MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS BARNES & MULLINS YAMAHA JHS NAMM TAYLOR FRESHMAN HARDCASE No. 111 • AUGUST 2009 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE It’s not just flag-waving... We look at the companies that swear by the ‘Made in Britain’ label
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MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS
BARNES & MULLINS YAMAHA JHS NAMM TAYLOR FRESHMAN HARDCASE
No. 111 • AUGUST 2009 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE
It’s not just flag-waving...We look at the companiesthat swear by the‘Made in Britain’ label
To find out more about the MG range contact:Marshall Amplification plc Denbigh Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK11DQ or visit the official Marshall website: www.marshallamps.com
Innovation, functionality and tone – just a few words that help sum up the brand new range of solid-state MG amplifiers from Marshall.Combining years of experience in analogue amplification with cutting-edge digital technology has resulted in the creation of an
all-encompassing amplifier series, ideal for the beginner and gigging pro alike. Specially voiced digital effects, intuitive footswitchingtechnology and four adjustable and storable channels are just a few of the features to be found in the new MG range.
From a punchy 10 Watt combo through to an effects-laden, soul-pounding 100 Watt head, this series has it all.
With Far Eastern manufacture now seemingly the norm, Gary Cooper
takes a look at those who brave the economy to maintain production
in Blighty and finds that it works pretty well
MI Pro’s unique collection of news and interviews concerning the
business and work being done on MI’s front line
NEWS 6B&M buyout, Yamaha V-Expo, MusicChina, Roland mystique
DISTRIBUTION 10The latest deals from Active, De Haskeand Westside
DRUM NEWS 12Drumfest, Techtonic and Ludwig
JHS EVENT 14Another stormer from Garforth
NAMM 33Joe Lamond and Betty Heywood big upthe importance of the global market
YAMAHA 36How One Yamaha has set a new standardfor the multi-national
FRESHMAN 41Still going, still growing, Sean Kellyreveals how he does it
TAYLOR 42Making the Euro-model work
HARDCASE 44How to keep British production strong
I WOKE UP 45Andrew Richardson gets on his bike
MADE IN BRITAIN 17
RETAIL
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47 50
6
14
COVER STORY
ISSUE 111 AUGUST 2009
51
36
PRODUCTSBACKLINE 54
ACCESSORIES 55
BASS & GUITAR 56
DRUMS 57
TRADITIONAL 58
PRINT 60
SECTOR SPOTLIGHT • MIXERS 22Live or studio? Active or passive? It seems the old questions about
which mixers to stock are no longer valid – USB rules
NEWS 47Music Live latest, Beatles straps
LOCATION REPORT 50A few furlongs around Cheltenham
FRONT LINE 49Make hay while the sun shines
INDIE PROFILE 51You gotta – Knock on Wood
SECTOR SPOTLIGHT • RENTALS 29As the back to school market kicks into gear, we take a look at the
very best gear to stock – but not for sale
The bigger picture
Gary Cooper opens his piece on the Best of British(page 17) with the famous quote from DrJohnson: ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of the
scoundrel’. That’s as may be, but then again, show me the
nation that doesn’t value its own manufacturing and the
government that doesn’t try to persuade its citizens to buy
home-made products.
We British tend to be a bit more cynical than most, of
course, but its not really an attitude to recommend. Look at
the Winter NAMM show – a global powerhouse of an event.
Why? Because the sheer amount of valued brands that are
made in the US demand our attention.
Joe Lamond, NAMM’s CEO, bigs up Britain and the London
International Music Show in this issue (page 33) and again,
the cynic might argue that he is looking to improve the
markets where US products sell. It turns out to be no such
thing. Lamond sees his role as a pretty borderless mission
these days. He sees NAMM as a vital vehicle to make more
music makers around the world. Yes, growing the global
market will profit American companies (the cynic would say),
but it will profit everybody else, as well. It’s a question of
having a broader vision.
Highlighting the Best of British is not a call for everyone to
start manufacturing here, but it is a celebration of those that
do and it flags up the fact that it is not impossible to make a
good product and even a good living, however difficult the
economic or bureaucratic obstacles might try to make it.
