Music Trades articles from February 2009

Music Trades archives from February 2009

War time destruction and the piano industry.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... I was not surprised to find your mention in the Henry Z. Steinway tribute (11/08) that the Hamburg Steinway factory "stood in ruins" after WW II. What happened to Steinway Hamburg had never been an issue until awareness of the total destruction...

The Percussion Marketing Council.(LETTERS)
February 1, 2009... Thanks for the marvelous article on the Percussion Marketing Council in the November edition. The success and growth of the organization is very encouraging to the percussion industry as it portrays our member's belief and commitment to...

Remembering Aase Jorgensen.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... I learned with much sadness of the death of Aase Jorgensen who passed away on December 12 2008. I first met Aase at a NAMM show about 40 years ago when she was working for Rico and we became friends. She was a charming and hospitable lady....

Has guitar hero peaked?(Industry Briefings)
February 1, 2009... Wired magazine reports that evidence is accumulating that sales of music-themed games including Guitar Hero and Rock Band have peaked or are peaking. Apparently, many of the people who wanted to play and could afford it already have at least...

Practicing music pays off in life performance.(Industry Briefings)
February 1, 2009... A Harvard-based study has found that children who study a musical instrument for at least three years outperform children with no instrumental training--not only in tests of auditory discrimination and finger dexterity (skills honed by the...

Militar turning music into a weapon.(Industry Briefings)
February 1, 2009... Blaring from a speaker behind a metal grate in his cell in Iraq, the blistering rock from Nine Inch Nails hit "Prisoner No. 200343" like a sonic bludgeon. "Stains like the blood on your teeth," Trent Reznor snarled over distorted guitars. The...

Apple iPhone doubles as electronic ocarina.(Industry Briefings)
February 1, 2009... A new downloadable application turns Apple's popular iPhone into an electronic ocarina. With the software installed, the phone's microphone becomes a breath sensor, and the touch screen displays a pattern that mimics the tone holes of an...

Guitar becomes a weapon.(Industry Briefings)
February 1, 2009... New York State police say a musical instrument became a dangerous weapon during a fight at the Relax Inn in rural Watertown, New York. An apparently unrelaxed 19-year-old Michael A. Robinson was arrested after allegedly striking a person with a...

The lipstick effect and other bits of good news.(EDITORIAL)
February 1, 2009... Ralph Waldo Emerson once noted that "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." We d go a step further and assert that, forget bout great; enthusiasm is a necessary component of even passable, reasonably good, or halfway decent...

Importers expected a good 4th quarter.(IMPORT TRACKER: What's Coming Into The U.S. And From Where?)
February 1, 2009... THIS LATEST INSTALLMENT OF Import Tracker reveals how manufacturers and distributors have to make projections and take risks to compete in the all-important fourth-quarter retail selling season. Results for the third quarter reported here,...

The "Wolfgang" heads EVH brand from Fender: launching at NAMM, new Van Halen designed guitar is the flagship of an entirely new product line and brand.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDDIE VAN HALEN is launching the all-new EVH Wolfgang electric guitar, available worldwide beginning January 2009. The EVH Wolfgang guitar represents Eddie's 35 years of experimenting with guitars, over two years of...

Gator cases acquires XL Specialty Percussion.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... GATOR CASES, INC., has acquired XL Specialty Percussion Inc., manufacturers of the Protechtor Cases and XL Lite drum carriers. Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, XL is best known for its flagship Protechtor percussion case line, which pioneered...

OEM guitar factory established in China: IBC Trading.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... "Limiting production to 2,000 units per month means we can control quality and offer both standard and highly customized instruments to our customers," said Dave Ingham, production manager. "Our team is highly adaptable, and we've been able to...

Ultimate Support taps Dana B. Goods for U.S. distribution.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... ULTIMATE SUPPORT SYSTEMS has tapped Dana B. Goods to distribute its high value line of Jam Stands in the U.S. "Ultimate Support has an outstanding reputation for manufacturing high-quality, innovative products at an incredible price-point,"...

Marks 60th year with Graph Tech joint venture: ABM.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... ABM, MUELLER & SOHN, the maker of quality guitar parts, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Since 1949, ABM has developed more than 1,200 different models of bridges, tailpieces, and accessories for the guitar industry. ...

