Music Trades articles from October 2006

Music Trades archives from October 2006

Do you want to make money or is your store an expensive hobby?(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Your editorial regarding inventory logistical screw-ups and the cost to retailers is right on. Unfortunately, that is only the tip of the iceberg of wasted money. Our company, with the help of a couple of influential retailers, had...

Bass market breakthrough.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I was doing a bit of market research and noticed something that was totally overlooked by your editorial. Guitar sales in general leveled off in 2005 compared to 2004, but bass sales grew significantly. Basses selling for less than $350 grew...

Correction & amplification.(LETTERS)(Correction notice)
October 1, 2006... Thank you for publishing the small feature on our store, "Canada's Top Ernie Ball Dealer," in your Retailer Update section. The staff was thrilled to see their faces in your magazine. The only problems is that our name was printed...

Publishers square off against guitar tab sites.(Industry Briefings)
October 1, 2006... In a legal showdown, echoing the record industry's battles against free music sites like Napster, music publishers are taking aim at free guitar tablature sites like olga.net, Ultimate-Guitar.com, and MyGuitarTabs.com. Even discussion boards...

Pink Floyd's "comfortably numb" best guitar solo ever.(Industry Briefings)
October 1, 2006... In a recent poll conducted by the British radio station Planet Rock, Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" was chosen ahead of the opening rift from "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses as the best guitar solo of all time. The station's full Top...

Music opens new world to Afghan girls.(Industry Briefings)
October 1, 2006... For over a decade music was banned by in Afgahanistan by the ruling Taliban. Musicians fled the country, and women were banned from attending school or leaving the house unless in the company of a male relative. Things are changing with the...

U.S. consumer confidence drops again.(Industry Briefings)
October 1, 2006... U.S. consumer confidence dropped in August, the result of rising energy prices and a sinking housing market. An index released Friday by RBC Capital Markets found consumer discontent is widespread, with the greatest decline occurring in...

Focus & control lessons from Brook Mays.(EDITORIAL)
October 1, 2006... Brook Mays was a retail powerhouse, dominating the Texas market for the better part of five decades. When a bankruptcy judge ordered the liquidation of the company in August, it sent shock waves throughout the industry. Suppliers had tangible...

A missed opportunity to understand the piano market: veteran piano retailer Greg Billings offers a critique of the recent Piano Manufacturers market survey, concluding, "after 30 years of selling pianos, I've never met a customer who resembles their piano buyer profile.".(GUEST EDITORIAL)
October 1, 2006... I've read the 21st Century Piano Project market research recently presented, with great fanfare, by the Piano Manufacturers Association International. [A summary of the survey appeared in the September issue of Music Trades.] In my humble...

Imports decline in face of slow demand.(IMPORT TRACKER: What's Coming Into The U.S. And From Where?)
October 1, 2006... Import statistics for the first six months of 2006 accurately reflect realities and challenges faced by retailers and distributors in the current music market. Collectively, the figures show a sluggish market for music products, one that posted...

First act guitars now standard equipment on new VWs: GarageMaster guitar plays through car audio system, turning VW's into "mobile amps," while burnishing car maker's image among 18-34 year olds.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... HOT CARS AND COOL GUITARS have been tightly linked in song since the birth of rock 'n' roll. The link has just taken on a more literal dimension with an unprecedented cross promotion between Volkswagen of America and First Act Inc. that will...

Back to Austin for summer NAMM in 2007.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... IT'S OFFICIAL! After much deliberation, NAMM has announced that the Summer Show will again be held in Austin, Texas, July 27-29. In the weeks following the show, speculation was rampant that the show might return to Nashville. In addition...

Yamaha acquires Rogers drum brand from Brook Mays.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... YAMAHA CORPORATION has acquired the intellectual property rights to the legendary Rogers Drum Company at auction. The move followed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Brook Mays Music Company on July 11. Rogers, founded in 1849, boasts a...

Levy's Leathers distributes in China.(FLASH)
October 1, 2006... LEVY'S LEATHERS has appointed Ivan Music as its exclusive distributor for Mainland China. Levy's employed the services of The Trust Network to review the Chinese market and conduct the search for a suitable Chinese distributor. Ivan Music...

