Music Trades back issues from February 2009:
War time destruction and the piano industry.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Feb 01, 2009; ... I was not surprised to find your mention in the Henry Z. Steinway tribute (11/08) that the Hamburg Steinway factory "stood in ruins" after WW II. What happened to Steinway Hamburg had never been an issue until awareness of the total destruction of the competition by allied targeted bombing ...
The Percussion Marketing Council.(LETTERS)
Feb 01, 2009; ... Thanks for the marvelous article on the Percussion Marketing Council in the November edition. The success and growth of the organization is very encouraging to the percussion industry as it portrays our member's belief and commitment to build and create the future for all ...
Remembering Aase Jorgensen.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Feb 01, 2009; ... I learned with much sadness of the death of Aase Jorgensen who passed away on December 12 2008. I first met Aase at a NAMM show about 40 years ago when she was working for Rico and we became friends. She was a charming and hospitable lady. I recall her inviting our then ...
Has guitar hero peaked?(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2009 ... Wired magazine reports that evidence is accumulating that sales of music-themed games including Guitar Hero and Rock Band have peaked or are peaking. Apparently, many of the people who wanted to play and could afford it already have at least one version of the game. "This is hardly ...
Practicing music pays off in life performance.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2009 ... A Harvard-based study has found that children who study a musical instrument for at least three years outperform children with no instrumental training--not only in tests of auditory discrimination and finger dexterity (skills honed by the study of a musical instrument), but also on tests ...
Militar turning music into a weapon.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2009 ... Blaring from a speaker behind a metal grate in his cell in Iraq, the blistering rock from Nine Inch Nails hit "Prisoner No. 200343" like a sonic bludgeon. "Stains like the blood on your teeth," Trent Reznor snarled over distorted guitars. The tactic has been common in the U.S. war on ...
Apple iPhone doubles as electronic ocarina.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2009 ... A new downloadable application turns Apple's popular iPhone into an electronic ocarina. With the software installed, the phone's microphone becomes a breath sensor, and the touch screen displays a pattern that mimics the tone holes of ...
Guitar becomes a weapon.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2009 ... New York State police say a musical instrument became a dangerous weapon during a fight at the Relax Inn in rural Watertown, New York. An apparently unrelaxed 19-year-old Michael A. Robinson was ...
The lipstick effect and other bits of good news.(EDITORIAL)
Feb 01, 2009; ... Ralph Waldo Emerson once noted that "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." We d go a step further and assert that, forget bout great; enthusiasm is a necessary component of even passable, reasonably good, or halfway decent outcomes. Absent some level of enthusiasm, who even ...
Importers expected a good 4th quarter.(IMPORT TRACKER: What's Coming Into The U.S. And From Where?)
Feb 01, 2009 ... THIS LATEST INSTALLMENT OF Import Tracker reveals how manufacturers and distributors have to make projections and take risks to compete in the all-important fourth-quarter retail selling season. Results for the third quarter reported here, clearly show the industry's suppliers were ...
The "Wolfgang" heads EVH brand from Fender: launching at NAMM, new Van Halen designed guitar is the flagship of an entirely new product line and brand.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDDIE VAN HALEN is launching the all-new EVH Wolfgang electric guitar, available worldwide beginning January 2009. The EVH Wolfgang guitar represents Eddie's 35 years of experimenting with guitars, over two years of intense research and development, and a ...
Gator cases acquires XL Specialty Percussion.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... GATOR CASES, INC., has acquired XL Specialty Percussion Inc., manufacturers of the Protechtor Cases and XL Lite drum carriers. Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, XL is best known for its flagship Protechtor percussion case line, which pioneered the rotational molded concept in drum ...
OEM guitar factory established in China: IBC Trading.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... "Limiting production to 2,000 units per month means we can control quality and offer both standard and highly customized instruments to our customers," said Dave Ingham, production manager. "Our team is highly adaptable, and we've been able to produce some pretty amazing guitars so far ....
Ultimate Support taps Dana B. Goods for U.S. distribution.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... ULTIMATE SUPPORT SYSTEMS has tapped Dana B. Goods to distribute its high value line of Jam Stands in the U.S. "Ultimate Support has an outstanding reputation for manufacturing high-quality, innovative products at an incredible price-point," said Dana B. Goods Marketing Communications ...
