april 2009 issuu
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Artist & Signature Series Guitars Report: FTC Settles with NAMM A p r i l 2 0 0 9www.mmrmagazine.com w w w. m m r m a g a z i n e . c o mTRANSCRIPT
A p r i l 2 0 0 9w w w . m m r m a g a z i n e . c o m
Report: FTC Settles with NAMM
w w w . m m r m a g a z i n e . c o m
Signature MovesArtist & Signature
Series Guitars
MMR_COV1 COV1 3/24/09 12:32:18 PM
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MMR_COV2 COV2 3/23/09 2:28:45 PM
2 MMR APRIL 2009
Features
MMR Musical Merchandise Review® (ISSN 0027-4615) founded in 1879, is published monthly by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781)453-9310, publisher of School Band and Orchestra, Choral Director, Music Parents America and JazzEd. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: U.S.A., US possessions, one year $32; two years $40. Canada one year $80; all other countries one year $159. Single issues $5 each. May Supplier Directory $35. Periodical-Rate Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER/SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to Musical Merchandise Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853. Periodicals circulation is directed to music dealers and retailers, wholesalers and distributors, importers and exporters and manufacturers of all types of musical instruments and their accessories, related electronic sound equipment, general musical accessories, musical publications and teaching aides. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competion. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright ©2009 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.
APRIL 2009 VOL.168 NO. 4 Contents24 Report: Case Closed – FTC Settles with NAMM
Two years after the Federal Trade Commission brought its case against NAMM for allegedly “violating federal law by enabling and encouraging exchange of competitively sensitive price information among its members,” Commission judges voted to accept a “complaint and consent order,” effectively closing the books on the legal battle with the MI trade organization.
SIGNATURE GUITARS
30 Signature Moves – Artist and Signature Series Guitars MMR speaks with some key players in the design and production of artist model guitars, amplifi ers, and accessories.
56 Dealer Roundtable: Selling Signature Guitars and Related Gear
60 Signature & Artist Guitar Products
64 Gretsch’s 125thA summary of how Gretsch Guitars and Drums celebrated 2008, the 125th an-niversary of the storied brand.
70 Industry Voices: Customer LoyaltyJoe Fucini, president of marketing and public relations agency Fucini Produc-tions, chimes in on the importance of fostering a culture of customer loyalty.
72 California Vintage Guitar & Amp
76 Amati’s Fine Instruments: Getting Real with String Quality
MMR speaks with Michael Schear of Cincinnati-based string wholesaler, Amati’s Fine Instruments.
80 RPMDA Exhibitor Listing
4 Editorial 6 Upfront 18 People
20 Stats 82 Supplier Scene 87 New Products
98 Classifi eds 104 Advertisers’ Index
Departments
24
56
64
Cover photo by Marc Quigley.
www.MMRmagazine.com
MMR_2 2 3/24/09 12:34:08 PM
Editorial
4 MMR APRIL 2009
Volume 168, Number 4, April 2009
®
The FTC Stimulus Package
While there is some disagreement between NAMM and the Federal Trade Commission (see page 24) regarding the exact wording describing the consent agreement between the trade organization and the government watchdog commission, the facts simply
stated are that nothing NAMM did had any effect on consumer pricing. Arguably the point can be made that the music consumer (as in most retail disciplines) has never had it so good in an era of discounted prices.
The august body might have directed their attention to the plight of an industry that has seen the demise of both chains and independents in what may be considered a larger than normal attrition rate. They could have developed an eleven-page document (Agreement Containing Consent Order to Cease And Desist, as in the NAMM ruling) on the failure of state and federal governments to support the arts; leading to hundreds, if not thousands, of school music programs curtailed or eliminated, depriving our youth of an opportunity to participate musically, and /or an appreciation of the arts. We can also add to the mix the failure of regulatory agencies to address the unfair advantage internet retailers enjoy who do not have the burden of adding a sales tax as do their brick and mortar counterpart.
More to the point, a government alphabet (FTC, FCC, FDA, IRS, DOJ, SEC) investigation pret-ty much guarantees full employment for the lawyers who have the foresight to apprentice within these agencies. Scan the partner roster of any of the D.C. or New York white shoe law fi rms and their professional backgrounds invariably include a stint with a government body. My un-scien-tifi c “bet” is that NAMM, along with the several manufacturers who were subpoenaed to produce documents, retained the services of former FTC (or other government trained) lawyers.
In the June 2007 issue of MMR we interviewed a former FTC lawyer not associated with this specifi c case, David Federbush, who somewhat prophetically stated, “A consent decree may be reached with the FTC where the defendant denies all liability, and its all put behind them with-out admitting any guilt.” My guess, this is the result in a preponderance of the cases before the commission. (A commission person, when asked what percentage of cases is resolved in fi nes, consent decrees or complete absolution said they did not have this information available).
Here is where the government “stimulus package” for the legal fi eld kicks in. As part of the consent decree, NAMM has agreed to the appointment and maintenance of an Antitrust Compliance Offi cer for the duration of this Order (20 years – yes, 20 years!) The duties of the Antitrust offi ce include annual in-person training for Board members and employees, along with reviewing “All written materials and prepared remarks by any Board member.” Other parts of the agreement require “The personal attendance of Antitrust Counsel at all NAMM events and Global Summits for three years”...And just for a little frosting on the cake, the FTC requires NAMM to do either audio or video recording of each panel discussion or pre-sentation at all NAMM events which shall be delivered to the Antitrust Compliance Offi cer for fi ve years. The FTC document concludes, “This Order shall terminate twenty (20) years from the date on which it becomes fi nal.” To this observer it sounds like a seven-fi gure line item for an FTC trained lawyer, along with some free trips to Disneyland...
And fi nally, in an accompanying document (Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Or-der) in the Legal Analysis section it states, “Here the complaint alleges that no signifi cant pro-competitive benefi t was derived from the challenged conduct.” Congressman Duke Cunningham received an eight-year sentence (reduced with time for good behavior) for directing millions of dollars in government funds to a defense contractor and NAMM’s “sentence” is twenty years of legal, travel, and recording for what the government candidly acknowledges resulted in no harm to the consumer! Now that the FTC has “closed the book on NAMM,” they might well direct some of their nine hundred employees to investigating the hourly rate of government trained lawyers who represent corporations and institutions in compliance cases initiated by the regulatory agencies.
sdavis@ symphonypublishing.com
PUBLISHERSidney L. Davis
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERRick Kessel
EDITORChristian Wissmuller
ASSOCIATE EDITOREliahu Sussman
ASSOCIATE EDITORDenyce Neilson
ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox
CLASSIFIED AD SALESMaureen Johan
PRODUCTION MANAGERLaurie Guptill
GRAPHIC DESIGNERSAndrew P. Ross
Laurie [email protected]
CIRCULATION MANAGERMelanie A. Prescott
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTPopi Galileos
WEBMASTERSanford Kearns
SYMPHONY PUBLISHING, LLCXen Zapis • Chairman
Lee Zapis • [email protected]
Rich Bongorno • Chief Financial Offi [email protected]
Corporate Headquarters26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300, Westlake, Ohio 44145
440-871-1300www.symphonypublishing.com
PUBLISHING, SALES & EDITORIAL OFFICE: 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494
(781) 453-9310 Fax: (781) 453-9389www.mmrmagazine.com
MMR_4 4 3/24/09 12:34:48 PM
UpfrontNAMM: Show In Anaheim Through 2013, Summer Rates ReducedNAMM recently announced a new three-year deal with the City of Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center to con-tinue to host “the NAMM Show,” the association’s 108-year-old trade show for the musical instruments and products industry, through 2013.
“Each January, NAMM Members come to Anaheim for the industry’s most important global event,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. “We’re glad to be able to continue our strong partnership with the Anaheim community because they really know how to make our Members feel welcome. And we look forward to many successful NAMM shows ahead.”
As part of the terms of the new con-tract, NAMM used its volume-buying power to negotiate related expenses and
keep the show as affordable as possible for its exhibiting and attending Mem-bers.
NAMM is committed to Anaheim through 2013 and has reserved the option to keep the show in Ana-heim for 2014 and 2015. The NAMM Show pulled in more than 85,000 attend-ees during the 2009 show and generates an estimated economic impact of $75 million annually for the Anaheim area.
“Anaheim has 31-year partnership with NAMM and we look forward to providing The NAMM Show planners and attendees with our award-winning level of customer service and hospital-ity for many years to come,” said Charles Ahlers, president, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau.
In an effort to better accommodate those struggling during these tough eco-nomic times (who isn’t?), NAMM an-
nounced a 20 percent reduction in space costs for exhibitors at 2009 Summer NAMM.
“NAMM has gone through every ex-pense and budget item line-by-line to fi nd ways to tighten our belts and operate as lean as possible,” reads
the offi cial press release. “We’ve looked at how we can produce a successful Summer NAMM as effi ciently as possible and help you reduce your costs to participate. Our not-for-profi t status prohibits us from buying plane tickets, renting hotel rooms or paying expenses for our buyers to come to the show so it is our hope that some of these savings might go towards programs, show specials and marketing to re-enforce to your customers the importance of com-ing to Nashville.”
For more information on NAMM and the upcoming Nashville show this July, visit: www.namm.org
St Louis Music ReturnsU.S. Band and Orchestra Supplies, Inc. has announced that as of April 1st 2009 the company will be doing business as St. Louis Music. The move follows the acquisition of St. Louis Music by U.S. Band along with the divisions of SLM Marketplace™, Knilling® Stringed In-struments and Austin® Guitars in No-vember 2008.
Longterm former employee of St. Louis Music, Stan Morgan has been appointed president, effective April 1st.
U.S Band & Orchestra Supplies and St. Louis Music will both be located at the original SLM facility from April 2009. The 75,000 sq. ft. building on Ferguson Avenue, St. Louis, will be headquarters for all departments.
Details of the relocation and name change will be sent to all suppliers and customers. Call (314) 429-3439 or e-mail [email protected] for additional information.
6 MMR APRIL 2009
Denis Wick Expands into New FacilityDenis Wick Products recently completed their relocation to a new, larger facility. This new building allowed DWP to con-solidate their three major activities under one roof, improving quality control and increasing effi ciency.
“By moving their mute spinning, mouthpiece manufacturing and their packing and shipping departments into one building, Denis Wick Products has signifi cantly improved their quality control efforts,” states Richard Galime, Wick specialist at DANSR inc. “From an operational standpoint, the entire order-fi lling process – from manufacturing to shipping – is becoming much more ef-fi cient, resulting in better fi ll rates and quicker response to changing market demands.”
For more information on Denis Wick Products please contact DANSR, inc. at 888-707-4455 or go to www.deniswickusca.com
MMR_6 6 3/24/09 12:35:31 PM
UpfrontIt’s being widely reported that the mu-sic-based video game craze, led by the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, is dying down. According to Silicon Valley Insider, sta-tistics released by the NPD Group confi rmed that sales for music games were down signifi cantly from last year. Sales of Guitar Hero were down 22 percent from the same time in 2008, while Rock Band took a huge dive, slumping 52 percent from the same time a year ago.
Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone warned investors on an earnings con-ference call in February that Rock Band,which is partially owned by Viacom, was
dragging down the company’s overall earnings.
Activision, manufacturer of Guitar Hero, has both Guitar Hero: Metallica and DJ Hero slat-ed for release in 2009.
The same “Silicon Valley Insider” suggested that two factors were contributing to the downturn for music-based games, explaining, “First, music games sold so
amazingly well the past few years the market is approaching its saturation point — most of the potential customers of a music game already own one.” The second reason? “Mu-sic games were, basically, a very 2008 sort of fad. And all fads come to an end.”
GH and RB Finally Hitting Bum Notes? GAMA’s Introductory Membership Program“Guitar companies have a fresh op-portunity to participate in market de-velopment and promote the teaching of guitar in schools,” reports Harvey Levy, president of the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA), in an-nouncing the trade organization’s new Introductory Membership Program. “GAMA’s programs are growing, and they are successful, drawing support from all segments of our industry,” says Levy, “and we believe it’s a great time for everyone in the guitar business to share in these successes.”
For 2009, GAMA is offering a spe-cial membership rate for new mem-ber companies. New members will enjoy all the benefi ts of membership and pay only a fraction of the regular dues. GAMA membership benefi ts include: Updates on import/export legislation from NAMM; An exclu-sive quarterly report on sales of gui-tars, broken down by type and price point; Voting rights; GAMA newslet-ters on arts legislation, GAMA pro-grams, events, product placement op-portunities, and more; Recognition on GAMA’s Web site, www.discover-guitar.com; Recognition as a key sup-porter of school music education in all GAMA communications.
Under the introductory offer for 2009, companies with annual sales un-der $1 million pay just $250 per year, while companies with annual sales over $1 million pay $500 per year. Guitar products companies that are interested in joining GAMA should contact the GAMA offi ce or down-load a membership application on GAMA’s site, www.discoverguitar.com. For more information on the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Associa-tion, contact GAMA, PO Box 757, NY, NY 10033, (212) 795-3630, [email protected], or visit GAMA online at www.discoverguitar.com.
8 MMR APRIL 2009
Music & Arts: Better Than Expected ’08 Results, Name “Peak Performers”Despite a deepening recession that threat-ened to derail a successful year, Music & Arts generated top line sales and earn-ings that substantially exceeded company forecast. “We had a great year by almost any measure,” cites Kenny O’Brien, CEO, “and that’s a direct result of the efforts of our people, whose accomplishments we are recognizing in a variety of ways.” The Peak Performer Award program is one such vehicle.
Selected from a pool of 44 Peak Per-formers by the senior management team, Peak Performer fi nalist Kelly Capobi-anco is the customer service and general manager of the companies’ Horsham, Pa operation. Kelly was instrumental in launching a major upgrade to the system that allows ed reps to accept rental instru-ment orders from as far away as Houston and as early as February and ensures that the instrument and related accessories arrive in the fall before the fi rst lesson. “The new process worked great and con-tributed to our exceeding the company
rental unit goal during the back to school season,” comments O’Brien.
When economic storm clouds threat-ened the all important holiday selling season the company turned to the sec-ond Peak Performer fi nalist, Amanda Schoemer, associate marketing manager to implement the most aggressive holiday promotional program in the company’s history. “Amanda was just amazing,” claims SVP of Sales and Marketing Ron Beaudoin. “We threw everything but the kitchen sink at the marketing effort…newspaper inserts, direct mail, radio and a Black Friday Event that created lines in front of the stores as early as 7:30AM. The pressure to hit deadlines was intense,” says Beaudoin, “and she made every one. It was a big reason why we fi nished so strong.”
Both Peak Performer fi nalists re-ceived a $1,000 cash prize, a plaque and an all expense paid trip to the 2010 NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif. with a three day extended visit to Disneyland for themselves and a guest.
MMR_8 8 3/24/09 12:35:35 PM
10 MMR APRIL 2009
UpfrontFindings of GAO Music and Arts Education Study AnnouncedSenators Chris Dodd (D- CT) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) recently announced the release of a Government Account-ability Offi ce (GAO) study addressing access to music and arts education for public school students as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Dodd and Alexander called for the study in response to reports that the testing re-quirements of NCLB were forcing some schools, particularly those that serve low-income and minority students, to narrow their curriculum and restrict ac-cess to music and arts education.
“This study’s fi ndings clearly show that many students across the country are losing their chance to study music and the arts,” said Dodd, Chairman of the Children & Families Subcommit-tee of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. “I hope the Department of Education will follow the GAO’s recommendation and con-duct further research into this disturb-ing trend. Moreover, I hope that the GAO will reconsider its conclusions by review-ing current research on arts education and student outcomes. No child – re-gardless of family income, race, or home-town – should be denied the opportunity to discover and develop his or her unique talents.”
“Emerging research continues to demonstrate the importance of music and arts education to children and young people in U.S. public schools,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of
the NAMM Foundation. “We hope that this GAO study contributes to an on-go-ing and productive dialogue about ways to keep music education strong in our schools and communities to assure ac-cess for all children especially those that have experienced reductions in this ele-ment of the core curriculum.”
The study, entitled “Access to Arts Education,” outlined the following con-clusions:
The study identifi ed a decrease in in-struction time for arts education with “statistically signifi cant” differences across school characteristics (low-in-come, minority, urban/rural). Spe-cifi cally, teachers at schools identifi ed as needing improvement and those with higher percentages of minority students, were more likely to report a reduction in time spent on the arts.
Teachers at elementary schools with high percentages of low-income or mi-nority students reported larger arts in-struction time reductions than teach-
•
•
ers in schools with low percentages of low-income or minority students.
Of 32 states that awarded arts edu-cation grants (in school years 2001-2002 and 2006-2007), 37 percent had funding decreases and 15 per-cent had funding increases. Arts education offi cials attributed this to decreased budgets and competing demands on instruction time.
The GAO study recommended that the Department of Education, in its planned study of NCLB implementation, include questions that would help clarify why in-struction time in music and arts education has decreased for some students. The study also indicated that from the perspective of the GAO, research on the effect of arts edu-cation on student success is inconclusive. However, the GAO’s referenced research was published in 2000 and fails to take into account current and ongoing research, both qualitative and quantitative, that pro-vides contemporary knowledge about the role and impact of arts education.
•
PASIC Registration, Hotels, and Exhibitor Packet Now AvailablePASIC returns to Indianapolis for the fi rst time in 28 years this November 11-14. Bands of America Grand National Championships and the grand opening of the new PAS Museum will also take place during this fall’s gathering. Registration forms and exhibitor packets are available online at www.pasic.org.
Yamaha Reduces U.S. WorkforceYamaha Corporation of America (YCA) recently announced that the company has implemented several cost-manage-ment initiatives to offset the widespread effect of deteriorating global economic conditions.
Chief among these measures is a re-duction of its U.S. workforce by approxi-mately fi ve percent.
“Yamaha is not immune to the effects of the economy, and we are feeling the double impact of a worldwide slowdown in con-sumer spending and the sharp appreciation in the value of the yen,” says Tom Sumner, senior vice president at YCA. “Reducing our workforce is extremely diffi cult, and we had taken every cost-saving measure before resorting to this action. Still, it became nec-
essary for us to resize our company based on the current economic reality.”
Among the other cost-management actions taken by YCA were a hiring freeze, reductions in travel, entertain-ment and promotional costs, as well as organizational and inventory manage-ment realignments and consolidations to improve company-wide effi ciency.
MMR_10 10 3/24/09 12:35:39 PM
MODERN Innovations
NEW models from our MODERN series AAX, HHX, and APX.Check out the latest in MODERN innovations. From the highly explosive AAX X-Plosion Fast Crash to the stick defining AAX and HHX Raw Bell Dry Rides.
What’s NEW in 2009? Just what you’ve been asking for.
NEW CREATIVE innovations from the SABIAN Vault.Our true craftsmanship shines through in these new innovative models.
Vault Artisan Traditional Symphonic
Medium Light (16", 17", 18", 19", 20")
Medium Heavy (16", 17", 18", 19", 20")
Vault Artisan Hats
Medium Top/Heavy Bottom (13", 14", 15")
AAX X-Plosion Fast Crash
Extra Thin (14", 15", 16", 17", 18", 19")
APX Solid Hats
Medium Heavy Top/Heavy Bottom (15")
AAX X-Plosion Splash
Extra Thin (11")
AAX Raw Bell Dry Ride
Medium Heavy (21")
HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride
Medium Heavy (21")
Vault Radia Nano Hats
Medium Top/Heavy Bottom (7", 9")
Highlights for 2009
All new ‘Between the Felts’ Dealer Support Programs to keep you selling
SABIAN in Guitar Hero® World Tour
One of One Hundred –
Vault Artisan Crash
Thin/Extra-Thin (16", 18")
CREATIVE Ideas
AAX Memphis Ride
Medium Light (21")
MMR_11 11 3/23/09 2:29:32 PM
Upfront
Gibson’s Guitar Hero Suit Tossed
12 MMR APRIL 2009
Fender Musical Instruments Corpora-tion celebrated “Music in Our Schools Month” in March 2009 by donating 262 Starcaster® drum sets to Little Kids Rock
(LKR), a nonprofi t organization that provides free instruments and lessons to low-income public school students.
“We’re very excited about our drum set donation to Little Kids Rock, and we know this will go miles in helping children and school mu-sic programs nationwide,” says Bob Morris, Fender’s director of music educa-tion. “Little Kids Rock is on the cutting edge of music education in our schools, and we feel honored to be a part of their mission.”
Some of Fender’s best-known artists, including bassists Stu Hamm and Duff McKagan (Guns N’
Roses, Velvet Revolver), and guitarist John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson) are also active supporters of LKR.
“This is an amazing gift and an inspired way to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month,” says LKR founder David Wish. “It’s the largest single drum donation in our history, and it comes on the heels of a partnership with Fender where they supply us with guitars. This makes Fender our top corporate benefactor, and they are having a profound impact on the lives of economi-cally disadvantaged kids who are now get-ting the chance to learn music.”
Wish said the drums would be dispersed throughout the program, now active in more than 700 schools in 19 cities nationwide.
More information can be found at www.littlekidsrock.org. and www.littlekidsrock.tv
Fender Provides Drums for Little Kids Rock
Fender chairman and CEO Bob Mendello (back row, far right), one of Little Kids Rock’s biggest supporters, shown at a LKR event last July.
A California court has tossed out Gibson Guitar’s patent infringement lawsuit against Guitar Hero maker Activision, saying Gib-son’s arguments “border on the frivolous.”
The guitar manufacturer fi led suit in March 2008, charging that Guitar Hero’smock guitars infringed on a 1999 patent, U.S. Patent No. 5,990,405 (PDF).
That patent, also known as “The ‘405 Patent,” covers “a system and method for generating and controlling a simulated mu-sical concert experience.” Specifi cally, it de-tails a head-mounted display that includes stereo speakers and is worn while playing an instrument along with a simulated concert.
Earlier that same month, in a series of legal volleys preceding the suit, Gibson fi led for declaratory relief—asking for compensation, in other words. But Activi-sion decided it didn’t need a license under Gibson’s patent and said so in a legal coun-termeasure. Then came Gibson’s suit.
In last week’s ruling, a U.S. District Court basically decided that Gibson’s patent only applies to devices that output an analog signal. “As a general observa-tion, no reasonable person of ordinary skill in the relevant arts would interpret the ‘405 Patent as covering interactive video games,” the ruling stated.
The court added that Gibson’s in-terpretation of its patent could be ex-tended to cover things from a “button of a DVD remote...to a pencil tapping a table.”
But Activision isn’t Gibson’s only target. It sued major retailers, including Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart, that sell games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Plus, it added MTV, Harmonix, and Electronic Arts to its list of plain-tiffs. MTV acquired Guitar Hero devel-oper Harmonix in 2006, uses EA as the distributor for Rock Band.
(Source: cnet)
Universal Percussion has announced the availability of Zildjian cast, sheet, and box-set cymbals, along with the full line of Zild-jian drumsticks, accessories, and basics – all for immediate delivery. As an extension of Zildjian’s distribution channel, Universal is able to offer attractive dealer-direct prices to all UP retail customers. The addition of
Zildjian makes Universal, “your one-stop source for all your percussion needs – now also includ-ing top-quality products from Evans, Remo, Toca, and Tama (hard-ware & pedals).” Please contact Universal for more information on prices and order-
ing at: (800) 282-0110; fax (800) 979-drum; e-mail [email protected] ; www.universalpercussion.com
Universal Partners With Zildjian
MMR_12 12 3/24/09 12:35:42 PM
The remaining six Virgin Megastores in the United States will shut their doors this summer in another blow to recorded music.
The shops received their branding from billionaire founder Sir Richard Branson and remained profi table, but the real estate fi rms that own the U.S. chain determined they could command higher rent from new tenants.
“I’ve been pushing back a little bit on the notion that this is just another casualty of the music in-dustry,” said Simon Wright, the chief executive of Virgin Entertainment Group Inc.
A slowing economy took its toll. To buck declining music sales, the chain broadened its offerings in the past few years to apparel, books and electronics. The six remaining
stores took in about $170 million in revenue a year, down from the $230 million from 23 stores at its peak in 2002.
The lack of expansion plans and a recent decision to close the Times Square location in New York, which had been on track to make $56 million last
year until the fi nancial collapse began in September, made supporting the rest of the chain untenable, Wright said.
The 52,000-square-foot Times Square f lagship closes in mid-April,
to be followed by another New York store and outlets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, Fla., and Denver, all by June, Wright said. About 1,000 staff and 60 at the corporate level will be laid off.
Music sales have declined nationwide in seven of the past eight years, largely because of illegal fi le-sharing over the In-ternet and the tendency to buy individual songs rather than full albums through Apple Inc.’s iTunes and other stores.
There remain about 150 Virgin Megastores in the rest of the world, in France, Australia, Japan and the Middle East. All are owned by local companies with licensing agreements that lead back to Branson.
(Source: AP)
UpfrontDelta Music Institute Opens with Peavey EndowmentPeavey Electronics has endowed a major musical-equipment grant totaling $60,000 to support curricula at the Delta Music In-stitute, a center for interdisciplinary stud-ies in the music and entertainment indus-tries at Delta State University.
“The music of the Mississippi Delta has infl uenced countless mu-sicians around the world, and it in-spired my lifelong passion for mak-
ing the tools that allow us to create music,” said Hartley Peavey, founder and CEO of Meridian-based Peavey Electronics Corpo-ration, one of the world’s largest makers of music and sound equipment. “I hope that this endowment will act as a bridge to link
the rich musical legacy of the Delta region to the next generations of music professionals.”
Music-industry veteran Tri-cia Walker, director of the Delta Music Institute, said that the Peavey endowment will bolster the program’s burgeoning live
audio production department, provid-ing students with a rare opportunity to work with state-of-the-art sound rein-forcement technology. Students in the Delta Music Institute demonstrated the gear during its grand opening celebra-tion, held March 7 and 8 on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland.
The endowment includes a sound-re-inforcement system featuring the Peavey Versarray(tm) line-array loudspeaker sys-tem, the ribbon-loaded, high-fi delity sound system used on the 2008 and 2009 Rock-star® Energy Drink Mayhem Tours and the
2008 Tim McGraw Live Your Voice Tour. The endowment also includes a Peavey 32FX(tm) analog mixer with fully digital processing; Peavey QW® and SP(tm) Series monitors; Peavey VSX(tm) loudspeaker management systems; Feedback Ferret® processors with patented feedback elimina-tion technology; assorted cabling; and an array of microphones that will pull double duty in the DMI’s studio program.
To fi nd out more, visit www.peavey.com.
14 MMR APRIL 2009
Remaining U.S. Virgin Megastores to Close
Peavey Electronics Corporation’s Hartley Peavey, Founder and CEO, and Mary Peavey, President, celebrate the grand opening of the Delta Music Institute on March 8, 2009.
Delta Music Institute student Vickie Jackson operates front-of-house sound on a Peavey 32FX mixing console.
MMR_14 14 3/24/09 12:35:47 PM
UpfrontTrade Regrets:
16 MMR APRIL 2009
David WilliamsRhythm guitarist and longtime Ibanez artist-endorser David Wil-liams performed with some of the best known names in the business: Quincy Jones, the Temptations, Madonna, George Benson, Paul McCartney, Johnny Mathis, and Marvin Gaye, among many others. And as one music writer so well put it, “If the average layman doesn’t know David William’s name, eve-ryone everywhere knows his unmi-stakable sound from the amazing rhythm solo on Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean.’” David Williams died of cardiac arrest on March 6 at the Sentera CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Va.
Virgil L. LayMusician, luthier, and founder of S.I.T. Strings Co., Virgil Lay died on March 10, 2009 near his home in Akron, Ohio.
In the early 1960s, Virgil opened Lay’s Guitar Repair and quickly became known around the country and internatio-nally for his repair and fi nish work. In 1980, Virgil founded the S.I.T. Strings Company and spent the rest of his life building string-winding machines, making guitar strings, and developing new guitar accessory products. Although retired from the day-to-day operations of the compa-ny for a number of years, Virgil still came into the factory almost every morning to help work on string win-ding machines until he fell ill in Fe-bruary of this year.
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MMR_17 17 3/23/09 2:29:54 PM
18 MMR APRIL 2009
PeopleLongterm former employee of St. Louis Music, Stan Morgan has been appointed president of the company, effective April 1st.
Stan Morgan joined SLM in 1979 and was instrumen-tal in the company’s overall
success prior to its purchase by LOUD Technologies in 2005. Stan worked alongside and reported directly to SLM’s owner Gene Kornblum and held the title of vice president of Sales from 1993 to 2005 before joining Loud Technologies as senior vice president of Sales.
