MI Pro 177

10 THE SUBWAYS Front man, Billy Lunn, discusses the making of the band’s new album, gear and the importance of high street retailers

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL • FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS NO. 177 •FEBRUARY 2015 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

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Back from California

With Winter NAMM over for another year, MI Pro casts an eye over some of the 2015 show’s many highlights SEE PAGE 13

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No. 177 • February 2015 REGULARS: Analysis 4 • MIA 6 • Colin Rees 7 • Birketts 8 • Secret Dealer 33 • New Gear 42 • Backline 44

IN THIS ISSUE 13

THE MAIN

FEATURE NAMM 2015 With the LA show over for another year, we take a look back over some of the highlights from last month’s MI extravaganza.

6

8

10

BIRKETTS Legal expert, Rafael Ruiz, serves up some more insights into the world of competition law.

SUBCULTURE We catch up with The Subways front man, Billy Lunn, to talk shop, gear and the making of the band’s new album.

RETAIL

FEATURES

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

33 SECRET DEALER

19 BOYS ZONE

MIA Paul McManus gives us the lowdown on the upcoming Learn to Play Day and how it can boost your business.

Our secret dealer tells us why the annual splurge of post-NAMM product isn’t always a good thing for the market.

34 RETAIL

ADVISORY BOARD

Our board of retailers discusses the long-term strategy, or lack thereof, for the MI industry.

38 MYSTERY SHOPPER

Reading sets the scene for this month’s trip.

42 NEW GEAR

A look at some of the latest new products.

Nineboys MD, Mark Ellis, tells us about his unique venture into the guitar market.

20 MI PIONEERS

This month we take a look back at the career of synth pioneer, Bob Moog.

26 SHEET MUSIC

Some of the sector’s OHDGLQJ ˉJXUHV WHOO XV how the market is coping.

28 ALL ABOUT THAT BASS

We catch up with Aguilar president Dave Boonshoft and CEO Dave Avenius.

30 FRET-KING

Our Retail Essentials focus delves into the world of electric guitar, featuring the Fret-King Black Label JDD.

EDITORIAL COMMENT

A new direction SO, NAMM is over for another year. The brief respite from the bitter English cold all but a distant memory, as the industry returns from sunny LA to take stock of the deluge of new products launched at the show, not to mention the usual array of new partnership and distribution announcements.

And, while there was indeed plenty of new product to digest at this year’s show, it is arguably the distribution agreement struck between Barnes & Mullins and Peavey that will have most people talking. At least in the UK market.

For some time, the future of Peavey has been shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. Under what kind of structure would the business continue to operate in the UK and Europe? Would it appoint a third party distributor and, if so, who? Would it simply cease trading in the region? No one, it seemed, could tell where it’s future lied.

1RZ LW KDV EHHQ FRQˉUPHG IRU WKRVH \HW WR FDWFK XS WKDW %DUQHV & Mullins will exclusively distribute the brand in the UK and Ireland, although it’s worth noting it will not be taking on the Trace Elliot and Budda lines.

In many ways, the partnership appears to be DQ LGHDO ˉW IRU ERWK SDUWLHV &OHDUO\ %DUQHV 0XOOLQV LV VXIˉFLHQWO\ SRVLWLRQHG LQ WKH market to breath new life into the sleeping US giant. Back in its heyday, the amp and guitar company was one of the biggest players on the MI market, and despite its apparent lack of direction in recent years, there is no question that it has a strong enough heritage to reclaim its reputation as an iconic, desirable brand.

Of course, this will be no small task for Barnes & Mullins, but it’s hard to think of a better home for Peavey, given that many other potential suitors already supply popular amp brands. Whatever happens, it’ll be interesting to see how things develop for Peavey over the course of the next year.

And if it can start competing again at the higher end of the market, well that can only be a good thing for the industry.

Daniel Gumble Editor dgumble@nbmedia.com

31 HOFNER

The Verythin Limited Edition CT from Hofner is designed to offer maximum tonal versatility.

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ANALYSIS

Everything must go

BY RONNIE DUNGAN

Fender has shed yet more of its distributed brands, with Drum Workshop picking up its drums and percussion lines and, oddly, Ovation Guitars. So, what does this mean for the future of Fender and its dealers..?

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“The inclusion of Ovation Guitars in the DW deal sticks out like a sore thumb. Why would a drum specialist want a guitar brand?”

VWHZDUGVKLS $QG FHUWDLQO\ QHZ LQYHVWPHQW LQ SURGXFWV PXVW EH D JRRG WKLQJ ULJKW" $QG ZKDW RI )HQGHU" :KDWȢV WKH HQG JDPH" ,V DOO WKLV DERXW ˌDXQWLQJ LWV OHDQHU ˋJXUH LQ IURQW RI WKH VWRFN PDUNHW DJDLQ" /DVW WLPH LW FDPH WR WKH EULQN RI D SXEOLF RIIHULQJ LW SXOOHG RXW DW WKH ODVW PLQXWH ȡ7RR H[SHQVLYHȢ ZDV WKH FRPPRQ SHUFHSWLRQ 6R PD\EH WKLV LV WKH DOWHUQDWH URXWH WR UDLVLQJ FDSLWDO ,W DOVR UDLVHV D TXHVWLRQ DERXW WKH IXWXUH RI )0,& RZQHG EUDQGV VXFK DV -DFNVRQ DQG &KDUYHO 6XUHO\ LI WKH PRYHV DUH VWUDWHJLF UDWKHU WKDQ FRVW GULYHQ WKH\ PXVW EH D SDUW RI ZKDWHYHU IXWXUH YLVLRQ )HQGHU FXUUHQWO\ KDV LQ PLQG" ,I QRWȪ $QG LQ WHUPV RI SHUVRQQHO DQG RQJRLQJ RSHUDWLRQV ZKDW GRHV D WULPPHG GRZQ )HQGHU ZLWK KDOI WKH QXPEHU RI EUDQGV DOEHLW TXLWH D IHZ LQDFWLYH RQHV PHDQ JRLQJ IRUZDUG"

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06 MIPRO

MI Pioneers Bob Moog

PAGE

20 The MIA is the trade body for the UK musical instrument industry, servicing and representing the interests of manufacturers, importers, publishers, retailers and supporting businesses.

THE FOURTH National Learn to Play Day takes place on 21st March 2015, and we are already building up for our annual event and aiming to beat the 2014 record of shops and venues involved. The public press release went out in December and the website is already being accessed by FXVWRPHUV ZDQWLQJ WR ˋ QG their nearest participating venue. The Day offers free taster lessons to target brand new musicians.

In response to the feedback participants gave us in 2014, we have: • Reverted to just before the Easter holidays • Given venues the opportunity to run the event on Saturday and Sunday

“This was by far the most EHQHˉ FLDO HYHQW to promote the industry, it has FKDQJHG RXU business.”

Making new customers for our shops MIA chief Paul McManus tells us about the improvements and expansions we will see at this year’s Learn to Play Day and how businesses have seen vast changes since their participation in last year’s hugely successful event...

• Created a wider range of materials for shops to use to promote the event • Enabled Music Services/ Hubs and community music projects to work with you to support your event • Geared up to exceed the PR campaign in 2014 • We have an agreement that Tesco will cover the story in the March edition of their magazine • Asked all suppliers to talk to their celebrity endorsees to try and get a supportive quote, video or appearance on the day A key quote from Learn to Play Day 2014 Instead of showing loads of quotes from shops about how the event went (new customers, sales etc), this year, we wanted to share just one (unsolicited) quote from MIA member, Spider Music in Wales, that summed up everything we were trying to achieve with

our shops and for the good of the industry.

So, by Julie and Stuart Lewis, Spider Music: “Further to Learn to Play Day we have been “forced” to continue to offer free sessions. This week we have another 12 new potential customers. We have taken on two new keyboard and guitar teachers. The day was hectic and we had people in the store all day and even RSHQHG RQ WKH 6XQGD\ WR ˋ W them all in.

“There is no doubt that in all my years working in MI this was by far the most EHQHˋ FLDO HYHQW WR SURPRWH the industry.

“Talking to the parents reinforced what most of us believe; that music shop doorways have an invisible barrier that stops the general public from entering. This was truly smashed as a result of LtPD.” So, the 2015 premise remains the same: • Encourage new (and lapsed) musicians to come into the shop and have a free taster lesson • Give an incentive voucher to bring them back in • Offer MIA members support to make your event a success • Suppliers will get involved with instruments, prizes and general support • If not practical to host the event in the shop, it may be possible to seek a local, alternate venue?

• A public website will run detailing the event and all venues and shops involved • We will work with all venues to track success from the day We are delighted to have the continued support from our Learn to Play Day partners at the Musicians’ Union, the Take it Away scheme, Rockschool and Future Publishing/Music Radar.

Get in touch if you would like to be involved. Contact Paul, Loraine, John or Clare on 01403 800500 or clare@mia.org.uk. www.learntoplayday.com www.musicforall.org.uk

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RETAIL ESSENTIALS Electric guitars

PAGE

30

THE SALES MAN

COLIN REES is a veteran sales trainer and business consultant with many decades’ worth of expertise in the bicycle retail sector.

The silent salesmen How many free, silent salesmen do you have in your store?

EVERY BUSINESS owner learns one important lesson very quickly - there is more WKDQ RQH ZD\ WR PDNH D SURˉW RWKHU WKDQ selling stuff.

Saving costs can be a powerful way to JURZ QHW SURˉWV DQG WKLV DVSHFW FDQ EH forgotten by retailers. Reviewing stock levels FDQ EH D WKDQNOHVV WDVN EXW FDQ EH EHQHˉFLDO in reducing capital tied up in product.

Selling off old items at cost price is something no retailer wants to do as it admits he made a bad choice against what he thought his market wanted, but markets FKDQJH DQG IUHHLQJ XS VSDFH PDNHV ˉQDQFLDO sense and increases moral.

Today, there are new ways to increase sales without cost once they are established.

We need an attitude change and realisation that although we might not be social media geeks, those who are represent a huge market.

Last year, I was training in a retail business that had decided years ago to develop a web based operation. Today, it is turning over millions and one way it does that is by HPSOR\LQJ ˉYH SHRSOH ZKR ZRUN RQ QRWKLQJ but outgoing social media and four different people dealing with incoming responses.

The small retailer can’t compete with that, but so as not to be left behind, a slice of that business can be captured if we see how far we can go. If you are not the social media type, there are lots of younger people who DUH $ 6DWXUGD\ ODG LQ WKH RIˉFH PLJKW EH WKH place to start.

COLIN REES

Sales trainer and business consultant.

So many times, when owners have sat in on training courses, we talk about browsers, who are the most hated group on the planet because apparently, they waste people’s time. Or looking at them another way, are they Q3s, the human behaviour group that ˉQG LW KDUG WR PDNH GHFLVLRQV DQG QHHG WKDW extra time to be on their own and think about options?

“There are always new ways by which retailers can increase their sales without cost, once they are established.�

Grouping related products together, making suggestions; these are silent, unpaid sales people who can turn a ‘timewaster’ into a paying customer. Those who come in and have a good experience may well be another sector of silent sales people. If you know it’s going well and someone buys something they are going to love, would your sales staff ask if they have any other friends that might like to see what is on offer at your store?

The changing room in a bike shop is a place where customers will spend time.

Almost every changing room has nothing in it but a mirror. What a missed opportunity to tell people how good you are. What is in your practice room? Is it promotionally blank?

Silent salesmen can add revenue at nil cost.

Colinrees7@gmail.com www.colinrees7.wordpress.com

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

08 MIPRO

LEGAL MATTERS

RAFAEL RUIZ, PARTNER, BIRKETTS

Negotiating the safe harbour of competition law In his second MI Pro column, partner at legal advice specialist Birketts Rafael Ruiz, continues his guide to the complexities of competition law. This month, KH RXWOLQHV WKH ˉQHU GHWDLOV RI SULFH ˉ[LQJ DQG UHVDOH UHVWULFWLRQV LAST MONTH, I set out the legal background under which vertical agreements between members of a supply chain must be reviewed to assess their compliance with competition law, and the implications of them being noncompliant. This month we look at the provisions in a vertical agreement that are prohibited, and some examples of those that aren’t.

So, what are the most common types of arrangements that will take a vertical agreement outside of the safe harbour protection of the Block Exemption?

PRICE FIXING Any arrangement imposed by a VXSSOLHU WKDW VHHNV WR Ë‹[ WKH SULFH at which products may be sold by its customers are prohibited:

maintenance can be acceptable to secure the successful launch of a new product.

NON-COMPETE RESTRICTIONS Suppliers often want to restrict customers from manufacturing, distributing or selling competing products to their own. Subject to some exceptions, such obligations, direct or indirect, will be invalid if they run for a period of greater than Ë‹YH \HDUV RU IRU PRUH WKDQ RQH \HDU

Ȣ3ULFH ˉ[LQJ LQ VKRUW LV DQ\ SUHVVXUH IURP D VXSSOLHU UHTXLULQJ LWV FXVWRPHUV WR VHOO DW RU QRW EHORZ D JLYHQ SULFH 5HFRPPHQGHG 5HWDLO 3ULFLQJ LV DOORZHG EXW PXVW QRW EHFRPH D ˉ[HG SULFH ȣ

• ˋ[LQJ WKH FXVWRPHUȢV VDOHV PDUJLQ • setting maximum discount levels or rebates • tying rebates, discounts, promotional support etc to the customer achieving a given sales price • threats of penalties for failure by the customer to comply with pricing recommendations • linking customers’ sales prices to the sale prices of competitors’ products

after termination of the agreement).

In a selective distribution system, any-non compete obligation which UHODWHV WR WKH EUDQGV RI VSHFLË‹F competitors, as opposed to all competing brands in general, is invalid.

In short, any pressure from a supplier requiring its customers to sell at, or not below, a given price.

Recommended Retail Pricing is allowed, but care must be taken to ensure it doesn’t become a PLQLPXP RU ˋ[HG SULFH /LNHZLVH in limited circumstances and for a limited period, retail price

RESALE RESTRICTIONS Arrangements imposed by a supplier that restrict the persons to whom its customers can sell products are prohibited. There are limited exceptions to this, some of which depend on whether the supplier is operating a selective or exclusive GLVWULEXWLRQ V\VWHP WKH WZR FDQQRW

be combined).

So what kinds of resale restrictions/provisions can a supplier impose on its customers?

