Music Trades articles from February 2004

Music Trades archives from February 2004

Does the industry set prices too low?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... In our December editorial, "Lacking The Confidence To Price Fairly?" we suggested that the music products industry was slashing prices before any customer objections were raised. Obviously, our commentary struck a nerve with suppliers and...

Who will be at NAMM?(NAMM 2004 Preview)
February 1, 2004... Official NAMM Exibitor List 4DB 1167 A & D Gitarrentechnologie 1564 A & S Case Co., Inc. ...

Roland to Host Worship Arts Technology Summit at NAMM.(Late Breaking NAMM News)
February 1, 2004... ROLAND WILL HOST THE first Worship Arts Technology Summit at 10:15 A.M., Sunday, January 18, at the NAMM show. The event will be held in the Roland New Product Theatre, Booth 2600, Hall D. Dealers, church musicians, and worship music...

Honoring Jaco Pastorius.(Late Breaking NAMM News)
February 1, 2004... THE JANUARY NAMM show will play host to the 2004 International Bassist Award. Sponsored by Samson. Hartke, and Zoom the first-ever award will be given posthumously to the legendary Jaco Pastorius. Accepting the award will be Mary Pastorius....

Culbertson performs on Mason & Hamlin.(Late Breaking NAMM News)
February 1, 2004... BRIAN CULBERTSON, the award-wining smooth jazz pianist and keyboardist, is now a Mason & Hamlin artist. The multi-platinum Warner Bros. recording artist and "Smooth Jazz Keyboardist of the Year" has signed an exclusive endorsement agreement...

Ebay sponsored auction ads music charity.(Late Breaking NAMM News)
February 1, 2004... EBAY HAS JOINED forces with a host of top musical instrument manufacturers to create the 2004 Winter NAMM Show Charity Auction celebrating the launch of the Music for All Foundation. The charity auction will be held online January 15 through...

Alfred offers "crazy" deals on staple items and free DVD players.(Late Breaking NAMM News)
February 1, 2004... DEALERS CAN STOCK stock up on music store staples at the Alfred Publishing booth at the NAMM show: manuscript paper, flash cards, chord and scale books for guitar and keyboard, music dictionaries, songwriter rhyming dictionaries, Sonata albums....

2004 will be the best year economically in last 20 years.(Industry Briefing)
February 1, 2004... Revising its year-end economic forecast sharply upward, The Conference Board projected that real GDP growth will hit 5.7 percent next year, making 2004 the best year economically in the last 20 years. The forecast, by Conference Board Chief...

Climate is why Stradivarius violins sound great.(Industry Briefing)
February 1, 2004... For centuries experts have debated whether special varnishes or wood treatments were the secret to the Stradivarius violin's rich resonance. Now a tree-ring dating expert at the University of Tennessee and a climatologist at Columbia University...

Cornell scientists have created world's smallest guitar.(Industry Briefing)
February 1, 2004... Utilizing advanced nanoelectromechanical or NEMS technology, Cornell scientists have created a guitar that is about the size of a red blood cell. That's about 12 micrometers long. For the curious, a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter--the...

Rappers dominate Grammy Awards.(Industry Briefing)
February 1, 2004... Rap and R&B dominated the charts this year, and Grammy voters took note, nominating Beyonce, Jay-Z, OutKast and Pharrell Williams for a leading six Grammy nominations each. Missy Elliott, Eminem, Evanescence, 50 Cent, Chad Hugo, Ricky Skaggs,...

The industry's higher purpose.(Editorial)
February 1, 2004... Flipping through magazines at a recent publisher's conference, I was struck by the fact that the challenges currently facing the music products industry are hardly unique. We're concerned about the impact of low-cost imported products from...

Danny Rocks: vice-president of sales, Alfred Publishing Company.(Career Path)
February 1, 2004... When Danny Rocks turned eight and was big enough to shoulder an accordion, his father promptly enrolled him in one of Philadelphia's neighborhood accordion studios. While Danny's father sincerely hoped to enrich his son's education with a...

QRS launches NetPiano online service: customers can now download music 24/7 from the comfort of their home.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... PIANOMATION CUSTOMERS can now obtain any song they wish from the QRS music software library at any time without having to leave their homes. Pianomation dealers can obtain a major source of new profits without having to add a single product to...

