Music Trades articles from January 2007

Music Trades archives from January 2007

Defending piano manufacturers' consumer research project: survey offers an accurate snap-shot of todays buyer and highlights retail/consumer disconnect.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... After reading Greg Billings' response to your September article highlighting the results of a recent survey related to today's piano buyer, ("A Missed Opportunity To Understand The Piano Market," Oct. 2006) we were motivated to send a response...

Bill Schultz--effective leadership.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I just read your editorial on the life of Bill Schultz and his remarkable turnaround of Fender Musical Instruments. Being a product of Bill's era, I had the honor to work with him over the years as we served together on various industry...

Why independent dealers need a new association: IMRA, the independent music retailers' association, aims to augment, not replace, NAMM by assisting independents in working with suppliers to create a stronger distribution network.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
January 1, 2007... It's clear to nearly all independent retailers that the music products industry has changed dramatically since the turn of the 21st century. The rise of big-box retailers, eBay, huge internet sellers with no "local store" footprint, and...

Online holiday shopping surge.(Industry Briefings)
January 1, 2007... Analysts have estimated that one in four holiday purchases were made over the internet this year. Jupiter Research tabulated that 2006 online holiday sales topped $32 billion this year, an 18% increase over last year. The increase was driven by...

Click fraud an increasing problem.(Industry Briefings)
January 1, 2007... Advertisers who are buying referrals from websites on a "pay-per-click" basis are facing a new potential budget buster: click fraud. Pay-per-click--where an advertiser pays only when users click on an ad that links them to the business's...

Researchers debut musical t-shirt.(Industry Briefings)
January 1, 2007... A team of Australian researchers and engineers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CISRO) have designed a "wearable instrument shirt," which turns "air guitar" motions into real electric guitar sounds. The...

ASCAP tabulates top 25 holiday songs.(Industry Briefings)
January 1, 2007... ASCAP has announced its Top 25 most performed holiday songs of the past five years, based on a monitor of radio airplay. At the top of the list is Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)." The other songs on the...

If this trend continues ...(EDITORIAL)
January 1, 2007... Concerned by the rapid growth of mail-order retailers, a prominent school music dealer declared in a 1990 issue of The Music Trades, "If this trend persists, there will be no more school music dealers, there will only be catalogs." With the...

Why going to NAMM is a total no-brainer: new products, smart people, and tons of educational sessions add up to the single biggest business opportunity of the year. If you're serious, there's only one thing to do: Show Up!(NAMM 2007 PREVIEW)(Calendar)
January 1, 2007... In the best of circumstances, forecasting is a tough business. If you have any doubts, just see how many times sports analysts, political pundits, and stock pickers issue calls that end up being wide of the mark. The same holds true for...

Official NAMM exhibitor list.(NAMM 2007 PREVIEW)
January 1, 2007... Official NAMM Exhibitor List Compiled As Of November 30, 2006 3L INTERNATIONAL 5825 65AMPS 1445 BEIJING 797 AUDIO CO. ...

New study shows school principals place high value on music education.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS strongly believe that music education promotes the academic success of their students, according to a study released by NAMM and MENC. A key finding of the study, conducted by Harris Interactive, shows that the vast...

Bechstein sets up U.S. distribution, but retains manufacturing partnership with Samick.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... C. BECHSTEIN, BERLIN, and Samick Music Korea, along with its U.S. subsidiary, SMC Music Corporation, are announcing a change in their business partnership. The two companies will continue to exchange technical and manufacturing information...

New way to buy percussion online: Remo.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... REMO HAS INTRODUCED the Remo Store powered by Shopatron as an added feature to remo.com. The Remo Store will give every visitor the ability to purchase a select list of Remo products right away at remo.com/store. All orders are fulfilled in a...

Mississippi Governor receives custom Peavey guitar.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... PEAVEY ELECTRONICS GAVE Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour a sample of modern Mississippi craftsmanship during the 54th Annual Mississippi Manufacturers Association convention. Cecilia Derrington, Peavey's manager of industrial and community...