“We are extremely pleased that Stan has accepted the position of president of St. Louis Music,” says Mark Ragin, chair-man and CEO of the company. Mark adds, “Stan helped make St. Louis Music one of the leading music products dis-tributors in the world and we couldn’t have found a more appropriate or expe-rienced person for the job.”
The Board of Directors of the Music In-dustries Association of Canada (MIAC)has announced that Barbara Cole has been appointed to the position of MIAC General Manager.
Barbara has worked with MIAC since 2007 as Trade Show and Market-ing manager. In her new role, she will be responsible for trade show and confer-ence production, business and member-ship development, sales and marketing of membership programs and services, accounting and fi nancial management.
Numark recently announced the addi-tion of Paul Daniel Wright as the vice president of Sales & Marketing for Eu-rope, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Mr. Wright is an industry veteran who has driven international sales opera-tions for iconic musical instrument com-panies such as Line 6, Marshall Amplifi -cation and Studiomaster.
Prior to joining Numark, Mr. Wright was the International Sales Director for Line 6, Inc. where he was responsible for all international business operations, ex-cluding North America. A key member
of the Line 6 senior management team, Mr. Wright achieved record-breaking re-sults by fostering customer relationships, building a world-class international sales team, and fl awlessly executing sales and marketing programs. During his ten-ure, he successfully developed the Line 6 global distribution business establishing “A” level distribution relationships and aggressive sales growth.
Edward Don & Company has welcomed Andre Mills to its executive team as the vice president of Human Resources. Mills will be responsible for the overall Human Resources strategy at Don in-cluding talent management, succession planning, employee/labor relations, and compensation/benefi ts.
Mr. Mills brings extensive HR expe-rience from the foodservice industry. He previously served as Vice President of Human Resources for Sanford Brands North America (a division of Newell Rubbermaid) ConAgra Foods, and US Foodservice (Rykoff /Sexton).
The TRX Cymbal Co. has announced that Arin Ile-jay, former drummer for Confi de, has accepted the position of Artist Relations manager with the up-and-coming cymbal company. Arin has performed and
recorded extensively with Confi de; ap-pearing on the band’s current CD, Shout The Truth, and the 2008 Warped Tour. As Artist Relations Manager for TRX his re-sponsibilities include outreach, develop-ment and support of all TRX endorsers.
Taylor Guitars co-founders, CEO Kurt Listug and presi-dent Bob Taylor, recently announced the appoint-ment of Brian Swerdfegeras vice president of market-ing and sales. In his new role, Swerdfeger, who had
been serving as vice president of market-ing, will utilize his expansive industry expertise to develop and implement inte-
grated strategies to lead both divisions of the company. He will continue to report to Kurt Listug.
Shure Incorporated an-nounced that Vladimir Arezina has joined its Global Legal Services Divi-sion. Arezina will serve as Associate General Counsel in the Company’s Corpo-rate Headquarters in Niles,
Illinois.“Vlad will be working on a broad spec-
trum of legal issues, although I expect a large portion of his time will be focused on patent and other intellectual property matters,” said Paul Applebaum, executive vice president and general counsel.
Shure has also appointed Fred Sicko as sales manager for the Company’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Business Unit. In this role, Sicko will be responsible for providing sales, marketing, and market develop-ment support for the channel partners in those regions.
“Fred brings extensive pro audio in-dustry experience and knowledge to this position, including seven years as Sales Manager at Shure Distribution GmbH,” said Markus Winkler, managing director of Shure’s EMEA Business Unit. “With his strong background, Fred will be an important part of our future business development in the region.”
Morgan
Ilejay
Swerdfeger
Arezina
Sicko
Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site,
BreakingNews
www.MMRmagazine.com
MMR_18 18 3/24/09 12:37:14 PM
20 MMR APRIL 2009
StatsMI SalesTrak Snapshot: Artist Model Electric Guitars - Share of all 2008 Electric Guitar Sales
Source: MI SalesTrak® The numbers represent US retail sales in music stores, based upon SKU-level POS data from a sample of over 500 online and brick-and-mortar outlets. For further information contact: [email protected]
Jim Hirschberg of MI SalesTrak reports, “We combed through our data-base and found there were more than 400 artist/signature models market-ed in the electric guitar category alone last year. Artist models ac-counted for 9.1% of electric guitar dollar sales. They were offered in all price ranges from entry-level to $25,000. Their average price was $957, more than double the average selling price of all elec-tric guitars. Artists whose signature model electric guitars gen-erated the greatest dollar sales included Slash, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Eric Johnson. And, of course there are artist model acoustics and basses, not to mention artist model amps, effects, strings, picks, straps…you name it! There is no doubt that artist models are a hit with consumers.”
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Share of Dollar Sales
Share of Unit Sales
4.3%9.1%
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MMR_20 20 3/24/09 12:38:15 PM
One of Peter Drucker’s famous sayings
was “Leadership is a foul weather job.”
Boy, he wasn’t kidding. As you lead your
stores and businesses through these
unprecedented challenges, it might seem
that you are alone against the waves that
keep pounding our economy. Wall Street,
the mortgage crisis, falling consumer
condence, you name it—there seems to
be a crisis at every turn.
Many people nd strength from the fact that our industry has
seen this and much more: World Wars, the Great Depression,
the fall of entire instrument categories and the rise of new ones.
Iconic brands have come and gone. There are many things we can
learn from those who have been there. For 108 years, NAMM has
worked side by side with our Members in the trenches and have
been proud to serve them in good times and bad.
In studying these past challenges, we nd there are no quick xes,
no easy answers. The path out of this mess will be dependent upon
the hard work and determination of everyone. No one seems to
know how long this downturn will last or how deep it will go. But
it seems clear that those who survive will be positioned to take
advantage of the inevitable opportunities that follow.
Your association has many tools to assist you in your efforts and
stands ready to be a part of your team. Please call NAMM today
to get a personalized analysis of how your association’s programs,
initiatives and cost-saving Member services can help save you
money and get more customers.
And, as Drucker believed, leadership is denitely a foul weather
job, but it need not be a lonely one. You have friends at NAMM
ready to serve you, so please give us the opportunity to be a part of
your team.Joe Lamond
NAMM President/CEO
Note from Joe
NewsAPRIL 2009
ADVERTORIAL
Tools to Help You Succeed in Challenging TimesLET NAMM BE A PART OF YOUR TEAM—CHECK OUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU SAVE MONEYAND MARKET YOUR BUSINESS LOCALLY
With a changing global economy and a future we can’t predict, your association continues to look for ways that we can help you. NAMM is on your team, with each of our staff members invested in your success and working to identify ways to support and strengthen your business.
u?
Programs to grow your market
NAMM offers a variety of market-building programs and initiatives that can help you reach a whole new market of consumers or increase your current customer base. From DCI and Vans Warped Tour to Sesame Street Music Works and more, we’re reaching out to music makers of all ages and interests with the goal of bringing new customers through your door.
Learn more at www.namm.org/initiatives.
Business services that can improve your bottom line
Because we are an association, NAMM is able to negotiate the kinds of rates most companies could never get on their own. If you haven’t checked into
what you could be saving, we highly encourage you to do so as a way of reducing your company’s operating costs. Your Membership provides you with access to discounts on shipping, special rates for worker’s comp coverage and even discounts on credit card services. Have you evaluated your expenses? Maybe now is the time.
MMR_22 22 3/23/09 2:30:11 PM
NAMM News is published by NAMM. To keep up-to-date on the latest breaking industry news,
sign up for our PLAYback Digital e-newsletter at [email protected].
NAMM News April 2009
ADVERTORIAL
Building music makers out of those who think they can’t NAMM’s consumer-facing Wanna Play? campaign shows the 82% of people who think they cannot play—but would like to—that they can! The Wanna Play? Lesson Locator sends aspiring musicians straight to your Web site.
Keeping music in the newsThe Wanna Play? consumer campaign puts music making in the media spotlight on a daily basis. Your store can benefit from this effort by participating in Wanna Play Music Week, May 4–8, and promoting the contests and events associated with it, like the new Wanna Play? Film Contest. Learn more at www.namm.org/initiatives.
Music in your schoolsIf music education is being threatened in your community, we encourage you to use your voice. By supporting and encouraging school music programs, you not only help students grow their musical and academic potential, you grow your customer base. To join the Support Music Coalition or gain invaluable advocacy tools, visit www.supportmusic.com, or call us at 800-767-6266 to learn more.
Knowledge is power—arm yourself with ideas and inspirationNAMM University was created to empower you with information on best business practices, while also providing solutions to the challenges you face every day. These free sessions at both the NAMM Show and Summer NAMM have never been more relevant as we face an uncertain future.
Industry events that give you the competitive advantageNAMM’s trade shows not only offer a front row seat to the hottest trends and newest products, they leave you enlightened, motivated and empowered with new inventory and ideas. Visit www.namm.org/summer to learn more about 2009 Summer NAMM, July 17–19.
While the future is unknown, one thing is certain: NAMM is here for you and we will do everything in our power to support your success.
MMR_23 23 3/23/09 2:30:48 PM
24 MMR APRIL 2009
REPORT
On March 4, the Federal Trade Com-mission (FTC) closed the books on its case against the music instrument trade organization. The commission judges voted to accept a complaint and consent order in a 4 to 0 vote. The agreement is subject to public comment and analysis for 30 days, and after that it will be per-manently closed – at least for NAMM.
“What I can tell you is this consent does not necessarily resolve any other related cases,” confi rmed FTC’s Patrick Roach, deputy assistant director, bureau of competition.
So the investi-gation as a whole continues to grind on for others who were served
with a subpoena regarding the question of illegal trade practices. It was verifi ed through sources at the FTC and off the record within the MI industry that the investigation into other groups and in-dividual manufacturers are still ongoing. This consent agreement is solely with NAMM.
Guilty or Not?While there is understandable relief at
NAMM headquarters, there’s also some frustration regarding the exact wording of the FTC’s statement.
“There’s a lot of confu-sion around this whole thing, and their release is
hard to get through,” says Scott Robert-son, NAMM’s director of marketing and communications. “I’ve spent a lot of time talking to reporters with questions. The most important thing is to make sure everybody clearly understands it. A lot of the language out there can be misin-terpreted and misread. I keep referring to our statement – that will give you the story.”
Roach, however, says the FTC state-ment is clear. “In a consent decree, the party who received the complaint has to agree to change behavior,” he says. It’s an option that avoids litigation, and one that is favorable to the FTC. “The basic power being exercised here is the issuing of an order to cease and desist.”
Case Closed: FTC Settles with NAMMCases with Other Groups, Individual Manufacturers Still Ongoing
By Kevin M. Mitchell
For NAMM, it’s over – almost two years to the day after it started (March 7, 2007).
MMR_24 24 3/24/09 12:38:52 PM
In reference to different language used between the two statements, Rob-ertson says: “We’re disappointed at the way they characterized it. When you read it, watch for the word ‘could.’ There are things we did that could have lead to harm to the consumer, could have lead to higher prices…” An analogy could be the police breaking into your house and fi nding a gun. You could have killed somebody, and while it seems pretty easy to prove you didn’t, the government de-cides to just “settle” the case.
“The complaint is thin, so it’s hard to see exactly what was going on,” says for-mer FTC lawyer Deborah Feinstein and partner of the law fi rm Arnold & Por-ter, which specializes in anti-trust com-plaints. “Essentially what they are saying is: the sharing of information could be bad.”
NAMM’s position is that they did not do what the FTC accused it of doing in the original suit.
The FTC’s story is different, however. Their statement reads: “The FTC has is-sued a consent order settling charges that NAMM violated federal law by enabling and encouraging the exchange of com-petitively sensitive price information among its members.
“The FTC alleged that NAMM or-ganized meetings at which its members were encouraged to communicate, and did in fact share, information about prices and business strategy. To the detriment of consumers, NAMM’s con-duct enhanced the members’ ability to coordinate price increases for musical instruments. In settling the complaint, NAMM has agreed to stop engaging in such conduct.”
In subtle contradiction, NAMM’s statement reads: “NAMM has volun-tarily entered into a consent agreement with the FTC regarding our organiza-tion’s alleged conduct relating to cer-tain meetings in 2005–2007 during which the FTC alleges industry partici-pants discussed minimum advertised pricing policies, and related topics. Notably, the FTC does not allege that NAMM or any third party entered into a collusive or otherwise anti-competi-tive agreement or that the alleged con-duct resulted in higher prices or other consumer injury.
“This agreement does not require any fundamental changes to NAMM’s core activities nor does the agreement
In June of 2007, in the middle of the FTC’s investigation of the MI industry over MAP pricing, the Supreme Court ruled in a controversial 5 to 4 decision, Leegin v. PSKS, effectively striking down an antitrust rule that held sway since 1911. In that ruling, the court decided that it was suddenly now not necessarily unlawful for manufactur-ers to dictate minimum retail prices to their re-tailers. Some thought if it was now legal for a manu-facturer to dictate what prices to sell a product at, then that would seem to make practice of estab-lishing a Minimum Adver-tised Price moot.
What the Leegin case meant was that the long-standing policy against manufacturer’s price fi x-ing was now something that was not per se illegal. “The old rule did not focus on the context of those kind of price restriction,” says FTC’s Patrick Roach, deputy assistant director bureau of competition. “What the Supreme Court said was that these kind of arrangements can be looked at through more
common kinds of anti-trust rules. Think of it as a rule of reason – it’s a matter of fi guring out the context of agreements. It’s not what one manu-facturer is doing with respect to the choice of distribution, but there may be problems when there is a lot of co-ordination.”
Deborah Feinstein, partner of the law fi rm Arnold & Porter, which specializes in anti-trust complaints, adds that the key to understand-ing this is thinking of it in terms of vertical pricing (manufacturer’s down to retailer) versus horizontal pricing (competitors shar-ing pricing information). If Guitar Maker A tells re-tailer X to sell the guitar for $139, that is legal in the eyes of the court and the FTC; If Guitar Maker B starts telling Guitar Maker B what it’s telling retailer X to sell a certain guitar for, then that’s illegal.
“The NAMM case was essentially about informa-tion sharing, where as this is establishing that it’s not illegal per se for a manu-facturer to make pricing demands,” she says.
APRIL 2009 MMR 25
The Leegin Decision and MAP
“The NAMM case was essentially
about information sharing, where as this is establishing
that it’s not illegal per se for a manufacturer
to make pricing demands.”
constitute an admission of any wrong-doing. However, under the terms of the agreement, NAMM will enhance vari-ous internal policies and procedures relating to the ways we communicate
and work with our staff and our mem-bers. Rather than pursuing costly and time-consuming litigation on this mat-ter, we are choosing to put it behind us so that NAMM can concentrate on our primary mission of strengthening the global music products industry and in-creasing active participation in music making.”
Both are Right It appears that NAMM has agreed to
“stop engaging in conduct” that they say they never engaged in, in the fi rst place, while the FTC maintains they have evi-
dence of wrongdoing.“Both are right,” says
Feinstein. “But the FTC would not ask for consent if it didn’t think there was wrongdoing.” And in al-
lowing the party to not have to admit wrongdoing, “it’s sort of a no harm, no foul” situation.
In reviewing the FTC statement case, Feinstein says the FTC almost always en-ters a cease-and-desist agreement, prefer-ring to just get organizations to stop do-ing what they think is anti-competitive behavior. But by entering in this agree-
“What is most important is that this is no longer a thorn in our side.”
MMR_25 25 3/24/09 12:38:56 PM
ment, “my guess is that either they didn’t feel they got ill-gotten gains through this behavior or didn’t believe they could prove it.”
The FTC document does seem to con-tradict itself when it later says: “A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admis-sion of a law violation. When the Com-mission issues a consent order on a fi nal basis, it carries the force of law with re-spect to future actions. Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of $16,000.”
Roach explains that in a case such as this there are two basic documents: The first one is the complaint, which is issued when the commission believes it has sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The second document is essentially the final one, can be one of three things. There can be case dismissals (rare); no-tice that the FTC is starting a lawsuit
(more common); or a consent decree like the one NAMM’s lawyers worked out with the government (most com-mon).
“In the consent decree, NAMM agrees to change their behavior in the future without them agreeing there was a violation,” Roach says. “But when this occurs, the FTC is pleased with the out-come. They are pleased that [NAMM] is willing to change their behavior in the future and bring them back in line with sound ways of operating a trade organi-zation.”
NAMM has been increasingly vigi-lant about protocols, as anybody at the last NAMM show who had anything re-
26 MMR APRIL 2009
“My guess is that either [the FTC] didn’t feel [NAMM] got ill-gotten gains through this behavior or didn’t believe they could prove it.”
MMR_26 26 3/24/09 12:39:00 PM
Get used to hearing this – it’ll be to MI industry-related gatherings what an airline’s in-case-of-emergency in-structions are to fl ying.
Any meeting such as this, where direct competitors such as manufac-turers and retailers come together, has the potential to create antitrust problems. NAMM is committed to strictly complying with antitrust laws and has put in place an antitrust policy governing all activity during NAMM-sponsored events. The antitrust laws promote and protect competition, ben-efi ting consumers. Competition leads to lower prices, higher quality, and in-creased output of goods and services. Associations like NAMM can promote competition through a variety of ac-tivities, such as educating the public. NAMM must not facilitate, encourage, or allow participants at its events to engage in any conduct which restricts competition on price or output.
NAMM’s antitrust policy prohib-its any conduct at NAMM-sponsored events that would encourage, facili-tate, or enforce any of the following prohibited activities:
Agreements on price or output. Here, “price” should be construed very broadly, to include wholesale, retail, suggested and MAP prices for goods and services (including salaries, benefi ts and wages for employees or independent contrac-tors), components or terms of pric-ing (including price ranges, pricing formulas, discount, rebate, warranty and credit terms, and margins), and any suggestion of proposed chang-es to pricing. Likewise, “output” must also be interpreted broadly to include actual or proposed pro-duction or changes in production, downtime at manufacturing facili-ties, and hours of operation.
1.
Agreements between competitors to divide markets or allocate cus-tomers, territories, products, or services; Boycotts or refusals to deal with any suppliers, customers or competitors; andThe exchange of competitively sensitive information among competitors, including price, out-put and cost data, information related to specifi c customers, and future business plans (if these plans have not already been made public, as for example, in an SEC fi ling, press release, or website posting).
Remember, all NAMM members must make pricing decisions indepen-dently of any agreement or understand-ing with competitors. Attendees at NAMM events should avoid even the ap-pearance of collusion with competitors. If you fi nd yourself in a meeting where competitors are discussing prices or out-put at a NAMM-sponsored event, leave immediately, telling everyone why you are leaving, and inform present NAMM staff or NAMM’s attorneys.
NAMM takes antitrust compliance very seriously. The U.S. antitrust laws can apply to conduct outside the U.S. if it has an effect on U.S. commerce, and many other countries have adopted an-titrust laws, as well. Violations of the an-titrust laws can result in civil or criminal prosecution by the government. Viola-tions can also result in private lawsuits and substantial damage awards.
Anyone found violating NAMM’s antitrust policy will be immediately asked to leave the NAMM-sponsored event, and members may face expul-sion from the organization. This re-minder is not a complete list of activi-ties which could violate antitrust laws or NAMM’s policy. NAMM’s full anti-trust policy can be found on NAMM’s website.
2.
3.
4.
NAMM Antitrust Statement To Be Read Before NAMM Events
APRIL 2009 MMR 27
motely resembling a meeting on any level knows. All were greeted with a town cri-er-like reading of their Antitrust Policy. [See Sidebar]
“We’ve been tightening ourselves up to make sure we’re in compliance,” Robertson says. Part of this involves a lawyer who is a specialist into anti-
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MMR_27 27 3/24/09 12:39:09 PM
28 MMR APRIL 2009
competitive actions sitting in on all NAMM meetings. (“Yes, we have to pay for that.”)
Those still under investigation might be interested to note that the roots of this settlement go back to when the case was fi rst fi led. Robertson says their law fi rm Haynes and Boone had an open com-munication line with the FTC to start working toward such an agreement im-mediately.
This agreement, some of the confus-ing wording, and the fact that other or-ganizations and manufacturers are still under investigation, will no doubt con-tribute to a continuing concern about what is legal and illegal. As one NAMM member not-so-joked before a meeting after the NAMM anti-trust statement was read, “MAP is legal; you just can’t talk about it.”
So how does one stay out of trouble?
“Whenever competitors are getting a room and start talking about prices, that should generally be off limits,” Feinstein says. As to a couple of retail-ers in a bar casually talking business and the numbers that are inevitably a part of it, even that is “dangerous. There are just not a lot of good reasons to talk about pricing, and it’s risky. It’s good to be conservative for a while – who wants to take a chance on violat-ing the agreement?”
“What is most important is that this is no longer a thorn in our side,” says Robertson. “And its also it’s im-portant to know that while it was a big deal, it’s really something that just me and [NAMM president] Joe [Lamond] have dealt with directly,” he says. “For the organization as a whole, it’s always been business as usual, supporting the industry.”
Word for WordTo read the FTC’s statement on the NAMM consent agreement, go to:www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/03/namm.shtm
To read NAMM’s statement regarding FTC Action, go to:www.namm.org/news/press-releases/namm-statement-regarding-ftc-action
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Boots Randolph, Gospel Classics..................MMO 4222Just a Closer Walk With Thee • In The Garden • The Lord’sPrayer • The Old Rugged Cross • Medley : Shall We Gather at theRiver, When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, In the Sweet Bye andBye • What a Friend We Have In Jesus • Patriotic Medley:America, God Bless America, When the Saints Go Marching In •Amazing Grace • Precious Lord, Take My Hand • Medley: GiveMe That Old Time Religion, Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Boots Randolph, Nashville Classics ............MMO 4223Crazy • You Don’t Know Me • Last Date • Night Life • Near You •Green, Green Grass of Home • Good Hearted Woman • Busted •Java • 9 to 5 • Pretty Woman • Yakety Sax
Boots Randolph, Stompin’ At The Savoy ..MMO 4276Stompin’ at the Savoy • Cry Me a River • L-O-V-E • You’ll NeverKnow • I’ll Walk Alone • As Time Goes By • Red Sails in theSunset • Embraceable You
Boots Randolph, Favorite Songs ..................MMO 4275I’m Beginning to See The Light • Billie’s Bounce • I’ll Be SeeingYou • Take Me Out to the Ballgame • Candy • Basically Blues •‘Round Midnight • Dream Dancing
MMR_29 29 3/23/09 2:31:08 PM
SPOTL IGHT
Most guitarists of all
ages and ability levels
draw inspiration from
artists who’ve found
success as professional axemen. It’s
not surprising, then, that suppliers
have found instruments and related
gear tied to specifi c guitar heroes to
be both strong sellers and effective
tools for advancing a given brand’s
profi le.
“Who better to tell you what works than the guitarists who are in the stu-dio or playing in front of 200,000 people at a time,” notes Justin Norvell of Fender, a major player in the fi eld of signature guitars. It’s a point well-taken: in addition to targeting fans of
ARTIST SERIES GUITARS & AMPLIFIERS
MovesSignature
30 MMR APRIL 2009
Anthrax’s Scott Ian with his Washburn HM Series V Murder Weapon Signature Electric guitar.
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APRIL 2009 MMR 31
“A great signature product is always in demand. Stocking these items
creates foot traffi c… All retailers know foot traffi c is good.”
- Jody Dankberg, US Music
individual high-profi le guitarists, hav-ing product offi cially endorsed by – and often designed in close association with – successful musicians lends credence to the line.
MMR recently spoke to a number of signifi cant makers of artist and signature series guitars and amplifi ers to get a feel for those products’ place in the overall market, the appeal to both retailers and customers, and the future of these spe-cialty instruments.
Justin NorvellDirector of MarketingFender Images courtesy of Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
For us, the reasons for releasing signa-ture series instruments are several. Bear in mind, Fender started out on a plat-form of putting our instruments into the hands of key artists and making adjust-ments based on their feedback, so we’ve always sort of been involved in this mar-ket. Who better to tell you what works than the guitarists who are in the studio or playing in front of 200,000 people at a time? Also, just in general, for many, the reason you start playing is because you look up to an artist.
A lot of times, artists have interest-ing versions of our instruments and
it’s cool to make those available to the public. There are always new combina-tions of specs because our instruments are so modular. It’s one of the pieces of the recipe to unlocking someone’s tone, whether that is Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan. So there’s sort of an emotional, ethereal connection, but there’s also a very realistic ap-proach to wanting to take advantage of what works for successful guitarists.
The instruments, when they’re ‘just in-struments,’ in a line, on a wall, on a Web site or in a retail display, are just products. When you align them with a musician and a body
of work, you bridge that gap and make that connection to the mu-
sic and they go from being SKUs into being that artistic, interactive tool.
It’s everything about Fender, everything the company was founded upon.
Artist models happen for various reasons: Fender instruments have a
very wide appeal – from country to punk to blues to funk to rock – and any
given artist’s guitar is a way to show customers that a particular type of music could and should be played on our instruments; sometimes,
it’s because the product that the art-ist has come up with is so cool as far as what they’re specs are; sometimes it’s because the artist is extremely popular; sometimes it’s an underserved genre. So we have a myriad of reasons behind why we’d do certain artist models.
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
Danny ThomasSignature Series Product development Engineer
When Marshall works with an artist on a signature series prod-uct, it’s typically someone with whom we’ve had a relationship with for many years, and it’s our way of acknowledging their use of our products and as a thank you to them and their fans. Since we enjoy a position of being a well-established com-pany, we don’t enter into an agreement be-
cause we need artists to help us break into the market; it’s more because we’d like to bring to market an honorary product that recognizes our relationship with the art-ist.
We’ve also recognized that the value of a signature series product differs from cus-tomer to custom-er. For example, our high value Hendrix or Lem-
my amplifi er products are not something the general public will make use of in a corner pub! They’re generally of inter-est to serious collectors, extreme fans, or pros themselves. Conversely, some of our other products are more for the general
musician buying community, and so with those products, we’ve put into prac-tice what we’ve learned from
Marshall Amplifi cation
MMR_31 31 3/24/09 12:39:57 PM
32 MMR APRIL 2009
the artists, and the result is a product that can be enjoyed by everyone. Not all of our signature series products are de-signed to be used on the big stage–some of the artists use them for practice them-selves, and so we’ve offered all levels of signature products–from pro to beginner to backstage warm-up type products.
Because of the limited number of amps we produce and the limited num-ber of artist signature models we’ve made over the years, a dealer may end up be-ing one of only a handful in a large area where the products can be purchased.
It helps them become a “go to” store for players and collectors.
An additional benefi t for the retailer in stocking signature series products is that sometimes these products can help Mar-shall and the retailer get closer to their fans through in-store appearances and clinics, which tend to directly or indirectly infl u-ence sell through at the store level.
In the past, Marshall has worked with Slash, Zakk Wylde, Kerry King, Lem-my from Motorhead, and the estates of Randy Rhoads and Jimi Hendrix. Although we’re extremely selective of the artists we
create signature series lines with, we’re al-ways on the lookout for opportunities that provide a good value to our customers, the artist, and our organization.
Peavey Electronics Corp.Hartley PeaveyFounder & CEO
Signature products are important, not only because they raise a manufacturer’s brand awareness, but also because they show loyalty between a brand and its artists that will hopefully infl uence consumers. Quite frankly, one of the benefi ts of pursuing signature prod-ucts is the challenge of creating a timeless piece of gear that pushes the boundaries of convention. I’ve always maintained that in order to be better, by defi nition you must be different. That is what we try to do with every product. Having a reputable artist provide their input into that process can be very helpful and rewarding for the manufacturer, artist, retailer and ulti-mately the consumer.
We work extensively with our artists to create models that appeal to their in-dividual needs, but for the success of the project it’s essential to consider how other musicians will relate to the product. A great example is the JSX Series, which is designed with Joe Satriani. Joe is a true player’s play-er who understands the need for versatil-ity and utility. The original JSX Head is a 3-channel amplifi er with special switches and tone tools that are there to provide the widest sonic palette possible. We designed the new JSX 50 to give players a defi nitive 50-watt head, with plenty of tone options to satisfy working players’ needs – something the original 50-watt amps of the ‘60s could never do. When retailers buy a Peavey sig-nature artist model, they’re buying much more than the artist’s brand; they get a very salable product that stands on its own. Just look at how well the 6505 Series amps have done in recent years for proof of that.