1. Restrictions on wholesalers from selling products direct to consumers 2. Requirements that customers have one or more physical outlet as a condition of selling online 3. Restrictions on sales to consumers that are prohibited due public bans or health and safety requirements 4. Where a new product is being tested in a limited territory/

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 09

LEGAL MATTERS

customer group, restrictions on active sales to customers outside of that territory/test group, for the period of the testing of the product 5. Where retailers are required to make substantial investment to start up/develop a new market, restrictions on passive sales by other retailers into that territory/ FXVWRPHU JURXS IRU WKH ˋUVW WZR years of that new market 6. A dual pricing system, whereby a supplier supplies products to its customers at different prices depending on whether those products will be sold online or RIˌLQH EXW RQO\ LI LW FDQ EH VKRZQ that online sales by customers will lead to substantially higher costs IRU WKH VXSSOLHU WKDQ RIˌLQH VDOHV 7. Restrictions on the location of retailers’ places of establishment 8. Quality standards for websites used to re-sell its products, but those requirements should be ‘equivalent’ to similar quality VWDQGDUGV LQ SODFH IRU RIˌLQH VDOHV from physical stores, catalogue sales and advertising/promotion in general. Such standards will EH PRUH MXVWLˋDEOH LQ D VHOHFWLYH distribution system, but may also be acceptable in an exclusive distribution system 9. Requirements that if its customers use third party web platforms to distribute products, they must comply with applicable Internet-quality standards and a requirement that if the distributor’s website is hosted by a third party platform, the supplier can require that the distributor’s customers do not visit the distributor’s website through a site carrying the name or logo of the third party platform; and 10. where the supplier is operating an exclusive QRW D VHOHFWLYH

distribution system, restrictions RQ DFWLYH VDOHV EXW not passive sales,

5DIDHO 5XL] GLVFXVVHG WKH ˉQHU SRLQWV RI FRPSHWLWLRQ ODZ ZLWK VXSSOLHUV DQG GHDOHUV DW ODVW \HDUČ V 0,$ %XVLQHVV &RQIHUHQFH see below) by its customers into territories that are reserved for the supplier itself, or another of its customers. To support this, restrictions on web advertising targeted to consumers outside of the customer’s territory can be imposed. It should be noted that a supplier cannot require its FXVWRPHUV UHWDLOHUV RU ZKROHVDOHUV

to impose restrictions on where the customers of that retailer or wholesaler can make onward sales of the products. ‘Active’ and ‘passive’ sales are often referred to, but what are they? Active sales within a territory arise from targeted marketing activity in or directed into, that territory. Passive sales arise as a result of unsolicited orders/enquiries and general/ non-targeted marketing. General use of the Internet is considered a passive activity, but territorybased advertising, targeted search results/online advertising, and the use of languages and/or currency not commonly used in the ‘home’ territory, are indications of active sales efforts.

The above examples are not a GHˋQLWLYH OLVW RI ZKDW LV SHUPLWWHG by the Block Exemption, but merely examples. Where an arrangement isn’t expressly permitted by the Block Exemption, it is necessary to analyse the object of the arrangement and its effect to ensure it is permissible. Although an arrangement may not give rise to anti-competitive effects, the

mind-set of the participants must be considered to ascertain whether the object of the arrangement was to affect competition. An example is the monitoring by suppliers, of whom their customers are selling to and at what price. Such monitoring may be a sign of a supplier wanting to know and understand the market

Ȣ,Q D VHOHFWLYH GLVWULEXWLRQ V\VWHP DQ\ QRQ FRPSHWH REOLJDWLRQ WKDW UHODWHV WR WKH EUDQGV RI VSHFLˉF FRPSHWLWRUV DV RSSRVHG WR DOO FRPSHWLQJ EUDQGV LQ JHQHUDO LV LQYDOLG ČŁ for its products. On the other hand DQG SDUWLFXODUO\ LI ČĄIHHGEDFNȢ LV provided), it can be evidence of attempts by the supplier to control RU LQËŒXHQFH VXFK SULFLQJ DQG WR control to whom its products are being sold and what kinds of resale restrictions/provisions can’t be imposed?

1. The giving of non-EU wide product warranties 2. The giving of bonuses or rebates, or the coercion, threats of penalties, or other direct or indirect incentives/punishments to restrict sales to consumers of a certain type, or in a certain location

3. Restrictions on customers advertising re-sale prices and discounts through any medium 4. Imposing restrictions on the use of the Internet to reach consumers, including restrictions which: 4.1 Stop consumers from outside the customer’s territory from viewing the customer’s website or the supplier’s products on that website; 4.2 Re-route enquiries from consumers outside of the customer’s territory, to the supplier or another customer of the supplier; 4.3 Terminate or not accept orders placed by consumers outside of the customer’s territory, for example where the credit card details of the consumer identify the location of the consumer as being outside of that territory; /LPLW WKH SURSRUWLRQ RI VDOHV that a customer can make online 5. Selling products to customers at different prices, perhaps through rebates etc, depending on whether the customer sells those products RQOLQH RU RIˌLQH LV SURKLELWHG RWKHU than in the limited circumstances mentioned above.

So what are the alternatives?

A commonly perceived means of ensuring that margins and prices are not eroded at the expense of brand reputation and customer services is the adoption of a selective distribution system, and those, and their pros and cons, will be the focus of next month’s article.

INTERVIEW

Subculture

The Subways return this month with their self-titled fourth album. Front man, Billy Lunn, tells Daniel Gumble DERXW WDNLQJ RQ SURGXFWLRQ GXWLHV IRU WKH ˉUVW WLPH JHDU DQG ZK\ 0, VWRUHV DUH the lifeblood of young artists‌ THE EPONYMOUS album title is oft rolled out as a statement of intent - a declaration of artistic expression unfettered by commercial expectations or record label interference. In essence, it points toward an authentic sound that is true to the artist. And, while all of the above is true of The Subways’s fourth album, it also represents a whole lot more for the Hertfordshire three-piece; in particular, front man Billy Lunn.

Having worked with an impressive line-up of producers on their three previous outings – Ian Broudie on 2004 debut Young for Eternity, Butch Vig on 2008’s All or Nothing and Stephen Street on 2011’s Money and Celebrity – Lunn, the band’s singer, guitarist and creative driving force, shunned the chance to employ the services of a KLJK SURˋOH NQRE WZLGGOHU WKLV WLPH out, opting instead to undertake mixing, engineering and production duties on his own. The result is a record that encapsulates everything The Subways are about; high-energy pop punk, catchy hooks and, above all else, stadium-sized choruses.

So, clearly with the pulling power to attract big name producers, what persuaded the band to take such a DIY approach? “It was a combination of factors,â€? explains Lunn. “We’re getting to the point where we are at a more mature age and are getting a little less patient with certain processes; Josh [Morgan, drums] lives in France now, Charlotte [Cooper, bass] lives LQ 6KHIË‹HOG VR , VDLG ČĄORRN ,ȢP

going to write the songs, I’ll email you the ideas, then you come back to me with your thoughts, and when we reach a consensus we’ll go into the studio’. “Then, when it came to discussing production, our manager asked who we wanted to get in and Charlotte VDLG ČĄZK\ GRHVQȢW %LOO\ MXVW GR LW" +H does all the demos anyway’. Before that, when I gave Stephen Street the demos for Money and Celebrity, he said the songs were 75 per cent there, recording-wise, so it was already heading that way. Plus, I’ve

performance their way and not crowd them too much. “Butch was almost the opposite, in that he was hyper-perfectionist.

In that sense we came away with such a beautifully crisp record; there are no wasted seconds on All or Nothing. I learned a lot about how it’s OK to do the simple stuff and to pull back, because there was so much gadgetry in the control room - it was like the Starship Enterprise. The desk was ginormous DQG WKH ODUJH URRP \RX FRXOG ˋW an orchestra in. For certain songs

“People can go online and shop for the cheap deal all they want, but they’re not getting what needs to come as part of that as well.� always wanted to produce a record.

We’ve worked with three legendary producers and have learned so much from spending time around them.�

After working with producers of such high stock, one would assume Lunn has accumulated a fair bit of knowledge along the way. “Before this record I had the impression I hadn’t consciously picked anything up – I hadn’t VSHFLË‹FDOO\ DVNHG DQ\ TXHVWLRQV , remember one of the only things ,DQ %URXGLH VDLG ZDV ČĄLI \RX ZDQW LW bassier, move it closer to the amp; if you want more top-end pull it away’. That was the extent of it. %XW ORRNLQJ EDFN MXVW ZDWFKLQJ him work, I realised how important it was for him to let whoever was performing at the time to give their

we used a lot of that stuff, but for others he’d tell us to strip it down, so I learned about the scope of what you can do in a studio but also when to hold back. “With Stephen, it was more about the relationship with the band. I OHDUQHG PRUH DERXW VWXGLR HWLTXHWWH and how to deal with Charlotte and -RVK ,ȢYH VHW P\ EDU TXLWH KLJK RQ work rate in the band; I work really hard on the songs and I wake up every morning and think about what I can do for this band. So, when we’re in the studio, I put immense pressure on them and over the years LWȢV EHHQ WKH SURGXFHUȢV MRE WR JHW me to lay off a bit, and I learned from Stephen that, to get them best from the band, you’ve got to make sure they’re in a comfortable zone

where they can express themselves honestly and openly. Ultimately, I think I was much less of an arsehole in the studio after working with Stephen!�

GEAR Recorded predominantly at Hertford’s River City Studios – with three tracks recorded at a studio in Brussels – Lunn relied on a trusty set-up that has served him through much of his career to date. A couple of alterations aside, his gear has remained pretty much the same. “I’ve always been a huge Vox fan - AC50s and AC30s, separate head and cabs. Up until a few years ago that’s pretty much all I used. I had this 40-year old AC50; beautiful, crystal clear, had great body to it, but then it started smoking when we were on tour, so I couldn’t use it any more. “Then I was approached by Blackstar and they gave me some different amps to try out. I found this one called an Artisan 30H, which is a separate head and cab (2 x 12) and that’s what I used on the record and what I’ve been using for the past few years. “I also picked up some Blackstar pedals. From day one I’ve used Boss pedals – Boss Blues Driver is my main distortion for my more ratty sound and I’ve got a Boss phaser unit and Chorus, which is really lovely, but now I’m primarily using Blackstars. “Guitar-wise, it’s always been religiously a Gibson SG. From day one. And that’s because of Angus

<RXQJ 7KH Ë&#x2039;UVW JLJ , HYHU VDZ ZDV AC/DC at Wembley Stadium, and seeing Angus Young coming up through a trapdoor onto the stage ZLWK D *LEVRQ 6* PDGH PH WKLQN ČĄLI I ever grow up to play guitar, I want to look like thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the Gibson SG Standards that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had throughout the years, as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gone on, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken out the neck pickups and replaced the humbuckers with P94s and replaced the P90s with P100s. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got some Bare Knuckles as well, which are absolutely brilliant. Ȥ9HU\ EULHË&#x152;\ , XVHG D )HQGHU 6WUDW in the early days for one show and I WKRXJKW ČĄQR QRW IRU PHȢ , ORYH WKH dirt and the underlay of grit you get IURP DQ 6* $QG LWȢV MXVW VFUHDPLQJ ČĄ60$6+ 0(Ȣ ,ȢYH VPDVKHG VR PDQ\ guitars over the years and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all been pieced back together and they work really well still. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Junior Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always had a soft spot for, as they look even more ratty.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the problem with me and Fenders; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so gorgeous that I would feel guilty playing them, as I play way too hard.â&#x20AC;?

Despite his penchant for SGs, Lunn has been able to diversify his sound both on-stage in the studio WKDQNV WR D IHZ PRGLË&#x2039;FDWLRQV DQG D touch of technical knowhow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I record albums I like to underlay everything with an acoustic sense of percussion as well, so when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m playing live I like to reproduce that as much as possible, SDUWLFXODUO\ RQ VRQJV OLNH ČĄ0DU\Ȣ ČĄ$OULJKWȢ DQG ČĄ7DNLQJ $OO WKH %ODPHȢ , WDNH D *LEVRQ RQ WRXU MXVW for those songs. I had a Piezo built

into the bridge and I have a stereo lead running out of the guitar and I split that at the pedal board â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I have one signal going into a Fishman DI that goes straight to the mixer, and the other signal goes to my pedals and then to my amps, so I can play electric and acoustic at the same

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Music shops arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just places to buy and sell stuff, they are a place for artists to confer, meet up, push their gigs and Ë&#x160;RJ WKHLU &'V ČŁ time. That idea was nicked off Rush.

Someone put on a DVD at the back RI WKH WRXU EXV DQG , ZDV OLNH ČĄLV he playing to an acoustic backing track? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always hated backing tracks. Whenever a band plays to a backing track and you can hear something going on and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re DOO VWDQGLQJ VWLOO \RX MXVW WKLQN ČĄRK FRPH RQ Ȣ , ZDV WKLQNLQJ ČĄSOHDVH donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell me Rush use backing tracksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and my guitar tech told me that he has a Piezo built into the bridge. So I told him to get me one of those straighaway! For a while I HYHQ KDG WKH 6* Ë&#x2039;WWHG ZLWK 3LH]RV and I could see the audiences tilting WKHLU KHDGV WKLQNLQJ ČĄD *LEVRQ SG shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound acousticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, so I WKRXJKW ZH VKRXOG MXVW JHW D â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a set-up I try to keep as simple as possible, but as you go on and make more records you add bits

KHUH DQG WKHUH DQG \RX MXVW KDYH WR remind yourself that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to sound like Dream Theatre all the time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OK to be that pop punk trio.â&#x20AC;?

RETAIL When it comes to retail, Lunn is TXLFN WR SRLQW RXW WKDW IRU KLP the local music shop represents far PRUH WKDQ MXVW D SODFH WR SXUFKDVH gear. Harking back to traditions, which, ever since the arrival of the Internet, have all but dried up, he recalls his local shop serving as a central hub for local bands to distribute demos and connect with other like-minded musicians. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad took me to guitar shops all the time and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be overawed to the point of not wanting to try anything out or learn anything, even though I really wanted to. However, he managed to pick up this ratty old acoustic with no strings and was in such a state. He restrung it, tuned LW DQG VDLG WR PH ČĄKHUH \RX JR WKLV is an E chord, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a D and hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DQ $ 7KDWȢV URFN ČĄQȢ UROOȢ , ZDV then looking at music books and watching videos to see how people shaped their hands. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how I learned a G chord â&#x20AC;&#x201C; watching Noel *DOODJKHU SOD\ LW LQ WKH ČĄ'RQȢW /RRN Back in Angerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; video. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve still got that guitar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horrible but you have to start out with that kind of thing. The main things I learned was that playing guitar takes work, guile, dedication and spirit. Having somewhere to go is incredibly important; a tangible place where you can go.

Hertford Music was huge for me.

7KDWȢV ZKHUH , ERXJKW P\ Ë&#x2039;UVW $& amp. There were tons of Marshall amps everywhere and I noticed the AC50 and asked Brian â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the guy in the shop â&#x20AC;&#x201C; about it and he said no one wanted to buy it and that it had been sat there for a couple of months. So, I tried it out and found that it was the amp for me. Trying it made me realise that was the sound I wanted. And having the guys in the shop to help out and make suggestions or point you in different directions is a real help. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so important. Ȥ,WȢV QRW MXVW D SODFH WR EX\ DQG sell stuff. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place for people to go and confer; for artists to go and meet-up and push their gigs and Ë&#x152;RJ WKHLU &'V 7KDW ZDV WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW place we would take our demos to.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ask them to give it to anyone who came in that worked in a venue, that sort of thing. Now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got GigGear set-up in Harlow, which is this emporium of beauty. When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in there trying out guitars I can see the staff showing people round and showing kids what an acoustic guitar is. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People can go online and shop for the cheap deal all they want, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not getting what needs to come as part of that as well, especially in the earlier days. A YouTube video is only going to help VR PXFK <RX FDQȢW DVN LW TXHVWLRQV :H QHHG WR YDOXH QRW MXVW WKH SODFH but the people in those shops,â&#x20AC;? he concludes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the personnel that make the difference.â&#x20AC;?