Musicorp sets new Harmonica world record.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... MUSICORP EMPLOYEES and guests attended the Charleston RiverDogs baseball game on September 19 to help break the Guinness Book world record for "Most Harmonicas Played at Once." Dan Mahoney, president of Musicorp, was "general manager for the...

Leslie West Signs as endorser: Dean Guitars.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... ROCK LEGEND LESLIE WEST, from the band Mountain, has signed with Dean Guitars and created a Leslie West Signature Model--a custom single cutaway, co-designed by West and company founder Dean B. Zelinsky. West's legend became synonymous with...

Pearl River's "Piano Guy" promo.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... PEARL RIVER PIANO launched a sequel to its very successful Scott "The Piano Guy" Houston sales promotion. Pearl River dealers received a "Campaign in a Box" sales promotion package with holiday-themed in-store sales support materials. As...

Guns N' Roses chooses Trion 7000: CAD Microphones.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE microphone shoot-out to find the right microphone for his guitar amps, Richard Fortus, guitarist for Guns N' Roses, and Toby Francis, FOH engineer, have chosen the new CAD Trion 7000 ribbon microphone. Fortus, whose...

Todd Rundgren on tour with Babicz Guitars: Babicz Guitars.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... TODD RUNDGREN, THE legendary singer/songwriter/musician, toured the U.S. through December 2006 with Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes in a new incarnation of the pioneering new-wave rock act, The Cars. The "Road Rage Winter Tour" will tour Europe...

Anchors away ... Sabine gear adds sound to July 4th bash on U.S.S. Stennis: Sabine.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... THE CREW OF the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis had been working for almost two months straight without a day off when the commanders decided to give the crew a full-scale party on July 4. The Chuck Alvarez Band featuring J.R....

2006 Battle of the Bands winners announced: Ernie Ball.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... ERNIE BALL HAS announced the official winning bands of both the live Battle of the Bands 10 Showcase competition and the fan-driven Online Battle. Over nine months ago almost 12,000 bands registered for the competition. The four Battle of...

Beathoven crowned Scions King of the Beats: Roland.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... ROLAND WAS THE EXCLUSIVE prize sponsor in Scion's King of the Beats (KOTB) producer contest held November 4 at the famed B.B. Kings Club in New York City's Times Square. The contest pitted top beat-masters from across the country against each...

Music Minus One inks distribution pact with Schott.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... MUSIC MINUS ONE (MMO) has signed an exclusive agreement with Schott Music Distribution Gmbh & Co KG for all of Germany. Including deals in place with Broekman's Van Poppell and various other distributors around Europe, Music Minus One has grown...

NAMM teams with arts group to launch national ad campaign.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... NAMM IS JOINING with Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, in presenting a national media campaign to promote the importance of music and art education. The organizations will...

Independent Buyers Group to launch at NAMM: OSP Worldwide.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... OSP WORLDWIDE WILL launch the maiden exhibit of its U.S. Independent Buyers Group at the 2007 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim. OSP Buyers Group utilizes an Optimized Shipping Process to simplify the direct procurement of Chinese products to U.S....

LPD music "think Pink" specials support: Breast Cancer Society.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... LPD MUSIC INTERNATIONAL supported the Breast Cancer Society with its "Think Pink" specials that were offered to all dealers throughout the month of October. Sale items included a metallic pink Crestwood bass guitar, several pink Darling...

Fender inks deal to distribute Stage Magic PedalSnake.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... STAGE MAGIC HAS named Fender's Wholesale Division to handle domestic distribution of its patented, award-winning PedalSnake, an innovative cable for guitar players. "We're thrilled to be working with Fender," said Jody Page, president of...

Theremin a tool in music therapy: Moog Music.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... MOOG MUSIC PARTICIPATED in this year's American Music Therapy Association entitled "A Wellspring of Innovation in Music Therapy" held November 16-19 in Kansas City, Missouri. Moog partnered with Kip Rosser, one of its endorsing Theremin...

Ray Monteiro endorses Phaeton trumpets: PJLA Music.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... RAY MONTEIRO HAS endorsed Phaeton trumpets from PJLA Music. He is the lead trumpet with California-based The Movement Orchestra. Monteiro and Pete LaPlaca of PJLA sealed the agreement in New York City at the NYC Brass Conference while...

