Music Trades articles from June 2005

Music Trades archives from June 2005

No girls need apply approach to guitar marketing?(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... TODAY I RECEIVED marketing brochures from two different instrument vendors who wanted me to spend money on their products. One, Jackson, had the typical car show model sexing up a guitar. The other, New Sensor, had "a trio of Latin beauties"...

Shrinking margins accelerate deflation.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... THE MUSIC INDUSTRY Census published in the April 2005 of The Music Trades contains a tremendous amount of useful market information and should be required reading for any person involved in the manufacture, distribution, or sales of musical...

Who's the longest running CEO?(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Your April 2005 issue of The Music Trades contains an article about Hartley Peavey which states "Forty years later, Hartley is still at it and can lay claim to being the industry's longest running CEO." I take extreme exception to this...

GC ... an asset to the market.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... With regard to GC's acquisition of the Music & Arts stores, the only thing I am sure of is that things will always be changing. "Price compression" is the real culprit eroding the rental market, not GC and Music & Arts. I think that the...

Are Yellow Page ads losing their punch?(Industry Briefings)
June 1, 2005... For a large percentage of music and audio retailers, Yellow Page advertising represents a major promotional expense. Although Yellow Page ad rates continue to inch up, new evidence suggests that more consumers are turning to internet search...

Will China revalue its currency?(Industry Briefings)
June 1, 2005... Speculation that China may be about to change the rules of its currency, the Yuan, has intensified in recent weeks. Chinese officials have often stated that they will eventually allow the currency, which has effectively been linked to the...

China Watch II--a labor shortage?(Industry Briefings)
June 1, 2005... The consensus has been that China's nearly limitless supply of labor would hold prices down on Chinese goods indefinitely. Now however, some China watchers are thinking otherwise. An April 25 article in the International Herald Tribune noted...

Small stores--wave of the future?(Industry Briefings)
June 1, 2005... Over the past decade Best Buy Electronics thrived by adopting a "bigger is better" approach to retailing, with cavernous 40,000-square-foot stores, filled with a dizzying array of consumer electronics, computers, appliances, and DVDs. In an...

Time for new tactics in promoting school music?(EDITORIAL)
June 1, 2005... For as long as we can remember, educator associations and a host of other well meaning people have been warning of a grave budget crisis in education that threatens the future existence of school music programs. We have no doubt that among the...

Indianapolis here we come.(EDITORIAL)
June 1, 2005... WE'LL BE SHORT AND TO THE POINT on this subject. Go to the NAMM's Indianpolis show July 22-24. Here's a quick recap of the reasons: With over 500 exhibitors clamoring for your business, you're guaranteed to walk away with some deals the will...

Major profit turnaround at Loud Technologies: better deliveries boost sales, generating $9 million profit swing in fourth quarter. Also, St. Louis Music acquisition completed.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... STRONG DEMAND FOR new products, improved availability of imported products, and tight expense control resulted in a major profit turnaround at Loud Technologies, the parent company of Mackie Designs, EAW Loudspeakers, and St. Louis Music...

Patent Office Rules for D'Addario in dispute with Gibson.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... THE U.S. PATENT & Trademark Office has rebuffed an attempt by Gibson to claim "EXP" as a trademark and prohibit J. D'Addario & Co. from marketing a range of guitar strings under the EXP name. In its petition to the trademark office filed in...

"Apprentice" Kastner and his ovation elite LX.(Ovation Guitars)
June 1, 2005... DANNY KASTNER, the leisure suitwearing, guitar-strumming contestant from Season 3 of NBC's hit series The Apprentice, earned notoriety when he was called "a disaster" by Donald Trump on the 2005 season premiere of the show, and in the episodes...

World's tallest guitar soon to grace Biloxi casino.(NEWS FLASH)
June 1, 2005... A NEW HARD ROCK Hotel & Casino sign is sure to make a big impression on the citizens of Biloxi, Mississippi. Featuring a 112-foot-tall replica of Peavey's HP Signature guitar, this neon jaw-dropper is more than 40 feet taller than the sign...

