and audience in full 360 degrees. For those looking to integrate 360degree VR video with minimal post-production efforts, KODAK PIXPRO offers its newest ORBIT360 4K camera with its ease of use and internal stitching.

Booth #107

Let’s Get Digital Schoenhut introduces its newest line of digital pianos. The Model #2517 25-key tabletop piano and #3017 30-key baby grand are designed in Schoenhut’s traditional style. These pianos come equipped with the capability to connect to any iOS or Android device for use with hundreds of piano teaching apps. They have a truer piano sound and are built to stand the test of time, the company said.

Booth #634

34

The LungTrainer is intended to increase lung capacity, improve breath control and reinforce core breathing technique. Blending the utilization of air pressure and resistance with altering airflow allows each user to transfer the workout from their breathing exercises directly to respiratory production. Students and users love the challenge it presents while teachers love its purposely simple yet advanced design, according to the company.

Booth #506

Land of 1,000 Amps The Model 1 is an all-tube, 15-watt, hand-wired amplifier with a 12-inch alnico speaker built in Minnesota by Puritan Handwired Amplifiers LLC. “Finally, you can get the creamy tube tone at a workable volume,” stated the company. Puritan has dusted off those old designs from the 1950s and built the Model 1, designed to help end users sound great while playing in church, a coffee shop or Carnegie Hall. Perfect as a platform for pedals, for crystal-clear acoustic playing, or for all-the-way-up natural tube overdrive, Puritan said.

Booth #2029

JUNE 2018

Product Showcase Take Your Pick

Feeling Blues

J&B Partners LLC’s GitarQuickPick can be clipped to a strap and loaded to the front with the pick you are using.

If you drop your pick in the middle of a riff you can instantly grab another one and finish the song, the company stated. QuickPick can securely hold picks from 0.50 millimeters to 2 millimeters. You can put two extra picks in the bottom, so you never have to dig in a pocket or go on the floor to find the one you dropped. Made of anodized aluminum on an ABS base, the QuickPick offers four models to choose from, including the No Axe to Grind base for players who do not want a guitar.

Booth# 1705

Alfred Music and advance music released a new Jim Snidero series, The Essence of the Blues, which sheds light on one of the most important forms in 20th century music.

From jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop, country and other genres, the sound of the blues has had an enormous impact on modern music.

Perfect for rehearsals or classroom, there are six instrumental books, transposed for alto sax, tenor sax, trumpet, trombone, flute and clarinet. The accompanying play-alongs are deeply authentic, giving the jazz student a real-life playing experience to learn and enjoy the blues. All books in The Essence of the Blues series are available for $24.95.

Booth #635

Just Wing It Wing Instruments announced the introduction of a new line of headless guitars. The Wing Guitar “Elite” model will be a neck-through design with a 25.25-inch scale, and will be offered with a variety of wood, pickup and electronics options. Designed to be lightweight and portable, the Wing Guitar Elite will be 100-percent hand-built in the USA. Pricing is yet to be determined, but it will be affordable, stated the company.

Booth #1623

Big Boost To expand on the legacy of the VOX AC30 series, VOX Amplification has announced the AC30S1, a single-channel design inspired by the Top Boost channel of the AC30. The AC30S1 also features a single Celestion 12-speaker, studio-quality digital reverb, an effects send/return for pedal pairing and an external speaker output for pairing with other speaker cabinets. Though it is based on a classic Top Boost circuit, the amp offers a versatile palette of tone from chiming cleans to harmonically rich overdrive. The AC30S1’s single-channel design is simple to dial in, yet offers enough versatility to capture a wide range of exciting and memorable guitar tones, stated the company.

Booth #1343

South of the Border

On the Board Waggi Pedalboards introduces its fresh new take on the traditional guitar pedalboard. The pedalboards feature an integrated tidy cable system and a two-tier design with plenty of space to accommodate pedal arrangements in a small footprint. The pedalboards come in three different sizes (W20, W28 and W34) and carry suggested retail prices of $189, $218 and $240 respectively. Waggi Pedalboards’ unique features include an easily accessible front deck, a spacious side deck, and a hinged upper deck that opens to provide extra storage underneath for power supplies and patch boxes; side, rear and bottom cut-outs to allow various cable configurations to pass through; and durable 14-gauge aluminum construction with a stylish stainless-steel back panel for an uncluttered audience view. It includes a padded carrying case for safe and easy transport.

Booth #1226

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Mexico-based Caro Topete Guitars will introduce its new line of acoustic guitars to the U.S. market at Summer NAMM. The patented design is the result of more than six years of testing more than 150 prototypes, stated the company. The most striking feature is the elimination of the round sound hole found in traditional designs, but other innovations contribute to the powerful voice and acoustic responsiveness of their instruments, the company added. Importation of these handcrafted guitars is being handled by John Kopecky.

Booth #1721

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Rise to the Occasion After the success of its pedalboard launch last year, MONO returns with a set of pedalboard accessories to help musicians tame their cable chaos.

Use the MONO Track to insert, loop and track your cables for a tidy onstage setup. Pedalboard Tag lets you do more with less — allowing you to anchor and direct the traffic of your cables, stated the company. It pairs with MONO’s Pedalboard Tie Wrap, which bundles and harnesses your cables for a beautifully simple setup and is set up for even more comfortable stomping with MONO’s new Pedalboard Rise. Designed with the same look and feel as MONO pedalboards, they can be added to a pedalboard with 3M Dual Lock, or attach the included rubber feet to use independently. The MONO Pedalboard Rise come in two sizes (Rise and Rise+), and two colors (silver and black). Track, Tag and Ties are sold separately, or as a complete Accessories Kit, including two tracks, 10 tags and 20 tie wraps.

Booth #921

On Your Side The Conklin Sidewinder Cutting Edge 6-PT (CE6-PT) in Satin Nova finish is Conklin’s most popular bodystyle. It features many of the most requested custom options, all in one model. The CE6-PT includes a highly carved alder body, three-piece hard maple bolt-on neck, resin-stabilized fretboard, stainless-steel frets, luminous side position markers, Lundgren pickups and a Floyd Rose Original tremolo with GraphTech Ghost piezo saddles.

Booth #2028

Drumming Up Business

Let it Slide MagSlide features magnesium and offers uncompromising sustain and warm tone, stated the company. It weighs in at five times lighter than brass, 75 percent lighter than steel and 33 percent lighter than glass, added the company. The MagSlide is plated in black chrome, resulting in minimal string noise on both acoustic and electric guitars. MagSlide is a U.S. Trademark of ThixoTek Inc., a subsidiary of EXPOGO Inc. Booth #1626

Designed for anyone just learning to play the drumset, Hal Leonard’s Drumset Method is a comprehensive and easy-to-use beginner’s guide by Kennan Wylie. It is based on years of teaching drum students of all ages, stated the company. It includes hours of audio tracks for demonstration and play-along, plus video lessons by drum master Gregg Bissonette. Lessons include drum setup and fundamentals, tuning and maintenance, basic music reading, grips and strokes, coordination and basic techniques, basic beats for many styles of music, 8th notes, 16th notes, dotted notes and triplets, drum fills, and more. Books 1 and 2, plus a Complete Edition, are now available.

Tag, You’re It Mr. Key Tag is introducing its Custom Metal Fretted Instrument Key Tag designs. Designs are available for acoustic and electric guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, piano, saxophones and more. The products are all made in America. According to the company, the key tags are a great way for MI retailers to earn extra revenue.

Booth #1615

36

H&K Unplugged Hughes & Kettner has entered the acoustic world with the release of Era 1 and Era 2 premium 250-watt and 400-watt acoustic amplifiers. The Era amp series is the truest this type has ever been to the original tone of the instrument. The Era series features a powerful EQ section and a comprehensive array of 16 built-in effects that allow performers to shape the tone of instruments and vocals.

Booth #1126

JUNE 2018

Huge Persona InEarz Audio custom monitors by Persona Medical feature ADEL technology. ADEL is designed to deliver a louder, more spacious and richer sound in professional in-ear monitors and earbuds, all while reducing the risk of hearing damage caused by earbuds, stated the company.

This technology adds a second eardrum into its custom in-ear monitors. This second eardrum takes the punishment of the pneumatic pressure caused by sound in the ear canal, and delivers clear, crisp sound, added the manufacturer.

Booth #828

Going Golden Deering Banjo Co. added the Rustic Wreath banjo to its Golden Series offerings, expanding the selection for the first time in nearly 20 years.

It started in 2017 as a collaboration with Barry Waldrep. The result is a banjo that honors past traditions, with a sleek, minimalist and modern feel. The Rustic Wreath retains aesthetic features of its older siblings, notably the inlay pattern from the Golden Wreath, the traditional prewar peg head shape and flange holes. The tapered neck profile is also identical to that found on the other models from the Golden Series, giving a very comfortable playing experience, stated the company. These traditional features are paired with a satin finish over a smoky dark walnut stain, and single white binding on the resonator.

Booth #1100

MORE ACOUSTIC PICKUP SYSTEMS Matrix Infinity VT Updated with a new, sealed control module and tweaked to perform even better with modern acoustic guitar amplifiers.

Introducing the New Matrix Infinity VT and Matrix Infinity Mic Blend Over its 25-year history the Matrix has established itself as the go to undersaddle pickup for players and manufacturers looking for great Fishman-Quality sound. And while there were tweaks and adjustments along the way, the basic system

Matrix Infinity Mic Blend Adds a multi-position cardioid condenser mic capsule for increased “air” and tactile tone.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

has been unchanged – until now.

800-FISHMAN

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| Summer NAMM #933

S P ECI AL T O THE R ETAIL ER

OUT OF THIS UNIVERSE Fender introduces Parallel Universe Collection

By Brian Berk In music, everyone loves a great mashup. DJs have long been part of this mashup trend, and they were prominently featured in the “Pitch Perfect” movies. But a mashup regarding a guitar is a bit different.

Fender has a mashup of its own. The company has begun and will continue throughout the year to introduce its limited-edition and collectible Parallel Universe Collection. The Strat-Tele Hybrid was the first to be launched in April. It is a mashup of two Fender favorites — the Stratocaster and Telecaster — and is the first of nine models in the collection. Released on May 1 was the Elite Nashville Tele HSS and June 5 was the Jazz Tele. Yet to be released are the Troublemaker Tele on July 10, Tele Thinline Super Deluxe on Aug. 7, Whiteguard Strat on Sept. 4, Jaguar Strat on Oct. 2, Meteora on Nov. 6 and ‘51 Tele PJ Bass on Dec. 4.

First introduced at The NAMM Show, the limited-edition Parallel Universe Collection offers “twisted” takes on classic models, surprising updates on vintage machines, and a new Fender body shape destined to warp minds and stimulate new sounds.

Regarding why Fender introduced the product, it creates a special set of limited-edition guitars each year with a unifying theme. For instance, in 2017, it released The Exotic Collection, which used special woods, like rescued Honduras mahogany and 120-plus-year-old pine, in unique ways.

Here’s a unique look at the guitars as described by Joey Brasler, vice president of product development, Fender and Squier electric guitars and basses.

“For 2018, I came up with the Parallel Universe theme, but the guitars were a total team effort, including the product development group, Fender Model Shop, Fender Custom Shop and our Nashville research and development team,” said Brasler. “The idea was to create twisted takes on classic Fender models, as you might find in some cool, psycho-alternate reality. Various members of the teams got together for several riotous sessions to figuratively throw paint at the canvas. We mixed and matched Fender bodies, necks, finishes, pickups, bridges, pickguards and more from the Fender parts bin to create stunning new guitars. We argued over some models, because it’s easy to get very passionate when you’re in the middle of something so far outside the box, but we all made it out alive … and we’re still friends! We didn’t expect to create a bunch of great new sounds, but that happened, too, by virtue of the crafty new parts combinations.”

Brasler knew these models would be successful because of the look and sound. “We suspected a bunch of guitarists would want to own and play these extraordinary Fender guitars. Excitement from dealers and players has been far beyond our expectations, and we are very grateful that they seem to enjoy them as much as we enjoyed designing and building them,” said Brasler.

Why the Parallel Universe theme? “While they exist only in theory, a parallel universe is a twin universe somewhere out in space, but in that other universe, events have a very different outcome than in our own world. We knew we were going to create some very unusual Fender guitars, so the name just fit,” noted Brasler.