DANSR guarantees sell-through on Vandoren & Denis Wick.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, DANSR will offer for a limited time a Sell-Through Guarantee on all Vandoren and Denis Wick products. "There are many times dealers feel uncomfortable about purchasing certain products," commented Michael Skinner, DANSR...

Marion Raven uses SP-250 digital piano: Korg USA.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... MARION RAVEN, pop rock singer/songwriter, keyboardist, and guitarist, has come to the U.S. with her "Heads Will Roll" EP. She collaborated with Meat Loaf on his new single, "It's All Coming Back to Me" and is touring with him in support of his...

Digital metronome wins two awards: Mark-My-Time.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... THE DIGITAL METRONOME from Mark-My-Time has won two awards: It was named to the "Best in Show--Small Goods" category at the Summer NAMM Show in Austin, and it was recently announced as an "Outstanding Product" at the 2006 iParenting Media...

James Blunt on tour with Seagull acoustics: Seagull Guitars.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... JAMES BLUNT, the U.K. singer/songwriter whose album sales are in the multi-millions, is on his "Back to Bedlam" world tour with two new Seagull acoustic guitars. Godin Guitars, Seagull's parent company, built Blunt his own Seagull...

Peace stages tribute to drummer Sandy West.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... PEACE MUSICAL JOINED in a tribute and celebration of the life of drummer Sandy West. The all-ages benefit concert--with proceeds going to the Sandy West Foundation--was held on December 9 at The Knitting Factory Hollywood. West is best known...

Sponsorship of Alissa's Angels charity mini-golf tourney: Yamaha.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... NEARLY 250 PEOPLE came to Boomers in Fountain Valley, California, on a sunny day in early June to participate in the annual miniature golf tournament and silent auction hosted by Alissa's Angels and sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America....

Publicly traded industry firms.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
January 1, 2007... PUBLICLY TRADED INDUSTRY FIRMS PRICE AS OF P/E DEC. 4, 2006 RATIO Apple Computer Inc. $91.58 40.33 Avid Technology ...

Woodwind & Brasswind bankrupt, Conn-Selmer, GC bid for assets: $9.0 million legal judgment and problems financing reorganization prompt voluntary chapter 11 filing for $135 mill. (sales) mail order firm. Conn-Selmer and GC enter bidding war for assets.(RETAILER UPDATE)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... THE WOODWIND & The Brasswind, the leading direct response merchant that transformed the sale of step-up wind instruments, filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 21. Days later the Musician's Friend division of Guitar...

West L.A. Music honored by L.A. Mayor.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... WEST L.A. MUSIC was recently honored by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa for contributions to the City of Los Angeles Community Development Department. West L.A. Music, in cooperation with the Mayor's office and the Los Angeles...

Sales at Ravinia Festival top $800,000: The Beautiful Sound & Chicago Piano Superstore.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... THE BEAUTIFUL SOUND and the Chicago Piano Superstore recently conducted their first promotion event at the Ravinia Festival, which resulted in total sales of $861,000. Tom Wennblom, general manager, reported that they closed 75% of the...

Rayburn purchases Zeswitz Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... ZESWITZ MUSIC of Reading, Pennsylvania, formerly owned by Brook Mays, has become a part of the Rayburn family of musical companies. Rayburn Musical Instrument Company has been a leader in the rental and repair business for the past 75 years....

Art of C.A. Grooms displayed at dealership: Full Compass.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... FULL COMPASS in Middleton, Wisconsin, turned its atrium walls over to showcasing the art of Christian Andrew Grooms in November. "If you know us, none of this is really out of character," said Susan Lipp, Full Compass president. "Music is...

Meet-and-greet with Zakk Wylde: Daddy's Junky Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... THE DADDY'S JUNKY MUSIC location in Portsmouth, New Hampshire recently hosted an in-store meet-and-greet with Zakk Wylde and his band, Black Label Society. Over 250 winners were given passes to the invitation-only event. With the help of...

Music and Arts Center acquires Colonial Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... MUSIC AND ARTS CENTER has acquired the assets of Colonial Music in the Columbus, Ohio, area. The acquisition includes six existing Colonial Music stores, a distribution facility, and a network of road reps who will continue supporting educators...