Perhaps this reason alone is enough to prompt people into
taking more care as regards supporting British-made goods.
As well as the cover feature, we also talk to Hardcase
(page 44), another company that has found a smart niche
that enables it to keep the flag flying.
But we are a global industry and the reality is that we
cannot avoid product from overseas if we are to make our
own businesses as successful as possible. In this issue we also
talk to two very large companies (one American, the other
Japanese) about how they are managing their businesses by
looking at Europe as a whole.
There have been various attempts at pan-European sales
and marketing over the years, but it would appear from the
successes of Fender-distributed Taylor Guitars (page 42) and
Yamaha (page 36) that the wrinkles of early attempts are
finally being ironed out.
Britain is important, of course, but not just to the British –
we are also, these days, part of a much larger entity.
LATEST NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILEBookmark us in your phone:
MOBILE.MI-PRO.CO.UK
Perrin and Cleary buy out B&MBRUCE PERRIN and Brian Cleary
have successfully achieved a
management buy-out of the
Barnes family, becoming the
majority shareholders of Barnes
& Mullins. Sally Golder (company
secretary) and Peter Emuss
(retired director) retain their
interest in the business.
With immediate effect, Perrin
and Cleary have become joint
managing directors of Barnes &
Mullins and are clearly delighted
to be once again working
together for the long-term
security of the firm.
“We’re very much back
working as we were two years
ago,” explained Cleary. “We
recognise each other’s strengths
and weaknesses and complement
each other well. Bruce
concentrates on the purchasing
side of things and I focus on
sales and together we share all
the major decisions.”
Cleary left the company in
2007 after he and Perrin had
made two unsuccessful bids to
buy the company from the
Barnes family, which had been
trustees of the business following
Mark Barnes’ death in 1986.
Despite these bids, the Barnes
family made it clear that they
still intended to sell their
controlling interest in the
company. With the pressures of
the credit crunch and the
ensuing recession kicking in,
however, the trustee’s
expectations were lowered to the
extent that Perrin and Cleary
could once again table an offer.
“I’d been at Tanglewood (as
sales director) for about a year
when the whole thing reared its
head again,” continued Cleary.
“I’m very fortunate in that I was
working with my best friend,
Tony Flatt, who completely
understood the situation and
supported me. There was no
issue there.” Cleary has now
resigned his directorial position
with Tanglewood.
The buyout brings Cleary back
to a company he had
considerable influence over,
particularly in terms of the sales
team and, of course, the Faith
brand of acoustic guitars,
although he was quick to stress
that during his 20-month
absence, others have taken on
responsibilities that had been his
and he has no intention of
treading on any toes.
As for any plans for the
company, the joint MDs insisted
that it is to be business as usual.
“The company has been trading
very well,” Cleary concluded, “so
now is a time to focus on
keeping that going by doing
what we do. We’re really happy
and relieved that the company is
finally back in the hands of a
team which cares deeply about
its future success.”
B&M: 01691 652449
NEWS
Partnership reformed with controlling stake of major distributor as Barnes family trustees’ hand forced by recession
YAMAHA MUSIC UK’s virtual
expo, V-Expo, will take place
again this year on September
9th, 10th and 11th at the
dedicated website,
http://vexpo.yamaha-
europe.com. Following on from
the success of the virtual dealer
event last year, the company
has made very few changes to
the format, preferring instead to
concentrate on the elements
that worked so well for Yamaha
last year.
“We found a winning formula
last year, so we didn’t want to
tinker too much,” commented
Ricci Hodgson, director of
Yamaha’s pro music division
and the instigator of the virtual
expo. “There is more to look at
this year, such as demo videos
and artist areas, which
information about the artists
and how Yamaha works with
them, but the key ingredients
are the obvious ones: the deals
and the extended terms.”
The website event has an
improved, dedicated section for
the purchase of seconds, where
dealers can see photographs of
the instruments for sale and see
the flaws before making an
educated decision as to
whether they want to buy.