Golden Eagle one of "101 Greatest Moments".(Paul Reed Smith Guitars)
June 1, 2005... THE STAFF OF Guitar Player magazine announced in its April issue "The 101 Greatest Moments in Guitar History." The staff assembled "the coolest, greatest, and most important moments in the history of the modem six-string." Included on the list...

Bob Zildjian wins MIPA Lifetime Award.(Sabian)
June 1, 2005... ROBERT ZILDJIAN, FOUNDER and chairman of Sabian Ltd., was awarded a MIPA Lifetime Achievement Award during ceremonies at the 2005 Musikmesse in Frankfurt. Presented by the Musikmesse International Press Association, composed of editors of 58...

New owners & management at Amati/Strunal.(Sabian)
June 1, 2005... AMATI/STRUNAL has announced changes in ownership and top management. Com Enterprise purchased the shares of Europe's largest string instrument manufacturer, Strunal spol. s.r.o., located in Luby, Czech Republic. The president/CEO of Strunal,...

Company's centennial celebration continues.(Vandoren Reeds)
June 1, 2005... VANDOREN REEDS, distributed in the United States by DANSR, is continuing its centennial celebration. The Vandoren centennial celebration rolled into April as Vandoren sponsored concert/clinics by Vandoren performing artists Steve Slagle,...

Yamaha artist Mei-Ting Sun wins chopin competition.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... YAMAHA ARTIST Mei-Ting Sun, the 24-year-old classical piano sensation currently pursuing his doctorate at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, won first prize at the Seventh National Chopin Piano Competition. He was chosen by a jury...

Coming to the aid of Kazakhstan students.(Alfred Publishing)
June 1, 2005... ALFRED PUBLISHING hosted an unexpected, extended trip to the January IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) convention in Anaheim, California, for 40 students, parents, and teachers of the Almaty Youth Jazz Band. Based in...

Davitt & Hanser goes nationwide with acquisition of NHF.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... ON MAY 1, DAVITT & HANSER completed the acquisition of select assets of NHF Musical Merchandise in Pennsauken, New Jersey. The deal between Davitt & Hanser and NHF owner Tim Zerone will provide Davitt & Hanser with NHF's 30,000-square-foot...

Shure opens two China facilities.(NEWS FLASH)
June 1, 2005... SHURE has opened two locations in China: a manufacturing facility in Suzhou and a sales and marketing office in Shanghai. "China is a very important market for our strategic growth goals," said Sandy LaMantia, president and CEO. "This...

AMC names USA's 101 most musical communities.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... FOR THE SIXTH YEAR in a row a nationwide survey conducted by a partnership of leading music and educational organizations has identified the "Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America." But because of an unprecedented tie, this year's...

Top retailers visit Conn-Selmer.(Veritas)
June 1, 2005... CONN-SELMER RECENTLY hosted a gathering of Veritas Instrument Rental's (VIR) top producing affiliated retailers at its home office in Elkhart, Indiana. The three-day excursion included tours of the brass and woodwind factories, product sessions...

Guitarist Gilewitz chooses M1 and Para DI.(L.R. Baggs)
June 1, 2005... MASTER GUITARIST and clinician Richard Gilewitz has adopted the M1 and Para DI as his amplification system of choice for his Breedlove guitars and is currently touring the U.S. and conducting concerts and clinics. Gilewitz commented about his...

Big Bang & Bosphorus Cymbals.(NEWS FLASH)
June 1, 2005... BIG BANG DISTRIBUTION is the new U.S. distributor of Turkish-made Bosphorus Cymbals. The origins of fine cymbal making can be traced to Turkey, and Bosphorus continues this tradition with a full line of handmade cymbals. From the earthy,...

Report on cause of string breakage.(Graph Tech)
June 1, 2005... GRAPH TECH GUITAR LABS, the guitar industry's nut and saddle leader, has published its definitive report on the root cause of guitar string breakage. Graph Tech pioneered the development of impregnated nuts and saddles designed to alleviate...

U.S. Music steps up production with new facility.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... U.S. MUSIC CORP., parent company of Washburn guitars, Randall amplifiers, Eden electronics, Sound Tech audio, and Oscar Schmidt instruments. has expanded with the acquisition of a 57,000-square-foot distribution facility outside of Chicago in...