Crate announces 25th anniversary promo winners.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... CRATE HAS ANNOUNCED the 25 lucky winners of its 25th Anniversary "What Were We Thinking?" promotion. The promotion was developed to celebrate Crate's anniversary and help attract consumers to Crate retail outlets. More than 900 Crate fans...

Guitarist Dave Navarro new Marshall artist.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... GUITARIST DAVE NAVARRO has joined the Marshall Amplification family of artists. Navarro has earned the attention and admiration of fellow musicians and fans worldwide through his inspired playing with such alternative heavies as Jane's...

Ernie Eudy forms new cable company.(News Flash)
February 1, 2004... ERNIE EUDY, FOUNDER and former President of Horizon Music, is launching a new cable company. The new company will be a division of CGM Music, Inc. The cables with be hand built in the U.S.A. The company will be offering a line of cables of...

Fox News profiles PRS Guitars.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... A FOX NEWS TEAM from the Washington, D.C., headquarters office visited the Paul Reed Smith Guitars factory in Stevensville, Maryland, in November to film a feature piece on the company itself and on the instruments that have earned PRS an...

Three Yamaha products that reshaped the industry mark 20th anniversary: the DX-7 ushered in digital synthesis to a large market, the Clavinova created the digital home piano market, and the CFIII Concert Grand proved that a Japanese piano maker could satisfy the most discriminating artists.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... ONE OF THEM IS VENERATED as "retro." Two of them are market-leading mainstays with no end in sight. All three are legends. Yamaha Corporation of America is celebrating 20 years of the Clavinova Digital Piano, the CFIII Concert Collection Grand...

Incubus on tour with Tacoma bass.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... BEN KENNEY, THE new bass player for the band Incubus, is touring with a Tacoma CB10C Thunderchief acoustic bass, which he uses for the group's acoustic sets and for writing new material. Incubus has remained an ever-changing and developing...

Sabian hosts five-star dealers.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... SABIAN RECENTLY HOSTED members of the Five-Star Dealers group at its headquarters in Meductic, New Brunswick. The Five-Star Dealers, who are all from drum and percussion shops, were treated to a full day at the factory with an in-depth factory...

Peavey addresses church market with new sanctuary series line.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... PEAVEY ELECTRONICS Corporation has introduced its new Sanctuary Series, a line of all-new audio products and collateral materials specifically tailored for houses of worship. With Sanctuary Series Peavey brings together its extensive audio...

Steinway at Cleveland competition.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... THE 2003 CLEVELAND International Piano Competition, held in August with Steinway as the official piano, was won by Kotaro Fukuma. The final round took place at Severance Hall with the renowned Cleveland Orchestra under the direction of Jahja...

Ogsbury develops OME Bluegrass Banjos.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... OME BANJOS OF Boulder, Colorado, recently introduced its new line of five-string Bluegrass instruments. The new models are largely the result of efforts by OME's founder and owner, Charles Ogsbury, who has followed his passion for over four...

A humid recital.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... [This review by Kenneth Langbell originally appeared in the English-language Bangkok Post in 1964.] The recital last evening in the chamber music room of the Erawan Hotel by U.S. pianist Myron Kropp (the first appearance of Mr. Kropp in...

EMD Music: 40 years of excellence: pan-European firm charts a bright future in the U.S.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... LEONARDO BALDOCCI CAN look back on 2003 as a landmark anniversary year--twice. He and his wife, Elena, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and the company he founded, EMD Music Group, celebrated its 40th anniversary. Recently ranked...

Air Force Musuem powered by JBL.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... WASHINGTON PROFESSIONAL Systems in Wheaton, Maryland, recently completed a major new sound reinforcement system installation using JBL VerTec speaker systems for the United States Air Force Museum located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in...

MIAC returns to Toronto's International Centre.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... MIAC, CANADA'S largest music, pro audio, and lighting products trade show, will return to the Toronto International Centre August 22-23, 2004, for its 33rd annual show. "We are extremely pleased that the MIAC show will be returning to...