Hughes & Kettner develops new tests to ensure tube performance.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH VACUUM TUBES increasingly difficult to obtain, and rising quality control issues in the mix, Hughes & Kettner has developed a proprietary new procedure for selecting vacuum tubes. The new device, dubbed the...

2009 shipping information announced: Partnership.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... PARTNERSHIP, THE NAMM-endorsed business service provider that administers the NAMM Discount Shipping Program, has announced 2009 rate increases for FedEx and UPS. FedEx Corp. will increase its net average shipping rate for FedEx Express by...

World Champion Phantom Regiment chooses Jupiter.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... THE 2008 DRUM CORPS International World Champion Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps of Rockford, IL, have elected to play exclusively on Jupiter Quantum brass instruments. J.D. Shaw, caption head and music arranger for Phantom Regiment, said...

Italian audio maker FBT turns 45.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE YEAR IS 1963, and Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" wins a Grammy for Record of the Year. Lawrence of Arabia wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and the Los Angeles Dodgers sweep the New York...

Musicorp celebrates 30th anniversary.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... MUSICORP celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. A newly designed 30th anniversary logo will debut at the winter NAMM show. "Musicorp is stronger than ever, and it has been an honor serving the music industry," said Dan Roberts, Musicorp...

Bechstein moves Bohemia production to new Czech plant.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... IN 2008 C. BECHSTEIN Europe, the parent company of Bohemia Piano since 2007, closed its old factory in the town of Jihlava, south of Prague, and consolidated production of uprights and grands in Hradec Kralove, its center of piano production....

Handmade guitar gifted to president of Panama: Guitarras Manuel Rodriguez.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... GUITARRAS MANUEL RODRIGUEZ of Spain recently presented one of its handmade classical guitars to Panamanian President Martin Torrijos. The Spanish guitar maker called the gift a symbol of brotherhood between the two countries, "a fundamental...

Zildjian hosts New York Artist Session.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE AVEDIS ZILDJIAN COMPANY recently presented its annual New York Artist Session for artists and other industry friends. Celebrating its 385th anniversary year in 2008, Zildjian hosted the event on October 21 at the...

Hanser Music to distribute Warwick.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... WARWICK BASS OF Markneukrichen, Germany, has named the Hanser Music Group as exclusive distributor of the full line of Warwick products in the United States. "I could not be more happy with a choice of exclusive partners than I am with Hanser...

International Music Cafe to debut at NAMM: Kolstein Music.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... KOLSTEIN MUSIC, INC., has partnered with Entertainment Music Marketing Corporation to create a newly formed joint company, International Music Card, Ltd. Backed by the expertise of Jeff Saltzman and Barrie Kolstein, International Music Cafe...

Midwest Clinic honors John D'Addario.(FLASH)
February 1, 2009... The Midwest Clinic, the long-running band and orchestra conference in Chicago has presented John D'Addario Jr., retired president of D'Addario Co., with its 2008 Music Industry Award. At a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago on December...

Handcrafted German pianos: Grotrian.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... FOUNDED IN 1835, Germany's Grotrian Piano Company has been owned by the Grotrian family for five generations. All Grotrian instruments are still built in Braunschweig, Germany, to the highest standards of craftsmanship. With its commitment...

Rudy Sarzo weighs in on cables of choice: Reference Laboratories.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... BASS PLAYER Rudy Sarzo, who has seen and done it all when it comes to cables, is now a dedicated Reference Laboratories player. Recently the veteran of Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio, and Blue Oyster Cult discussed what...

U.K. guitar brand now available in U.S.: Mariner Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... INTRODUCED INTO THE United Kingdom market in 2008, Mariner Guitars is now setting its course for international distribution. As these U.K.-designed guitars catch the eyes of players around the world, the company has set about developing an...

Richmond featured at 2008 Grey Cup: Godin Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... MONTREAL RECENTLY PLAYED host to the 96th edition of the Canadian Football League's championship Grey Cup game. There the band Mobile, whose guitarist played a new Richmond Dorchester model guitar, helped kick off the festivities. Known...