Custom series brass to tour retail stores.(Getzen Company)
June 1, 2005... GETZEN HAS ANNOUNCED its all-new Custom Series Small Brass Tour (SBT) program. The SBT is the trumpet player's chance to check out Getzen's industry-leading Custom Series small brass instruments. Each event will be hosted by a Getzen dealer...

Five Bechstein grands at Kennedy Center.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... FIVE C. BECHSTEIN 280 9'2" concert grand pianos were flown in from Berlin, Germany, especially for an April 16 concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The performing pianists were from the U.S. Army Band. Approximately...

Steve Gadd clinic tour.(Zildjian)
June 1, 2005... ZILDJIAN STAGED an in-store clinic tour with Steve Gadd in April. Gadd has been the driving force behind musicians such as Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, and many more. This was Gadd's first performing clinic...

Support for troops in Kuwait.(Gemini)
June 1, 2005... SGT. DAMON EYERLY put it best when he said, "The Army has us fighting during the day, but Gemini has us dancing at night." Members of the 642nd DASB currently in Kuwait are helping support about 1,200 coalition soldiers in Operation Iraqi...

Nordiska 9' grand stars at piano competition.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... AS THE PERFORMERS at the 29th Annual Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra Piano Concerto Competition took to the stage, they approached a piano with which many of them were not familiar. The nine-foot polished ebony Nordiska 275 concert grand...

Publicly traded industry firms.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2005... PUBLICLY TRADED INDUSTRY FIRMS PRICE AS OF P/E 52-WEEK RANGE MAY 13, 2005 RATIO HIGH-LOW Allen Organ Corp. $60.07 14.78 $70.98-$45.86 Avid...

New Hampshire names Daddy's "Retailer of the Year".(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... DADDY'S JUNKY MUSIC, based in Manchester, New Hampshire, was recently named "Retailer of the Year--Multiple Locations" by the Retail Merchants Association of New Hampshire at the annual New Hampshire Retail Summit held in Manchester. The awards...

audioMIDI.com stages "synth legend symposim" with Moog, Oberheim, and Smith.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... AUDIOMIDI.COM HAS used the internet to build a thriving music software retail business. However, thunder Russ Jones recently shifted from the virtual to the real world to stage a symposium featuring electronic music pioneers Bob Moog, Tom...

Cascio strengthens management team.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... CASCIO INTERSTATE MUSIC in New Berlin, Wisconsin, has strengthened its management team, hiring Elwood Winn as chief financial officer; Jeff Settano, as vice president of procurement/operations; and Fred Miller, as director of information...

Birenbaum sells store to longtime employee.(Drum Headquarters)
June 1, 2005... ROB BIRENBAUM sold Drum Headquarters, with two locations in the St. Louis area, to longtime key employee Jim Uding, effective May 1, 2005. Birenbaum started Drum Headquarters in 1981 and built it into one of the most successful and...

Strong sales and better margins power 35% earnings gain at Guitar Center: retailer cites "uneven" sales patterns and pledges to step up promotions to meet competitive challenges.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... STRONG SALES GROWTH, improved gross margins, and reduced interest expense combined to increase Guitar Center's net income by 34.8% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2005. For the quarter the retailer posted sales of $396.4 million, an...

Senseney Music names Supinie executive V.P.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... Senseney Music of Wichita Kansas has promoted Lori Supinie to the newly created post of executive vice president and chief operating officer with responsibility as General Manager. Supinie joined the company in 1995 and most recently served as...

England Piano opens 50,000 sq. ft. super store in Atlanta.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... ENGLAND PIANO purchased a 50,000-square-foot facility in December 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia. The facility is a very modern showroom located with complete visibility from 1-85. It is located within one-half mile of the major Atlanta intersection...

Music Center sponsors Nathan East clinic.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2005... MUSIC CENTER of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Yamaha Guitars recently sponsored a clinic that featured Fourplay and Nathan East, the bassist with Eric Clapton. The private evening, held at Kenosha's world-famous Brat Shop, drew an audience of...

What happened to the organ market? Was there ever really any demand for those big keyboards or was it just a question of selling consumers with the promise of free lessons and easy musical fun?(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
June 1, 2005... I was invited to speak at a Lowrey Organ sales training seminar a few weeks ago in Chicago. The program was to be on how salespeople could find customers on their own, without relying on dealer advertising or store promotion. The topic was i...