Product Specs

All Parallel Universe guitars are made in Fender’s Corona, Calif., factory. Said Brasler: “They all have lacquer finishes and use the best components we make, like American Professional, American Original and Custom Shop pickups, comfy Fender neck shapes, and some have custom electronics. The Meteora, a brand-new Fender guitar designed by R&D engineer Josh Hurst, is full of cool features and decked out with Fender Custom Shop pickups and American Professional Telecaster hardware. The Jag-Strat is a triple-pickup Jaguar transmogrified into a Strat body, with Strat switching and custom chrome control plates. The Whiteguard Strat is literally a Vintage Blonde Telecaster, complete with a Tele neck fused with (continued on page 67) 38

JUNE 2018

Evolving with you.

With a sleek new user interface, a generously expanded switching bandwidth and higher RF output power for the 500 Series, and new multi-channel functionality for the 100 Series, G4 delivers high-quality, reliable audio for musical performances, houses of worship, and theaters. www.sennheiser.com/g4

S P ECI AL T O THE R ETAIL ER

DETROIT ROCK CITY WALLACE DETROIT GUITARS FORMS UNIQUE CHEVROLET RELATIONSHIP

By Brian Berk If you’re looking for a unique guitar, we’ve got one. Wallace Detroit Guitars, manufacturer of guitars created out of the wood of former Detroit landmarks, collaborated with Chevrolet to release a limitededition line of guitars celebrating the Chevy Trucks Centennial.

The first run of guitars is handcrafted out of maple sourced from General Motors’ own Fort Wayne, Ind., truck plant.

The reclaimed long-grain maple has been refined into the company’s Wallacaster body shape, with an oil-finished neck, rosewood fingerboard, a pickguard in Chevrolet’s Centennial Blue and finished with a clear, high-gloss lacquer.

The guitar’s pickups have been handcrafted to resemble the iconic Chevy heritage bowtie emblem. “These guitars have the [Chevy] logo wood-burned into the headstock,” Mark Wallace, founder of Wallace Detroit Guitars, said. “They are maple, and it’s a long-grain laminate of maple. We have a custom plate in the back for the strings. We hand wind our pickups in the shop. The neck pickup is in the form of the Chevy bowtie. And we have the GM truck 100th anniversary logo included in the guitars as well. They ship with a hardshell case, which is included in the pricing.”

Of course, Wallace Detroit Guitars and General Motors, manufacturer of Chevrolet vehicles, share a city. But beyond this one thing in common, one would think a boutique guitar brand simply reaching the right people at the $53 billion global corporation would be a monumental task.

Luckily, Wallace Detroit Guitars didn’t have to. “Chevy actually reached out to us,” Wallace told the Music & Sound Retailer. “We have a great staff here and we’ve received a lot of buzz and positive support from the local community. A Chevrolet employee heard about us and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a Chevy truck-themed guitar?’ Chevrolet reached out to us and we thought it was a great idea.”

“The Chevy Trucks Centen40

nial is a huge milestone for the Chevrolet brand, and we know it is equally important for our customers,” added Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Trucks advertising and marketing director. “We are so excited to partner with Detroitbased Wallace Detroit Guitars to offer one more way for our customers to celebrate this accomplishment with us.”

Wallace noted the tremendous respect he has for Chevrolet. “For me, Chevy represents strength, stability, American made, and is a true iconic brand,” he said. “If you look at the history of Chevy trucks and the logo and design, it’s an amazing line of products that they put out.”

Coming to an agreement to make the limited-edition guitar line was only the first part of the

story. The wood to be used for the guitars was next on the agenda. “[Chevy] reached out to its factory in Fort Wayne,” Wallace recalled.

“One of the guys working in the factory said they had these old workbenches that are made out of maple. He said, ‘Maybe you can make guitars out of them.’”

Wallace got into his truck and drove to Fort Wayne in treacherous weather. After receiving a tour of the factory, he was driven to another building, where beautiful workbenches resided. “They were scarred. They were used quite a bit,” Wallace remembered. “But they had a ton of character and the maple is rock solid. I was really excited. We’re really honored Chevy partnered with us in this way.”

The result is a one-of-a-kind collaboration. “Of course, rock and

roll has really strong ties to guitars,” Wallace noted. “But I think it’s really unique to have some of the car features included in the construction of the guitar itself.”

About 20 guitars are expected to be made. Thus far, interest in the limited-edition instruments has been widespread, and not just among guitar enthusiasts.

“There’s been a lot of interest. It’s going to be a numbered series.

One of the people interested is a serviceman from Fort Wayne.

He’s lived close to the factory his entire life and wants to get a piece of the history. Another is an employee of the factory. We’ve also had three people who seem to be collectors,” said Wallace. “Not just with the Chevy line but [regarding] all of our products, we want people to be excited about the JUNE 2018

guitars, how they look, and we are very focused on making these great guitars to play. We don’t want our guitars sitting on a shelf someplace.

We think they are gorgeous, with quality craftsmanship, for people who love playing guitars.”

Diverse Background

and guitar, beginning in eighth grade. He has been a musician ever since, including playing in the band Black Jake & the Carnies, known as the Ypsilanti, Mich.-based “Legendary Kings of Crabgrass.” The band has played with Tommy Ramone and Eddie Money, among others.

Founded by Wallace in 2014, Wallace Detroit Guitars intends to “breathe new life into reclaimed wood from Detroit buildings by shaping it into some of finest American guitars on the market.”

Formed in nearby Flint, Mich., in 1908 and headquartered today in Detroit, General Motors and Chevrolet have played a pivotal role in the development of the Motor City and its storied automobile history. Wallace said Detroit is ingrained in his blood as well.

“I love Detroit,” said Wallace.

“I’ve lived here my entire adult life and it’s a really interesting city.

Detroit is full of people who know how to make things and who are proud of their work. But the city has suffered for many years. The guitars are turning some of that narrative on its head and remind us that some things that might not look like opportunities really are tremendous opportunities.”

Wallace has a diverse background. He initially served as a high school teacher and then went to graduate school to study real estate, as he saw many dilapidated homes in the Detroit area. As time went on, his interest in these homes increased. “I started to buy some properties and fix them up,” he said.

“After working in real estate for 10 years, I ran into a friend of a friend who was working at a nonprofit deconstructing houses. I offered to introduce him to some architects and contractors in town. I went to visit his shop to see the warehouse.

He showed me a cutting board that some of the guys has built. Immediately, it hit me it would be amazing to have a guitar that looked like that cutting board that was made out of wood from old houses. That was the genesis for my idea.”

Although a new manufacturer, Wallace wasn’t completely new to music when he founded his company in 2014. He took up violin as a young child and has played bass MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

41

FI V E M INUTE S W ITH

ANTONIO FERRANTI

PRESIDENT, PROEL NORTH AMERICA INC. Proel North America, known for the Proel and Dexibell brands, among others, has seen excellent growth in a short amount of time. We talk to the man behind it all, Antonio Ferranti, to explain this growth, the “renaissance of keyboards,” and much more. Enjoy.

By Brian Berk The Music & Sound Retailer: Please tell us about both Proel and Dexibell. What products does each produce? And tell us a little about the histor y of each.

Antonio Ferranti: Founded and headquartered in Italy more than 25 years ago, Proel is an exciting and incredibly robust musical instrument and accessories manufacturer with eight internal business units that produce world-class Italian brands that address nearly every facet of the music products industry. From acoustic instruments such as band, orchestra, percussion and guitars, to high-tech digital instruments such as digital pianos, keyboards and organs, to pro audio and stage lighting, Proel brands are known internationally for their “Made In Italy” design, engineering, manufacturing and forward-thinking technology. Proel’s most internationally known brands include Axiom (pro audio), Sagitter (stage lighting), Dexibell (digital pianos, organs and keyboards), Tamburo (drums), and Proel cables and accessories.

Dexibell is among Proel’s newest brands and business units, and produces exciting digital pianos, organs and keyboards, which perfectly represent the handcrafted Italian design, forward-thinking engineering, and best-in-class technology that has earned Italian brands their worldwide reputation for style and substance.

From our design studio and factory in central Italy, our Dexibell engineers have more than 40 years of experience developing and designing the industry’s most well known brands.

Now, with the support of Proel, our engineers 42

finally have the freedom and encouragement to express their full creativity and genius, and are pioneering the best instruments and technology in the world. We were honored to be nominated and win in several categories of keyboards and accessories in our very first year in North America, and our 2018 product releases are sure to further showcase the finest digital pianos ever created.

The Retailer: Being Italian-made has definite positive connotations. Tell us about the quality of products and the importance of being Italian-made.

Ferranti: “Made In Italy” is a singular mark that denotes the finest in style and craftsmanship the world has to offer. When you think of any product category that is defined by craftsmanship, technology, taste and design (clothing, cars, food, furniture, architecture and, of course, musical instruments) you think of Italian brands — Alfa Romeo, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Ducati, Fendi, Ferrari, Gucci, Lamborghini, Prada, Stradivarius, Valentino, Vespa, to name a very few. When one further considers the most celebrated inventors, philosophers, writers, painters, chefs, sculptors, architects, composers, singers and musicians, Italy has an incredibly rich legacy that is eternally in a state of rebirth. As a proud Italian manufacturer of musical instruments, completely designed, engineered and manufactured in Italy, it is in our blood to strive for excellence in craftsmanship, invention of technology and style that is truly world-class. As we say, “300 years ago the Italians invented the piano; today we have reinvented it.” And we mean it. Indeed, our instruments represent the highest-quality tone, touch and technology. While our technology is too robust to detail here, know that our digital instruments express the highest-resolution tone in the industry, the widest dynamic range, unlimited polyphony, seamless patch changes, the most responsive touch to a player’s articulation and expressivity, Bluetooth connectivity, and a truly living tone that is characterized by the industry’s most complete sample length in an instrument that models the behavior and nuance of every sound. We call this suite of technologies T2L (True to Life), and our digital piano line is called “VIVO” meaning “alive,” because these digital instruments are truly and acoustically alive.

The Retailer: Please tell us about your background and career. What made you launch the North American distribution company of Proel? Please also add in your roles at Roland and Alfred and what you learned there.

Ferranti: I was born in upstate New York, the son of Italian immigrants. My father was an engineer and organist from a little Italian hill town south of Rome, and my mother was a multitalented ballerina, fashion model and nurse from Rome, Italy. Music, dance, art, and, of course, JUNE 2018

Italian language and culture were always taught and encouraged. I have two sisters and we had a happy home as my mother worked very hard to always ensure we had every opportunity, including attending summer school in Italy throughout the years.

My path in music, piano education and even business started when I was in kindergarten.

When I was 5 years old, my sister Diana, then 12 years old, was tragically hit by a car while walking home from school. The accident put her into a coma and devastated our family for many months. When my sister eventually emerged from her coma, the brain surgeon recommended that my mother put her in piano lessons to ensure that her hands were moving and her brain fully engaged. She got piano lessons from a local church pianist, and I instantly became her piano tutor at home.

The teacher had assigned her Alfred’s Basic Piano Course method. I remember helping my sister with her practicing and seeing the name Morton Manus (co-author and president of Alfred Music) on the cover and thinking that I would one day find and thank that man. As fate would have it, after graduating from The Crane School of Music in Potsdam, N.Y., and getting my start in the music products business with Onondaga Music Service, and then in marketing with The FJH Music Co., I eventually went to work for Alfred Music. I worked with Morton Manus and the Manus family, and my career there would grow over the next 13 years until I became vice president of sales.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Alfred Music was a great company to develop my skills and career, as it allowed me to get involved and gain experience in every aspect of the industry: sales, marketing, management, production, artist relations and finance.

In 2015, I joined Roland as product strategy manager for home pianos, keyboards and organs. It was a great opportunity to apply my connections in music education to music instrument manufacturing. Like most music products manufacturers, I noticed there was a need for expanded artist relations with widely known music educators and influencers, and a need to make the connection with instrument manufacturing to teachers and students, so I saw an opportunity to innovate. I reached out to my contacts in music publishing to attract educators such as Randall Faber (whom I had known since working in marketing at The FJH Music Co.) and Jim Brickman (whom I had known since working together at Alfred Music), and also assembled value-added educational piano bundle-packs which included lesson books, videos, lamps, and print and digital sheet music through partnerships with Alfred Music, Hal Leonard, Mighty Bright and more. It was effective product strategy that delivered great growth during my time at Roland.

