Music Trades articles from August 2008

Music Trades archives from August 2008

Stop grousing ... business is cyclical.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... The current round of grousing about slow/declining business--and the incredibly obvious reasons for it--have finally pushed my buttons once too often. Inflation, job losses, etc. do have some effect on the industry, but they're not the primary...

Made in the USA.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... In response to Rudy Abbot's letter in the July Music Trades' regarding the lack of U.S. made products in the music industry, my company is an export rep firm for USA manufacturers. We are proud to say our clients make their products in the...

Choral music vibrant as ever.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... Regarding the your coverage of RPMDA in the June issue, if traditional church choirs are "dying off' as Mark Cabaniss is quoted as saying in his RPMDA session, someone should tell the members of the more than 200,000 church choirs in America....

Quarterly retail sales data.(Market Intelligence)
August 1, 2008... QUARTERLY RETAIL SALES DATA PRODUCT CATEGORY % CHANGE EST. 2007-2008 EST. DOLLAR FROM DOLLAR VOLUME VOLUME FRAM PREVIOUS SAME PERIOD ...

$4 gasoline does not slow the music market.(MARKET INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2008... Consumers are clearly pinched by rising energy and food costs. However, incoming sales data for the quarter ended June 30 reveals that they continue to buy the products they want and need. The chart below is the U.S. Census Bureau's compilation...

U.S. Retail sales outpace forecasts.(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
August 1, 2008... Retail sales in the U.S. rose twice as much as forecast in May as Americans snapped up electronics, clothes and furniture, evidence that they aren't hoarding their tax-rebate checks or using them just to pay for gasoline. Purchases climbed 1%,...

The greatest guitar songs of all time.(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
August 1, 2008... The June issue of Rolling Stone magazine took on the thankless task of ranking the 100 greatest guitar songs of all time. Their criteria: "This is what makes a great rock & roll guitar sound: an irresistible rift; a solo or jam that takes you...

Is eBay culpable for sale of counterfeit goods?(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
August 1, 2008... A French court recently ordered eBay to pay $60.8 million in damages to luxury goods manufacturer LVMH. The court ruled that the online auction site was not taking adequate action to discourage sales of counterfeit products including knock-off...

Guitar hero goes portable.(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
August 1, 2008... Nintendo's new DS portable gaming system will be branded with the Guitar Hero logo and will come bundled with Guitar Hero: On Tour. The handheld unit also comes with a custom-designed Guitar Hero pick-stylus to bring the full experience of the...

There is no such thing as "the economy".(EDITORIAL)
August 1, 2008... Soaring gas prices, continued turmoil in the credit markets, and a slumping stock market have moved the state of the economy to the forefront of just about every conversation in the music industry. Is it hurting business? Is it a non-factor?...

Yamaha promotes young & summer following retirement of Terry Lewis.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RICK YOUNG AND Tom Sumner have each been promoted to senior vice president at Yamaha Corporation of America as part of a corporate realignment following the retirement of executive vice-president Terry Lewis at the...

Best buy music store roll-out nears.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... LEADING CONSUMER electronics retailer Best Buy is apparently in the final stages of a national roll-out of its "music store within a store" venture. The first of these music stores was opened at a Best Buy location in Riverside, California....

Groove tube brand and other assets acquired: Fender.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... FENDER MUSICAL Instruments Corporation has acquired certain assets of Groove Tubes LLC, including the Groove Tubes brand. Groove Tubes founder Aspen Pittman will continue in a consulting role. Groove Tubes was founded in 1979 and is a...

Reunion blues: taps Kaman for distribution.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... REUNION BLUES HAS AGREED to a partnership with Kaman/Musicorp to distribute its high-end gig bags. Kaman's strategically located warehouse and shipping facilities will make Reunion Blues products more accessible to dealers throughout the U.S....

Gonzalez succeeds Harris as president: Music Distributors Association.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... THE MUSIC Distributors Association held its annual convention March 26-29 in Orlando, Florida. The convention was held in conjunction with the National Association of School Music Dealers Convention at Orlando's Shingle Creek Resort. On March...