Finding new ways to add value: Annual Print Music Convention in Biloxi Probes shifting role of the retailer in an online world and how best to adapt.(RPMDA: The State Of The Print Music Market)
June 1, 2005... "I SPENT THE BETTER PART of two hours visiting three local retailers in search of an obscure jazz guitar CD, and none of them could help me find it, let alone buy it," related Paul Freeling of Art's Music. "By the time I finished, I realized...

Go to church ... and make money: how changing styles of worship are creating major new opportunities for music and audio retailers.(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Go to church to make money. It sounds crass, but it is perhaps the best business advice you will receive this year. While music retailers have witnessed slow growth and withering competition in every other market segment, the booming church...

Make a joyful noise! What churches are buying and how to make sure they come to you with their shopping list.(THE CHURCH MARKET)
June 1, 2005... North America is home to as many as 400,000 houses of worship, a number that has climbed steadily for more than a decade. This rise parallels a veritable explosion of Christian-influenced music into mainstream media as exemplified by such...

Peavey shows commitment to church market with expanded Sanctuary Series.(THE CHURCH MARKET)
June 1, 2005... Peavey Electronics made a strong commitment to the church music market with the launch of its Sanctuary Series mixers, loudspeakers, and power amps at the 2004 winter NAMM show. All products in the line were designed for ease of operation and...

Innovation in motion: Motion Sound, a manufacturer of high-end amps and speaker cabinets, has redoubled its success with a line of products aimed squarely at the gospel music market.(THE CHURCH MARKET)
June 1, 2005... Many of today's music store owners were gigging musicians, road warriors, in the '70s and '80s--the heyday of the pop and rock club scene. Most, at one time or another, had the dubious pleasure of humping a Leslie rotary speaker (usually as a...

Serving the spirit with music: a noted worship leader and ministry consultant offers retailers some "golden rules" for building relationships with church market customers.(THE CHURCH MARKET)
June 1, 2005... In 2001 Steve Young moved from southern California to northern New Jersey to help launch a new church. When his friends heard that the church's "congregation" numbered just over a dozen, they said he was crazy. But Young based his leap of faith...

Going beyond the basics: how Morgan Music has found a lucrative market selling churches more than the the typical guitar, sound, and keyboard products carried in M.I. stores.(THE CHURCH MARKET)
June 1, 2005... The historic view of music in the church put an organ in one corner and a piano in the other. That paradigm has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades, first with gospel groups in the South and major cities, and then with the...

Lowrey trial organ promo offers retail growth opportunity: creative new consumer outreach plan unveiled at training event to dealer raves.(MARKETING STRATEGIES)
June 1, 2005... More than 100 Lowrey store owners, salespeople and teachers traveled to Chicago April 26-28 for three days of training at Lowrey University. "If we were in the commodity business we would not need training," remarked Lowrey National Sales...

PRS founder celebrated at Red Rocks.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2005... PAUL REED SMITH was presented with an award from Colorado's famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre in honor of the 20th anniversary of PRS Guitars. The award, presented at the January 2005 NAMM show, is made of sandstone, the material that creates...

Mary Luehrsen named to White House council.(NAMM)
June 1, 2005... MARY L. LUEHRSEN, NAMM's director of public affairs and government relations, was named to the steering committee for the Mini-Conference on Creativity and Aging held May 18-19 at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. The...

Pritikin new sales mgr. for Digital Pianos.(Pearl River Pianos)
June 1, 2005... RICH PRITIKIN has been named sales manager in the Digital Pianos Division at Pearl River Piano Group American Ltd. The new position was created as Pritikin readies the introduction of Pearl River's first line of digital pianos in the U.S. and...

Grantano to rep Pleyel Pianos.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2005... VINCE GRANTANO has been appointed the U.S. sales and marketing representative for Pleyel Pianos of Paris, France. Grantano started in music retail in 1962 in Philadelphia and then was a district sales manager for Aeolian, Kawai America,...