“Central to the whole ethos,
though, is the fact that dealers
can enjoy the benefits of an in-
house trade show without
having to leave their computers
and at a time that suits them,
rather than having to haul
themselves to Milton Keynes,”
Hodgson added. Last year,
Yamaha sent participating
dealers a mug, some tea bags
and a pack of biscuits to
underline the ‘at your leisure’
aspect of the scheme.
Something similar is promised
this year, too.
The V-Expo will run across all
three divisions (pro music, EKB
and acoustic) and is open to all
UK and Ireland dealers.
At present, the website has a
holding page, but a preview day
on September 8th (requested
from dealers) will happen this
year before the site goes live.
Participating dealers will be sent
a username and password some
48 hours before this.
Hodgson was keen to stress
the importance of MI Pro in the
build up to the expo, with the
banner on the magazine’s
website as well as taking
advantage of the email
newsletters. “MI Pro has been
crucial to the success of V-
Expo,” said Hodgson. “It is
critical to raising dealer
awareness.”
YAMAHA V-EXPO SUPPORT:
0870 444
5595
Yamaha sticks to winning formulaPreview day added for dealers, but V-Expo to remain largely unchanged for 2009 following success of previous ‘event’
“We’re very much back to working as we were two years ago.
We recognise each other’s strengths and weaknesses”
Brian Cleary, co-MD Barnes & Mullins
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HODGSON:
A winning formula
PERRIN AND CLEARY: Back as they were
NEWS
ROLAND HAS announced (with
no little mystery) a global
product launch and ‘event’
online, set to go live from
September 1st.
A preview period of one
month (starting August 1st) will
add to the intrigue by giving
away no further information, but
allowing dealers to download a
computer desktop gadget that
will provide a link to the website
(rolandconnect.com) and a
countdown to the event going
live in days, hours, minutes
and seconds.
The virtual event
will debut over ten
new products from
professional stage
instruments to
desktop home-
studio gear covering
the entire range of
Roland’s product
categories, as well as
musical genres.
“We want people to visit the
website and feel the build up to
this unique event,” said a
spokesperson for the company.
“It’s a worldwide launch of ten
products and it will cover all of
our product categories. These will
be significant launches and we
think dealers will see them as
important. Other than that,
there’s nothing else I can say.”
ROLAND: 01792 702701
Music China gears up for 2009 showStrong support for international pavilions sees overseas growth as exhibitors appear bullish about the market potential
at the show – companies also taking opportunity for cultural promotions and events underlining show’s importance
MUSIC CHINA, considered by
many to be Asia Pacific’s most
important musical instrument
show, will take place October
13th to 16th at the Shanghai
New International Expo Centre
(SNIEC), Shanghai, China.
The trade show will bring
together hundreds of music
product suppliers with a broad
mix of products including
musical instruments, sheet
music and accessories from
around the world.
According to Evan Sha, deputy
general manager, Messe Frankfurt
Shanghai, over 90 per cent of
last year’s Music China exhibitors
have reconfirmed space for the
2009 event. “We are very happy
with the results to date, which
show we already have 700
exhibitors – past and new – from
19 countries and regions.”
International pavilions
continue to show strong support
for Music China’s international
contingent. Nine countries have
already signed up, namely the
Czech Republic, Finland, France,
Germany, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, the
Netherlands and the UK.
In the sheet music publishing
sector, the UK pavilion is
expanding its zone by almost 60
per cent, thanks in great part to
the governmental grants made
available through the MIA, while
the Scandinavian sheet music
publishers will be represented for
the first time by the Finnish
Music Info Centre (FIMIC).
Nicolas Jouvenceau, the
general manager of Warwick
Shanghai, which has been
exhibiting at Music China since
2002, is optimistic about the
music business despite the
current financial crisis. “There are
flourishing days ahead,” he
explained. “A lot of cultural
expansion is on-going and more
and more consumers and young
people are interested in music
and making music. Although it is
still a music industry newcomer,
China represents the biggest
future potential.”
Zuzana Ceralova-Petrofova,
president of Czech piano
manufacturer Petrof, said that
Music China is an important
marketing tool for her company.
“China is one of our most
important international partners
and its role will grow steeply,”
she said. “China will not only be
the strongest exporter, but also
the strongest import partner for
EU countries.”