Beyonce's Shaun Carrington chooses Ashdown.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... SHAUN CARRINGTON, guitarist for Beyonce, has chosen Ashdown's new Peacemaker amplifier. Ashdown Engineering, the British amp manufacturer, will be arriving at the NAMM show with a new version of the Peacemaker 100 hand-wired tube guitar head....

LP at stars Monterey Jazz Fest.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... THE MONTEREY JAZZ Festival recently celebrated its 46th season, and LP percussion instruments were in attendance and working hard during the three-day event. From the moment Michel Camilo opened on the main stage, LP instruments were front and...

Craviotto starts own Drum Company.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... WORLD-FAMOUS DRUM builder Johnny Craviotto has launched the Craviotto Drum Company. During the past two decades Craviotto has become respected around the world for his exclusive, handcrafted, one-piece drumshells. "Over the past 20 years, even...

Vater improves Private Label.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... VATER PERCUSSION has re-worked and improved the renowned Private Label program that it has been running for over 25 years. The program offers a full line of drumsticks, timpani mallets, timbale sticks, and retractable brushes. All sticks and...

Australian Music Assoc. announces officers.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC Association (AMA) has announced its new officers and Executive Committee members for 2004. Brendan Callinan of Roland Corporation of Australia is president. Graham Hoskins of Concept Music in Pert is...

Mason & Hamlin celebrates 150th anniversary.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... THE MASON & HAMLIN piano company will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2004. The year-long celebration will kick off at NAMM with the debut of a new grand piano model (AA) and the announcement of an exclusive endorsement agreement...

Voggenreiter celebrates 85th anniversary.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... VOGGENREITER PUBLISHERS is one of the leading publishers of rock, pop, folk, and children's tutorials, reference books, sheet music, songbooks, method books, and multimedia products in Germany. In 2004 it is celebrating its 85th anniversary....

New division for Worldmax.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... WORLDMAX INTERNATIONAL has divided its product line into two parts liar U.S./Canadian distribution. Worldmax.US has been formed to distribute Worldmax drums, stands, and pedals forel its Houston, Texas, facility. Mike Henry, a professional...

1,100+ exhibitors to attend next Frankfurt Musikmesse.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... AS OF LATE NOVEMBER over 1,100 exhibitors had signed up for the next Frankfurt Musikmesse to be held March 31-April 3, 2004. Fair officials said that the 1,100 figure is about 80 percent of the expected exhibitor total. The largest group of...

Fishman pickups expands.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... DUE TO CONTINUED business growth, Fishman Transducers, Inc., a leading manufacturer of acoustic amplification products, has once again expanded the size of its headquarters in Wilmington, Massachusetts. Jason Cambra, general manager of Fishman...

AXL unveils Palatino piano: keyboard veteran Dennis Augustine will head division selling quality Chinese-made instruments.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... AXL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS is now offering Palatino brand pianos as the latest edition from its already extensive list of musical instruments from China. The current line of Palatino pianos includes three uprights--a 43-1/2" console; a...

MBT acquires M&A sales.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... MBT INTERNATIONAL HAS acquired M&A Sales of Rockville, Maryland, which for nearly 20 years has been one of the nation's largest single-location distributors of musical instruments and accessories. MBT announced the acquisition on December 15....

Odyssey designs wins patent suit.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... ODYSSEY INNOVATIVE Designs, a leader in the disk jockey equipment and accessories industry, has prevailed in a patent infringement lawsuit against Toptone Manufacturing, Inc. The United States District Court for the Central District of...

NHF expands western distribution network.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... NATIONAL WHOLESALER NHF Musical Merchandise Inc., exclusive distributor of ARIA Guitars in the United States, has announced they will be expanding their distribution network with a renewed focus on the Western half of the United States. ...

Ernie ball signs "Story of the Year".(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... After an incredible performance on the Ernie Ball Warped Tour Stage this past summer that shook fans to the core, the group Story of the Year has signed an Ernie Ball endorsement deal for strings. "They were off-the-hook," said Brian...

Legendary U.K. Carlsbro amps now available from the music link!(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... LEGENDARY British-made Carlsbro amplifiers are now available in the U.S. from The Music Link. A premiere British amplifier manufacturer since 1959, Carlsbro is known for building amps that are loaded with unique looks, features, and tons of...