Buy monitor, get a free Broadjam membership: Equator Audio Research.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... EQUATOR AUDIO RESEARCH, a leading manufacturer of studio reference monitors, and Broadjam.com, an international leader in internet music services for independent musicians, have partnered to present a new offer for customers. Now anyone who...

Bringing a unique heat to guitar amps.... how hottie turns toasters into amps.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... JEAN-CLAUDE ESCUDIE has always liked building things, and over the years tried his hand at making guitars, amps, effects pedals, "and a lot of other junk," he says. However, at the Dallas Vintage Guitar show in 2005, he had a stroke of...

Publisher named to "Fast Track 50": Bentley Hall.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... FOUNDED MORE THAN 25 years ago by Bob Popyk, Bentley-Hall, Inc., publishers of Making Music magazine and International Musician, was recently recognized as one of Central New York's Fast Track 50 companies by the Central New York Business...

Dates confirmed for 2009 show: MIAC.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... MIAC 2009 & PAL Show, Canada's largest music products and production technology tradeshow, will be held August 23-24 at the Toronto International Centre. The 38th annual event will feature the country's most extensive array of musical...

Classic Orange Amps at 40.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... IN ALL RESPECTS 2008 was a classic year for leading British manufacturer Orange Amplifiers. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the company launched limited-edition custom shop and production model amps, and both were heralded as classics by the...

How three-dimensional design can create brand equity.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... IN TODAY'S ECONOMY, creativity can be a critical competitive advantage. Combined with good design fundamentals, creativity can contribute substantially to a company's positive brand equity. At tradeshows, Competent three-dimensional design...

Prohands Music seeks international distributors.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... PROHANDS MUSIC is now seeking distributors in key markets for its Gripmaster hand exerciser. The company recently assumed all U.S. distribution responsibilities for this innovative accessory product and is now seeking distributors in the...

Synthetic Reed pioneer Legere celebrates 10th anniversary.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... GUY LEGERE, FOUNDER and President of Legere Reeds Ltd., loved playing the clarinet and he loved chemistry. He took up the clarinet at the age of 27, studying under Abe Galper, but the problems he encountered with reeds soon overshadowed his...

Ellington Strings adds violin lines.(FLASH)
February 1, 2009... NEWLY FOUNDED Ellington Strings, LLC, has been awarded the North American distribution of Los Angeles Stringed Instruments. Ken Ellington and Brent Taylor, both veterans of the wholesale bowed string market with combined experience of more than...

Steingraeber pianos reports best sale in 156 years!(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... DESPITE A CHALLENGING market, Udo Steingraeber, sixth-generation owner of Steingraeber & Sohne of Bayreuth, Germany, reported that 2008 was the best year in the company's 156-year history. "Pianos sold in the United States reached a new high,...

Charles Dumont & Son expands to serve customers.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... SINCE 1945 CHARLES Dumont & Son, Inc., has been servicing music stores worldwide from its Voorhees, New Jersey facility. Satellite offices in New York, California, and Florida ensure that a sales representative is only a toll-free call away....

Wait times reduced on custom orders: Calton Cases.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... CALTON CASES HAS slashed wait times on its custom orders by more than 50% in the last six months from 32 weeks down to as little as 12 weeks. "Our manufacturing is at full capacity now in our new facility," said Jim Laffoley, owner of Calton...

Community Sound helps honor Ray Charles.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... THE CITY OF ALBANY, Georgia has given a nod to its best-known native son with the opening of a park in his honer. Ray Charles Plaza includes a fountain featuring a life-sized revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of the famed musician seated at a...

Paul Reed Smith officially unveils acoustic guitars.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... PRS GUITARS is officially introducing at NAMM the first in a series of acoustic guitars manufactured in its Stevensville, Maryland facility. Nearly four years of design and prototyping with acoustic artist Ricky Skaggs and luthier Steve Fischer...

A new generation asumes presidency: August Forster.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... WOLFGANG FORSTER has announced his resignation after a 50-year run at the helm of August Forster GmbH. His daughter, Annekatrin Forster, succeeds him as company president. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] August Forster has remained family-owned...

SDS distributes Baden Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... SDS MUSIC FACTORY in Winterthur, Switzerland, is in final discussions with Baden Guitars executives to become Baden's distribution partner throughout the Swiss region including Liechtenstein. Baden continues to collect strong reviews with...

