Music Trades articles from June 2003

Music Trades archives from June 2003

Does anyone appreciate the challenges facing smaller dealers? (Letters).
June 1, 2003... I was in the process of filling out the questionnaire sent to me by The Music Trades, and when I got to "yearly sales" I found I could not honestly continue because your sales choices started at $2,500,000. On a good year my sales are one-tenth...

Company of the year. (Letters).
June 1, 2003... It is a great honor for Korg U.S.A. to be chosen as the The Music Trades 2002 "Company of the Year." We appreciate the significance of this award, particularly in these tough economic times. As you noted, there are many reasons for our...

Do endorsement ads work? Advertising specialist Mike Morse urges, "Define your brand before an artist does it for you." And remember, there is no single successful strategy. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... Ah, the music industry. Endorsement advertising gone mad. Everyone does it, but not everyone should. Having built brands in microphones, electronics, instruments, and accessory markets for world-leading brands and small, up-and-comers alike,...

A never-ending crisis. (Editorial).
June 1, 2003... "With the increased emphasis on math and science, music is in danger of being crowded out of the schools." Joe Grolimund, president of The Selmer Company, discussing music education in the aftermath of the Soviet launch of the Sputnik...

Korg's Triton Studio honored at Messe. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... THIS YEAR'S MIPA award for the best music workstation went to the Korg Triton Studio. It marks the third time in the past four years that Korg has been honored in this category. The award was presented at the fourth annual Musikmesse...

Keyboardist Bearden becomes Kawai artist. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... KAWAI HAS ANNOUNCED the signing of Michael Bearden as an exclusive Kawai Piano Artist. An accomplished musical director, composer, keyboardist, and arranger, Bearden has performed and/or recorded with some of popular music's giants...

Fishman lends expertise to Berklee students. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... IF YOU HAVE EVER WONDERED how to get a fuller spectrum of sound, a warmer tone, or a more biting attack out of your amplified upright bass--then attending a recent Berklee College of Music clinic with Larry Fishman would have answered all your...

Expanded Line6 headquarters. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... FOLLOWING STRONG GROWTH of its line of digital modeling guitar amps and effects processors, Line6 has settled into a new 39,000-square-foot headquarters in Westlake Village, California. The facility, pictured above, houses sales and general...

Conn-Selmer settles Eastlake strike. (News Flash).
June 1, 2003... CONN-SELMER HAS ratified a two-year contract with employees at its Eastlake, Ohio, brasswind plant, ending a five-week strike. John Stoner, Conn-Selmer president, said, "We are pleased that we were able to offer our Eastlake employees a...

Continued expansion at The Music Link: growing acceptance of Johnson line prompts larger East and West Coast facilities. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... THE MUSIC LINK, BEST known for its Johnson line of guitars, amps, and accessories, has been near the top of the list of The Music Trades ranking of the industry's fastest growing companies for the past three years. Double-digit sales growth...

Rock 'n' bach all night? (Update).
June 1, 2003... IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF for rock bands to perform with symphony orchestras, but KISS recently performed a symphonic show with the Melbourne (Australia) Symphony Orchestra in which not only the glam-band veterans were in their signature makeup, but...

PVDJ & Peavey sponsor events at Winter Music Conference. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... PEAVEY ELECTRONICS AND PVDJ sponsored a week of events at Nikki Beach during the Winter Music Conference in Miami, Florida. PVDJ's Rich Turin supervised and mixed sound for 90 percent of the performances by leading internationally known DJs,...

Yamaha offers dealers chance to co-host percussion camps: summer drum camps simultaneously build kids' skills and dealer community standing. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... SUMMER IS A TIME FOR KIDS to concentrate on the things they love most. For many, the focus of their creative energy is music. This year young percussion artists will have a great opportunity to sharpen their skills when "Sounds of Summer"...

Twisted Sister to entertain troops with Sennheiser.
June 1, 2003... TWISTED SISTER, THE 1980S glamhair metal band, is back from an 18-year hiatus and on the road with a case full of Sennheiser Evolution wireless equipment. According to guitarist Jay-Jay French, the band will initially play three warmup shows in...