Caleb Quaye joins artist roster: Brazen Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... BRAZEN GUITARS HAS welcomed Caleb Quaye to its team of artists. Quaye's guitar work is known around the world, by sound if not by name. His is the iconic guitar work on the Troggs' "Wild Thing." He formed the classic British rock band Hookfoot...

CIOMIT to distribute Italy's Drumsound line.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... COLORADO INSTITUTE of Musical Instrument Technology has signed on to distribute Drumsound's product line in North America. "The uniqueness of Drumsound is that the products are totally customizable," said CIOMIT President Daniel Parker, the...

Pianos selected for Beijing Arts Center: Kawai.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... EARLIER THIS YEAR the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing conducted a worldwide search for pianos for its music spaces. When the decisions were made, Kawai and Shigeru Kawai pianos accounted for 17 of the 22 instruments selected....

James Taylor performs on Variax acoustic at NBA finals.(FLASH)
August 1, 2008... JAMES TAYLOR PERFORMED the national anthem on Line 6's Variax Acoustic guitar at the first game of the NBA Finals June 5 in Boston. "More and more artists choose Line 6 for live performances, as they are assured the most consistent sound...

East Coast and Midwest offices open: Chesbro Music.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... CHESBRO MUSIC opened new East Coast and Midwest offices in early 2008, located in southern Florida and St. Louis, Missouri, respectively. Print music veteran Larry Komblum is heading up sales out of the East Coast office. Mark Shadley, a key...

Washburn stars in Wayne's World redux.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... WASHBURN GUITARS MADE an appearance at the June 1 2008 MTV Movie Awards, where Mike Myers used a Washburn electric in the "Wayne's World" skit. He and Dana Carvey reprised their iconic roles as Wayne and Garth for a new episode of the popular...

Hartke Bass cabinets on tour with Stevie Wonder.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ICONIC BASSIST Nate Watts is using Hartke's new HyDrive cabinet cabinets on tour with Stevie Wonder. Watts has spent more than three decades as the foundation of Stevie's rhythm section. For the last 12 years he has...

NAMM conducts 1,000th oral history interview.(FOREFRONT)(Interview)
August 1, 2008... NAMM'S EFFORTS to record the personalities who have shaped the direction of the industry recently passed a significant milestone. With an interview of Roland US president Dennis Houlihan, the association's Oral History Program conducted its...

Direct music supply to distribute Bosphorus cymbals in Canada.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... DIRECT MUSIC SUPPLY has announced that it is now distributing the Bosphorus Cymbals line in Canada. (Bosphorus and Universal Percussion will continue to handle distribution of the line in the U.S.) Bosphorus cymbals are handcrafted in Istanbul...

PNOscan used in telluride festival: QRS.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... PNOSCAN, AN OPTICAL recording device from QRS Music Technologies that provides connectivity to acoustic pianos, was used by musicians playing at the prestigious Telluride Jazz Celebration June 5-8. Artists performing at the festival include the...

Dana B. Goods takes on Kingston series.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... POWER GROUP LTD., in conjunction with Michael Tobias Designs, has appointed Dana B. Goods of Ventura, California, as exclusive distributor for the highly acclaimed Kingston Series of imported instruments. "We have known and respected...

Marketing pact with "Secrets of the Pros": Audio Agent.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... AUDIO AGENT LLC has been appointed U.S. national sales management and NE sales representative for instructional DVD creator Secrets of the Pros, Inc. Founded by musician/engineer Ken Walden in 2004, Secrets of the Pros reveals expert audio...

Yamaha debuts second generation of certified sales professional program.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... YAMAHA CORPORATION of America, Band and Orchestral Division, recently launched Yamaha Certified Sales Professional Program 2.0. A part of Yamaha's Dealer Development Services, YCSP 2.0 builds on the success of Yamaha's popular YCSP 1.0...

Building a shark for Jimmy Buffett: Peavey Electronics.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... FROM COAST TO COAST and in the landlocked oases across America this summer, a "land shark" awaits the revelers tailgating at Jimmy Buffett's "The Year of Still Here" concert tour stops. Musical instrument and sound equipment innovator Peavey...