After leaving Roland, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself with an emerging digital piano brand from Italy, called Dexibell. Interestingly, Dexibell was formed by leading Italian engineers after the close of Roland Italy, and began getting recognition in Europe for its groundbreaking tone, touch, technology and design. From the moment I saw and heard Dexibell VIVO digital pianos, I knew these were the most exciting digital pianos in the world and that I had to be a part of this story, as it brought all facets of my passion and my past uniquely together. Being fluent in Italian, I wrote to the CEO and executive team in Italy and asked if they had plans to distribute to North America. A week later I was in Italy on the Proel campus and Dexibell design studio and we began strategizing the launch of Proel North America, beginning exclusively with the launch of Dexibell Musical Instruments at the 2017 NAMM Show.

The Retailer: What are some of the most important things you’ve learned since you became president of Proel North America?

Ferranti: We founded Proel North America in 2017 to distribute these great products to the USA and Canada. The partnership is the greatest thrill of my professional life and, on a daily basis, challenges every skill I have developed in sales, marketing, business development, artist relations, finance and management over the past 25 years.

The classroom of entrepreneurship teaches me valuable lessons every single day; most importantly that passion and integrity are the keys to a successful business, and are at the core 43

of our products and our business model. From the engineers and designers who create our instruments, to the musicians who play our instruments, to the dealers who sell our instruments, it’s all about passion and integrity in everything we do and in every partnership we have.

What we are doing is hard.

We are introducing innovation to the establishment. This afflicts the comfortable, as they say. So, passion for what we do and the integrity to stay committed is essential. To paraphrase what Steve Jobs once said, “You have to have passion in everything that you do, because it will carry you through the hard days when any sane person would otherwise quit.”

The Retailer: What has the growth been like at Proel North America? What are you most proud of so far?

Ferranti: We have just wrapped up our first full year of distribution to North America and the growth and acceptance by artists and dealers has been inspiring. We have “boot strapped” this process, meaning we have let the integrity and high quality of our instruments speak for themselves. Once some of the world’s top musicians, including Stevie Wonder, Victoria Theodore (Beyoncé), Shelèa (Quincy Jones, David Foster), Russell Ferrante (The Yellowjackets), two-time Grammy Award winner Kevin Toney, and top piano educators such as Gayle Kowalchyk (Alfred Music) and Jennifer Eklund (Piano Pronto), had heard and played our instruments, then they began evangelizing our products and brands on their own, because of the inspiration these instruments

have brought to their art.

Indeed, we have a lot of passionate evangelists who love what we are doing and what we stand for, and take up the cause of Dexibell on their own. They are proud to be part of a new movement, a renaissance of keyboards. I’m most proud that the passion and integrity for our instruments has attracted many of our industry’s most respected artists and retailers.

The Retailer: You hosted a special open house event at Proel’s Italian headquarters in April. Please describe in full detail what happened at the event.

Ferranti: In April, we hosted

an international Proel convention, where we invited hundreds of international music products retailers, distributors and press agents to our headquarters in Sant’Omero, Italy, to spend 3 days with us and celebrate 25 years of Proel; and to christen our expanded facilities and newly built artist theater and concert hall. For newer retailers and distributors, it was an eye-opening introduction to how impressive and extensive Proel’s catalog of “Made In Italy” products truly is. We hosted lunches, dinners and banquets, presented concerts and new product demonstrations, conducted tours of our beautiful campus and facilities in the foothills of Italy, and took an excursion to a local

early-century castle with wine tasting from our world-famous Montepulciano wine region of Italy. It was an extraordinary weekend in Italy which left all of our retailers and guests with a better sense of our passion, integrity, partnership, hospitality and showmanship, and reminded our partners of the rich legacy of Italian craftsmanship and instrument manufacturing.

On the first evening, everyone arrived at our beachside convention hotel on the Adriatic coast, where we had an opening night banquet with our international retailers and guests, each of whom were seated with their Proel sales and marketing managers. It was a great opportunity to unwind and prepare for the weekend ahead.

The next morning, we brought our guests on a scenic ride along the Adriatic coastline and through the ancient hill town region to our Proel headquarters in Sant’Omero, Italy, in the Abruzzo region, famous for its rich history of instrument manufacturing.

After everyone was checked in, our guests gathered and were seated in our newly built performance theater for an amazing concert and product demonstration that simultaneously introduced the audience to all eight product divisions of Proel including band, orchestra, percussion, piano and organ, pro audio, stage lighting, commercial sound systems, and accessories. It was an impressive concert and company presentation that showcased our world-class products, as well as our team of business leaders, culminating with our founder and president, Fabrizio Sorbi, welcoming everyone to Proel, and demonstrating his passion and pride for our great company.

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JUNE 2018

We then broke for a buffet lunch at the Proel headquarters cantina (where a complimentary healthy lunch is served every day to our employees), followed by a 1 p.m. tour of our logistics hub where thousands of our “Made In Italy” products are received from our manufacturing units and then packed and shipped to our distributors and retailers worldwide every day. At 2 p.m., we organized our guests into two groups, with one group going to the Dexibell campus for a tour, concert, and product demonstration; and the other group staying on the Proel campus to tour the showrooms of our other Proel divisions, with a hands-on product demonstration and question-and-answer session hosted by each divisional product manager. All groups then met in the evening at a beautiful hotel ballroom on the Adriatic coast for a gala dinner where we presented awards to our top retailers and distributors. I was honored to accept an award on behalf of Proel North America for our breakout year in the USA and Canada with the award-winning launch of Dexibell digital pianos, keyboards and organs.

On the final day, after breakfast, the groups traded places for the opportunity to tour the Dexibell and Proel campuses for demonstrations, performances, and hands-on product experience and Q&A. After regrouping for a banquet lunch at the Proel cantina, the group took a bus ride out Civitella del Tronto for a visit and tour of the centuries-old fortress with wine tasting, while enjoying the most spectacular views of the rolling Italian hillsides. It was an excursion to remember always, and one that all of our guests will be talking about for years to come. We then went back an Adriatic seaside hotel for a final banquet and a cap on this extraordinary Proel convention.

The Retailer: What’s the current state of digital organs and pianos today?

Ferranti: While being a growth leader in the music products industry for several years due mostly to their embedded conveniences, digital pianos and organs themselves have been in a rather stagnated MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

state of uninspired technological and design atrophy. I call it “The Dark Ages” of keyboard design and technology in search of a “renaissance” (the first renaissance having also been born in Italy).

That is, each season, the four or five well known, highly diffuse legacy brands release products which, if the logos were removed, most consumers or dealers couldn’t tell them apart by sight or by sound. Stage pianos have seen the same cookie-cutter slabs coming off production lines for years. In the digital home upright and mini-grand categories, we’ve all heard the same poorquality digital samples through overly reverbed settings emanating from the same old black and brown acoustic piano design imposters for all too long. This industry is thirsty for disruption and innovation, and that’s what Dexibell is delivering. Dexibell has the industry’s highest-resolution tone. Instead of hearing the same old CD-quality 16-bit truncated digital samples artificially looped ad nauseum, Dexibell delivers a high-definition acoustic realism with unlimited polyphony and seamless sound changes that makes your digital instrument come ALIVE, (translated “VIVO” in Italian); which is why Dexibell’s piano series is called VIVO. What’s more, we’ve partnered with Ferrari’s concept design firm to create stunning, vibrant Italian piano cabinetry and keyboard designs that musicians will love in their homes, studios, classrooms and on their stages.

Musicians are vibrant, creative, passionate, expressive and committed to the integrity of their music-making; we believe their instruments should be as well.

limited sample quality, to their limited polyphony, inabilities to change settings without dropping sounds, to their latency between the performer’s touch and the instrument’s response, and a whole range of other limitations.

Dexibell has changed the landscape of possibilities by starting with the industry’s most powerful computing capacity and combining that with state-of-the-art tone production, which allows our instruments to make music without compromise.

Other technologies that are changing the way we learn and perform include the emerging application of Bluetooth connectivity. Dexibell instruments are Bluetooth enabled to give students a whole range of ways to conveniently and wirelessly connect to their technology, and give performers new opportunities to connect to their gear and other musicians in ways that previous generations of instruments could not. From intelligent play-along performance apps such as Dexibell’s XMURE app, to educational apps and distance learning platforms, wireless connectivity is a powerful asset to have onboard.

Of particular note, Dexibell just launched a first-of-its-kind operating system on all of our instruments called AQUAVIVA. This groundbreaking technology allows musicians to transmit both

audio and MIDI simultaneously across a single USB line. That’s huge. The applications are numerous; not the least of which is the ability to connect the industry’s highest-quality tones directly to your DAW or computer without an intermediary audio interface, as well as the ability to connect and control other instruments, all with a single USB. These possibilities for interactivity, performance and recording, which were never possible before without a mountain of gear and cables, are now available to everyone with this innovative technology. In fact, this brand new technology, pioneered

by Dexibell, will change the way we interface with gear, audio and recording equipment.

The Retailer: Tell us about some recent product launches and what will be coming down the pike?

Ferranti: This is a very prolific period for Dexibell. As far as technology, at The NAMM Show, we announced and premiered our new AQUAVIVA operating system mentioned earlier. We debuted our all-new VIVO S1, the industry’s most powerful compact stage piano. It comes complete with all of the power and technology of our award-winning flagship VIVO S7 model in a beautiful, lightweight, 68-note aluminum (continued on page 68)

The Retailer: What technologies are changing the market and/or could change the market in the future?

Ferranti: With regards to digital instruments, high-speed, high-capacity, state-of-the-art computing is making uncompromising technology such as Dexibell’s patented T2L (True to Life) production possible. By comparison, the limited onboard chips and computing capabilities of many of the legacy brands out there have had to make compromises on everything from their truncated sample length, to their 45

M I SPY

LIGHTING IT UP IN ARIZONA I love looking for guitars and drums. But even the MI Spy can do that too much. I wanted to look for something different this month and go in a different route. Well, this month I definitely checked out something different.

When bands want to look more professional or DJs get a call to do “the big party,” having a knockout lighting package is essential. Renting lights is always an option, but typically an unwelcome expense, especially when most gigs can be covered by a small lighting package. That’s why this MI Spying effort will be looking closely at music retailers in the Phoenix, Ariz., area to put together a basic, affordable lighting package.

The system I envisioned would light a small stage area and be easy

to both transport and set up, even for someone without lighting experience. Also, unless you’re an old stagehand, talking lighting can be pretty intimidating. So, I felt that it was important not only to find the lighting gear, but also to find someone at each store who could have a conversation about typical lighting needs, the gear and lighting-control options; everything needed to help get someone new to lighting off to a good start.

My music friends in the Phoenix area were ready to help get me get started and pointed me to four music retailers in Mesa, Scottsdale and Glendale, just a few minutes from downtown Phoenix, where they had seen lighting gear on display. I visited each store on my mission to find the best retailer for this special buy.

Milano Music F 38 W. Main St. F Mesa, AZ 85201 F 800.344.9324 My first stop was at Milano Music. Parking is on the street, but even on my weekend visit, I had no trouble finding a spot that was close. From the street, this store appeared to be a basic main street business with a large storefront. However, once inside, I was surprised to see how the store was elaborately organized into departments. Areas included orchestral instruments, brass and woodwind, and keyboards, as well as guitars, amps and percussion. The high ceiling gave the store a sense of space and ample room to display items on walls and free-standing partitions. The departmental organization made me feel like I might be in a mini version of a large chain store, but the vibe of the sales personnel was very friendly 46

and fitting for a local music store.

All areas of the store seemed clean, well organized and thoughtfully stocked with current models and the expected brand names. There were just a few used items sprinkled around the store not relegated to a dusty “old gear” graveyard. Milano seemed to have a good mix of new and vintage gear. One problem, though: I couldn’t find the lighting department.

As I moved further into the store, a salesman left the sales counter to meet me and asked if I needed help finding something.