Our key artists are Joe Satriani, Rudy Sarzo, Machine Head, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, Nick-elback, Slipknot, DragonForce and Black Stone Cherry. We have a new signature Cirrus bass guitar with Rudy Sarzo that celebrates two major milestones: the Cir-rus bass’s 10th anniversary and Sarzo’s 25th anniversary playing Peavey gear.
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34 MMR APRIL 2009
Composite AcousticsLaurie AbshireVP Business Development
Their loyal following are desirous of an exact copy of what the artist is play-ing so we offer that guitar as a signature series under the artist’s name. It works well for us and helps give exposure to the artist. Everyone wins. Due to the loyal following we see an increasing demand for artist series guitars.
Tim Stafford is our fi rst signature model. However, we have done special projects with Arlo Guthrie, Red, Barlow Girl, and Building 429. We do have oth-er projects going on but they are a secret at the moment!
Hoshino USA, Inc.Paul SpechtCommunications Dept.
Well, if I had to answer the question,
“What have signature guitars done for me lately,” the simple answer for Ibanez is that they helped put us on the map and
kept us on the map, when we were start-ing to slide off.
The endorsement of Ibanez by George Benson and the resulting GB10 signature jazz guitar in 1977-78 helped put Ibanez on the map as an innovative guitar mak-er in its own right, rather than simply a maker of derivative, high quality afford-able guitars.
The endorsement of Ibanez by Steve Vai, and the resulting JEM signature solid-body models ten years later helped bring about the “Rebirth of Ibanez,” which resulted a new perception of Ibanez as a prestige guitar maker and turned around our sales during turbulent economic times and trends that were, for Ibanez, about as much fun as the times are right now for everybody.
Building signature models not only strengthens the association of a guitar company with highly visible and re-spected artists (thereby also conferring a hipness factor), many artist ideas from signature models are later implemented in Ibanez standard models. So it’s also a signifi cant part of our R&D.
The reason a retailer would wish to stock a signature model is not terribly
different than why a guitar maker wishes to supply them: Signature models draw attention to the store as well as to other non-signature models, in addition to the sales of the signature instruments them-selves, which are nearly always in the up-per price points (although sometimes in the very upper mid-price points).
While I’m not a liberty to give the ex-act percentages of Ibanez signatures vis a vis non-signature models, it is a very sig-nifi cant percentage.
Whom do we work with most suc-cessfully? Well, in jazz: George Benson, Pat Metheny and John Scofi eld all have current signature models. In rock, we’ve currently got signature models with Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Andy Timmons, Matt Bachand (Shad-ows Fall), Herman Li and Sam Totman (DragonForce), Noodles (The Offspring) Munky (KORN), Omar Rodriguez-Lo-pez (The Mars Volta), and Mick Thom-son (Slipknot). In addition to regular signature models, we’ve also had limited edition signature models for George Ben-son, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Bob Weir (a handcrafted reissue of his old Grateful Dead axe.) For the 20th
MMR_34 34 3/24/09 12:40:07 PM
Sunburst 22SmokeburstMcCarty
Sunburst 245
New All-Nitro Bursts - 1957/2008 Pickups
Introducing the Sunburst SeriesExclusive wire, magnets and finish materials with new burst colors.We think these guitars are special and have a unique voice all their own.Stop by a dealer near you to play one and to Experience PRS.
© PRS G
uitars 2009 Photos by Marc Q
uigley
MMR_35 35 3/23/09 2:33:11 PM
36 MMR APRIL 2009
Anniversary of his signature model, Paul Gilbert had two limited edition axes, a PGM20TH and a Fireman, on display at the 2009 Winter NAMM Show.
VOX Amplifi cationBrad HochstetlerBrand Manager
At VOX, there is a constant balance to recognize the historical signifi cance of the brand while seeking to push our technologies and tones toward the fu-ture. VOX artists have played such a signifi cant role in the brand’s identity through the years that partnering with them to create better products only so-lidifi es our place in history. The Art-ists are the champions of the brand and the voice and sound that the public associates with VOX. We also strive to make our products unique. And while “unique” is a term that’s sometimes a bit of a cliché among manufacturers, in the case of an exclusive artist product line, the product is inherently unique.
We strive to work with artists that will bring more than simply their name to the table. Because they are on the frontlines of the music industry, on the biggest stages, and in the best studios, their ideas make for strong products.
There is often a built-in fan base that aspires to sound like the artist they favor and seeks to acquire the products that will help them achieve that sound. The ideal situation is an artist whose work stands to represent particular tones, quality of sound, and an innovative ap-proach to music.
Bringing not only the fans, but also all players, closer to the sounds they hear on the radio is an important part of what we do. I think every musician wants to play the gear that their heroes have held
before them. It’s what makes guitar and gear collecting so much fun.
Our artist products have always been built to suit the fan base fi rst. But often the products exceed those expectations and are accepted by a much larger audi-ence. We do make a conscious effort to consider fans and non-fans alike in our development of artist products so that any player can fi nd value and usefulness in the end result. Artists have exceptional ears and most have very creative ideas. Such ideas have contributed to some of our top-selling products.
VOX has always had a wonderful re-lationship with Brian May who is known for his unique guitar tones. Brian has helped us design several products in the past.
We have a great relationship with Joe Satriani, who has essentially become a part of our design team continually test-ing and tweaking designs for his signa-ture line of VOX/JS Pedals. We released Joe’s Signature Big Bad Wah and Time Machine delay at Winter NAMM ’09 and his Satchurator distortion pedal is already one of the best-selling distortion pedals in the country.
The Music LinkSteve PatrinoPresident
If your signature series is based around
a big artist, you have a niche product for folks who closely follow that artist or are interested in the artist’s playing style. Also having a Signature model helps to differentiate your product from other instruments; they are likely more easily identifiable due to their associa-tion with the artist. It adds value to the products for the customers who are
interested in the art-ist. What you don’t want to do, however, is just put an artist’s name on a product and hope that it sells – you only want to put an artist’s name on a product if consumers can expect the same level of quality from the instrument that they associate with the artist. That’s why we worked so long and so carefully with Sonny Osborne for the Recording King Scout Signature model – to come to market with a product that both Sonny and The Music Link could feel confident and excited about. De-pending on the level of the artist, a sig-nature model can add some serious va-lidity and credibility to your product. Having a Signature model as a part of your product line offers some inter-esting benefits as well as some unique challenges, but if you maintain the art-ist’s standard with the quality of your product, Signature series instruments can have great sell-through.
Sparrow GuitarsJordan EshpeterSales Manager
Sparrow Guitars has not introduced a signature series as we have focused on de-veloping our core guitar line. As Sparrow’s line begins to enter the mature stage of our product life cycle we will certainly in-troduce a Signature Series to differentiate our models. As well, we are continuing to
“Signature products are important, not only because they raise a manufacturer’s brand awareness,
but also because they show loyalty between a brand and its artists that will hopefully infl uence consumers.”
- Hartley Peavey, Peavey Electronics Corp.
MMR_36 36 3/24/09 12:40:12 PM
38 MMR APRIL 2009
develop our endorsee roster and over time will work with our artists to develop their guitars. Sparrow’s artists are at the core of our business, but as it is we’re satisfi ed with them taking our core line of guitars on the road and into the studio.
Martin GuitarsDick BoakDirector of Artist Relations and Publicity
What’s the appeal from a supplier’s point of view? Why bother with signa-
ture series products? It has always been a no-brainer for me. You collaborate with a well-known guitarist that exemplifi es your brand. You gain the benefi t of
the artist’s fi rst hand knowledge of the product. You make a model that will hopefully satisfy the artist enough to be seen in high-visibility performances. You make the model available in the marketplace bringing a special prod-uct to fans, collectors and other artists.
You reap signifi cant publicity from the media, and last (in Martin’s case), you typically donate a contribution from the sale of each guitar to the charity of the artist’s choosing. Where is the down-side?
The retailers will only agree to stock what they feel they can sell in their mar-ket. It is true that a Nashville bluegrass artist guitar might not have marketabil-ity in Switzerland, and a French fi nger-style instrumentalist might not do well in Memphis. It is also true that many dealers might not participate in the sale of artist models, but wouldn’t that make it potentially more viable for the ones that do? In addition to artist signature models, Martin also produces many non-artist related limited and special editions. These are lumped together and usually represent about 15 percent of our total annual business. If you just take a look at artist models, it’s about 10 percent.
We don’t like to tip or hat about new projects in the pipeline until actual in-troduction, but we’ve had great collabo-rations with Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Mark Knopfl er, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, Steve Mill-er, George Martin, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Trey Anastasio, Andy Griffi th, Robbie Robertson, George Jones, Nancy Wilson, Roger McGuinn, Shawn Colvin, Peter Frampton, Andy Summers, Gene Autry, Norman Blake, Ian Anderson, Merle Haggard, Sting, The Kingston Trio, Lau-rence Juber, Judy Collins, Travis Tritt, Arlo Guthrie, Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Estate of Elvis Presley, plus many, many more, totaling more that 150 proj-ects since 1994.
Eric Clapton
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PRS GuitarsPaul Reed SmithFounder & Managing General Pertner
It is very common that an artist in the music business plays a very specifi c type of instrument which is desired by a signifi cant number of cus-tomers in the market. Specifi cally we re-ceived hundreds of phone calls asking for “Can I get a guitar like Carlos plays?” and “Can I get a guitar like David Grissom plays?” These endorser instruments are a very important part of our business.
Some of our high profi le artist collabo-rations have been with the likes of Carlos Santana, Mark Tremonti, Paul Allender, David Grissom, Johnny Hiland, Dave Na-varro, Al Di Meola, Chris Henderson, Mike Mushok, and Gary Grainger. There are lots of new partnerships on the horizon but none that we can discuss at the moment.
Saga Musical Instruments David Gartland Marketing Director
From a manufacturer/supplier stand-point, we look at the relationships that we form with artists as being an integral and valuable part of our business. The idea being that by combining our individual strengths (manufacturer/musician), the outcome will be a win-win or more syn-ergistic involvement that will draw at-tention to the artist, their career, and our products in favorable ways. In addition, it is through the vigorous road testing and constant playing of our products in real world situations, that our luthiers and engineers are provided with valuable
feedback as to how our products perform and how to make them even better.
Saga develops signature series instru-ments and the associated relationships with some of the music industries hottest players because in doing so, we have the opportunity to educate interested musi-cians about particular styles of music, the instruments used, and how our prod-ucts would be the perfect choice. At the same time, we realize that the message of quality and value will be more easily and readily heard when it is delivered by a no-table player who really stands behind the products we develop together.
Our belief is that, because we are forming relationships with some of mu-sic’s hottest players in varying genres, most who could have any instrument that they want, yet choose to work with us, lends credibility to our overall objec-tive and message as a company. The level of product “quality and value” credibility that is achieved through this manufac-turer/artist relationship has proven to be an effective tool at encouraging end-user traffi c and interested buyers to visit qual-ifi ed retail dealerships. In effect, the re-lationship that we as manufacturers have with popular artists promoting specifi c brands or products is a powerful selling tool that can be marketed favorably at the retail level.
Our signature products have been ex-tremely successful and have encouraged the sale of all related instruments across the board. One of the great benefi ts of our signature products is that they are typically priced within the reach of the average player, making the option to own a more traditional model or a signature model equally possible. Most often the decision comes down to which specifi ca-tion the end-user is most interested in, because signature guitars are designed to the specifi c players’ specifi cations.
Our Signature/Artist models of Gitane Gypsy Jazz Guitars include: John Jorgen-son; Dorado Schmitt; Stephane Wrembel; Lulo Reinhardt; Kevin Nolan; Jan Akker-
man; Wolf Marshall; Adrian Vandenberg; Peter Frampton; Vince Gill. We have Blu-eridge Acoustic Artist models with: George Hamilton IV and V; Ralph Stanly II; Larry Sparks; Melvin Goins; Junior Blankenship; Tomas Donker; James King; Randy Waller; Charlie Sizemore; Earl Slick; Jimmy Capps; and Moondi Klein. We also have a number of Artist models of Kentucky Mandolins, Gold Star Banjos, Regal Dobros, and Cre-mona Bowed Instruments.
Dorado Schmitt is the most recent Gitane endorser, while John Jorgenson is perhaps our best known, with three sig-nature model Gitane Guitars. The Larry Sparks Guitar is the most recent Blu-eridge signature model.
The Godin Guitar CompanyMario BiferaliSales Manager
The appeal of artist models is more from a musical point of view. It’s about capturing the tone and feel of what can al-low the artist to shine through. It’s a trib-ute to the artist. Fortunately for Godin, many of the artists who use our instru-ments, John McLaughlin, Steve Stevens, Lionel Loueke, Daryl Stuermer to name a few, liked what they saw and heard to be-gin with so they use stock Godin guitars.
There are customers who I suppose are ultimate fans of a particular artist who may want to play exactly what the artist plays. Or what they think the artist plays. Maybe retailers feel it can draw at-tention to the brand and have somewhat of a hallo effect on the whole line. I do believe most artist signature models are totally over priced.
We just do one artist model and that’s the Seagull Peppino D’Agostino artist model. It is a very unique instrument with an extra wide neck that appeals to fi nger style players. As far as percentage of sales goes, obviously this guitar appeals to fi n-ger style guitarists who prefer the extra wide neck, and that’s a small percentage.
“A Signature model can add some serious validity and credibility
to your product.” - Steve Patrino, The Music Link
Peter Frampton
MMR_40 40 3/24/09 12:40:22 PM
42 MMR APRIL 2009
We work with artists such as Daryl Stuermer (Genesis) who truly enjoys his LGXT. He has also given us input on our new Godin Passion Series RG3 guitars which he will be using on his next tour. John McLaughlin also uses a stock Free-way SA, and although he was considering doing a special Godin John McLaughlin model with us he fi nally said, “You know what, I like my Godin just the way it is.” That was a compliment. Although Steve Stevens uses stock Godin ACS and LGXT guitars, we are looking at doing some-what of a more aggressive version of an LGXT for him. We also have a new Mul-tiac Ambiance that artists such as Lionel Loueke, Peppino D’Agostino, and Benja-min Woods are using.
KMC MusicMike MarkureProduct Manager
Here at Takamine we have a huge roster of leg-endary endorsers and we
have only done fi ve signature models. In every case it was the artist who approached
us with a specifi c idea that they want-ed made into a guitar for themselves. During the design process the projects just evolved naturally to the point that we and the artist decided to go ahead and make it a signature model. We get excited about taking the signature route because it gives us an opportunity to link the artist to our brand and offer players the opportunity to own an instrument that was pretty much confi gured by their favorite musicians. The artist gets excited about that as well.
When it comes to the re-tail side of the market, savvy dealers get behind signature models due to the fact that the best salesman they can possibly have in their store is a multi-platinum selling art-ist. What better third party veri-fi cation as to the value of an instrument than The Eagles or Kenny Chesney.
At Takamine our artist model sales numbers may not look impressive next to our mainstream lines like the Natural Series, but we would surely miss them if they were not there. They tend to be
up-market price points and add sig-nifi cantly to our sales and marketing efforts. And sales of these models are cyclical as well. Garth Brooks is in
semi-retirement mode, but periodi-cally he will do a TV special of appear on the Grammy’s, and when that hap-pens the activity on the GB7C Garth Brooks signature model goes off the charts. It’s fun to watch.
Our Takamine Signature art-ists are pretty much all legend-ary performers. Our fi rst signa-ture model guitar was the Steve Wariner model. Steve is one of
the most infl uential guitar-ists in Nashville and played a very large part in making Takamine a dominant brand in the country market. John
Jorgenson, a player that we all just love around here was the
next guy we did a signature series with. Then Garth Brooks came to us with the unique guitar shaped soundhole design and we create a model with that design. It has been hugely successful.
Recently we worked with Kenny Chesney and came out with the KC70
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guitar based on his themes of guitars, tiki bars, and a whole lotta love. We had a blast putting that one together. Our lat-est release grew out of our decades long relationship with Glen Frey. He was get-ting nervous touring with his favorite old Takamine he calls his number one which he has recorded and toured with since 1991. He asked if we could reproduce it down to the exact neck profi le which we were very happy to do. So now Eagles fans can own a reproduction of the guitar that helped write classic rock history.
Eastwood GuitarsMike RobinsonPresident
We are associating our products with a few of the unsung heroes, like Pete Shel-ley and the Buzzcocks, more as a tribute and salute to those bands / guitarists that we feel have contributed to the indie mu-sic scene–unknown to most in the main-stream–but signifi cant, none the less.
Artist series instruments & products serve as a fl agship to the brand, some-thing of interest to like-minded consum-
ers of our brand. It is a very small part of our business and will continue to be. We only want to do signature guitars when we fi nd another unsung hero that we want to raise a fl ag to.
Some of the artists we worked with in the past include Bill Nelson, Colin Newman, Robyn Hitchcock, Earl Slick, Chris Spedding, Buddy Miller, Mick Karn, Julian Cope and perhaps most important, Bubbles from The Trailer Park Boys.
US MusicJody DankbergHead of Marketing and Art-ist Relations
Suppliers love com-panies that have high-
profile endorsers. For many companies, it’s the artist-driven marketing that creates a demand for a certain product or just a demand for a certain brand name. Signature series products can not only empower your artists as sales-men, but often results in very cool and unique ideas for musical instruments.
It’s these products that have the poten-tial to bring in additional revenue and in some companies can carry a whole company. These artists and signature lines help open doors for US Music Corp. all over the world to new cus-tomers and help sustain a brand name and image. It’s the cool factor. Lots of young players who worship their fa-vorite guitar players are most likely to purchase brands that their heroes play. When I was a kid, my all-time favor-ite player was Slash. Guess what guitar I begged my father for? A Les Paul. I wouldn’t even consider anything else. That’s powerful. The same theory ap-plies today. Artist relations have been my most effective marketing tool.
A great signature product is always in demand. Stocking these items creates foot traffi c. People want to see it, play it. All retailers know foot traffi c is good. That leads to another major reason retailers love signature products. Clinics and meet-and-greet sessions can draw anywhere from 50 to 500 people depending on the level of the artist. The cool factor again. The retailers that have the artists that people want to meet and see in their stores are automati-
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cally deemed the cool place to shop for gear. It’s a great synergy between the retail-er the manufacturer and the artist. When all three click, it’s a recipe for success.
Depending on the level of artist, sales of certain products and signature lines can generate millions of dollars over a contracted period. In our case, the Kirk Hammett Signature Series line for Randall Amps and the Nuno Bet-tencourt Signature Series for Wash-burn Guitars are both significant sales
figures. Can an artist carry an entire company? In some cases, I believe so. Eddie Van Halen has his own EVH brand and the great, late Dimebag Dar-rell has a similar cache. These are rare occasions.
I have had the fortune to be involved in multiple successful signature prod-ucts in my short career. When owning my own company, I had the amazing op-portunity to work with Dimebag Darrell on his signature line of amplifi ers. That product was responsible for 50 percent of our sales that fi rst year. Here at Ran-dall, the Kirk Hammett Signature Series product along with our signature Valve-Dynamic line including Mike Amott of Arch Enemy, Christian Olde Wolbers of Fear Factory, and Gus G from the Greek
band, Firewind have all been a huge success. Randall had its most signifi -cant growth in sales in years. The long awaited Adrian Belew Signature Guitar from Parker Guitars, launched at win-ter NAMM 2009, has generated enor-mous interest in the brand. Washburn guitar projects that stand out would be the new Stu Hamm Signature Acoustic Basses and the James Malone Signature Heavy Metal V. Both of these products introduced at winter NAMM were great attractions for new customers. We have a lot of great things yet to come. I look forward to developing the new Scott Ian line of guitars with him as well as new guitars from Greg Tribbett of Mudvayne and Dan Donegan of Disturbed, as well as the legendary Nuno Bettencourt.
Gus G.
“These endorser instruments are a very important part of our business.”
- Paul Reed Smith, PRS Guitars
MMR_46 46 3/24/09 12:40:55 PM
www.prsguitars .com/acoust ics
Ricky SkaggsTony McManus • Martin Simpson
Just close your eyesand listen...
MMR_47 47 3/23/09 2:34:31 PM
48 MMR APRIL 2009
Artist + Guitar Accessories = Sales?GUITAR EFFECTS AND ACCESSORY COMPANIES EMBRACE MUSIC STARS
There’s signature series guitars and amps with a rock star’s name on it, but why not “Fall Out Boy’s Guitar Strings” or “the John Mayer Capo?” While guitar-related accessory and pedal makers have genu-inely embraced artist who are fans of their products and included them in their mar-keting plan, they have mostly held off on putting names on specifi c products.
But perhaps that’s changing… “Yes,” answered Taurino Quezada of
Real de los Reyes to the question of artist signature series products. “In fact Real de los Reys is going to release a new string exclusive for the most famous Mexican cumbia group, ‘Los Angeles Azules.’”
“Sure, we would consider it,” replies Graph Tech’s Dave Dunwoodie. “It does take a big investment in time to be truly involved in the design of a product, as op-posed to placing your name on a product. We do get suggestions all the time on new
products and product improvements from our artists. ”
“Different manufacturers have differ-ent philosophies,” says D’Addario’s Da-vid Via. “Only recently have we started to put out any products directly under
an artist’s name. Presently we offer gui-tar straps designed by Joe Satriani and Pat Matheny, both of whom contributed their own personal designs for consider-ation.”
“I think we’d always be willing to discuss the possibility,” adds Ernie Ball’s Brian Ball, A/R, marketing. “Time has kind of proven that signature string sets don’t sell nearly as well as company branded products. But we’d always be open to discussing it if it was something the artist truly desired, and we felt that we’d get a good amount of backing from the artist, management, etc.”
It is not a situation to take lightly, as additional time and costs are involved.
“When addressing the question of whether or not to bring an artist model to market, there are a couple factors,” ex-plains Gary Mobley of Shubb. “Is the artist high profi le enough or infl uential enough to warrant it? And are there unique fea-
“Individuality and personal taste has a more prominent
role in the decisions of the average consumer.”
The “magic” found in some (but not all) classic vintage pickups
was created by accident. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
And over time, some pretty stellar accidents happened. The
only way to recreate that magic is to study more than a few
exceptional examples of all the classic pickup types, while
acquiring a thorough understanding of exactly what materials
were used and precisely how each pickup was constructed and
wound. Only then is the “magic” repeatable, if you are willing to
spend the time and money required to chase the dragon. I am.
I personally design and wind over 30 different pickup models,
including all the vintage classics, many obscure works of art
known only to lap and pedal steel players like Robert
Randolph, and even a few of my own designs that never
existed in the past.
I invite you to call or visit our web site to obtain a free catalog.
Lollar Guitars PO Box 2450 Vashon Island, WA 98070 (206) 463-9838 www.lollarguitars.com
the Straight Truth About Pickups by Jason Lollar
MMR_48 48 3/24/09 12:41:13 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 49
tures about the artist’s playing style that would morph into a unique product? We here at Shubb would be more inclined to release an artist model if it just wasn’t our same product with the artist’s name on it, but actually had new features that incor-porated the artist’s playing style.”
Accessory Companies Want All to Know the Stars that Prefer Their Products
Musicians are, fi rst and foremost, fans. From the Beatles to Dave Matthews, artists want to not only play their music, but also understand how they get their sound. Most agree that this carries over to all guitar-related product.
We asked several accessory product makers what the appeal of “star power” is from their point of view, and what advice to the retailer they have about making the most of the high-profi le associations with their products.
EMG, Inc.Scott WunschelNational Sales Manager
Consumers identify with artists and their
type of playing style. This translates into pre-sale work, helping the customer in the decision process and giving them a sense of what the product is like before they step foot in a store.
The artist(s) tells the consumer about the product because it is a part of their playing style. Consumers will ask for
the artists’ version by name and model, because that is what they want to sound like. Artist’s versions of our pickups are consistently stocked by dealers due to the continued demand by consumers. Zakk Wylde, Kerry King, Steve Lukather, and Kirk Hammet are longtime partners with EMG. We have announced a new product
Zakk Wylde
partnered with Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom that we believe consumers will embrace and be available at dealers only.
Evan SkoppHead of MarketingSeymour Duncan
When you ask an electric guitar player what got them started
playing, if they’re being deep down hon-est with themselves, it’s probably because
as an adolescent, they wanted to be a rock star. For most of us, there are particular players who inspire us, and we naturally want to emulate them. If a player wants to sound like the artist they emulate, us-ing the same gear they use to create the same tones is an important fi rst step.
Also, some artists just plain deserve it. I remember having lunch with Richard McDonald and Ritchie Fliegler of Fender some years back and Ritchie said, ‘No one’s sold more Telecasters for us than Seymour.’ A few months later, Fender’s
MMR_49 49 3/24/09 12:41:18 PM
50 MMR APRIL 2009
Seymour W. Duncan signature model Esquire was released. We have artists like that too.
When a new player is fi rst learning about guitar pickups and doesn’t know all the ins and outs of DC resistance, resonant peak, magnet type, et cetera, it’s easy for them to look at an artist model and think, ‘So, this is the pickup Dime-bag Darrell used. I want to sound like Dimebag. I’ll take it.’ It’s also simple for the salesperson to ask a newbie customer, ‘Whose tone do you admire?’ If they say, for example, ‘Dimebag Darrell,’ the natu-
ral response should be, ‘Well, we have the exact same pickup Dimebag personally used: the Seymour Duncan Dimebuck-er. And it’s in stock!’ Could there be an easier sale? Or, when a friend or relative is doing the shopping, it’s easy for them to make a purchase decision when they know, for instance, that this or that pickup is the exact same model used by Dimebag, or Slash, or Dave Mustaine, or George Lynch, or whomever. They’re as-sured they’ll be getting the right product if the person they’re buying for is a fan of that artist.
It’s all about the popularity of the art-ist and the performance of the product. Our most popular product and, in fact, the most sought after pickup of all time, is the SH-4 JB humbucker which is based on the pickup Seymour designed for Jeff Beck in the early-‘70s and which Jeff used on Blow by Blow. That pickup defi es the traditional product life cycle they teach in business school. It just gets more and more popular every year. In the case of the JB, I think its popularity is based on tone quality more than the artist asso-ciation: like the Gibson Les Paul guitar. The fact is we don’t call the pickup “the
Jeff Beck” is because we don’t have a for-mal endorsement arrangement with Mr. Beck. Actually, if you call our customer service line and ask what “JB” stands for, they’ll tell you, Jazz Blues.
The Dimebag Darrell model, the SH-13 Dimebucker, is consistently one of our top-10 best sellers. The success of that pickup owes as much to the amaz-ing popularity of the artist as to the tone it provides. We’ve also had great success with the SH-12 George Lynch Screamin’ Demon humbucker and the Dave Mus-taine LiveWires active pickups.
One of our most successful artist partnerships has been with Slash. Since Appetite for Destruction, Slash has relied on the Seymour Duncan APH-1 Alnico II Pro humbucker for his tone. No one’s sold more APH-1 pickups for us than Slash – he’s the reason it’s a top 10 best seller. If anyone deserved a signature model, it was him. So a few years ago, I started working with him on a Slash model pickup. Midway through send-ing various prototypes back and forth, he halted the process and literally told me, “Evan, let’s stop this. I’ve realized the APH-1 is perfection.” And you can’t improve on perfection.’ The APH-1 has become the de facto Slash model even though it doesn’t have his name on it.
I’m also very proud of our work with someone who wasn’t an artist, per se. That would be the late Seth Lover, who, in 1955 invented the Gibson humbuck-ing pickup. We created the SH-55 Seth Lover humbucker in 1994 as a tribute to the then 84-year old who was living in obscurity below the poverty level at the time. For the last three years of his life, while we promoted the pickup, the very humble Seth was popping up in
full page ads and magazine interviews and NAMM shows appearances. The pickup was very successful and he fi-nally got the recognition he deserved for being a pioneer in the development of the electric guitar. We continue to pay a royalty to his grandchildren 12 years after his death. This is another example of someone who deserved the signature product, even though he nev-er asked for it.
I’m also proud that I had a chance to work with another great artist who has since passed away, Dimebag Darrell Ab-bott. He was a great player and a larger-than-life artist whose popularity and ap-peal have not diminished in death. The Dimebucker is our best selling artist sig-nature pickup and it gains in popularity every year.