Jones double reed launches new website.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... JONES DOUBLE REED Products launched its new e-commerce-enabled website on November 1. The site--www.ionesdoublereed.com--features many enhancements for retail customers. Visitors will find a fully functional shopping cart, enhanced product...

National piano finance and leasing secures $50 million financing.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... NATIONAL PIANO FINANCE and Leasing Company has entered into a Strategic Relationship with Cornerstone Consumer Financial Services Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cornerstone Capital Partners Corporation, a Cornerstone International...

Tradewinds changes name.(Industry Forefront)
February 1, 2004... RPM SOLUTIONS, INC., has announced a the new name for its music industry management technology solution. Originally named TradeWinds Music Retail POS, it is now known as TradeWinds Music Retail Enterprise (TradeWinds Enterprise), which better...

Pianoquest explores retailing pianos on eBay site.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... CAN YOU SELL a piano online? With guitars, keyboards wind instruments, and most musical electronics, the question has already been answered in the affirmative. Pianos, however, by virtue of their sheer bulk, have presented a different...

Sam Ash passes one-million-sq.-ft. milestone.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... SAM ASH MUSIC will soon have one million square feet nationwide to display its wide range of music products. The milestone will be reached early in 2004 when it opens its store in Raleigh, North Carolina. 2003 was an unexpectedly busy year...

Five star retailers develop proprietary line.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... THE FIVE STAR NETWORK of the leading specialty percussion shops has been aggressively working with manufacturers to create proprietary products and value-added promotions. Among the recently announced "Five-Star Specials" being offered by...

West L.A. music benefits tilden's children.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... WEST L.A. MUSIC has donated four autographed Fender guitars to Los Angeles radio station KZLA. The guitars will be auctioned off during KZLA's Christmas show, with all proceeds going to Tilden's Children. Named after radio DJ Peter Tilden, this...

Keyboard concepts celebrates 20th year.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... KEYBOARD CONCEPTS, the leading Los Angeles-based piano retailer, marked its 20th anniversary at the Mandalay Beach Resort Hotel with a gala celebration jointly sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America. Keyboard Concepts executives--Dennis...

Church Organ Gallery has major install.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... CHURCH ORGAN GALLERY of Piano, Texas, installed a three-manual Rodgers Trillium organ in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Keller, Texas. Frederick Swann, president of the American Guild of Organists, dedicated the organ on October 23. The...

Geneva training session at Frank & Camille's.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... FRANK & CAMILLE'S Keyboard Center, Long Island, New York, recently hosted the sales and marketing staff of Geneva International for a one-on-one product training session for Petrof and Nordiska pianos. Frank and Camille's is Geneva's exclusive...

Daddy's Boston gets a facelift.(Retailer Update)
February 1, 2004... DADDY'S JUNKY MUSIC'S Boston, Massachusetts, location recently underwent a complete renovation. The 12,000-square-foot flagship store conducted business as usual during the three-month renovation. "The last time we renovated Daddy's Boston...

Band instruments and wrist watches: as band instrument retailers confront a flood of cheap Chinese imports, not to mention Wal-Mart, they should take some comfort from the watch business. Rolex and Cartier copies abound, yet a lot of people still want the real thing!(Bob Popyk On Selling)
February 1, 2004... I read most of the trade publications written for the music industry. In the past few months every magazine has talked about the new plight band instrument dealers are facing. They now have to compete with big discount stores such as Costco,...

With a priority on making profits for all his partners, Stephen Wang's Phonic has emerged as a growing force in the audio market. But he's just getting started.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... Now completing its 25th year, Taiwan-based Phonic Corporation has passed through a series of distinct evolutionary phases: small OEM supplier building simple DJ mixers: thriving contract manufacturer producing audio products for customers like...

New company with legendary brands, The Music Group combines the instrument making guild traditions of Europe with innovative marketing ad manufacturing methods in pursuit of global markets.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... At the Buffet clarinet factory in Mantes, France, banks of bran--new computer-controlled milling equipment turn out nickel silver keys to exacting tolerances: well-calibrated boring equipment transforms blocks of African empingo wood into body...