Washburn designs guitar for Dolly Parton. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... WASHBURN GUITARS, a division of U.S. Music Corp., was recently commissioned by House of Blues to create a one-of-a-kind custom parlor guitar for Dolly Parton. David Morrow, vice-president of entertainment for House of Blues, approached Washburn...

Behringer opens expanded warehouse. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... BEHRINGER U.S.A. has opened of its new 65,000-square-foot warehouse. With the opening of the new warehouse the company subsequently has hired five new employees: Amy Wade, logistics manager; Johnny Lunceford, distribution manager; Lonnie...

Huge crowds turn out for B.C. Rich artist events. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... B.C. RICH, THE NOTORIOUS heavy-metal guitar company, recently launched its new in-store Artist Event Program with a record-breaking evening at Guitar Center's Hollywood store. The event, which attracted approximately 1,000 metal music...

Dean Markley and diplomacy. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... DEAN MARKLEY STRINGS, the United States Customs Service, and long-time Markley endorsing artist George Strait teamed up to provide concert tickets and backstage passes for two visiting Romanian government officials during Strait's recent...

Gibson signs deal with Ned Steinberger. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... NED STEINBERGER, THE inventor of headless guitars and basses, will once again be directly involved in the design, development, and marketing of Steinberger-brand instruments, thanks to a new five-year consulting agreement with Gibson Musical...

Bob Minner endorses Super-Sensitive strings. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... Bob Minner, a fiddler for Tim McGraw for over ten years, has endorsed SuperSensitive's Pinnacle strings. Minner commented, "I'm sold on these strings. They bring out qualities in my old fiddle I didn't even know were in it. If you want to...

Piano Travelers Assoc. offers scholarships. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... The National Piano Travelers is soliciting applications for matching scholarship grants for students involved with the piano. Applications from active NAMM music dealers or active NPTA members for up to $400 matching funds will be welcomed via...

Top performers choosing Audix mics: Blue Oyster Cult, Jimmy Eat World, and Lucinda Williams new Audix microphone users. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... THIRTY YEARS IS MORE than a lifetime in the music business. Few bands last even a third as long, but in 2002 Blue Oyster Cult reached that hallowed aged as a recording/touring act. From the front vocal line to the internally mounted drum mics,...

Labor strikes impact Steinway results. (Corporate Earnings Digest).
June 1, 2003... STEINWAY MUSICAL Instruments, Inc. net sales decreased 6%, to $83 million from $88 million in the year ago quarter. EBITDA dropped to $7 million from $12 million in the prior year period. Earnings per share were $0.08 compared to $0.42. ...

LP acquisition drives sales gain at Kaman Music. (Corporate Earnings Digest).
June 1, 2003... KAMAN CORPORATION net earnings for the first quarter were $14.0 million, or $0.60 per share diluted, compared to $5.3 million, or $0.24 cents per share diluted, the previous year. First quarter 2003 results include an after-tax gain of $10.1...

MakeMusic! Loss narrows. (Corporate Earnings Digest).
June 1, 2003... MAKEMUSIC!, BEST known for its Finale notation software, saw net revenues increase nearly four percent to $7,737,000, compared with $7,462,000 for the prior year. The company had net loss for 2002 of $8,310,000, before a cumulative effect of a...

Chinese piano production statistics. (Corporate Earnings Digest).
June 1, 2003... A vast population, an abiding interest in Western classical music, and the absence of a pool of used instruments, have quickly transformed China into the world's largest piano market. While developed countries in the West, like the U.S., Japan,...

Strong profit gain at Avid Technology. (Corporate Earnings Digest).
June 1, 2003... AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC., parent corporation of Digidesign, reported strong results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003. Revenues for the quarter were $112.2 million versus $92 million in the corresponding quarter in 2002. Gross margin for...

Harman results surge, pro division net doubles. (Corporate Earnings Digest).
June 1, 2003... Harman International Industries reported net sales for the quarter of $554.5 million, a 21 percent increase above net sales of $458.3 million during the same period last year. Foreign currency translation contributed approximately $60 million...

Direct Music to handle Remo in Canada. (Industry Forefront).
June 1, 2003... DIRECT MUSIC SUPPLY (DMS) has been appointed the exclusive full-line distributor of Remo products in Canada. The company stocks the complete range of Remo drumheads, World Percussion, Kids Percussion, Rhythm Club, hand drums, and percussion...