Drummer night helps teens with cancer: Remo.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... REMO RECENTLY PRESENTED Drummer Night at the London International Music Show. Held to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust, the June 14 concert opened with percussionist Pete Lockett supported by drummers from the Institute of Contemporary Music...

Publicly traded industry firms.(FOREFRONT)
August 1, 2008... PUBLICLY TRADED INDUSTRY FIRMS PRICE AS OF P/E JULY 8, 2008 RATIO Apple Computer Inc. $179.33 36.97 Avid...

West music parking lot jam spurs sales.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WEST MUSIC HOSTED the fourth annual "Parking Lot Jam" June 21 outside its Moline, Illinois, store. More than 30 bands featuring local music students performed their favorite songs from a variety of genres as diverse...

Piano house featured in the New York times: Altenburg Piano.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
August 1, 2008... THE JUNE 1 EDITION of The New York Times featured a profile on Elizabeth, New Jersey-based Altenburg Piano House, the only known piano maker in the U.S. still operated by a direct descendent of its founder. Founded by Frederick Ernst Altenburg...

Award recognizes cultural institution: Mandolin Brothers.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
August 1, 2008... MANDOLIN BROTHERS of West Brighton, Staten Island, New York, has received a "Place Matters" award from City Lore and the Municipal Art Society of New York City. Sponsored in part by the American Express Historic Preservation Fund, the award...

Middle C music fends off best buy.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
August 1, 2008... NO ONE WILL ACCUSE Myma Sislen of being a shrinking violet. When the owner of Middle C Music, a small independent retailer in the Tenleytown section of Washington D.C., heard that consumer electronics giant Best Buy planned to open a "music...

Kephart's music center joins anthem group: Anthem Music Group.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
August 1, 2008... KEPHART'S MUSIC CENTER, the newest member of the Anthem Music Group, debuted its Anthem product line at the Iowa Bandmasters show in May. Rusty, Wendy, Jim, and Erick Kephart and their staff prominently displayed the entire line of Anthem...

Store events spur customer participation: how special events, ranging from in-store concerts to "VIP" nights, can build store traffic and blunt internet competition without busting your promotional budget.(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
August 1, 2008... One of the easiest ways to compete with the internet and to keep your advertising costs in line is to bring people into your store regularly by hosting participatory activities. The more events you host during the week, the better. More and...

Resilient retailers continue to adapt to a changing world: embracing online commerce, refocusing product offerings, and redefining stores, the Top 200 is a study in evolution. The only constant is diversity--the nation "s increasingly varied musical tastes can't be addressed by any single retail formula.(The Top 200)(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... Retailers across me the board from the smallest to the largest, described 2007 as a challenging year, citing consumer uncertainty, slumping housing prices, high gas prices, and withering competition as serious assaults on their profitability....

Divergent approaches to personnel: personal service based on the Nordstrom model, or an impersonal, online approach to sales ? Which way to go? Productivity variances reflect an industry where retailers are heading in opposite directions.(The Top 200: RANKED BY EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY)
August 1, 2008... Discussions of productivity typically conjure up images of factory automation or enormous mainframe computers. In reality, however, retail has experienced some of the most dramatic productivity gains of any industry. The combination of...

Online sales growth curbs store openings: rather than adding locations, retailers are looking to online strategies to add sales volume and boost productivity. Still searching for the optimal balance between "bricks" and "clicks".(THE TOP 200: RANKED BY LOCATION PRODUCTIVITY)
August 1, 2008... A retail music store is guaranteed a certain level of business based simply on its location. Unfortunately, thanks to the internet, that guaranteed level of business has declined steadily over the past decade. When consumers can readily access...

Ranked by location productivity.(The Top 200)
August 1, 2008... The growth of direct merchants has eliminated some storefronts. Equally significantly, it has reshaped the concept of a store. A decade ago, retailers outdid each other with huge stores, attempting to create the prized "wow" factor. The...

Star performers! Here's an illustrious group of retailers who managed to post outstanding results despite the well-publicized problems of high gas prices, a slumping housing market, and consumer uncertainty. Each one has a different story to tell, but all demonstrate that aggressive promotion, attention to detail, and customer service still work, even in the toughest economic climate.(THE TOP 200)(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... Better Location, Constant Promotion Pay Big Dividends For Piano Gallery +52% [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION." If ever this familiar prescription for business success was true, it certainly is for Piano...