Is recreational music making the next big thing? A decade ago, Karl Bruhn suggested that a scientifically proven link between music and the brain could create new opportunities for the music industry. Now he suggests that redefining the concept of music from "performance" to "life enhancing" could be even more significant.(New Concepts)
February 1, 2004... What is recreational music making? Given that the vast majority of the industry's customer's are hobbyists, some might conclude that it encompasses everyone who buys an instrument for personal enjoyment rather than pay. However, words can have...

Samick's turnaround: how J.S. Kim steered Samick out of bankruptcy, purchased C. Bechstein Piano of Germany, and made the company one of the world's few profitable piano makers.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... Samick CEO Jon Sup Kim has a ready smile and self-deprecating manner. He is more comfortable asking questions than discussing his own accomplishments. When pressed, he qualifies his observations by noting that he has little experience in the...

Private sales cant boost your top line: with armory sales, college events, and anniversary promos losing their pull direct response consultant Susan Weitzer offers a blueprint for running a successful private sale at your store.(Marketing Concepts)
February 1, 2004... When it comes to creative sales events, the music industry literally wrote the book. In 1787 John Jacob Astor set the tone for piano retailing with an ad offering "Unusually Advantageous Prices" on a dozen or so pianos that were "slightly water...

Osiecki Bros. celebrates 70 years: over three generations and seven decades, the Osiecki family has risen to the challenges of an evolving market.(Retailer Profile)
February 1, 2004... Almost every music retailer is feeling the profit pinch these days. Some are struggling with bigger competitors, or internet sales, or mass-market stores. Osiecki Bros. Music Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, is confronting the same hurdles, but...

How creative leasing programs can build school music: BGE executives explain how smart retailers utilize lease programs to overcome budget problems and let schools programs acquire the instruments they need.(New Marketing Techniques)
February 1, 2004... When the term "lease" is used in the music products industry, often it evokes thoughts of ten- and eleven-year-olds starting band or orchestra. It may conjure up memories of obtaining buildings or vehicles for the company. It might even offer...

The 1,000,000th Martin Guitar: one family's 170-year tradition of guitar making is distilled into a single commemorative instrument--arguably the most elaborate guitar ever built. Sorry, it's not for sale.(Martin's 1,000,000th)
February 1, 2004... In the closing days of 2003, the Martin Guitar Company passed another significant milestone in its long and storied history: the one millionth guitar came of the production line at its Nazareth, Pennsylvania factory. While all Martin guitars...

FBT raises its flag in the U.S.A.: a veteran producer of "non-disposable" audio gear for pros has established a U.S. division and headquarters, promising strong earning potential to its dealers.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... Italian pro-audio manufacturer FBT has been producing high-quality gear for more than four decades. Especially among contractors but increasingly at m.i. dealers as well, its reputation has grown worldwide. The line was introduced to the U.S....

Aggressive capital investment program hones competitive edge at Weril.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... No grass has grown under the feet of Weril Musical Instruments since The Music Trades presented a major feature on the company two years ago. In that short time Brazil's leading brass and woodwind manufacturer completed a significant expansion...

Whirlwind's revolutionary "E Snake" digital snake: Whirlwind ushers in a new era in audio technology with a viable replacement for heavy paired cables. Sound technicians' back problems may be a thing of the past.(New Technology)
February 1, 2004... Everyone who has been hauling around heavy multi-pair snakes understands the phrase, "Why does sound gear seem to gain weight during the show?" For several years now Whirlwind has been researching ways to alleviate back strain among sound...

Hering's world-class harmonicas: after 80 years of focusing on the harmonica, Brazilian-based Hering diversifies, adding guitar production.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... As with most long-lived companies in the music-industry, Hering Harmonicas' evolution has been dynamic and anything but linear. The firm's rise, decline, and rise again traces changes in ownership, focus, and mission. During the past decade...

The man who reinvented the tremolo now turns his attention to the electric guitar. Get ready for the Floyd Rose guitar.(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... Does the very mention of "another electric guitar" trigger your yawn reflex? Well, you might want to keep your eyes and ears open at NAMM tiffs year anyway, lf you stop by booth 5599, it won't take you long to see that it's still possible to...