"HSS" dropped from company name: Hohner.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... "HSS" HAS BEEN deleted from the Hohner, Inc., corporate name as of April 1. The decision to delete the HSS acronym was made to clarify the Hohner name and brand in the U.S. marketplace. The new company name is Hohner, Inc. Still a subsidiary of...

Godin founder honored by Montreal Musicians.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... ROBERT GODIN, the Canadian guitar innovator and founder/president of Godin Guitars, was honored at this summer's MMMIS (Montreal Musician and Musical Instrument Show). MMMIS was held during the 27th world-renowned Montreal International Jazz...

Expanded corporate facility signals commitment to growth: Hanser Holdings.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... HANSER HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL (HHI) has completed its new corporate facility in Hebron, Kentucky, near the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. The new building will serve as U.S. headquarters and central distribution hub...

NAMM creates Independent dealer forum.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... NAMM RECENTLY LAUNCHED the Independent Retailer Online Forum at http://indie.namm.org, a place on the web for NAMM members to share ideas and facilitate open discussion about issues and challenges specific to independent retailers. The...

Wireless monitor pioneer celebrates fourth anniversary: Aviom.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... AVIOM, INC., a world leader and pioneer in personal monitor mixing technology, is celebrating its fourth anniversary. The company was founded by a team of professionals who previously worked together at Ensoniq--Carl Bader, Tom Costello, Rob...

Lazare tours with world's largest piano: Pearl River.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... LYON LAZARE, a 15-year-old composer and pianist, is on tour with the world's largest piano, a red l l' Pearl River concert grand. He opened on September 4 with the Sapphire Symphony Orchestra at the Ford Amphiteater in Hollywood. The piano...

Second quarter shows 3% revenues gain: Steinway Musical Instruments.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... STEINWAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS areported that revenues increased 3% for the quarter, despite the loss of an estimated $4.9 million in band instrument sales caused by a labor strike. The second quarter increase was led largely by improved...

Consumer slowdown crimps net at Kaman: Kaman Music.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... KAMAN MUSIC CORP. had second quarter operating income of $1.6 million for 2006, compared to $1.9 million in the comparable 2005 period. Net sales for the second quarter of 2006 were $48.1 million, including $11.2 million from the August 2005...

Sales force restructuring increases loud net profit: Loud Technologies.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. reported net income of $0.3 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2006. Revenue for the period decreased $0.8 million to $53.5 million from $54.3 million for the second quarter of 2005. Gross profit increased...

Karaoke slowdown hurts profits: Singing Machine.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... FOR THE THREE MONTHS ended June 30, 2006, Singing Machine net sales declined to $1,036,000 from $2,792,000 for the first quarter of fiscal 2006, primarily the result of lower sales of karaoke hardware and music. Gross margin declined to 12%...

New sales program offers online training to dealers: Yamaha B&O.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... YAMAHA'S BAND & Orchestral Division has launched the Yamaha Certified Sales Professional (YCSP) program at www.yamaha.com/ycsp. This series of online audiovisual-based training modules is designed to provide detailed information to help...

Factory-direct for entry-level instruments: Ashton Music.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... AUSTRALIA'S ASHTON MUSIC has initiated a unique factory-direct program. The company is delivering top-quality entry-level instruments directly to dealers. By using this innovative approach, Ashton is able to offer exceptional retained...

Zildjian & Remo sponsor Bellson contest.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD drummer Hannah Ford outperformed two other senior division finalists in a drumming contest that was judged by the legendary Louie Bellson. The 2006 winner, a Chicago-area resident and Lake Zurich High School student, was not...

NAMM teams with Messe Frankfurt to launch new consumer show in Bejing in May 2007.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... A NEW EVENT for the musical instruments industry has been announced for May 17-20, 2007, in Beijing: the China International Music Market (CIMM). CIMM will bring instrument makers and suppliers from all over the world together with...

On the road receives President's Award: Audio-Technica.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... AUDIO-TECHNICA has presented On The Road Marketing of Paterson, New Jersey, with its prestigious President's Award. Glenn Roop, A-T's diector of professional product sales, announced the award, and John Cheese, A-T territory manager, joined in...

TV Guide proclaims 2006 "Year of the Harmonica".(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... TV GUIDES July 31-August 6 issue proclaimed 2006 as "The Year of the Harmonica" due to the number of talent-show performers who are harmonica players. The numbers of harmonicas sold in the U.S. demonstrates the rising popularity of harmonica...