While there was no lighting department, per se, my salesman was friendly and helpful. He ushered me over to an area at the back of the store where I found some LED washes mounted on

a stand. He gave me a quick history of the store, its typical clientele and explained to me that, while Milano’s used to stock more lighting fixtures and accessories, of late they have found that the Chauvet DJ 4BAR system addresses most needs for DJs, bands and solo acts who are looking for a flexible LED wash light system. I gave him a couple of potential lighting scenarios and he demonstrated how the four compact LED fixtures mounted on a stand could be easily controlled to do what I needed using a threepedal footswitch included with the system. The 15-channel DMX system, which includes an adjustable tripod, footswitch, cabling and transport case, was on sale at just under $400. While

I would have liked to have seen more options and not felt that the DJ 4BAR was my only choice at Milano’s, the salesman did a great job of demoing and explaining the features, including how more 4BARs can be slaved together to build a larger system and how an external controller, like Chauvet’s compact Obey 3, could be used with it.

While the selection of lighting at Milano was limited to essentially one manufacturer and model, a unit was set up and ready to demo. In addition, the salesperson was experienced, prepared and did a great job of explaining how the system is set up and where it could best be used. He was quick to add that he could order items for me to build out a bigger lighting system.

JUNE 2018

Campos Music & Supplies F 1241 E. Broadway #24 F Mesa, AZ 85204 F 480.610.4647 Next, I headed just around the corner in Mesa to Campos Music, where I had heard there was a large lighting setup on display. Essentially a strip of small storefronts, Village Plaza, where the store is located, provided convenient parking, and the parking lot was not crowded. Space in Campos Music, however, was at a premium. The two long counters that followed the walls on either side of the store were fully stocked and additional inventory had been piled on the countertop in several places. Some gear was still in boxes. Sound gear, stands and other larger pieces were corralled in the center of the store leaving only one aisle, of sorts, to follow through the store.

Campos Music seemed devoted to mostly acoustic instruments and gear for Mesa’s Latino music community. However, in addition to the button accordions, acoustic nylon-string guitars and basses, there was a stage-size lighting truss hung low over the back half of the glass counter on one side of the room.

You couldn’t miss this lighting department.

The salesperson, seated behind the counter, was congenial, but had little to offer in terms of putting together a lighting setup or sharing anything about his stock.

Never rising from his seat, he pointed me to the low-hanging truss just over his head seeming to indicate that everything the store carried was on display. On the upside, the truss worked as an effective display and was clearly visible to anyone entering the store.

It’s likely that that was how my Phoenix musician friends knew that Campos carried lighting gear. The truss mounting also made all the lighting fixtures readily accessible. On the downside, what was on display represented an odd mixture of basic fixtures, including some non-branded polished MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

chrome PAR56 cans, inexpensive moving-head lights, and a few pattern laser effects. The randomly placed and unpowered display of fixtures with no obvious organization made it difficult to see if a system could be assembled from

the piece parts. The store didn’t seem to have anything to offer in terms of lighting control.

I hung around for a while trying to promote some conversation about simple lighting setups, but no assistance was offered and I

left assuming, while the physically large display gave the indication that lighting was something this store stocked, it was simple, preprogrammed lighting effects that the store was offering.

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Guitar Center F 8949 Talking Stick Way F Scottsdale, AZ 85250 F 480.362.1150 A few minutes’ drive got us to the large lot at the popular Guitar Center in Scottsdale’s Pavilions Shopping Center. The spacious lot provided convenient parking for this and other large stores in this upscale mall where the Guitar Center figured prominently. The building seemed new and, inside, the store was very clean and well organized into departments.

From its entrance, the Guitar Center store had a comfortable flow and, perhaps because of its size, even with a large amount of gear on display, the store didn’t seem crowded. As with most Guitar Center locations, each department was well stocked and, at this location, each had some sort of interactive display staged

up front that invited shoppers to try out gear. For example, a Roland V-drum kit with a Bose L1 sound system was set up and ready to play at the entrance to the percussion department. However, I found the location of the lighting gear to be somewhat less obvious, located on shelving just outside the enclosed DJ area.

A friendly salesperson greeted me and asked how he could help.

He was happy to point me to the lighting gear and offered to help if I had questions. After looking around a bit, I couldn’t find any lighting gear set up, so I found Brett at the sales counter to see how he would approach putting together a basic lighting rig. He understood what I was looking for

and did a good job of pointing out the parts on the shelf that I might need, offering a couple of options for fixtures, stands and a basic lighting controller.

The salesperson showed me some Proline VENUE THIN TRI38 LED stage lights, a Chauvet DJ Obey 3 DMX lighting controller and two options for stands: an On-Stage LS7730 Lighting Stand set that includes a 10-foot truss for just under $190 and an On-Stage LS7720BLT Lighting Stand with adjustable side bars to mount light fixtures and effects at different levels. He also had some experience with setting up and transporting lights, and was happy to share it.

It was unfortunate that all the

component pieces we discussed were boxed and none were on display. Especially for someone without lighting experience, trying to guess at the brightness of the LED lights or envisioning a complete lighting setup on a stand would be hard. This presents less of an issue for someone with some lighting experience, but certainly would impact someone who was new to lighting gear. While the salesperson seemed willing to help me unbox and look at some of the products, getting the stands down from the top shelf would have required him coming up with a ladder, and having me set up stands with a 10-foot truss in a store aisle would be problematic.

Sam Ash F 4402 W. Cactus Road F Glendale, AZ 85304 F 602.863.7746 Also located in a shopping mall, Sam Ash at the Cactus Village Shopping Center seemed clean and well organized. Parking was similarly convenient, and the store followed the popular scheme for organization into departments with one major difference. In addition to two large walls dedicated to lighting and DJ gear, the lighting gear sold in the store is brilliantly used throughout the store’s departments to light displays and highlight featured products.

Even coming through the door, the creative use of lighting is obvious. The several products on display at the door are washed with color from a prominently placed Chauvet DJ Gigbar marked at just under $450. The bar system provides two LED derbys and washes, an integrated laser effect and LED strobes. It wasn’t set up to do anything distracting,

just add color and light up some featured products. An additional large strobe located over the door shot off on occasion, giving added life to the product display.

This particular unit would clearly appeal to DJs and party planners, but other more basic color wash systems were set up in the store, as well.

One of the most impressive areas of the store is a platform stage area set up for solo performers and bands that Sam Ash hosts at in-store events during the week. As with the rest of the store departments, lighting gear was put to work here, including washes and moving lights set up on trusswork over the stage.

Lighting in the stage area, along with smaller setups throughout the store, give potential lighting buyers a good sense of how different lighting systems can be

set up and directed. They are also good indicators of what lighting components might be required to meet a buyer’s basic needs.

Unfortunately, I was only able to speak briefly with a salesperson about basic lighting setups as he happened to be passing through the lighting area. No one seemed to be stationed in this part of the store for the time I was there. To his credit, the passing salesperson did ask if I was being helped, but could only talk for a moment as he was helping other customers.

While our conversation was brief, the salesperson seemed knowledgeable and friendly.

It was easy to find two large walls of lighting products in this Sam Ash store. Products on display included a good mix of fixtures and effects, including the American DJ Stinger II fixture at $230 that combines laser, UV and

LED Moonflower effects, as well as the smaller Stinger fixtures at $200. There were also some American DJ moving lights being closed out at attractive prices. I noticed that the department also had more sophisticated moving lights for stage use, like Chauvet’s Intimidator moving spot at $950.

Though this wouldn’t be part of the simple stage-lighting setup I was shopping for, it did give me a sense that this store knew more about lighting in general and could provide ideas about how to expand a lighting system in the future.

The product wall also featured lighting controller options and plenty of accessories, like the American DJ VF400 Fog Machine at $40, that I thought might be interesting to add to a basic lighting setup. Again, lots of options on display at this store.

attract attention and show how the pieces might be used. Other than a willing salesperson, there didn’t seem like there would be much difference between shopping here or buying online.

In sharp contrast, Sam Ash in Glendale pressed its lighting products into service throughout the store. The lighting not only flattered the other products, but showed how lighting systems can be set up. Even if you weren’t

looking specifically for lighting, you would see some good examples of how effective creative lighting can be just by looking around the store.

The smaller stores were also surprisingly different in their approach. In Mesa, Campos Music simply put lights out on display with the expectation that customers could be able to recognize and pick what they needed, whereas Milano Music offered

fewer choices, but a well thought out strategy for their customers who were looking for lights. Milano also had a working system set up and were quick to offer a demonstration. Rather than apologize for the lack of stock, they offered to order whatever I needed so I could try it out.

The Glendale Sam Ash was the best place to shop for a basic stage-lighting setup, and is therefore this month’s winner.

The Winner While the larger stores had more stock (as one would expect), how the gear was displayed was a key factor for me and would be, I’m sure, for firsttime lighting buyers. Where Guitar Center in Scottsdale had the essential gear to assemble a lighting system and a knowledgeable staff, there was no example of a lighting setup and the wall display counted heavily on retail packaging to both 48

JUNE 2018

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A SOUND DECISION

FRO NT & C E NTER

LYNETTE SAGE, ART DIRECTOR AT REVERB.COM

By Leslie Buttonow Editor’s Note: “Front and Center” is brought to you by the Women’s International Music Network (The WiMN). The interviews showcase accomplished women who work in the music and audio industries, spotlighting successful female performers, manufacturers, retailers, educators, managers, publicists and others. Visit the wimn.com to view the weekly interviews and to learn more about how to be featured.

In the past five years, Reverb.com has become one of the world’s largest music gear websites, serving as a marketplace for musicians and retailers of all sizes to buy and sell used, vintage and new music gear online. One of the driving forces behind its success is art director Lynette Sage. She works with teams across all areas of the company to develop, oversee and implement a wide range of projects, including brand identity, marketing campaigns, web design and visual assets.

By diving in deep on the corporate side as well as being a user of the company’s product, Sage has developed a firm understanding of both her company’s story and what makes a great user experience, and it’s this pairing of the two that underlies her success.

Sage shared some wonderful insights with us in areas such as the importance of developing your own brand, juggling multiple plates and supporting not only yourself, but other women as well. She also gave us the latest scoop on what’s new at Reverb.

Women’s International Music Network: Reverb. com represents a diversity of brands and product categories. Tell us how your previous work experience prepared you to visually represent and tell the stor y 50

of so many instruments and music brands.

Lynette sage: At Reverb, we’re all musicians and music lovers, so we’re constantly using our own website. The importance of diving into your own product is something I learned early on in my previous positions. My first design job was for a non-profit conservation company in Colorado.

While on the job, I was part designer and part forklift driver. In the middle of working on a design, I’d be asked to jump on the forklift to unload a pallet of reclaimed barn wood or a set of doors from a home deconstruction. This gave me the opportunity to dig into the business, understand the ins and outs of the company and better represent the brand. I’m a better designer and employee at Reverb for similar reasons: I buy and sell gear and records on the site, I read our articles and watch our videos, and I’m constantly browsing the site. By diving deep into the platform, I feel the joy — and sometimes even the pain — our users feel. Because of that, I’m empowered to make suggestions for improving the site’s technology, and I’m better qualified to showcase, through design, what makes Reverb the best place online to buy and sell music gear.

The WiMN: Have you always had an interest in music and/or any musical background?

Sage: I was taught to love music at a young age. My house was filled with music and creativity — from my parents, who loved to crank up the oldies, to my sister, who’s an incredibly talented saxophone and oboe player.

We didn’t have a ton of money, so my parents sacrificed a lot in order for me to learn music.

I was encouraged to explore JUNE 2018

new instruments, new crafts and new hobbies based on my whims.

I learned piano on a massive antique piano my parents found at an estate sale, took drum lessons long enough to realize I have no rhythm, explored beginner guitar lessons, played flute in high school and dabbled on bass in a (laughable) hardcore band in high school. So much of who I am today is shaped by those experiences, and my parents are heroes for making that possible.

excited to share their knowledge.

The WiMN: You have a flair for representing the Reverb brand in a fun, appropriate, and pin-pointed way, all rolled into one. What are some tips for people or companies looking to develop their own brand?

Sage: This is a great question.