Chad Smith visits Edison, NJ, store: Sam Ash Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... THE SAM ASH MUSIC store in Edison, New Jersey, recently hosted a book signing with Chad Smith, drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Adam Budofsky, editor of The Drummer. Approximately 300 attended the event, some traveling a great...

Ruggero Pianos sponsors "Octopus" piano concert.(RETAILER UPDATE)
January 1, 2007... The "Octopus Concert" (four pianos, eight hands) at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. NC. featured four Mason & Hamlin AA grand pianos provided by Ruggero Pianos of Raleigh. The pianos were offered for sale after the event, with a...

Wanna Play? NAMM's latest promotional campaign is designed to drive a new demographic into your store. Will you be ready when they start to show up?(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
January 1, 2007... A recent Gallup survey commissioned by NAMM found that 82% of Americans who don't play a musical instrument wish they had learned. Those are pretty impressive numbers, particularly when you think about the cruise industry, in which only 63% of...

The year in review: a comprehensive recap of all the reasons why 2006 was a tough year for everyone, large and small players alike, and a look at why we think 2007 will be better.(Cover story)
January 1, 2007... Combing through some of our dusty back issues, we came across a few choice assessments of the music industry. "Consumers are rattled and feeling insecure," observed the president of a major multi-line manufacturer. "Whenever they get in this...

Rewriting the rules: Hammell Music's Detroit showplace: in an unorthodox response to Detroit's well-publicized economic woes, Tim Hoy has opened a breathtaking showroom, providing his crack sales team with the perfect environment for thrilling customers.(RETAIL PROFILE)
January 1, 2007... As he guides a visitor through the elegant new Hammell Music location, just west of Detroit, Tim Hoy's perfectionist streak is on display. Customers may stroll through the immaculate 30,000-square-foot facility, slightly awestruck by the beauty...

Drummers unite in Austin, Texas: at vibrant 31st Percussive Arts Society International Convention, manufacturers, players, and educators come together to celebrate the art of drumming.(PASIC IN AUSTIN)
January 1, 2007... For all the talk about Austin yes/Austin no for summer NAMM, the "live music capital of the world proved to be a brilliant choice for the 31st annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention. In addition to the city's stimulating...

How continual improvement has delivered better product value: evolving production techniques have enabled GHS to hold the line on string pricing for decades.(COMPANY PROFILE)
January 1, 2007... In 1972 GHS introduced its line of Boomer electric guitar strings to instantaneous acclaim. The strings were a hit from day one, and sales have increased every year since. Remarkably, in the ensuing 35 years the selling price has barely budged....

Big bucks to the bottom line: in an era of rising costs and shrinking margins, better management of shipping expenses is one of the fastest and easiest ways to add.(PROFIT MANAGEMENT)
January 1, 2007... Continual increases in day-to-day business expenses like rent, utilities, and insurance place a heavy strain on retail profitability. If a retailer could simply raise prices, life would be simple. However, the competitive climate makes...

To make the most of NAMM, have a plan: what do you want to accomplish? What areas of your business need improvement? Are there any glaring holes in your product lineup? Start asking these questions now, so when you get to Anaheim, you can focus your energy where it counts.(CREATIVE RETAILING)
January 1, 2007... it's almost time for NAMM 2007. Are you ready to enjoy four exciting days of having too much to see and too much to do? There is no other venue in the music industry that draws over 80,000 attendees, offers a vast array of educational...

Horbachevsky heads NY Steinway plant as Penatzer retires.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... RONALD PENATZER HAS retired after a long and distinguished career as general manager of manufacturing at the Steinway & Sons factory, and Andrew Horbachevsky has been promoted to that post. Penatzer joined Steinway in 1962 and rose steadily...

John Page named industry team leader: Sennheiser.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... JOHN PAGE HAS been named industry team leader--music industry at Sennheiser Electronic Corporation. He has over 16 years of experience in sales, finance, forecasting, and music industry marketing. Page's new responsibilities include all...