Pro audio company moves to Kansas City: Avlex Corporation.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... AVLEX CORPORATION RELOCATED to a larger facility in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 28. "The move has been carefully orchestrated in stages," stated Jack Nead, national sales manager. "Avlex has foreseen the need to increase our capacity...

Share prices of publicly traded industry firms.(INDUSTRY FOREFRONT)
October 1, 2006... SHARE PRICES OF PUBLICLY TRADED INDUSTRY FIRMS PRICE AS OF SEP. 52-WEEK 13, P/E RANGE MARKET ...

Ted brown music celebrates 75 years.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... Ted Brown Music Company was founded in 1931 when Ted W. Brown purchased the Tacoma Sherman Clay store. The business initially focused on pianos and sheet music. Band instruments were soon added. However, during the mid-'40s all band instrument...

Guitar Center sales up 13.8% to $458 mil. net rises 4.0% to $13 mil.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... GUITAR CENTER REPORTED that net sales increased 13.8% to $458.0 million in the second quarter from $402.3 million in the same period of 2005. Net income increased 4.0% to $13.4 million from net income of $12.9 million in the second quarter of...

KSM demolition derby a smashing success.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... HELD EVERY SUMMER for the past nine years, the derby lets KSM weld the world of cars together with the world of music. The band Get Back, a Beatles tribute band, entertained the packed rodeo arena while highly polished and colorful wreckers...

Rick Grant rejoins as Sr. VP & CFO: Jordan Kitt's.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... RICK GRANT HAS rejoined Jordan Kitt's Music as senior vice-president and chief financial officer. He will oversee all aspects of accounting and finance, information technology, customer service, credit, and distribution. After graduating...

Ted's music named Babicz "Showcase": Ted's Pro Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... TED'S PRO MUSIC of Gainsville, Georgia, has been appointed first in a series of Babicz Guitars "Showcase Dealers." The Atlanta-area music store has met all the requirements of the program, launched during the Summer NAMM Show in Austin. ...

Full compass annual Charity Golf Event aids Boys Clubs.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... FULL COMPASS OF Middleton, Wisconsin, teed off the summer with its fourth annual Charity Golf Event. This year's featured charity was the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA), which received an $8,700 donation to help complete construction of...

Dealer wins Musicorp contest: Carolina Band Supply.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... CAROLINA BAND SUPPLY of North Carolina was the winner of Musicorp's nationwide contest for two people to spend the night with Pat Green and Dave Matthews Band. On August 16 Carolina Band Supply joined Texas country star Pat Green and the...

Morgan named accessories VP: Guitar Center.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... STAN MORGAN HAS been named vice-president for accessories merchandising at Guitar Center. He will will be responsible for the merchandising of accessory products in Guitar Center locations across the U.S. He reports to Jay Wanamaker, executive...

Daddy's offers online lessons through WorkshopLive.com.(RETAILER UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... WORKSHOPLIVE, THE PREMIER website for online music lessons, and Daddy's Junky Music Stores have announced a program that brings the unique music education service to retail customers for the first time. Under the promotion, new...

Attitude is everything! Think business is bad, that your situation is hopeless? You're probably right. No one wants to buy from a place where business is bad. Success breeds success. Try looking the part, even if you have to fake it.(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
October 1, 2006... "SLOW SUMMER SALES." Dealers throughout the country are complaining that summer business is dull, trade is listless, and the outlook is discouraging; at least until the fall when the cooler weather sets in.--From The Music Trades, September...

The guitar industry's budding school market: could the guitar products industry redefine the three Rs as "reading, writing, and rock 'n' roll"? Manufacturers, retailers, and school guitar advocates discuss the high and low notes of the fast-growing phenomenon.(The GUITAR Market)
October 1, 2006... Once upon a time the guitar was branded the primary tool of society--s rebel music--protest folk and rock 'n' roll. Forty years down the pike, rap lyrics and broader reality have made yesteryear's consternation over Beatles haircuts and Elvis's...