7th DISMA show held in Italy. (International File).
June 1, 2003... THE SEVENTH DISMA Music Show concluded at Rimini Fiera. Italy, on April 14. Despite the current international situation, the four-day show had 46,670 visitors, down just 2.5 percent from 2002. This year's show had 500 exhibitors in the...

George Young sax clinic draws SRO crowd at Cascio. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... A CAPACITY CROWD BRAVED a brutally cold winter Wisconsin evening night to hear saxophonist George Young at Cascio Interstate in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Sponsored by the retailer in conjunction with Selmer and Vandoren, the event welcomed...

Guitar Center net rises on musician's friend profit gain. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... SHARES OF GUITAR CENTER, Inc. continued to rise after the retailer posted improved results for the first quarter, ended March 31, 2003. Sales for the period increased 13% to $287.5 million, compared to $254.8 million in its 2002 first quarter....

Eric Johnson performs at Gand Music. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... Grammy-winning virtuoso guitarist Eric Johnson appeared with his trio in a free performance at Gand Music and Sound in Northfield, Illinois. The workshop was presented by Line 6 guitar products and featured the company's breakthrough Guitar...

Jordan Kitt's Kennedy Center event grosses $1.8 million. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... JORDAN KITT'S MUSIC, headquartered in College Park, Maryland, held a highly successful piano sale April 4-6 at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. CEO Bill McCormick reported total sales of $1,830,000, with 24 Steinway...

Daddy's hosts Mike Mangini clinics. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... Daddy's Junky Music, in conjunction with Pearl, Zildjian, and Remo, recently hosted four clinics with former Steve Vai drummer Mike Mangini. Mangini--who was recently named "World's Fastest Drummer" playing 1,138 single strokes in 60 seconds...

AJ's hosts Anton Fig clinic. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... TAMPA PERCUSSION RETAILER AJ's Pro Percussion recently welcomed Late Show with David Letterman drummer Anton Fig for one of very few stops on his current drum clinic tour. Anton played several pieces from his various projects and spoke with the...

The HOG and Roland host band battle. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... THE HOUSE OF GUITARS ("The HOG") of Rochester, New York, and Roland Corporation hosted a Battle of the Bands competition on April 5 in Rochester. Twenty local bands performed at The HOG, where they recorded, mixed, mastered, and burned their...

Meridian Music take KIG dealer award. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... THE KEYBOARD Insights Group (KIG) voted Meridian Music of Indianapolis, Indiana, the Outstanding Piano Dealer for 2002 at its annual winter meeting on March 24 in Clearwater, Florida. The group of 15 of the top piano dealers in the United...

Steinway Gallery in Nashville expands with new store. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... STEINWAY PIANO GALLERY of Nashville celebrated the Grand Opening of its new facility with a ribbon-cutting reception and concert on April 30. Special guests who participated in the event included Bruce Stevens, president of Steinway &...

Music & Arts acquires Riccardo's Music. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... MUSIC & ARTS CENTER finalized negotiations in April for the acquisition of Riccardo's Music, a well-established six-store retailer in Hartford, Connecticut, that was owned for 35 years by Pete Riccardo. This acquisition represents Music & Arts...

Progressive Percussion hosts Drummers' Night School course. (Retailer Update).
June 1, 2003... PROGRESSIVE PERCUSSION Drum Studios of Raleigh, North Carolina hosted a Drummers Night School course entitled "Tuning and Drumhead Selection 101" on May 5. Cosponsored by Pearson Music/Brook Mays and Evans Drumheads, the event was attended by...

Fighting for the health of school music: band and orchestra manufacturers explore ways to expand the market. (Association News).
June 1, 2003... Would educators, parents, and school music retailers benefit from an industry-wide set of minimum instrument quality standards? Can the industry help alleviate the growing shortage of school music teachers that threatens music programs from...

Getting more from current customers: there are hundreds of ways to build your business besides running another SALE! SALE! ad. For starters, your best source of more business is from your list of current customers. Some thoughts on creative ways to build repeat business and stimulate store traffic. (Bob Popyk On Selling).
June 1, 2003... Your best source of more business is from current customers. Current satisfied customers, that is. Believe it or not, many customers won't show their gratitude for allowing them to spend money at your store by coming back for other purchases....