At this past NAMM show, Fender launched the EVH Frankenstein hum-bucker which is an extremely accurate re-production of the pickup used by the leg-endary Edward Van Halen in his striped Frankenstein guitar. There’s a limited edition Relic version, which contains all the scratches, wear, rust and string marks as the original, which is built by Seymour and two assistants in our custom shop; and a new-looking version, which is built on our production fl oor here in Santa Barbara.
As for what’s on the horizon, we’re starting to look into our fi rst signature model stompbox. And at this moment, I’m putting the fi nal touches on a sig-nature pickup deal with a major guitar-ist from one of the world’s biggest heavy metal bands. He’s an extremely infl uen-tial player, though his face isn’t easily rec-ognizable. But that’s because he always wears a mask. Oh, and his lucky number is Seven…
Dunlop ManufacturingBrandon Lem Marketing Assistant
We’re getting ready to release a new KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Wah pedal that we think is going to blow all the metal-heads away out there and wanted to give you the scoop. Now you can command the same killer wah tone as Kirk with the new Kirk Hammett Sig-nature Wah. Developed in close collabo-ration with the metal guitar icon him-self, it has been meticulously tuned and
“Often times the micro infl uence of a local artist, or often times
a local teacher, has a much greater infl uence on sales activities than the
macro presence of a national or international artist.”
MMR_50 50 3/24/09 12:41:23 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 51
tweaked to deliver the wah-wah sound that revolutionized metal solos in the ‘80s and for all time. This is the legend-ary tone that Kirk dials in on tour, using his DCR1SR Crybaby Rack Wah. Dun-lop’s engineers took Kirk’s EQ, volume and tone settings, refl ecting decades of blazing Crybaby riffology and repro-duced them with exacting precision. The Kirk Hammett Wah is exception-ally even in response as you move from heel to toe, with a thick top end and full dynamic range.
D’AddarioDavid ViaVP of Sales
It is defi nitely a ben-efi t to have artists asso-
ciated with our products. The challenge is to maintain a proper balance artist re-lations and marketing benefi ts.
Music is similar to athletics in this way. Many people immolate, perhaps to some degree even idolize, those that they seek to be like. Over the years, however, as musical categories has gotten more fragmented, and artists’ infl uence and staying power has become more diffi cult to sustain, using artists most effectively has become challenging. As members of the industry and the music making com-munity, many of us are fans also. We have our favorite artists, cherishing their work and grateful for their contributions to music. However, the difference between a fan and that of a manufacturer/supplier is that for the latter the artist must ulti-mate infl uence sales enough to warrant the investment in the relationship.
Just as Nike and other sporting goods manufacturers associate themselves with star athletes, so too should retailers take advantage of the infl uence that musicians have in our market. However, often times the micro infl uence of a local artist, or often times a local teacher, has a much greater infl uence on sales activities than the macro presence of a national or inter-national artist. It really depends on the customer and his or her level of establish-ment within the market. Like so many things, you want a good balanced blend of artist infl uence, local teacher associa-tions, and product feature-and-benefi t information. That is an ideal combina-tion to infl uence customers within a re-tail store.
[Brian Vance, Senior Product Manager, adds:]
Artists often provide ideas, new directions and valuable feedback for product develop-ment. This is very true
for D’Addario strings. For example, Da-vid Grisman helped developed our J74 mandolin strings and Ronnie McCoury our J75 set. John Williams proposed the idea of making classical strings where the surface is slightly polished, creat-ing a smoother feel and quieter sound, and this became our EJ45LP and EJ46LP strings.
More recently, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro was the creative force be-hind our J92 Concert Uke strings. He was using ProArte classical singles and building his own sets, and fans wanted to know what he was using, so we worked together on the set design.
While these aren’t signature sets per se, we do acknowledge the artist’s in-volvement in many of our marketing materials. These products are built from long standing artist relationships, which are based on cooperation, trust and ap-
preciation for the art and the product. Some of these sets don’t sell huge quanti-ties, but they serve a distinct purpose or solve a common problem that many play-ers have, so they are worth offering.
Evans DrumheadsMike RobinsonSenior Product Manager
I’d make the case that the specifi c type of
infl uence that marquee artists have has changed over the years. It used to be that their infl uence extended down to the specifi c model. Consumers would say: “I want to sound like (fi ll in artist name here.)” They’d then mirror that artist’s product set-up. Due to today’s greater fragmentation of music genres and an explosion in the number of product choices available, individuality and per-sonal taste has a more prominent role in the decisions of the average consumer. Although artist may still hold sway over the specifi c product choices of younger and more impressionable consumers, their infl uence over everyone else may
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52 MMR APRIL 2009
be stronger in the choice of brand rather than specifi c models within that brand.
The same is true for Evans Drum-heads. Artist input, feedback, and direc-tion are especially important for prod-ucts that target specifi c musical styles and applications. For example, both Peter Erskine and Adam Nussbaum helped us to develop the J1 Etched, a sand-blasted 1-ply head specifi cally designed for jazz players.
Artists have also played an even more critical role in the development of our marching and concert percussion drum-head lines. In both cases, we relied heav-ily on the collective knowledge of our artists to help us design the best product possible. We know drum heads, we know fi lms, we know manufacturing, and we know how to design for sound … but we needed to know what sound to design for. We worked closely with Tom Freer, Tim Adams, and James Campbell to design our Strata series of concert percussion heads. For marching, the process started with Thom Hannum and James Camp-bell, two legends of the drum corps world … but the long-term development of the line included the in-depth participation of our entire marching roster.
RicoRobert PolanProduct Manager
With $10 million be-ing invested to modern-
ize the Rico factory, artist interaction has been an integral part of what we do. Jazz greats like Jerry Bergonzi, Jim Snidero, and Lew Tabakin act as an important ba-rometer to help us gauge our quality and consistency. They’re the fi rst to tell us if something doesn’t meet their expecta-tions and also when we’re on the money.
Several artists like Bob Sheppard are “on call” to drop by the Rico factory as needed and this helps train our inside quality control staff so that they know what professional demands are required for everyday production. We also rely on artists to provide feedback with product development. Whether it’s baritone saxo-phonist Jason Marshall (Lincoln Center Jazz) evaluating a baritone sax strap or New York Philharmonic clarinetist Mark Nuccio refi ning the design of a clarinet reed, we rely on our close relationships to get the feedback we need to make sure
MMR_52 52 3/24/09 12:41:32 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 53
we’re creating products that address play-ers’ needs.
Real de los ReyesTaurino QuezadaGeneral Manager
The appeal of “star pow-er” is to show the ultimate consumer the benefi ts of the product and to provide a strong con-
nection between product and the artist. It’s a benefi t because the way it positions the product in the market place – if a fa-mous artist uses our product, then that means that are good products.
We are proud to work with some great artist. In the U.S., some of our most suc-cessful have been: Gregg Wright, David Gonzalez, Al Lil; Julio Cesar Oliva, Jai-me de la Parra, Roberto Aymes, Felipe Souza, among others; in Norway: Joeri Hommerson
The advantage to retailers is that the artist helps to promote our products. We use his image to create interest and ex-citement about our products. It is well know that if a professional player uses certain brand of strings is because he considers that it has an excellent quality and sound.
Ernie Ball Brian BallA/R, Marketing
Having credible mu-sicians back your prod-
uct is an extremely valuable testament to the quality of your product. We’re very active in artist relations and have been since our inception dating back to the Beach Boys and The Ventures, et cetera. Each endorsement is pretty unique in the frequency of contact, the rapport devel-oped, and the willingness of the artist to allow you to properly market the relation-ship. At times, artist endorsements at the regional level, if nurtured properly, can be more effective than artist endorse-ments with platinum selling artists.
Of some of our more successful artists, Slash comes to the top of my mind. He’s
been an incredible endorsee of ours for over twenty years and continues to help us pro-mote our brand and new product lines. The communication lines have always stayed very active and aside from being arguably the world’s most recognizable guitarist, he’s humble and has a huge heart.
We treat our artists like family and an extension of our company. Priding ourselves on being artist friendly and hopefully exceeding their expectations has brought us over 50 year endorsement relationships with the likes of Eric Clap-ton, Keith Richards, Angus Young, and many more.
I think retailers should promote art-ists as much if not more than manufac-turers do. Guitar Center does this really well through adorning the front of their stores with high quality images of guitar icons. More so than anything, I think properly promoting an artist/product re-lationship at the point of purchase level needs to be done a lot more.
Graph TechDave DunwoodiePresident
It is a big benefi t hav-ing artists associated with our products. They
add credibility. I relate the music industry to the golf
industry. If Tiger Woods is playing it, it is probably a pretty good product and I will defi nitely at least check it out if I am in the market for a new club. As a manufacturer, that is all you can ask for – for the custom-er to take a look at your products and give them a practice swing, so to speak.
Dick Dale, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Randy Bachman, Kerri Kelli, Jerry Cantrell, Ryan Peake, and Jeff Stinco are just a few of those using our products. Also, we are do-ing something new in the music industry with our artists: The www.graphtech.me social networking site, which gives Graph Tech artists a great forum to post informa-
Mr. Taurino Quezada Sanchez, with Julio Cesar Oliva.
“People see their favorite player using the gear and go into the music store
looking for that product specifi cally. It creates demand.”
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MMR_53 53 3/24/09 12:41:41 PM
54 MMR APRIL 2009
tion about themselves and how Graph Tech is used in their setups.
Retailers can use these associations and distinguish themselves as being a pro mu-sic store. It’s a situation of “we sell the same gear the pros use, not the knock-off or copy stuff, but the real thing!” In store posters can tie this in all together, and it can also be promoted in print and web advertising.
BOSSPaul YoungbloodPresident
In general, yes, it is a benefi t to have major
artists associated with our products, but it depends on the product group. BOSS/Ro-land Guitar Products and Electronic Per-cussion are the most successful with this. Drum and guitar customers seem to be more interested in the lifestyle and attain-ment of tone, whereas synthesizer cus-tomers are more tech savvy and interested about the process in general. They seem to be less impacted by who is playing what.
In general, it’s hard to quantify exactly the infl uence on unit sales. Regardless of any artist campaign, there is no substitute
for the right product at the right price with all the right features. A marginal product is unlikely to become a top seller because of an artist campaign.
Retailers can certainly take advantage of an artist association. If a current art-ist is popular, the artist can sway certain customers providing they truly use a par-ticular product. And dealers can use point of purchase items like ad reprints, posters, web print outs from the manufacturers offi cial site. If a manufacturer has rights to an artist’s image, retailers can possibly use the image as well with permission.
ShubbGary MobleySales Manager/Artist Rela-tions
Generally speaking the “stars” are the top
performers and best players, and they are the most infl uential on developing artists. Naturally the developing artists are going to emulate the stars, and this extends to the gear they use as well. As a manufacturer we want to cater to the larger number of de-veloping artists so we love it when the in-
fl uential guys are using our stuff. It directly manifests into sales.
I have been very lucky to work with some great artists including James Bur-ton, Robert Randolph, Doyle Dykes, John Jorgenson, Andy Mckee, Rory Block, Richard Gilewitz, and Johnny Hiland. It seems as though the very best players are almost always humble and down to earth people. Working with these people is one of my favorite things about my job!
It’s a little hard to gauge the percentag-es for us because our artist model is differ-ent in features from our other products. I guess the way to fi nd out would be to have two identical products but have one with an artist name on it and compare sales. I do believe that having the artist name on it is the biggest reason for the sale of it.
The advantages for a retailer to have an artist use our product is similar to why it’s an advantage for us. People see their favorite player using the gear and go into the music store looking for that product specifi cally. It creates demand. One thing retailers can do to capitalize on that is to have artists come in and do in-store clinics and performances and have that artist’s signature product in stock.
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Voice Box Harmony Machine & VocoderRay Charles exuded soul and his Raelettes sang perfect harmonies. When yousing, the VOICE BOX will give you your Raelettes, following your every nuanceand emotion. Push a button and it’s like having the Beach Boys or Dixie Chicksbacking you up.
The Voice Box creates 2 to 4 part harmonies directly from your vocals, in thesame key as your accompanying instrument. Studio quality reverb lets youindependently add depth to your dry and harmony vocals.
The Voice Box is also a focused 256 band articulate Vocoder, designed by theEMS genius who made vocoding famous. Adjustable harmonic enhancementand controllable formant shift makes this a world-class vocoder.
Micro SynthesizerFrom the classic vintage sounds of the great early Moog synthesizers to customcreations, the Microsynth creates fat analog synth sounds heard on classicrecordings by some of the finest musicians in the world. Compact ten-sliderlayout lets the sonically adventurous guitarist dial in a virtually limitless arrayof analog synthesizer sounds: from percussive stabs to backwards-soundingbowed effects.
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MMR_55 55 3/23/09 2:34:37 PM
DEALERROUNDTABLE
The concept of artist and signature
series guitars has been increasing
in popularity amongst not only
major suppliers, but within
smaller operations as well. The sheer
number of signature series guitars
shows that manufactures believe that
artist endorsements result in better sales
revenues. To get a better handle on the
dealers’ perspective, MMR called in
the troops. Here are a few thoughts on
signature and artist series guitars from MI
retailers across the country.
56 MMR APRIL 2009
InstrumentsSignature Series
Pho
togr
aph
by J
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MMR_56 56 3/24/09 1:00:37 PM
MMR: How long have you been offering Signature and Artist Series guitars?
Sam Ash: Ever since they’ve been com-ing out.
Scott Silver: For years...
Gary Wineroth: We have specialized in unique instruments for over twenty years.
Jesse McGrath: Since they started mak-ing them.
Mike Sullivan: For as long as they have been offered.
Lindsay Petsch: For quite some while... For instance, we’ve stocked Martin’s Eric Clapton Model for about ten years now - it does quite well.
George Hines: As long as I can remem-ber them being produced. There has been a large growth in these products over the last 15 years.
Jim Lehmman: If a company we deal with makes a signature model and we think it’s a model that people will buy, we’ll try to stock it.
MMR: From a retailer’s point of view, what are the benefi ts to carrying Signature and Artist Series products?
SA: You sell ‘em! We stock some twenty different models of Fender, some twenty different models of Gibson, plus all of the signature series by Ibanez, all of the sig-nature series by ESP, Martins, Taylors... there’s at least a hundred different mod-
els of signature series that we carry.
MS: When there is an initial launch and the buzz is high, we’ll generate traffi c and quick sales. In many ways they are just a higher end and high-er profi le product.
JL: There’s instant name recognition and credibility, and if it’s the right guy... Guys like Van Halen, Steve Vai and San-tana can really sell guitars.
LP: Clearly, the customer base that fol-lows whichever celebrity or artist is in-clined to at least check them out.
JM: Most artist models are well thought out and tend to reach a pretty sizable fan base. They usually make for a unique in-strument as well – they play, sound and look just a little different than standard issues.
GH: Signature and artist series guitars, amps and accessories come with a built-in following. There is instant credibility with the artist’s followers who would either like to emulate the artist or the style and sound of the artist and believe that the in-strument will help them achieve that goal. Also, there are certain limited production models produced by companies like Mar-tin, Fender, Gibson and Ibanez that have collector value and do quite well.
GW: If they’re from the Custom Shop, they’re usually made in small numbers
which tends to make them more profi table - for in-stance, we were able to make $50,000 profi t on one Jimmy Page hand-signed Les Paul. It’s a way to make up for the lower margins on other gear.
SS: The small quantity makes them very desirable. These guitars are
wonderful collectables for some, and for the people who can’t afford them, at least they get to take a look at them.
MMR: Do the items, themselves, sell quickly?
LP: Sometimes... However, one of the reasons we don’t stock some signature guitars is that we fi nd that people fi nd more value in instruments that are of comparable construction which don’t necessarily bear an artists name.
SS: Some do and some don’t. It’s about 50/50, and to be quite honest it’s almost like rolling dice. You never know which ones are going to do well. You almost have to pick your poison and see what happens.
JM: The [Gibson] Slash Les Paul was a very fast seller - we were nearly out of them on the fi rst day they were available. Of course, Gibson did a great job pro-moting its release, all we did was hand them over to eager customers. The same was true of the Gilmour Strat. David
“Signature and artist series
guitars, amps and accessories
come with a built-in following.”
APRIL 2009 MMR 57
Sam AshOwner
Sam Ash
Mark Sullivan Sales Manager
Daddy’s Junky Music
JesseMcGrathManager
Manny’s Music
Lindsay PetschSales Manager Maple Street
Guitars
Scott Silver Owner
Chicago Music Exchange
Jim Lehmman Sales Manager
GuitarResurrection
Gary Wineroth President
Guitar Showcase
George Hines Owner
George’s Music
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58 MMR APRIL 2009
Gilmour bought his at Manny’s, so it was a pretty easy sell. In my experience, most artist models are very diffi cult to keep in stock.
GH: For the most part, they experience above average sales and are well received by the consumer. To some degree the sell-through of the product is related to the popularity of the artist. Limited production artist se-ries products have a faster sell through for us.
JL: With most models there will be an initial rush, which will gradually taper off. They’ll still be popular, but you’ll sell more at the beginning of a run than you’ll sell a couple years later. It’s all kind of artist and brand dependent.
GW: That depends on the buzz created by the manufacturers. and the popular-ity of the artist, sometimes it’s better to hold out till most of the dealers have sold theirs, and then make a better margin. They can take awhile to sell, but it’s usu-ally by choice because we’re holding out for top dollar.
SA: For the most part, they do quite well, when the Jimmy Page Les Paul came out and was $25,000, you couldn’t get one they were so hot.
SS: Those guitars were wonderful col-lectables for some, and for the people who couldn’t afford them, at least they got to take a look at them. Oftentimes, they’ll buy something similar. For in-stance, there were only 25 of that par-ticular ‘reliced’ played and signed Jimmy Page Signature models. Later on they re-leased 500 or so...
SA: ... which weren’t reliced, played or signed. They retailed for less, but still cost a lot of money.
SS: ...so the guy who couldn’t afford the guitar selling for $25,000 might come in and buy the one that wasn’t reliced. Then
again, he might just buy a Les Paul. These guitars do a good job of bringing people in the door.
SA: Sure, they like gawking at them, we like to refer to it as the ‘drool factor’.
GW: They create a buzz which may cause people to come in just to see the special guitar, or more importantly to buy the cheaper version of the same product. It’s very
cool to let kids play a superstar guitar, and it creates a lot of word of mouth ad-vertising.
MS: Artist clinics, live shows and semi-nars have always been tremendously successful. We work closely with our promotions/artist relation director in presenting artists that support the lines that we carry.
JM: We’ve paired up with artists to do in store appearances – this always draws a nice crowd. Leslie West, for example, brought a couple hundred people in one night. Lots of them not even guitar play-ers, just fans.
MMR: Is there tie-in with other products?
GW: Not usually, but sometimes the tie-in is with non-music related products such as NASCAR Les Pauls or Harley Strats.
SS: Sometimes they’ll release an Eric Clapton signature pedal or a Brian May amp. Most signature stuff stands on its own and really doesn’t tie in with pedals, accessories or amps. Although, when the new Eddie Van Halen guitar came out they released a limited edition pickup. That way if you couldn’t afford the gui-tar, you could still get that Eddie Van Halen sound.
LP: Yeah, if you have someone who is strongly interested in that particular performer, very often they’re interested in whatever accessories the artist uses as
well. A guy who buys an Eddie Van Halen Wolfgang might also want whatever amps and pedals Eddie uses, too.
JM: Someone who’s after an artist model needs all of the cool stuff that the artist uses.
SA: Yeah, Eddie Van Halen, whatever he touches, for the most part sells. It’s a very big part of this business. If you have a hero, you want to play like your hero. Take Joe Satriani for example. There’s a Joe Satriani signature series guitar, a Joe Satriani sig-nature series amplifi er, Joe Satriani signa-ture series guitar straps, and Joe Satriani signature series effects. He’s an industry!
MS: There are always some players who will want all the components in the art-ist’s signal chain.
JL: Sometimes certain endorsements can go a long way. Like Dr. Z and Brad Pais-ley, they don’t have a Brad Paisley model per-se, but he has worked with them on developing certain models and amongst country players who love Brad Paisley, Dr. Z amps sell real well.
MMR: Are there any specifi c guitars that have been particularly successful for you either currently or in the past?
GH: When Fender introduced the Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton guitars in the ’90s they had incredible sell-through. Over the years, we have seen good sell-throughs on the many artist and sig-nature models from Martin, Gibson, Ibanez and other brands as well. Last year we also had success with limited production models from Ibanez for the Steve Vai and Joe Satriani models. The limited production guitars from leading manufacturers have the added benefi t of attracting guitar collectors who are look-ing for investment grade instruments as well as followers of the artists who enjoy the exclusivity of the instrument.
JM: Eric Clapton – for his Fender Strats and Martin acoustics, The David Gilm-our Strat, Yngwie Strats, Slash Les Pauls, the Marcus Miller Jazz Bass is a huge sell-er, and one of my favorites: the Johnny Cash Martin. Great guitar.
MS: The Gibson/Slash guitars were a high-hype launch. That created a little
“Some good players have released artist models
that never really sold.
It really is artist and brand
dependent.”
MMR_58 58 3/24/09 1:00:52 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 59
frenzy the fi rst week they were available. We did an in-store with Joe Satriani for the launch of his signature Vox Satchu-rator pedal. There was a degree of inter-est before it arrived, but having Joe there fanned the fl ames.
LP: Yeah, there have been a few that have been very successful. The Martin Eric Clapton guitars have sold quite well. Also, Martin made a model called the Shawn Colvin that sold very well for us.
SA: The perennial success has always been the Eric Clapton Stratocaster. I tend to sell more signature electrics than acoustics, and there are not as many sig-nature basses. The Steve Vai models have always been successful, the Martin Clap-ton models have always been successful, and Les Pauls by certain artists that have always been successful.
GW: Yeah, the Jimmy Page Les Paul and the Harley Davidson Strat that Fender is-sued in 1993 were hits.
JL: The Eric Johnson Strat has done real well around here because Eric is a local. In the early days of PRS, the Santana stuff sold real well. Even if they didn’t buy the Santana model, his endorsement got people really interested in the brand. Les Paul’s... there are so many guys that play those...
SS: Yeah, all of the Jimmy Page model Gibsons and many of the Fender sig-nature guitars like the Beck, Clapton, SRV, and Eric Johnson models do quite well.
MMR: Any other thoughts on Signature Series Guitars?
MS: There would appear to be two schools of artist guitars. Those that are specifi c, distinct models – possibly made in conjunction with the artist and those existing guitar models that are modi-fi ed for a particular artists needs. If the guitar is a departure from the catalog, the consumer requires an interest in the both the artist, and that type of guitar. However, if a customer comes in to try the latest signature Strat and decides it is not exactly for them but this other Strat is… Then we’ve done the job of getting the customer in and pairing them with an instrument that works for them.
GH: The growth of this segment over the years has been good for the industry and has created excitement and desire on be-half of many aspiring musicians.
LP: I think that by and large, the playing community is not necessarily focused on that kind of product. Typically, we fi nd that the better values are often instru-ments that are core representatives of a particular line. For most customers, a Fender Strat is just as good as a Jeff Beck Strat but it costs a lot less and people are usually interested in the better value. We’ve found that artist models, although interesting are more of a marketing tech-nique for companies than anything else.
JL: Some good players have released art-ist models that never really sold. It really is artist and brand dependent. Sometimes you don’t know ahead of time who that’s gonna be. But it does give a certain cred-ibility to the model if it’s the right person.
GW: They make a lot of sense if the gui-tar is tied to the right artist or product. They can be over done, especially if the special run is for too many guitars, or the artist isn’t widely known. The Jim-my Page Les Paul from Gibson was only one of 25. If there had been several hun-dred, the price would have been much lower because of the lack of scarcity and exclusivity. The Corvette Les Paul was very cool, but the Volkswagen by First Act was another story. We are in a fash-ion business as well as music – looks and cool factor are very important to collec-tors and musicians.
SA: I don’t know how many more they can come out with. The industry has tapped virtually every artist. Fender owns the lion’s share of the business. And it’s not an easy thing to do: if you want to have all the Stratocasters and you want to have all of the signature series Stratocasters, that’s a lot of inventory. It’s part of what keeps this business exciting. Joe Satriani actu-ally plays a Joe Satriani – straight from the factory. You could pull a Satch model off a wall and it’s gonna play like his.
SS: Yeah, I think it’s a wonderful thing that the artists take so much time and care in designing a guitar that they love and that the manufactures are offering it to the public so that they can enjoy the equipment of their favorite artists.
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60 MMR APRIL 2009
Yamaha’s Billy Sheehan Signature BassBilly Sheehan along with Yamaha’s mas-ter guitar builder, John Gaudesi have de-signed, the new four-string model based on the classic BB414 body style. The bass features a unique woofer pickup, and aesthetic details that include black nickel hardware and a black metallic fi nish. Sheehan’s current signature model, the ATT LTD II, will also remain in Yamaha’s product lineup and will be available in new colors, including black and red. The new BB714BS has an MSRP of $1,099.www.yamaha.com
Dunlop Manufacturing Kirk Hammett Signature Wah PedalDunlop’s Kirk Hammett Signature Wah pedal was developed in close collabora-tion with the metal guitar icon himself, it has been tuned and tweaked to deliver the wah-wah sound that helped to revo-lutionized metal solos in the ‘80s. This is the tone that Kirk dials in on tour, using his Crybaby Rack Wah. Dunlop’s engi-neers took Kirk’s EQ, volume, and tone settings and reproduced them. The Kirk Hammett Wah is even in response, with a thick top end and full dynamic range. The list price is $264.61, street price $159.99. www.jimdunlop.com
ProductsSignature Series
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APRIL 2009 MMR 61
Ibanez Paul Gilbert Signature ReissueIbanez has now reissued Paul Gilbert’s original 1989 signature model as the PGM100RE 20th anniversary model. Ibanez is also urging fans to vote for which of Paul’s signature models, some of which were originally only available in Japan, should be the next Paul Gilbert Signature Reissue. The voting result for the next Ibanez Paul Gilbert Signature Reissue will be an-nounced at the Frankfurt Germany Messe musical instrument trade show, April 1 – 4, 2009, and will be available on the Ibanez Web site.
Available for order now is the lim-ited edition PGM100RE with its com-bination of metallic blue body, pink painted F-holes, and pink DiMarzio pickups. The PGM100RE is limited to 300, with approximately 150 of those slated for the United States. The Japanese-made PGM100RE features a lightweight basswood body, fi tted with the Ibanez new Super Wizard, the original Edge locking trem, and comes with a hardshell case. The list price is $2666.65.www.ibanez.com
Eastwood’s Joey Leone & Pete Shelley Signature Models Eastwood Guitar’s Joey Leone Signature model features fl amed maple top, back and sides, semi-hollow bound body top and back, one-piece mahogany neck, mother of pearl inlays, and three custom made P-90’s with coil taps. The guitar also includes a deluxe archtop hardshell case. The price is $1549.
Thirty years after its retirement, the Starway Guitar is back. Eastwood Guitars and Pete Shelley have teamed up to make a replica of the guitar Pete used in the early days of punk, including the recording of The Buzzcocks’ famous Spiral Scratch record. Each guitar is hand-signed by Pete and comes in a custom form fi t hardshell case with origi-nal ‘76 Buzzcocks’ logo. The guitar also comes with a signed and numbered certifi -cate of authenticity, a reproduction of a 1976 Buzzcocks photo, leather Buzzcocks’ logo strap, and Pete Shelley Signature strings from Rotosound. This guitar is a limited edi-tion model with only 88 made. The price is $1,399.www.eastwoodguitars.com
Recording King’s Sonny Osborne BanjoRecording King has teamed up with legendary bluegrass artist Sonny Osborne to create a new signature banjo model. The Recording King Scout (RK-SCOUT) has custom features selected exclusively by the bluegrass icon. This banjo features the classic Recording King peghead with Osborne’s name and arrowhead design in M.O.P., as well as a patterned arrowhead fretboard inlay with Sonny Osborne’s signature block in M.O.P. printed on the 12th fret.
The banjo also features a one-piece fl amed maple resonator, one-piece fi gured maple neck, 20-hole tone ring, three-ply maple rim, white binding, a white truss rod cover with “The Scout” printed in black, nickel-plated hardware, American standard thread hardware and a Mastertone-style fl ange.
