Music Trades articles from September 2008

Music Trades archives from September 2008

Is there no loyalty to U.S.-made brands?(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... IN RESPONSE TO Rudy Abbott's letter in the July Music Trades, I'm glad you had the guts to print it! I own Slug Percussion Products and my company has been making products in the United States since 1995. It has been very unfortunate that...

The details that pay dividends.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... Your editorial, "Small Details, Big Pay Days" in July was excellent. If only the dealers who are finding it difficult in business today would put into practice your suggestions, they would do fine. Statements that stuck out with me: Squeezing...

eBay prevails in counterfeit suit against Tiffany.(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
September 1, 2008... A federal judge handed eBay a major victory in a trademark case with jeweler Tiffany & Co. that could help settle how far an online marketplace need go to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods on its website. Tiffany sued eBay after it found...

Vintage Guitar mutual fund launched.(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
September 1, 2008... Anchorage Capital Partners has plans to launch a closed-end fund that will invest in the rare and vintage guitar market. The U.S.$100 million fund is to be listed on the Channel Island Stock Exchange. According to ACP, the vintage guitar market...

Nintendo offers music video game.(INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS)
September 1, 2008... Nintendo's proposed Wii Music simulates the playing of up to 60 different musical instruments using the Wii Remote and the Wii Balance Board. Wii Music will allow players to mimic both traditional Western and exotic ethnic instruments from...

Eternal truths and passing crises.(EDITORIAL)
September 1, 2008... "This is the year of the hard sell. All field reports indicate that music retailers are feeling a softness in sales." No, this quote wasn't culled from yesterday's newspaper, although it could have been. It was delivered exactly 50 years ago by...

Low-priced lessons give teachers a bad name: stop using music lessons as a loss leader. You'll enhance your bottom line and improve the image of music teachers.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
September 1, 2008... Last September The Music Trades included an article on teaching music for profit in music stores. The advantages of a teaching operation for a music store are obvious, especially during economic downturns when instrument sales slow. But how can...

Best buy to open 75-85 music stores in '08: after three-year experiment, consumer electronics giant steps up commitment to music industry with national rollout of "stores-within-a-store.".(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AFTER THREE YEARS OF marketing research, pilot stores, and experimentation, Best Buy has announced a national rollout of musical instrument stores. By year's end the $40.0 billion (sales) consumer electronics giant...

Guitar center bonds downgraded on best buy roll out.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... WHILE THE INDUSTRY debates the impact of the Best Buy rollout, Moody's Investors Service appears poised to reach a conclusion. The company, which rates the credit-worthiness of bonds, is reviewing Guitar Center's bonds for a possible downgrade....

The origins of best buy.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... THE ROOTS OF BEST BUY trace back to 1966 when Richard Schulze opened Sound of Music, a Minneapolis-based audio specialty store. By 1970 Sound of Music had grown to three stores with annual revenues of $1.0 million, and was listed on the NASDAQ...

Bechstein America dealers tour operations In Germany.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A SELECT GROUP OF North American Bechstein retailers and craftspeople made a "musical pilgrimage" to C. Bechstein operations in Germany in June to learn firsthand all that goes into the production of Bechstein's...

Special horns made for Olympics: Eastman.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... THE EASTMAN MUSIC COMPANY was named the exclusive low brass instrument sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Orchestra. Providing all of the baritones and sousaphones for the Olympic Orchestra, Eastman handcrafted instruments with a special...

Sales skills refined at 11th Kawai Keyboard Academy.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN MAY KAWAI AMERICA hosted the 11th session of its highly regarded Kawai Keyboard Academy in San Pedro, California. Each year the event attracts store owners and salespersons from North America and around the world...

China concert aids earthquake victims: Phil Jones Bass.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... PHIL JONES AND HIS BAND recently performed three times in Ningbo, China, and sponsored a charity auction to benefit the victims of the Great Sichuan Earthquake in southwest China. The disaster claimed more than 69,000 lives and left between...

NAMM finances percussion marketing council.(FLASH)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NAMM PRESENTED A program grant to Percussion Marketing Council to help the association build awareness of drumming and expand the market for percussion instruments. The presentation took place during the 2008 summer...