To celebrate its 145th
anniversary, Petrof will present a
series of short recitals at Music
China with the audio luminary
and jazz musician Mark Levinson
playing a new Petrof grand piano.
Music China 2009 is organised
jointly by the China Music
Instrument Association (CMIA),
Intex Shanghai and Messe
Frankfurt and runs concurrently
with the entertainment industry
show, Prolight+Sound, Shanghai.
WWW.MUSIKMESSE.COM
Shure enters headphone fray
SHURE DISTRIBUTION has
launched the Shure Pro
Headphone range in the UK,
marking the mic giant’s first
foray into the headphone
market. The products range
from entry level and home
recording offerings to premium
quality professional
headphones. The phones are
available immediately.
The SRH240 headphones are
the entry-level series and are
designed for general listening,
offering powerful bass response
and clear highs. Weighing just
181 grams, the SRH240s are
among the lightest in their
class and incorporate a closed-
back, circumaural design, which
ensures good sound isolation.
The SRH440 headphones are
for professional home
recording and studio
monitoring applications,
providing an enhanced
frequency response. The
detachable single-side cable,
collapsible construction and a
unique closed-back,
circumaural design guarantee
comfort and sound isolation.
The flagship model is the
SRH840, which offers the
widest frequency response.
These headphones target
studio monitoring and
recording applications.
The SRH840 is supplied
with a carrying bag and an
additional set of ear pads and
retails from £69.99 to £139.99.
“Shure is well known in the
professional audio and
consumer audio market for our
range of in-ear earphones”
explained Paul Crognale,
marketing manager at Shure
UK. “We’ve drawn on our
experience with pro audio
monitoring systems and sound
isolation technology and
applied it to a whole new
range of headphones.”
SDUK: 01992 703058
Roland Connect plans online product launch and
‘event’ for September, but gives nothing away
Roland piques curiosity
The headphones mark Shure’s first
foray in to this market
Mic giant covers all bases with new headphones, offering products
to the entry, mid and professional markets
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SOUND TECHNOLOGY has
announced the appointment of
Vince Borrelli as its tour sound
sales manager.
Prior to taking up this role,
Borrelli helped create and launch
a brand new audio division and
PA range with Headstock, the UK
distributor of the Laney, Tama
and Ibanez brands.
With over 20 years’
experience, Borelli is looking
forward to reinforcing the
Sound Technology distributed
Harman brands, such as JBL,
Soundcraft, AKG, Crown, dbx,
BSS and Lexicon within the UK
hire community.
His experience includes work
for audio giants Audio Technica
and Mackie, making him well
placed to take on his new role at
Sound Technology. During his
seven years at Mackie, Borrelli
was responsible for sales and
training across all product areas,
including the TT24 digital live
desk, DXB digital recording
console, EAW products and many
others. He then joined Harman
Pro for 20 months, before
moving on to Headstock.
Borelli is said to be keen to
further the success of highly
regarded products such as the
Soundcraft Vi and Si series, the
JBL live sound catalogue,
including VRX mini line array and
VerTec line array, the latest
Crown amplifiers and new AKG
digital wireless system.
“The people at Sound Tech are
spot on and they do things
properly,” added Borelli.
“Everything you would want of a
distribution company, they think
of and do. I’m now looking
forward to channelling my
knowledge of the pro audio
industry into developing the
presence of Sound Technology
and the Harman brands across
the UK’s hire community. I’d also
like to say that the guys at
Headstock are a wonderful
bunch and I really enjoyed my
time there.”
SOUND TECH: 01462 480000
NEWS
FENDER MUSICAL Instruments
Corporation (FMIC) has
appointed Jon Gold to a new
and expanded role as senior
vice president of international
sales and market development.
Gold will take on the role of
driving Fender’s growth plan in
high-potential markets,
including Asia and the Pacific
region, Europe distributed
markets, Latin America, Africa
and the Middle East, India and
other international markets, as
well as FMIC’s direct European
territories.