Sonny Osborne was a member of the infl uential bluegrass group The Osborne Broth-ers. Today, he is one of the most respected artists in the bluegrass community. He also produces his own line of banjos under the Chief line.www.recordingking.com
Jeff Beck’s 1954 Les Paul ReissueThe 1954 Jeff Beck Les Paul Oxblood is the most detail-precise reissue of this instru-ment ever produced by Gibson Custom. The guitar features a one-piece light mahogany back, an arched carved maple top, a light aluminum wrapover bridge, and the one-piece Beck-profi le mahogany neck with long-tenon neck joint. Available in very limited numbers, the Jeff Beck 1954 Les Paul Oxblood from Gibson Custom will come in two different series. The fi rst 50 of these historic guitars will be carefully aged by the master luthiers at Gibson Custom to look exactly like Beck’s original, then personally hand-signed, numbered, and played by Beck himself. The next 100 guitars will be prepared with Gibson Custom’s V.O.S. fi nish, bringing the total run to just 150 instruments. Each one also comes with a specially produced Gibson Custom case with Beck’s signa-ture silkscreened on the top, a custom care kit, and a certifi cate of authenticity.www.gibson.com
The JSX Amp From Peavey & Joe SatrianiPeavey and Joe Satriani have collaborated to create the all-new Peavey JSX 50 gui-tar amplifier head, the latest project in the Peavey JSX Series of signature ampli-fiers and enclosures designed with the guitar legend. Like the three-channel Peavey
JSX Head and JSX Mini Colossal before it, the new JSX 50 aims to give guitar players a wide new tonal palette that allows them to express an abundance of sounds and styles. But that’s
MMR_61 61 3/24/09 12:59:23 PM
where the similarities end. With the JSX 50, Satriani and Peavey have rede-fined the classic 50-watt guitar-amp format with extensive tone-coloring tools to aid modern guitarists.
The JSX 50 design pairs fi ve 12AX7 preamp tubes with two 6550 power amp tubes and two independent channels with three-band EQ. Both the Clean and Crunch channels feature master volume and preamp gain controls, so guitarists can adjust the interplay between the pre-amp and power amp on each channel for an array of gain possibilities. The Crunch channel also includes a boost switch and
a six-way attack selector that adjusts the bass response.
On the rear panel, a built-in Peavey MSDI microphone-simulated XLR direct interface eliminates the need for a mic by allowing users to route the amp’s signal directly to a recording device or mixing console. Additional controls include a line out with level control; active effects loop with send/return level control; impedance selector; and a tube bias adjustment jack. The Peavey JSX 50 amplifi er will be avail-able from authorized Peavey retailers in Q2 2009 and carries an MSRP $1499.99.www.peavey.com
VOX Amplifi cation Expands Its Joe Satriani Guitar Effects LineFollowing the release of the Satchurator analog distortion pedal, VOX Amplifi cation expands the VOX & Joe Satriani guitar effects line with the introduction of the Big Bad Wah dual wah pedal and the Time Machine delay pedal. These pedals are part
of an ongoing partnership between VOX and the legendary guitarist. Satriani has been an ac-tive part of the R&D team, pouring his years of expertise into the pedals’ look, feel, and sound. As with all pedals in the VOX & Joe Satriani line, the Big Bad Wah and the Time Machine feature a modern-day pedal design, a high level of work-manship, and the fl exibility to express not only Satriani’s signature tones, but also the individual tones of all guitarists playing them.
The Big Bad Wah is a dual wah pedal that en-ables switchable access to two completely different onboard wahs. Wah 1 is classic VOX through and through, with an unmistakable British tone hot-rodded to Satriani’s specifi cations. Wah 2 can be customized to the user’s desired wah tone with the pedal’s controls: two selectable inductors (UK-style and U.S.-style), a Drive knob that delivers a wide range of gain, mimicking the Wah 1 gain at its lowest setting and delivering a 10 dB boost as the maximum setting for aggressive overtones and soloing. Wah 2 has a powerful Voice switch that can provide traditional wah voicing, as well as a dark, resonant tone reminiscent of a vintage talk-
box. The pedal pot itself is also designed to Satriani’s specs, delivering a smooth, musi-cal tone throughout the entire travel of the pedal.
The Time Machine delay, named after Satriani’s classic album Time Machine (Epic Records, 1993), offers a unique mix of tonal colors, wide delay range and musical dexter-ity that sets it apart from other delays. It comes complete with two delay modes: Mode 1 is “Modern” – mirroring the player’s original sound with full clarity and fi delity. Mode 2 is “Vintage” – limiting the frequency response and adding in soft distortion, along with subtle analog-accurate tape warble. Further tone enhancements come from Satriani’s re-quest for a Hi-Fi/Lo-Fi switch. The Hi-Fi setting delivers a transparent, uncolored sound, while the Lo-Fi setting serves up his custom EQ fi lter settings, allowing smooth blending into any musical situation. The delay time ranges from a 30ms slap-back to nearly six full seconds (5,800ms) of delay. Users can also use the Tap Tempo function to quickly set the delay time on the fl y. In addition, the pedal also features both a wet and dry output. www.voxamps.com
Takamine Debuts Glenn Frey Signature ModelAs a singer/songwriter, guitarist, and found-ing member of one of the most enduring bands in popular music – The Eagles, Glenn relies on Takamine as the voice to deliver his music. Today, players around the world have the chance to own a replica of the guitar that helped Glenn write classic rock history.
Built to Glenn’s exact specifi cations, the EF360GF is equipped with state of the art electronics and features a dread-nought body with solid spruce top and solid rosewood back. Other noteworthy specs include a concentric ring rosette, slim profi le neck, black pickguard, rose-wood pin bridge, bone saddle, GF inlay on rosewood peghead face, CT4B preamp and Gloss Natural fi nish. The retail price is $1999, including hardshell case.www.takamine.com
Cordoba’s Donavon Frankenreiter & Gipsy Kings ModelsCórdoba Guitars and Donavon Frankenreiter, one of the world’s best free surfers and an internation-ally popular surf-rocker, will release their signature beach and travel guitar line, La Playa, this April. The keystone model, Traveler, will be a ½ sized cutaway nylon-string guitar with an onboard pickup, tarpaulin-insulated gig bag, comfortable neck strap, and battery powered amp and cord. Beach-bum-friendly pricing will encourage ad-venturous guitarists to take La Playa Traveler off the
62 MMR APRIL 2009
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APRIL 2009 MMR 63
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beaten path. A signature Donavon Fran-kenreiter ukulele, simply called La Playa Uke, will be concurrently released.
Based on the 1/2 sized Requinto mod-el, the cutaway Traveler will be the per-fect size for traveling when extra space is hard to come by. Córdoba, with Franken-reiter’s inpute, has also developed a spe-cial guitar bag patterned after surfboard travel packs, incorporating refl ective tar-paulin insulation into the design to pro-tect the guitar from sun, surf, and sand. A small, lightweight, battery-powered amp will also be included in the pack for extra volume on the road. MSRP for La Playa Traveler is $340, MAP $279. La Playa Uke’s MSRP is $180, MAP $149.
Legendary gypsy-fl amenco-pop group The Gipsy Kings and Córdoba Guitars will release two new signature guitar models dur-ing the fi rst quarter of 2009. The guitars will be thinbody cutaway acoustic-electrics de-signed to incorporate elements of the fl amenco tradition, but be great for pop musicians as well.
FCWE 10th Anni-versary Reissue: A lim-ited edition reissue of the fi rst guitar made for the
Gipsy Kings, featuring a solid spruce top, solid cypress back and sides, Spanish cedar neck
with an ebony fi nger-board, and the same hand
carved headstock as the origi-nal FCWE. The guitars will be handmade in Spain in a limited production run.
The GK Studio is the newest Gipsy Kings signature model. With a slightly deeper body than the 55FCE, yet thinner than a standard Spanish guitar, the GK is a comfortable guitar for any player. The tone is bright and snappy, the action is low across the fretboard, and the neck is slightly nar-rowed. A BBand A3T pickup system gives the GK Studio a clear and natural tone when amplifi ed, and includes both a three-band EQ and on-board digital tuner.
The GK Studio features: solid European spruce top; cypress back & sides; rosewood fi ngerboard, bridge, and binding; hand in-laid wood rosette; 650 mm scale length, 50 mm width at nut (1.96 inches); gold tuning machines; natural lacquer fi nish Savarez 540J Alliance strings; and includes gig bag.www.cordobaguitars.com
MMR_63 63 3/24/09 12:59:38 PM
Celebrating the Past … and Launching the Future
Gretsch 125th Anniversary Year
Wrap-Up
The year 2008 marked a milestone for the Gretsch family, as they
celebrated 125 years as one of the leading manufacturers of drums
and guitars. In order to make that celebration as meaningful as
possible, the family decided to share it with Gretsch customers, fans,
and artists around the world.
As a result, Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary year was chock full of events and activi-ties. These included meet-and-greets with Fred and Dinah Gretsch in music stores across the country, a highly successful Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competi-tion, recognition and awards for the Gretsch family, and clinics and special appear-ances by Gretsch artists all over the world. And it all culminated in a phenomenal anniversary concert and party in New York City. No doubt about it: It was a year to remember.
Kicking Things OffThe year got off to a great start in January at the annual NAMM show in Anaheim,
where Gretsch debuted several limited-edition 125th Anniversary drum and guitar products. These included a 125th Anniversary Chet Atkins Nashville guitar with gold fl aked fi nish over the traditional orange fi nish, and a USA Custom Progressive Jazz drum kit in green sparkle with gold hardware.
64 MMR APRIL 2009
MMR_64 64 3/24/09 1:01:43 PM
This particular NAMM show – out of dozens he has attended over the years – was made special for Fred Gretsch by the presence of his son Fred Jr. (“Fritz”), along with grandsons Will and Rane. As a fourth-generation drum-maker, Fred was proud to see the fi fth and sixth Gretsch generations represented at the show.
Friday, January 18 at NAMM began with an early-morning event recogniz-ing families with a long history in the music business. With 125 years to its credit, the Gretsch family stood high among the honorees. As Fred Gretsch commented, “We now have a nice plaque from NAMM for our studio back home in Pooler, Georgia.”
But the honors didn’t end that morn-ing. At Fender’s annual NAMM party that evening (Fender distributes Gretsch guitars), Fred and Dinah Gretsch were sur-prised with a special glass carving with a real Gretsch White Falcon guitar built in. Entertainment at the party included a tasty rockabilly set by Cadillac Angels, followed by Chet Atkins-style picker Bobby Gibson, who played a custom Gretsch Nashville classic guitar in natural fi nish. The Fend-er festivities that followed featured G.E. Smith as band leader, Jimmy Vaughn, and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, in a performance that brought down the house.
On Saturday, January 19 Gretsch re-ceived a 125th Anniversary Recognition Award from Musical Merchandise Reviewmagazine. The award was presented by ed-itor Don Johnson and publisher Sid Davis.
January also saw the launch of the Gretsch 125th Anniversary MySpace page. The sole intention of this new site was to help promote communication between the Gretsch family, Gretsch artists, and Gretsch fans from all over the world.
Gretsch at the GrammysFebruary 10 saw the airing of the
50th annual Grammy Awards, on which Gretsch artists earned signifi cant rec-ognition and exposure. Drumming su-perstar Vinnie Colaiuta was thanked by Grammy winner Herbie Hancock for his contribution to Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters, which took home Album of the Year honors. The awards show itself featured performances by Gretsch drum-mers Paul John Jr. (Alicia Keys), Mark Schulman (Tina Turner/Beyonce duet), Garrett Goodwin (Carrie Underwood), and Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters). Says
Fred Gretsch, “Special congratulations go to Taylor for the fi ve Grammy nomi-nations he and his bandmates received.”
Back to BusinessMid-March saw Fred and Dinah
Gretsch back in trade-show gear – this time at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany. The world’s largest musical instrument trade show, it drew 112,000 visitors from 126 countries.
In addition to showcasing all of the 125th Anniversary products that had been debuted at the NAMM show, Gretsch sponsored an anniversary cele-bration of its own. The 1,000 people who attended the party were treated to a con-cert by The UberKings and Greg Koch, who performed songs by famous Gretsch Greats on Gretsch guitars and drums.
Gretsch in the MoviesEarly April saw the release of
Martin Scorsese’s rock ‘n’ roll doc-umentary Shine a Light. The fi lm features The Rolling Stones play-ing two shows at the Beacon The-ater in New York City in 2006. The movie brings into focus Gretsch’s impact across generations of rock ‘n’ roll. Not only is Charlie Watts’ famed yellow Gretsch drum kit the backdrop for all of the band’s con-cert footage, but when The White Stripes’ Jack White joins The Stones on stage, he comes cradling a big orange Gretsch guitar.
Virtually no other drummer in history has enjoyed the longevity and respect that Charlie Watts has. The impact of The Rolling Stones on pop culture is unquestionable, and Scorsese brings it all into focus in this explosion of music and anarchy. Like he’s done for over 40 years, Charlie holds it all together with the chops and rhythm of the ages – com-ing through loud and clear as only Gretsch drums can bring it.
When Jack White hits the stage he brings the swagger and confi dence typical of the new generation of musicians. And how better to convey this swagger than on the brightest and possibly largest guitar ever made: the Gretsch Acoustic Rancher. White shows that this guitar of yesteryear is just as relevant today as it ever was. “Gene Vincent would have been proud,” comments Fred Gretsch. “I was half expecting to see a bullet hole. Shine a Light is a gem of a fi lm, and
another illustration of Gretsch’s 125 years of infl uence on the history of music.”
Let the Competition BeginMay 1 saw the offi cial launch of the Next
Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competi-tion. Open to bands from the US, UK, Can-ada, Japan, Germany, France, and Spain, the contest invited entrants to upload MP3 fi les of their best songs. The Grand Prize winner would earn the opening spot on the Gretsch Big Event anniversary concert later in the year, along with Gretsch drums and guitars. First- and second-prize packages would also be awarded.
Ultimately, nearly 900 entries would be received, from bands in every eligible country. A team of judges including no-table Gretsch artists would be challenged to determine the winners from among the abundance of high-quality submissions. (More about those winners a bit later.)
On the RoadEarly in May, Fred and Dinah Gretsch
hit the road to meet with Gretsch mu-sicians and music lovers. Along with Gretsch Drums product manager John Palmer, they visited three drum shops for “Gretsch Night Out” events. “These events,” says Fred, “gave us the chance to talk with Gretsch drum fans about the his-tory of our family-owned company, and to fi eld questions and comments about ‘all things Gretsch’.” Contests and giveaways also highlighted the events for attendees.
The fi rst stop was Drum Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Owner Jim Ud-ing put together a great event at a nearby venue called Focal Point, complete with a three-piece band and Gretsch 125th An-niversary drum kits on display.
APRIL 2009 MMR 65
Rane, Fred, Will, and Fritz Gretsch of Gretsch Mfg. boast 125 years of family involvement in music products manufacturing.
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66 MMR APRIL 2009
Next came Memphis, Tennessee, and a visit to Jim Pettit’s Memphis Drum Shop. Fred describes this visit, saying, “Jim, who is a wonderful drummer himself, hosted a ‘Gretsch Drums Roundtable Discussion.’ Dinah, John Palmer, and I answered ques-tions from the audience about Gretsch family history, famous Gretsch artists, the drum-manufacturing process, the story behind buying the company back from Baldwin Pianos . . . and even a question or two about Gretsch guitars.”
As far as the evening’s showcase event goes, Fred describes it as “Absolutely over the top! Not only did the show have all three of the 125th Anniversary kits – Rock Legend, Progressive Bop, and Progressive Jazz – on display, but Gretsch guitars were well rep-resented in an all-star, fi ve-piece jazz band. Jim Pettit himself was behind the drum kit, churning out tasty beats and adding to the electricity of the night.” Fred and Dinah also enjoyed the Memphis Drum Shop’s museum, which includes a number of great Gretsch pieces with plenty of back story.
The Gretsches rounded out their tour with a stop at Fork’s Drum Closet in Nashville. Attendance and enthusiasm were high, bringing this whirlwind jun-ket to a pleasant and successful conclu-sion. As Fred put it, “Lots of people, lots of drums, and great conversation.”
Hall of Fame HostsOn Friday, June 20, Fred and Dinah
hosted a Gretsch 125th Anniversary recep-tion at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. The reception was held in the Hall’s Rotunda – one of the most sacred places in American mu-sic. This amazing space poses the eternal question, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” and features plaques of all the artists who have been inducted over the years, from legends like Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins,
Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash to more recent greats like Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Emmylou Harris.
Guests were invited to wend their way through the Hall of Fame museum tour, which highlights a number of Gretsch greats, including a special exhibit on Chet Atkins that includes some of his famous Gretsch guitars. Fred’s personal favorite: the 1954 Chet Atkins CA prototype for the signature guitar that later graced the cover of his LP, Chet Atkins At Home.
Dinah and Fred had the chance to make a few remarks, which they used to pay tribute to all the dealers, musicians, friends, and family who have been part of Gretsch’s success for the past 125 years.
In Tribute to ChetThe Chet Atkins Appreciation Society
held its 24th annual conven-tion in Nashville from July 9 through 12. The event culmi-nated with a tribute concert fea-turing many guitar greats. The Gretsch family, represented by Fred, Dinah, and two of their grandsons, had the honor of picking the winner of a 1962 Gretsch 6119 Tennessee Rose guitar at the start of the show.
In addition, Gretsch Guitars took the occasion to re-introduce the Chet Atkins Stereo model, which was played by Berklee Col-lege of Music professor Guy Van Duser during the tribute concert. The guitar is called “CGP,” which is short for “Cer-tifi ed Guitar Player” – the name of Chet’s company.
Back to the RoadMid-August featured sev-
eral events celebrating Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary year. The fi rst
was held at the famous Professional Drum Shop in Hollywood, California. Bob Yeager opened this shop in 1959, and it became the place to hang for LA’s top studio drummers . . . as well as all the great touring drummers who came through town. Bob’s sons Stan and Jerry run the shop today, keeping faith-fully to the founder’s vision. It’s chock full of percussion products, historic photos, and even a Gretsch-Gladstone snare drum from the late 1940s.
Fred Gretsch comments, “The guys threw an early afternoon party complete with mu-sic by Joe LaBarbera’s trio before and after our time for remarks. The exceptional vibe of the shop was enhanced by a packed house of like-minded professional drummers as we met friends, old and new.”
Two days and 3,000 miles later came Gretsch Day at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Fred Gretsch’s grandson Will re-ports on this event, saying, “My grandfa-ther, along with Gretsch Guitar marketing manager Joe Carducci, gave their excellent presentation on the history of the Gretsch Company, which generated a lot of inter-est among the college students. Later, an exciting clinic featured Bob Sabellico (former Guess Who guitarist and current jazz artist) on his Gretsch Brian Setzer Hot Rod and Duo Jet guitars, Jim Pettit on his Gretsch Renown Maple drumkit, T Lavitz on organ, and a local bassist. After the clinic, a reception was held in honor of Jimmie Webster’s 100th birthday and his dedication to the Gretsch Company. Guy Van Duser played the newly released Gretsch CGP stereo guitar. His excellent fi ngering, combined with ‘That Great Gretsch Sound,’ wowed the audience.”
Next up was an anniversary celebration at Boston’s South Shore Music/DiCenso’s Drum Shop. John Palmer and Joe Car-ducci repeated their drum and guitar history presentations, and Bob Sabellico displayed his playing technique. Enthu-siastic attendees lined up to get Fred
Gretsch’s autograph and to have a chance at winning a Gretsch pro-totype wood snare drum or an Electromatic hollow body guitar.
Off to the Far EastGretsch’s anniversary cel-
ebration went international in September, when Fred led a touring group to Japan to meet with industry colleagues
and Gretsch customers alike. That group included guitar mar-
MMR_66 66 3/24/09 1:01:55 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 67
keting manager Joe Carducci and Gretsch drum artist Stephen Ferrone.
The fi rst stop was Nagoya, which is the home of Gretsch Professional Series guitar production. Says Fred, “We gave an original print of the famous Gretsch ‘Founders Portrait’ to our guitar-build-ing team here. That’s eighty-plus people who have completed at least two years of guitar-building education in the best lo-cal tech schools. I was pleased to see four young women in the group . . . and their number seems to be growing.”
Friday, September 12 was Gretsch Day in Tokyo, held at the Grand Palace Hotel. Gretsch’s alliance partner of twenty years in Japan, Kanda Shokai Corporation, or-ganized an event for dealers and trade press in the Tokyo area. Video and slide presentations documented the production of drums and guitars. Then Stephen Fer-rone gave a demonstration performance on Gretsch drums, and Joe Carducci joined in for a jam session on Gretsch guitars.
Two hours from Tokyo by bullet train lies Osaka, where Gretsch 125th Anniver-sary Night was held at the Rain Dog Club on Saturday, September 13. Then it was back to Tokyo on the 14th in preparation for Stephen Ferrone’s drum clinic on the 15th. Fred Gretsch comments, “Sep-tember 15 is a national holiday in Japan, called ‘Respect to Elders Day.’ Makes me feel right at home…”
Ferrone’s clinic on the 15th was held at the Eggman Club in Tokyo’s Shibuya dis-trict. “Stephen put on a whale of a show,” says Fred. “He began with a solo, and then played four songs from his latest album. Halfway through the performance he an-swered questions from the audience. Since each remark had to be translated, this end-ed up being a patient labor of love. A high point in the Q&A was when Stephen invit-ed the questioner to come on stage and play along with him – on a second drum kit – to illustrate the point being made. The last set showcased playing drums with bass and lead guitar, with two top session players on hand to play four more songs with Stephen. Bottom line: great power and groove.”
And the Winner Is . . .In September came the announce-
ment of the winning bands in the Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competi-tion. After music lovers from around the world listened to the nearly 900 entries, they cast 55,000 votes to select the top ten fi nalists. Those fi nalists were then con-
sidered by a panel of celebrity judges in-cluding Stephen Ferrone, Chuck Leavell (touring keyboardist for The Rolling Stones), Keith Scott (guitarist for Bryan Adams), and Fred Gretsch. Ultimately the judges chose the three prize winners based on stage presence, performance/sound quality, and press kit quality.
The grand prize winner was Colours-lide, an indy-rock quartet from Gainesville, Florida. Along with $15,000 in Gretsch drums and guitars, they earned the open-ing spot at Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary Big Event concert. Lansdowne, the fi rst-prize
winner from Boston, Massachusetts, won more than $5,000 in Gretsch instruments, while the second-prize winner, London Egg of New York City, walked away with $1,250 in Gretsch gift certifi cates.
Hall of Famers ThemselvesSeptember 20 was a special day for
Fred and Dinah Gretsch, as they became the fi rst musical instrument manufactur-ers to be inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The couple was honored with the Mary Tallent Pioneer Award. As inductees, the Gretsches joined the likes
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68 MMR APRIL 2009
of Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, R.E.M., The Allman Brothers Band, and indus-try professionals like music attorney Joel Katz and record label owner Antonio “L.A.” Reid. The 30th annual awards banquet, held at Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, recognized those who have made signifi cant contributions to Georgia’s music industry.
“Fred and Dinah Gretsch have been in-tegral patrons and partners since 1994,” says Lisa Love, executive director of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. “They played a tre-mendous role in our early fundraising ef-forts, which allowed us to open the museum in 1996. Today, Dinah is an ac-tive member of our Foundation board, and both of them con-tinue to support our mission to celebrate Geor-gia’s rich musi-cal heritage and support our art-ists and industry professionals.”
In honor of Gretsch’s 125th anniversa-ry, The Georgia Music Hall of Fame hosted an exhibit aptly titled “That Great Gretsch Sound.” It featured a display of historic and current Gretsch replica guitars and drums used by musical legends such as 1995 inductee Chet Atkins, George Harri-son, Brian Setzer, and the late Bo Diddley.
A Really Big ShowThe culmination of Gretsch’s year-
long 125th Anniversary celebration came on November 18, at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. This was the Big Event, and it certainly deserved
that appellation. The show featured per-formances by new and veteran Gretsch artists alike, in an eclectic evening of outstanding musical presentations. It was enjoyed by hundreds of Gretsch enthusi-asts from across the country who’d reg-istered online for a chance to attend.
The night opened with Next Gretsch Greats grand-prize winners Colourslide. Demonstrating the talent that earned them their win, the Gainesville, Florida-based quartet delivered an energetic set of me-lodic indy rock. (Fred and Dinah Gretsch liked them so much, they invited the band to play at their Christmas party in Georgia a month later.)
Next on the bill were David Lee & His Mercenaries. The Gretsch signature gui-tar artist and his musical cohorts had the house jumping with their special brand of “psychobilly” rock.
International pop/rock stars Foun-tains of Wayne followed, making a rare club appearance. The Grammy-nomi-nated band – best known for the hit sin-gle “Stacy’s Mom” and albums like Wel-come Interstate Managers and Traffi c And Weather – entertained the crowd with their distinctive brand of power pop.
Following Fountains of Wayne’s set was a DVD presentation outlining the unique history of the Gretsch Company, illustrating how that history is inextrica-bly connected with the Gretsch family. At the close of the DVD, Big Event emcee Teddy Zambetti (of Sirius Radio) read a
MMR_68 68 3/24/09 1:02:07 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 69
letter of congratulations to Gretsch from New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Zambetti then introduced Fred and Dinah Gretsch. The couple welcomed everyone to the show, and thanked the many companies and individuals who had helped to make the event a suc-cess. As they were preparing to leave the stage, they were surprised with gifts from Fender Musical Instruments Corpora-tion (distributors of Gretsch guitars) and Kaman Music Corporation (distributors of Gretsch drums). Fred and Dinah were presented with one-of-a-kind anniver-sary models of a Gretsch guitar and a Gretsch snare drum.
The fi nal act of the evening was an all-star House Band that got the crowd grooving with a selection of rock, blues, and funk tunes. The group was an-chored by the stalwart Stephen Ferrone on drums. Keyboard star Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones band) served as the band’s musical director and lead vocal-ist. Also from The Rolling Stones band was fi rst-call pop and jazz saxophonist Tim Ries. Rounding out the group was former Saturday Night Live guitarist and musical director G. E. Smith, New York studio bassist Andy Hess (Gov’t Mule, John Scofi eld), and the redoubtable jazz guitarist Bob Sabellico.
The evening was also notable for the artists in attendance as guests. Gretsch drummers included jazz greats Bill Stew-art and Cindy Blackman. Cindy, who was celebrating her birthday that evening, was surprised with a cake from Fred and Di-nah Gretsch. Bass star Will Lee, as well as Rascals guitarist (and Gretsch guitar art-ist) Gene Cornish were also in attendance, as were the members of London Egg, the New York-based band that was also a win-ner in the Next Gretsch Greats contest.
Helping the Gretsch family celebrate this special occasion were leading members of the musical manufacturing industry. Along with marketing partners Fender and Kaman, Gretsch welcomed the participa-tion of the D’Addario Corporation (mak-ers of Evans Drumheads, HQ Percussion products, and D’Addario guitar strings and accessories), along with Remo, Inc. (mak-ers of Remo drumheads and percussion in-struments) and Sabian Cymbals. Special-edition 125th Anniversary Gretsch drum kits were provided for display by Steve Maxwell’s Drum Shop in New York.
The Big Event was a memorable eve-ning for all concerned. It served as a fi tting
conclusion to a year of refl ection on, expla-nation about, and celebration of 125 years of Gretsch history – a history that demon-strates the ongoing dedication of the Gretsch family to the manufacture of the fi nest pos-sible drums and guitars. Currently on their fourth generation, and looking ahead to future generations, the Gretsch family con-tinues to take pride in making instruments that create “That Great Gretsch Sound.”
PostscriptIt might be said that Gretsch’s 125th
Anniversary celebration actually lasted
a bit beyond the Big Event. In fact, it lasted until mid-January of 2009. That’s when, at the 2009 NAMM show, the Music & Sound Retailer award for best drum set of 2008 was presented to . . . drum roll, please . . . the Gretsch Lim-ited Edition 125th Anniversary Progres-sive Jazz set. The kit that helped launch the celebration of Gretsch’s anniversary year was itself celebrated as the best in-strument of its kind, underscoring not only the Gretsch family’s appreciation of their past, but also their commitment to the future.
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I NDUSTRY VO ICES
No one would seriously doubt that loy-alty discounts are an effective way for any retailer to attract customers and increase traffi c. Plus, given the fact that there are 1.3 billion loyalty club memberships in the U.S. (that’s about four times greater than the country’s population), the business that neglects to offer some sort of loyalty price promotion may well fi nd itself at an immediate competitive disadvantage.