Marks 60th year with Graph Tech joint venture: ABM.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... ABM, MUELLER & SOHN, the maker of quality guitar parts, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Since 1949, ABM has developed more than 1,200 different models of bridges, tailpieces, and accessories for the guitar industry. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jan ...
Hughes & Kettner develops new tests to ensure tube performance.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH VACUUM TUBES increasingly difficult to obtain, and rising quality control issues in the mix, Hughes & Kettner has developed a proprietary new procedure for selecting vacuum tubes. The new device, dubbed the Vacuum Tube Inspector, provides a ...
2009 shipping information announced: Partnership.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... PARTNERSHIP, THE NAMM-endorsed business service provider that administers the NAMM Discount Shipping Program, has announced 2009 rate increases for FedEx and UPS. FedEx Corp. will increase its net average shipping rate for FedEx Express by 4.9%, which accounts for a 6.9% ...
World Champion Phantom Regiment chooses Jupiter.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... THE 2008 DRUM CORPS International World Champion Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps of Rockford, IL, have elected to play exclusively on Jupiter Quantum brass instruments. J.D. Shaw, caption head and music arranger for Phantom Regiment, said of their new brass selection, "Jupiter has ...
Italian audio maker FBT turns 45.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE YEAR IS 1963, and Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" wins a Grammy for Record of the Year. Lawrence of Arabia wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and the Los Angeles Dodgers sweep the New York Yankees in the World Series. In the ...
Musicorp celebrates 30th anniversary.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... MUSICORP celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. A newly designed 30th anniversary logo will debut at the winter NAMM show. "Musicorp is stronger than ever, and it has been an honor serving the music industry," said Dan Roberts, Musicorp vice president of sales. "Today we stand firmly ...
Bechstein moves Bohemia production to new Czech plant.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... IN 2008 C. BECHSTEIN Europe, the parent company of Bohemia Piano since 2007, closed its old factory in the town of Jihlava, south of Prague, and consolidated production of uprights and grands in Hradec Kralove, its center of piano production. Four new halls were added to the existing ...
Handmade guitar gifted to president of Panama: Guitarras Manuel Rodriguez.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... GUITARRAS MANUEL RODRIGUEZ of Spain recently presented one of its handmade classical guitars to Panamanian President Martin Torrijos. The Spanish guitar maker called the gift a symbol of brotherhood between the two countries, "a fundamental element of the culture shared by Panama and ...
Zildjian hosts New York Artist Session.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE AVEDIS ZILDJIAN COMPANY recently presented its annual New York Artist Session for artists and other industry friends. Celebrating its 385th anniversary year in 2008, Zildjian hosted the event on October 21 at the Studio Instrument Rentals (S.I.R.) ...
Hanser Music to distribute Warwick.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... WARWICK BASS OF Markneukrichen, Germany, has named the Hanser Music Group as exclusive distributor of the full line of Warwick products in the United States. "I could not be more happy with a choice of exclusive partners than I am with Hanser Music Group," explained Hans Peter Wilfer, ...
International Music Cafe to debut at NAMM: Kolstein Music.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... KOLSTEIN MUSIC, INC., has partnered with Entertainment Music Marketing Corporation to create a newly formed joint company, International Music Card, Ltd. Backed by the expertise of Jeff Saltzman and Barrie Kolstein, International Music Cafe will offer a comprehensive line of fine quality ...
Midwest Clinic honors John D'Addario.(FLASH)
Feb 01, 2009 ... The Midwest Clinic, the long-running band and orchestra conference in Chicago has presented John D'Addario Jr., retired president of D'Addario Co., with its 2008 Music Industry Award. At a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago on December 16th, D'Addario was praised for his work to ...
Handcrafted German pianos: Grotrian.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... FOUNDED IN 1835, Germany's Grotrian Piano Company has been owned by the Grotrian family for five generations. All Grotrian instruments are still built in Braunschweig, Germany, to the highest standards of craftsmanship. With its commitment to maintaining and improving upon the ...
Rudy Sarzo weighs in on cables of choice: Reference Laboratories.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... BASS PLAYER Rudy Sarzo, who has seen and done it all when it comes to cables, is now a dedicated Reference Laboratories player. Recently the veteran of Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio, and Blue Oyster Cult discussed what Reference Laboratories means to his sound. ...