Mindiola to head communications: Roland.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... BERNADETTE U. MINDIOLA has been appointed director of marketing communications at Roland Corporation U.S. She will oversee and direct the company's marketing research, communications, advertising and public relations, customer-focused...

Jay Cross appointed director of marketing: Samick Pianos.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... JAY CROSS has been promoted to director of marketing for acoustic and digital pianos at Samick Music Corporation (SMC). Cross came to SMC in 2004 from Young Chang. He has a wide and varied career in the industry having started out in...

NAMM searches for new director of market development.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... NAMM HAS ANNOUNCED it is searching for a new staff director to manage market outreach and promotion strategies in order to increase active participation in music making. The position is titled director of market development. The new director...

Jeffrey Lange named product specialist: Aviom.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... JEFFREY LANGE HAS joined Aviom as a product specialist and will expand sales efforts in the Midwest region by participating in industry events, training seminars, and product demonstrations. A multi-faceted A/V systems designer, project...

Licensing Division expands team: BBE Sound.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... BBE SOUND, INC., has expanded its Licensing Division with three more members added to its management team: Yoshi Asahi, James Lucas, and Chris Locke. Vice-President of Technology Yoshi Asahi will intensify development of the company's...

Judy Sharpe named trade show manager: MIAC.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2007... JUDY SHARPE, a veteran trade show manager, has been appointed the new full-time trade show and marketing manager at the Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC), after an extensive search. Sharpe's background includes 17 years in the...

Mason & Hamlin baby grand to debut at NAMM.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... MASON & HAMLIN will introduce a new baby grand piano model at the Winter NAMM Show. At 5'4", the Model B is the fifth and smallest grand piano Mason & Hamlin has created since the company was purchased by Kirk and Gary Burgett in 1996. The B...

Ashton line offers "Factory Direct" pricing.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... ASHTON'S EXTENSIVE RANGE of products will be on display at the Winter NAMM Show in Booth 1356. The products are designed in Australia by a highly acclaimed team of experts. The product line includes guitars, basses, violins, drum kits,...

Saga Blueridge guitars with Adirondack spruce.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... SAGA MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS is offering Adirondack spruce as an option on select model Blueridge guitars. These are the first production guitars in almost 60 years to be made with this hard-to-find and legendary material from North America. ...

Passport Deluxe portable sound system: Fender Audio.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... FENDER AUDIO HAS unveiled the latest evolution of its award-winning, best-selling line of portable audio products, the new Passport Deluxe PD-500. This new 500-watt full audio system is highlighted by increased power output, crystal clear...

Rock T-shirts added to apparel line: AIM Gifts.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... AIM GIFTS HAS added Rock T-shirts to its apparel line, with over 25 new designs including Beatles, Hendrix, and Instruments. AIM offers over 10,000 music gift accessories and has no minimum order. NAMM Booth: 4310 800-233-2800 ...

Upgrades for the perennially popular Littlite LED.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... LITTLITE HAS ANNOUNCED improvements to its popular LED lampsets. In addition to the new power supply on all Littlite lampsets, the chassis-mount rocker switch has been replaced with a three-way rotary switch. This new switch still enables the...

Levy's Leathers offers straps for every conceivable style & purpose.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... LEVY'S LEATHERS WILL be showing many new straps at the Winter NAMM Show. Among them are: Accordion straps--Eight new models in nylon, polyester, leather, and brightly colored vinyl, inspired by the multitude of colors that appear on...

C-720 digital concert piano: Korg.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... KORG HAS UNVEILED the C-720, the latest addition to its new line of digital concert pianos. It provides a rich piano sound, an authentic feeling 88-note graded hammer action keyboard, and a host of new features, along with a sophisticated,...

"Bowzo" for beginning violinists and violists: Meisel Stringed Instruments.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... PROPER BOWING TECHNIQUE is a fundamental skill for beginning violinists and violists, yet students of all ages often have trouble keeping the bow in the correct position. The straight path motion necessary to produce a pleasing tone does not...

New songbook celebrates Simpsons.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... HAL LEONARD has issued The Simpsons' Songbook 2nd Edition. Composer Alf Clausen, who was very involved the book's production, has won many accolades for his music on The Simpsons, including two Emmy awards and 18 additional Emmy nominations. He...