Their many marketing strengths notwithstanding, however, discount-only loyalty clubs may not be enough by themselves to build lasting customer relationships. This is very evident in the supermarket industry, where most shoppers have loyalty cards from three to four competing retailers, according to
the Food Market Institute. Not only do grocery shoppers apparently divide their loyalty, they also tend not to feel a strong attachment to any particular retailer. In a 2007 study of 6,000 US consumers, only 27 percent said they would recommend their favorite supermarket to a friend.
Fostering Customer LoyaltyWinning a deeper level of commit-
ment from customers requires a loyalty program that goes beyond supermarket-style discount cards to offer incentives that are more meaningful, personal and rewarding than the chance to save a few points on a purchase.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, re-searchers Dr. Lars Meyer-Waarden and
Christophe Benavent explain, “By offe-ring different types of rewards to different groups of shoppers, companies set themsel-ves apart and give people a reason to keep coming back. Providing access to a speedy checkout lane, for example, would be a more powerful way to win the loyalty of a person who hates grocery shopping than would a discount on a future purchase.”
Hotels and car rental companies have re-cognized the power of this time-saving perk, which is why they’ve made express check-in a key feature of their loyalty programs.
Targeting the specifi c needs of club members also makes discount offers more effective in building loyalty. Kroger, the nation’s largest supermarket chain, bucked the downward trend in its industry (sales in-
Customer Loyalty Costs Less Than You Think
Loyalty clubs: perhaps no business has become as strongly associated with
this marketing concept as the supermarket industry. According to the
Food Market Institute, 92 percent of grocery shoppers use loyalty cards
every month. With all this loyalty going on, you’d think that grocery
shoppers would be as dedicated as Labrador retrievers. Not true – 73 percent of
them have no loyalty to their supermarkets, even though they take advantage of
“loyalty discounts.” Meanwhile, at Zappos, a billion-dollar online shoe retailer,
75 percent of sales come from repeat customers, thanks to a loyalty strategy that
emphasizes special services over price breaks. This contrast provides a valuable
lesson for music stores looking to build customer loyalty.
By Joe Fucini
Joe Fucini
70 MMR APRIL 2009
MMR_70 70 3/24/09 1:03:01 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 71
creased 10.9 percent in the fi rst three quar-ters of 2008), thanks in part to the success of a program that mails coupons to regular cu-stomers based on their previous purchases. Although average coupon redemption rates remained under 3 percent last year, Kroger’s mailings had close to a 50 percent response. Aside from being more attractive to the cu-stomer because they’re based on his or her previous purchases, these mailings make re-cipients feel more appreciated because they are “more personal.”
There is no one-size-fi ts-all reward that works to build loyalty among all customers. Although some customers place a premium on fi nancial rewards, others are more interested in timesaving conveniences, status, or special “luxury perks” like a trip to an exotic vacation spot or free deluxe auto detailing. The Best Buy chain turned its Rewards Zone into one of the most successful loyalty programs in the retail industry by com-bining discounts with perks like an ex-clusive gaming site, free concert tickets, and special events for group members.
By going beyond monetary rewards, Best Buy makes its Rewards Zone program more personal for club members. The uni-que rewards also make it much more diffi -cult for competitors to match the retailer’s loyalty offers. The loyalty that Best Buy has earned through its loyalty program has helped the company do more than hold its own during tough economic times, as sales increased four percent in December 2008, while its chief competitor, Circuit City saw same store sales drop by over 40 percent as it headed into bankruptcy.
Starwood Resorts, owner of the She-raton and Westin brands of hotel, also went beyond discount pricing when it en-hanced its loyalty club by introducing its “Moments” incentive program in 2007. Loyalty club members who sign up for this program receive special perks, such as the ability to bid on sound check ses-sions at concerts or Super Bowl packages. The number of club members who stay at Starwood properties 25 times a year or more has increased by 120 percent as a result of the Moments program.
Business researchers Xavier Dreze of Wharton and Joseph Nunes of the Univer-sity of Southern California have demon-strated that giving customers the power to choose how they’re rewarded increases the effectiveness of loyalty programs. This makes sense, not only because rewards chosen by the customer are naturally more
meaningful to the customer, but also be-cause customers appreciate the feeling of being in control of their retail transac-tions, whether those transactions involve a purchase or claiming a reward.
Research by Dreze and Nunes also sheds light on the role “status rewards” play in making loyalty promotions more effective. In an article published in the Journal of Consumer Research, they de-scribed a study they conducted at an un-named carwash, in which they gave one group of customers a “Tenth wash free” card with two of the washes needed alrea-dy credited to the customer as a form of recognition. Another group of customers was given an “Eighth wash free” card, but no washes were already credited.
Each group of customers needed eight washes to earn their free trip through the tunnel. However, the fi rst group, which was given the two washes toward the “tent free wash,” purchased the eighth washes much more quickly than customers that were given the “eighth wash free” card with no advanced credits. The reason: the recognition these customers received when they were given the two free washes created a closer emotional connection to the loyalty program, which made it more important and gratifying to them.
Service Leads to StabilityOf course, to your customers, no form
of recognition is greater than personali-
zed service. A study conducted for Goo-dyear Tire asked customers what type of loyalty promotion would be most likely to increase their allegiance to the com-pany – 20 percent said one based on price reductions, while 37 percent responded “personalized service.”
On-line footwear retailer Zappos has locked in a high degree of loyalty by using a variety of service rewards to en-hance the customer’s experience. Zappos builds relationships by encouraging its associates to spend extra time with cu-stomers, offering free shipping and ha-ving a 365-day return policy. As a result of this customer loyalty, Zappos enjoyed a 20 percent increase in sales in 2008, de-spite tough economic conditions. Appro-ximately three out of four of its sales are made to existing customers.
As the success of these retailers illu-strates, customer loyalty does not have to come from monetary incentives. Any step you take to give customers a more enriched and rewarding experience at your carwash is going to encourage them to return more often – and this loyalty is certain to make your business more likely to prosper through good times and bad.
Joe Fucini is president of Fucini Produc-tions, a marketing and public relations agency serving clients in several indus-tries, including MI. He can be reached at [email protected].
MMR_71 71 3/24/09 1:03:04 PM
72 MMR APRIL 2009
By Richard Weissman
Over the years MMR has
covered quite a number
of acoustic and vintage
guitar shops. The
question that inevitably surfaces
is: How many vintage guitars are
still out there? How can a store
that centers its operation on old
and prized instruments continue
to function when, clearly, there
are an ever-increasing number of
people buying and selling a rapidly
diminishing number of items?
NEWCaliforniaVintage Guitar:
ButVintage
MMR_72 72 3/24/09 1:05:08 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 73
The strategy that governs the survival of California Vintage Guitars has assumed a variety of methods. Dan Duehren, who opened the store in September 12, 2001 along with Dave Swartz, is a veteran of the vintage business, dating from his tenure at the famed Norm’s Rare Guitars in Reseda. The partners opened their store in Sher-man Oaks after a serious search for a good location. They found their storefront on Ventura Boulevard, which features good freeway access, an appropriate size, and they were able to negotiate a favorable lea-se. It took six months to turn the business into what they had visualized.
The store’s theme is vintage, but the partners admit that it has become more and more diffi cult to keep that focus. As Dan puts it, “it’s easy to sell them, but hard to buy them.” The store has adapted by carrying quality lines, including Martin, Fender, Gib-son and Eastman. The manufacturers have also grasped the value of the vintage image, and Martin in particular has been re-issuing new models designed to appear as much like the vintage instruments as possible. In many cases these instruments are issued in limited editions at high-end prices. What makes these instruments identifi able as “vintage” is specifi c inlay patterns, the use of abalone, and in the highest end instruments the use of carefully hoarded Brazilian rose-wood, a material that is no longer exported by that country.
Cultivating an ImageAnother aspect of the California Vinta-
ge Guitars’ business is that it is essentially a pro’s shop, a place where serious players go to fi nd quality instruments. The store sponsors a jazz workshop once a month. John Pisano is the frequent host, and such renowned players as Pat Martino and Herb Ellis have conducted workshops here, as did the legendary jazz guitarist
and teacher Ted Greene. The workshops feature considerable dialogue between the students and the teacher, and attendance usually ranges from 50-100, and tuition is charged to compensate the teacher. The attendees include high-level students, and often students at the University of Southern California School of Music at-tend. Pat Martino drew 120 people, and when Ted Greene appeared the store lite-rally turned people away.
Because of the store’s high level of em-phasis on jazz, Dan feels that they pro-bably sell more arch top jazz guitars than “anyone in the world.” They also sell “lots of Martins and Fenders.” On Tuesday nights John Pisano plays at a nearby Ven-tura Boulevard club, and these shows also bring traffi c into the store. Besides the Martin re-issues, the store does well with Gibson historical guitars and Fender cu-stom products. The partners commented that Martin and Fender were both easy to work with. They see the Martin and Fen-der reps. often, and the Martin rep. lives only fi ve miles from the store.
California Vintage Guitar doesn’t offer lessons, and most of their advertising dol-lars go into local trade papers, such as The Recycler, and to do classifi ed ads in Vintage Guitar and occasional public TV and fi lm magazines. The phone book “continu-
“ We deal with a lot of players and collectors who are in the entertainment business and they are still buying. Business has been very good.”
Dan Duehren, Frank Stallone, Dave Swartz and VP of sales and marketing Tommy Kay.
MMR_73 73 3/24/09 1:05:13 PM
74 MMR APRIL 2009
es to be good exposure.” The store does sell some t-shirts and accessories such as picks. Traffi c is stimulated through their Web site, and the store is something of a destination point for European and Asian tourists. Many of these visitors are extre-mely knowledgeable about details such as the fi nish of guitars. Dave mentioned that, “we ship a lot of stuff daily. We are one of the only shops that carry Tone Amplifi ers.”
Another odd aspect of the store’s location that attracts customers is that the area is a center of high-end automobile dealers, and often customers come in to browse the gui-tars when their cars are being serviced.
Thriving in a Changing MarketPart of the diffi culty in locating vinta-
ge instruments is the large Internet traf-fi c that currently exists. Customers have
become increasingly aware of the value of vintage instruments as collectibles. The breakdown in acoustic vs. electric sales has consistently been 60 percent electric and 40 percent acoustic, with the electric customers tending to be a younger de-mographic. “Even ten year old kids often start on electric guitar now,” Dan tells us. The fender Strat VG has done well and Dave notes that it can sound like a twelve string acoustic, and the $2,200 list price is “reasonable.” California Vintage fi nds that they must discount the new instru-ments, especially with a Guitar Center being only a mile away. They sell some classical guitars, but “not much,” alt-hough a few Hauser and Ramirez Guitars have passed through the shop. Los Ange-les has a specialty shop called The Guitar Salon that focuses on classical instru-ments and tends to corner that market.
Dave describes the function of eBay as providing “a sort of new price standard,” and one that has driven prices up. The store prefers to buy used instrument, and tends to stay away from consignments. The store’s Web site, which went live al-most four years ago, is “very important.” There is an online portal where the con-
MMR_74 74 3/24/09 1:05:18 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 75
sumer can punch in a specifi c guitar, and the user is led to California Vintage. Dan told us that the same percentage of people browse the Web site as browse in the store itself. There are the usual “tire-kickers, who want photos, ask questions, and you never hear from them again.”
In addition to guitars, the store sells mandolins, basses and amplifi ers. Eighty percent of the business is done in guitars, but amps and basses are “important for us,” says Dan. The partners discussed the shifting focus on vintage guitars. They saw the price of sunburst vintage Les Paul Guitars skyrocket about a year and a half ago, followed by a correction in those pri-ces. They have seen prices fl uctuate, sof-ten and then ramp up. Despite a changing vintage market and a troubled economy, California Vintage Guitars continues to thrive. “We are pretty lucky because we are located in the heart of the fi lm and TV and studio community in Southern Cali-fornia which has not been affected much by the current economic downturn,” Dan explains. “We deal with a lot of players and collectors who are in the entertain-ment business and they are still buying. Business has been very good.”
Zero StressThe store has a luthier who does
repairs and also builds guitars. All of the employees are professional players. Currently there are four people who work- full-time at the store. T he part-ners feel that they need more room, but “we don’t want to expand. We don’t want to grow too much. We want to nurture our customers, the people
who support us. We’re doing fine, and we want to build our reputation and maintain it. We can afford to keep the store the way it is. We want to make money, but it has to be fun. We have a zero stress level. We have no finan-cing debts, because we own everything. We’re like little kids, when an old case walks in we get excited to see what’s in it.”
MMR_75 75 3/24/09 1:05:24 PM
You won’t be placed into a voice mail system
calling Amati’s Fine Instruments. The
Cincinnati-based string instrument wholesaler
doesn’t have one.
It’s not that Amati’s owner Michael Schear is opposed to em-ploying what’s considered a necessity for any business. He simply wants his customers talking to him or one of his 20 employees rather than a machine.
“I’m into providing very personal service,” declared Schear, who makes knowing his customers a hallmark of the family fi rm he’s been running for the past two decades ago.
“I want [customers] to know who we are,” he said.And Schear’s emphasis on treating his clients with quality
goods and service has produced an eye popping 38 percent in-crease in annual sales in 2008 in the midst of an economy that spent the year heading south fast. And Schear is coming out in
Amati’s Michael Schear wants wholesale change to retail prices
By Franklin B. Tucker
76 MMR APRIL 2009
RealGettingwith String
Quality
MMR_76 76 3/24/09 1:06:52 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 77
2009 with several new lines of musical merchandise he believes will help Amati’s continue its successful sales momentum.
This remarkable jump in Amati’s business, according to Schear, was not the fallout of a fi re sale or deep discounts that have fi nancially prop up other busi-nesses by moving inventory. In a market known for miniscule profi t margins and the prospect that Internet sales will erode traditional wholesalers market share, Amati’s suggested retail prices are at least three times the wholesale cost, greater than the standard two times of its com-petitors.
“We’re in a price sensitive business,” said Schear. “So we have to provide ex-ceptional value for customers, for them to say, ‘I’d rather have this instrument’.”
While customer service – from send-ing salesmen to visit dealers on-site to customizing his string instruments – is an important component to his sales suc-cess, it was Schear’s early recognition that wholesalers were caught in a stranglehold of substandard instruments from foreign suppliers that has the most lasting affect on his industry.
“I just could not see us continuing under this condition,” Schear recalled saying at the time. It took nearly a decade of sugges-tions, cajoling and handholding until his 20 Chinese suppliers could produce string instruments to meet Schear’s criterion.
Schear’s business acumen in demand-ing low-price foreign manufacturers to set high standards for the string instru-ments while supporting retailers with
specialize services has allowed Amati’s existing and prospective clients to stock signifi cantly better instruments for their students and customers.
“I have been told that I changed the way workshops in China do business,” said Schear, whose love of music and a background in fi nance – he holds degrees in both – and has served him since his fi rst day in the retail business.
In the early 1980s, Schear was a CPA, burned out after one-too-many tax sea-sons, when he accepted a family loan to start his own retail music supply store, Antonio Violins.
He likely would have remained a re-tailer if not for the systemic problems he faced by the less-than-stellar workman-ship affecting his inventory of violins. In
Amati’s sales force of traveling musicians: Jackie, Rebbecah, Amanda, Patrick and Vince.
MMR_77 77 3/24/09 1:06:58 PM
Schear’s fi rst years, the retention rate for his rental customers was only 50 percent, requiring him to roundup a slew of new students to keep his head above red ink.
He quickly discovered the most com-mon reoccurring problem plaguing his rentals was the pegs – the four screw-like tuning attachments located at the end of the violin’s fi ngerboard – and the bridge that elevate the strings were constantly slipping or moving, resulting in the instru-ments continuity becoming out of tune.
“I was losing money on each rental and that simply couldn’t be sustained,” Schear observed
After making the necessary repairs to all his violins – a process he calls “a wrist breaker” – Schear decided the only long-range solution that made fi nancial sense was for his daughter, Jackie, travel to the Chinese workshops.
“I said ‘We have to fi x this’,” said Schear, who noted that the student violins being supplied were “of poor quality.”
In China, Schear’s daughter discov-ered a chicken-or-the-egg situation: many wholesalers never broached the quality of instruments so it was not considered a pressing issue at the workshops.
“We demanded better and they gave it back to us with the improvements and then some,” said Schear. Remarkably, the fi rst year with the peg and bridge improve-ments saw student retention rates soar to 70 percent. The reason was simple.
“Students were staying in tune and practicing rather than waiting for a re-pair,” he said.
Each subsequent year Jackie Schear would make up to three trips to China carrying with her a list of issues such as improving the selection of wood for aes-thetics and sound and what varnish and how much to use. Each improvement would hike the price of each instrument between 15 cents to half-dollar, which Schear saw as a good investment.
And when the artisans told Schear about their inability to achieve a minor detail on the instruments, he had the correct tools shipped from Germany to the workers.
The results were immediate.“The improvements were geometri-
cally higher in quality,” noted Schear. Now he receives the highest quality
professional violins and violas from such well-known artisans as Guan Kai Ming and Ming Jiang Zhu producing replicas of Stradivarius and Guarneri that retail for $4,000. And the student/beginner
models have substantially improved in tone and workmanship.
As the quality improved each year, so did the number of students renting the next year. Today, Schear’s store’s rental retention rate is over 80 percent.
In the decade since his fi rst trip, Schear had an instrument – the Amati model which wholesales for under $200.00 and retails above $600.00 – that he calls his fi rst “real violin that’s hand oiled varnished and prop-erly graduated” for the beginners market.
“It’s pretty simple when you think about it. A student who is playing a bet-ter instrument that is in tune will want to practice more and stay with the instru-ment longer,” said Schear.
While his business consist of provid-ing violins, violas, cellos and double bass-es primarily to his wholesale customers stores across the country and schools lo-cally in Cincinnati, Ohio, Schear puts as much effort in selling “a personal touch.” Schear’s commitment to understanding his business lead him to apprentice with a violinmaker for 7 years while his daugh-ter Jackie learned to speak Chinese.
Schear has focused on being a com-plete music wholesaler, not just a ware-house with a shipping department. Customers are not simply purchasing a violin, he said. They are buying an in-strument adjusted and properly tuned by a sales staff that are string performers.
“Every step up and professional in-strument that we sell is always played and tonally adjusted before it is shipped out.” said Schear.
This add on set-up service is also available for student string instruments including full adjustments of the bridge, sound post, fi ngerboard and pegs for an additional cost of $35 to $80 for violins to $250 to $350 for a double bass.
It’s a small but critical service for retail-ers to provide since an instrument properly attuned can make or break a sale or rental agreement. The simple act of the accurate placement of the sound post – a slight two-and-a-half inch piece of wood located in-side the body of the violin – is a technique that is required when selling an instrument that is played by more skilled performers.
The sound post “can make [a violin] sing. It’s the soul of the violin,” said Schear.
Better quality and emphasizing hands-on assistance has Schear recom-mending retailers to list instruments he supplies at a much higher retail prices than his competitors.
What’s new at Amati’sAmati’s Fine Instruments is introduc-ing a collection of new string instru-ment models for 2009, showcasing them to customers and at the Ameri-can String Teachers Association na-tional conference in Atlanta in March.
Amati’s owner Michael Schear is introducing for the fi rst time four step up quality instruments from Ro-mania ranging from $1,350 to $1,800 retail with a wholesale price from $400 to $600. These instruments in-clude Dominant strings and supe-rior Aubert bridges.
The Cincinnati-based company is also carrying Romanian violins for students that includes three dif-ferent varnish fi nishes, Aubert #5 treated bridge, steel strings with eb-ony tailpiece and four fi ne tuners, a Boltron case with aluminum valance and a Glasser Horsehair bow with retail prices ranging from $750 to $1,100, with the higher priced model including professional setup.
Amati’s has also been named a distributor for instruments from Ger-man manufacturer Franz Sandner. Student outfi ts, including a bow and case, have retail prices of $399, $599 and $1,200.
Staying in the student line, Ama-ti’s is introducing its Model A80. With a suggested retail price of $795, the outfi t includes an attractive and durable oblong case and is available with a Glasser black fi berglass bow with horsehair.
The company also offers a string double bass, the Model 100, a ply-wood ($3,250 retail/$950 wholesale) and a hybrid (retail price $3,750/wholesale $1,200) instrument that is “the best quality” that Schear has ever seen. There is a matching cello starting at $375.00 wholesale.
Amati’s is also supplying a large number of fi rst-class violin cases ranging from $65 to $135 wholesale.
Amati’s product mix is 50 percent student or beginner instruments, 30 percent at the step up level and 20 per-cent for professional performers which Schear believes is a very realistic mix for a wholesale business to have.
78 MMR APRIL 2009
MMR_78 78 3/24/09 1:07:04 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 79
This business approach, said Schear, is based on better products and with his service allows for “realistic” pricing that directly assists in the survival of local music retailer outlets.
“We’re not going to set a retail price so the dealer will lose their shirt,” said Schear.
Typically 80 percent of violins that leaves a music store are under a rent-to-purchase agreement. Rental fees are expected to covers a retailer’s operating expenses, insurance, rent, salaries, taxes and repairs to all the dinks and scrapes to the instruments, bows and cases.
If a retailer cannot price the instrument correctly, they will fi nd themselves at best just breaking even on their largest busi-ness transaction as customers will have accumulated enough equity over time in their rental agreement to purchase a new instrument at a minimal additional cost.
Giving retail customers added quality and pricing was the impetus for Schear to offer free training at the store or in Cin-cinnati to set up instruments such as how to fi t bridges, string the instruments and tune them. It is part and parcel of his be-lief that quality and service sells.
“You can’t grow a business only on the lowest price. So we needed to be superior in all parts of our business,” said Schear.
And this includes the personal touch Schear provides. Beginning in and around the Midwest, the fi rm’s sales area now covers three-quarters of the conti-nental US, “costing me a large fortune in travel expenses,” said Schear.
Yet he is willing to spend money so his fi ve sales reps and himself are able to meet dealers up to three times a year to discuss the products and services.
It is this duel approach of quality and knowledgeable service that affects sales on the retail level.
“Retailers can go to school districts and tell them of the quality that they will be get-ting with our instruments,” said Schear.
In the past few years, Schear said pri-vate teachers and school music adminis-trators are his best advocates who through word of mouth will tell parents that they prefer Amati’s Fine Instruments.
Yet wholesalers are facing a myriad of fi nancial pressures that is threatening all small businesses. Prices have shot up and despite the upswing in sales, “2008 was very tough,” said Schear, especially for a
company that needs to reinvest in prod-uct development to allow his business model to succeed.
Even the volatility of foreign cur-rency markets hit Amati’s in 2007 when its Chinese workshops switched payment from dollars to Euros.
“I didn’t know the prices I was paying until the shipments came in,” said Schear, who noted that his workshop suppliers have returned to accepting dollars as the euro has weakened.
His daughter, Jackie, is making fewer trips to China as an increasing number of his vendors are coming to the US to pro-mote their new instruments.
And while the coming year doesn’t appear to be any better than 2008, Schear believes that promised increases in fed-eral government school funding and his commitment to personal services will al-low Amati’s sales to increase.
“If you are passionate about and stand by your products, consumers will take notice,” said Schear.
Amati’s sales staff include Jacque-line Schear “Jackie”, Amanda Scoggins, Vince Scacchetti, Patrick Higgins, and Tracy Leenman.
Amati.indd 79 3/25/09 10:23:54 AM
80 MMR APRIL 2009
2009 RPMDA Convention Exhibitor List
ALFRED PUBLISHING CO.
ALPHONSE LEDUC/
ROBERT KING MUSIC SALES, INC.
BARENREITER
BREITKOPF & HARTEL
CALVIN TAYLOR PUBLISHING
CARL FISCHER MUSIC
CHERRY LANE MUSIC CO., INC.
DE HASKE INTERNATIONAL AG
DESMURS MAX
DUCKS DELUXE
FABER MUSIC
FJH MUSIC COMPANY INC.
FREDERICK HARRIS
MUSIC CO. LTD.
G. HENLE VERLAG
HAL LEONARD CORPORATION
HERITAGE MUSIC PRESS
JACKMAN MUSIC CORPORATION
LORENZ CORPORATION
MASTERS
MUSIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.
MAYFAIR MONTGOMERY
PUBLISHING
MAYFAIR
MUSIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.
Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site,
Breaking News
www.MMRmagazine.com
The Music Gifts Company6403 West Rogers CircleBoca Raton, FL 33487Phone: 866-981-8133
Fax: 561-997-0611E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: musicgiftsofengland.com
Established 1995
Visit us at RPMDA
Come see ourNEW GIFTS!
Ask about our
NEWLOWER PRICES!
The 2009 RPMDA convention is the only convention dedicated to print music re-tailing and publishing. RPMDA prides itself on promoting a close working re-lationship between dealer and associate members, and the organization strives to be known as a positive model of open communication to the entire music indus-try. Members alternate between keynote addresses and educational breakout ses-sions providing professional development
to owners, managers and staff, and time spent exclusively in the exhibit hall. Exhibitors drive traffi c to their booths by participating in a convention coupon book mailed to mem-bers a month in advance, with discount offers available only to convention attendees. After hours, members enjoy spend-ing time together sightseeing and attend-
ing optional social events. In 2009, RPMDA convention at-tendees will enjoy dinner to-gether followed with a short private concert by the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir. New and fi rst-time attendees will fi nd a sharing, welcom-ing network of colleagues in Salt Lake City, April 29-May
2, 2009, at the Downtown Marriott Hotel.
Madeleine Crouch, RPMDA
MUSIC GIFTS COMPANY
OF ENGLAND, INC.
MUSIC SALES GROUP
MUSIC TOOL BOX
NAMM INTERNATIONAL
MUSIC PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
NEIL A. KJOS MUSIC CO.
NORTHEASTERN MUSIC/RONCORP
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
PENGUIN GROUP USA
PUBLICATIONS
CHANT DE MON PAYS INC.
RETAIL UP! MUSIC
SCHAUM PUBLICATIONS, INC.
SCHOTT MUSIC
SHAWNEE PRESS, INC.
SOUNDFORTH
THEODORE PRESSER COMPANY
TRI-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
UNIVERSAL EDITION, INC.
WILLIS MUSIC CO.
MMR_80 80 3/24/09 1:08:23 PM
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82 MMR APRIL 2009
SuppliersceneHarmonix Donates Games to Sick KidsA number of children with serious medi-cal conditions will soon have something to help ease their pain thanks to a new partnership between the videogame development company Harmonix Mu-sic Systems and the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Along with a minimum $50,000 do-nation to Starlight, Harmonix, the cre-ator of “Rock Band,” is giving away more than 650 bundles of the popular game to hospitals across the United States. The company will absorb all shipping costs, says Jenny Isaacson, VP of brand market-ing and communications at Starlight.
“Their support of us is very robust,” Isaacson says of Harmonix. “They, like us, fi rmly believe in the powerful thera-peutic effect of music and that it can pro-vide distractive entertainment therapy for seriously ill children, teens and their families, both in the hospital and on an outpatient basis.”
The foundation was founded in 1984 and is dedicated to “helping seriously ill children and their families cope with the pain, fear, and isolation of serious illness through entertainment, education, and family activities,” Isaacson says.
(Source: Billboard)
Roy Rogers’ Martin Expected to Fetch Big BucksA rare guitar owned by singing cowboy and actor Roy Rogers is hitting the auc-tion block next month, the fi rst of its kind ever to be offered at auction, Chris-tie’s said on Wednesday.
The C.F. Martin OM-45 Deluxe gui-tar is one of only 15 made by the Naza-reth, Pennsylvania, company founded by a German immigrant in the 1830s. Only 14 were believed to have been manufac-tured in 1930 but recent research brought to light a 15th, owned by Rogers since 1933 and the very fi rst one produced.
The auction house expects the OM (Orchestra Model) guitar, last played by Rogers and in its original, unrestored state, to sell for $150,000 to $250,000 when it is
offered along with three more of Rogers’s guitars on April 3. The guitars are being sold by The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Mu-seum in Branson, Missouri. “Back in 1933 performing cowboys started going for the hand-tooled boots and handmade shirts, and Roy went out and purchased the fl ashiest guitar he could fi nd,” said Kerry Keane, Christie’s musical instruments de-partment head and specialist for the sale. “That was this guitar,” which still bears the green sash cord Rogers attached and a gold star sticker from a fl our promotion campaign Rogers did in the mid-1930s. “It has all the sparkle and twang a Hollywood cowboy could ever want.”