GAMA expands school guitar programs.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... THE NAMM FOUNDATION continues to partner with GAMA, Guitar Center, and Alliance of Independent Music Merchants (AIMM) in providing major funding support to the Teaching Guitar Workshop Program. Founded in 1995 by members of GAMA and MENC, this...

Canadian expansion, Ashdown pact announced: EMD.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... EMD, THE EUROPEAN-BASED distribution company, has significantly expanded its North American presence by securing U.S. distribution rights for the Ashdown and Hayden line of amplifiers, and by offering its products and services to retailers...

The Mason & Hamlin Academy class of 2008.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... SELECT MASON & HAMLIN STORE owners and salespeople traveled to the company's factory in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in May to participate in a three-day sales academy. Participants toured the unique manufacturing facility, spent time with factory...

Custom Schimmel Grand Graces Latvian Palace.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SCHIMMEL PIANOS took a full year to build its K213 Baroque Grand Piano, but this one-of-a-kind artcase piano has found a home at the famous Rundale Palace near Riga, Latvia. Known as "Pearl of the Baroque Era" and...

Dana B. Goods and Warwick Sever Ties.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... AFTER A 16-YEAR partnership, Warwick and Dana B. Goods, the exclusive U.S. distributor for Warwick basses, amps, and accessories, have agreed to part ways at the end of 2008. This decision was reached mutually and amicably due to the increasing...

PTG annual convention draws nearly 700 in Anaheim.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... JUST UNDER 700 PEOPLE including piano service specialists, manufacturers, and suppliers attended the 51st annual Piano Technicians Guild Convention and Technical Institute June 18-22 in Anaheim, California. The international convention offered...

"Me Talk Pretty" wins dream spot contest: Sabian.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... IT'S BEEN A LONG road for all the musicians involved in this year's Sabian "Dream Spot" competition, but the payoff is sweet for one band. New York-based Me Talk Pretty was the last band standing after landing the most fan votes to secure a...

Dean searches globe for "King of Shred" guitar.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... DEAN GUITARS HAS JOINED forces with the Dimebag Darrell Abbott Estate to host the "Get your Wings" worldwide Shredder Search, an online quest to crown the new king or queen of shred guitar. The search kicked off on July 1 and is open to any...

New Pearl warehouse cuts delivery times.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... PEARL CORPORATION HAS opened a new 50,O00-square-foot distribution facility in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to provide two-day shipping throughout the country. Pearl also has distribution points in Reno and Nashville. The Chambersburg...

Chuck Prophet endorses Revival Guitars: Major Music Supply.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YEP ROCK RECORDING artist Chuck Prophet is the newest artist endorser for Revival Guitars. From his 1980s guitar work with Green on Red to his current album, Soap and Water, this singer and songwriter is one of the...

"Club 100" dealers visit Czech Republic: Bohemia.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... IN JUST FOUR YEARS since Bohemia Piano America, Inc., reintroduced the Bohemia name in North America, three dealers have become members of the "Club 100." Altenburg Piano House, Elizabeth, New Jersey; Peninsula Piano Brokers, Palo Alto,...

AIMM endorses freight consolidator: Music Freight.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... AIMM, the Alliance of Independent Music Merchants, is recommending freight services provider Music Freight for all AIMM dealers. With margins challenged and costs rising, AIMM stresses that it is more important than ever to look for savings in...

Summer NAMM returns to Nashville.(FLASH)
September 1, 2008... NAMM has announced that its summer show will return to Nashville in 2009 and 2010, and for the foreseeable future. The decision follows the successful Nashville show in June. The 2009 Summer NAMM show will take place July 17-19; dates for the...

Strong piano and band results lift Steinway sales & net.(FOREFRONT)
September 1, 2008... BUCKING A DIFFICULT MARKET, Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. posted a 7% revenue gain as both its Steinway piano unit and Conn-Selmer band instrument division saw revenues rise. For the three-month period ended June 30 the company had net...