Rico strengthens marketing & sales staff.(People)
February 1, 2004... RICO HAS ANNOUNCED three changes to its marketing and sales staff. Robert Polan has been named marketing manager and will be responsible for the development and implementation of Rico's marketing initiatives in support of music education and...

Kesterson to head Roland CK sales.(People)
February 1, 2004... INDUSTRY VETERAN PETER Kesterson has been appointed national sales manager at Roland's Contemporary Keyboard (CK) Division. He had been the division's marketing manager. Kesterson has a successful history with Roland and was a Roland CK...

Ferd Boyce retires from Tacoma guitars.(People)
February 1, 2004... FERD BOYCE, PRESIDENT of Tacoma Guitars, has announced his retirement, but he will continue serving the company as a consultant. Boyce commented, "We've all seen the growth in the m.i. business as the economy strengthens, and here at TG...

Educator Himie Voxman becomes Legere artist.
February 1, 2004... HIMIE VOXMAN, a noted American music educator, has joined the roster of artists endorsing Legere synthetic woodwind reeds. He now uses both cane and Legere reeds. Voxman stated, "Sometimes the Legere reeds are the best reeds I have. They...

Bonfiglio to head Furman sound.
February 1, 2004... FURMAN SOUND, INC., has appointed lames R. Bonfiglio as the company's president/chief executive officer. Bonfiglio was previously president and CEO with Home America, the largest independent appliance and electronic retail operation in the...

Generalmusic expands management team.(People)
February 1, 2004... THE GROWTH OF Generalmusic over the past three years has necessitated an expansion of the company's sales and marketing staff. Paul Davis has been named national sales manager. "Paul has a strong retail and wholesale background, is well suited...

Sabian reorganizes sales & marketing team.(People)
February 1, 2004... SABIAN HAS ANNOUNCED a reorganization and expansion of its sales and marketing team. President Dan Baiker commented. "In order to effectively service our markets in approximately 120 countries, we have reorganized our marketing and sales teams,...

Avlex teams up with rep one marketing.(People)
February 1, 2004... AVLEX CORPORATION HAS named Rep One Marketing its new sales rep for central and northern Illinois and eastern Wisconsin. The appointment was announced by Jack Mead; national sales manager at Avlex, who remarked, "Rep One Marketing has over...

Yamaha DTXTREME IIS makes electronic drums more affordable.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... YAMAHA DRUMS is introducing its DTXTREME IIS electronic drum system. Targeted for March 2004 delivery at an MSRP of $2,999, the DTXTREME IIS features a six-piece configuration with three cymbal pads. Upgrades include a new rack, great-feeling...

SKB addresses DJ problems with new shuttle case.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... LISTENING TO DEALER and consumer market demands, SKB released the SKB-106DJ to critical acclaim. The SKB-106DJ Station fulfills the requests of working DJs with ten rackable spaces on top and six rackable spaces underneath. The DJ Station has...

Fender's Squier guitars upgraded.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... SQUIER GUITARS HAS upgraded its Standard, Deluxe, and Affinity series instruments. Stunning new colors, new pickup options, and new quilted or flame maple tops on certain models highlight the updates to Squier guitars, all of which will be...

Spector bass debuts legend series bass.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... SPECTOR BASS HAS introduced its new Legend bass guitar. This bolt-on neck bass has the distinctive NS-style ergonomically carved body originally designed for Spector in 1977 by Ned Steinberger. The carved basswood body has a premium quilted...

Pearl offers Richie Flores congas.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... THE RICHIE FLORES oak congas and bongos from Pearl will appeal to those iii search of the authentic sound of wood. Flores is one of today's most technically proficient conga players, and in collaboration with his wife, Jennifer Delgado, he has...

Wittman MiniTuner a best seller.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... WITTMAN-SPINS HAS announced that its MiniTuner ($79.95) is now the best seller in its full line of onboard tuners. The MiniTuner is a favorite of both acoustic guitar and banjo players due to its accuracy, quick tracking, small size, and easy...

Trinity River blends tradition & technology.(Product News)
February 1, 2004... ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH and development folks at Trinity River Acoustic Guitars, the innovative JLD bridge system was developed several years ago as a repair device to pull a warped top back to the proper position. But James Oliver, one of...