U.K. guitar brand now available in U.S.: Mariner Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... INTRODUCED INTO THE United Kingdom market in 2008, Mariner Guitars is now setting its course for international distribution. As these U.K.-designed guitars catch the eyes of players around the world, the company has set about developing an international network of dealers. ...
Richmond featured at 2008 Grey Cup: Godin Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... MONTREAL RECENTLY PLAYED host to the 96th edition of the Canadian Football League's championship Grey Cup game. There the band Mobile, whose guitarist played a new Richmond Dorchester model guitar, helped kick off the festivities. Known for their melodic and emotionally charged ...
Buy monitor, get a free Broadjam membership: Equator Audio Research.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... EQUATOR AUDIO RESEARCH, a leading manufacturer of studio reference monitors, and Broadjam.com, an international leader in internet music services for independent musicians, have partnered to present a new offer for customers. Now anyone who purchases a pair of Equator Q8 studio reference ...
Bringing a unique heat to guitar amps.... how hottie turns toasters into amps.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... JEAN-CLAUDE ESCUDIE has always liked building things, and over the years tried his hand at making guitars, amps, effects pedals, "and a lot of other junk," he says. However, at the Dallas Vintage Guitar show in 2005, he had a stroke of inspiration that led to the founding of Hottie Amps ....
Publisher named to "Fast Track 50": Bentley Hall.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... FOUNDED MORE THAN 25 years ago by Bob Popyk, Bentley-Hall, Inc., publishers of Making Music magazine and International Musician, was recently recognized as one of Central New York's Fast Track 50 companies by the Central New York Business Journal. Bentley-Hall, Inc., a custom publishing, ...
Dates confirmed for 2009 show: MIAC.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... MIAC 2009 & PAL Show, Canada's largest music products and production technology tradeshow, will be held August 23-24 at the Toronto International Centre. The 38th annual event will feature the country's most extensive array of musical instruments and accessories, as well as pro audio, ...
Classic Orange Amps at 40.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... IN ALL RESPECTS 2008 was a classic year for leading British manufacturer Orange Amplifiers. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the company launched limited-edition custom shop and production model amps, and both were heralded as classics by the world's guitar media. The company ...
How three-dimensional design can create brand equity.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009; ... IN TODAY'S ECONOMY, creativity can be a critical competitive advantage. Combined with good design fundamentals, creativity can contribute substantially to a company's positive brand equity. At tradeshows, Competent three-dimensional design supported by well-designed graphics will control ...
Prohands Music seeks international distributors.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... PROHANDS MUSIC is now seeking distributors in key markets for its Gripmaster hand exerciser. The company recently assumed all U.S. distribution responsibilities for this innovative accessory product and is now seeking distributors in the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, ...
Synthetic Reed pioneer Legere celebrates 10th anniversary.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... GUY LEGERE, FOUNDER and President of Legere Reeds Ltd., loved playing the clarinet and he loved chemistry. He took up the clarinet at the age of 27, studying under Abe Galper, but the problems he encountered with reeds soon overshadowed his playing. With a Ph.D. in chemistry and the type ...
Ellington Strings adds violin lines.(FLASH)
Feb 01, 2009 ... NEWLY FOUNDED Ellington Strings, LLC, has been awarded the North American distribution of Los Angeles Stringed Instruments. Ken Ellington and Brent Taylor, both veterans of the wholesale bowed string market with combined experience of more than 60 years, are the founders behind the new ...
Steingraeber pianos reports best sale in 156 years!(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... DESPITE A CHALLENGING market, Udo Steingraeber, sixth-generation owner of Steingraeber & Sohne of Bayreuth, Germany, reported that 2008 was the best year in the company's 156-year history. "Pianos sold in the United States reached a new high, along with robust sales in Europe and Asia," he ...
Charles Dumont & Son expands to serve customers.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... SINCE 1945 CHARLES Dumont & Son, Inc., has been servicing music stores worldwide from its Voorhees, New Jersey facility. Satellite offices in New York, California, and Florida ensure that a sales representative is only a toll-free call away. Charles Dumont & Son has consistently ...