Hi-tech summer camp rocks Gand Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOR ALL THE WAYS youth culture has changed in the past 40 years, one of the constants is that teen rock bands still do much of their rocking in their mothers' basements. "The problem for kids is that there's nowhere...

Fletcher donates $1m to Chautauqua.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... ROBERT FLETCHER, founder of Fletcher Music Centers, has donated $1.0 million to build a new 250-seat music performance center at the renowned Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York. Named Fletcher Hall, the new performance center is...

Illinois AG helps resolve complaints in piano experts fraud.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... A MAJORITY OF the more than 100 consumer complaints filed against the owners of Piano Experts of Naperville, Illinois, have been settled by officials of the Illinois attorney general's office. Owners Paul and Peter Biasco were accused by...

Music retailers aid St. Jude cancer research.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] REPRESENTATIVES FROM 13 music retailers across the nation made a recent visit to St. Jude Research Hospital for a tour and to present a check for $11,647. Participating stores raised these funds during the...

Top vendors honored at annual meeting: West Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... WEST MUSIC COMPANY recognized several of its top business partners at a recent employee meeting. This year's honorees were Will Schmid of World Music Drumming for Business Partner of the Year, Kaman Music Corporation for Vendor of the Year for...

Sales growth prompts sweetwater to expand staff.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... DIRECT RESPONSE retailer Sweetwater continued on its growth trajectory, recently hiring 19 new full-time employees, plus seven part-time employees. The new hires bring total employment at Sweetwater to 345, up from 317 since the beginning of...

The top 201: TrueTone music mistakenly omitted from top retailer ranking.(RETAILER UPDATE)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MISTAKENLY OMITTED from The Music Trades' 2008 Top 200 Retailers report, TrueTone Music is one of southern California's most successful and respected music retailers. Last year it reported sales of $3.1 million, up...

How to stand out in a crowd: create a commercial for your store that can be used everywhere that truly communicates what makes you unique.(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
September 1, 2008... You're an expert in the music business. You have your own store(s), probably can play, know features and benefits like there's no tomorrow, and you're a master at demonstrating anything on your floor. If you're not closing as many sales as...

D'addario goes lean to improve product value, service: borrowing analytical and organizational techniques pioneered by Toyota, leading accessory firm performs a complete overhaul. The goal: to compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime.(CUTTING EDGE)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BUILDING CARS IN war-ravaged Japan after World War II, Toyota employees had no choice but to squeeze as much as possible out of scarce resources. This led to an institutionalized company-wide drive for efficiency and...

"The economy is irrelevant": baker piano center proves that personal relationships, educational partnering, consumer education, and relentless follow-up can drive sales growth in any type of market.(The Piano Market)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Housing prices may be in the tank, consumers may be anxious, and credit may be harder to come by, but as far as Bob Baker is concerned, none of these factors should have much impact on a properly run piano business....

Creating Customers--the key to building sales: by growing their own customer base through a comprehensive education system, Matt & Debra Perez are riding out the economic storm.(The Piano Market)(Company overview)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For Matt and Debra Perez, successful music retailing starts with creating music makers. That underlying passion has built the husband-and-wife team's business at two successful stores in south Texas. Valley...

Success through specialization the sixth and seventh generations of Saphirs in the piano business have found success by concentrating on high-end pianos, leaving the entry level to the competition.(The Piano Market)(Company overview)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dennis Saphir's great-great-great grandfather founded the family piano business in Vienna, Austria, sometime before 1885, the year marked on the earliest surviving record of its existence. His parents brought the...

Sales-building piano software: player piano content specialist WebOnlyPiano helps dealers generate consumer excitment.(NEW TECHNOLOGY)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN ED VODICKA launched WebOnlyPiano, the only third-party provider of discs and software for the player piano, he predicted that his company would be to the player industry what Microsoft is to the personal...

Looking back at the revolution-Yamaha's Clavinova turns 25: combining the touch and feel of an acoustic piano with an affordable price, the Clavinova transformed the entire electronic piano category.(The Piano Market)
September 1, 2008... When Yamaha sales reps first touted the realistic piano tone and feel of the new Clavinova at the 1983 NAMM show, retailers initially shrugged. After decades of listening to exuberant home organ manufacturers boast about finally "capturing the...