You can read an extended version of this interview at www.mi-pro.co.uk.

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 13

NAMM 2015

NAMM 2015

in review

The NAMM 2015 show once again provided the industry with a raft of new products and major announcements to set the tone for the year ahead. MI Pro reports back on some of the highlightsâ&#x20AC;Ś THE ANAHEIM Convention Centre has closed its doors on yet another Winter NAMM after what was an especially busy outing for the show.

Its busiest ever in fact, according WR Ë&#x2039;JXUHV UHFHQWO\ UHOHDVHG E\ WKH National Association of Music Merchants. A record-breaking total RI H[KLELWRUV WRRN WR WKH Ë&#x152;RRU this year, representing a six per cent increase on last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show.

Furthermore, a mixture of NAMM member buyers, exhibitors and their invited guests, NAMMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Generation Next and Music Education Day participants (college music students and school music teachers), along with media, resulted in a recordbreaking 99,342 registrants, making it the largest gathering in NAMM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A record-breaking total of 1,621 exhibitors took to WKH Ë&#x160;RRU WKLV \HDU marking a six per cent increase on 2014.â&#x20AC;?

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

14 MIPRO

NAMM 2015

Show history.

There was also an 11 per cent increase in international registration and a two per cent increase in buyer numbers.

First-time exhibitor numbers more than doubled from 2014, with 331 new companies making their presence felt at the show, representing 18 per cent of the total number of exhibitors.

Meanwhile, the number of international registrants from outside of the US rose by 11 per cent on last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show to 13,208. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In an unpredictable and chaotic marketplace, the NAMM Show has become the reliable and predictable platform where our members can come for business, education and inspiration,â&#x20AC;? commented NAMM President and CEO, Joe Lamond. Ȥ)URP Ë&#x152; HGJOLQJ HQWUHSUHQHXUV to the most established brands, everyone here has an equal shot.

Ȣ)URP Ë&#x160; HGJOLQJ entrepreneurs to the most established EUDQGV HYHU\RQH KHUH has an equal shot.â&#x20AC;?

The industry showed up with unparalleled energy and we hope they are leaving better prepared for success in the new year.â&#x20AC;?

1RQH RI WKH Ë&#x2039; JXUHV PHQWLRQHG here will come as too much of a surprise to those in attendance, such was the notably bristling sense of hustle and bustle permeating the VKRZ Ë&#x152; RRU For many, the big news for the UK market came in the form of Barnes & Mullinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement that it is to take on exclusive distribution of Peavey in the UK and Ireland.

The US brand, which was also celebrating its 50th anniversary at the show, has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, after it was announced last year that it was to undergo major restructuring in the UK. Barnes & Mullins will now distribute the brand in the UK and Ireland, although it will not be taking on the Trace Elliott and Budda lines. Ȥ7KLV JLDQW 86 DPSOLË&#x2039; FDWLRQ DQG instrument brand is a welcome addition to Barnes & Mullinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing catalogue of exclusive products, and Peavey Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent transition to full distribution has been well-documented,â&#x20AC;? said Brian Cleary, Barnes & Mullins managing director. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To know we will be working with a company able to recognise and address the

big changes and challenges in RXU LQGXVWU\ Ë&#x2039; OOV PH ZLWK JUHDW FRQË&#x2039; GHQFH )RU PXVLFLDQV DURXQG the world, Peavey is recognised as a truly iconic brand and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to start playing our part in the continuation of Peaveyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success.â&#x20AC;?

It was also revealed at the show that IMS will take on distribution for Peavey, Trace Elliot and Budda in France.

Meanwhile, Faith Guitars, also distributed by Barnes & Mullins in the UK, made its debut appearance at the LA show in a bid to attain US distribution. Associate director, Alex Mew, commented: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is )DLWKȢV Ë&#x2039; UVW WLPH DW WKH :LQWHU NAMM show and we are looking for distribution and retailers in the US, and the response has been very good. The brand has been very well received and our work on social media has translated into a good level of knowledge of the brand in the US. About 35 per cent of our social media demographic is from the US, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met quite a few guys who have seen us online and YouTube, especially.â&#x20AC;? $OVR Ë&#x152; \LQJ WKH Ë&#x152; DJ IRU WKH 8. was Tanglewood Guitars, which marked its tenth year on the show Ë&#x152; RRU E\ SUHYLHZLQJ D UDQJH RI QHZ products. Among them was the Sundance Delta Historic series â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a range of traditionally styled guitars with entry prices of RRP ÂŁ399. The all-mahogany, solid top, hi-gloss, handcrafted guitars aim to make the Sundance Pro range more accessible to guitarists worldwide.

In addition, the Evolution Deluxe series aims to bring new wood combinations to a new price point, while the Evolution Viscount series is a new range of super jumbo electros available in Arctic White, Piano Black and Hot Orange from RRP ÂŁ399.

Meanwhile, the Nashville V series, which will be launched in the UK in April, features aged solid spruce tops, vintage styled dot markers and graphite machine heads, while the entry-level Discovery 2, which branches into rare timber combinations, such as 2YDQJNRO %ODFN :DOQXW DQG 3DFLË&#x2039; F Walnut, will begin at RRP ÂŁ129 and has 12 models in all popular body FRQË&#x2039; JXUDWLRQV â&#x20AC;&#x153;The show has been fantastic, very busy,â&#x20AC;? said Shea Rider, sales director at Tanglewood Guitars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a lot of customers from all over the world and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lots of new product to show. People are very happy with the quality of the guitars; the new products are priced to impress and they are what our customers want.â&#x20AC;?

$ERYH &URZGV Ë&#x160; RFN WR WKH .RUJ 86$ VWDQG WR FKHFN RXW LWV ODWHVW ODXQFKHV 7RS ULJKW 7DQJOHZRRGČ V 6KHD 5LGHU VKRZV RII RQH RI WKH FRPSDQ\Č V QHZ JXLWDUV

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FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

16 MIPRO

NAMM 2015

Above: The Ludwig stand, featuring a rather impressive drum kit %HORZ 3UHPLHU Ë&#x160;\LQJ WKH Ë&#x160;DJ IRU %ULWLVK EXLOW GUXPV LQ WKH 86

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The show also saw Line 6 unveil the latest in its Variax guitar series.

Combining Line 6 technology with Yamaha craftsmanship, the Variax Standard guitar marks the Ë&#x2039;UVW PDMRU FROODERUDWLRQ EHWZHHQ the two companies since coming together last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since Yamaha acquired Line 6, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working closely to develop innovative gear,â&#x20AC;? commented Marcus Ryle, Chief 6WUDWHJ\ 2IË&#x2039;FHU DW /LQH Ȥ:HȢUH excited to release Variax Standard, a great-playing yet affordable guitar that enables more musicians to have the sounds of incredible vintage instruments theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always dreamed of. And even better, Variax Standard can provide the rich, bold tone of a priceless â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;50s instrument with vintage single-coil pickups, without the hum and buzz that plague these guitars.â&#x20AC;?

Elsewhere, TC Electronic lifted the lid on an assortment of new products. Expanding upon its Tone Print range of effects pedals, the Ë&#x2039;UP DQQRXQFHG WZR QHZ PRGHOV â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Viscous Vibe and the Helix Phaser. The former is a 1:1 digital recreation of the Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe, known from several Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower and Pink Floyd recordings, while the latter is built to offer a wide range of controls and maximum tonal versatility.

7KH Ë&#x2039;UP DOVR DQQRXQFHG WKH

launch of its new K Series bass cabs, which offer a lightweight, vertical stacking design, similar to that of its RS and BC cabinets. The range is comprised of three 8 Ohm cabinets - the K210, K212 and K410, which all contain high-end custom-made drivers and a 1â&#x20AC;? ceramic tweeter, all encapsulated in a plywood cabinet.

Also new from TC Group was the TC-Helicon Ditto Mic Looper pedal, designed for singers, beatboxers and acoustic performers,

Odyssey, which is designed for artists looking to recreate classic sounds and produce new ones. The Ë&#x2039;UP DOVR DGGHG WR LWV 9R[ DPSV range, with the Vox amPlug I/O USB Audio Interface, the amPLug2 cabinet and a range of limited HGLWLRQ FXVWRP FRORXU DPSOLË&#x2039;HUV Korg UK marketing manager, Alan Scally, told MI Pro: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The show IHOW YHU\ EXV\ IURP VWDUW WR Ë&#x2039;QLVK and it was a great opportunity to meet with a number of our key

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a positive change in the air; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a lot of new things under way that have left us better placed to export our products.â&#x20AC;? as well as the MP-76 microphone for vocalists.

Stagg, distributed in the UK by EMD, introduced a host of new products at the show, including the 500 Series of classical guitars and the C542 guitar range, along with WKUHH QHZ JXLWDU DPSOLË&#x2039;HUV Č&#x; WKH : 67$ WKH : 67$ '5 DQG WKH : 67$ '63 Korg capitalised on the NAMM 2015 platform to show off its new synth products with the revival of the ARP Odyssey, the MS-20M Kit and the SQ-1 step sequencer.

Modifyng the classic 1972 model, Korg has set out to reproduce the original circuitry of the ARP

dealers with our new products and SURGXFW H[SHUWV RQ KDQG :HȢYH KDG a great reaction to the ARP Odyssey synth and the latest Kronos workstation from dealers and the public.â&#x20AC;?

A number of new guitar models from JHS made their debut at NAMM 2015, with the UK distributor adding to its Fret-King, Vintage and Pilgrim lines. The company announced two additions to the Vintage Paul Brett Signature Model range - the Vintage Paul Brett Gemini Baritone VGE800N and Viaten Tenor VTE800N. New Vintage V120 and V130 electric guitars were also showcased

alongside the new Vintage VRS130 DQG 956 PRGHOV ZLWK :LONLQVRQ 0:&+% GRXEOH FRLO SLFNXSV The new Paul Tebbut Pilgrim 0D\Ë&#x152;RZHU 'HOX[H 93* 1 is a take on the original 1970s FRQWRXUHG Ë&#x2039;EUHJODVV EDFN GHVLJQ ZKLOH WKH 7UHY :LONLQVRQ GHVLJQHG Fret-King guitar range also saw a selection of limited edition models exhibited.

On the bass front, JHS displayed new Vintage V80 and V90 models, IHDWXULQJ WKH QHZ :LONLQVRQ :-0% double coil pickup.

Among the other UK exhibitors showcasing its wares was string manufacturer Rotosound, whose MD, Jason How, was particularly impressed with this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been great. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a positive change in the air; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a lot of new things under way this year, which has made our company more VWUHDPOLQHG DQG HIË&#x2039;FLHQW DQG EHWWHU placed to export our products.â&#x20AC;? :KLOH :LQWHU 1$00 DOZD\V offers a welcome distraction from the January blues and, of course, the sub-zero UK climes, there does appear to be a palpable sense of optimism amongst those who were in attendance at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show.

Though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s far too early to start talking of, dare we say, a year of recovery for the industry, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fair to say that NAMM 2015 has certainly kicked the year off in positive style.

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 17

NAMM 2015

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18 MIPRO

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

INTERVIEW: NINEBOYS

Boys Zone Up and coming British guitar brand, Nineboys, is making a unique niche for itself with its high-margin range of guitars, cigar boxes and diddley bows. Ronnie Dungan Ë&#x2030;UHG D IHZ TXHVWLRQV DW 0' 0DUN (OOLV WR Ë&#x2030;QG RXW PRUHȨ Tell us about Nineboys and how you got involved?

After leaving Rosetti I wanted to create my own company. It was myself and eight others that helped put the company together.

What were your aims when you set the company up?

To deliver a product that sold well in comparison to price and features against its competitors and to offer great value for money. ,V LW GLIË&#x2039;FXOW WR FRPH XS ZLWK 863 for an acoustic guitar brand?

Very, especially as there are few factories that build guitars of quality in the Far East. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unavoidable youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up with models that compare closely to your competitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll use the same factories. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we added the Wedge, a Diddley Bow and the Cigar Box. How did you get around that?

By including high-grade features, scalloped bracing, AA grade tops, and having top endorsees such as The Vaccines and Maverick Sabre.

Tell us about the Nineboys range?

The range comprises Dreadnoughts, OM Style Guitars, Jumbos and Round Shoulders Guitars. On some models thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a choice between Natural and Sunburst. All have AA Grade Solid Spruce Tops, Scalloped Bracing and Grover hardware.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the idea behind the Tonk Bros line?

I wanted the Tonk Bros line to be an exceptional product and brand and not just another import made in the same factory(s) in the Far East as others do. British-made guitars increase the credibility of the company, giving us the difference that is enjoyed by manufacturers such as Martin, Gibson and Fender, who control their production of their higher-end guitars.

At the moment this style of guitar is really hot. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d noticed that old instruments are highly desirable and sell for good money, if they

are playable. I knew of the original Tonk Bros Instruments range and brand (a very old American company - no longer in existence) and currently their models are rare and sell for big money. As the brand hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been used for a long time and was available, I decided it was a SHUIHFW Ë&#x2039;W IRU WKLV UDQJH There has been a wake up call for the entire country in regard to our reliance on imports. After making the Wedge and the Cigar Box Guitar in the UK I knew it could be done.

What has the reaction been to the fact that your guitars are PDGH IURP )6& ZRRG" Non plussed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; people are happy that its made from Birch, as the original ones were. To me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical. I want to future-proof the guitar. It is inevitable that FSC will be a requirement for our industry.

The engineering companies I work with will only use FSC as they are so heavily regulated in regard to EUTR DQG &,7(6 7KH\ ZHUH KRUULË&#x2039;HG that companies still use critically endangered wood.

How do you differentiate for dealers on price/margin?

We have a minimum of 55 per cent mark up on some of our products and up to 80 per cent on others.

You have some quirky items in the line-up. Are you looking at other markets for those?

We are already selling in lifestyle shops, especially with the Cigar Box Guitar. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken to it well and it has proved to be a strong seller for them.

We recently got put up for an award for the Wedge for reusing off-cut materials. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a section of roof truss, which has given us a strong following with architects.

And in the MI market? What are you hoping for in the next year ?

The market has greatly reduced due to the recession. Retailers have survived by focusing on consumer needs and service. We feel our UDQJH LV D JUHDW Ë&#x2039;W IRU PRVW 0, retailers.

New MI Products!

We launched 33 new products in 2014 across the Vocal, Guitar, Bass and Studio Monitor categories.

In addition to the 7 products we released at NAMM, even more game-changing products will be launched in 2015.

Make sure you talk to your TC Group account manager to find out more.

TONE BEYOND BELIEF

TC Electronic K-Series Bass Cabs

Adding to the award winning TC Electronic bass amp 2.0 line and as a replacement for the BC series of cabs, the new K-Series cabinets will continue to set the bar even higher with their best-in-class sound quality, whilst still at the same time remaining affordable.

Designed to be mixed and matched, the K-210, K-212 and K-410 cabinets are a perfect fit for the recently launched BH550 and BH800 TonePrint® amplifiers. With their lightweight design, custom TC Electronic/LAVOCE designed drivers and great vintage-vibed looks, we believe the new K-Series are set to be a big hit with your bass customers too!