Singing the praises of karaoke: top suppliers show how to find the profit potential in universal desire to sing. (The Karaoke Market).
June 1, 2003... Karaoke products suppliers are singing a happy tune--and who could blame them. As reported in this publication's recent Music Industry Census (April), karaoke machines represent one of the industry's brighter current melodies, with annual unit...

Avedis Zildjian celebrates 380th: honored as oldest business in U.S.A.
June 1, 2003... Hundreds of employees, friends, artists, and area politicians gathered at Zildjian's Norwell, Massachusetts, headquarters on May 9 to celebrate the company's landmark 380th anniversary. Honoring the loyalty and pride of all Zildjian employees...

Europe: where it all began. (European Manufacturer Profiles)(Cover Story).
June 1, 2003... The countries that comprise modern Europe could rightly be called the birthplace of music as we know it. Over a 400-year time frame, between the beginning of the Renaissance and the mid-1800s, a unique interplay between European composers and...

Miraphone: flagship brasswinds are a unique fusion of craftsmanship and technology. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... IN 1948 13 VETERAN brasswind repairmen from Graslitz, Germany, set out to pool their substantial technical knowledge and expertise to create a new line of exceptional musical instruments. A new manufacturer, Miraphone, was born. Demand for the...

Seiler pianos: a story of one family's commitment prevailing against dire adversity. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... ONE OF THE GREAT European manufacturers of grand and upright pianos, Seiler has been in family hands for four generations. Among piano makers and pianists alike Seiler enjoys a worldwide reputation as a manufacturer of first-class instruments...

Vandoren reeds: choice of professionals worldwide. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... MUSIC HAS COME A LONG way since the early 19th century. Woodwind players of the time literally shaped their own sound by making their own reeds. A clarinetist at the Paris Opera, Eugene Van Doren, was so gifted at reed making that his...

John Hornby Skewes: the U.K.'s leading general distributor. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... PREVIOUSLY A SALES representative with Hohner, a young John Hornby Skewes sought a separate, more independent music industry path in mid-'60s England. Notwithstanding predictions that the upstart "wouldn't last," Skewes' namesake company,...

Barenreiter: scholarly editions for the discerning musician. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... SYDNEY: THE CURTAIN of the famous opera house rises on a performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni. London: The London Symphony Orchestra plays a Beethoven symphony. High in the Dolomites: At over 6,000 feet above sea level 18 musicians gather in a...

Royal Oak Products: a new maker of rosin has secured customers worldwide. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... BY EUROPEAN INDUSTRY STANDARDS, Royal Oak Products is but a babe in the woods, having been established in 1996. But it is already making a significant impression on the industry. Two years before the company's launch, Royal Oak founder Michael...

JA Musik GmbH: nearly two centuries of brasswind edxperience backed by major capital investments translates into a growing global presence. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... FEW COMPANIES TODAY are as steeped in musical instrument manufacturing tradition as JA Musik. The company's origins date back to 1810, when Gerhard Meinl's family began making wind instruments in Graslitz, Bohemia, during the Austrian-Hungarian...

Barnes & Mullins: how two banjo players laid the foundation for a leading U.K.-based accessory maker. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... BOWLEY BARNES AND Albert Mullins were banjo players who performed regularly in the music halls of London and other English cities. They became the best of friends, and after marrying sisters, decided to go into business together wholesaling...

Stentor Music: if you sell 500,000 violins, you must be doing something right. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... SINCE THE 1960S MORE than 500,000 young people have begun their musical experience with a Stentor stringed instrument. Many of these individuals can now be found in major orchestras and among the teachers of tomorrow's musicians. Offering...

Taylor Trumpets: U.K. horn maker pushed the limits of tradition with bold new designs. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... IF EUROPEAN MUSICAL instrument manufacturers seem characterized by adherence to centuries-old traditions, Taylor Trumpets is certainly a maverick among them. Under the leadership of founder Andy Taylor, this British designer of...