Branding is incredibly important in today’s digital world, where so many companies and people are competing for the audience’s attention. What many don’t realize is that branding isn’t about the bottom line or the size of your audience. Branding is an opportunity to tell your unique story. It’s

a set of guidelines, a narrative and the values you hold yourself to with every blog post, email, tweet and interaction with your audience. Consider: What is unique to your music or your company?

How does this set you apart?

Figure that out and then lean into it. There’s so much noise from (continued on page 68)

The WiMN: As the designer of infographics, wearables, trade show graphics, web headers and even a large mural for the Reverb headquarters, your job is extremely diverse. What do you think are some keys to success in such a multifaceted role?

Sage: To succeed at juggling so many projects, the first key is to be passionate about the projects you’re tackling. I make an effort to find something in each new project I’m excited about and lean into it. When you find opportunities to create work you’re excited about, it’ll feel less like work and you’ll be more successful, as a result. Start by asking yourself why or how what you’re doing will positively impact your customers or your audience. When you understand that higher purpose, you won’t wear out as quickly.

It’s also hard to maintain momentum when juggling multiple projects if you don’t have a solid support system. Surround yourself with passionate people and those who know more than you do. Create a work environment where everyone is encouraged to speak up, come to the table with good and bad ideas, and — most importantly — fail every once in a while. This kind of culture breeds creativity, support and, ultimately, better work.

Finally, find a mentor who will push you. When I started my career, I was afraid to ask questions and tried to figure out everything by myself. That’s not a sustainable way to work. Understand that you don’t know everything and there are likely tons of resources within your team. Ask questions and, if you’ve got a smart team, they’ll be MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

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I N T H E T RENCHE S

HANDLING ONLINE COMPLAINTS

By Allen McBroom We’re all familiar with the phrase “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and I hope we all understand what it means. Basically, it means it’s easier to be careful on the front end than it is to fix things on the back end. Of course, that old saw assumes that, given enough money/time/effort, whatever is wrong can be fixed.

In today’s internet-driven marketplace, that’s not always the case. Even if you’ve never sold anything on the internet, even if you don’t plan to ever sell anything on the internet, and even you don’t have a website, you still need to follow along, as this may still impact you, the MI dealer.

Here’s one of today’s unpleasant facts of business life: Whether you use the internet or not in your business, your customers (and your potential customers) do use it. Here’s another unpleasant fact: Once your business has a bad review published on the internet, your chances of making it go away are somewhere between null and zero.

The easiest way to fix a bad review or bad feedback is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This is easier said than done, but here’s the bottom line: It can be done, and you should be working with your staff (even if your store is just you and one other person) to make sure that approach is a daily practice.

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As a kid, my mother told me more than once “Don’t do or say anything you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of the paper.” Boy, that sure applies in our MI stores. If your behavior (or your reaction to a customer) would look like bad press, hold your tongue and calm down before replying. Think it through, and then do whatever will make you a hero to the customer. If the customer is online, the damage that can be done from the wrong response can become exponential.

I can imagine very few things worse than having some easily-inflamed customer write some scathing review of our business online. Good reviews linger a bit, give us a good feeling, and then they fade quickly. Bad reviews can be gangrenous pockets of ill-will that grow with no restraint. Once a bad review is posted, the poster can share it with internet buddies, and if it gets noticed by internet trolls, it can become a sport to add to the negative review. Reversing the damage of a viral bad review is pretty much a futile effort. All this being said, the best treatment for a bad review is to avoid it in the first place. Exercise that ounce of prevention.

The first rule is this: Never argue online with anyone, especially if they just gave you a bad review.

If you sell anything in this day and age, some person, somewhere, is going to say some ugly things on the internet about you, your employees or your store.

What they say may or may not contain a grain of truth, but on the internet, that doesn’t matter, all that matters is how you respond to that reviewer. Take a deep breath, suppress the urge to spew venom and flames at the reviewer, and apologize. You don’t have to apologize for doing something wrong, but you do have to apologize that things went in such a way that the buyer was disappointed.

The second rule is this: No matter how absurd the complaint is, ask what you can do to make things right.

You may not actually care about making things right, and maybe things are already as they should be, but even if the reviewer is integrity-challenged, you have to make that offer. Remember that you aren’t necessarily making the offer so the reviewer can see it as much as you are making it so other potential buyers can see your offer. You may not care one whit about the annoying reviewer buying from you in the future, but you’d darn sure better believe future potential buyers will be reading your response to the bad review, and the way you reply to a bad review may be what tilts the purchase toward you instead of your online competitor.

Potential buyers frequently look only at the negative reviews, and if you can come

JUNE 2018

across replying to those sounding like a reasonable, likable merchant who wants everyone to be happy with their purchases, the occasional negative strike can be turned to your advantage.

It’s still better to not get a negative at all, but if it happens, turn it around to benefit you as much as possible.

The third and last rule is this: Whatever the reviewer wants, try to deliver on it.

If they want an apology, or a partial refund, or whatever, make it happen, as long as it doesn’t exceed the parameters of financial reason. If they want something totally unreasonable, offer to pay the shipping to get the item back and make them a full refund. If it’s a small item, just let them keep the item, and make them a full refund. Be sure to say that is what you are doing in your reply. “I’m sorry you were disappointed. We try to give good descriptions, but if we missed something, I want to make it right. Please keep the (name the item), and I am making a full refund. I hope you’ll visit us again.” Okay, in truth, maybe you really hope they’ll get hit by a truck on their way home, but since you can’t say that, use the quote above. You may choke on the words the first time or two you write them, but it gets easier with practice.

Recently, I sold an odd, newold-stock, 15-inch tom head on Reverb.com. I was glad to see it go. It had been in the store too long. The buyer got it, and wrote me saying how disappointed he was that he’d gotten a used head instead of a new head. Seems the head had “scuffing” around the edge. Now, you know and I know that’s from being in a package too long and moved around too many times, but the buyer honestly didn’t know that. It was a private message, but I did a mea culpa, explained the package wear, and asked “What can I do to fix this for you?” After several emails back and forth, he realized he didn’t know much about heads, and that I was trying to help him MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

out and make him happy. I think the sale has now stuck, and maybe I’ve got a new customer.

Those responses don’t come to me naturally, so if you’re reluctant to take one on the chin when your team is blameless, I understand

it. I get it. I’ve had to force myself at times to play nice, and take the high road, but in the long run whatever money I spend “making it right” for the other party is far, far less expensive than what it would cost to clean up a messy,

viral bad review. And since bad publicity on the internet is really there forever, spending a bit for an ounce of prevention is always less expensive than trying to buy a pound of cure.

Happy trails.

Multi-functional effect controls.

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11 footswitch activated effects, can be used with the Synth Engine or independently.

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Mode footswitch selects four unique Freeze functions, or a Live Effects mode.

10 awe-inspiring delay effects including the Deluxe Memory Man, Shimmer, Octave Delay and more.

Studio-grade stereo compressor.

5 to 3,000 milliseconds of delay time.

Selectable hard/soft knee compression.

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Swell control adjusts note fade-in and creates tape reverse effects.

Secondary knob mode enables “hidden” parameters.

Tap Tempo with Tap Divide using built-in or external footswitch.

True stereo input/output.

Footswitch activated Overdrive with dedicated Volume, Tone and Gain controls.

Built-in 62 second Looper.

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w w w. e h x . c o m

SHINE A LIGHT

SPINNING ITS WEB

By Michelle Loeb

Music Makers 346 E. Main St. Galesburg, IL 61401 (309) 342-0176 www.musicmakersweb.com Mon.– Fri. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Dave Plunk, Owner

When it comes to MI retail, Dave Plunk has seen it all. For almost three decades, he has worked in stores of all sizes, both in big cities and small towns. He’s seen the industry go through many changes over the years and as the owner of Music Makers. It’s his job to make sure his 16-year-old store stays ahead of the curve.

One of the ways he has done that is through the launch of Music Makers Web, a website that has taken the store from what Plunk describes as “a small community of 30,000 people” to a national, and even international, platform.

“The whole e-commerce thing has been the most major change I’ve seen over my years in this industry,” said Plunk, who launched Music Makers’ online sales platform four years ago, in addition to being active with Reverb and eBay. “For today’s generation, having products available online helps to not only sell them online but also bring people into the store. It’s surprising how many customers walk in and have their phone in their hand, looking at our website and looking at the wall to find what they see online.”

Not that he minds, adding, “We have to be on the web where they can see us, and then for customers to then be able to walk into the store gives us a leg up on the competition.”

The 6,000-square-foot store — which Plunk described as filled with gear “piled up from floor to ceiling, like an organized chaos”— sits at the base of a three-story building that Plunk bought in 2001. “I always had a 54

JUNE 2018

yearning to own my own store,” said Plunk, who worked at two fairly large stores in Peoria, Ill., for 12 years, working his way up from teacher to salesperson to manager. Eventually, he heard that the man who owned Music Makers’ current home was looking to sell. “His health was starting to decline, and the maintenance of the building was declining with it,” Plunk recalled. “So, I bought the building and started my own store at the base.”

He added, “I knew if I had the keys to the door and I could slowly start buying inventory on credit, I could make it work.

Today that would be really hard because manufacturers make you jump through a lot of hoops, but back then it wasn’t too bad.”

In fact, Plunk was able to build his store up from “nothing,” and in the 16 years that followed, he joked that he has had no problem filling the store with product. Today, when customers walk into the store, they are greeted with a dizzying array of new and vintage instruments. Music Makers carries a wide variety of high-end electric and acoustic guitars, as well as amps. “We’re not afraid to go deep in inventory,” said Plunk.

“It’s important not to cut back on buying and to expand into new gear.”

Not only does Plunk invest in new gear. He runs a thriving used gear department as well.

“I made a decision that when people come in with gear to sell, I always make an effort to buy it from them,” he explained. “It has worked well for us to be the place where people can sell their gear. We have two service techs to work on the items that come in. It’s a risk, but it has paid off.”

Plunk is one of four salespeople who work at the store, and customers can expect to find him there six days a week.

“I’m the primary person on the floor,” said Plunk. “The retail store is growing so much that I have to be here. I used to do some of the installations as well,

but I can’t do those anymore because I’m the most experienced salesperson here and I have to be the face of the store. I take it personally if I’m not here and someone isn’t taken care of well.”

Plunk trains his staff to be attentive, but not overbearing, when a customer walks in. “Our

customer service philosophy is to always greet them when they come in the door, then give them some time to look around. Don’t pounce on them, but do acknowledge them. It’s a low-pressure situation,” he explained. “If someone asks for a certain thing, don’t point but walk them over. Try

to separate us from the big-box stores.”

Beyond the finely tuned customer service and impressive product offering, Music Makers also stands out from the competition thanks to its many services. The store (continued on page 69)

dUg Pinnick DP-3X Signature Pedal dUg Pinnick. Unmistakable in every way --that voice, the songwriting, his style, and, of course, the dUg tone.

A super-compact adaptation of hisTech 21 Ultra Bass 1000 Signature head, the DP-3X also recreates the sound dUg originally developed way back in the ‘80s, merging high-end distortion with low-end bass. Prior to his signature head, this involved running a guitar amp and a bass amp together, along with rack full of effects. Wanting to further streamline his gear for occasions when his full Tech 21 rig simply isn’t practical, dUg collaborated on the all-analog DP-3X pedal. Personally beta-testing the DP-3X on a European tour, dUg encountered a different backline in each and every venue. But no matter which amp was on stage, dUg was able to nail his immense tone each and every night.

In addition to achieving dUg’s unique tone, the DP-3X has the flexibility to provide traditional bass amp sounds as well. Mix mode engages Drive to bring in distortion and Chunk for upper harmonics. A Gain button provides additional distortion and compression. In clean/full-range mode, Drive and Chunk disengage, while Comp and Gain remain active. Other controls include 3-band active EQ with switchable Mid and a master Volume.

Features include chromatic tuner, headphone capability, and an XLR Output to go direct to the PA desk or studio board without compromising detail, warmth or responsiveness.

Rugged all-metal housing measures 7.75”l x 2.5”w x 1.25”h and weighs just 12 oz.

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TECH21NYC.COM

R ETA ILER R E B E L

USING REVERB SITES

I built my store’s website with it (and you should, too).