Giving guitarists the perfect escape: with stunning displays, expansive inventory, and personality to spare, Scott Silver's Chicago Music Exchange strives to make customers forget about the everyday grind. "Make them thrilled to be here, and everything else takes care of itself," he says.(The GUITAR Market)
October 1, 2006... Sinking into a plush sofa in his acoustic guitar showroom, Scott Silver grins broadly and says, "When I designed this room, I wanted it to look like the house of some incredibly rich guy who was crazy about guitars." With the gleaming...

Building guitars with soul: with the approach of an engineer, Bill Collings has concluded that there is no substitute for painstaking hand work. That's why every Collings guitar has more than 40 hours of direct labor.(The GUITAR Market)
October 1, 2006... Ask Bill Collings how many units the new Collings Guitar factory turns out and he recoils a bit, almost as if you were insulting one of his children. Other guitar companies build units, he says, but Collings is in the business of handcrafting...

Takamine's global partnership: U.S. marketing supplied by Kaman matched with superlative Japanese manufacturing skills have yeilded a brand synonymous with quality and innovation worldwide.(The GUITAR Market)
October 1, 2006... In the early '60s, some 250 guitar factories spread out between Hamamatsu and Nagoya were cranking out nearly one million instruments a year, making Japan the undisputed guitar making capital of the world. Much like China today, Japanese...

Why classic cases are in tweed: the story of how G&G case shaped the evolution of the electric guitar, and other little-known facts about cases.(The GUITAR Market)
October 1, 2006... In the early '50s, Leo Fender walked unannounced into the offices of the Victoria Case Company in Los Angeles and asked if they could build a case for his new guitar. No one at the luggage manufacturer had any previous experience building...

An inspiring Saga--25 years of turning niches into gold: global sourcing, innovative design, and a passion for the entire family of fretted instruments have made Richard Keldsen's Saga Musical Instruments the ultimate niche supplier.(The GUITAR Market)
October 1, 2006... Find factory in China. Train laborers. Replicate hot-selling product designs. Refine processes to meet lower price points. Build a guitar for every closet. Anyone who's shopped for an affordable acoustic guitar over the past decade might...

Why Brook Mays music went bust: the sad story of how ambition, combined with inadequate internal management controls and a flawed acquisition strategy, brought down a distinguished Texas retailer with a century-old tradition of service.(BROOK MAYS POSTMORTEM)
October 1, 2006... On August 10 a Federal Bankruptcy judge in Dallas ordered the liquidation of Brook Mays Music, abruptly bringing the curtain down on a storied retail business that got its start Dallas in 1901. The company's assets, which included rental...

Record MIAC show mirrors buoyant Canadian market: turnout is strong at 35th annual Music Industries Association of Canada show. Despite cautious consumers, retailers and suppliers are upbeat about the holiday season and beyond.(REPORT FROM CANADA)
October 1, 2006... THIRTY-FIVE IS ONE OF THOSE "major milestone" years that typically evoke an expectation of maturity, polish, and achievement. The Music Industries Association of Canada delivered on all counts at its 35th annual convention, held in Toronto on...

Music freight delivers ... savings: a new firm that specializes in music products shipping offers its clients "a healthier bottom line.".(BEHIND THE SCENES)
October 1, 2006... AT LEAST SINCE ELI WHITNEY and Henry Ford, business owners have sought to make their operations ever leaner, eliminating administrative layers and ensuring that every worker and every function adds value. But the smartest ones tempered that...

Alli new market development mgr: Roland CK.(People)
October 1, 2006... BRIAN ALLI HAS been appointed national market development manager for Roland's Contemporary Keyboard (CK) Division. Based in Pasadena, Maryland, Alli will pioneer new markets for flagship products such as Roland's new VIMA...

John O'Reilly Jr. named drum editor: Alfred Publishing.(People)
October 1, 2006... JOHN O'REILLY JR., the son of longtime Alfred editor John O'Reilly Sr., has joined Alfred Publishing as drum editor. He is an accomplished drummer with nearly a decade of professional performing and recording experience. A native of Los...

Geiger to manage Boston Piano line.(People)
October 1, 2006... VIC GEIGER HAS been appointed the Boston Piano Company product manager at Steinway, effective September 16. His responsibilities include Boston and Essex product management, overseeing all areas of marketing, merchandising, and product...