New posts for Anderson, Von Behren, & Madsen.(Yamaha PAC)
June 1, 2005... YAMAHA'S PROFESSIONAL Audio and Combo (PAC) division has promoted Mark Anderson to portable keyboard marketing manager and Shawna Von Behren to accessories marketing manager. Dane Madsen has joined Yamaha PAC as marketing manager for digital...

Allied Piano founders lead PTG seminar.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2005... ALLIED PIANO'S Ruth and Webb Phillips will be presenting a two-day hands-on finish repair seminar August 5-6. The seminar is being hosted by the Piano Technicians Guild at its new home office in Kansas City, Kansas. This popular course...

Dorwart named V.P. of sales & marketing.(Stanton Group)
June 1, 2005... TIMOTHY DORWART has been appointed by The Stanton Group as the new vice-president of sales and marketing for Cerwin-Vega and KRK. He will report to Dave Froker, CEO of The Stanton Group. A seasoned veteran with 25 years of experience,...

Adam Weems named manager of education.(Zildjian)
June 1, 2005... ADAM WEEMS has joined the Education Department at Zildjian as manager of education. He will responsible for developing the company's educational, drum corps and marching band markets including clinics, trade and educational shows, product...

Lane, Jacoby join marketing department.(Remo)
June 1, 2005... AT REMO, Professor Johnny Lee Lane has joined as director of educational marketing, and Bruce Jacoby as manager of marching and education. Lane is one the nation's foremost college percussion educators. He has taught at Tennessee State...

QRS Ancho controller combines universal disk reader, plus high quality sound card.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... QRS MUSIC TECHNOLOGIES has spiced up its controller line with the addition of the Ancho, a new advanced playback controller for player piano systems. Loaded with super-hot features (which is why it's named after a Mexican pepper), the Ancho can...

New guitar products now shipping.(Alesis)
June 1, 2005... THREE NEW PRODUCTS from Alesis are now shipping: the PlayMate Guitarist guitar effects processor and CD player; the RoadFire 15 guitar amplifier; and the XGuitar. The PlayMate Guitarist is a powerful guitar performance and practice tool...

Levy's expands hand tooled strap line.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... LEVY'S LEATHERS has added more pattern choices to its line of tooled leather guitar straps. Levy's carving leather guitar straps are now available with acorns & oakleaves, basketweave, paisley, or zodiac tooled designs on three different models...

New custom trombones from Kanstul.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... KANSTUL MUSICA INSTRUMENTS has unveiled four new models of professional trombones. At the recent conference of the International Trombone Festival in New Orleans, Kanstul premiered its new 1608 ST tenor trombone with slide tuning. It features...

Catalog now available in CD format.(DavidD E. Smith)
June 1, 2005... DAVID E. SMITH Publications, LLC, continues to expand the catalogs of David E. Smith Publications, Psalm 150, Majestic Music Publications, Washington Music Ministries, River Song Productions, Ken Bauer Productions, and Light Of The World Music...

Korg Kontrol49 Studio Controller for computer-centric musicians.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... AT WINTER NAMM Korg debuted its new Kontrol49 MIDI Studio Controller. The Kontrol49 combines 49 full-size keys with a unique array of pads, encoders, sliders, and multiple displays for unprecedented control and expression. Designed for...

Sax maker Cannonball adds Stone Series Pro trumpets.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... CANNONBALL Musical Instruments has unveiled its new "Stone Series" Professional Big Bell saxophones and trumpets. The saxophones take Cannonball's "Big Bell" concept to a new level by achieving greater focus, depth, and resonance in the sound....

New custom-built archtops.(Canvas Guitars)
June 1, 2005... CANVAS GUITARS ARE the first all-USA-designed instruments, custom-built at the company's factory in China. All tooling is made in the U.S.A., resulting in cutting-edge guitar technology at very affordable prices. Dubbed "New Old School" by its...

High-end ritter gig bags add innovative audio features.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... RITTER HAS INTRODUCED the RG9000 series of high-end gig bags, made from water-repellent polyester. The bags offer unparalleled protection with 40mm padding and superb pro backpack system plus many more unique and cool features such as audio...

MX White snare batter head.(Evans)
June 1, 2005... THE NEW MX WHITE marching snare batter head from Evans is causing a major buzz in the marching community. Compared to thicker heads, the MX White produces a softer feel and a rich, edgy tone with great projection and articulation. Its unique...