By Gabriel O’Brien Larrysmusiccenter.com has been through a number of iterations over the years, but this most recent one has been the easiest and least expensive to build, and is also my favorite. I’ve been writing about websites and search engine optimization (SEO) for years, and have spoken at various NAMM shows on SEO and web design.

When I first started working at Larry’s Music Center, we had a basic Geocities splash page made for us by either the local cable company or a local print services company. That would have been around 2001, I believe. It looked like the store’s gift card design, if I remember correctly, and was very basic. About 2007, I broached the topic of creating a new site that offered some of our in-store inventory on it, and recruited a local high school student who had taught himself coding and was designing websites in his spare time to help me. We got a site up, which had a distinct black background and featured a new lowercase-font logo, which also appeared on the store’s business cards for a time. That site lasted a couple years as a brochure page. I can’t remember what the back end was like, but I remember struggling to figure out how to monetize it.

Website No. 3 was a custom-built Magento-powered ecommerce site with deep SEO capabilities and a very nice front end. This was the site I talked about at NAMM. It was designed by myself and the same former high schooler, who was now out of college and working as a professional web designer. I loved that site, but there was a constant issue: I was the only person who could use it very well. Magento, despite having amazing controls for SEO and customization, is a pretty cumbersome platform and wasn’t a great fit for a small, independent MI retail store. After five or six years on that platform, I began wondering if we should adopt something else entirely. Then, unexpectedly, our hosting company went belly up overnight and left us with nowhere to turn. The storeowner’s son, Noah, and Larry’s Music Center Wadsworth store manager, Simon, put together a nice Squarespace page while we looked at options.

I looked at a number of options, such as Bigcommerce, Wucommerce and Wix, but couldn’t seem to find an affordable platform that I felt gave the staff great controls and was easy to use. Also, they’re all a bit expensive. Then Reverb announced that its ecommerce platform, Reverb Sites, was going to be free. I figured that definitely made the platform worth checking out in depth, and I logged in to see if I could build out something manageable that still looked and felt like a real ecommerce site. I quickly found that to be the case.

Straight away, the site is a little different than other template-based sites. First off, it uses your Reverb feed to populate your site with product listings. You are able to designate products as Reverb-only or Site-only. Reverb Sites offers the ability to customize navigation by categories, brands and any other categories or pages you want to add.

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The whole site is pretty customizable within its parameters, meaning there are certain limits to some of the design and layout elements at first glance. However, I found that once I dug deeper into the knowledge base and learned how those elements interact, there was quite a lot I could do. For many pages, Reverb Sites calls these elements “columns.” Aside from the media carousel, columns can contain nearly anything, including text, image or video. A column can also contain other columns? Sound a little confusing? It is until you get the hang of it, which takes no time at all.

Think of columns as containers. In a container, you can put one thing, or you can put a bunch of things. So, let’s say on your home page you want to highlight some key brands. On my site, it’s three. To accomplish this, you create a column, for which you set a background color.

In the edit tab, each column has its own whole set of controls such as background color, text color and width. You can also create other columns within it, and that’s where the build-out gets fun. In the case to which I’m referring, I have three lined up side by side, each with an image (the brand logo), a title (the brand name) and a short description.

I made this on the first try and it took me about 10 minutes. So those columns are what make up the content on your page, aside from the header and footer. Additional navigation is easy to add, including sub pages, which are as simple as a drag and drop, or static pages describing services, like lessons.

One of the primary benefits of using Reverb Sites is that it’s extremely well managed for those who avoid online sales because they’re scared of being scammed. Because your sales are processed by Reverb, you’re protected the same way you are if you’re selling through the normal Reverb platform. The fee structure is also the exact same, which means they don’t take a bigger cut of your sales, making this an extremely high value. It’s a perfect platform for the risk averse, and for independent MI retailers looking for an ecommerce platform that’s not expensive and that they can build out themselves.

For those of you reading this who think it all sounds nuts, I promise it’s not that hard. Reverb Sites has a great series of videos illustrating how this all works, and its staff is incredibly helpful to talk to and work with. I consider myself relatively web savvy, and I still sent out half a dozen emails to Dan Montalvo, Reverb’s seller engagement manager, and spoke to him on the phone twice. When it was time to throw the switch and convert my Reverb Site to my store’s actual URL, I simply gave Dan our GoDaddy login information and he took care of it for me.

All in all, I spent a couple months building out this site in my spare time and got something that’s both appealing and easy to navigate.

What platform are you using for ecommerce? What are your fears and struggles with online sales?

Write to me at gabriel@upperhandstudios.com.

JUNE 2018

‘HIRE’ LEARNING

HOW TO AVOID MAKING A BAD HIRE PART 1 HOLDING EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWS Step Zero: Expectations First

Step One: Now Hiring (refining your application process)

Step Two: Interviews Aren’t Everything

Step Three: References and Background Checks

Step Four: Decision Time

By Will Mason At this point, you have a well defined job description, a thorough application (hopefully in an online format) and a group of people who are interested in working for you. It’s time to get selective. I’m breaking the topic of interviews into two parts. The first part will be about holding effective interviews, and the second part will be why interviews aren’t the only thing that matters in your selection process. OK, here we go.

Any time you make a selection, your brain 58

is working with parameters, or criteria to base your decision on. If you are selecting a bunch of bananas at the grocery store, your top three criteria may be color, size and quantity of bananas in the bunch. For me personally, I’m looking for yellow with maybe a few small brown spots (no green!), and a bunch of three to four bananas. If there are only green bananas, I’m going to pass. On to the grapefruit …

So, back to hiring the right people for your team. It’s essential to define your criteria so you know what to look for in your new hire. This will improve the quality of your hiring decisions over time, lowering your turnover and improving your customer experience. Here are three of our top criteria that we use at Mason Music: character, experience, skill.

Definition of character: The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

This is enormously important. It does not matter how experienced or skilled a person is if they do not have strength of character. I cannot overemphasize this. One of the biggest mistakes I see in interviews is simply not carving out enough time to get to know the applicant.

How do they hold a conversation? Where do they take open-ended questions? How do they speak about previous employers? What gets them excited? And of course, are they on time to the interview? One reason we have several rounds of interviews is to see the applicants demonstrate an ability to simply show up.

It’s also imperative that you understand the culture at your business (both as it exists on paper and as it exists in reality), and think about how potential new hires will affect it. You’ve probably heard people say before, “He just wasn’t a cultural fit” about someone who was let go from a job. This is a frequent scenario that I believe is mostly avoidable with the right selection process in place. Think about what values your team operates on and figure out if your applicant shares those values. Does their character line up with what you are looking for? How will they perform in your absence? (I’ll discuss more on this in part two.)

Experience: Looking at your job description, what past experience is needed in order to reasonably predict future success? What has this person done (in previous jobs) or learned (education and training history) in the past that will make them a valuable addition to your team?

Phrase your questions in a way that elicits responses based on historical events, not hypotheticals. For example, “Tell me about a time you had to navigate a conversation with an upset customer and how you were able to resolve the situation” is a better question than “If you had an upset customer, how would you handle that?” History, not hypothetical. This was a big lesson for me, and has helped create much better interview questions at our company.

Skills: Where is this person naturally gifted? What are they capable of? Some of these can be discussed in conversation, while other abilities may need to be demonstrated. For example, when hiring a piano teacher, we ask them to perform for us, so we can be sure they can do what they say they can. Think about the position. Would an audition be helpful? If it’s a receptionist, can you give them a page out of a book to type and time them? How can you test their abilities before you hire them? Again, use your job description as a guide to be sure you cover all of the expectations during the interview and selection process.

With these three simple criteria, you can sort through a lot of candidates and easily decide whether someone is a fit or not. These filters alone will save you from a lot of bad hires. But there is one more criterion that has nothing to do with the ability to perform the work required.

Longevity: Turnover is a plague to any business. Hiring people who will go the distance is vital to the health and sustainability of a company. There is no better way to burn yourself out than hiring and losing people too frequently. First things first, set a goal for each role you are interviewing for. How long would you like to see someone stay in this position before either JUNE 2018

advancing to another role or leaving the company? Six months?

One year? Two years? Five years?

A good way to think about this is to consider the amount of time it takes you to train this position. If it is a two-day training process, you can afford to have a little bit more turnover than a role that requires four weeks of training.

Whatever you decide is right for your role, be sure to have this in the back of your mind when interviewing. There is no way to predict the future, so it is pointless to ask a candidate how long they would like to work in your company, but you can ask questions about where they want to be in five years, what their dream job is, etc., and be listening for cues such as “I’m settling down with my family and I’m looking for a company I can grow with.” If you’re hiring for a long-term position and you hear “I’m not sure what I want with my life,” RUN. Some things to consider when it comes to predicting longevity:

pay rate that will not sustain them financially. Even if they are willing to take the job for that price, it may not be the best long-term decision for both parties. Again, communicating expectations up front is imperative. Of course, any applicant is capable of making a decision that is best for themselves, but you need to protect

yourself from hiring someone for a position where you need stability (aka low turnover) and having them leave the company two months in because they realize it’s not enough money to support their lifestyle and goals.

This should get you through your interviews. But I said interviews aren’t everything right?

What does that mean and why am I only talking about interviews?

You’ll have to stay tuned for the next article to see what additional steps can ensure that you’re not only avoiding bad hires, but you are making great hires that will build your team so you can focus on growing your business. Until then, Rock On!

Location: Do they like the city they live in? What would their commute look like? People who are unhappy with their current status are looking for change. That could mean leaving a job to move to a different city. Get them to talk about your city and listen carefully.

Stage of life: Is this a person who is settled? Do they have aspirations that will take them away from where they are? Plans for going back to school? Auditioning for a touring band? Be sure to consider this when hiring people, to avoid disappointment when three weeks into the job they inform you they are quitting because they got accepted to college.

Pay: Will your pay scale get them where they need to be? As a business owner, it is my job to decide what value to place on each position within our company. What can I afford to pay a manager and still have the margin needed to maintain financial health in our company? Oftentimes, as a young company, we cannot pay our people as much as we would like to. One mistake to avoid is hiring someone at a MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

(continued on page 51) 59

V E D D AT O R I A L

By Dan Vedda

SYNERGY vs. LETHARGY One of the survival tactics major department stores are trying is business synergy.

Kohl’s is a prominent example. Kohl’s has cut back on the amount and depth of inventory in its stores, and that has freed up square footage. Now, it announced a pilot program with grocery chain Aldi to utilize some of that

space to house a mini-grocery, making Kohl’s more of a one-stop, competing more directly with merchandise/grocery giant Wal-Mart.

Target, not to be flanked, has announced a similar partnership with Kroger.

The concept of one-stop shopping isn’t new.

Remember malls? Of course, the department store itself was a “one-stop” concept in an era when people went to a tailor, shoe store, milliner, etc., and the “supermarket” blended the butcher, baker and produce stand into one glittering mid-century mecca. It’s a proven concept: people will opt for convenience, increasingly so as life gets more complex. Today, though, there’s an additional push beyond convenience that’s approaching inactivity.

I think of it as consumer lethargy. It’s not just efficiency, it’s total lack of motion, if possible. So many have been steeped in the “ondemand, always-on, delivered–to-your-door” marketplace that we are seeing a cultural shift away from “running errands.” Oh, people still buy a lot of stuff: consumerism is alive and well. But the lethargy comes into play when people actually have to procure the goods they consume.

When I was in college, I had local commuter friends that shopped with all the fervor and organization of a military campaign. They 60

didn’t go to the mall. They went to three malls with a batch of stores to hit at each — hours of shopping at top speed. Raised with a slower pace of life, I found it dizzying. Now, though, people still shop at top speed, but this is measured in connectivity speed. They do it from their phone, in a chair, in their jammies, with a glass of wine. Raised that way, it’s not surprising that, to many, running to the store is considered a burdensome waste of time. Witness the resurging grocery delivery and pickup services, the auto-fill features built into printers to order ink, and the Amazon Dash “get me toilet paper” process. I have trouble getting people to pick up repairs and orders because errands are so, so tiresome, you know.

That’s why the department stores are trying to up the game by adding features.