Ron Van Ostenbridge appointed coo: The Cavanaugh Company.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... RON VAN OSTENBRIDGE has been appointed chief operating officer of The Cavanaugh Company. Van Ostenbridge will oversee all three Cavanaugh divisions: Super-Sensitive Musical String Co., Black Diamond Strings, and Bari Woodwind Supplies. Van...

Quincy Jones in new partnership: Harman.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... HARMAN INTERNATIONAL Industries, Incorporated has formed a marketing relationship with legendary musician, producer and humanitarian Quincy Jones to explore and evaluate opportunities for licensed and co-branded products across its automotive,...

Zappa plays Zappa playing a Hagstrom.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... FOR MUCH OF THE '70s, the inimitable Frank Zappa used a Hagstrom guitar when he dazzled audiences with his extraordinary playing and sardonic humor. Dweezil Zappa has recently been celebrating his late father's unique music with his Zappa Plays...

Trombonist Ralph Sauer touts Andreas Eastman: Eastman.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... TROMBONIST Ralph Sauer has signed with the Eastman Music Company as an Andreas Eastman Artist. After 32 years with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sauer is devoting his time to sharing his expertise with young trombonists throughout the world, a...

North American distributors appointed: JBovier.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... JBOVIER, A MANUFACTURER of fine mandolins and banjos, has appointed Musquip, Inc., as its exclusive distributor for the USA, and SF Marketing as its exclusive distributor for Canada. Company founder and designer Jeff Cowherd first began...

New York Governor salutes soldier with guitar.(FOREFRONT)
February 1, 2009... ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF politics and ideology, honoring U.S. military personnel is one duty government officials are eager to perform. Last summer New York Governor David A. Paterson added a musical touch to his recognition of one wounded local...

Jim's Music enlists suppliers to help underwrite major expansion.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN BUSINESS SINCE 1967, Jim's Music has occupied the same Irvine, California, storefront for 23 years. With president Rob Joly and business partner Rick Myers at the helm, it has consistently been one of the...

Best Buy cuts spending in "most challenging" environment ever.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
February 1, 2009... BEST BUY has cut its capital spending in half and is offering buyout packages to nearly all of its approximately 4,000 headquarters employees amid what vice chairman/CEO Brad Anderson called "the most challenging consumer environment our...

Black Hills Piano Gallery opens with a bang.(RETAILER UPDATE)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ON NOVEMBER 6 AN EARLY blizzard swept through western South Dakota. Ten days later, Black Hills Piano Gallery of Rapid City raised more than $1,000 for the victims, set what may be a state record for the largest...

Veteran Jim Fuller named manager: Quinlan & Fabish.(RETAILER UPDATE)
February 1, 2009... JIM FULLER, A VETERAN of the school music industry, has been named manager of Quinlan & Fabish Music Company's northwest suburban location. Fuller, was most recently a district manager for Conn-Selmer. Prior to that he served as a manager for...

Playing Santa to family in need: Bill's Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
February 1, 2009... EACH YEAR FOR THE HOLIDAYS Bill's Music of Catonsville, Maryland, "adopts" a local family in need with hopes of making their Christmas a little brighter. Members of the Bill's staff bring in toys, blankets, canned goods, gift cards and more to...

After 60 years, Dale Durthaler is still selling, and still enjoying it: the music industry's marathon man.(RETAILER UPDATE)(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AT NEARLY 80 years old, Dale Durthaler can still be found minding the shop at Durthaler Organ & Piano of Columbus, Ohio. "It's the easiest way I know to make a living," says Dale. "1 like what I'm doing." Founded by...

Progressive Music organizes band trip to NAMM.(RETAILER UPDATE)
February 1, 2009... PROGRESSIVE MUSIC has helped arrange for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's, Baldwin High School Highlander Marching Band to make the cross-country trip to Anaheim, to perform at the 2009 NAMM Show. Their performance is part of a week-long trip that...

Garage Band contest winners named: Music & Arts.(RETAILER UPDATE)
February 1, 2009... THE MUSIC & ARTS division of Guitar Center, announced the winners of its third annual Teen Garage Band contest. The contest was open to teenage bands consisting of 13- to 19-year-olds, with each band submitting up to three songs. More than 80...