How Jim's music enlisted sales reps to drive sales growth.(The Top 200)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOMETIMES, WITH A little prodding, the Golden Rule shines back on those who live by it. Since 1971 Jim's Music Center President Rob Joly had strived to provide excellent service to his customers. But until fairly...

Where to find them: a directory of the country's largest music products retailers.(The Top 200: DIRECTORY)(Directory)
August 1, 2008... ACE MUSIC SUPERSTORE Dayton, OH 45420 CEO: Caroline Brandenburg www.acemusicsuperstore.com Tel: 937-253-4393 ALAMO MUSIC CENTER San Antonio, TX 78205 CEO: Alfredo Flores, Jr. www.alamomusic.com ...

Nashville revives summer NAMM: packed aisles and smiling exhibitors made the return to Nashville a happy homecoming. Billed as a "Celebration of the Community Retailer," the show drew retailers with a renewed competitive drive.(NAMM IN NASHVILLE)
August 1, 2008... Although "Location, location, location," is the oft-quoted mantra of the real estate business, it apparently holds considerable relevance for trade shows as well. After three years of struggling in the wilderness of Indianapolis and Austin,...

A renaissance for local retailers?(NAMM IN NASHVILLE)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] "CELEBRATING THE LOCAL Community Music Store," the official theme of the 2008 Summer NAMM show, provided a fertile framework for NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond's State of the Industry Address. The first of three...

Independent retailers band together through IMRA/MSO: new organization initiates vendor survey to foster more cooperation.(NAMM IN NASHVILLE)
August 1, 2008... A COALITION OF the Independent Music Retailers Association (IMRA) and MusicStoreOwners.com (MSO) held executive board and dealer meetings during the 2008 Summer NAMM show. Board representatives provided an overview of the organization's mission...

Gretsch Celebrates 125th Year.(NAMN IN NASHVILLE)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nashville's stunning Country Music Museum was the sit of a gala party, celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Gretsch Company. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hosts Fred & Dinah Gretsch with Paul Damiano, sr. v.p.,...

Industry veteran Stamper to head KHS America.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
August 1, 2008... TABOR STAMPER HAS been named president of KHS America. He will oversee the U.S. operations of Jupiter Band Instruments, Mapex Drums, Majestic Timpani and Mallet Instruments, Ross Mallet Instruments, and Alms Professional Flutes. Stamper is...

Sasser new C.F. Martin sales director.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
August 1, 2008... C.F. MARTIN & CO. has named Scott Sasser director of U.S. sales. With more than 12 years experience in the sales field, Sasser takes on the responsibility for overseeing C. F. Martin's network of district sales managers and inside sales...

MacArthur takes on artist relations job: The Cavanaugh Company.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2008... THE CAVANAUGH COMPANY has named Mike MacArthur to the position of sales manager and Bari artist relations manager. MacArthur will be responsible for sales in all three divisions of the Cavanaugh Company: Super-Sensitive Musical Strings,...

Diana Cecchini new v.p. finance: Korg USA.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2008... DIANA CECCHINI IS THE NEWLY appointed vice-president of finance at Korg USA. She has been with Korg USA for the past 18 years, most recently as senior director of finance. In her new role, she will be responsible for directing all financial...

TAP Marketing honored by Hastings.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2008... TAP MARKETING, headed by industry veteran Jerry Taplin, has been named "Rep of the Year" by Hasting Entertainment, a leading retailer that combines the sale of new and used books, CDs, DVDs, videos and video games with the rental of DVDs and...

David Jones to manage inside sales: Musicorp.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2008... DAVID JONES HAS BEEN named inside sales manager for Musicorp. With more than 30 years of progressive sales and customer service experience, Jones has an extensive background and broad range of knowledge in management coaching, training and...

Tony Rodrigues to lead marketing division: Stanton Group.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2008... THE STANTON GROUP, a leading audio equipment company operating Stanton Magnetics, Cerwin Vega!, and KRK Systems, has promoted Tony Rodrigues to vice president of marketing. Rodriguez is currently responsible for new product development as The...