K-Series Cabs: Available March K-210 UK SSP £315 - K212 UK SSP £355 - K-410 UK SSP £475

MORE CONTROL

TC-Helicon MP-76 Microphone

When TC-Helicon introduced Mic Control™ with the MP-75, it started a revolution. However adding even more control is what singers tell us they crave for. With its 4 Mic Control™ buttons and a numeric backlit LCD-display, MP-76 puts even more effects control back where it belongs – right into vocalist’s hands.

Singers can now remotely control multiple functions of a TC-Helicon vocal processor directly from their microphone, activating effects, toggling presets, or building killer loops all in real-time. Plus the custom Lismer™ capsule ensures that any feedback is kept under control in the best way possible.

MP-76: Available Now UK SSP £119

MIC IT. LOOP IT.

TC-Helicon Ditto Mic Looper

The original Ditto Looper from TC Electronic forever changed guitarists’ expectations of how easy and simple such a pedal could be, so much so that it is now the best selling guitar pedal in the world. Now sister company TC-Helicon is set to do the same for singers with Ditto Mic Looper, a simple looper for vocals and mic’ed-up instruments. Ditto Mic Looper is the perfect looping pedal for singers, beat-boxers and acoustic performers who want to realize a layered masterpiece quickly and easily.

With just a Loop button, Stop button and an oversized loop level control, performers can build any idea into a full-sounding performance instantly, while unlimited overdubs and undo/ redo features helps to bring the vibe up and down. Plus, the last loop is automatically stored – even when the unit is turned off!

*FREE MP-75 microphone (by direct claim form redemption) for UK end users who purchase from launch until 31st March 2015.

Ask your TC Group sales contact for more details.

Ditto Mic Looper: Available Now UK SSP £119

SET PHASER TO AWESOME TC Electronic Helix Phaser

TC Electronic introduced the original TonePrint® line of pedals back in 2011 and instantly they became a success, with a no-nonsense approach to the essential functions that guitarists want, along with the ability to load TonePrints from the mega-stars of rock royalty. Not just resting on our laurels and as musicians worldwide have been asking for more, we now present Helix Phaser.

Guitarists get all the classic phaser sounds, from subtle sweeps to massive sonic bends straight out of the box. However with the added ability for players to design their very own pedal via the TonePrint editor, along with Stereo ins and outs, all helps to make Helix Phaser the most flexible and versatile phaser pedal ever!

Helix Phaser: Available May UK SSP £99

THE TONES DREAMS ARE MADE OF TC Electronic Viscous Vibe

Also adding to TC Electronic’s tremendously successful TonePrint line of pedals, Viscous Vibe is an absolutely fastidious digital recreation of the original analog Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe.

Bringing all of TC Electronic’s dedicated DSP and programming know-how into a compact pedal, along with the added ability for guitarists to create and design their own pedal via the TonePrint editor, all makes Viscous Vibe perfect for anybody who wants to implement truly authentic and classic vibe tones into a modern-day pedal board.

Viscous Vibe: Available May UK SSP £99

email: tcuk@tcgroup.tc

•

UK phone: 0800 917 8926

•

tcgroup.tc

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

20 MIPRO

MI Pioneers: Bob Moog This month, our Pioneers focus shifts its gaze to the world of electro, as we take a look back at the career of synth pioneer Bob Moogâ&#x20AC;Ś EVER SINCE rock bands began to embrace instrumentation outside of the traditional spectrum of guitars, bass and drums in the mid-1960s, Moog has been a name synonymous with electro-infused music the world over. A brand as iconic as it is innovative, Moog instruments have featured frequently on some RI WKH PRVW LQË&#x152;XHQWLDO DOEXPV RI all time and continue to be utilised by pioneering artists from all four corners of the globe. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd and Stevie Wonder were just a few early adopters of Moog instruments, ZKLOH OHJHQGDU\ Ë&#x2039;OP GLUHFWRU Stanley Kubrick also put one of the Ë&#x2039;UPȢV V\QWKHVL]HUV WR ZRUN RQ KLV 1971 classic A Clockwork Orange.

Over the ensuing decades, groundbreaking new products were EURXJKW WR PDUNHW Ë&#x2039;QGLQJ IDYRXU with a multitude of musicians across a diverse array of genres.

2I FRXUVH WKH EUDQGȢV JURZLQJ prominence amongst highSURË&#x2039;OH SHUIRUPHUV SOD\HG QR small part in establishing it as a name of some repute, yet it was the entrepreneurial spirit of its visionary founder, Bob Moog, that was ultimately responsible for transforming the business from 2QH RI 0RRJČ V HDUO\ 7KHUHPLQV

a home-based operation into the world-renowned name it is today.

1950s/60s In the early 1950s, Bob Moog and his father began building homemade Theremin kits and selling them via mail order. After graduating from Queens College with a Bachelor of Science degree in

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moog instruments have featured on some of the most LQË&#x160;XHQWLDO DOEXPV RI DOO WLPH DQG FRQWLQXH WR EH XWLOLVHG E\ pioneering artists.â&#x20AC;?

1957, the budding engineer went on to complete a Ph.D. in engineering physics at Cornell a few years later.

Capitalising on funds generated from his Theremin sales, Moog began work on a number of electronic musical instruments, DPRQJ WKHP WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW HYHU 0RRJ 0RGXODU V\QWKHVL]HU LQ

which was demonstrated before an international audience the following year at the 1964 AES FRQYHQWLRQ 7KH V\QWK ZDV WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW of its kind to feature a piano-style keyboard as a controller.

1970s Following on from the original models released in the 1960s, 1971 saw the launch of the 0LQLPRRJ 0RGHO ' 2QH RI WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW V\QWKHVL]HUV WR EH PDGH ZLGHO\ available to consumers, the unit had been designed to offer users a more portable and affordable product.

The same year also saw the FRPSDQ\ XQGHUJR LWV Ë&#x2039;UVW QDPH change, dropping the RA Moog name to become Moog/Musonics.

Just a year later, the company rebranded once again to become, simply, Moog Music. %HWZHHQ DQG WKH company expanded its product SRUWIROLR VLJQLË&#x2039;FDQWO\ ZLWK the introduction of several new lines, including the Moog 6\VWHP DQG SDWFKDEOH V\QWKHVL]HUV 6RQLF 6L[ 6DWHOOLWH SUHVHW V\QWKHVL]HU 7DXUXV %DVV 3HGDOV 0RRJȢV Ë&#x2039;UVW SRO\SKRQLF V\QWKHVL]HU WKH 3RO\PRRJ DQG 0RRJ V\QWKHVL]HU DFFHVVRULHV WKH

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 21

1125 Sample & Hold, 1150 Ribbon &RQWUROOHU )RRWVZLWFK Percussion Controller, and 1120 Foot Pedal Controller.

During this period, the company was bought out by musical instrument manufacturer Norlin Music. However, citing poor management from the new owners, Bob Moog eventually parted ways ZLWK WKH Ë&#x2039;UP LQ 7KH EUDQG still operated under the name Moog Music, continuing to bring a variety of new instruments and accessories to market.

1980s/90s The decade began with Moog 0XVLFȢV ODXQFK RI WKH 0RRJ 5RJXH and Source â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a microprocessorcontrolled programmable monosynth. It also ceased production of the Minimoog V\QWKHVL]HU DIWHU D UXQ RI PRUH WKDQ 12,000 units.

0HDQZKLOH LQ 1RUOLQ 0XVLF sold Moog Music to David Luce and F. Scott Chapman, who divided the company into two different divisions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Moog Music and Moog (OHFWURQLFV 7KH Ë&#x2039;UP DJDLQ FKDQJHG hands later that decade, with RJE Research Corp purchasing Moog Music, along with the assets of Moog Electronics.

Away from Moog Music, after taking a break from manufacturing, Moog teamed up with Italian brand Crumar in 1982 to co-develop the Spirit analogue monosynth, before MRLQLQJ .XU]ZHLO 0XVLF 6\VWHPV in 1984, where he served as vice president of new product research IRU Ë&#x2039;YH \HDUV XQWLO In a move that harked back to his roots, he designed the Series 91 Theremin in 1991, which was produced by his new company Big Briar. He also developed the Etherwave Theremin, a model that is still sold to this day in both

$ 0RRJ 0RGXODU 6\QWKHVL]HU

build-it-yourself kits and assembled forms. In 1998 Moog designed the Ethervox MIDI Theremin, incorporating MIDI software.

As the decade drew to a close, Moog began developing the Minimoog Voyager, with the product appearing as a prototype at the January NAMM show in 2000.

2000s Following its debut appearance at the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;00 Winter NAMM exhibition, the Minimoog Voyager began VKLSSLQJ LQ Ȣ 7KDW VDPH year, Moog reclaimed the legal rights to use his own name on musical products. As a result, he immediately changed the name of Big Briar to Moog Music.

With Moog once again releasing products under his own name, a series of Moog Voyager units were SURGXFHG EHWZHHQ Ȣ DQG ȥ including the Performer Edition, Anniversary Edition and Rack Mount Edition. A documentary was also released in 2004, celebrating the work of Moog and the evolution of the brand throughout his career.

On August 21st 2005, Moog sadly passed away after being diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier that year. Twelve months after his death, The Bob Moog Foundation was formed with the intention of igniting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;creativity at the intersection of music, science and LQQRYDWLRQȢ It goes without saying that Bob Moog has left an indelible print on the musical landscape. That his work is held in such regard by inventors, engineers and musicians WKH ZRUOG RYHU LV D Ë&#x2039;WWLQJ WULEXWH to the impact he has made on the MI industry. With fans still taking inspiration from his creations, the work of Bob Moog will no doubt FRQWLQXH WR LQË&#x152;XHQFH JHQHUDWLRQV for years to come.

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FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 23

INTERVIEW: DAMON WALLER

Overseas opportunities Having left his post as Orange MD last year, Damon Waller swiftly launched his very own consultancy service, aptly named Damon J Waller Consultancy Services. Here he tells Daniel Gumble why he decided to leave the amp giant and how he is looking to help others break into new territories across the globeâ&#x20AC;Ś After so long with Orange $PSOLË&#x2039;FDWLRQ ZK\ GLG \RX IHHO WKDW QRZ ZDV WKH WLPH WR EUDQFK RXW RQ \RXU RZQ" It had been on my mind for a while, to be honest. I had obviously done a lot with Orange; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been there for almost 13 years, which is a long time in any job. I was in a position where, unless someone was able to approach me with a better offer than I already had, then ultimately I would have to do my own thing one day. It just felt like the right time. :HUH \RX QRW DIUDLG WKDW ZLWK WKH HFRQRP\ VWLOO IDU IURP VWDEOH QRZ FRXOG EH D SDUWLFXODUO\ ULVN\ WLPH WR ODXQFK D QHZ EXVLQHVV" I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s risky whenever you do it. The world has been in a great recession since 2008, and in many ways it held me back during that period, but at some point I had to go out on my own and do something different and it just felt right.

6R ZK\ WKLV SDUWLFXODU YHQWXUH" When I left Orange I was looking at various options; I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave with DQ\ VHW JRDO RU DJHQGD , Ë&#x2039;UVW VHW up a simple eBay store selling a few bits just to get some money coming in, which is going quite well. Then, once that was up and running, the idea was to get the consultancy up and running.

My history with Orange was in international sales, which helped PH SURFXUH P\ Ë&#x2039;UVW FOLHQW 5HG Witch, which is based in New Zealand. They are a great, boutique guitar effects pedal brand, but they needed some help with international distribution, so that was something I could really help WKHP ZLWK 7KDW ZDV WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW VWHS LQ getting the business moving. +RZ GLG \RX JHW LQYROYHG ZLWK 5HG :LWFK" ,ȢYH NQRZQ %HQ )XOWRQ Č&#x; 5HG :LWFK CEO and designer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for about ten

years, since he started the company.

I knew they had some issues with distribution in the US, so after I left Orange I contacted him to explain what I was doing and see if he needed any assistance. He was delighted with the idea, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already started to pair them up with some really good distributors around the world. &DQ \RX H[SODLQ H[DFWO\ ZKDW \RXU EXVLQHVV KDV WR RIIHU" Because my experience with Orange was so broad, there are a lot of things I can offer a lot of people. International sales is my speciality, but I can help with anything from branding or product conceptualisation, to launching products. I can also assist with new product approvals as well; the compliance issues these days are really tough. At Orange it was something we spent a lot of time and money on, and they have someone there that specialises in that because it is so important.

It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re PDNLQJ JXLWDUV DPSOLË&#x2039;HUV PLFV RU anything else, eventually you are going to come across an approval or compliance issue and if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it right the risks are potentially massive. Getting something wrong could close your business.

I can also help people establish businesses in China. This is becoming more and more important, but it is tricky. China has huge restrictions on what you can and cannot do as an importer, but there are certain things you can do with your own company out there that you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do otherwise.

And industry is growing rapidly in China, so to have someone who can specialise and assist in that area could be essential. :LOO \RX EH ORRNLQJ DW FOLHQWV IURP ULJKW DFURVV WKH LQGXVWU\ RU IRFXVLQJ SUHGRPLQDQWO\ RQ

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making guitars, amps or mics, eventually you are going to come across an approval or compliance issue and if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it right the risks are potentially massive.

Getting something wrong could close your business.â&#x20AC;?

WKH JXLWDU DQG DPSOLË&#x2039;HU PDUNHW RQ DFFRXQW RI \RXU ZRUN ZLWK 2UDQJH" I will absolutely be looking at clients from all areas of the market. Ultimately, particularly in international trade, I have a lot of experience working with distributors who do everything, from guitars and drums to classical instruments and pianos. :KDW ZRXOG FRQVWLWXWH D JRRG Ë&#x2039;UVW \HDU IRU 'DPRQ :DOOHU &RQVXOWDQF\ 6HUYLFHV" $UH \RX FXUUHQWO\ LQ WDONV ZLWK DQ\ RWKHU FOLHQWV" Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m speaking with two other companies at the moment, whom I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t name at present. If I can get a few clients on-board in the early part of this year I think that will stand me in good stead for the future.

15 – 18. 4. 2015

Hands on music Exciting trends and developments, all sorts of instruments and equipment, plus thousands of musicians and music-lovers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Musikmesse in Frankfurt is the largest international trade fair for manufacturers and distributors of musical instruments, sheet music, hardware, software and accessories.

Come and visit Musikmesse 2015 and discover over 95,000 square metres of exciting new ideas. A new feature at Musikmesse is the B2B area for retailers, offering a stylish and relaxed atmosphere for business meetings.

Find out more at: www.musikmesse.com info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

26 MIPRO

SHEET MUSIC

Between the

sheets

Cast your mind back to the turn of the century when the Internet was really starting to make its presence felt in the MI market. You couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been forgiven for thinking that the sheet music sector ZRXOG EH DPRQJ WKH LQGXVWU\Č V Ë&#x2030;UVW PDMRU FDVXDOWLHV ZKDW ZLWK ZULWWHQ PXVLF JXLWDU WDEODWXUH DQG the like all readily available at the click of a mouse. Fortunately, this hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite been the case.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to say it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t faced stiff competition from the web and the ongoing recession, but it certainly appears to have held its own as well as any other niche in the market. We caught up with some of the sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading retailers and suppliers to garner a clearer idea of how it has performed over the past 12 months and what the future holds for sheet musicâ&#x20AC;Ś

ROBERTO GARCIA

Sales and marketing director, Schott Music OUR PRINT business has certainly been affected by the economic downturn and, whilst I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deny that the business environment for our print sales is very tough, I would also add that sales of our classical/copyright and educational titles remain relatively stable.