Rogers, who died in 1998, was a two-time inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame and starred in over 100 fi lms plus a popular television show.
Other highlights of the sale include a Gennaro Gagliano violoncello circa 1765, which is expected to fetch $200,000 to $300,000, and a Gibson Inc. Les Paul solid body electric guitar estimated at $150,000 to $250,000.
(Source: Reuters)
VTC Pro Audio Elevation Series at Toronto’s Air Canada CentreVTC Pro Audio’s Flagship Elevation Se-ries line array was used exclusively on the So You Think You Can Dance Canada tour, including the February 13th stop in Toronto’s famed Air Canada Centre.
VTC Elevation Series Cabinets & Sub-woofers were used in all SYTYCD Cana-da events, including 48 EL210T cabinets and 16 ELS212T subwoofers providing concert sound for the Air Canada Centre show. All system time alignment, tuning, and signal processing was handled with VTC Pro Audio DLMS4080 processors.
To fi nd out more about VTC prod-ucts, visit www.vtcproaudio.com.
Lowrey Organ Adds New DealersBuilding on plans for expansion, Lowrey has announced they have added four new dealers between January and February
of 2009. The new dealers, three of which were previously piano dealers exclusively, will now move into the active adult mar-ket through the Lowrey brand. The new dealers were added as a result of Lowrey’s latest marketing campaign Think Big, Think Rich which demonstrates Lowrey’s key offerings to dealers - the high profi t margins, turn-key programs, no Internet, no catalog or big box distribution, exclu-sive territories, and guarantees of multiple customer purchases in the fi rst year. Low-rey will continue to add to its roster of new dealers throughout the year.
For more information, visit www.lowrey.com.
Irradiant Inc. Moves to Larger Facility Irradiant Inc. has announced that they have completed the process of moving their main Mid-West offi ce to a new loca-tion at 3804 Hawthorn Court, Waukegan Ill. The new offi ce facility also has an ad-joining warehouse to accommodate Irra-diant’s authorized dealers with a centrally located warehouse. The new warehouse is currently stocked with many of Irra-diant’s products including various seg-ment lengths of their Neo-Truss square, triangular, and ladder truss. Many styles of corner pieces and trussing accessories are also being housed there.
In the near future, the Waukegan Ill. warehouse will also stock a variety Irra-diant’s entertainment and architectural lighting products as well as new audio products from Irradiant’s audio division, Peak4orce. A new product showroom within the facility is under construction that will display many of the newest and most popular of Irradiant’s products.
To fi nd out more, visit www.irradian-thq.com.
Taylor Guitars Kick Off Third Year of Road ShowsTaylor Guitars is poised to bring its Tay-lor Guitars Road Show to dealerships across the U.S. and abroad in 2009. Now in its third year, the Taylor Guitars
Supplier Scene.indd 82 3/24/09 2:04:44 PM
DF12 – Stack-It Unit• 19” wide x 13.5” tall x 15.75” deep.
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just 2.3 square feet!• 36 compartments. Optional side racks
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DF 36 — Portable Drumshop• 27” wide x 65” tall x 18” deep —
just 3.4 square feet!• Front/side panels with hooks
and label holders• Large bottom storage compartment• FREE with purchase of 36 dozen pairs
and accessory package (less than $3500 USD)
DF-28 – Master Merchandiser• Holds well over 1000 pairs of sticks
in a 42” diameter circle• “Basic” unit is FREE with 42 dozen pairs
and accessory package (less than $4200 USD)
• “Expanded” unit (pictured) is FREEwith purchase of 54 dozen pairs and accessory package (less than $5200 USD)
No matter what your footprint, we have the perfect merchandiser for it. Just call us at 877-PRO-MARK (776-6275). And we’ll help your cash register go cha-ching!Call your favorite Pro-Mark wholesaler for details.
THE ONLY EXTRA SLOTS YOU’LL NEED WILL BE IN YOUR CASH REGISTER.No other company offers you as many models of sticks or as many ways to sell them.
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MMR_83 83 3/23/09 2:35:01 PM
84 MMR APRIL 2009
SuppliersceneRoad Show is an in-store gathering that brings enthusiasts together with Taylor clinicians and experts straight from the company’s factory in El Cajon, Calif. At each Road Show, the Taylor Road Show team shares insights on the company’s guitar making process, including an in-formative demonstration on how body shapes and woods affect tone. After the demonstration, players are invited to take part in the show’s “Petting Zoo”: an opportunity to pick up and play a variety of different models, as well as rare and custom build to order models. Admission to each Road Show is free.At select locations, a special Electric Road Show will highlight Taylor’s elec-tric lineup, including the new T3 and T3/B, the Taylor SolidBody, as well as the electric/acoustic hollow body, the T5. Attendees will also have the chance to explore Taylor’s line of acoustic guitars. The 2009 Road Show tour kicked off in March with multiple dates in Califor-nia and Oklahoma, as well as an East Coast swing with stops in Massachu-setts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Each Road Show attendee will receive
a complimentary copy of Premier Gui-tar magazine and, while supplies last, Taylorware gear, and Elixir strings. At-tendees will have the chance to enter to win the grand prize - an opportunity to build their own custom guitar through Taylor’s Build To Order program. For latest Road Show cities and dates, visit www.taylorguitars.com/roadshow.
Buffet Crampon Welcomes Gregory OakesBuffet Crampon USA welcomed Gregory Oakes, professor of clarinet at Iowa State University, to the Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist Roster. Mr. Oakes has been a member of several orchestras including the Colorado Symphony Or-chestra, Mississippi Symphony Orches-tra, Colorado Ballet, Central City Opera, Colorado Music Festival, and the Chicago Civic Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Mr. Oakes has performed as a member of the woodwind quintet Category 5, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Wood-wind Quintet, and the award-winning clarinet quartet Ensemble Syzygy.
Rock House Helps Three Aspiring Musicians Meet Their Guitar HeroRock House announced that three lucky fans of Rock House from the New York/Connecticut area were invited to a Feb-ruary 25th DVD shoot with Michael Pag-et of Bullet For My Valentine. The lucky
aspiring musicians are brothers, Mike and Danny Graziano and their friend Jake Levine all students from Somers High School in Somers, N.Y. Their visit is part of a new program instituted by Rock House designed to reach out into the community and motivate young musicians to keep playing guitar. Rock House invites local musicians to come to the studio to meet their idols and get a behind-the-scenes look at how a Rock House instructional product is made.
For more information, visit www.rockhousemethod.com.
Jazz Education Network Joins The National SupportMusic CoalitionNAMM has announced that the Jazz Education Network (JEN) has joined the SupportMusic Coalition, a public service led by U.S.-based NAMM and MENC, the National Association for Music Edu-cation that seeks to strengthen commu-nity commitment and support for qual-ity music education in schools.
The coalition comprises more than 190 organizations, representing more than seven million concerned citizens, working to ensure that music and arts instruction are part of a complete education for all children. Since strengthening music edu-cation is a worldwide concern due to its many proven benefi ts for students, several
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MMR_84 84 3/24/09 1:09:05 PM
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86 MMR APRIL 2009
international organizations also partici-pate in the SupportMusic Coalition.
The JEN is a network of teachers, stu-dents, performers, and jazz afi cionados from around the world. The network is dedicated to building the worldwide jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences.
“Our organization is pleased to be a part of this team dedicated to increas-ing support for all kinds of music in-volvement,” said JEN President Mary Jo Papich. “Making music, especially jazz, is about expressing ideas that words alone cannot convey. Getting involved in music - whether it’s learning to play an instru-ment, singing, listening, or performing - enriches our lives. NAMM’s SupportMu-sic Coalition is just what we need today to help everyone involved in music become better advocates because of the power of music to change lives.”
The coalition invites all interested arts, parent, education, civic engagement, and youth-serving organizations to become affi liates. Affi liate organizations actively participate by contacting local, regional, and state school offi cials, distributing per-tinent information to other supporters in their communities as well as networking with other coalition members.
For more information and links to national, state and local organizations working together to keep music educa-tion strong, interested parties should visit www.supportmusic.com. Organi-zations interested in participating in the SupportMusic Coalition, can write to [email protected].
ACCESS Goes Global With International DistributionACCESS will make available for the fi rst time its line of bags and cases to inter-national music products distributors at NAMM Show ’09 on January 15-18, 2009 in Anaheim, California. “ACCESS Bag and Cases debuted at Winter NAMM in 2004 and we were literally inundated with inquiries from interested foreign distribu-tors at that show,” said Marty Harrison, Sr. VP of ACCESS. “That was very gratifying
but we just weren’t ready. We needed time to establish the brand, expand our prod-uct offering, solidify production and ful-fi llment and refi ne our support systems. Now we’re ready to introduce ACCESS to the world. And in this challenging global economy, the exceptional quality, value & profi tability of ACCESS Bags and Cases will be welcomed by distributors and dealers everywhere.” Interested parties at-tending NAMM Show ’09 may inquire at the ACCESS Bags and Cases, booth 4697 in Hall C, to learn more about interna-tional distribution opportunities and to schedule a private meeting. ACCESS Bags and Cases is a division of ACCESS Prod-ucts Group, LLC.
ACCESS, through its OEM division, Music Express, is a full-service supplier of quality products to many of the mu-sic products industry’s leading brands. Ordering Info: ACCESS Bags and Cases, 877-288-7881, 864-335-0035, www.accessbagsandcases.com
Lars Johansson Records with Hughes & KettnerLars Johansson, lead guitarist of doom metal pioneers Candlemass, has been us-ing a Hughes & Kettner Switchblade full-
stack for quite some time now. As a fully programmable tube amplifi er with digi-tal fx, the unit provides great fl exibility and a wealth of sounds on stage. Johans-son’s fretwork - and the H&K Switch-blade - can be heard on Candlemass’ new album, Death, Magic, Doom.
To fi nd out more, visit www.hughes-and-kettner.com.
Taylor’s T3 makes April Retail DebutFresh off its debut at Winter NAMM, the T3, Taylor’s fi rst semi-hollowbody, is re-portedly in high demand. Dealers around the globe were quick to place their orders following the show and anticipate the ar-rival of the guitar as their waitlist of ea-ger buyers continues to grow.
Morgan Pettinato from Eastcoast Music Mall, a Taylor dealer in Dan-bury, Conn, has been adding names to his store’s waiting list since the T3 was fi rst announced. “We had a Taylor Road Show here not too long ago, and despite having more than 16 inches of snow on the ground, some brave souls trekked through the storm just to see that guitar,” he says. “And once the audience heard it, they were blown away. Just about every day someone walks in and asks, ‘When will the T3 be here?’ People are putting purchases of other guitars on hold and requesting the T3.”
Since the unveiling of the new model, Taylor has been inundated with inquiries, says vice president of Marketing and Sales, Brian Swerdfeger. “From its fi rst sighting, the T3 has enjoyed rave reviews from the media and a fl ood of interest from our dealers and players around the world who can’t wait to get their hands on one.”
Featuring a quilted maple top with a splash of chromed-out-cool hardware, the T3 offers a wide range of tones and high-performance playing in a semi-hollowbody. The T3 expands the classic semi-hollow sound with Taylor’s Style 2 HD (high-defi nition) pickups, three-way pickup switching, and coil-splitting ca-pabilities that gives players a spectrum of humbucker and single coil sounds in one guitar. On the T3/B, an authentic Bigsby vibrato tailpiece is paired with a roller bridge for smooth functionality and an added dimension of sound.
The T3 and T3/B will be available at do-mestic Taylor dealers starting in April and at international Taylor dealers by May. www.taylorguitars.com
Supplierscene
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NewproductsNew Products from GCI Technologies’ Brands Gemini has realeased their new profes-sional DJ mixers, which include the PS 828EFX, 12” Professional DJ 4 Channel Mixer with built in effects, MM-1800, and MM-2400, 19” Professional DJ Mix-er with EQ.
They have also released their newly designed CDMP Series CD/MP3/USB players, consisting of the CDMP-5000 CD/MP3/USB all in-one mixing sta-tion, the CDMP-2600 rack mountable dual CD/MP3/USB CD player, and the CDMP-1300 single CD/MP3/USB player. The Gemini GVX Series Loudspeakers and GVX Powered Subwoofers were de-signed with a custom painted enclosure, compact look, and the ability to use them either for installs or a mobile event. Pro-fessional MIDI and keyboard capable DJ software called GROOVE is also new from Gemini. The software features beat-mixing, auto bpm, three band eq, built-in effects, and auto-play mode.
Cortex adds new features to the dMIX-300. Cortex’s dMIX-600 all-in-one digital mixing station comes with three on-board effects such as fl anger, reverb, and echo.
GCI’s digital recording brand, iKEY Audio has released the iKEY G3 (por-table instrument recorder), IKEY M3 (portable digital recorder), IKEY HDR7 (portable digital fi eld recorder with mic), and the IKEY RM1 (rack mountable digi-tal recorder). www.gci-technologies.com
Mapex Elm Snare & Enhanced Web SiteThe Black Panther Special Edition Elm Snare Drum from Mapex is 14 x 5.5, features a 6.1mm maple shell, with an exterior ply of elm, and is fi nished in a high-gloss clear lacquer. Additionally, the drum is designed with a 3.4mm thick walnut sound ring at the top and bottom edge of the shell. The Special Edition Elm Snare comes with die cast hoops and a fully adjustable Black Panther throw-off. The hardware is plated in black chrome.
Also featured are Remo Ambassador heads and a 20-strand snare. Quantities of this snare drum will be limited. The drum comes with a padded Black Panther Deluxe Carrying Bag. MSRP is $744.99.
Mapex has launched two new integral modules on its Web site. All new Black Panther Snare Drum and MPX Snare Drum sections are now live and ready for consumer reference. In addition to a new look for the snare drum sections, which feature fl ash-based graphics that allow the user to quickly navigate from one model to another, Mapex has added a complete set of audio samples for each snare drum in both the Black Panther and MPX Web sites. Both pages have been integrated into the Mapex USA Web site and can be clicked to from any other page on the site. All au-dio samples (as well as visual images) can be downloaded for playback on any MP3-capable device. All eight of the new MPX line snares are displayed in the same man-ner as the Black Panther Drums and each includes its own set of audio samples. www.mapexdrums.com
Joe Bonamassa Purchases Rockbox Rosetta Prototype First previewed at the 2009 NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif., the new Rockbox Ro-setta amplifi er made an early fan of blues-
rock blazer Joe Bonamassa, who pur-chased the very fi rst 100 watt prototype on the spot after playing the amplifi er at the busy Rockbox booth. The amplifi er is now on tour with Bonamassa, which will include a performance at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London.
Rockbox Electronics new two-chan-nel amplifi er features normal and FET input, two EQ settings, a range of con-trols, and is available in 50 and 100 watt versions, with half-power settings. Other features include: treble; mid and bass boost; external drive trim control; and four, eight, and 16 ohm speaker imped-ance settings. The Rosetta also comes with a lifetime transferable warranty.www.rockbox.com
Recording Software from SuperscopeSuperscope Technologies introduces El-evation, music practice and recording software, designed for musicians, stu-dents, and educators. The software fea-tures Elevation Library, which allows the user to import music from a PC or Mac, or from an SD card, USB stick, or CD. Elevation handles common fi le formats - WAV, AIFF, MP3, and WMA.
Superscope uses tempo and key con-trol provided by iZotope, Inc., with DSP settings including modifi cations to key, tempo, fi ne tune, voice reduction, EQ, and balance. Play any fi le at a different key while preserving the tempo of the original recording, or adjust a fi le’s tempo with-out affecting the key. Seamlessly loop any
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Newproductssection of audio in the Library and slow down, or change the key of the loop, or create a practice loop (by ear or waveform interface), and save the changes as a new fi le. Save a playlist and burn a custom CD with changes or backing tracks.
For educators, fi les can be sent to stu-dents via e-mail or placed on a Web site as an MP3. Record vocals or instruments using any fi le or snapshot in the Library as accompaniment, review performances, or adjust the mix between voice, instru-ment, and the accompaniment. Add per-formance notes, digital sheet music from scanned images, PDF’s, or notation pro-grams into Elevation. Capture rehearsals or concerts with resolution up to 24-bit - equipped with iZotope’s precise sample rate conversion (SRC) and Mbit+, psycho-acoustic word length reduction, Elevation transfers 24-bit recordings to CD. www.superscopetechnologies.com
Gator’s New Guitar & Amp CasesGator’s TSA ATA Guitar Case has taken the GPE ATA series to the next level. The exterior of the case features military-grade Polyethylene construction with black pow-der coated valance and hardware. Gator has incorporated a surface mounted im-pact diversion latch housing with a TSA approved locking center latch to make this case suitable for air-line travel. An ergo-grip injection molded handle, extended reach protec-tive neck cradle, crushed velvet luxury plush in-terior, and universal fi t EPS protective foam have also been added to the open cavity design.The Gator Roto Amp line of cases is specifi cally
designed to fi t most popular size amplifi -ers. This case is available in 1-12 and 2-12 sizes and allows the amp to sit safely and securely on top of the case during use. The open-top design provides access directly to the amplifi er handle providing easy transport. The Gator Roto Amp height ex-pands from 16” to 21” for multiple heights and incorporates two wrap around straps with clips to secure the lid to the base along
with 3” heavy-duty casters providing protection during transit.
Gator’s Viper Series Guitar and Lap-top Gig Bags protect the guitar inside the rigid sidewall. The quilted, padded gig
bag has a reinforced head-stock/bridge section and adjustable neck support system. The bag is available in a standard version with upper and lower accessory storage compartments or
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the laptop version complete with storage for your laptop. The pocket system of the laptop version has a built-in laptop pocket, business resource pocket, sheet music pocket, and multiple gear pockets for pedals, recording and midi interfaces, headphones, tuners, and general accessories. The dual textured, weather resistant nylon bag also features a reinforced fi rm-grip carry handle, and an ergo-fi t air cushioned padded shoulder har-ness strap with adjustable sternum strap. The laptop version has a hideaway bungee waterproof weather cover.www.gatorcases.com
Gibson Amplifi ers 1933-2008from Blue Book PublicationsBlue Book Publications has released Wal-lace Marx Jr’s new book, Gibson Amplifi ers 1933-2008: 75 Years of the Gold Tone. Over the course of 192 pages, including a 16-page
full-color picto-rial section, Marx charts the evolu-tion of Gibson’s amplifi ers from the early offerings of the 1930s to the rejuvenated GA series pro-duced today by Gibson Pro Au-dio. In addition to Gibson amps, the book also documents other brands covered by the Gibson stable, including Maestro amps of the ’50s and ’60s, Epiphone and Kalamazoo amps, and Lab Series solid state amps of the late ’70s to early ’80s. The book also features back stories, an-ecdotes, and explains the evolution of a legendary amplifi cation line through the better part of a century. There is also a central color photo section, along with ex-
tensive illustrations in the history section.In addition there is a back-cover-mounted CD-ROM reprint of the Gibson Amplifi er Master Service Book. First published in the mid-’60s, this manual contains a wealth of information that is otherwise diffi cult to ac-cess in one place, including schematics for every Gibson amp made from 1936 to 1966, and owners manuals for many models.
Retail price is $29.95.www.bluebookinc.com
Madarozzo Drum & Percussion BagsThe Madarozzo Series of Boutique Drum & Percussion bags are said to offer excel-lent gear protection. The compact range is available in a choice of colors and price points for stick, cymbal, and drum bags. The bags feature 600D water-repellent polyester, soft nylon lining, comfortable
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Send us a logo and your order, and it will be ready in 3 days!Completion of assembly in our New York warehouse. One yearwarranty included, $50 one time set-up, and $5 per instrument.
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(718)706-0828 ■ FAX (718)706-0128
www.huntermusical.com
WITH PRIVATE LABEL INSTRUMENTS
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Newproductshandles, and various functional acces-sory pockets and pouches.www.madarozzo.com
ModTone’s New Power Supply & PedalThe ModTone Power Plant is a profes-sional quality power supply. The Power Plant features a toroidal transformer
with eight isolated outputs. Five outputs are switchable from 9vdc to 12vdc, two feature SAG controls to go from 4v-9vdc, and the last is a 9vAC output. The Power Plant is designed to be used in conjunc-tion with almost any pedal you can put on your pedal board. Each output is iso-
lated and designed to operate without adding any noise to the signal path.
Designed by Mo-hoMod, the ModTone Clean Boost pedal fea-tures a proprietary cir-cuit design that allows for up to 25db of boost without overdriving the signal. With the level
knob at 12 o’clock, the effected signal is in unity with the bypassed signal. This allows for the Clean Boost to also func-tion as a clean cut. In addition, the Clean Boost has a tone knob allowing the user to tailor their sound, adding more treble, bass, or anything in between. www.modtone-effects.com
Yamaha Disklavier E3The Yamaha Disklavier E3 player piano is a technologically advanced, yet simple, powerful home entertainment center. It performs complete concerts by recording artists, which can include piano solos, orchestral pieces, rock ‘n roll, and every-thing in between. The E3 also plays and accompanies audio CDs, records and re-
creates performances and plays Diskla-vierRadio - multiple channels of music data broadcast over the Internet.www.yamaha.com
NuBone from Graph TechGraph Tech Guitar Labs has created NuBone Luthier Packs for repair shops. These packs of ten give luthiers a qual-ity alternative to plastic. NuBone is a
derivative of Graph Tech’s proprietary TUSQ. NuBone is said to transfer the op-timum frequencies to the guitar allowing for more volume, more tone, and more harmonics. NuBone is an environmen-tally friendly, man-made material that is made to close tolerances under high heat and pressure which contributes to its hardness, workability, and appearance. It is odorless when sanded and harder than plastic. www.graphtech.com
EMG’s X Series & Solderless InstallEMG’s X Series is a new line of high-out-put guitar and bass pickups for all styles of playing. These pickups are said to have an organic nature to their overall sound due to a newly designed internal pre-amp, which allows for more gain to come from your amp and instrument, rather than from the pre-amp. The effect of this new design is to provide more headroom and overall body while still maintaining clarity and response.
EMG has unveiled their latest ad-vancement in pickup technology, the solderless install. Beginning with their Pro Series pickguards and the new X-Series pickups, EMG will phase in the new components to existing products throughout 2009. www.emgpickups.com
On-Stage Gear Guitar Straps On-Stage Gear has added 15 guitar straps to its line. The straps are woven from ei-ther durable polypro-pylene or nylon.
The Click-It Strap is strong and fray re-sistant, made from automotive seat belt quality nylon web-bing. It features re-inforced stitching and an added Click-It lock design, making for quick and easy use. The Click-It features a secure quick attach/release clip. The female end of the clip remains secured to the guitar when the strap is not in use, yet will not inter-fere with the fi t of molded cases. This low profi le, all Black strap is adjustable from
32-55” in length. The list price is
$16.99.The Nylon
Guitar Strap is also wo-ven from the same strong and durable nylon webbing
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used to make automotive seat belts. It features two-ply leather ends and rein-forced stitching. Adjustable from 32-55” in length, it is suitable for players of all sizes, and its solid black design comple-ments all guitar fi nishes. Includes lacing for use with single-button acoustic gui-tars and is priced at $10.99.www.onstagegear.com
D’Addario Improves EXP Strings
The new line of EXP strings from D’Addario features 50 percent less coat-ing with ideal con-centricity, said to create a more con-sistent, brighter sounding, and lon-ger lasting string.With the creation
of the EXP Wire Company back in 2007, D’Addario announced improvements in the string manufacturing process to enhance the performance and longevity of the pre-cision-coated wire used in EXP technology strings. The EXP String offers an exclusive compound-plated (not coated) plain steel string, with corrosion resistance.
The new EXP wire has been uti-lized in D’Addario strings sets for much of 2008, but as of January 2009, all packaging has been updated to re-fl ect the new product offering. EXP strings retail for $22.99 - $25.99. www.daddario.com
Eastwood Guitars Limited Edition Supro Dual ToneEastwood Guitars has released their lim-ited edition tribute to the 1950s Supro Dual Tone guitar. The Supro Dual Tone comes in white or black with a chrome trapeze
tail; an optional Bigsby tremolo tail is also available. It has a solid bass-
wood body, bolt-on 24 ¾” scale maple
neck with rosewood fi n-gerboard and 1 5/8” nut.
The pickups are Valco VVDC (Vintage Voiced Dual Coil) humbuckers, and the headstock features a replica brass Supro logo. The initial 100 guitars of this Limited Edition Supro Dual Tone are in stock now and are available for shipping worldwide. www.eastwoodguitars.com
The Highland Guitar Company’s Redesigned Web Site Highland’s new Web site is designed with navigational ease in mind and provides
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expanded image libraries and product in-formation. Multiple views of each instru-ment provide the visitor with the inter-active ability to click and enlarge images taken from different angles. Highland has also added feature pages to provide detailed specifi cations for each instru-ment. The Highland Guitar Company is distributed exclusively by Power Group Ltd and offers a full range of acoustic, archtop, bass, and solid electric guitars. www.highlandguitarcompany.com
Hennessey Guitar’s XTRA-SECURE Guitar Strap LocksThe XTRA-SECURE Guitar Strap Locks, the fi rst entry to the new Hennessey Gui-tar Parts line, are designed to provide easy removal and a secure connection. Em-
ploying Hen-nessey’s signa-ture Compress and Release Action System, a thumb and two fi ngers are required to release the lock from the guitar button. The locking device is made up of fi ve,
three mm diameter ball-bearings inserted into a center hub. Positioned 72 degrees apart, these bearings apply even pressure on the custom locking button attached to the guitar. The button is attached with a one inch long, hardened-steel number two Philips-head wood screw. The screw ensures that the button is securely fas-tened to the guitar. A felt washer cushions the contact point between the button and guitar fi nish. The heart of the lock is its spring-loaded retaining ring. The ring is held fi rmly over the top of the ball bear-ings until it is pulled back. This releases the bearings and disengages the strap lock, making for a simple, safe mechanism.
The new NSL7300 Metallic series Guitar Strap Locks are made of aircraft-grade aluminum, making them light yet strong. They feature an anodized fi nish and come in bright colors. The locks are available in anodized black, gun metal, purple, silver, blue, and red. The anod-ized fi nish is thin, allowing for tighter tolerances, making it ideal for mating metal parts that must be secure yet easily disconnected.
Hennessey strap locks are also avail-able in brass versions, designated as the NSL7200 series. They share the same de-sign features as the NSL7300’s, but the brass construction allows for chrome, gold, and black plating, thus matching the hardware of most production instru-ments. All models within the NSL7200 series and the NSL7300 series are pack-aged and sold in pairs. List price starts at $30.99 a pair for the brass strap locks and $33.99 for the metallic. www.hennesseyguitarparts.com
Noise Reducers from Health Enterprises, Inc. Health Enterprises has introduced new
ear plugs. Music Impact Noise Reduc-ers are said to provide a consistent reduction of sound across all frequen-cies. Unlike other earplugs
that muffl e sound, the Impact Noise Re-ducers maintain sound quality allowing music to be heard clearly.
Comfort Fit Earplugs are dual-use earplugs that help seal out water and block out noise. These 27 noise reduc-tion rating earplugs are reusable, easily cleaned, and made from soft silicone.
The Foam Ear Plugs feature a 31 noise reduction rating. Health Enterprises of-fers a two-pair and 18-pair assortment of comfortable foam earplugs for maximum protection against continuous noise. www.healthenterprises.com
Hal Leonard Adds Lewis & Minnelli to Original Keys Series Hal Leonard has released two new Origi-nal Keys for Singers collections featuring songs from Leona Lewis and Liza Min-nelli. The Original Keys Series offers hits from leading vocalists in exact vo-cal transcriptions with all songs in their original keys and piano accompaniment.The Lewis collection retails for $17.95 and the Minnelli collection for $19.99.www.halleonard.com
Cecilio’s Sax PartnerThe Sax Partner is a multifunctional silenc-er, designed to reduce the saxophone’s out fl ow volume while the player monitors his/her performance through earphones. The inter-nal hi-fi pick-up microphone can cleanly collect each and every sound detail produced by the saxophone. Connect Sax Partner to CD’s or MP3’s for background accompaniment or computers and digital au-dio recorders for studio qual-ity recording. Sax Partner’s built-in audio-exporting con-nection freely connects to output devices such as stage monitors, PA systems, or desk-top speakers. www.ceciliomusic.com
Groove Juice’s Stick GripStick Grip from Groove Juice is a spray-on grip enhancing product that is said to allow drummers to fi ne tune their grip on the sticks giving them more control. Stick Grip is an aerosol spray-on prod-uct that is applied to the gripping portion of the drum stick. Simply spray a light coating of the prod-uct on the sticks, and wait about one minute for the formula to dry. Drummers can “tune” the tackiness of their sticks by spraying on successive thin coats until the desired level of tack is achieved. Once the formula dries on the drum stick, there will be no residue left on hands. Stick Grip is rubber based and holds up in sweaty,
MMR_92 92 3/24/09 1:10:09 PM
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hot, or cold conditions. Stick Grip has a sug-gested retail price of $13.95 for a four ounce can (about 75-80 spray applications). [email protected]
Parker Guitars’ Fly Mojo Single Cut Series
Parker Guitars has added the Parker Fly Mojo Single Cut to their line of electric guitars. Designed for the
professional player, the Fly Mojo Single Cut brings a new single cut-away design to the Fly Mojo Series.