Larry Kornblum to lead east coast office: Chesbro Music Co.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2008... AFTER 20 YEARS as director of sales at Warner Bros. Music and a stint as partner of World Music 4 All, Larry Kornblum joined Chesbro Music Co. to head up the company's new East Coast office in early 2008. Located in south Florida, the office...

Roland adds keyboards for home & stage.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ROLAND CORPORATION has introduced the RG-1 Digital Mini-Grand Piano and Juno-Stage Performance Synthesizer. This latest addition to Roland's exceptional line of digital pianos, the RG-1, offers high-end piano...

Wittner redesings classic tailpeice.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... DESIGNED ESPECIALLY for Wittner tailpieces, Wittner tailpiece wire offers several significant design advantages. First, it fits very snugly to an orchestral string instrument's end button and saddle. Furthermore, it does not stretch and it is...

"Snake" guitar winding and maintenance tool: Robokey.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THE SNAKE FAST GUITAR Winder & Maintenance Tool from RoboKey USA will be delivered to dealers in August. The Snake is a 3 oz., palm-sized tool that increases the turning speed of guitar keys three times for each single rotation, allowing for...

Bass Bar Series Alumitone Pickups: Lace Music Products.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THE BASS BAR SERIES of Alumitone pickups from Lace Music Products was unveiled at the summer NAMM show. The new Alumitone Bass Bars were designed by Jeff Lace to replace conventional-size soap bar pickups on bass guitars. Bass Bars come in...

New P. Mauriat alto and tenor saxes: Monteverde Music.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... AFTER MAKING an impact at the winter NAMM show, the new PMXA-67R UL alto saxophone and the PMXT66R UL tenor saxophone are now available from all P. Mauriat dealers. P. Mauriat is distributed in North America by MonteVerde Music. These...

Commemorative Guitars Mark Satriani's 20th year with Ibanez.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... JOE SATRIANI actually celebrated two 20th anniversaries this year: the 20th anniversary of his groundbreaking Surfing with the Alien album and his 20th year with ]banez Guitars. Ibanez responded by offering two Joe Satriani 20th Anniversary...

Audix USB plug-and-play mic introduced.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... AUDIX CORPORATION'S new USB12 microphone, designed especially for music, podcasting, live chat, meetings, dictation, and archiving, provides studio-quality sound right at the user's desktop without any software. A stylish low-profile desktop...

ChopSaver "Gold" includes sunscreen.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... CHOPSAVER, the all-natural lip balm created with the special needs of musicians in mind, is now available in new ChopSaver Gold with SPF 15 sunscreen. ChopSaver Gold comes packaged in bright orange with the familiar green hues of ChopSaver...

Yamaha expands stagepas portable p.a. line.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... YAMAHA'S VERSATILE STAGEPAS series of portable yet powerful p.a. systems has been expanded with two new models. Like the highly praised Stagepas 500 and Stagepas 300, the new Stagepas 250M and Stagepas 150M models offer big, clear sound in a...

Baerenreiter "Sassmannshaus" in English.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THE SASSMANNSHAUS TRADITION, a renowned violin method for children four years and older, is now available in English. For more than three decades The Sassmannshaus Tradition has been one of the leading violin methods for children in...

Get'm Get'm Wear Casanova strap line. (NEW PRODUCTS.
August 1, 2008... THE NEW CASANOVA line of guitar straps from Get'm Get'm Wear consists of five straps in luxurious velvet with a classic floral design. Available in beige, bordeaux, brown, purple, and teal, the Casanova line offers a sleek, sexy look for rock,...

Wyman piano intros new vertical pianoforte.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... WYMAN PIANO COMPANY introduced a upright piano at the 2008 Summer NAMM Convention in Nashville. The new 52" Wyman Pianoforte Vertical Model WV 132 is finished in Classic Ebony with a tasteful new music desk design. The beautiful contemporary...

New products feature innovative use of led: Irradiant.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... IRRADIANT INC., a division of NeoNeon Holdings LTD is opening new markets for solid state lighting (SSL) with its new SSLE (solid state light engine) based image and gobo projection products. Neo-Neon's innovative new products utilize LED...