New customers are, of course, absolutely essential to our business, and our printed music retailers have to work exceptionally hard these days to ensure customers keep coming through their door.

ELIZABETH BARBER

Owner, St. Albans Music Centre OUR â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;COREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; customers have supported us wonderfully during a nail-biting year, which could almost have seen the end of St. Albans Music Centre after 56 years of trading. However, we have managed to relocate after the sale of our original building, to a small, cosy, rented premises close to our old home.

On moving day, patience must have been stretched for those customers who found themselves choosing music at No. 38 and paying for it at No. 20!

Customers keep coming and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve so often been told that what we do canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be

I think that there is an opportunity for publishers to work more closely with retailers to help achieve this, in particular in working together on opportunities like in-store events, such as composer/author workshops, book launches and window displays etc.

Furthermore, an online presence for retailers is also essential, and with publishers such as ourselves who provide data feeds of our products, including metadata and cover images, I would certainly be happy to see more of our print customers taking advantage of this facility and uploading our data for use on their own websites.

replicated on the web.

Strangely, when music was a lot cheaper and the economic climate far kinder, people complained far more about the cost of sheet music.

With our small but diverse stock, and JLYHQ WKH GLIË&#x2030;FXOW \HDU ZHČ YH KDG LWČ V KDUG to talk of trends, but we can always rely on the education market - piano, strings and wind (including saxophone) being the front-runners. :HČ OO EH TXDOLË&#x2030;HG WR VSHDN IXUWKHU on the subject of new customers after an advertising feature comes out in our local paper! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve largely relied on recommendations and love to meet customers this way.

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 27

SHEET MUSIC

ANDREW HIGGINS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Books are still purchased as the most traditional approach to playing and learning music.â&#x20AC;?

Mark Mumford, managing director, Hal Leonard

MARK MUMFORD

Director of sales and marketing, Alfred Music

Managing director â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Europe, Hal Leonard

2014 WAS WKH PRVW GLIË&#x2030; FXOW year of the 20 or so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been involved with sheet music. 2010, at the depths of the crash, was very tough, but anticipated, after which followed three years of solid recovery with 3-4 per cent increases year-on-year. In 2014 we held on to most of that, but there was precious little extra.

The economic climate has been unhelpful, but not the key factor; rather the globalisation of trade facilitated by the online marketplace has sucked the margin out of the business. Many web retailers compete with each other and sell at little more than trade price plus postage, bringing down the RRP. This affects the retailer, who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compete, and the publisher, who sees the 553 GHFLPDWHG DQG Ë&#x2030; QGV KLV production calculations wiped out. However, to not â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;parlezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with web retail would be commercial suicide unless you can control your supply chain or deal directly with the end-user. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to keep a lid on discounts to online retail, whilst offering higher value deals to the high street so they have extra margin to work with, but wholesalers and third-party marketplace stores can simply sweep that advantage away with loss leading deals.

The pop music market has suffered most. The GTAB and PVG VLWHV WKDW OLWWHU WKH ZZZ IXOË&#x2030; O however inaccurately, a market once dominated by sheet music publishers. Like the recording industry, there are too many peer-to-peer sites, but legitimate sites can deliver a great product.

Educational music continues to thrive; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had growth year-onyear in choral repertoire; method books prosper; and performance music remains healthy.

I WOULD say that the market has performed better over the past 12 months than perhaps we expected at the start of last year. Sales for us have increased on the previous year, partly due to the huge success and popularity of the music from Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frozen, including the song â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Let It Goâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. We have published this in many different sheet music formats. Sales for this have held up throughout the last year and, of course, right through Christmas.

2Q WKH Ë&#x160; LSVLGH FXWV LQ PXVLF education funding and closure to music services have and will continue to impact all of our business.

Books are still purchased as the most traditional approach to playing and learning music.

However, adding digital and online content is a very effective way to bring greater value, create more exciting use of content and to communicate more effectively with music makers of all ages. This is a trend for us and we continue to develop more in this direction. More and more of our publications are being enhanced in this way. For example, many of our new play along products now have online audio download links rather than audio CDs. Another example is our instrumental group teaching method series, Essential Elements, which now has digital access, meaning that students, teachers and parents can access the free online resource centre â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;anytime, any place and on any deviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The physical book is still required as a purchase and as a gateway to gaining access to the online environment.

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

28 MIPRO

INTERVIEW: AGUILAR

All about that bass While 2014 proved to be a challenging year for many, New York bass amp and effects manufacturer Aguilar reported the most successful year in its 20-year history. Ronnie Dungan made the trip across the pond to speak ZLWK SUHVLGHQW 'DYH %RRQVKRIW DQG &(2 'DYH $YHQLXV DERXW WKH Ë&#x2030;UPČ V UHFHQW SURVSHULW\Ȩ

RIGHT NOW, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re one of the many in the business struggling to stay aloft, it feels like the MI industry is niche enough as it is, without looking for smaller crevices within it.

But given that New York Citybased high-end bass amp and effects specialist Aguilar, has just had its best year ever, maybe specialism is the way forward.

This year, the company, distributed in the UK by Barnes & Mullins, is celebrating 20 years in the business and it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be inaccurate to say it was one of the most highly-regarded bass brands on the market right now.

Its bass heads and cabs are very much associated with the professional end of the market, and its pickups are the weapon of choice for any number of bass guitar brands and also the aspirational upgrade for many bass

guitar enthusiasts.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a Far East manufacturing plant in sight.

Everything is put together at its base in New York City where it also has a plush studio apartment which it uses

player in New York City,â&#x20AC;? explains Boonshoft, â&#x20AC;&#x153;doing studio work and I met my original partner, Alex Aguilar, through Roger Sedowsky.

We were helping Roger with a preamp design - Alex was designing

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t start out as manufacturers. We started as musicians who wanted to make a product. We focus on making good products and think about what we can add to the market that has value to the player.â&#x20AC;? for promotional shoots and demos.

It was here that we caught up with president Dave Boonshoft and CEO Dave Avenius to discuss the Ë&#x2039;UPȢV XQLTXH SODFH LQ WKH PDUNHW and how it came to prominence in the bass community.

First, a little history lesson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was freelancing as a bass

it - and I was one of several bass players who gave him feedback.

Out of that, a few years later, I decided that I needed tube preamps for my studio work that were VSHFLË&#x2039;F IRU EDVV SOD\HUV 6R $OH[ and I went into business with two products. When I say two products, I mean two actual products in a

line, and went to a NAMM Show with them under our arm. Those were DB-680s. One of them had â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bandwidthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; misspelled on it. So that one is out there. If you have the one with the wrong spelling it might be worth something. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Very early on we had very high TXDOLW\ SOD\HUV WKDW ZDQWHG WKH DB-680, so we immediately got a fair amount of good press, good endorsers and some orders. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to get a new thing going. It was an expensive pre-amp. It was esoteric in the sense that not all bass players really needed a tube pre-amp for studio use with two parametric EQ. So it was slow going for a long time.â&#x20AC;?

From the off, the company originated from the needs and wants of the professional bassplaying community, which has shaped its forward momentum ever since. It has always been a

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 29

INTERVIEW: AGUILAR

company moving forward, but sometimes the pace has been a bit slower than it would have liked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It took a long time,â&#x20AC;? adds Boonshoft,â&#x20AC;?we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t initially start out as manufacturers, we started as musicians who wanted to make a product. Our general philosophy is that we try to make a mistake only once and then move on to a new mistake, because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how you OHDUQ , ZRXOG VD\ WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW WHQ \HDUV we did a lot of things that could be FODVVLË&#x2039;HG DV PLVWDNHV QRW IURP D product standpoint, but from just becoming a great manufacturer.

Which is a goal of ours. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To go from being a bass player with an entrepreneurial spirit, to a successful manufacturer has been a 20-year journey, and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there yet.â&#x20AC;?

It is only in the last few years WKDW WKH Ë&#x2039;UP KDV VWDUWHG WR EUHDN out of the specialist bass market, to proliferation in more mainstream MI stores, while still, of course, retaining its high-end appeal and reputation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started with the bass specialty stores. You have to go straight to the dealers that are going to understand you immediately. There was Bass 3DFLË&#x2039;F /$ %DVV ([FKDQJH >ZKLFK LV where he met Dave Avenius] those were the initial places you could get in. The next group were stores where one of the main salesmen was an enthusiastic bass player, so anytime there is someone who is really involved in playing bass, we had an immediate way to make contact about the products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a New York bass player, I knew a lot of professionals here in New York. Also, Dave knew D ORW RI SHRSOH WKURXJK WKH /$ Bass Exchange. Very early on we started working with some jazz greats - John Patitucci, Gary Willis, Mike Merritt, who does the Conan show, was an early endorser who I knew of, and also some heavy rock players that I knew.â&#x20AC;?

3HUKDSV WKH UHDVRQ ZK\ WKH Ë&#x2039;UP is able to continue to manufacture in the US, as opposed to elsewhere, is because it is not trying to compete on price, but rather on giving players what they need. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We view the Aguilar product as being for all levels of bass player. So thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no real amateur/ professional division in our products. The only division that there might be is if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shopping for an 8x10 cabinet, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re probably playing larger venues. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing less professional about an Aguilar 2x10. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to make amps for somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garage band. Some of

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Becoming a great manufacturer is a goal of ours. To go from being a bass player with an entrepreneurial spirit, to a successful manufacturer has been a 20-year journey... and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there yet.â&#x20AC;?

the price points in the industry are pretty low, and making stuff in the US, it is hard to get down to those price points and be competitive. So I think that the Aguilar philosophy will be better served by trying to represent how much value our product actually has, and why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a better choice for a consumer to spend a little bit more, get a great DPSOLË&#x2039;HU DQG VSHDNHU FDELQHW that is going to be reliable, sound great and last them a long time. So sometimes things that are not down market in terms of price are worth the extra money.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We focus on making good products,â&#x20AC;? adds Avenius, â&#x20AC;&#x153;so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not chasing trends necessarily. We think about what we can add to the market that has value to the player.

I think that when we approach things from that perspective, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s making pick-ups,

SHGDOV RU DPSOLË&#x2039;HUV , WKLQN LW KDV served us well. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made a lot of legacy products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tonehammer amp gains more popularity all the time. We ZHUHQȢW WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW OLWWOH DPS RQ WKH market, but we took our time when we developed the Aguilar version of a little amp. It sounds like an Aguilar, has the volume and power you would expect from an Aguilar and a useful feature set like you would expect. Because of that, more and more people get exposed to it, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through the professional players that use it, or dealers that carry it. I think that we focus on making the best product we can, rather than what everyone else is doing.â&#x20AC;? %RRQVKRIW TXLFNO\ UXOHV RXW DQ\ future move into areas outside of the bass market. Aguilar will stick to what it does best. But every company has to keep expanding, so how does Aguilar continue to evolve in such a niche market?

One of its many growth areas is in OEM pickup sales. With many of the leading bass brands such as Spector, Fodera and Roscoe incorporating its pickup technology, Boonshoft sees continually changing and evolving SURGXFW UHTXHVWV DV RQH RI WKH PDLQ areas of growth. Ȥ/XWKLHUV DUH DOZD\V FRPLQJ XS ZLWK QHZ UHTXLUHPHQWV GHVLJQV pick placement sizes, so we can expand exponentially there as well. I think those are big areas of growth. I think there will be more high-powered, lightweight amps we can build. We can change the feature sets. Again, I think the idea LV WR Ë&#x2039;JXUH RXW ZKDW LV JRLQJ WR be a useful musical tool and what applications we can address. I think it will be in those areas we will grow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the last few years we have JDLQHG VRPH WHUULË&#x2039;F GLVWULEXWRUV which has helped the company grow. Our ability to reach our customers has tremendously improved because of this.â&#x20AC;?

International expansion, an increased range of effects pedals (with a new Chorusaurus pedal just shipped and a new fuzz launch at NAMM) and further functional enhancements to its amp and pickup offering are what drive the company currently.

No doubt the same user-driven creativity would work well in any other sector of the market, but Aguilar will remain true to its core product offering.

As one astute commentator recently put it, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about that bass. No treble.

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

30 MIPRO MI PRO

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

FRET-KING BLACK LABEL JDD

We take a look at some of the most prominent electric guitar models currently available on the market

R

espected guitarist Jerry Donohue cooperated with Trev Wilkinson and Seymour Duncan to create a Fret-King â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;JDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guitar which would be the match for his prized â&#x20AC;&#x2122;52.

The Fret-King Black Label FKV25JDD features Donohueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s California-built Seymour Duncan APTL3JD signature pickup in the bridge position. This unique pickup was designed

by Seymour to duplicate the tone of Donohueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2122;52 touring guitar.

The neck position of the JDD is loaded with Donohueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s custom designed, California-built covered APS-2JD signature pickup.

Seymour designed this with D EDODQFHG Ë&#x2039; HOG IRU DQ HYHQ response, to distort â&#x20AC;&#x153;earlierâ&#x20AC;?, yet retain a clean, vintagelike tonality. :LWK D Ë&#x2039; YH ZD\ VZLWFK and circuitry tuned to Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s H[DFWLQJ VSHFLË&#x2039; FDWLRQ WKH Fret-King JDD meets his vision of having a single guitar, which is engineered to sound like many of the most instantly recognisable solid-body and semi-acoustic tones of the last 50 years.

From a playability point of YLHZ WKH VRIW ČĄ9Ȣ SURË&#x2039; OH QHFN DQG WKH ČĽ Ë&#x2039; QJHUERDUG radius are designed to round RII ZKDW WKH Ë&#x2039; UP GHVFULEHV DV a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;real playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guitarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of all the special guitar projects Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever been involved with in my quest for the perfect guitar, the Fret King JDD beats them all. At any price, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best, and the most affordable. Having Trev Wilkinson and Seymour Duncan working with me on this very special project has resulted in truly the best electric guitar I have ever played - I honestly could not be happier,â&#x20AC;? commented Jerry Donohue.

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: ÂŁ809 Colour: Natural Body: Two-piece centrejointed American alder with bound ash top Neck: &XVWRP SURË&#x2030; OHG Canadian hard rock maple Scratch plate: Black Finger board: Maple, 7 Âźâ&#x20AC;? radius Frets: 22 medium Inlays: Black Dots Nut Width: 1.67â&#x20AC;?/42.5mm nominal Nut: Graphite Tuners: Wilkinson WJ05 Bridge: Wilkinson WTBS Pickups: Seymour Duncan APS-2JD (Neck), APTL-3JD Controls: Volumes, tone and custom wired 5-way switch Includes: Luxury FretKing carry bag

ALSO IN THE RANGE: FRET- KING FKJDBK FRET- KING FKJDOCB VINTAGE V58JDAB

RRP: ÂŁ649 RRP: ÂŁ649 RRP: ÂŁ329

Contacts Address: John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd. Salem House, Parkinson Approach, Garforth, Leeds LS25 2HR, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 113 2865 381 Website: www.jhs.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 31

MI PRO

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

HOFNER VERYTHIN LTD

The Verythin electric guitar series is designed to produce a range of tones, from deep blues to rock â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roll

B

ased on the original classic guitar body shape from 1960, and with a body depth of measuring in at 1.25 inches, the Hofner Verythin was extremely popular with bands and artists during the 1960s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;beatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; boom era.