Konig & Meyer: by focusing on the smallest details K&M has built the world's most often copied products. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... FOR OVER 50 YEARS, the K&M brand has been synonymous with the world's highest-quality music stands, hardware, and accessories. From classic to pop, from the smallest rehearsal room to the largest stage, Konig & Meyer offers the industry's...

Pirastro GmbH: string making pioneer dates back to 1798. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... ONE OF THE WORLD'S foremost manufacturers of musical instrument strings, Pirastro GmbH offers a wide variety of strings for violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, guitar, and gamba. It also produces numerous types of premium-quality rosin,...

BG Franck Bichon S.A.R.L.: innovative accessories for woodwind players. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... IF IT'S TRUE THAT IMITATION is the sincerest form of flattery, BG Franck Bichon should feel very flattered indeed. Some of its most successful product designs, such as the saxophone harnesses it introduced in 1987, have been copied for years....

Shadow Electronics: Shadow moves into the spotlight with hi-tech guitar electronics. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... SHADOW ELECTRONICS' name may once have born an unintended secondary significance, since many of its acoustic guitar preamps are sold to OEM customers, which often don't promote or even identify their components' suppliers. But in recent years...

Leed Representation: David Leed delivers 38 years of successful export experience. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... DAVID LEED IS BRITISH-BORN, but a lengthy career directing international sales for companies including Boosey & Hawkes, Gibson Guitars, Kimball International, and United Musical Instruments has made him a citizen of the world. A precocious...

Wilh. Steinberg: traditional methods supported by new technology. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... LOCATED IN THURINGEN, Eisenberg, Germany, Wilh. Steinberg (WST) manufactures three lines of upright pianos and two grand pianos, all of which are available in variety of attractive finishes. All Wilh. Steinberg instruments are fitted with the...

Thomastik-Infeld GmbH: the pioneer of the steel and nylon violin string. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... VIENNA, AUSTRIA, HAS been home to some of the greatest composers and musicians in the history of Western music. It is also the home of one of the world's leading makers of instrument strings. Ninety-seven percent of the strings produced by the...

Lowden Guitar Co. (Avalon Guitars): hand building exquisite acoustic guitars in Northern Ireland. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... FOUNDED IN NORTHERN IRELAND in 1989, the Lowden Guitar Co. Ltd. developed a worldwide reputation for producing high-quality handmade acoustic guitars. Representing over a century of combined guitar-building experience, its small team of...

M. Casale Bauer: Italian distribution firm provides complete marketing support. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... WITH A STAFF of 13 salespeople covering all of Italy, and a stable of leading product lines that includes Fender, Ampeg, Crate, Remo, Bosendorfer, Young Chang, and Samson, M. Casale Bauer ranks as one of the leading music products distributors...

Export expertise for hire: the trust network has a proven record building international sales. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... WORKING AS EXPORT manager for England's renowned Celestion Speakers, Brendan Murray saw firsthand what a difference the right people can make. Celestion was offering uniform products, pricing, and marketing programs around the globe, but sales...

Orla di Orlandonl & Co. (European Manufacturer Profiles).
June 1, 2003... IN 1959 NAZZARENO ORLANDONI established Orla di Orlandonl & Co. in Castelfidardo, the musical instrument capital of Italy, to manufacture parts for accordions and reed organs. Known throughout the industry as "Mimmo," Orlandoni was joined by...

The sky is not falling on the print industry: despite fears of recession, retailers and publishers at the RPMDA convention in Dallas were confident of a strong 2003. (RPMDA In Dallas).
June 1, 2003... Arguably, there is no more collegial music industry organization than Retail Print Music Dealers Association. The fraternity, communication, and cooperation among its retailer and publisher members bloom at the organization's annual convention,...

Yoshihiro Doi named President of Yamaha Corporation of America. (People).
June 1, 2003... Yoshihiro "Yoshi" Doi was named President of Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) effective June 9, 2003. He succeeds Mitsuru "Mick" Umemura, who will return to Yamaha Corporation Japan as executive officer, Music Group. In his new position,...

Van Pamel, Brown join Behringer U.S.A. (People).
June 1, 2003... KEVIN VAN PAMEL has joined Behringer U.S.A. as manager of the Instrument Amplification Division, and Russell Brown has joined as sales manager of the DJ Division. Van Pamel previously worked at Gibson as general manager for Gibson Strings...