Hailun, The International Chinese Piano Company: Huge investments in an international design team, cutting-edge technology, and extensive employee training are paying dividends in awards, renown, and rapid sales growth.(The Piano Market)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hailun Chen doesn't dismiss the U.S. piano market's current difficulties, but he has good reason to be optimistic about the company that bears his name. At the time of a recent visit of U.S. and Canadian dealers to...

Brodmann's innovative approach to old world craftsmanship: former Bosendorfer execs team up to fill an untapped market, offering European touch and tone for price-conscious consumers.(The Piano Market)(Industry overview)
September 1, 2008... The tone, touch, and elegant cabinet work of fine European pianos have undeniable appeal in markets around the world. However, lofty price tags seriously limit their sales potential. After wrestling with this challenge, two Bosendorfer...

Wessell, Nickel, & Gross composite piano action: resurrecting a venerable trademark, PianoDisc introduces an innovative new action that promises improved durability and ease of service.(The Piano Market)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, judges awarded the Wessell, Nickel, & Gross piano action a gold medal, citing it for "high artistic achievement" and "innovation." Today this storied name is again being applied...

Specialized finance options: how Piano Credit Company draws on industry expertise to assist close to 300 piano retailers nationwide.(The Piano Market)
September 1, 2008... In 1998 the few consumer finance companies serving the piano industry were those tied to major manufacturers: Whirlpool with Yamaha, Keyboard Acceptance with Baldwin, and on down the line. "You had to sell their product to be competitive and...

Todd Austin Sanders New Steinway V.P. sales & marketing.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... STEINWAY & SONS has named Todd Austin Sanders vice president of sales & marketing. Sanders will lead the company's sales and marketing efforts throughout the North and South American markets, reporting to Ron Losby, president, Steinway & Sons...

Janopaul steps down as Fender pres./COO.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... MATTHEW JANOPAUL has resigned as president and chief operating officer at Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to pursue family business interests in Northern California. Prior to joining Fender in May, 2005 Janopaul was a general partner...

Service and product departments realigned: Jupiter.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... JUPITER BAND Instruments, Inc. has modified responsibilities in its Customer Service and Product Management departments. Dana Bell, an integral member of the customer service team, has been appointed customer relations manager. Brent Rosborough...

Martin to head EMI marketing: Casio.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... CASIO AMERICA, Inc., a leader in consumer electronics, has appointed music industry veteran Mike Martin as director of marketing for its Electronic Musical Instrument (EMI) division. Martin joins Casio from TC Electronic, where he served as...

Loud names Stewart chief operating officer.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY veteran Jim Stewart has been appointed chief operating officer of Loud Technologies, the parent of Mackie Designs, EAW, Tapco, Ampeg, Crate, and other m.i. brands. Stewart, 51, was most recently executive director of Sharper...

Zschau promoted to director of sales: Sonare Winds.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... SONARE WINDS, a division of Powell Flutes, has appointed Maryann Zschau to be its director of sales and marketing. Zschau has served as Sonare's marketing manager since January 2007. For seven years prior to joining Sonars she was director of...

Lawdenski named chief financial officer: KHS America.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... TOM LAWDENSKI HAS been named chief financial officer for KHS America. Lawdenski brings more than 30 years of experience in the music industry, having worked in accounting and credit capacities with companies at all stages of growth. "I'm...

Signal marketing named rep of the year: Audio-Technica.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2008... AUDIO-TECHNICA HAS recognized Signal Marketing as its Rep of the Year for the 2008 fiscal year. Signal Marketing was congratulated for outstanding sales performance and bestowed with Audio-Technica's beloved Samurai doll award at an awards...

Korg Nano controllers address computer music market.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] KORG'S THREE NEW nanoSeries slimline USB-powered controllers, the nanoKEY, nanoPAD, and nanoKONTROL, offer advanced functionality combined with Korg's renowned reliability in a choice of compact control surfaces....