Additionally, he will be the
driver of FMIC’s integration of
Kaman products and the
distribution of Taylor Guitars in
Europe and will become the
primary liaison between FMIC
and its partner companies. This
is to ensure, a corporation
statement read, full
communication of issues and
opportunities and to make sure
FMIC’s strategic direction is
known and aligned with all
involved parties.
“I am extremely pleased to
appoint Jon to this new
position,” said Andy Rossi,
senior vice president of global
marketing, sales and R&D.
“During his tenure at Fender,
Jon has proved himself to be an
extremely valuable member of
our team. With his new
position, he will be able to
focus on – and accelerate
growth in – targeted high-
potential markets, which is a
key component of Fender’s
future growth plans.”
Prior to his appointment,
Gold was responsible for
managing all European and
international efforts for FMIC
and held the title of senior vice
president of international sales
and marketing. Gold will
continue to supervise the
teams leading Latin America,
Asia and numerous other FMIC-
distributed countries.
FENDER: 01342 331700
VP to oversee market expansion in ‘high-potential’ markets
SONIC DISTRIBUTION has
appointed Ian Young as director
of sales for its UK business.
Young joined Sonic
Distribution in February 2004
and has worked as UK sales
manager for the past five years,
proving indispensible to the
growing success of the business.
With the founding partners of
Sonic focusing on their
successful manufacturing venture
with sE Electronics, Young will
work on the promotion of Waves,
Apogee, Rupert Neve and sE
products in the UK.
Mitch Carey said: “Ian greatly
deserves this position. It has
always been our intention to
keep the management of Sonic
fresh, as all too often companies
can stagnate as their owners get
set in their ways. This move
paves the way for new ideas and
focus, based on a well
established talent for sales and
relationship building.”
SONIC: 0845 500 2500
Sonic Distribution
creates director
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Young allows founding partners to focus on
manufacturing venture with sE Electronics
“The people at Sound Tech are spot on
and they do things properly.”
Vince Borelli, Sound Technology
Former Headstock, Mackie and Audio Technica man to handle tour sound sales in his return to the Harman Pro staff
Sound Tech appoints Vince Borrelli
Fender’s Gold role extended
BORRELLI: Channelling
experience
GOLD: Accelerating
growth
YOUNG: Deserves
position
For more than 80 years Shure rugged, professional audio products have
been defined by a legacy of legendary performance. This passion for
audio excellence also drives Shure Professional Headphones. These
headphones live by a simple rule: What goes in must come out. Designed
to withstand the rigours of everyday use, they are an excellent choice for
music professionals and music obsessives – for recording, monitoring and
Contacts: Matt E Sau, Andrew Stirling and Tony Besgrove
CONTACT DETAILS
SCV London has carved out a significant niche for itself in the UK’s MI and pro
audio markets. Andrew Stirling tells MI Pro what makes it tick...
DRUMFEST, ONE third of PMT’s
Drumfest, Guitar Fest and
National Rock & Pop Festival,
saw some 1,500 people attend
its dedicated day (July 12th) at
Birmingham’s NIA, with a
further 1,500 showing up for the
Guitarfest on July 11th and
1,200 students and pupils
attending the education day on
the Friday.
The Rock & Pop Festival
staged youth performances each
night, with something in the
region of 1,000 mums, dads and
friends going along to support
their nearest and dearest.
PMT’s Craig Glover, who was
responsible for organising the
multi-faceted event, said that
the weekend far exceeded his
expectations and he looked
upon it as a real success. “We
aren’t trying to be anything like
LIMS, this is a performance
based event with gear, but
despite that, the 26 exhibitors
were all extremely happy with
the way things went.”
Topping off the weekend was
the world record attempt to get
the most drummers into a room
and playing a synchronised riff.
Some 582 drummers took part,
which was just shy of the 600
the organiser was hoping for, but
still easily beat the previous
record of 533.
The event has raised (as MI
Pro goes to print) nearly
£40,000 for the Multiple
Sclerosis Society, but Glover is
confident that the figure will
reach the target of £50,000.
Glover also organised an
impromptu charity dinner for
the MS charity on the Saturday
evening, raising a further £2,000.
The three day show and the
record attempt were all
streamed live online with 12,000
catching a peek and there was
coverage in the press and on the
BBC website, as well as packages
on GMTV and Sky News.
