Music Trades articles from June 2007

Music Trades archives from June 2007

The FTC investigates the music industry.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... I JUST READ YOUR EDITORIAL regarding appalling FTC actions 'against' m.i. I suppose it's not mere coincidence that you report in the same issue that Fred Rubin is seeking class-action status that joins against a cordon of m.i. suppliers....

Hal Leonard Company of the Year.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... CONGRATULATIONS on the selection of Hal Leonard Publishing as Company of the Year. It's about time. For decades, Hal Leonard has provided more products, to more dealers, with more efficiency than any other company in our industry. Mostly, they...

Here's one promo idea that's guaranteed to work!(EDITORIAL)
June 1, 2007... Over the past four decades, large and largely unanticipated economic issues have periodically taken a toll on the sales of music products. In the '70s, rampant inflation and rising oil prices caused a serious slowdown. In the '80s it was...

Peter Wolf: the marketing virtuoso who made Paul Reed Smith guitars a truly global brand, and his unique set of skills.(CAREER PATH)
June 1, 2007... THE GERMAN PARLIAMENT sent shock waves through the retail industry on September 1, 1974, when it voted to permit German shopkeepers to sell products below a manufacturer's suggested retail price for the first time. Overnight this legislative...

Harman acquired by private equity firm for $8.0 billion: Goldman Sachs and KKR pay hefty premium to buy parent company of JBL, Digitech, Lexicon, AKG, and Soundcraft. Founder Sidney Harman to remain as executive chairman.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... HARMAN INTERNATIONAL Industries, the parent company of some of pro-audio's best-known product lines including JBL, AKG, dbx, Digitech, and Lexicon, has agreed to be acquired by Kravis Roberts & Co. LP and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s private...

NAMM hosts "town hall" meeting: at a far-reaching discussion in New York, members explore ways to enhance NAMM's effectiveness.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... ON MAY 2, NAMM hosted the second of five planned "town hall" meetings for NAMM member dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. Held in Flushing (Queens) New York, the event facilitated a dialogue among members and between members and NAMM...

Pas headquarters moves to Indianapolis.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... THE PERCUSSIVE ARTS Society has relocated to Indianapolis. The organization's offices are located downtown in Symphony Centre while its new headquarters, museum, and library space are under development. "This move gives PAS a wide range of...

26% gain in piano sales offsets band instrument pressures at Steinway.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... SALES OF STEINWAY pianos advanced a surprising 26% in the first quarter of 2006 to $52.9 million, versus $42.1 million for the same period a year ago. This increase mitigated a sales decline in band instruments of $12.6 million, of which an...

Washburn and Sam Ash donate to Parkinson's research.(FLASH)
June 1, 2007... WASHBURN GUITARS and Sam Ash Music announced that for each Washburn guitar sold at Sam Ash retail stores or SamAsh.com during May 2007, 10% of the sale price was donated for research on Parkinson's disease. The donation will be made to the...

Stephen Wick visits the U.S.: DANSR.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... DENIS WICK marketing director Stephen Wick recently took a weeklong tour of the DANSR facilities in Chicago and Champaign, Illinois. The son of the company's founder, an accomplished tubist in his own right, participated in high-level...

Mapex provides drums for annual French quarter festival.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... FOR THE SECOND YEAR in a row, Mapex was the predominant drum provider for the annual French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 24th annual event took place April 13-16, and Mapex M Birch and Pro M drumsets were featured on six...

Icons of music auction raises $2.5 million: Gibson.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... THE ICONS OF MUSIC AUCTION held recently in New York raised $2.5 million for Music Rising, a charitable campaign co-founded by U2's The Edge to replace musical instruments lost or destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Region. Bidders from around...

Sound technology to distribute Randall.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... RANDALL AMPLIFIERS has appointed Sound Technology plc as the distributor for its guitar amplifier products in the U.K. Randall is a division of U.S. Music Corporation, the Chicago-based company that also makes Washburn and Parker Guitars, both...

Guitarists gather for first New York Amp Show: the tone-obsessed discuss the fine points of amp design with top boutique amp manufacturers.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... TONE-OBSESSED GUITARISTS were in clover on May 5 for the first annual New York Amp Show. Held at the Embassy Suites hotel in Piscataway, New Jersey, the event mirrored two successful shows mounted in Los Angeles. Roughly 50 manufacturers of...

Yamaha unites top school musicians for annual Disney's All American band: band highlights relationships with the nation's top music programs.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... YAMAHA CORPORATION of America's Band & Orchestral Division will provide instruments to the Disneyland Resort All American College Band Presented by Yamaha. The band was launched in 1971 as a way to cultivate relationships between the Disneyland...