SKB Softcase line for all electrics.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... SKB CORPORATION has expanded its popular Softcase line with six new models. These new cases offer the protection of the same rigid foam found in SKB's hardshell cases with the style and portability of nylon gig bags. Unlike conventional...

Takamine limited edition 45th anniversary guitar.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... TAKAMINE IS CELEBRATING ITS 45TH anniversary with the introduction of a distinctive limited-edition anniversary model. Built from the finest tonewoods, the 45th Anniversary model is a dreadnought cutaway with solid bearclaw spruce top and solid...

Fender's David Gilmour Signature Strat.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... FENDER'S CUSTOM SHOP will pay tribute to the iconic guitarist David Gilmour with a David Gilmour Signature Series Stratocaster guitar based on the Pink Floyd guitarist's famous "Black Strat." Available starting September 22, the guitar follows...

V-812 Peg Wrench for stringed instruments: Meisel.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... THE V-812 PEG WRENCH from Meisel Stringed Instruments is an easy-to-use new tuning tool for violin, viola, and cello players at all levels. This dependable product fits neatly over tuning pegs so they can be turned conveniently and precisely....

Cavanaugh redesigns popular Red Label strings.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... SUPER-SENSITIVE Musical Strings has brought two design changes to its Red Label strings. Super-Sensitive has switched from traditional brass eyelets to copper eyelets and now employs a thinner twist near the ball end for easier installation...

Levy's "From The Crypt" guitar straps.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... LEVY'S LEATHERS HAS introduced new models in its Gothic series of guitar straps. New additions feature plaid fabric in red or green plaid (model M8PF) and red or green plaid with metal studs (model) PM28-2SDP. Levy's is also offering seven...

Hannes high-tech guitar bridge: Schaller.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... THE NEW HANNES BRIDGE is a high-tech guitar bridge designed to deliver superior sound quality while raising the bar in overall comfort. Developed by Roland Hannes, a French inventor now living in California, this bridge can now be produced and...

Jensen Jet Tornado instrument speaker: CE Distribution.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... CE DISTRIBUTION, LLC, of Tempe, Arizona, and SICA Altoparlanti of Italy, the manufacturer of Jensen Musical Instrument Speakers, have introduced the latest addition to the Jensen Jet series. The "Tornado" is a modern speaker offering defined...

Perry Piano Company's Passionata art case grand piano.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... THE PERRY PIANO Company has created a unique new instrument that reflects the spiritual core of the Concord, Virginia, company and its founder, Mark Perry. Under design and development for several years, the new Passionata Grand Piano will...

Schecter Guitars using Graph Tech Black TUSQ Nuts.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... IN A PARTNERSHIP between Graph Tech Guitar Labs and Schecter Guitars, Schecter is now using Graph Tech's Black TUSQ Nuts to create an even better performing guitar with improved tuning, performance, and tone. Black TUSQ is a synthetic man-made...

Octavius Squeezer bass synth pedal: Godlyke.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... GODLYKE HAS UNVEILED the long-awaited Octavius Squeezer analog bass synthesizer, made by Chunk Systems in Australia. The Octavius Squeezer is the world's first analog/digital hybrid bass synthesizer to be housed in a compact stompbox format....

Moog Guitar creates new tonal vocabulary: not a synth, not a MIDI controller, guitar incorporates unique analog circuitry.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE LATE SYNTHESIZER pioneer Robert Moog developed analog circuitry that defined electronic music for a generation. At the Summer NAMM show, his namesake company has applied this analog technology to create a unique...

Conga Series honors Conguero Hidalgo: Latin Percussion.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... WORLD-CLASS CONGUERO Giovanni Hidalgo's Limited Edition Palladium Series Congas by LP are designed to reflect Hidalgo's mastery in every aspect of their craftsmanship. Colored and sequenced in a style carrying significance to Hidalgo, these...

Redesigned corporate website goes live: Jupiter.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Website overview)
September 1, 2008... JUPITER BAND INSTRUMENTS, Inc., unveiled a redesigned corporate website in June. The new website offers comprehensive branding messages for Jupiter woodwinds and brass, Mapex concert and marching drums, Ross mallets, and Majestic percussion....