Wait times reduced on custom orders: Calton Cases.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... CALTON CASES HAS slashed wait times on its custom orders by more than 50% in the last six months from 32 weeks down to as little as 12 weeks. "Our manufacturing is at full capacity now in our new facility," said Jim Laffoley, owner of Calton Cases (North America), Inc. "Our clients are ...
Community Sound helps honor Ray Charles.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... THE CITY OF ALBANY, Georgia has given a nod to its best-known native son with the opening of a park in his honer. Ray Charles Plaza includes a fountain featuring a life-sized revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of the famed musician seated at a grand piano. The sculpture, commissioned by ...
Paul Reed Smith officially unveils acoustic guitars.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... PRS GUITARS is officially introducing at NAMM the first in a series of acoustic guitars manufactured in its Stevensville, Maryland facility. Nearly four years of design and prototyping with acoustic artist Ricky Skaggs and luthier Steve Fischer have culminated in the Angelus Cutaway and ...
A new generation asumes presidency: August Forster.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... WOLFGANG FORSTER has announced his resignation after a 50-year run at the helm of August Forster GmbH. His daughter, Annekatrin Forster, succeeds him as company president. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] August Forster has remained family-owned for the past five generations ....
SDS distributes Baden Guitars.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... SDS MUSIC FACTORY in Winterthur, Switzerland, is in final discussions with Baden Guitars executives to become Baden's distribution partner throughout the Swiss region including Liechtenstein. Baden continues to collect strong reviews with its line of innovative acoustic ...
Ron Van Ostenbridge appointed coo: The Cavanaugh Company.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... RON VAN OSTENBRIDGE has been appointed chief operating officer of The Cavanaugh Company. Van Ostenbridge will oversee all three Cavanaugh divisions: Super-Sensitive Musical String Co., Black Diamond Strings, and Bari Woodwind Supplies. Van Ostenbridge has been director of operations for ...
Quincy Jones in new partnership: Harman.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... HARMAN INTERNATIONAL Industries, Incorporated has formed a marketing relationship with legendary musician, producer and humanitarian Quincy Jones to explore and evaluate opportunities for licensed and co-branded products across its automotive, consumer, and professional audio lines. The ...
Zappa plays Zappa playing a Hagstrom.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... FOR MUCH OF THE '70s, the inimitable Frank Zappa used a Hagstrom guitar when he dazzled audiences with his extraordinary playing and sardonic humor. Dweezil Zappa has recently been celebrating his late father's unique music with his Zappa Plays Zappa tour. In the spirit of authenticity, he ...
Trombonist Ralph Sauer touts Andreas Eastman: Eastman.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... TROMBONIST Ralph Sauer has signed with the Eastman Music Company as an Andreas Eastman Artist. After 32 years with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sauer is devoting his time to sharing his expertise with young trombonists throughout the world, a goal he shares with Andreas Eastman. Sauer ...
North American distributors appointed: JBovier.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... JBOVIER, A MANUFACTURER of fine mandolins and banjos, has appointed Musquip, Inc., as its exclusive distributor for the USA, and SF Marketing as its exclusive distributor for Canada. Company founder and designer Jeff Cowherd first began selling JBovier instruments out of his own ...
New York Governor salutes soldier with guitar.(FOREFRONT)
Feb 01, 2009 ... ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF politics and ideology, honoring U.S. military personnel is one duty government officials are eager to perform. Last summer New York Governor David A. Paterson added a musical touch to his recognition of one wounded local son. New York's own Chief Warrant Officer ...
Jim's Music enlists suppliers to help underwrite major expansion.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN BUSINESS SINCE 1967, Jim's Music has occupied the same Irvine, California, storefront for 23 years. With president Rob Joly and business partner Rick Myers at the helm, it has consistently been one of the industry's stronger performers. Last May, when ...
Best Buy cuts spending in "most challenging" environment ever.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2009 ... BEST BUY has cut its capital spending in half and is offering buyout packages to nearly all of its approximately 4,000 headquarters employees amid what vice chairman/CEO Brad Anderson called "the most challenging consumer environment our company has ever faced." Underscoring the ...
Black Hills Piano Gallery opens with a bang.(RETAILER UPDATE)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ON NOVEMBER 6 AN EARLY blizzard swept through western South Dakota. Ten days later, Black Hills Piano Gallery of Rapid City raised more than $1,000 for the victims, set what may be a state record for the largest number of people playing "Heart And Soul" at ...