“The idea of putting all of
these events together was born
out of the recession,” explained
Glover. “I didn’t think many
would be too keen on spending
for three separate shows, so
holding all three at once seemed
a really sensible thing to do –
and it has worked very well.”
Next year, Glover plans to
stick to this formula, although,
to help specialist suppliers, he
will re-jigging the separation of
the two main ‘gear’ days.
PMT’s Simon Gilson was
“blown away” by the success.
“Obviously, you have to pay a
lot of respect to Craig, who has
conjured this up out of nothing,
but I also want to thank the
industry for getting behind this
project,” he said. “The exhibitors,
the sponsors – everybody really
made an effort to make the
show the success it was. Topping
the whole thing off with the
world record – an experience I
am unlikely to forget – really
made it an unforgettable
weekend.” PMT: 01702 436501
Three-handed event brings in thousands and world record broken in support of multiple sclerosis charity
A NEW drum brand, Techtonic,
has entered the market with
an electronic kit designed for
entry-level players.
The DD502 is aimed at the
mass-market consumer,
particularly the parent/child
gift market. The kit is intended
to compete with video games
and their peripherals, which
have experienced a boom in
recent times. Techtonic points
out that the user gains the
benefit of learning and playing
a real instrument for the price
of a games console with
drumming controller.
Distributed by Soar Valley
Music, the Techtonic brand is
being advertised as the best
value electronic drum kit on
the market. The DD502 has a
suggested retail price of £429,
although trade price varies
according to quantity.
The firm reports that trade
pre-sales for the first container
currently stand at 75 per cent.
An end-user marketing
campaign will run to
Christmas, including
competitions and reviews in
drumming mags. Dealers
taking the brand will feature in
advertisements and will have
direct web links from the
Techtonic web page.
SOAR VALLEY:
0116 230 4926
Drumfest exceeds expectations
DRUM NEWS
12 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
Entry-level kit labelled ‘best value e-drums’
LUDWIG HAS announced the
introduction of the new Epic
and Element drum kit ranges to
the UK market.
The ranges are part of a
whole new list of products
being launched by Ludwig in its
100th anniversary year.
Aimed at the mid-price
market, the three series are
expected by Ludwig and UK
supplier Active to be strong
contenders in what is the most
competitive area of the market.
With the addition of new
features, colours and design,
the new drum kits offer modern
practical features, combined
with the iconic style of the
Ludwig brand.
As part of the UK launch,
Active Music is offering all the
ranges with a ‘six-four-five’ deal
for added appeal to the
customer. The kits are also
offered as a shell pack option
with the add-on choice of two
levels of hardware packs.
ACTIVE MUSIC:
020 8693 5678
New drum kits introduced as part of 100th anniversary celebrations
Ludwig announces Epic
and Element ranges
Techtonic enters market
THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING DRUMS.
VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.
Playing, meeting the stars and breaking world records – Drumfest was a drummers dream
SHOW REPORT • JHS EVENT
14 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
EVENT: JHS Event
DATE: June 21st to 24th 2009
VENUE: JHS Headquarters,
Garforth, Yorkshire
EXHIBITORS:Six (guest
exhibitors, alongside JHS & Co)
VISITORS: 600 – representing
350 individual retail outlets
VERDICT: JHS does it again, with
excellent weather and an
impressive turnout of dealers
from the length and breadth of
the UK and Ireland. Yorkshire
hospitality added to the relaxed
atmosphere – and much business
was done across all four days.
John Skewes, Brian Hayward (winner of
Sunday’s prize giveaway) and Larry Fishman
JHS ASM Dave Pomeroy and John Birch of
JB’s Music Stores
John Skewes, David Bennett Zings Music
Group and JHS ASM Mark Whitrow
Chris Price-White from Absolute Sound, winner of
HK’s Soundhouse On PA system and ASM Mike Onza
Maunuel Rodriguez and Adrian Smale
ASM Matthew Fleming and Brendan Ruddy
The 13th JHS Event closed its doors on June 24th,
claiming a record number of dealers represented at
the in-house trade show, including, the company
said, a significant number of customers attending for the
first time.