Kohl’s is talking about adding a fitness center in addition to groceries. It’s all about One synergy giving people a reason to get off the couch and visit, because people buy more, more readily, in a physical store. And they’re particularly drawn to physical we’ve used and stores when they want to choose color, feel and fit. Here, in fact, is a hopeful bit of news. In Forbes, Richard Kestenbaum’s article “This Is How Millennials Shop” for over (June 2017) offered some surprising insights, particularly this one: “Younger Mil25 years is lennials [ages 20 to 23] are more likely … to make a purchase in a physical store.

Another surprising fact about the group is that when they shop for something our visiting both online and in a store, they are way more likely to make a purchase in a store than they are online.” What? What about the Death of Retail? Thankfully, as Mark violin repair Twain said, “the report of my death was an exaggeration.”

But consumers (particularly millennials) want a good experience, and they decraftsman. mand authenticity. So, these retailers are not simply adding product categories but branded departments. It’s not just groceries, it’s Aldi, with everything that brand means to you. It just may work out for them, although when you really think about it, they’ve simply shrunk an entire mall to 20,000 square feet.

Can we come up with such synergies in MI? We already have some long-standing examples, from rental affiliates to satellite print departments in piano stores. Back in the Depression/ WWII era, stores added everything from records to appliances to keep things going.

To address the current development, though, I think we’d have to focus more. I don’t think you can reduce it to a formula, either. Market, opportunity and your established business character will influence everything. You can’t always just sublet space to a separate business.

Some leases forbid it, and some outside businesses might need fixturing or facilities that are too expensive.

That doesn’t mean you can’t add something part time. One synergy we’ve used for more than 25 years is our visiting violin repair craftsman. He maintains his own shop and has a decadeslong loyal following, but they won’t all drive across town to see him. However, we don’t just have him pick up and deliver: he’s part of the store when he’s in. He visits every two weeks for a few hours to do bow rehairs and other basic repairs (larger work goes back to the shop and returns next visit), and he’s available for consultation and appraisals. People have a relationship with him, as well as the store, and we both benefit from it. We’ve just started doing the same thing with a guitar luthier who can do authorized repairs from major brands, as well as vintage restoration. It brings in traffic, and most of these customers have additional needs — or family members with them.

Crucial to making this arrangement work, though, is aligning with a person or business who has a similar approach to things like customer service, and who has a proven reputation — the authenticity cited above. The best matches will enrich both entities.

There are other alignments peripheral to MI that might make sense — sharing some space with a music therapy group, for example. Even entities further from our core — like snack/coffee shops, art supply companies or dance studios — have been tried with some success in our industry. Anything that makes you more of a destination is a good thing.

I’m not saying you must do this to survive. You may have things figured out. But “in this everchanging world in which we live in” (thanks, Paul), it makes sense to explore everything and look for possible synergies. If you discover one … well, are you against doing even better?

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IBANEZ’S ARTWOOD VINTAGE GUITARS

By Anthony Vargas Ibanez combined old-school charm with modern technology to create its Artwood Vintage line of guitars in 2012. For 2018, the company has expanded on that line with the addition of the new AVD11, AVC11 and AVD60 acoustic models, as well as the AVC9EOPN acoustic-electric.

“The Artwood Vintage range is perfect someone who is looking for the feel and sound of a vintage instrument, but does not want to pay thousands of dollars to obtain one,” said Frank Facciolo, acoustic guitar/electronics merchandiser for Ibanez. “They are also great for anyone who has a vintage instrument and loves the sound of their guitar, but does not feel comfortable traveling or gigging with it. I think the charm of vintage instruments rest in their look and sound. The problem is they are usually very expensive and not always budget friendly for many players. Using modern technology, players are now able to get an instrument with all that vintage charm, at a fraction of the price.”

The secret to the Artwood Vintage range’s old-school aesthetic and throwback tone is Ibanez’s Thermo Aging process, which simulates the effects of a guitar’s natural aging process over decades.

“Thermo-Aged tonewood is wood that has gone through a process called torrefaction, where moisture and other impurities are removed from the wood,” described Facciolo. “After going through a regular drying process, the wood is then ‘cooked’ in an oxygen-free kiln at a very high temperature, bringing the moisture down to zero. A small percentage of moisture is then put back into the wood before it is used to make a guitar. This yields a piece of wood that is very light, hard and stable. It is less likely to change due to weather conditions, making it easier to work with. The process speeds up the natural drying process that makes vintage instruments sound so good.”

The AVD11 is a dreadnought that features a Thermo-Aged solid Caucasian spruce top that — combined with its mahogany back and Thermo-Aged spruce X bracing — creates a “wideopen, resonant sound with a vivid tonal projection,” according to the company. It also features a satin-finished mahogany soft-V-shape neck for increased playing comfort. Facciolo added, “The AVD11 is the quintessential Artwood vintage guitar because it combines a solid Thermo-Aged top along with Thermo-Aged bracing and our new Antique Natural Semi-Gloss finish, which provides a true vintage look and feel to complement the warm vintage tone that the instrument produces. Being a dreadnaught, the AVD11 will suit a wide range of genres and players.”

The AVC11 is a grand concert model that features the same Thermo-Aged solid Caucasian spruce top, mahogany back, Thermo-Aged spruce X bracing and satin-finished mahogany soft-V-shape neck as the AVD11. It also comes in the same Antique Natural Semi-Gloss finish. “Its smaller body makes it very comfortable to play, and it produces a rich, well balanced tone with a subtler bass response than a traditional dreadnought,” said Facciolo. “The AVC11 is another guitar which lends itself to a wide range of styles, but is also well suited to finger-style playing due to its tonal profile.”

The AVD60 is also a dreadnought model, but it features a Thermo-Aged solid AA Adirondack spruce top. According to the company, “Adirondack Spruce is famous as a rare material that delivers a deep bottom end and a wide dynamic range.” The AVD60 also comes with a solid mahogany back and Thermo-Aged spruce X bracing, as well as a satin-finished mahogany soft-V-shape neck. It also features Grover open-gear tuners with butterbean knobs, which contributes to the guitar’s vintage look and reduces headstock weight. “The AVD60 is an all-solid-wood offering in the Artwood Vintage line,” said Facciolo. “The tone is everything you would expect out of an instrument more than twice its price. The AVD60, being a dreadnaught, is also well suited to many genres and playing styles.” The AVD60 comes in a Natural Gloss finish.

The AVC9EOPN is a concert-size acoustic-electric model with a Thermo-Aged mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, and a satin-finish mahogany neck. Its electronics include a Fishman Sonicore pickup with an Ibanez AEQ-AP2 preamp. (continued on page 69) 62

JUNE 2018

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EXECUTIVE RETREAT

Ad Index

Company

Pg

ALFRED PUBLISHING..............31 AMAHI UKULELES...................59 AUDIX CORPORATION.............49 BANDLAB TECHNOLOGIES....47 BOURNS PRO AUDIO................69 CASIO........................................C-II CE DISTRIBUTION....................51 C.F. MARTIN & CO.....................23 CHAUVET LIGHTING................57 CHEM-PAK..................................68 CHESBRO MUSIC................... C-III D'ADDARIO.................................17 DEXIBELL...................................61 EARTHBOARD............................45 FENDER.......................................7 FENDER.......................................9

(continued from page 33) aims to support women in the industry in three key areas: offering mentoring, learning and professional development opportunities at The NAMM Show and Summer NAMM; job shadowing of female leaders at industry events; and in-company residencies.

“This is a powerful group that want to see the industry be more inclusive and help support the career advancement of women. This will be a fun event,” said Lamond.

Also new and regarding this magazine, the Retailer will be handing out Music & Sound Awards from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 29 to the top retailers as voted by manufacturers. Even if you did not win, all are welcome to stop by booth #806 and say “hello” if you need a breather.

Industry Update

Looking at the industry as a whole, Lamond said the Great Recession, which began nearly 10 years ago, changed the retail landscape forever. There’s been a shakeout since then, with a small group of MI retailers being forced to close their doors for myriad

FENDER.......................................11 FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS.......37 GALAXY AUDIO........................3 HAL LEONARD..........................5 HOSHINO.....................................33 JOHN PACKER............................22 KALA BRAND MUSIC CO........10 KALA BRAND MUSIC CO........29 KYSER MUSICAL PRODUCTS..................................44 LEE OSKAR PRODUCTIONS....69 MANHASSET SPECIALTY COMPANY...................................6 MARSHALL ELECTRONICS.....26 NAMM.....................................14-15 NEW SENSOR.............................53 PRO X...........................................41 PRS GUITARS.............................27 RAIN RETAIL SOFTWARE........67 REMO...........................................18 SENNHEISER..............................39 SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL.......19 TECH 21.......................................55 THE CAVANAUGH COMPANY...................................21 TRUSST........................................16 U.S. BAND & ORCHESTRA SUPPLIES....................................12 VOCOPRO....................................13 WD MUSIC PRODUCTS............8 WIREWORLD..............................30 YAMAHA.....................................25 YORKVILLE............................C-IV While every care is taken to ensure that these listings are accurate and complete, The Music & Sound Retailer does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

66

JUNE 2018

reasons, including internet competition. Lamond said the dealers doing well today are the ones that have taken their businesses seriously and are evolving. “Some dealers have not gotten that message yet. It’s unfortunate. Some dealers that don’t come to events [like Summer NAMM] are the ones that can benefit the most.

We truly think we can make a huge difference for these dealers.

We do think if they came to our events, they would have a much better chance at success.”

Retail isn’t getting any easier, Lamond cautioned. “Retail is going to be increasingly competitive, and only the strong and most adaptive to change will survive.”

Switching gears slightly to the

SPECIAL TO THE RETAILER

(continued from page 38) a Strat body. One of my personal favorites is the Troublemaker Tele, featuring a mahogany body with a bookmatched maple top, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, two vintage-output Shawbucker pickups, an AdjustoMatic bridge and four knobs.

It’s that fat-sounding, doublehumbucking guitar that so many players desire. Each guitar has bold alterations, all in the name of visual coolness and new sounds.”

Uniquely, Fender is launching a new product from the Parallel Universe Collection every month.

But is the company expecting that avid musicians will be primary buyers of the products, or will they be more like collectibles?

“Featuring the aforementioned lacquer finishes and top-shelf parts, Fender Parallel Universe instruments are designed and built to be played,” concluded Brasler. “Our experience so far is that guitarists can’t wait to get their hands on them and jam.

Regarding collectability, dealers keep requesting more Parallel guitars, but because this is a limited-edition set, we’re not taking any more orders, which means there will definitely be fewer guitars than customers who want them. Ultimately, the market decides what’s collectible, but we hope the owners of Parallel Universe guitars will make some noise and have some fun with them before they put them in a museum!”

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

strength of MI, including the alleged decline of electric guitars, Lamond said the marketplace decides all. “The marketplace is deciding that guitars are still very important,” asserted Lamond.

“While it might make interesting reading to find a cloud here and there, informed readers can take a look at the market and say, ‘I still think there’s a market for guitars out there.’ So, I wouldn’t spend a whole lot of time on that [topic].”

Instead, NAMM’s president and CEO said we should look at the changing marketplace and the changing taste in music.

“Remo [Belli] used to have a great line. ‘You can’t argue with pop.’ Pop music still drives a lot of the direction of the industry,” Lamond noted. “Look at what’s happening and go with the trend.

The trend right now is to be very adept at electronic music and recording, and live music is still thriving in a way it probably hasn’t ever. As a businessperson, participate in the trends that are favorable. School music is showing a lot of strength right now with diversity, as they have guitars or mariachi included in their programs, for example.”

There are always headwinds in MI, but Lamond stressed he has always been optimistic. “The day I wake up and don’t hear music on my way to work, don’t hear

music when I’m at work, and don’t want to play music when I get home from work is the day I might start worrying,” he said.

“Until that day, I’m in the music business.”

The NAMM executive is also plenty excited about whatever comes next down the pike.

“Imagine what it must have felt like in 1959 or 1960, knowing that, bubbling under the surface, The Beatles were coming,” said Lamond.

Best Memory

Often, we think of The NAMM Show providing the greatest MI memories, with some perhaps lasting a lifetime. But we switched things up and asked Lamond to reminisce about his favorite Summer NAMM memories. He responded he has a “million memories,” but for the sake of magazine space, here’s one moment he recalled vividly. “There was a little store about a half-hour’s drive from the [Nashville] Convention Center,” he said. “But it had a stage where people performed live music. A NAMM exhibitor was sponsoring it. It was a little further out than some people wanted to go.