Miller & Austin join Rodgers organ. (People).
June 1, 2003... DAN MILLER HAS BEEN promoted to product design manager at Rodgers Instruments, and Mark Austin has joined the company as manager of pipe organ products. Both appointments were announced by Chad Perry, director of sales and marketing. Dan...

Alfred's Kowalchyk wins prestigious award. (People).
June 1, 2003... DR. GAYLE KOWALCHYK, a senior keyboard editor at Alfred Publishing since 1988, was presented with the prestigious 2003 Achievement in Music Award from the board of directors of the Society of Alumni and Friends of the Ohio University School of...

Ernest Cataldo joins Viscount. (People).
June 1, 2003... ERNEST CATALDO HAS JOINED Viscount U.S. as director of business development. He will be responsible for overseeing and directing the U.S. growth of Viscount's digital piano business and for the growth and development of a Viscount line that...

Billias & Martin promoted at Yamaha. (People).
June 1, 2003... YAMAHA CORPORATION of America has announced the promotion of Athan Billias and the appointment of Mike Martin to new positions within the Pro Audio & Combo (PAC) Division. Billias has been named director of marketing, Technology Group, while...

Roland's VR-760 "all-in-one" keyboard: jazz organ sounds, amp modeling, and synth capabilities in a single package. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... ROLAND RECENTLY introduced another first-of-its-kind instrument, the VR-760 Performance Keyboard. The VR-760 features top-quality sounds for the modern keyboard player, such as Roland's acclaimed "Virtual ToneWheel" organs, FP- and RD-Series...

Rocktron introduces Big Crush compressor pedal. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... Guitar gear gurus at Rocktron have just cooked up a new compressor pedal called the Big Crush. With performance engineered for low noise and super-long sustain, the Big Crush is equally at home with guitar or bass. Controls include Level...

Viscount begins shipping Sonata vertical digital piano. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... VISCOUNT U.S. HAS BEGUN shipping its Sonata performance-level vertical piano. This new instrument features Viscount's exclusive iMotion sound generation Grand Touch Feeling keyboard (with escapement mechanism) and the improved Acoustic-Chamber...

New acoustic strings from Black Diamond. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... BLACK DIAMOND STRINGS has introduced 600LL .011 gauge phosphor bronze acoustic strings. The 600LLs offer the same construction, warmth, and feel as the company's entire 600 series phosphor bronze strings yet in a lighter gauge. The 600LL...

B-Band intros two sidemount preamps. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... THE A6 AND A5 sidemount preamps are the latest additions to the B-Band line. Like all B-Band products, the preamps are built around the company's proprietary patented Electret Film technology; B-Band pickups do not use common piezo material....

Generalmusic expands Genesys line. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... GENERALMUSIC HAS EXPANDED the acclaimed Genesys series by releasing the Genesys PRO, a portable, lightweight arranger workstation designed for the professional and semi-professional musician. GEM keyboards are renowned the world over for their...

Guitar salon to distribute HumiCase. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... GUITAR SALON International has announced exclusive distribution rights for the HumiCase, designed to protect fine guitars from problems associated with the expansion and contraction of the wood. The HumiCase is a product of a joint...

DW adds olive ash to exotic drum finishes. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... JOHN GOOD, VICE-PRESIDENT of operations and head drum designer for Drum Workshop, Inc., has announced the addition of olive ash to DW's exclusive collection of exotic wood drum finishes. According to Good, a choice of luxurious natural or...

LP Aspire Tunable Djembe with EZ Curve rims. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... LATIN PERCUSSION'S popular LP Aspire Tunable Djembe now features the company's unique EZ Curve rims on all models. In addition, previously purchased LP Aspire Tunable Djembes will also accept the EZ Curve rims, which can be easily fitted by...

"Lil' P.A." portable from Pignose. (Product News).
June 1, 2003... PIGNOSE'S LIL' P.A. portable public address system, designed for portability and reliability, is being met with rave reviews in the transportation industry, according to the company. The versatile Lil' P.A. is the portable p.a. of choice on all...