Blackwell clinic draws 400: Seaco Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
February 1, 2009... A STANDING ROOM ONLY clinic by John Blackwell Jr. drew more than 400 enthusiastic percussionists in Sumter, South Carolina. The event was staged by Seaco Music. Shannan Wilkinson, who owns the store with her husband, Brooks, reported, "John...

It all comes down to numbers: how much you sell depends on how many people you talk to each month. Herewith, some thoughts on how to reach more people without spending a fortune.(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
February 1, 2009... I've always felt that expanding your market means exposing your store and your products to as many people as possible. It doesnt necessarily meaning spending big bucks in the local media. It means getting people through your door on a regular...

Are retailers suffering from self-inflicted wounds? Poorly handled phone conversations suggest that many dealers are letting sales slip away.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
February 1, 2009... Economic conditions being what they are, it's getting all too easy for retailers to chalk up their troubles to circumstances beyond their control. No doubt the members of our industry are Davids in a Goliath economy, but isn't that all the more...

Family values: the Ball family has built Ernie Ball and Music Man into powerful global brands. Now, they're building a succession plan to ensure the company's future.(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... "Pioneer" is an overused term in the music industry, but if anyone ever deserved the accolade, it was Ernie Ball. A creative and fiercely independent thinker, he consistently ignored conventional wisdom, followed his own path, and in the...

How soft selling powers growth at Sweetwater: Chuck Surack figures that if he can make friends with the customer and get their trust, sales will take care of themselves. That's why he invests millions every year teaching his sales associates how to have "the perfect conversation.".(RETAILER PROFILE)(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... "The products we sell aren't what's really important," says Chuck Surack, founder and CEO of Sweetwater Sound in his opening remarks to a group of newly hired salespeople. This is a surprising comment from the head of retailer known as the...

TKL's blueprint for success: case maker celebrates 25 years of innovative products, compelling value, and stellar service.(COMPANY PROFILE)(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... Since its 1984 debut, TKL has grown to be one of the largest musical instrument case and bag suppliers in t the world. With modern manufacturing facilities operating in two hemispheres and supplying some of the industry's leading instrument...

A completely different way to sell pianos: instead of endless sales and steep discounts, Capital Music Center of Austin relies on a unique group lesson plan to attract customers and move instruments. In addition to expanding the market, the strategy is the best recession hedge yet.(RETAILER PROFILE)
February 1, 2009... Why does Capital Music Center prominently display a 1930s-era Royal typewriter in its showroom? Its a visual metaphor for a quaint' antiquated tool that has been replaced by something infinitely more valuable to 21st century civilization Now...

The Fleabass! Rather than just inking an endorsement deal, Red Hot Chili Peppers star Flea launched his own bass company to build a new high-value instrument aimed at kids. "If it has my name on it, I want control," he says.(NEW PLAYERS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] High-profile musicians usually limit their involvement in the instrument business to offering styling suggestions, planting their signature on the headstock, and opening the royalty check envelope. They leave the...

Phil Jones and the pursuit of pure sound: a true pioneer of studio and live sound offers musicians and music retailers speaker and amplifier choices unlike any other.(NEW PLAYERS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PHIL JONES BASS MADE its debut at the 2002 Summer NAMM show in Nashville, and people laughed. Glancing at the company's compact amps, they said, "You want me to play bass through that?" Jones took impish delight in...

Making a merger work! How Alfred Publishing successfully absorbed the larger Warner operation and, three years later, emerged stronger.(MANAGEMENT)(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The painful truth is that most acquisitions fail to deliver the promised results. Lofty sounding goals are set forth when a deal is announced--corporate synergy, expanded global reach, and complementary skills-only...

Built for Rigors of South Beach, Spyn audio takes on the U.S. market: with an emphasis on durability, Spyn's audio and DJ gear finds fans in demanding locales.(NEW PLAYERS)(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Miami's South Beach, home to a sultry nightclub scene and a profusion of entertainment spots, is also one of the U.S.'s most challenging settings for DJs and sound engineers. Heat, humidity, and the perils of outdoor...