Veteran Jim Fuller named manager: Quinlan & Fabish.(RETAILER UPDATE)
Feb 01, 2009 ... JIM FULLER, A VETERAN of the school music industry, has been named manager of Quinlan & Fabish Music Company's northwest suburban location. Fuller, was most recently a district manager for Conn-Selmer. Prior to that he served as a manager for Brook Mays Music in Dallas, Texas, where he ...
Playing Santa to family in need: Bill's Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
Feb 01, 2009 ... EACH YEAR FOR THE HOLIDAYS Bill's Music of Catonsville, Maryland, "adopts" a local family in need with hopes of making their Christmas a little brighter. Members of the Bill's staff bring in toys, blankets, canned goods, gift cards and more to donate to a local family that is having ...
After 60 years, Dale Durthaler is still selling, and still enjoying it: the music industry's marathon man.(RETAILER UPDATE)(Company overview)
Feb 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AT NEARLY 80 years old, Dale Durthaler can still be found minding the shop at Durthaler Organ & Piano of Columbus, Ohio. "It's the easiest way I know to make a living," says Dale. "1 like what I'm doing." Founded by Dale's father, Henry Durthaler, in ...
Progressive Music organizes band trip to NAMM.(RETAILER UPDATE)
Feb 01, 2009 ... PROGRESSIVE MUSIC has helped arrange for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's, Baldwin High School Highlander Marching Band to make the cross-country trip to Anaheim, to perform at the 2009 NAMM Show. Their performance is part of a week-long trip that includes visits to Disneyland, Hollywood, the ...
Garage Band contest winners named: Music & Arts.(RETAILER UPDATE)
Feb 01, 2009 ... THE MUSIC & ARTS division of Guitar Center, announced the winners of its third annual Teen Garage Band contest. The contest was open to teenage bands consisting of 13- to 19-year-olds, with each band submitting up to three songs. More than 80 entries were narrowed to three final winners by ...
Blackwell clinic draws 400: Seaco Music.(RETAILER UPDATE)
Feb 01, 2009 ... A STANDING ROOM ONLY clinic by John Blackwell Jr. drew more than 400 enthusiastic percussionists in Sumter, South Carolina. The event was staged by Seaco Music. Shannan Wilkinson, who owns the store with her husband, Brooks, reported, "John Blackwell was great! The clinic lasted two hours ...
It all comes down to numbers: how much you sell depends on how many people you talk to each month. Herewith, some thoughts on how to reach more people without spending a fortune.(BOB POPYK ON SELLING)
Feb 01, 2009; ... I've always felt that expanding your market means exposing your store and your products to as many people as possible. It doesnt necessarily meaning spending big bucks in the local media. It means getting people through your door on a regular basis, thereby selling more stuff. Here's the ...
Are retailers suffering from self-inflicted wounds? Poorly handled phone conversations suggest that many dealers are letting sales slip away.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
Feb 01, 2009; ... Economic conditions being what they are, it's getting all too easy for retailers to chalk up their troubles to circumstances beyond their control. No doubt the members of our industry are Davids in a Goliath economy, but isn't that all the more reason for us to be out there taking every ...
Family values: the Ball family has built Ernie Ball and Music Man into powerful global brands. Now, they're building a succession plan to ensure the company's future.(Company overview)
Feb 01, 2009 ... "Pioneer" is an overused term in the music industry, but if anyone ever deserved the accolade, it was Ernie Ball. A creative and fiercely independent thinker, he consistently ignored conventional wisdom, followed his own path, and in the process created a new template for marketing ...
How soft selling powers growth at Sweetwater: Chuck Surack figures that if he can make friends with the customer and get their trust, sales will take care of themselves. That's why he invests millions every year teaching his sales associates how to have "the perfect conversation.".(RETAILER PROFILE)(Company overview)
Feb 01, 2009 ... "The products we sell aren't what's really important," says Chuck Surack, founder and CEO of Sweetwater Sound in his opening remarks to a group of newly hired salespeople. This is a surprising comment from the head of retailer known as the hardcore gearhead's ultimate source for esoteric ...