"Electrify your strings" program builds sales: Wood Violins.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... SINCE DEVELOPING HIS "Electrify Your Strings" program, Emmy award-winning, Juilliard-trained electric violinist and Wood Violins founder Mark Wood has been teaching workshops and performing on his own seven-string Viper Violin at schools across...

music4kids sponsored at Musikmesse: Vic Firth.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... VIC FIRTH INC., a world-leading manufacturer of drumsticks and mallets, recently sponsored the drum sticks for music4kids at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt. music4kids is a hands-on exhibition at the Musikmesse that underlines Messe Frankfurt's...

Publicly traded industry firms.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... PUBLICLY TRADED INDUSTRY FIRMS PRICE AS OF P/E MAY 10, 2007 RATIO Apple Computer Inc. $107.11 33.88 Avid Technology ...

Grand piano stars at Consular gala: Hailun.(FOREFRONT)
June 1, 2007... HAILUN'S 151 HIGH-POLISH EBONY grand piano featuring a PianoDisc player system recently stole the show at the Georgia International Consular Ball Silent Auction. Held in a ballroom of the world-famous Georgia Aquarium, surrounded by plexiglass...

Brook Mays music--the aftermath: after last October's bankruptcy, former Brook Mays employees pick-up the pieces and readdress the market, while competitors rush to fill voids.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
June 1, 2007... THE FULL TOLL OF Brook Mays' 2006 bankruptcy upon the industry will never be tallied. Manufacturers' losses were substantial--to the tune of nearly $29 million. Credit tightened for many stores (also see page 104), and the retail sector was...

Steinway Piano Gallery to open in Madison, Wisconsin.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
June 1, 2007... GREG AND GRANT BILLINGS have announced the scheduled opening of Steinway Piano Gallery of Madison later in the summer. Modeled after Greg Billing's successful Steinway Gallery in Naples, Florida, the Madison store will feature Steinway & Sons,...

Marc Ward of Musician's Superstore wins AIMM/Ovation sales honors.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
June 1, 2007... KAMAN AND OVATION recently named Marc Ward of Musician's Superstore in Westminster, Colorado, the winner of their AIMM/OVATION Top Gun Sales Contest. The contest ran from September 1 through December 31, 2006. More than 200 AIMM member sales...

Students learn retail basics with internships: Bethel Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2007... WHEN BRUCE TRIEDEL left his job as a music educator in 1984 to open Bethel Music Center, his goal was simple: to create a music store that served all students in the pursuit of a music education. The store has succeeded by providing a potent...

Chris Pennie rocks Drum Daze: Columbus Percussion.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2007... COLUMBUS PERCUSSION recently hosted its 12th Annual "Drum Daze" in Columbus, Ohio. Among the world-renowned artists who were invited to instruct and perform at this year's event was Mapex artist and Dillinger Escape Plan drummer Chris Pennie....

Laycock named general manager: Guitar Gallery.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2007... JOEY LAYCOCK has joined the Guitar Gallery Inc. of Alabama as the general manager of the Tuscaloosa location. Laycock will be responsible for personnel, sales, and merchandising for the Tuscaloosa location as well as assisting with purchasing...

Woods, Thomas, & Tshua in new posts: Sherman Clay.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2007... SHERMAN CLAY HAS expanded its management team, naming Lew Woods to the post of director of sales. Leng Tshua has been appointed director of luxury marketing; and Tony Thomas was named to the newly created position of director of merchandise...

"Jemstock" marks Ibanez Jem's 20th: Zone Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
June 1, 2007... ZONE MUSIC recently helped guitar enthusiasts celebrate "20 years of shredding magic" facilitated by the Ibanez Jem guitar. The guest of honor was the JEM's designer, rock 'n' roll guitar legend Steve Vai. Musicians and fans gathered at the...

Guitar center net rises on first-quarter sales gain.(RETAILER UPDATE)(Financial report)
June 1, 2007... GUITAR CENTER, INC. net sales increased 13.5% to $534.5 million in the first quarter from $470.7 million in the prior year period. Net income in the first quarter was $17.2 million, versus net income of $15.7 million, or $0.55 per diluted...

Salespeople must be self-starters: competition is tougher, producing targeted, effective advertising is more challenging, and customers are jaded. The only way to break through is by having motivated, creative salespeople.
June 1, 2007... A few weeks ago 1 was invited to speak to members of a local Piano Tuner's Guild group. The topic was one I've been doing for years: "How To Find Customers Your Competition Doesn't Know Exist." When I asked the group how many of them needed...