Guitar hangers from Onstage stands: The Music People.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... NOW SHIPPING FROM The Music People are two new guitar hangers, designed to be mounted to an interior wall so that guitars can be hung from them by their head stocks. The GS7640 hanger features a round metal base plate while the GS7730 has a...

Sabian Cymbals at dealer-direct prices from Universal Percussion.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... UNIVERSAL PERCUSSION, INC., is now carrying Sabian Cymbals. Through a special arrangement with Kaman Music Corporation, exclusive U.S. distributor for Sabian, Universal is offering Sabian cast, sheet, and box-set cymbals for immediate delivery....

New products added to drum accessories line: Direct Music Supply.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... DIRECT MUSIC SUPPLY has added Extreme Isolation Headphones by Direct Sound and "Muffbone" instant drum mufflers to its rapidly growing assortment of drum accessories. Extreme Isolation Headphones were created by a studio session drummer for...

M1255 added to Audix Micros Series.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... AUDIX MICROS SERIES, the world's smallest condenser microphones with integrated preamp and detachable cable, has broken new ground with the addition of the M1255. With a stylishly machined brass housing and modular threaded capsule, the M1255...

The string cleaner "Best In Show": Tonegear.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... THE STRING CLEANER, a groundbreaking string-cleaning product by ToneGear, was awarded "Best in Show" for "Company on the Rise" at the summer NAMM show in Nashville. The String Cleaner, the first effective tool of its kind to hit the...

WD Music revives Kluson "Super" machine heads.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... AFTER A MANUFACTURING absence of four decades, Kluson has brought the renowned Super Guitar machine head back to the marketplace. Also nicknamed the Waffleback or Radiatorback these tuners were used on America's most prestigious guitars, most...

Aim adds fall gifts to product line.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... AIM GIFTS HAS ADDED several new "must have" fall products to its extensive line of music gift accessories. Among the new products are Pebble Stone tote bags, fuzzy socks, slippers, and vinyl coasters. These fast-moving and profitable items join...

Eden electronics debuts David Series cabinets.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... THE DAVID SERIES Neo is the newest bass cabinet from Eden Electronics. Designed with Eden's signature fine craftsmanship and quality, this new series took Bass Amp Guru David Nordschow more than five years to develop. These Neos are built...

Two-channel USB audio/midi interface: Edirol.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... EDIROL'S NEW UA-25EX interface was designed by Roland's DTMP engineering team to offer premium sound quality, rugged durability, and complete portability for computer-based audio engineers. Featuring a high-grade aluminum chassis, the UA-25EX...

New drum books by Rabb and Roddy: Hudson.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... HUDSON MUSIC has announced two important new book-and-CD combo packs, The Original Freehand Technique by Johnny Rabb and the re-release of The Evolution Of Blast Beats by Derek Roddy. Drummers and teachers will find these latest additions to...

Beating trends with affordable instruments: Cecilio.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... CECILIO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS continues to defy the weak economy and soft retail sales with strong growth. From its U.S. headquarters in La Puente, California, Cecilio has been doubling its sales every year since 2004 and this year estimates an...

DTXPRESS IV has upgraded cymbal pads: Yamaha.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... YAMAHA DRUMS, the only company to make acoustic and electronic drums, now offers upgraded ride, crash, and hi-hat cymbal pads from the new high-end DTXTREME III electronic drum kit as standard equipment on the DTXPRESS IV Special. The ride and...

Canadian Pop & Rock piano vocal book: Alfred.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... ALFRED PUBLISHING has introduced a new collection of hits featuring the top Canadian artists. Canadian Pop & Rock Playlist features classic and modem hits known and loved around the world by top artists such as Celine Dion, Joni Mitchell, Avril...

Paz Lenchantin Signature Bass: Luna Guitars.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2008... LUNA GUITARS' NEWEST signature bass celebrates Paz Lenchantin, best known for her playing as a member of A Perfect Circle and the super-group Zwan. The Paz Lenchantin Signature Bass was a collaboration between the artist and Luna's designers,...