Now, these limited edition Hofner Verythin guitars are available in both power blue matt and olive green matt Ë&#x2039; QLVKHV Featuring a Bigsby vibrato unit, and dot fret position markers, the Hofner Verythin Limited Edition CT has been specially designed to capture the unique sound of the 1960s, and is designed to offer players the ability to produce tones ranging from deep blues through to distorted rock.

Hofner has acheived this E\ Ë&#x2039; WWLQJ D FHQWUH EORFN WR the traditional hollow body in order to produce more sustain, deeper tones and noticeably less feedback than fully hollow bodies.

Furthermore, the Verythin models have been based on WKH VDPH VHW RI VSHFLË&#x2039; FDWLRQV as the standard Verythin models. These include a VSUXFH WRS Ë&#x152; DPHG PDSOH back and sides, a solid spruce centre block for resonance and reduced feedback, a single piece solid maple neck, Hofnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s covered humbucker pickups, as well as original tone and volume controls.

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: ÂŁ659 Colour: Power blue matt and olive green matt Body Depth: 1.25â&#x20AC;?

Neck: Solid Maple Top: Spruce Back and sides: Flamed maple Centre block: Solid spruce

ALSO IN THE RANGE: HCTVTHMBK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; LTD EDBIGBSY. MATT BLACK HCTVTHBK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STANDARD. BLACK HCTVTHSB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STANDARD. SUNBURST HCTVTHR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STANDARD. RED HCTVTHLHR - STANDARD LEFTHANDED. RED. HCTVTH3SB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3BAR PICKUPS. SUNBURST

Contacts ÂŁ649 ÂŁ599 ÂŁ599 ÂŁ599 ÂŁ599 ÂŁ625

Address: Grays Inn House, Unit 14, mile Oak Industrial Estate, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 8GA Telephone: 0161 668310 Web: http://bandm.co.uk/ Email: alex.mew@bandm.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

32 MIPRO

RETAIL

5HWDLO SURË&#x2030;OH P37 Mystery shopper P38 New gear P42

JHS takes on BG in the UK and Ireland New distribution agreement begins February 1st 2015 JHS HAS been appointed as exclusive distributor for French brass and woodwind accessories brand, BG, in the UK and Ireland.

The UK distributor will look to incorporate the BG range of mouthpieces and ligatures into its Odyssey line-up of brass and woodwind products.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;With BG, we have added a premium brand to our line-up, and we will be looking to incorporate it into our Odyssey range.â&#x20AC;?

Based in Lyon, BG has become a renowned producer of mid-price and professional-level accessories in the sector, boasting a catalogue of products comprising in excess of 300 items.

Speaking to MI Pro, JHS director of purchasing and logistics, Paul Smith, said of the new agreement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the past three or four years we have been growing our Odyssey range of products and ZHȢYH EHHQ ORRNLQJ WR Ë&#x2039;QG D ZD\ of working closely with Franck Bichon [President, BG]. By taking on distribution of the BG line, we have

EHQHË&#x2039;WHG IURP DGGLQJ D SUHPLXP brand to our line-up, while we will also be looking to incorporate BGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accessories into our Odyssey range,â&#x20AC;? he continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will enable us to further develop both brands and offer our dealers an even better variety of product.â&#x20AC;? &RPPHQWLQJ RQ WKH Ë&#x2039;UPȢV QHZ home, BG President Bichon, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am proud to associate BG with JHS for UK distribution - our mutual savoir-faire and experience will give us a truly larger exposure in the UK. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We care much about the synergy with the Odyssey brand and all the JHS sales team. Time to start a new success story!â&#x20AC;?

JHS was recently awarded the NAMM Milestone Award for 50 years of service in the music products industry. The award recognises retailers and manufacturers that have succeeded over the years through best practices and strong community standing to reach a landmark anniversary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;2015 sees a very different commercial landscape to when John Skewes and his wife Madge started the business from a standing start in 1965, but the basics remain constant,â&#x20AC;? commented MD Dennis Drumm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Provide great customer service, offer saleable, well designed, SURË&#x2039;WDEOH SURGXFWV EH SUXGHQW follow through on promises, and be reliable, honest and trustworthy.â&#x20AC;?

BG president Franck Bichon (left) with JHS MD Dennis Drumm (right)

FIVE SECOND FACTS

The magic numbers in MI that caught our eye this month...

8

The creative industries are worth over ÂŁ8m per hour to the UK economy

20

Yamaha is giving local good causes and communities the chance to win one of 20 pianos

50

JHS received the NAMM Milestone Award for 50 years of service in the music products industry

4

Casio lifted the lid on four new digital pianos at last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, LA

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 33

SECRET DEALER

SECRET DEALER Why a splurge of new product in the new year isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always the best thing for the marketâ&#x20AC;Ś

AND SO January hits us like a cold spade in the face - racing along for WKH Ë&#x2039;UVW ZHHN EHIRUH VORZLQJ ULJKW GRZQ LQ DQWLFLSDWLRQ RI WKH *UHDW %LJ &DOLIRUQLDQ 0XVLF 6KRZ $V DOZD\V , VSHQG WKH ZHHN prior in a mix of curiosity (and DQ[LHW\ IRU ZKDW LV DERXW WR EH LPSRVHG XSRQ XV WKH manufacturers have spent their PRQH\ VKRZQ WKHLU FDUGV DQG QRZ LW LV LQFXPEHQW XSRQ XV GHDOHUV WR REHGLHQWO\ VSHQG RXU PRQH\ WR IXOË&#x2039;O WKHLU SURPLVHV WR WKH ZRUOG <RX VHH QHZ SURGXFW UHOHDVHV IRU DOO WKH VDOHV WKH\ PD\ SRVVLEO\ VWLPXODWH DOVR VLJQDO WKH GHDWK knell for the products they VXSHUVHGH 7KDW SURGXFW PD\ ZHOO EH SHUIHFWO\ JRRG EXW WKH PRPHQW WKH 1$00 EHOO ULQJV WKH\ EHFRPH VSRLOHG JRRGV IRUORUQO\ FOXWWHULQJ XS RXU VDOHV Ë&#x152;RRUV DQG VWRFN URRPV 7KLV LV LQ VWDUN FRQWUDVW WR D IHZ ZHHNV HDUOLHU ZKHQ LW ZDV the star player and the dealership ČĄPXVW KDYHȢ LWHP $ IHZ VKRUW ZHHNV ODWHU WKH RQO\ ZD\ WR PRYH LW RQ LV WR KHDYLO\ GLVFRXQW 2I FRXUVH WKDW LV WKH LGHD GHDOHUV FOHDU WKH ROG VWRFN ZLWK WDVW\ GHDOV DQG WKH FDVKË&#x152;RZ ZRUNV LWV ZD\ URXQG WR Ë&#x2039;OOLQJ WKH Ë&#x152;RRU ZLWK VKLQ\ QHZ SURGXFW (YHU\ERG\ ZLQV %XW WKDW IDLOV WR UHFRJQLVH several glaring points: $Q\RQH ZKR WDNHV D FOHDUDQFH GHDO LV XQOLNHO\ WR EHFRPH D SXUFKDVHU RI WKH QHZ SURGXFW 6R ZH KDYH VROG WKH VDPH DPRXQW RI SURGXFW UHJDUGOHVV RI WKH QHZ UHOHDVH EXW PDGH QR PRQH\ 7KH PRUH RIWHQ QHZ SURGXFWV DUH DQQRXQFHG WKH PRUH HGXFDWHG

WKH SXEOLF EHFRPHV WR ZDLWLQJ IRU FXUUHQW SURGXFW WR EH FOHDUHG 7KLV LV SDUWLFXODUO\ VR ZLWK WKH LQVWUXPHQW PDUNHW ZKHUH WKH ZKHHO FDQ RQO\ EH UHLQYHQWHG WR D SRLQW LQIRUPHG FXVWRPHUV NQRZ WKDW WKH QHZ ČĄ ,URQ 'HDWK V in Polar Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is technically YHU\ VLPLODU WR WKH ČĄ 6WHHO 'HDWK 9 LQ 6QRZ\ )URVWȢ Č&#x; DQG that any differences are neither EHWWHU QRU ZRUVH Č&#x; VR WKH PDUNHW

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The product may well be perfectly good, but the moment the NAMM bell rings they become spoiled goods cluttering up RXU VDOHV Ë&#x160;RRUV ČŁ JHWV SRSXODWHG ZLWK GLVFRXQWHG SURGXFWV ZKLOVW WKH QHZ VWXII LQYDULDEO\ VLWV WKHUH ZDLWLQJ IRU LWV WXUQ WR EH FOHDUHG RXW QH[W \HDU :LOO WKLV FKDQJH" , GRQȢW NQRZ WKH SRZHU WKDW QHZ SURGXFW release offers to manufacturer sales is hard for me to gauge in P\ RIË&#x2039;FH DV , GRQȢW KDYH DFFHVV WR WKHLU Ë&#x2039;JXUHV $OO , NQRZ LV WKDW , GRQȢW VHOO DQ\ PRUH RU DQ\ OHVV EHFDXVH RI WKHP DQG \HW D good proportion of my sales are GLVFRXQWHG WR EHQHË&#x2039;W RQO\ WKH PDQXIDFWXUHU DQG WKH FRQVXPHU ,W LV WLPHV OLNH WKLV , GRQȢW IHHO ZH DUH D SDUWQHU LQ WKH FKDLQ EXW MXVW D VXFNHU

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

34 MIPRO

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Q

Is the frequency of new products; dealer terms amendments; liberal credit terms; and ongoing offers an indication that the industry has no long-term strategy?

Adam Masters South City Music

THE MARKET for new product KDV EHHQ ˌRRGHG for a long time now; there has been a feeling of many brands reinventing the wheel. The common factor is that these changes often leave the forgotten people in this game confused and overwhelmed; that person being the customer. As the manufacturers continue to try to out do each other with technology, the product suffers as the build price becomes more important than the product. The insanity that is Gibson and their technological advances supports this point.

As a small store, the point regarding liberal credit terms is a strange one. Generally speaking, the small to mid-size suppliers are accommodating to our needs. The larger suppliers have a tendency to dangle the credit carrot with terms that are good, but are the products right?

Whilst my words may seem negative there is a strong feeling amongst shop keepers that control and direction went out of the window a long time ago!

Chris Jones Coda Music TAKING DEALER agreements into isolation, I can’t see a problem with distributors and manufacturers requiring retailers to adopt a professional and consistent approach to marketing.

However, if the content of the agreement is constantly changed and updated, and credit terms/ prices are altered on a regular basis, then the agreement will not be taken seriously and, ultimately, will become pointless.

Generous credit terms now seem to be more prevalent and can be an incentive for the retailer, as well as a tool with which the distributor

can achieve higher sales volume, as long as the product sells through and the retailer doesn’t use the money to pay another supplier with less generous payment terms.

Overall, there are some very good companies that distribute in the UK and also some very bad ones.

It’s down to us to choose who we WKLQN LW LV SURˋWDEOH WR GR EXVLQHVV with.

OUR PANEL OF RETAIL ADVISORS...

Alex Marten Red Dog Music

Mark Hedge

Cookes Band Instruments

Nick Durant Allegro Music

Chris Jones Coda Music

Dave Passera

Wembley Drum Center

Andy Bushell

Make Some Noise

Adam Masters South City Music

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 35

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Mike Podesta Cranes

Dave Bamford Symphony Music

Simon Gilson PMT

IT VERY much depends on the supplier. Larger established companies tend to give plenty of notice about changing lines and prices, giving the retailer an opportunity to move stock on and make space for new product. They will also be Ë&#x152;H[LEOH LI ZH DUH OHIW ZLWK D PDUJLQ GHË&#x2039;FLW DIWHU D UHGXFWLRQ and credit or offer free stock to compensate for this.

However, there are suppliers that still have an overwhelming amount of new models and options that you

IN MY time, I have witnessed a huge amount of changes in supplier direction and focus. All of these issues are symptomatic of an industry suffering from oversupply of product beyond what the market can sustain.There are no culprits to chastise, as it is a result of the market environment and there are no easy solutions. But, short-term pain for suppliers can yield a more sustainable industry IRU HYHU\RQH 6RPH H[DPSOHV Sustainable credit to worthy stores (those who require ongoing longterm credit may not be the best long-term partners); make greater demands on a smaller dealership network, yet acknowledge the value a competitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products can add to a dealer (taking all of a UHWDLOHUȢV ZDOO DQG FDVK Ë&#x152;RZ PD\ make business sense, but not if \RXU FRQVXPHUȢV H[SHULHQFH VXIIHUV through lack of choice); resist the urge to chase arbitrary sales targets if they serve to disadvantage future business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; consider why it is more important to get the numbers in on 31st January than 1st February and what affect this may have on your product sales going forward.

Dealers who carry good stocks will likely wait for the pattern to work in their favour and only buy when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re desperate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; meaning theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re desperate more often; a new product can stimulate sales, but, if used too often, it can also serve to delay potential purchases, as well as discourage stock commitment from dealers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always the magic bullet to keep the numbers turning.

Hopefully the force of the market will result in the more progressivethinking distributors honing their terms and focus toward the more progressive dealers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all the time resisting the urge to lose their nerve and dump the product to hit a short-term target.

TO MY memory, there have always been a large amount of product releases. If anything, it is better now, as manufacturers tend to release products as soon as they are ready, rather than wait for a major trade show. This has made stock Ë&#x2039;QDQFLQJ DQG GHOLQTXHQF\ easier to deal with.

As for the ridiculous way that VXSSOLHUV UXQ WKHLU Ë&#x2039;QDQFHV with what would seem like no strategy whatsoever, this will always be a mystery to me. , KDYH QR LGHD ZK\ 0, Ë&#x2039;UPV SD\ D Ë&#x2039;QDQFH GLUHFWRU ZKHQ

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are some suppliers that have an overwhelming amount of new models.â&#x20AC;? are bombarded with. This is confusing for the consumer and retailer. Unsurprisingly, hi-tech suppliers are the worst culprits.

I once had four new price lists in one year from one company.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always a fan of liberal credit terms if they are available, but this can be LUULWDWLQJ LI \RX Ë&#x2039;QG RXW after the event! Changing terms when it involves a big stock commitment can be problematic, but this is often negotiable and, with a good selling line, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t present too much of an issue. And we can always say no.

As for the direction of our industry, everything points toward larger brands dealing with fewer and fewer retailers, to the detriment of the smaller storesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; long-term survival.

Richard Thompson Sheehanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Adrian Bamford Neath Music

Roy Chudobskyi Nevada Music

Ȣ(QIRUFHG Ë&#x2030;VFDO policy would help prevent the boombust cycle in our industry.â&#x20AC;? most would be better directing buses! I said years ago that suppliers are banks. They take a risk to supply a trader on whatever terms they choose and at what price. Yet there is shock when a retailer who isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Ë&#x2039;W WR VXSSO\ ZLWK IUHH JRRGV OHW alone give a credit line to, goes EXVW (QIRUFHG Ë&#x2039;VFDO SROLF\ DQG control would go a long way to preventing the boom-bust cycle in our industry. We need manufacturers to re-think the way a lot of them deal with the world. The days of playing games with the home market against the rest of the world and other practices have to become a thing of the past. I Ë&#x2039;UPO\ EHOLHYH WKDW WKRVH WKDW fail to grasp the New World Order are doomed to a slow death or sudden catastrophe.