A proven formula for selling more: a study of the science of selling reveals a clear-cut list of actions that are guaranteed to improve results. We list them below.(CREATIVE RETAILING)
June 1, 2007... THE FORMULA FOR INCREASING AVERAGE ticket price and store sales can be broken down into seven major actions: 1. helping customers determine their "wants" 2. actively listening to customers' needs 3. gaining permission to provide...

Print industry sheds inferiority complex: with a new recognition of its size and vital importance, the print music industry displays increased confidence at the RPMDA convention in Milwaukee.(RPMDA IN MILWAUKEE)
June 1, 2007... Measured by dollar volume, print music is the industry's fifth largest product category, well ahead of band and orchestral instruments, synthesizers, and recording equipment. Although precise data is not available, there is no question that on...

The staying power of school music: education priorities shift, budgets come under pressure, and the economy periodically goes into the tank. However, four decades of data indicates that none of this seems to have any effect on instrument sales. What really counts is the number of students enrolled.(School MUSIC)
June 1, 2007... Is the music products industry a cyclical business like heavy manufacturing equipment? A recession-proof business, like toothpaste or pharmaceuticals? Or maybe a luxury discretionary business, similar to jewelry, fur coats, and high-end...

Higher profits by aiming low: background instruments move front-and-center in a revolutionary rental program that could turn "no-margin" school bids into major profit opportunities!(School MUSIC)
June 1, 2007... Some might call the opportunity for reshaping school music market practices unlikely at best. With the common thread of inertia running through the sector's grind-it-out formula for profitability, constraints in dealing with school...

The pursuit of perfection: why Rico Reeds is spending millions to upgrade every facet of its production process, from growing better cane, to enhanced packaging.(School MUSIC)
June 1, 2007... Rico Reeds is one of those rare businesses that enjoys nearly impenetrable defenses. Having sold over a billion reeds in the past 81 years, the company's trademark has become a universally recognized symbol of quality and value. For a...

High-powered website tools for servicing the school market: most savvy music retailers have websites, but Bertrand's Music has built a site that's exceptional in its array of practical features for the school accounts it serves.(School MUSIC)
June 1, 2007... John Bertrand's 15 years as a band and orchestra director in the southern California public school system gave him a pretty clear idea about the needs of school music directors. He began applying that knowledge when he opened Bertrand's Music...

Irrepressible! Brasswind mouthpiece maker Terry Warburton has been knocked down more times than a WWE sparring partner, but he's come back swinging every time.(School MUSIC)
June 1, 2007... Terry Warburton had started over from scratch before. But on June 29, 2005, the founder and president of Warburton Music Products redefined "from scratch" while redefining perceptions about the limits of his inner strength and ability to...

Tighter credit ... what happens when suppliers get tough? Retailers sound off about how high-profile bankruptcies have altered supplier attitudes towards extending credit.(RETAIL Q&A)(Interview)
June 1, 2007... THE BANKRUPTCIES of Brook Mays and Woodwind & Brasswind caught many in the industry by surprise, and many believe that the fallout has only begun to affect retailers. Among the more potentially significant ripples is suppliers' tightening...

Von Wolff appointed president: JA Musik GMBH.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... JA MUSIK GMBH has appointed Jakob von Wolff its new president. Von Wolff takes over from Gerhard A. Meinl. JA Musik GmbH, based in Markneukirchen, Germany, manufactures brass-wind instruments with brands such as B&S, Hans Hoyer, and...

Thomas new managing director: Tornavoz Music.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... GUITAR DISTRIBUTOR Tornavoz Music has appointed Jon Thomas managing director. Thomas is responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations including the management of vendor relations, key accounts, the Tornavoz family of brands, and business...

Tsaptsinos new vice president of sales: Samson Technologies.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... SAMSON TECHNOLOGIES has appointed James Tsaptsinos Vice President of Sales. Tsaptsinos will be responsible for the management and coordination of all domestic sales activities for the Samson, Hartke, and Zoom brands. Most recently,...

Kurr new Fender sales manager.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... FENDER MUSICAL Instruments has appointed Layne Kurr national sales manager. The 17-year FMIC veteran will lead all United States and Canadian sales teams. Kurr first joined FMIC as a district sales manager in 1990, and was later promoted to...

Clutter joins sales team: Schimmel.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... PIANO INDUSTRY veteran Glenn Clutter has joined Schimmel Piano to manage sales in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. He will be responsible for expanding the position of the company's premium Schimmel Konzert line, as well as the new May Berlin,...

Biferali appointed National sales manager: Godin Guitars.(PEOPLE7: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... GODIN GUITARS has appointed Mario Biferali as national sales manager. Working out of Godin's Montreal, Quebec, headquarters, Biferali will manage the U.S. and Canadian Godin sales groups. In eight years with the company, he has held positions...