Yamaha EMX line adds new models to cover all price points.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... POWER, PORTABILITY, and performance continue to be the hallmarks of the EMX series as Yamaha Professional Audio brings three new models to its line of powered mixers. The 2x200-watt EMX212S (MSRP $449), the 2x300-watt EMX312C (MSRP $559), and...

Mike Balter publishes lavish new catalog.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... MIKE BALTER MALLETS recently released its new 20-page full-color catalog. The catalog showcases the full line of Mike Baiter percussion mallets, divided into the following categories: vibe mallets; marimba mallets; xylophone and bell mallets;...

Timbales added to Music Link Coda drum line.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... THE MUSIC LINK has added timbales to its Coda line of drums and percussion instruments. The new timbales feature metal shells with chrome finishes, a black cowbell made from premium steel, and an adjustable double-braced stand with sturdy...

Lionel Hampton DVD expands classic series.(Hudson Music)
June 1, 2005... Known as the "King of the Vibes" and the original "Mister Excitement," Lionel Hampton is the subject of a collectible new Hudson Music DVD. Lionel Hampton: Jazz Legend presents the life and music of this world-renowned drum and percussion...

Yamaha piano expands startlights software series.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... YAMAHA'S PIANO DIVISION has expanded its popular StarLights series of musical software that lets beginners play favorite tunes on their Yamaha Clavinova CVP digital pianos using "Follow Lights" technology. The newest releases in the...

"Dr. Dan's tips" now on DVD.(Original Swab)
June 1, 2005... THE ORIGINAL SWAB Company's line of "Dr. Dan's Instrument Maintenance Tips" is now available on DVD. All six episodes Trumpet, Trombone, Violin, Saxophone, Clarinet, and Flute--can be purchased in the VHS or DVD format. The DVDs are for...

Rock It Science play-along CD.(Rhythm Tech)
June 1, 2005... Rhythm Tech has released Rock It Science, the highly anticipated third volume of its Turn It Up & Lay It Down series of play-along CDs. The new release features all new bass lines with guitar accompaniment concentrating on today's rock feels....

Acoustic Bass Stand redesigned.(Meisel)
June 1, 2005... BASS PLAYERS HAVE long valued the MBS Acoustic Bass Stand from Meisel Stringed Instruments because it is a snap to set up and offers unsurpassed stability and protection for instruments. Now this popular bass stand which is the official stand...

Rocktron Gainiac 2 tube preamp offers 100 dB of gain.(PRODUCT NEWS)
June 1, 2005... THE GAINIAC 2 is Rocktron's new version of the world-famous tube pre-amp for guitarists. The Gainaic sound has been modernized and an extra control provided for the clean channel (separate master volume), plus more headroom is offered so...

New orchestral strings with no "whistling".(Pirastro)
June 1, 2005... ADDING TO THE SUCCESS of its top-selling line of orchestral strings, Pirastro has launched several new series of strings. The new Wondertone Solo E string consists of a new material that significantly improves the playability and the sound...

G-Tech case doubles as guitar stand.(Gator)
June 1, 2005... THE G-TECH BOX from Gator is a rugged polyethylene case that doubles as a guitar stand and a technician workstation. The lid holds three electric guitars and one acoustic guitar. The base has eight Tricot-lined compartments of various sizes for...

UA-101 audio interface.(Edirol)
June 1, 2005... EDIROL, THE FIRST company to release a USB 2.0 audio interface with the introduction of UA-1000, has introduced its latest USB 2.0 product: the UA-101. Building on technology development achieved through a series of successful USB Audio...

Robert P. Schmitt.
June 1, 2005... ROBERT P. SCHMITT, who transformed his family's Schmitt Music Company from a single store in Minneapolis to a major chain with locations throughout the Midwest, died on April 20, at a nursing home in Wayzata from complications of Parkinson's...

Retro Glitter finished congas.(Toca)
June 1, 2005... TOCA HAS INTRODUCED a new series of instruments designed especially for the working pro. Custom Deluxe fiberglass congas and bongos adorn some of company's toughest, most powerful drums with two attractive finishes: Champagne Sparkle and Marine...