Rupert Bradbury JG Windows

Simon Gilson PMT

Adrian Bamford Neath Music THEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AN old clichĂŠ, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the only constant thing about business is changeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very true, and smart business owners react to change as it happens. The problem we have now is that the scale of change is unprecedented. We run a small business and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pretty light on our feet, but if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re struggling to adapt quickly enough, what chance does a larger organisation have?

The industry seems to be in a state of confusion. Instead of taking time to think a strategy through, many businesses seem to be racing towards the edge of a cliff. Dealers are accepting less margin because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re convinced they have to be selling the big brands. Distributors are pandering to global online giants, who will drop them once theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve outlived their usefulness.

We do seem to have lost any sense of direction, but whatever the state of our industry, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it to ourselves.

Whatever the long-term strategy for MI retail may be, the key question will be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;do bricks and mortar shops have a part to play in it?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Dave Bamford Symphony Music

Mike Podesta Cranes Music

FREEHOLD PROPERTY

INVESTMENT £220,000 o.n.o.

SHOP IN BUSY TOWN CENTRE PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT TRADING AS MUSIC SHOP SINCE 1977. FULLY FITTED OUT WITH ‘TEGOMETAL’ AND ‘STRING SWING’ SLATWALL SYSTEMS. TWO BEDROOM SELF CONTAINED FLAT OVER WITH 2012 BUILDING CONTROL COMPLETION CERTIFICATE. WRITE TO:

Swade Music, 3 Roman Square, Sittingbourne ME10 4BJ or email: swade@breathe.com

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 37

RETAIL PROFILE

Music Bros., Shrewsbury With a brand new website in the pipeline, Music Bros. is currently in the process of expanding its online offering.

Ronnie Dungan SDLG D YLVLW WR Ë&#x2030;QG RXW PRUH DERXW KRZ WKH EXVLQHVV KDV HYROYHG VLQFH ODXQFKLQJ LQ DQG ZKDW the future holds for the Shrewsbury-based retailerâ&#x20AC;Ś MUSIC BROS. launched in 2006 in Telford Town Centre. In 2007 it expanded and moved into its current location in Shrewsbury.

Competition comes from Salop Music Centre, a longestablished shop based on the outskirts of town. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a friendly rivalry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a young drummer I spent a small fortune in there over the years,â&#x20AC;? says Music Bros. owner Clive Beasley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We co-exist well.

We communicate regularly and recommend each other, which I believe not only helps business but, more importantly, customers.â&#x20AC;?

Music Bros. is progressing as a business and is just about to launch a new website, musicbros.co.uk, committing to online selling with a recently increased team.

Beasley says he has an eclectic mix of people coming into the store. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a wide and varied customer base.

Over recent years we have developed a large core of regular customers, many RI ZKRP WUDYHO VLJQLË&#x2039;FDQW

distances to visit us. It certainly helps that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the middle of an attractive historic town and tourist destination. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also only a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw from the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s college. Those were key factors in deciding to set up shop here.â&#x20AC;?

And what of the music scene in Shropshire? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as vibrant as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever known it. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s live music somewhere every night in Shrewsbury. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The folk scene is particularly lively. The weekend of Shrewsbury Folk Festival in August is one of our busiest for business.

We put a fringe festival on outside the shop with our favourite local performers.â&#x20AC;?

With a large catchment area, the shop avoids the specialist route and is essentially a traditional, broad-based music shop, with a wide but carefully chosen range of products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have worked very hard to establish and maintain a carefully FRQVWUXFWHG VWRFN SURË&#x2039;OH which appeals across the board from beginner to

professional level. Ȥ*XLWDUV DPSOLË&#x2039;HUV drums, and folk stringed instruments represent the majority of our business.

We do particularly well with Fender, Ibanez, Faith, Furch, PRS, Yamaha and Tanglewood. We Staff photo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from left to right: Clive have recently taken on Beasley; Kaylum Newell, Tom Caton, Olly Emery dealerships in Ernie Ball and LAG guitars.â&#x20AC;?

Like a great many dealers, the shop has found itself having to make hard decisions about what goes on the shelves and keep stock levels trim. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order to be competitive in the market and to strengthen the business we have, over the last couple of years, reduced the overall number of suppliers we trade with and established main dealerships in the remaining lines. My view is that this is the best way forward to survive

â&#x20AC;&#x153;To strengthen the business we have reduced the number of suppliers we trade with and established main dealerships.â&#x20AC;?

Address: 12 Roushill Bank, Shrewsbury, SY1 1PN

Telephone: 01743 240231

and succeed in an everchanging and increasingly competitive market. Not RQO\ KDV LW KHOSHG WR UHË&#x2039;QH and give a better focused identity to Music Bros. as a business, I also feel that this has strengthened our working relationships with our key suppliers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Music Bros. has consistently grown over the last few years. We have effectively outgrown our existing space. In a way itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good problem to have. I have no intention of leaving our current location as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lovely building and we are well-established here.â&#x20AC;?

As a business, however, it needs to evolve or die and Beasley says the store will be adding to its offering and continuing to engage with the local musical community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am working on options to expand, which in addition to extra retail space, include increasing our existing oversubscribed tuition service, repairs and maintenance service, and lifestyle/social events.

Watch this space.â&#x20AC;?

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

38 MIPRO

MYSTERY SHOPPER

READ BETWEEN

THE LINES This month our man of mystery pays a visit to Reading to check out its MI offeringâ&#x20AC;Ś

HICKIES AFTER A short walk from Reading WUDLQ VWDWLRQ , DUULYHG DW P\ Ë&#x2030;UVW VWRS +LFNLHV 6SUHDG DFURVV WZR Ë&#x160;RRUV Hickies offers a range instruments IURP JXLWDUV DQG EUDVV WR ZRRGZLQG and violins.

2Q HQWHULQJ WKH VWRUH VRPH RI WKH staff appeared shy when greeting

me. As I browsed through the great selection of Fender bass guitars in VWRFN RQH DVVLVWDQW ZDV YHU\ XVHIXO when dealing with my queries on upgrading my bass guitar.

I was taken through a number of bass guitars and told in detail what to expect from each one. He

WKHQ WRRN PH WKURXJK DPSV comparing them in sound quality and weight depending on the use I would have for them. After handing me several bass guitars KH EHOLHYHG WR EH VXLWDEOH IRU PH I was left alone to test them out.

The amount of Fenders they had in VWRFN ZDV LPSUHVVLYH ERWK EDVV DQG HOHFWULF JXLWDUV EXW WKH DPRXQW RI other brands was disappointing.

The rest of the shop had an assortment of instruments and accessories. However there was nothing in sight for drummers.

RATING

3/5

A good shop to browse with an LPSUHVVLYH VHOHFWLRQ RI JXLWDUV EXW donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect a great range outside of Fender.

MUSIC MAN IT FELT more as though I was entering a music memorabilia museum than a shop on arrival at Music Man. The walls were covered LQ VHFRQG KDQG JXLWDUV UHFRUGV DQG band merchandise.

The owner was already occupied with another customer looking to SXUFKDVH D EDVV JXLWDU VR , VLIWHG through the vast amount of vinyl records and listened in. The owner was very helpful with the customer DQG GHDOW ZLWK DOO KLV QHHGV $OVR WKH UDQJH RI UHFRUGV ZDV DPD]LQJ DQG , HYHQ PDQDJHG WR Ë&#x2030;QG VRPH KLGGHQ gems at a great price. This was an added bonus to have in store.

The shop was cramped but this

made my browse more interesting.

I had to avoid treading on cymbals and many other items hidden under VKHOYHV ZKLFK OHDG WR GLVFRYHULQJ more artefacts for sale.

I enquired about a distortion pedal suitable for a bass guitar and was instantly presented with he said had just come in. He even bartered with me and lowered the price when I decided not to take it.

RATING

5/5

A great shop for those looking for an HQWU\ OHYHO LQVWUXPHQW RQ D EXGJHW or a browse through a brilliant selection of second-hand material.

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 39

MYSTERY SHOPPER

DAWSONS DAWSONS HAS a very impressive layout. As I walked passed the pianos DQG EUDVV LQVWUXPHQWV , ZDV VWXQQHG by the amount of guitars that covered the walls.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a gallery for guitar fanatics; WKHUHČ V D FRUQHU GHGLFDWHG WR SHGDOV

TOTAL SOUNDS LOCATED ON DQ LQGXVWULDO HVWDWH , PDGH P\ ZD\ WR 7RWDO 6RXQGV D store that specialises in pro audio and DJ equipment. &OXHOHVV LQ WKH SUR DXGLR ZRUOG I felt somewhat lost entering the VWRUH 8QGHWHUUHG , DVNHG DERXW setting up a home rehearsal studio and was instantly shown around the store and told what was what.

The shop assistant took me through VSHDNHUV DPSV microphones and mixers.

He went into detail with what

I would get from each price range and what environment they would be most suited to. I was also assured that if there were any specialty products I required he could order them in for me. The assistant even took the time to describe to me a layout he believed would be suitable for the rehearsal studio I was planning. He then handed me his details and told me to get in touch if I had any more queries.

I left the shop wanting my own UHKHDUVDO VWXGLR DQG IHOW DV WKRXJK I had a gretaer knowledge of pro audio.

RATING

5/5

Total Sounds is suitable for anyone ORRNLQJ WR SXUFKDVH SUR DXGLR LWHPV from beginner to professional-level.

The staff will give you clear and very useful assistance if needed.

and plenty of amps scattered across WKH VKRS Ë&#x160;RRU +RZHYHU WKH VKRS ZDV HPSW\ DQG , was surprised at the lack of response from the staff as I looked around in search for the drum section.

I was now looking to browse through some drum hardware and perhaps purchase a tambourine. I was disappointed when I found just WZR DFRXVWLFV NLWV WKUHH F\PEDOV DQG some mid-range drum accessories tucked away in a corner.

I enquired about drumheads and one of the assistants took me through all the heads they had in stock and was very helpful with my queries. He also took me to a computer and I was shown all the acoustic kits they had in stock.

RATING

4/5

$ VWRUH WKDW FDQ IXOË&#x2030;O DOO \RXU 0, QHHGV DW DQ\ OHYHO DQG LV JUHDW WR simply gaze at its selection of guitars. ,W LV GHË&#x2030;QLWHO\ ZRUWK DVNLQJ D VWDII member if there is a product you FDQQRW Ë&#x2030;QG RQ WKH VKRS WKH\ ZLOO PRVW OLNHO\ EH DEOH WR Ë&#x2030;QG LW IRU \RX

CONCLUSION

Reading offers a variety of different stores that cater for all areas of the market.

FROM SEARCHING through a secondhand store for hidden JHPV WR EHLQJ VXUURXQGHG E\ D PDVV RI JXLWDUV LQ D PHJDVWRUH , was pleased with what Readingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MI stores had to offer.

Visiting Music Man was a great experience. It may not have had the greatest selection RI LQVWUXPHQWV EXW LW ZDV DQ amazing shop to rummage through and have a conversation with the owner about the unique VWRFN , ZRXOG GHË&#x2030;QLWHO\ OLNH WR return for a second visit to see ZKDW HOVH , FDQ Ë&#x2030;QG

Guitarists and bassists in WKH DUHD VKRXOG GHË&#x2030;QLWHO\ YLVLW Dawsons. The amount of guitars LQ VWRUH LV H[FHOOHQW DQG ZLWK the practice rooms provided it is worth trying some of them out.

If there is anything you want but FDQQRW VHH RQ WKH VKRS Ë&#x160;RRU DVN D PHPEHU RI VWDII DQG WKH\ ZLOO Ë&#x2030;QG LW IRU \RX The staff at Total Sounds were great in assisting me with my pro audio queries. Anyone looking for PA or DJ equipment will be sure to receive great service and be able to purchase anything they

QHHG DQG \RX VKRXOG QRW ZRUU\ if you lack knowledge in the pro audio area.

Hickies was able to supply me with the Fender bass range I ZDV ORRNLQJ IRU DQG WKH SULYDF\ , was given whilst trying them out ZDV DSSUHFLDWHG +RZHYHU LW MXVW lacked a range in different guitar EUDQGV DV ZHOO DV DQ\ GUXP accessories.

2YHUDOO 5HDGLQJ KDV D XQLTXH variety of MI stores on offer. It was a pleasure to visit each shop and have a different experience in each one.

GEAR MIPRO 41

new

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

PAGE 42 BRUNSWICK adds the BTK10 Junior to its entrylevel acoustic guitar range

COMMENT

RHYS TROAKE, STAFF WRITER

Balance the books

PAGE 42 ROTOSOUND has provided advanced intrument stability with its new Duro Pro composite stand

WITH EASY access to free written music and guitar tabs online, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not surprising that sheet music has faced some stiff competition in recent years. Yet, it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had quite as much of a downfall in the market as you may think, and remains an important tool for musicians and teachers alike.

When learning to play the trumpet 15 years ago, , UHPHPEHU EHLQJ KDQGHG P\ Ë&#x2030;UVW ERRN RI VKHHW music and the importance it had on my learning. It began with songs that were composed of three notes and then gradually moved on to songs with more, WHDFKLQJ PH WKH FRUUHFW Ë&#x2030;QJHULQJV DV , ZHQW DORQJ This was a vital part of my learning experience.

I later decided to teach myself to play bass guitar.

In doing so I browsed the Internet for bass tabs for songs I wanted to learn, and soon found out this was not the best way to do so.

There are so many different variations of guitar WDEV SRVWHG RQOLQH LWČ V GLIË&#x2030;FXOW WR NQRZ ZKLFK RQHV are correct and which arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. I ended up learning songs incorrectly and had no knowledge in the theory of playing bass. Factors like these show why purchasing sheet music can be so EHQHË&#x2030;FLDO <RX canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always tell LI ZKDW \RX Ë&#x2030;QG online is correct, and it may hinder your learning.

Reasons such as these could be why sheet music hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t plummeted in the market. Customers still want to purchase products they know they can rely on. By continuing WR VHOO VKHHW PXVLF LQ VWRUH UHWDLOHUV FDQ EHQHË&#x2030;W both themselves and customers, particularly at the entry-level end of the market. A few years ago, tired of playing jazz and classical music on the trumpet, I went for a browse in a local MI store and came across a book of sheet music for James Bond themes. %HLQJ TXLWH WKH %RQG IDQDWLF WKLV ZDV D WHUULË&#x2030;F Ë&#x2030;QG for me. There is a variety off sheet music books out there that musicians may not be aware of, likes AC/ DC for ukulele, for example. Selling such items gives consumers another reason to keep coming back in and browsing for that proverbial hidden treasure.

Hopefully musicians, from beginner-level onwards, will continue to purchase sheet music books, and ensure that we do not see this valuable commodity vanish from MI stores.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;By continuing to sell sheet music in-store, UHWDLOHUV FDQ EHQHË&#x2030;W both themselves and customers.â&#x20AC;?

PAGE 43 LINE 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $PSOLË&#x2030; 77 LV designed to turn any speaker system into a guitar amp

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

42 MIPRO

PRODUCTS

NEW GEAR 1 2

Rotosound Cooperstand

RRP: From ÂŁ27.65 Rotosound is extending its range of Cooperstand stands, now offering the new Duro Pro composite stands.