How to make money selling stuff you don't have in stock: Timberline Guitar's new digital distribution plan, with automatic commissions on every sale, sounds almost too good to be true. But founder Rob Smith says, "It's the perfect marriage of brick-and-mortar and the internet.".(MARKETING)
February 1, 2009... Harnessing the promotional reach of the internet without alienating traditional brick-and-mortar retailers has been one of the most pressing challenges in recent years. Companies that allow their products to be sold online without any...

Going where the money is: building a retail business catering to heavy metal fans is fine, but Music & Moore has found that in a small town, financial success depends on appealing to the entire community. Here's how they cross age, gender, and taste barriers.(RETAILER PROFILE)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS as a DJ in Maine, Larry Moore and his wife Sara had visited nearly every music dealer in the state. Sometimes characterized as a reserved population, Mainers let their boisterous side come out...

Survival strategies from a 50-year veteran: in over five decades of keyboard retailing Joe Brattesani has seen just about everything. Herewith, his reflections and advice on how to stay in business even in the toughest times.(RETAIL STRATEGIES)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a career spanning 50 years, Joe Brattesani has seen the piano industry undergo a complete transformation. The staple of the product mix shifted from U.S.-made furniture consoles to Asian-made grands and digital...

Repositioning ddrum for growth: drawing on lessons learned reviving Dean Guitars, Elliott Rubinson reintroduces ddrum as an alternative acoustic percussion brand.(PRODUCT STRATEGIES)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DDRUM WASN'T THE FIRST brand to be reinvented by Elliott Rubinson. As president of distributor Armadillo Enterprises, Rubinson was credited with resurrecting a left-for-dead Dean Guitars in 1997. Eight years later he...

"Sunny" forecast for Guangzhou Lang Qing.(SHORT TAKE)(Company overview)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Helen Zhou has always loved music. And she has also grown to love the vibrancy and camaraderie of the music products industry, working for more than 20 years in various aspects of manufacturing, importing, and...

Audix camo mics ready for action.(PRODUCTS: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS)
February 1, 2009... AUDIX HAS SPENT THE past 25 years refining the acoustic performance of its broad line of microphones. This year the company addresses cosmetics with an eye-catching array of "camo" mics. The new limited-edition Camo Series is available in five...

Composite Zyex strings for all musical styles: D'Addario.(PRODUCTS: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS)
February 1, 2009... D'ADDARIO IS RELEASING an improved version of its popular Zyex violin strings, utilizing a new configuration of composite Zyex synthetic core material. Zyex is a new generation of synthetic core material that enables musicians to have an even...

Steinway unveils limited-edition Lilly Pulitzer piano.(PRODUCTS: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STEINWAY & SONS UNVEILED A limited-edition Lilly Pulitzer-printed model M piano to coincide with Lilly Pulitzer's 50th Anniversary Jubilee at an anniversary kick-off celebration on November 5 at Parsons The New...

New cases for digital musicians: Kaces.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... WITH THE LAPTOP COMPUTER becoming a live music mainstay, Kaces has tailored a new rack case line for digital musicians. Designed to protect rack equipment and provide easy connections between the computer and rack gear, these new cases features...

Burkart-Phelan Resona 200 step-up flute.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE RESONA 200 is a new step-up flute for advancing students from Burkart Flutes and Piccolos. This flute is an affordable instrument designed to inspire the player with professional tone and better performance than...

MC-404 CAE Wah-wah pedal: Dunlop.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... DEVELOPED BY Bob Bradshaw of Custom Audio Electronics and the Crybaby design team, the MC-404 CAE Wah is a highly versatile wah-wah constructed from top-grade components. The MC-404 features dual Fasel inductors with two distinct voices...

Power Group laser-designed model joins Highland line.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... WITH ITS STRIKING lasered top design, the HAG-240 is the latest addition to the Highland Guitar Company's acoustic guitar series. This guitar's solid spruce top has been finished in Sienna Burst Satin. Other features include a laser-designed...

Open Labs Gen5 NeKo and MeKo production stations.(NEW PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... OPEN LABS will release the new Gen5 series of NeKo and MiKo portable keyboard production stations. Based on the award-winning NeKo, the Gen5 models incorporate new features that are highly sought after by today's artists, producers, and...