Watertight case for small electronics: SKB.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... SKB IS NOW SHIPPING the 31-0907-6BDD, the latest model added to its extensive line of injection-molded watertight cases. This model offers a new interior configuration with a double layer of adjustable padded dividers, making it the perfect...

Washburn and parker use timeless timber guitars.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Timeless Timber Series of Washburn and Parker guitars. The series, which includes the Parker Nitefly Mojo Timeless, will be made from virgin wood that has been recovered from the Great Lakes region. The origin of these guitars has a unique...

M12 stage monitor sports updated design: Community Professional.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... ALREADY PRIZED for its exceptional performance and low-profile exterior, Community Professional's M12 stage monitor has been redesigned with rubber pocket grip handles for effortless portability and a larger, easier-to-access connector base....

Serious Jazz Book II: The Harmonic Approach: Sher Music Company.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... SHER MUSIC COMPANY has published The Serious Jazz Book II: The Harmonic Approach by guitar legend Barry Finnerty. Starting where his Serious Jazz Practice Book left off, Finnerty, who recorded with Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers, etc., shows...

Levy's Giggin for God and Mirror straps.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... LEVY'S LEATHERS has expanded its Christian-themed guitar straps with Giggin for God and G4G embroidered designs. Models MC8G4G02 and MC8G4G01 are made of 2" cotton, models M8P3G4G02 and M8P3G4G 01 are made of 3" polypropylene, and models...

New percussion packs, slatwall displays: Rhythm Tech.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THE BESTSELLING Rhythm Tech Drum Kit Pack (DKP) has received a much-needed face lift. New packaging displays the classic drummer's combination of Rhythm Tech DST drumset-mountable tambourine, DSM2 universal mount, and Studio Series cowbell. The...

Rick rock guitar pick made for custom style: Zoogee World.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THE RICK ROCK Guitar Pick, introduced by Zoogee World, Inc., as a "new generation of guitar pick," features a photo-quality custom print captured inside a transparent three-dimensional dome. The Rick Rock Guitar Pick is produced with a special...

Four-channel wireless P.A. system: Vocopro.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... VOCOPRO'S NEW PA Man offers professional features and practical usability. The four-channel wireless UHF microphone system is built around field-replaceable modules that allow for easy removal and adjustment. A removable media and disc player...

Guitar straps follow up case line: Mono Case.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL launch of its Hybrid case series for guitar, bass, and percussion instruments, MONO is hitting the stage with a new line of next-generation guitar straps. These straps feature minimalist design, eye-catching materials,...

Expanded musician's lip butter line: Liemar Technologies.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... LIEMAR TECHNOLOGIES LLC has just repackaged and expanded its all-natural lip care line with bright, eye-catching colors in four separate natural flavors. A dealer's first stocking order comes with an attractive POP display that is sure to catch...

Retailers can compare & save with access "profit center".(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... ACCESS BAGS AND CASES showcased its new Profit Center promotion to independent music products dealers at the recent Summer NAMM show with considerable success. "We're facing the most challenging economic conditions in decades," explained...

Three models added to J Reynolds line: Musicorp.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THREE NEW GUITARS in Musicorp's J Reynolds line offer new styles and finishes, premium sound, and powerful tone in models that are priced to sell. The JR65 is a dreadnought acoustic guitar with spruce top, agathis back and sides, rosewood...

New SoloAmp wins best in show at NAMM: Fishman.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... THE NEW SOLOAMP Performance system, Fishman's first product introduced into the portable P.A. marketplace, won a NAMM University "Best In Show" award at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville. To determine the winners, six industry experts shopped...

Aileen music high-value student violin kit.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... NEW FROM AILEEN MUSIC is the VM120 student violin. The standard VM120 features hand-selected boxwood peg, chin rest, and tail piece, giving each instrument a unique identity and excellent sound quality. An upgrade model is available with ebony...

10" blackbird added to Jensen jet series: CE Distribution.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... AS THE LATEST addition to the Jensen Jet series, the 10" version of the Blackbird from Jensen Musical Instrument Speakers offers a warm, smooth tone with a rich, fat low end and sparkling highs. The 12" Blackbird was introduced last year as...