SPECIFICATIONS: Fabricated from recycled composite materials, the frame is strengthened by steel reinforcements, providing advanced instrument stability for a range of string instruments, from the acoustic guitar to the violin. The design is easy to set up, capable of folding GRZQ WR Ë&#x2030;W LQWR JXLWDU FDVHV DQG JLJ bags. Available in red and blue, the stand also boasts a glow in the dark Ë&#x2030;QLVK 6WHYH &URSSHU %OXHV %URWKHUV %RRNHU 7 DQG WKH 0*V FRPPHQWLQJ on the stand, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This has to be one of the best, innovative pieces of gear for the musician to come along in a while. Unique, useful, durable, well machined, beautiful materials and easy to operate.â&#x20AC;? www.rotosound.com

5

2. Peavey New amp models for ReValver 4 RRP: $21.99 Peavey has announced the release RI WKH QHZ $1*(/ 3%,, DPS PRGXOH $1*(/ FDELQHW PRGHOV DQG WKH 0HWDO 3DFN %XQGOH DOO DYDLODEOH WKURXJK WKH 5H9DOYHU $PS 6WRUH SPECIFICATIONS: 7KH $1*(/ 3%,, has four channels and two high gain channels, a mid focus switch, dual master volumes and a noise gate.

Three cabinets are also available, FRPSOHPHQWLQJ WKH $1*(/ 3%,, WKH 6WDQGDUG [ 6WUDLJKW WKH 5HWUR [ 6WUDLJKW DQG WKH &ODVVLF Combo. Also available is the Metal 3DFN %XQGOH *URXSLQJ WRJHWKHU IRXU metal amps, the bundle caters to different sounds, delivering a variety of options. The bundle includes: DPS PRGHO DPS PRGHO $QJHO 3%,, DPS PRGHO 'HPRQ DPS PRGHO %ODFN 'HDWK GLVWRUWLRQ SHGDO and a Käften noise gate. www.peavey.com

3. Brunswick %7. -XQLRU

RRP: ÂŁ99 %UXQVZLFN KDV DQQRXQFHG WKH introduction of a new entry-level JXLWDU WKH %7. -XQLRU SPECIFICATIONS: Now available in Ë&#x2030;YH FRORXU VFKHPHV WKH Ë&#x2030;UPČ V QHZ acoustic guitar has been specially engineered by the company to serve as an ideal introduction to the acoustic guitar.

7KH %UXQVZLFN %7. -XQLRU auditorium guitar comes complete ZLWK D 5RVHZRRG Ë&#x2030;QJHUERDUG DQG maple bridge.

7KH KHDGVWRFN LV Ë&#x2030;QLVKHG RII ZLWK enclosed die-cast machineheads.

Available now from UK distributor %DUQHV 0XOOLQV WKH JXLWDU FRPHV LQ Ë&#x2030;YH GLIIHUHQW Ë&#x2030;QLVKHV EOXH JORVV natural satin, purple gloss, red gloss, and sunburst satin. www.bandm.co.uk

6

4. Arturia V-Collection 4

RRP: ÂŁ339 Arturia has unveiled a new edition of its best-selling V-Collection vintage instrument bundle in the form of the V-Collection 4.

SPECIFICATIONS: The new bundle introduces two completely new LQVWUXPHQWV WKH 0DWUL[ DQG 6ROLQD 9 ,Q DGGLWLRQ WZR VRIWZDUH instruments that already exist are introduced to the V-Collection - the 9R[ &RQWLQHQWDO DQG 6SDUN ,W LV now possible to install the software RQ Ë&#x2030;YH GHYLFHV VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ WKDQNV to the new software protection and registration system, the Arturia 6RIWZDUH &HQWUH )XUWKHU IHDWXUHV RI this include convenient licensing, install and updates. The software is QRZ GHOLYHUHG RQ D FXVWRP 86% Ë&#x160;DVK drive rather, than previous versions that were via DVD. www.arturia.com

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 43

PRODUCTS

3

5. Chord ,(0 LQ HDU monitoring system

4

6. Line 6 $PSOLË&#x2030; 77

RRP: £249 Chord has lifted the lid on its new LQ HDU PRQLWRULQJ V\VWHP WKH ,(0

RRP: £149 /LQH KDV LQWURGXFHG LWV QHZ $PSOLË&#x2030; TT guitar tone processor.

SPECIFICATIONS: :LWK FKDQQHOV 3// 8+) VWHUHR DQG DQ LQ HDU monitoring system, performers can hear a monitor mix directly through LQ HDU KHDGSKRQHV 7KH ,(0 LV designed to remove the need for stage monitors and delivers fold back with freedom of movement.

This system is useable by groups for activities such as training and conferences. Key features include 8+) FKDQQHO 3// V\QWKHVL]HG EDFNOLW /&' GLVSOD\ RQ WUDQVPLWWHU and receiver, stereo or mono operation, rack ear or rear mounted %1& DQWHQQD SURIHVVLRQDO LQ HDU headphones, additional wired KHDGSKRQH RXWSXW PP MDFN

EDODQFHG OLQH LQSXWV [ FRPER DQG D ȣ UDFN PRXQWLQJ NLW www.avslgroup.com

SPECIFICATIONS: The new model allows guitarists to turn any speaker V\VWHP LQWR D JXLWDU DPS %XLOGLQJ RQ WKH $PSOLË&#x2030; SURGXFW OLQH LW LV designed to offer more ways to play. )HDWXULQJ '63 SURFHVVLQJ SRZHU WKH $PSOLË&#x2030; 77 SURYLGHV DPSV and effects; therefore guitarists can choose from a variety of presets. In addition, it provides a streamlined UHFRUGLQJ PHWKRG RYHU 86% WR 0DF 3& RU ,26 /LNH WKH RWKHU PHPEHUV RI WKH $03/,)L IDPLO\ WKH 77 LV FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK WKH $PSOLË&#x2030; 5HPRWH app. The app enables connection to an ever-expanding cloud database, allowing guitarists to instantly match tones to tracks in their music library. uk.yamaha.com

7

7. $JXLODU $PSOLË&#x2030;FDWLRQ /LPLWHG HGLWLRQ 6/

RRP: TBC $JXLODU $PSOLË&#x2030;FDWLRQ KDV UHYHDOHG that it will be releasing a new 6/ %DVV &DEHUQHW LQ D OLPLWHG HGLWLRQ FRORXU IRU SPECIFICATIONS: 2QO\ XQLWV RI WKLV OLPLWHG HGLWLRQ DPSOLË&#x2030;HU ZLOO be built in this particular colour DQG Ë&#x2030;QLVK In addition, each of these limited editions will feature a custom label on the crossover.

7KH 6/ LQ %DVV &DEHUQHW ZLOO EH UHOHDVHG LQ ZLWK 8. VWRFN DYDLODEOH IURP %DUQHV 0XOOLQV shortly afterwards. www.bandm.co.uk

8

IMG Stage Line PAK-DMP Active PA speakers RRP: From £112.95 ,0* 6WDJH /LQH KDV UHOHDVHG D QHZ range of Active PA speakers in the form of the PAK-DMP. SPECIFICATIONS: These new speakers DUH QRZ DYDLODEOH LQ WZR VL]HV WKH : ȣ GRZQ WR WKH : ȣ DQG each features an integrated MP3 SOD\HU ZLWK 86% 6' VORW )0 5DGLR %OXHWRRWK UHFHLYHU DQG LQIUDUHG remote control.

Connections include a balanced PLF LQSXW D OLQH LQSXW YLD ;/5 PP -DFN RU 5&$ DQG PL[ RXW YLD ;/5 0XOLWSOH SRVLWLRQLQJ RSWLRQV DUH DOVR DYDLODEOH ZLWK WKH 0 WKUHDGHG stand inserts and lateral feet.

The PAK-DMP series is available QRZ DQG UHWDLOV IURP e IRU WH ȣ YHUVLRQ WR e IRU WKH ȣ model. www.monacor.co.uk

44 MIPRO

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

A MONTH IN THE WORLD OF MI

BACKLINE

We take a photographic look at some of NAMM 2015’s more colourful attendees, Korg UK’s sales and marketing director Ricci Hodgson relives his Arrogant days and we hear from our MIRTAS apprentices...

NAMM in a nutshell MORE SO than most trade shows, the LA NAMM show tends to attract more than its fair share of colourful characters. For a more formal look back at this year’s show, you can check out our full review on page 13, but for a snapshot of its more outlandish visitors, and a couple of rock stars to boot, take a look at the pictures below…

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

>> SEND US STUFF

MIPRO 45

THIS STUFF DOESN’T come out of thin air, you know. We make most of it up, to be honest.

But we would like our lovely readers to get involved. Email: dgumble@nbmedia.com

THE APPRENTICES Tom Mear, Hartnoll’s Guitar Centre, Taunton.

Roll up, roll up to discover the musical chops of those in and around the industry. Dodgy H[SHULPHQWV LQ MD]] SXQN IXVLRQ" %ULHI ˊ LUWDWLRQV with the outer reaches of the chart?

They’re all out there… and go out of my way to better those deadlines to keep the customer FRQˉ GHQW DQG KDSS\ ZLWK WKH business.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I have always been interested in, and had a passion for, music and instruments. I have SOD\HG JXLWDU IRU DURXQG ˉ YH years and have had some experience in playing live venues, and I am currently forming a band locally.

How did you come to be working on the MIRTAS apprenticeship?

Before working on the MIRTAS scheme I had a couple of jobs, one of them being in another music retailer before Hartnoll’s came to Taunton. I was approached by the manager of the store who informed me that there was an opportunity to become an apprentice through MIRTAS. What do you most enjoy about your apprenticeship?

It’s allowed me to meet lots of new people at different levels of playing, as well as people that play different styles and genres. This has allowed me to explore different methods of playing and also different means of equipment to what may usually be found.

What do you hope to gain

from the apprenticeship?

I have gained numerous skills and improved on others, from meeting and greeting new customers to improving product knowledge and customer service skills. I hope to gain many more skills along the way, and gain FRQˉ GHQFH LQ P\ DELOLW\ WR sell higher-priced items, as well as those that may be seen as more specialist.

“The MIRTAS scheme is about learning how music retailers differ from those of a regular high street store.”

What have been some of your challenges along the way?

One of the biggest challenges is to make sure all customer orders are processed and delivered on time. The majority of people would like to have the products on the same day, but sometimes that is not possible. I always try to make sure that deadlines are met

Ricci Hodgson, Sales and marketing director, Korg UK

What have been your greatest achievements while on the programme?

I have tried to do a few things to improve the store; I like to try and promote new things to see the outcomes.

As with any sales person, you try and create as many sales as possible, and I have surprised myself with my sales compared to the more experienced members of staff. But this is something I am still looking to increase.

How has the apprenticeship helped you with your career path?

Even though I have always had an insight into having a career in music retail, the apprenticeship has helped me see there are more opportunities in music retail WKDQ , ˉ UVW WKRXJKW ,W KDV helped me gain some more serious experience and knowledge and I hope to continue this path.

Would you recommend this apprenticeship to others, and if so why?

Absolutely. The MIRTAS scheme is not just about having a job in a music store, it’s about learning about the in-store developments, the ins and outs of selling, and learning how music retailers differ from those of a regular high street store. It gives a great outlook on the music industry as a whole and also the people that are part of that. If music is a passion then the MIRTAS scheme is a great way to go.

What do you play?

Keyboards Any good? Not bad!

Preferred musical style? I have worked professionally for DeWolfe Publishing in London for the past 15 years and can turn my hand to different styles - i.e. I’m quite good at plagiarising other peoples music.

Are you gigging right now? No What bands have you been in?

I was in a band called Arrogant, who were signed to Rocket Records in the late 70s and early 80s.

Have you ever troubled the charts at all?

I think we came for a brief PRPHQW ZLWK RXU ˉ UVW

single ‘Ego’!!

What has been your greatest success?

Having one of my specially composed pieces re-orchestrated by a German orchestra, as well as receiving regular cheques for my music that is currently playing on Lufthansa long haul ˊ LJKWV Best/biggest gig ever played?

We toured with Howard Jones for several months, which at the time was pretty cool.

Ever played with anyone else in the industry? I played alongside John Booth, ex CEO Roland, back in the day.

Worst gig ever played?

Supporting Gary Glitter DW 6KHIˉ HOG 8QL LQ WKH late 70s

FEBRUARY 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

46 MIPRO

FORWARD FEATURES

UPCOMING The features you need to look out for in the March and April issues of MI Pro

FEATURES LIST

Also on the way...

April 2015 MUSIKMESSE 2015 As ever, we will be providing a comprehensive preview of what to expect at the annual Frankfurt extravaganza.

MI PIONEERS: ADOLPH RICKENBACHER NEXT MONTH our MI Pioneers feature shifts its focus to bass and guitar innovator, Adolph Rickenbacher, whose instruments are as iconic and aspirational today as they ever have been.

MI PRO RETAIL ESSENTIALS: PIANOS/ KEYBOARDS MARCHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MI PRO Retail Essentials guide shines a spotlight on a selection of the most prominent keyboards and pianos currently available on the MI market.

Featuring both new and classic models alike, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be getting up close with products from established market leaders and those new to the market.

For more information on how to get involved, contact Karma Bertelsen on 020 7354 6001 or kbertelsen@nbmedia.com.

MI PRO RETAIL ESSENTIALS: AMPLIFIERS ,Q $SULO ZH ZLOO EH FDVWLQJ RXU H\H RYHU WKH DPSOLË&#x2030;FDWLRQ market to see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s currently making waves in the sector.

The international monthly magazine for music instrument professionals and everyone in the MI business MI Pro has a monthly circulation of well over 6,000. It is distributed in the UK and internationally to MI retailers, industry professionals and carefully selected pro audio executives and resellers.

Editor Daniel Gumble dgumble@nbmedia.com

Head of Design and Production Kelly Sambridge ksambridge@nbmedia.com

Contributors Ronnie Dungan rdungan@nbmedia.com

Staff Writer Rhys Troake rtroake@nbmedia.com

Production Executive James Marinos jmarinos@nbmedia.com

Marketing & Circulation Curwood CMS mipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com

Account Manager Karma Bertelsen kbertelsen@nbmedia.com

Commercial Director Darrell Carter dcarter@nbmedia.com

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SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: ÂŁ50 Europe: ÂŁ60 Rest of World: ÂŁ90 Enquiries: mipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com Telephone: 01580 883 848 Charges cover 12 issues MI PRO is published 12 times a year

MIPRO is a member of the PPA Š NewBay Media 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

The contents of MiPro are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, NP12 2YA

ISSN 1750-4198 Enquiries to: MI Pro, NewBay Media, Saxon House 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA. Tel: 01992 535646 (Editorial) Tel: 01992 535647 (Advertising) Fax: 01992 535648

In the whiskey distilling process, the “lyne arm” allows vapour to be converted into real spirit. That’s the aim of the Lyne series of JN guitars; transforming what you have in your mind into real music !

All Lyne models feature a distinguished design, traditionally constructed with a gorgeous Engelmann solid spruce top and satin finish neck.

Combined with a rosewood back and sides, these guitars give an authentic sound to your soul !

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