Conn-Selmer strengthens marketing team.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... CONN-SELMER, INC. has announced four appointments to its marketing department. Jeff Christiana has been named director, marketing--trumpets/trombones. An integral part of the company since 1995, he most recently served as director,...

Scharf appointed development manager: Sennheiser Electronics.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... SENNHEISER HAS appointed Robby Scharf Western region market development manager, Pro and m.i. products. In his new role, Scharf functions as a liaison for contractors, consultants, sound hire companies, and recording studios to introduce new...

Grace Frary retires from The Music Trades.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... GRACE FRARY HAS RETIRED as associate editor of The Music Trades after 31 years of dedicated service. A skilled wordsmith and grammarian, she joined the magazine in 1976 after a stint in the public relations department at McKinsey & Co., the...

Kathy Johnson heads customer service: Kaman.(PEOPLE: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)
June 1, 2007... KAMAN MUSIC has promoted Kathy Johnson to director of customer service for its distribution divisions. She will oversee all customer service operations, procedures, and staff throughout Kaman Music's Domestic Distribution divisions, including...

Zoom H2 handy digital recorder offers high quality audio in tiny package.(PRODUCTS: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS)
June 1, 2007... ZOOM'S NEW H2 Handy Recorder provides studio-quality stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Now everyone can record pristine audio in an infinite variety of applications. From seminars, conferences, electronic news gathering...

New eight-string, resurrected seven-string: Ibanez.(PRODUCTS: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS)
June 1, 2007... ASKED WHY HE WANTED the Seven-String Universe that ignited two very different trends in seven-string guitars, Steve Vai answered tongue-in-cheek: "More is better." Ibanez took Vai's comment seriously, having exhibited a good number of guitars...

Music Agency Inc. instrument insurance services.(PRODUCTS: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS)
June 1, 2007... MUSIC AGENCY, INC., has been offering instrument insurance, investment protection, retailer sales tools, customer service, and peace of mind for the past 30 years. The company can insure rented, school-owned, or individually owned instruments....

Gemstone's new Andino clarinet.(FLASH)
June 1, 2007... GEMSTONE MUSICAL Instruments has introduced ABS and Grenadilla wood clarinets into the Andino line of student and step up clarinets. These instruments are the result of a collaboration between Luis Rossi, internationally known clarinet...

Drum mic pack wins MIPA award: Audix.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... AUDIX CORPORATION, a leader in application-specific microphones for drums and percussion instruments, was recently awarded the Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA) for best drum microphones. This prestigious award, which has become the...

Pocket pad now shipping: E-Pad!(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... E-PAD! INDUSTRIES' new Hooked brand pocket pad, which created something of a sensation at the 2007 winter NAMM show in Anaheim, is now shipping. Six industry experts awarded the Hooked Pocket Pad a prestigious "Best in Show" designation at a...

Lip balm now in 600 music dealers: ChopSaver.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... CHOPSAVER, the all-natural lip balm created especially for musicians, is now available in more than 600 stores in 43 states and 12 foreign countries. Increased sales and brand recognition have paralleled the company's growing list of...

Dana B. Goods to distribute Lehle products.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... DANA B. GOODS is now the exclusive U.S. distributor for Lehle products. Lehle (pronounced "Lee-Luh") is a German manufacturer of high-end, pedal-format switchers and effects loops used by players like Joe Satriani, Carl Verheyen, Carlos...

Introduction of Rec-II digital recorder: Trax Distributors.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... TRAX DISTRIBUTORS has introduced the V2go REC-II, a new line-in, flash drive, mp3 digital recorder and player. Dealer priced at well under $80, it can be sold as an add-on to almost any karaoke player, mixer, keyboard, or other line-out system....

World Music 4all intros new "popular" piano method.(FLASH)
June 1, 2007... NOVUS VIA MUSIC Group and World Music 4all Publications recently announced release of the American Popular Piano method in North America. American Popular Piano is the latest creation of Christopher Norton, composer of the international...

New hit-filled books span broad spectrum of pop: Alfred.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... ALFRED PUBLISHING has issued a slew of exciting new print music titles. Its Classic Album Editions series now includes Boston, the Authentic Guitar TAB edition of Boston's self-titled debut album, which has sold more than 17 million copies...

New watertight case on market: SKB Corporation.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... SKB CORPORATION has added the 31-1914-8B to its line of 3I Mil-Standard Watertight Utility Cases. SKB's 3I Series cases, designed to meet U.S. military specifications, are molded from a proprietary blend of high-impact co-polymer polypropylene...