Powersonic bass drumheads: Remo.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... REMO'S NEW POWERSONIC bass drumheads give drummers controlled mid-range and enhanced low-end for a powerful bass drum sound, right out of the box. Remo listened to the feedback from dealers, drum set manufacturers, and, most importantly,...

Randy Jackson alchemy bass strings: Dean Markley.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... RANDY JACKSON, a seasoned veteran who has produced, played bass on, or performed on over 1,000 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums, and a Dean Markley string endorser for the largest part of his career, recently approached the company and...

Upgraded warranties on Recording King banjos.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... RECORDING KING IS now offering a Limited Lifetime Warranty on all banjo models. This new warranty offer will ensure the instrument's livelihood throughout time and add another value point for dealers and their customers. Recording King recently...

Three new colors added: Hornets Drumsticks.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... HORNETS DRUMSTICKS has introduced three new colors to its rapidly growing line of ergonomic drumsticks. The new colors are cobalt blue, jade green, and sienna orange, rounding out the Hornets arsenal to six colors (red, black, and natural are...

Four new instruments salute Kingston Trio: Deering Banjos.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... THE DEERING BANJO Company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Kingston Trio's first big hit, "Tom Dooley," with four new banjos. One of the models is a Vega Kingston Trio Plectrum; the other three are Kingston Trio Long Neck banjos. All...

All-new Classic Player Series: Fender.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... FENDER HAS INTRODUCED the all-new Classic Player Series instruments, including the Classic Player '50s Strat, the Classic Player '60s Strat, and the Classic Player Baja Telecaster guitars. Each instrument is the result of a collaboration...

RP250 and RP150 modeling processors: DigiTech.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... DIGITECH HAS BEGUN shipping the latest generation of its best selling RP product range, the new RP250 and RP 150 modeling guitar processors. At the heart of the new RP series is the proprietary AudioDNA2 DSP chip, four times as powerful as...

"Detailer" is Grammy winner's first plug'in: Roger Nichols Digital.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... ROGER NICHOLS DIGITAL (RND), a world leader in the development of application-proven DAW plug-ins, has introduced "Detailer," the company's first plug-in to be developed specifically by Grammy-winner Roger Nichols, using his in-session...

NS WAV 4 bass in three new finishes.(FLASH)
January 1, 2007... NS DESIGN'S WAV 4 double bass, designed by Ned Steinberger, is now available in three new finishes: vintage amberburst, transparent deep red, and solid (opaque) black high gloss. The vintage amberburst and transparent deep red finishes show off...

New portable hard-drive media player: VocoPro.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... VOCOPRO HAS RELEASED its 40GB MJ-PRO portable hard-drive media player with larger backlit remote and "CD+G to DivX" converting software. From setup to show time, this second generation M J-PRO is easier and more convenient than ever before....

New "Bohemian" guitar from Aslin Dane: Codel Enterprises.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... THE BOHEMIAN GUITAR from Aslin Dane was inspired by Brian May's "Red Special." It features a mahogany body and a set-in mahogany neck with a 24-fret rosewood fretboard. The set-in neck gives the guitar plenty of sustain, while the cutaways...

New tone depth control added to ToneStyler: Stellartone.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... STELLARTONE, A WORLD leader in providing customized tonal solutions to luthiers and manufacturers, has augmented its unique ToneStyler with a new tone depth control that allows expanded use in traditional and newly designed electric guitars....

Firefly 302 Firewire interface: Phonic.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... PHONIC IS NOW SHIPPING the long-awaited Firefly 302 Firewire interface. The Firefly 302 is a half-rack-pace unit that looks at home on a desktop next to a Macbook or in a pro equipment rack. It features an XLR mic input, two 1/4" inputs, two...

Speaker company named U.S. distributor for JTS Mics: FBT USA.(PRODUCT NEWS)
January 1, 2007... FBT USA, INC., of Berlin, Connecticut, the U.S. division of FBT Elettronica, SpA, of Recanati, Italy, has been named exclusive U.S. distributor for JTS microphones and JTS wireless microphone systems. JTS Professional, Ltd., of Taiwan...