Parker engineers have designed the single cut series from the
ground up, utilizing a solid mahogany body and mahog-any neck joined together us-ing Parker’s multi-fi nger joint
technology. The Fly Mojo Single Cut features Graph Tech Ghost Piezo Saddles on
a TonePros bridge, a Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup in the neck, and a JB pickup in the bridge.
The Mojo Fly Single Cut is available in the following fi nishes: Black Burst; Black Cherry Sunburst; Dusty Black; Emerald Green; Galaxy Gray; Italian Plum; Majik Blue; Ruby Red; Trans Blue Burst; Trans Purple Burst; and White.www.parkerguitars.com
Rolls Corporation’s Source MixerThe MX153 source mixer from Rolls is a revision to the MX152.The power supply has been changed to DC, making it quieter and compatible only in DC applications.
The MX153 is a one-half rack space, two microphone, and three stereo source mixer. The unit provides a compact and effi cient way to mix sources such as AM/FM tuners, CD and video players with dynamic or condenser microphones.
Each microphone channel has phantom power and level and tone controls. Sourc-es one and two have level adjustments, bass, and treble controls. There is also priority ducking on mic one and source three. The mixer is 5.4’’ X 1.7’’ X 5.5’’ and is compatible with any rack tray. www.rolls.com
New from Lollar PickupsLollar Pickups releases the P-90 replace-ment pickup and pickguard for original Melody Makers that requires no modifi ca-tion to the guitar. The pickguard is avail-able for double cutaway, early 60’s models with single pickup and later and double cut-away SG styles with single pickup. The pickup comes in black only; pickguards
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are available in single ply black, white, or parchment. Installation is as easy as re-moving the original pickguard along with all its attached electronics and dropping in the new pickup and pickguard.
Also new from Lollar is a single coil pickup for humbucker, the SCFH, is de-signed to fi t into a standard humbucker rout and offers a unique single coil sound, while sharing some of the tonal charac-teristics of Lollar’s P-90 style pickups.www.lollarguitars.com
Pantheon Guitars’ Bourgeois Very Vintage MahoganyThe Bourgeois Very Vintage Mahogany from Pantheon Guitars, “pays homage to an earlier era of American guitar making.” The guitar is designed with traditional
materials, an Adirondack red spruce top, Adirondack braces, genuine Honduran mahogany back, sides and neck, and features hot organ-ic hide glue construction and an oil varnish fi nish, which gives the Very Vintage Ma-hogany the sound and feel of considerable playing mile-age. Additionally, oil varnish imparts a deep amber hue to the natural colors of the woods, evoking the look as
well as the sound of a vintage-era guitar.Additional features include ebony bind-
ings, Mammoth ivory nut, ebony bridge and end pins, and oval nickel Waverly tun-ers. Standard string spacing includes a one nut and two 5/16 spacing at the bridge. Like all Bourgeois guitars, the Very Vintage Ma-hogany is individually hand-voiced by Dana Bourgeois. To enhance the quickness of the response, Bourgeois Guitars pays particular attention to the weight of the guitar with a focused effort to make it as light-weight as possible. The list price $5895.www.pantheonguitars.com
GHS & Rockbag, Rockcase, and Rockstand LinesGHS Corporation is now the exclu-sive USA distributor for Rockbag, Rock-
stand, and Rock-case. These new product lines, add-ed to the existing GHS mix, which already includes GHS Strings, Rocktron, and D’Angelico, will fall under the new GHS Music Products umbrella. The Rockbag and Rock-case lines include a large assortment of soft
cases, hardshell cases, and ABS cases for guitars, keyboards, drums, and many other instruments. The Rockstand line includes guitar stands, multiple-guitar stands, mi-crophone stands, speaker stands, and
more. www.ghsstrings.com
Levy’s Slimline Sonic-Art Guitar StrapsLevy’s has designed guitar straps to match the skinny tie. Narrow 1 1/2” polyester web-bing is used for the printing of Levy’s Slimline Sonic-Art designs, which feature decorative black binding, leather ends, and tri-glide adjustment, adjustable to 60”. www.levysleathers.com
ADG Productions’ Latin Brass SoloistLatin Brass Soloist by Gabriel Rosati pro-vides an extensive study into the various trumpet and trombone styles including: Salsa; Mambo; Merengue; Calypso; and Cha Cha. The book is transcribed note for note from the recorded audio CD. Each
example is recorded twice, the fi rst version with brass, piano, bass, and percussion, and the second version with just piano, bass, and percussion so that the brass player can practice along with the rhythm section.www.adgproductions.com
Fred Gretsch Releases TheStory of Paul BigsbyFred Gretsch Enterprises has released a new book entitled The Story of Paul Bigs-by: Father of the Modern Electric Solid-body Guitar. The book is written by Andy Babiuk, author of Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four’s Instru-ments, From Stage to Studio.
Most musi-cians are familiar with the famous Bigsby Vibrato, but not as many know about the guitars that Paul Bigsby built in the 1940s. Bigsby, who was responsible for developing and refi ning the pedal steel guitar, also built the fi rst modern solidbody electric guitar for Merle Tra-vis in 1948, predating Leo Fender and Gibson’s Les Paul by a number of years. The Story of Paul Bigsby tells the untold story of how Bigsby infl uenced Fender and Gibson, as well as a number of other guitar manufacturers, in building tech-niques and design. This well-illustrated coffee table book contains over 300 color and black-and-white photos. Many of these photos have not previously been published, and over 50 are actual Bigsby instrument photos. The book also comes with an audio CD of Paul Bigsby, record-ed in the late 1950s, telling stories of his business.
The hardcover trade edition of the book is being distributed worldwide by Hal Leonard Corporation and retails for $50. A deluxe edition of the book with a special embossed leather-bound cover, gilded gold edges, cloth-woven book-mark, autographed by Fred Gretsch, and packaged in a special clothbound com-memorative Bigsby clamshell box, is
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available in a limited edition direct from Gretsch and retails for $150.www.gretschgear.com
JBL Bags Sub Transporter Bag The JBL Sub Transporter is made specifi -cally for the JBL 18” sub. The Sub Trans-porter snugly slips over the woofer enclo-sure and zips to fully enclose the cabinet and is equipped with a solid caster board and rolling casters. The Transporter also features handles that are positioned to the easiest lift points and has a soft pad-ded interior. The Sub Transporter is em-broidered with the JBL logo.www.jblbags.com
Tregan Guitars’ New SyrenXT The SyrenXT is the second generation Syren by Tregan Guitars. The new look of the XT features a two-tone paint job,
Floyd Rose licensed tremolo, Grover tuners, black hard-ware, a passive/ac-tive switch, along with the built in powered preamp, and a more comfort-able tapered back. In passive mode the Alnico humbuckers give smooth tones. The active mode adds more bite and enhances tone and harmonics. The XT has Tregan’s fast
neck with twenty-four frets, Syren Wing inlays, and deep cutouts for easy access to all twenty-four frets. www.treganguitars.com
Sabian Buries Cymbals In an undisclosed location near the Sa-bian Cymbal factory in Meductic, in eastern Canada, 100 cymbals are bur-ied and are undergoing eight months of dry, wet, hot, and cold soil condition-ing, as part of the company’s “One of 100” program. These buried Artisan
Medium Ride cymbals are the result of hundreds of annual queries from drum enthusiasts regarding the aging of cym-bals by burying them in the ground. The cymbals in the “One of 100” col-lection will be available to the fi rst 100 eligible buyers who submit a purchase submission form on the Sabian Web site. Once dug up, the cymbals will be soni-cally approved by the Sabian Vault Team and then individually packaged in a de-luxe wood box, complete with offi cial documentation of authenticity signed by master product specialist Mark Love.
These cymbals are now available for purchase on the Sabian Web site. The excavation date is June, 1, 2009. The pur-chase price is $800, with a portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity. www.sabian.com
New Marketing from Stash Picks Stash Picks, Inc. has rolled out new mar-keting efforts and ad campaign to sell picks per piece rather than in bags. The ads will show in industry magazines and on t-shirts. For store retail, Stash Picks now offers fi shbowls fi lled with an as-sortment of single picks. Customers can purchase one pick, set at the store’s price, as an entry into the line of products. Stash Picks also now offers empty tins for purchase – 24 tins to a box. Stores can sell the tins in conjunction with any pick sale.www.stashpicks.com
Digidesign’s Pro Tools 8 SoftwarePro Tools 8 is the latest version of the dig-ital audio workstation from Digidesign. Pro Tools 8 offers an enhanced feature set, highlighted by a completely updated user interface, more than 70 bundled plug-ins and virtual instruments, fully-integrat-ed MIDI and score editors, and an ex-panded array of editing features for both music and post production applications.New music creation features include fully integrated MIDI and Score Editor win-dows for greatly enhanced MIDI editing functionality and professional score edit-
Delta Series
AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF FINISHES & STYLESSend $4 US for COLOR CATALOG 13027 Brittmoore Park Drive, Houston, Texas 77041
by GOTOH1:21 ratio
America’s Premier Guitar & Bass Parts Supplier
MMR_95 95 3/24/09 1:10:26 PM
96 MMR APRIL 2009
ing and printing. A new sizable collection of music creation and sound-processing plug-ins have been added including 20 new effects and fi ve new virtual instru-ments, which include: mini grand piano; Boom drum machine; DB-33 tonewheel organ; vacuum tube-modeled synthe-sizer; and Xpand!2 sample player. Also included is amplifi er simulation via Digidesign’s new guitar amp emulator Eleven Free as well as Tech21 SansAmp amplifi er emulator.
Pro Tools|HD 8 also enhances the ex-tensive capabilities of Digidesign’s fl ag-ship Pro Tools|HD audio hardware, with support for the new Satellite Link option, which allows users to control up to fi ve Pro Tools|HD systems as one. Addition-ally, the Avid Media Composer based Video Satellite option brings Avid HD/SD video playback into the Pro Tools|HD audio workfl ow, while the new Video Satellite LE option allows Pro Tools|HD editors to play QuickTime HD/SD video or Avid SD video from a separate but synced Pro Tools LE system, thereby preserving track count and processing power on the host Pro Tools|HD system. For project studio owners, Pro Tools LE
8 and Pro Tools M-Powered 8 support up to 48 simultaneous audio tracks out of the box. Adding the new Music Pro-duction Toolkit 2 or DV Toolkit 2 (Pro Tools LE only), gives users access to up to 64 audio tracks. And for serious Pro Tools LE users, the new Complete Pro-duction Toolkit (Pro Tools LE only) combines the content of both toolkits and offers up to 128 simultaneous au-dio tracks and 7.1 surround mixing. Pro Tools 8 software is available for Win-dows Vista- (32-bit Business or Ultimate with Service Pack 1), Windows XP- (Home and Professional with XP Service Pack 3), and Mac OS X 10.5.5 (Leopard)-based Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered systems. Custom-ers who have purchased a new Pro Tools system or upgrade since October 3, 2008, are eligible for a free software upgrade. Customers purchasing new systems with old software are also be eligible for the free upgrade. Pro Tools 8 software is currently available through authorized Digidesign dealers and Digidesign’s Web site. Pricing is as follows: Pro Tools HD 8 Upgrade $249; Pro Tools LE/M-Powered Upgrade $149; Pro Tools M-Powered Full
Version $299 US (available through au-thorized dealers only).www.digidesign.com
Jet Fretz’s New Radius FretsJet Fretz’s new version of their radius frets are designed for balanced tone and increased volume and are available for electric and acoustic guitars. The
newly designed frets have stabilization plates that are f lush with the fret board on each side of the fret. These frets also have and a dovetail base that slides into a specially slotted fret board. The notes are said to be more balanced and achieve 35 percent more sustain than traditional frets. www.jetfretz.com
Schecter’s Hellraiser Solo-6The newest addition to Schecter’ popular Hellrais-er Collection is the Solo-6. Based on an offset solo-cut design, the newest Hellraiser is armed with EMG Active 81tw and 89 humbuckers, which can be split via the Tone controls, mak-ing the Solo-6 as versa-tile as it is eye-catching. Other upscale features include a TonePros locking TOM bridge, abalone binding, GraphTech Tusq nut and Schecter’s newly de-signed locking tuners. A Lefty version is also available.www.schecterguitars.com
Newproducts
MMR_96 96 3/24/09 1:10:31 PM
believe in music5790 Armada Drive • Carlsbad, CA 92008 • 760.438.8001 • www.namm.org
Keep Music Education Strong
Keep music education strong—go to supportmusic.com.
Learning to play music is so much more than memorizing notes and scales.
It helps a child developcreativity and instills self-discipline,commitment and confidence.
Your leadership in the community assures that music is a part of quality education for every child.
SM 0609 SBOMMRƒ indd 1 9/20/06 11:13:50 AM
MMR_97 97 3/23/09 2:35:12 PM
98 MMR APRIL 2009
For Classifi ed Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34
AccessoriesClassifi eds
Classifi ed AdvertisingTo place an ad, please call Maureen
at 800-964-5150 x34or email
Payment by: Visa, MC, Amex or CheckClassifi eds must be paid in advance.
Symphony Publishing21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494
Fax: (781) 453-9389
Personalized Guitar Straps are
embroidered, affordable,
cool and professional looking - making them a long lasting guitar gift for that special guitar player.
A One Of A Kind Guitar Gift for Any Occasion
View and order online at www.guitargifts4u.com
Personalized Guitar StrapPersonalized Guitar Strap
Business Opportunities
Business Opportunities
• Band and Orchestra Rentals• New and Like New Educator-Approved Brand Name Instruments• Personalized Rent-To-Own Program• No Franchise Fee or Inventory Investment• No Shipping Costs• High Commissions Paid the 1st of Every Month• Exceptional Service
MMR_98 98 3/24/09 1:12:00 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 99
Visit the Classifi eds on the Web: www.MMRmagazine.com
Guitar Show OperatorsPromote your show dates and reach
every guitar dealer in the US through the classifi ed pages of MMR.
Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext 34
check www.mmrmagazine.com for daily updates!
CLASSIFIEDS on the MOVE!
Business Opportunities
MUSIC STORE FOR SALEON MAUI
Have you ever dreamed of living in Hawaii?
This could be your chance!Full Line Music Store in Paradise.
All inventory and xtures included.Most major lines are represented.
Established in 1979$1,800,000
For info 808-870-5953
Dealers Wanted
For Salewww.ukes.com
URL and Website For SaleTHIS IS A VERY
POPULARWEBSITE FOR
SELLING UKULELES.Price includes $100,000.
in inventory$950,000
For info 808-870-5953
Piano Tuner retiring Selling my Sanderson
Accu-Tuner III / SN 6449 $650.00
e-mail: [email protected]
MMR_99 99 3/24/09 1:12:06 PM
100 MMR APRIL 2009
Help Wanted Visit the Classifi eds on the Web: www.MMRmagazine.com
ACCORDIONS, CONCERTINAS, & BUTTON BOXES new, used, buy, sell, trade, repair, tune,
CASTIGLIONE DISTRIBUTING CO.13300 E 11 MILE WARREN, MI 48089
PH # 1-586-755-6050 WWW.CASTIGLIONEACCORDIONS.COM
Wristies® fi ngerless glovesWarmth for hands-dexterity for fi ngers! Find out why so manymusicians are wearingthem for practice and performance.
Wholesale, retail and quantity discounts available.
wristies.com 800-811-8290
Merchandise
Merchandise
For Classifi ed Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34 • [email protected]
Retail Piano Manager Menchey Music Service,
one of the country’s leading school music and piano dealers has an immediate opening for a
Piano Manager in our Baltimore MD location. The location is a focused store specializing in school music
rentals and Yamaha acoustic pianos, Clavinova digital pianos, and
Disklavier electronic player pianos. Candidate should have at least 5 years
of piano sales experience. Draw against commission based compensation plus
comprehensive bene ts package including health insur ance, 401k, etc.
Please email resume and earnings history in con dence to
Full time piano salesperson wanted. Position available immediately.
Sell in the nest piano market in the world. Generous commissions, great bene ts.
Submit your resume to:[email protected]
Great OpportunityWill train energetic person
to run a small\music store and give them an option to purchase.
Southern California locale.Contact Joel at (949) 290-2945
MMR_100 100 3/24/09 1:12:12 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 101
Visit the Classifi eds on the Web: www.MMRmagazine.com
HARD SHELL PLASTIC CASESFlute $9.00, Piccolo $6.00
Clarinet $10.00, Oboe $12.00
ELKHART CASES1-800-582-0319
CLASSIFIEDS on the MOVE!check www.mmrmagazine.com for daily updates!
For Classifi ed Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34
Oboes & BassoonsWe create the fi nest hand-crafted Oboes
& Bassoons. Also replacement 5K Bassoon Bocals.
Linton Woodwinds Corporation, Jack Linton
1013 Alma St. Elkhart, IN 46514 U.S.A.PH: 1-866-220-2909 Fax: 574-266-7658
E-Mail: [email protected] www.LintonWoodwinds.com
YAMAHA–KAWAI& MORE
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No other supplier offers superior service before,
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1-800-782-2694North American Music
11 Kay Fries DriveStony Point, NY 10980Fax: (845) 429-6920
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Be smart, advertise your piano related business on the most popular piano web site in the world.
PianoWorld.comHome of the world famous Piano Forums.
Ready to Advertise, or Still Need Convincing?Visit www.PianoWorld.com/advertising ... Today!
Merchandise
MMR_101 101 3/24/09 1:12:18 PM
102 MMR APRIL 2009
Visit the Classifi eds on the Web: www.MMRmagazine.com
www.mmrmagazine.com
For 60 years we have provided musical instrument
repair tools to technicians and musicians around the world. We have a wide selection of pads and other supplies in
addition to our repair tools. Contact us today for a FREE CATALOG.
Repair ToolsBOW REHAIRING
Expert Bow ServiceOrder forms,Pricing and Shipping label at:
www.bowrehairing.com
Violin bows as low as $10.00 per bow in quantity incl. shipping (see website fordetails.) Large inventory of replacement parts both new and vintage.
IRA B. KRAEMER & Co.Wholesale Services Division
“An industry leader since 1967”467 Grant Avenue, Scotch Plains, N.J. 07076
Tel: 908-322-4469 Fax: 908 322-8613 e mail: [email protected]
FAST TURN-AROUND ON STOCK REPAIRS NATIONWIDE
NAPBIRT member, 26 Years Experience
Contact: Dan Rieck, [email protected]
Repair Tools
Reps Wanted
MiscellaneousBAND INSTRUMENT REPAIR VIDEO
Save $$$ on repair expense. Earn extra income. Journeyman repairman offers “How To” videos on the repair of
brass and woodwind instruments. For information write to:
B.I.R.V. Co.880 Slater Rd.
Bellingham, WA. 98226(360) 384-6707
Sales Representatives Wanted!!
Michigan-based Brass, Woodwindand accessories line. Join a
great new organization with an “artist-endorsed” product.
Competitive Commissions with incentive.
Contact: [email protected]
INDEPENDENT SALES REPSSales Reps Wanted
Band & Orchestra InstrumentsMost territories open
A Great Job!AMERICA LONGXING
(718) 706-0828Ask for Paul
check www.mmrmagazine.com for daily updates!
CLASSIFIEDS on the MOVE!
Find Breaking Newsin the Hot Newssection of MMR’s Web site, www.MMRmagazine.com
Seeking EmploymentPianos/Digitals/Organs
I Don’t Sell, You Don’t PayCloser for hire!
20 years experienceOutside promo specialist
[email protected] • 561-379-4718
Services
LOCAL & NATIONWIDE PIANO MOVING • CRATING • STORAGE •
(800) 222-2888(310) 830-3362 (FAX) • http://www.pianomove.com
MMR_102 102 3/24/09 1:12:24 PM
APRIL 2009 MMR 103
Visit the Classifi eds on the Web: www.MMRmagazine.com
Wanted USED TUBASANY CONDITION-CASH PAID
THE TUBA EXCHANGE1825 CHAPEL HILL RD.
DURHAM, NC 277071-800-869-8822
WWW.TUBAEXCHANGE.COM
Wanted To Buy
WE, BUY, SELL, TRADE and ship worldwide.
Written APPRAISALS available.GRUHN GUITARS,
400 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 256-2033fax (615) 255-2021 www.gruhn.com
www.mmrmagazine.com
SHIPPING YOUR PIANOwith Lone Wolf Trucking
is a “grand” idea!An independent, long-distance Mover
specializing in coast-to-coast residential Relocation.
1-800-982-9505www.lonewolftrucking.com
Alamogordo,New Mexico. 88310ICC MC-256289
Services
Store For SaleMusic Store Owner Retiring
High traf c area, very successful.We are a full line music store,
10,000 sq. ft. free standing building,Band instrument rental program
14 lesson rooms with over 400 studentsmajor lines guitars, drums and accessories,
Established 21 years, includestuning business, piano moving with
truck and band and instrument repair dept.Can be subdivided: 4,000 sq. ft. and 6,000 sq. ft.
Call 631 495-3223New York
Vintage Instruments
Please charge my: Mastercard Visa AMEX
Credit Card #: _________________________________________________________ Expires_____/_____
Authorized Signature: _____________________________________________________________________
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Company: _______________________________________________________________________________
Street: ___________________________________________________________________________________
City:_____________________________________________State:__________ Zip Code: _______________
Telephone #:________________________________Fax # _______________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
Classifi ed AdvertisingTo Advertise Call Toll Free 1-800-964-5150 x34Deadline: Fourth Friday of every month
Attention: Classifi ed AdsMMR21 Highland Circle Ste. 1 Needham, MA 02494FAX your ad copy to (781) 453-9389
PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE
MasterCard, Visa, American Express accepted
PLACE YOUR AD BY MAIL OR FAX:
AD RATES$30.00 per inch (1 inch minimum).
$40.00 per inch if one color, logo or graphic added. Add $1.00 per bold face line.
Display classifi ed: $50 per inch.
PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE.
Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site,
Breaking News
www.MMRmagazine.com
MMR_103 103 3/24/09 1:12:30 PM
Adindex
104 MMR APRIL 2009
COMPANY NAME E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS PAGE COMPANY NAME E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS PAGE
AAl Cass 96Allparts 95Amati’s Fine Instruments www.Amatis.us.com 21America Longxing Inc. www.huntermusical.com 89American DJ Supply Inc. www.americandj.com 7American DJ Supply Inc. www.americandj.com 15American Way Marketing LLC [email protected] 93Anderson Silver Plating 88Audix Corp. www.audixusa.com 13
BBG Franck Bichon www.BGFranckBichon.com 9Bourgeois www.pantheonguitars.com 63Breezy Ridge Instruments Ltd. www.jpstrings.com 28Bridgecraft www.xmusicpro.com 54
C/DComposite Acoustics www.compositeacoustics.com 59D’Addario & Co. www.daddario.com 32Dunlop Manufacturing Inc. www.jimdunlop.com 52
E/FEastwood Guitars www.eastwoodguitars.com 51Eleca International www.eleca.com 75Farley’s Essentials www.FarleysEssentials.com 42Ford Drum Company www.forddrums.com 54
GGHS Corp. www.ghsstrings.com 39Godin Guitars www.godinguitars.com 41Godlyke Inc. www.godlyke.com cov 2Good for the Goose Products www.chopsaver.com 95Graph Tech Guitar Labs www.graphtech.com 44Grover www.grotro.com 68Guitar Hanger www.theguitarhanger.com 44
H/JHall Crystal Flutes Inc. www.hallfl utes.com 16Hutchins Guitars of North America www.hutchinsguitarsusa.com 79Jet Fretz www.JetFretz.com 53Jones-Fletcher jonesfl [email protected] 91
K/LKen Smith Basses Ltd. www.kensmithbasses.com 26Kyser Musical Products Inc. www.kysermusical.com 49Levy’s Leathers Ltd. www.levysleathers.com 43Lollar Guitars www.lollarguitars.com 48
M/NMetropolitan Music Co. [email protected] 20
Music Gifts Usa www.musicgiftsofengland.com 80NAMM www.namm.com 22-23 National Educational Music Co. www.nemc.com 85National Music Funding www.nationalmusic.com 89New Sensor Corp. www.newsensor.com 55
PP & D Wholesale www.PDWholesale.net 80Peterson Strobe Tuners www.petersontuners.com 26Petrof USA www.petrof.com 81Pocket Songs www.pocketsongs.com 29Pro-Mark Corp. www.promark.com 83PRS Guitars (Paul Reed Smith) www.prsguitars.com 47PRS Guitars (Paul Reed Smith) www.prsguitars.com 35Prudencio Seaz USA Inc. www.prudenciosaezusa.com 75
Q/RQMP www.qmpsales.com 28Real de los Reyes www.realdelosreyes.com 52Rock House www.rockhousemethod.com 19Roland Corp. U.S. www.rolandUS.com cov 4 Rolls Corporation www.rolls.com 91
SSabian Ltd. www.sabian.com 11Saga Musical Instruments www.sagamusic.com 71Samson Technologies Corp. www.samsontech.com 3Schecter Guitar Research www.schecterguitars.com 45Seymour Duncan Pickups www.seymourduncan.com 63Shane Music Products www.shanemusic.com 38Shubb Co. www.shubb.com 28SKB Corp. www.skbcases.com 33Sonaré Winds www.sonarewinds.com 67String Swing Mfg. Inc. www.stringswing.com 5Super-Sensitive Musical String Co. www.cavanaughcompany.com 27
T/UTKL Products Corp. www.tkl.com 1ToneGear www.theStringCleaner.com 79Tradition Guitar www.traditionguitars.com 34Tregan Guitars www.treganguitars.com 46
W/YWestheimer Corp. www.WestheimerCorp.com 37Wilkins www.wilkinsguitars.com 84Wood Violins (Mark Wood Music Product www.woodviolins.com 74Wyman Piano www.wymanpiano.com 71 Yamaha Corp. of America www.yamaha.com 17
Ad Index April.indd 104 3/25/09 10:29:06 AM
JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK
www.JazzEdNet.org For complete membership information/benefits please visit us at: www.JazzEdNet.org
Who we are: students, teachers, directors, musicians, composers, authors, fans, media, industry...WE are YOU!
lead the transformation of the jazz education culture
TheJazz Education Networkis dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education,
promoting performance, and developing new audiences.
The Jazz Education Network was founded in the spirit of collaboration and excellence.
Our goal is to be a vital resource for a constantly evolving art form that lives globally.
Full IndividualMembership(18 and up) - $50
eJENMembership Levels:
(18 and up) - ($35/25)
Partner Membership Levels:
Festival/Event- $100Institutional - $300 • Corporate - $500
Affiliate - $25 Annual Fee + $10 per person/member
17 and under categories to be launched soon!
Please check the web site for updates.
MMR_COV3 COV3 3/23/09 2:28:49 PM
V-PianoTM technology is based upon Roland’s deep research of the acoustic piano. It offers no sampling, looping, velocity switching or polyphony limitation associated with traditional sampled pianos.
The V-Piano uses Roland’s “Piano Component Object Sound Modeling Synthesis” to reproduce the components of an acoustic piano. Its virtual strings, hammers, f rame, soundboard and case combine to create an exceptional musical instrument.
The V-Piano is the first truly tunable digital piano. Many artists choose apiano based on its “sweet spot.” Now, you can de-tune any area or single note to create your signature sound.
Hammer hardness is completely adjustable. Go from a bright, pop sound to a more mellow sound naturally. Voicing a piano has never been easier.
You can even change the material used for the strings from copper to silver creating a brighter, bell-like tone to cut through the band when you need it.
To learn more about the amazing V-Piano, visit www.RolandUS.com.
TM
MMR_COV4 COV4 3/23/09 2:28:53 PM