MyStarSound Extreme Gold instrument cables: Four Star Wire & Cable.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... EXTREME GOLD instrument cable from Four Star Wire & Cable is the newest member of the MyStarSound family. The new Extreme Gold series features two twisted pairs and a 98% braided shield creating the ultimate in quiet performance. It also...

Universal Percussion "Old School" heads.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... UNIVERSAL PERCUSSION has added "Old School" Felts to its ATTACK Drumheads line. Designed by Jeff Ocheltree, "Old School" felts are made of 1/8" thick 100% wool and can be used on up to a 26-inch head. These felts provide an open and natural...

sE Reflexion filter surpasses 15,000 sales: Sonic Distribution.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... SOMETIMES THE simplest of ideas proves to be the best, which is the surely the case with sE's Reflexion Filter. This "portable vocal booth" acts as a mini studio enclosure or live room enabling crystal clear recordings anywhere. When the...

High-tech renovation for Rosa Hart Theater: ISP Technologies.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Concert review)
June 1, 2007... A LINE ARRAY PROVIDED by ISP Technologies is the centerpiece of the newly-renovated Rosa Hart Theater for the Performing Arts in the Lake Charles Civic Center, Louisiana. With seating for 2,050 and a stage with a 65-foot proscenium x...

Parts Planet guitar parts: JT Musical.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... THERE'S A NEW NAME in the guitar and bass replacement parts universe: Parts Planet. This new line is distributed in the U.S. exclusively by JT Musical Inc. of South Elgin, Illinois. Offering a wide range of replacement parts from tuners,...

Hybrid speaker bag on market: Gator Cases.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... GATOR HAS ADDED A new hybrid rolling speaker bag to its selection of cases. The GPA-777 is made from 1680-Denier nylon and has a rotationally molded polyethylene bottom, offering the weight of a bag with the durability of a case. The case...

Taking brass and winds up-market: Amati USA.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2007... AMATI-DENAK, a European manufacturer of fine brass and woodwind musical instruments, has been making great strides in its strategy of shifting toward high-end products. To accomplish this, the company is drawing on its long heritage of quality...

Harry J. Bernstein.(DEATHS)
June 1, 2007... HARRY J. BERNSTEIN, founder of LPD Music International, died April 14, 2007, after battling cancer. He was 76. The grandson of Russian immigrants, Bernstein grew up in Allen Park, Michigan. He was raised Jewish and, while not religious,...

Peter Hayward.(DEATHS)
June 1, 2007... PETER HAYWARD, the founder and longtime head of Australis, one of Australia's leading music firms, died on December 19, 2007 after a brief struggle with cancer. Combining a keen intellect with an easygoing, affability, he was instrumental in...

Jeneane Cain Lindquist.(DEATHS)
June 1, 2007... JENEANE LINDQUIST, wife of longtime piano industry veteran Russell Lindquist, died March 5, 2007, after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 75. Born Jeneane Cain in Hartford, Iowa, she met Russell Lindquist in Des Moines. Together, they...

Japan begins piano making.(100 YEARS AGO)
June 1, 2007... One gets the impression that the Japanese are seriously preparing to establish a large and comprehensive manufacturing industry and that piano manufacturers in Europe and the U.S. should direct their attention to this new and dangerous...

Supporting retail rights.(75 YEARS AGO)
June 1, 2007... The Music Merchants Association of Ohio has launched a campaign against supervisors, superintendents, teachers, and other school employees acting as sales agents for musical instruments. The problem of selling instruments to schools has become...

Phony prices kill sales.(50 YEARS AGO)
June 1, 2007... "I feel that the industry is suffering from self-inflicted wounds in the form of misleading advertising," states J.B. Donvan of Donvan Piano in Eugene, Oregon. "I cannot see any value in giving piano buyers an unrealistic idea that pianos are...

Fender Japan opens.(25 YEARS AGO)
June 1, 2007... In a move designed to improve the competitive position of its guitars in the Japanese market, Fender has announced the establishment of Fender Japan. The new company, which is a joint venture between Japan's Kanda Shokai and Yamano Music and...

Gibson buys Kramer Guitars.(10 YEARS AGO)
June 1, 2007... Seven years after ceasing operation, Kramer Guitars, the top selling brand in the mid-80s, has been acquired by Gibson Guitars for a reported $250,000. No formal marketing plans for the Kramer brand have been announced. However, Gibson...

50 years ago.(FLASHBACKS)
June 1, 2007... 50 YEARS AGO, Fender president Don Randall took to the air piloting his own plane to call on retailers and visit with artists. One of the architects of Fender's success, Randall engineered the sale of the company to CBS in 1965.