This year’s theme was ‘Music and Margin’, with
visitors being royally entertained with virtually non-stop
live music from a diverse range of accomplished players
and a wide range of deals designed to put extra cash
into our customers’ businesses.
From a business perspective, the Garforth supplier
once again made it very clear – and in the simplest
terms – to both Event veterans and first timers, what the
benefits of attending the show were: additional margin
from the show-only deals and free extended terms,
designed to enhance the retailer’s own businesses over
the coming months.
“Certainly the level of business written, which
exceeded all expectations and was at a record level,
would seem to indicate the popularity of JHS brands and
our customers’ satisfaction in their relationship with JHS
as a supplier,” said the company’s MD, Dennis Drumm,
clearly very satisfied with the results this year.
On top of the half dozen or so exhibiting ‘guests’,
including the online, e-tailing expert Retail Up,
Manchester’s print distributor, Music Exchange, and
Future Publishing, JHS had brought in a record number of
its own suppliers – of particular note being Larry
Fishman and Joe Barbieri of Fishman Acoustic there for
the first time and talking dealers through the benefits of
the impressive Fishman Solo portable PA.
Other suppliers attending included Kustom
Amplification’s Ted Burger, Erjan van der Laan from
Dunlop Manufacturing, Allen & Heath’s Bob Goleniowski
and Martin Daley, US Danelectro clinician and demo
artist Danny Dugan, and Manuel Rodriguez Junior of
Rodriguez Guitars.
“The plans are already under way for the JHS Event in
2010, at which I hope we’ll be able to bring all those JHS
Event benefits to the many customers who’ve yet to
make the journey,” concluded Drumm.
JHS: 0113 286 5381
www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 15
JHS EVENT • SHOW REPORT
“The level of business written, which exceeded all expectations,
would seem to indicate the popularity of our brands and our
customers’ satisfaction in their relationship with JHS.”
Dennis Drumm, MD JHS & Co
L to R: Dennis Drumm, Ivor
Johnston Soundhire (winning
the Kustom Coupe 72 Prize
Giveaway) and Ted Burger of
Kustom Amplification
JHS ASM Pete Gibbens and Phil
O’dea of MOR Music
Since its inception in 1997, the JHS Event has led the way for MI in-house
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www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 17
Patriotism may, as Dr Johnson
insisted, be the last refuge of the
scoundrel, but few in the MI industry
wouldn’t have felt their spirits sink a little
when, in April, it was announced that
Kemble & Co – Britain’s last piano
manufacturer – was closing its doors.
To a pessimist, the news would have
confirmed his view that the UK as a
manufacturing nation is all but finished.
But the reality is that some parts of
Britain’s manufacturing industry are alive
and well. Indeed, in certain sectors,
including MI, manufacturing is flourishing -
albeit beset with the devils of a recession,
high costs, a government in love with
regulation and attendant bureaucracy.
This article doesn’t set out to be a
‘product roundup’. The scope of British MI
manufacturing is far too broad to cover in
one article and if anyone has been left
out, we’re genuinely sorry. Instead, what
we set out to do was to take a snapshot
of areas where there is particular activity
and see what can be learned from some of
the people who are doing their best to
keep Britain afloat as a manufacturing
nation. And if any reader feels ignored and
has a rollicking good yarn of British
manufacturing success to tell, please do
get in touch and let us know.
The first good news is that though the
big success stories of British MI
manufacturing tend to cluster into two
areas – backline amplification and pro
audio equipment – it is by no means
confined to them. British companies are
making everything from Chieftain’s folk
music whistles to Rothwell Audio’s
acclaimed effects, to TL Audio’s valve
audio mixers. Even that relative graveyard
of British hopes and dreams, mass market
guitar making, is undergoing a small but
steady renaissance, while relative
newcomers, like the loudspeaker maker
Tayden, are coming to the market with
proof that not everything has to be made
in Shenzen or Seoul.
Take, for example, one of the UK’s
biggest MI successes: Rotosound. While
the manufacture of so many other mass-
market, low-cost consumer products has
moved east, Rotosound strings are still
proudly made in Kent and the company is
constantly growing.