So, there weren’t a lot of people there. John Hiatt walked in there and was the entertainment. He played a set for about 25 of us

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— playing unbelievably great songs — at a living room-sized venue. The fireflies were buzzing around, and the food was great.

It was one of the most beautiful Nashville evenings. And when [Hiatt] was done, he put his guitar in a case, closed it up and he walked home. He lived close enough to walk! It was a ‘can’t believe it happened’ moment.”

Future Commitment

Summer NAMM is already scheduled to return to Nashville on July 18-20, 2019. Lamond said the show is strong and will go on for the foreseeable future. “To me, this is about the dealers,” he concluded. “For us to be able to bring the dealers together with an educational platform is absolutely the right thing to do.

It may be more important than ever for the channel to make sure dealers have the opportunity to learn and grow. They can change the trajectory of the second half of the year for the better. I can’t overemphasize the commitment I feel toward dealers. It is so important for us to get this right, with the right mix of education, with great ‘how-tos’ and great inspirational stuff. The dealer network in this country has such a critical role in the success of the overall ecosystem. Summer NAMM is for them.”

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FIVE MINUTES WITH: ANTONIO FERRANTI

FRONT & CENTER: LYNETTE SAGE

(continued from page 45) design that is perfect for studio, stage and travel. The VIVO S1 is Bluetooth enabled, launched with the AQUAVIVA operating system, includes an additional pioneering technology called “virtual damper pedal” that, when engaged, actually understands the performer’s phrasing and pedals for the player virtually.

In the upright categor y, we debuted our all-new VIVO H1, a gateway instrument to our VIVO Home piano series that comes packed with our T2L suite of technologies and tones that are found in our premium flagship instruments, in Dexibell’s highly innovative, compact, stylish Italian design.

We also premiered our all-new VIVO SX7 Sound Module. It was designed for those musicians or producers who have a keyboard or digital piano but want the powerful tones and technology that only Dexibell offers. The VIVO SX7 includes all of Dexibell’s suite of technologies and tones, including our groundbreaking AQUAVIVA operating system and full complement of acoustic and electric pianos, organs, keyboards, and open-source ability to import any additional SoundFont tones (another industry first).

The VIVO SX7 will add the full power of Dexibell to your rig or recording studio, all in a slim,

(continued from page 51) companies begging for attention.

When you know your story, tell it authentically, and don’t stray from it, your audience will listen.

attractive Italian-designed and -made sound module.

Lastly, at The NAMM Show, we offered a sneak preview of our forthcoming VIVO S9 Stage Piano. We believe this will be the greatest stage piano ever made.

At first glance, the VIVO S9 is a deluxe hybrid of our award-winning VIVO S7 stage piano combined with our groundbreaking COMBO J7 stage organ, which features hands-free motorized drawbar faders. But the VIVO S9 goes even further by offering hybrid-wooden keys with synthetic ivory feel, and includes “after-touch” for additional performance expressivity not available on other keyboards. The hands-free motorized drawbar faders offer a jaw-dropping visual and performance experience that, most importantly, allows the performer to customize and morph their sound while never having to lift their hands from the keyboard. Additionally, the VIVO S9 displays stunning skyblue backlit knobs, buttons and tone wheels in a uniquely stylish Italian keyboard design of matte white and cool aluminum blue accentuated by vintage wood side paneling that is quickly becoming the Dexibell signature keyboard look. These instruments truly have to be seen and played to be believed.

The WiMN: What do you enjoy most about your role at Reverb? What are some of your favorite things to work on?

Sage: Reverb is made up of nearly 170 musicians and music lovers who are passionate about coming to work each day and making the world a more musical place. I love that every day is a new challenge. I might be tracking down the best log cabin for a photo shoot, laying out a web page that will help millions of people learn something new, or creating a marketing campaign that’ll be the face of our company for the next year. I have a unique role that allows me to collaborate with almost every area of the company. We brainstorm, take risks and, in the end, we come up with solutions together rather than in silos. My favorite projects are the ones that allow me to dive into other parts of the company.

The WiMN: Have you ever faced any challenges as a female working in a gear-focused industr y? If so, how did you handle them?

Sage: My approach has always been to work hard, create better

work than what was asked of me, and support the other women in the room. If I’m in a meeting where another woman’s ideas are not being recognized, it’s my responsibility to have her back. If you don’t have a support system, find an ally — whether it’s in your company or outside — and ask them to lunch. They’ve likely gone through similar situations.

Above all else, remember that you are powerful and showcase that in the way that works best for you. If you’re creative, showcase it through your work. If you’re extroverted, be assertive for yourself and for those around you. There’s no one-size-fits-all model, but find your area of expertise and, even in small ways, elevate the women around you.

The WiMN: Anything new happening at Reverb that you’d like to share?

Sage: We just launched Reverb LP, a new marketplace built for buying, selling and learning about records, which continue to grow in popularity. We’ve created an online marketplace that’s backed by the same technology and team as Reverb.com. We’ve learned a lot about musicians, music lovers and eCommerce while building Reverb, so we know we can do the same through Reverb LP.

THE FINAL NOTE: PAUL REED SMITH

(continued from page 70) out (because there have been so many of those that have been so great): Jeff Beck, Little Feat, The Police, Eric Johnson … I could go on. Most of those I was able to experience from the side of the stage, the musician’s point of view, which is a whole other experience.

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

Smith: I would love to be at a rehearsal with Stevie Wonder. I never got to see The Beatles. I never got to see Django Reinhardt. I never got to see Freddie King. I would have done anything to sit in Motown studio in Detroit and watch The Funk Brothers record a track.

68

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

Smith: Swaeli Mbappé. A bass player from France. He’s a monster. I’d also like to see Widespread Panic again.

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

Smith: My mother used to play folk songs for us on a nylonstring guitar when we were kids.

The song that stuck out the most was a folk song called “The Fox.” I just thought it was awesome; it had a beautiful melody.

But, she quit doing that when I was still very little. Even I forget sometimes that my mother was a guitar player.

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

Smith: 1. Michelle Obama: I would like to discuss “When they go low, we go high.” 2.

Abraham Lincoln: I would like to ask him where his courage came from. How did he do it with all those people dying around him?

3. Winston Churchill: He saved WWII and our lives. I would have dinner with him just to experience him. 4. And I’m gonna add a fourth, well a duo: Antonio Stradivari and Antonio Torres.

I would like to thank them for the world and drill them on their theories of instrument making.

The Retailer: Tell us about your most memorable exJUNE 2018

perience with an MI retailer (without naming them).

Smith: Watching a dealer come to PRS and be the first to order guitars from our wood library when the economy went south.

The Retailer: What is the best thing about the MI industry?

Smith: The people. For the most part, it’s really good, interesting people working with a fascinating array of products.

The Retailer: Who do you admire most outside of the music industr y and why?

Smith: Abraham Lincoln. An honorable mention would be Alexander Fleming (who discovered penicillin) because he changed our world forever.

The Retailer: What technology could change MI down the road?

Smith: I’m not telling you that!

The Retailer: If you weren’t in the music industr y, what would you be doing and why?

Smith: Well, I wanted to go to Scripps to be an oceanographer.

The Retailer: What are your most prized possession(s), and why?

Smith: My home studio. It brings me so much joy.

The Retailer: What’s your favorite book and why?

Smith: Again, here’s more than you asked for, because it’s

SHINE A LIGHT: SPINNING ITS WEB

(continued from page 55) houses an AV department with two staff members who handle installations for the large worship community in the area, as well as other local venues. There are four teachers on staff to handle the store’s extensive lesson program, which runs the gamut, teaching everything from violin to piano, ukulele, guitar and drums. They also service all kinds of gear, including pro audio and electronics.

Plunk hopes to capture the spirit of his home-grown business and maintain its unique presence as the store further expands online. He posts on Facebook almost daily and makes sure to feature some of the store’s more unique features on its website.

In particular, he showcases the building itself, which was erected in 1897.

“Inside is a mix of the old touches and 1960s charm,” Plunk said. “For example, we have tin ceilings, and the hardwood floors are original. We did a façade upgrade in 2010 with the brick front and installed new glass windows and an awning. So, we have images on the site that show that.

“The web is the future of the business, but we don’t just want to be an e-commerce site,” he concluded. “I grew up in retail, and there’s something charming about walking into a store. We want the store experience to be No. 1. The sky is the limit.”

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UNDER THE HOOD: IBANEZ'S ARTWOOD VINTAGE GUITARS

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

www.bourns.com/proaudio tries them loves them. It is quite easy to hear the excellent sound quality, so the impact is immediate. The Artwood vintage range has grown over the past several years to become a large line offering a wide variety instruments in different body shapes and colors.

This has turned into one of our flagship lines, and we are very proud of it. We will continue to look for ways to develop and improve the Artwood Vintage series for years to come.”

The AVC9EOPN acoustic-electric carries an MSRP of $749.99.

The AVC11 and AVD11 retail for $749.99, and the AVD60 retails for $799.99. All four models are available now.

COMING

(continued from page 62) “The AVC9CEOPN is an electricacoustic grand concert guitar made with a solid Thermo-Aged Mahogany top, so it produces a punchy sound, rich in midrange,” explained Facciolo. “This guitar features our Open Pore Natural finish, which allows the guitar to vibrate freely, producing a very lively sound. It’s equipped with an AEQ-SP2 preamp which features a built-in tuner, so it’s perfect for any gigging musician.”

Ibanez continues to receive positive feedback on its Artwood Vintage line from retailers and guitar players alike. “So far, the response has been very positive from dealers and customers,” shared Facciolo. “Everyone who

Coming in the July Issue of the Music & Sound Retailer: Music & Sound Award Dealer Winners A Detailed Look at the NAMM Fly-IN An Update on the Headphone Market Five Minutes With: Takahiro Murai and Jules Tabberer-Stewart, Roland MI Spy Visits Baltimore Shine a Light: Lisa’s Clarinet Shop Under the Hood: Roland’s TD Series The Final Note: Ron Manus, Alfred 69

THE FINAL NOTE

PAUL REED SMITH

Founder and Owner, PRS Guitars

By Brian Berk

The Music & Sound Retailer: Who was your greatest influence or mentor and why?

Paul Reed Smith: I have had so many.

Obviously, my parents. Also, Ted McCarty (president of Gibson during its Golden Age), Warren Esanu (attorney, godfather to my kids, and chairman of our board), Tom Wheeler (guitar journalist and historian), Eric Pritchard (engineer and machinist), the list could go on and on. A guitar maker and a business owner needs to be a jack of all trades. Without an understanding of all the different art forms that are involved, there’s no chance of being successful. And, in my opinion, the best teaching is done one on one, so having a diverse group of mentors is key.

The Retailer: What was the best advice you ever received?

Smith: “Sometimes you just have to muddle through.” Meaning sometimes the answers aren’t always clear, and you just have to persevere until you find what you’re looking for. But, once again, I have had so many teachers give me so much advice that I’ve absorbed through the years … to say any one piece is “the best” is not really right. The foundation of my career will always be that I drained the experts of every single thing they could teach me.

The Retailer: What was your first experience with a musical instrument?

Smith: My father gave me a ukulele when I was three or four years old., The Retailer: What instrument do you most enjoying playing?

Smith: Guitar (which is probably obvious). I also really enjoy singing and using the studio as an instrument. Recently, I’ve been playing bass, and I’ve been enjoying that too.

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

Smith: I love to fish — I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. Freshwater, saltwater, fly fishing — all of it. Here’s something else, I hope they don’t say a word about guitars at my funeral. I hope they hear the words husband, father, friend.

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

Smith: Hang out with my wife and family.

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

Smith: That is not a fair question. There have been so many! Leaving our endorsers (continued on page 68)

70

JUNE 2018

CONFIDENT . INDEPENDENT . ORIGINAL

We are confident your customers will love our Teton Guitars. Our entire line of acoustic guitars have solid tops with solid tone!

We’re an independent company who loves to work with independent dealers. Call today!

1.800.243.7276 SUMMER NAMM BOOTH #1212