Line 6 restructures sales organization.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... LINE 6, INC., has announced a revamped sales structure. The changes include appointing veteran entertainment executive Greg Batusic as vice president of sales. Batusic will oversee all strategic sales initiatives in North America. Other changes...

Cox to head national sales: Ludwig/Musser.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... CONN-SELMER HAS has promoted percussion sales specialist Dana Jo Cox to national director of sales for its Ludwig/Musser percussion group. With more than 38 years in the music industry, Cox has a strong background in percussion performance and...

Tara Altamuro named production manager: Rock House.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... TARA ALTOMURO HAS joined the Rock House team. She has a diverse set of responsibilities, but her primary roles are that of production manager to Rock House's growing list of titles and special events coordinator for Rock House's live shows and...

Cataldo new business development specialist: Korg USA.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... ERNIE CATALDO HAS joined Korg USA as business development specialist for Home and Arranger Products, a newly created position with a focus on serving the home keyboard sector. Cataldo's responsibilities will include building market share...

O'Keefe named vp/sales, Dixon named acct. sales mgr.: CAD & Astatic.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... OMNITRONICS LLC HAS named industry veteran Tony O'Keefe vice-president of sales for CAD Professional Microphones and Astatic Commercial Audio Products. In a related move, Gary Dixon has been named account sales manager for Astatic. O'Keefe...

Promotions for Ulm & DeLeon: Tascam.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... TASCAM HAS ANNOUNCED promotions for two veteran employees: Margie Ulm and Johnny DeLeon. Margie Ulm is now the company's marketing communications specialist. She has been with TEAC, Tascam's parent company, for over 15 years; her most...

McCabe joins Everly Music sales team.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... JASON McCABE HAS joined The Everly Music Company as an account executive; he will head select product distribution. McCabe is an Industry veteran from D'Andrea Manufacturing, where he handled large accounts and artist relations. Joe...

Ibanez second generation "Giger signatures".(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... AT THE AUSTIN NAMM show Ibanez debuted three new instruments bearing world-renowned artist H.R. Giger. The eerie trio includes an Ibanez RG electric guitar, a Soundgear Xtreme bass, and the long-awaited SHRG1Z, an Ibanez S with a metal-coated...

Record sales for Rue Lepic reeds: DANSR/Vandoren.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... VANDOREN REPORTS THAT its 56 Rue Lepic clarinet reeds have set all-time record sales for the first two quarters of 2006. The top-of-the-line reed was the first reed on the market with humidity-balanced packaging for factory-fresh performance...

Cell phone tuner & metronome from Yamaha.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... THE WIRELESS CONTENT Department of Yamaha Corporation has launched the Yamaha Musician's Companion, the ultimate portable tool for musicians. Consisting of a guitar chord library, metronome, and pitchpipe, the Musician's Companion is available...

New price guide for acoustics & electrics: Blue Book.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... BLUE BOOK PUBLICATIONS has published two new guitar books: The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars and The Blue Book of Electric Guitars; both books are tenth anniversary editions. The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, the guitar industry's most...

New snare drums from Gretsch.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... GRETSCH DRUMS DISPLAYED two recent additions to its snare drum lineup at the Summer NAMM show in Austin: the G-4160SA and the G-4160SS. The G-4160SA is a 5x14 solid-aluminum shell featuring 3mm shell walls and 5mm shell edges, distinguished...

ValveKing Royal 8 guitar amplifier: Peavey.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... PEAVEY HAS INTRODUCED the ValveKing Royal 8, a true class A guitar amplifier designed to give players the punchy dynamics and tones that inspired rock 'n' roll's greatest riffs. The ValveKing Royal 8 delivers five watts into eight ohms with...

HM-10 Mini Headworn Condensor Microphone: Nady Systems.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... NADY SYSTEMS has added the HM-10 Mini Headworn Condenser Microphone to its Headmic Series. The HM-10 joins Nady's two other headmics, the HM-1 uni-directional dynamic microphone and the HM-3 omni-directional condenser microphone. Together,...

Grande II home digital piano: Galileo Music.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... GALILEO MUSIC HAS introduced the Galileo "Grande II" home digital piano. Designed to make a "maestro" out of an ordinary person, the all-new 4'4" Grande II makes an elegant statement for the home. Handcrafted at the Viscount factories in...

MBT reference guide for lighting & sound.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... MUSICORP HAS RELEASED its 2006 version of the MBT Lighting & Sound catalog. The full-color catalog was mailed to Musicorp customers in July. It features MBT's entire line of lighting and sound products. The catalog is ideal for specialty DJ and...

New nylon tip versions for 7 models: Vic Firth.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... VIC FIRTH, INC., has introduced nylon tip versions of its seven top-selling wood tip drumsticks. For durability and the brightest cymbal sounds, nylon tips are the answer. These new American Classic, American Custom, and Signature nylon...

Cannonball's "Fat Neck" for saxophones.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... CANNONBALL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS has introduced a new neck, the "Fat Neck," that will be included with all of its Stone Series alto and tenor saxophones. This innovative neck design incorporates an underslung octave key and tube that...

Best Pop Songs, 2000-2005: Alfred Publishing.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... 2000-2005 BEST POP SONGS is the latest addition to Alfred's "2000-2005 Best Songs" series. The new addition is a collection of over 50 of the biggest pop hits released between 2000 and 2005. This book includes a remarkable list of artists, with...

Windows Guitar Lessons for PC and video iPod: PlayMusic.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... iPLAY MUSIC, a leading provider of music learning and entertainment solutions, has launched Beginner Guitar Lessons and Play Music Together software for Windows. These are the PC-compatible versions of iPlayMusic's award-winning Mac software...

New line of 480-watt guitar cabs: Basson Sound.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... BASSON SOUND HAS introduced a powerful line of 480-watt 4x12 guitar cabinets. The cabs are driven by four 120-watt Eminence Patriot Red White & Blues speakers. The drivers have an abundance of low end, smooth mids, and a top-end sparkle. ...

Six packs of Symphonic stands: Hamilton Stands.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... HAMILTON STANDS HAS introduced six packs of its popular KB95E Symphonic music stands. A new durable box designed for ease of handling conveniently holds six of the stands, keeping components separate for maximum protection. The KB95E,...

Amico 900 powered portable p.a. system: FBT USA.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... FBT IS NOW shipping its newest addition to the Amico family of complete portable p.a. systems. The new Amico 900 System is an integrated p.a. system featuring a powered 600w RMS subwoofer with a aluminum die-cast frame B&C 15" dual coil...

Finale 2007 offers powerful new features: MakeMusic.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... MAKEMUSIC, INC. HAS released Finale 2007 for Macintosh and Windows computers. This major upgrade of the world's best-selling and most powerful music notation software includes a variety of new features designed to enhance productivity and offer...

Digital DJ stand holds a Laptop: Odyssey Innovative.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... ODYSSEY INNOVATIVE DESIGNS has unveiled a digital DJ stand that DJs have been requesting--the Laptop Stand, a light and portable stand that can hold a laptop, CD player/controller, EFX machine, or lighting controller. The stand comes complete...

New portable designed for hobbyist and education labs: Yamaha.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... YAMAHA PORTABLE Keyboards introduces a new option for the beginner, school music lab, church musician, and general music hobbyist in the market for a portable keyboard with the PSR-E403, which replaces current model PSR-293. Loaded with...

"Engineered to take it" bags: Dean Markley.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... DEAN MARKLEY STRINGS' new ETTI (Engineered-To-Take-It) gig bags are rough, tough bags designed and built with the player's convenience in mind. Among their many outstanding features are: waterproof, cold resistant nylon construction, reinforced...

Jackson tradition continues with new Mark Morton signature model.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MARK MORTON MODEL, Jackson Guitars continues the tradition upon which the company was founded: making incredible guitars that are designed and road tested by guitar heroes. As it has been since the days when the...

Monterey electric guitar: Framus.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... THE MONTEREY ELECTRIC guitar from Framus is made of very traditional materials--a U.S. swamp ash body and a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, but the special "California" high-polish finish is guaranteed to be unique for each Monterey...

Gripp-ET drumstick grip: Roc-N-Soc.(PRODUCT NEWS)
October 1, 2006... AFTER TWO YEARS of testing, Roc-N-Soc, Inc., has introduced Gripp-ET, a unique drumstick grip that can be easily moved anywhere on the stick. Being only 1" to 1-1/4" in length and 1/16" thick, Gripp-ET provides a handy unobtrusive grip that can...