But surely Jason How, Rotosound’s
chairman, could make a lot more money if
he chose to have his strings manufactured
elsewhere.
“Maybe I could,” How says, “but I
wouldn’t want to take the gamble for the
sake of few pence. I know exactly what we
do and I wouldn’t risk it. Also, the
machinery that we use plays a big part in
how efficient we are, whereas I guess
making guitars and building amps involve
more labour, which may explain why
those makers tend to go abroad.”
Rotosound benefits particularly because
How designs and makes his own string
winding machines, the effectiveness of
which has to be seen in action to be
believed. Even so, he could install them in
a Chinese factory, but chooses not to. And
this is not just due to sentiment.
How reveals that Rotosound’s exports
are up by a huge amount, this year. “By 49
per cent, in fact. And I have to say we put
a fragmented image of the Union Jack on
the front of our new string pack designs
and during this latest year we’ve had a
huge increase in sales. I can’t tell you if it’s
the flag that made any difference, but
everyone I’ve spoken to says I need to tell
people that it’s British made product.
Whether that matters so much in
Rochester or Maidstone, I can’t say, but I
am getting more and more emails from
people saying they would like to buy
British when they can. It’s like the penny is
suddenly dropping.”
The largest British MI manufacturing
sector is clearly guitar amplification and
despite recession in the vital US market,
none of the leading makers regret their
decision to make products here. Indeed,
they all insist it is a major advantage.
Though all the makers we spoke to in
this sector source some of their
production from the Far East, their hand-
The sun never setsDespite the pressures of Far Eastern and eastern European manufacturing, there is still a lot to be said for the kudos of
sticking a 'made in Britain' label on your products. Gary Cooper discovers how and why the stalwarts keep going...
The reality is that some parts of Britain’s
manufacturing industry are alive and well. Indeed,
certain sectors, including MI, are flourishing.
wired valve equipment is thoroughly
British, made by highly skilled workers
producing a high-value product, which
helps mitigate the high cost of production.
It’s also a matter of pride to them all.
Paul Marshall explains: “We make a lot
of Marshall here in the UK. In fact we are
continuing to introduce products that are
made in the UK and there was a big
launch at the end of July for even more
products that will be made here.
“We’re very proud of the fact that we’re
a UK company and there is simply no way
that we would move everything overseas.
We find that having ‘made in the UK’ on
products has a definite positive effect,
particularly in America, which is a massive
market for us. There, ‘made in the UK’
stands for a lot – it still counts for quality
and workmanship and it’s probably the
same across the world.”
But does it count for as much at home?
“I think that’s more difficult to say.
People are often looking for low cost, but
those who do buy British, buy it because
they know it’s a quality product. People
know that Marshall amps made in the
1960s are still working and still serviceable
and that if they buy a new one today the
same will be true of that in 30 years, too.
“I think we should be proud of what we
do here – not just at Marshall – and that
we should fight to keep manufacturing
here. When you see a UK-made product
and you know that it’s UK jobs that put
every nut and bolt in it… Yes, that’s
something worth supporting.”
Up in Yorkshire, you will hear a similar
take from Hiwatt. Again, the company has
its lower cost designs produced in the Far
East but, says Justin Harrison, everything
else is made in the UK and the company’s
close association with fellow Yorkshiremen
and speaker-makers Fane makes them
even more British than most.
“I would think 65 per cent of our
business is made in the UK,” Harrison says.
He believes it matters. “Even if you just
did it as a flag-waving exercise to say in
your brochure that you make amplifiers in
Britain, you need to do it.”
Indeed, along with one or two other UK
makers speaking off the record, he has a
pretty low opinion of the way some
companies trade on a British image that
they do little to back with actions.
“For us, our business is growing and
maybe in ten years time when we are
selling a lot more amplifiers, that actual
percentage might fall, but we will still
have engineers here, making British amps
– it’s important. Made in Britain, like Made
in the USA, now means something again.”
Another great success in export
markets, with business up 30 to 35 per
cent this year alone, is Orange. Damon
Waller, Orange’s MD, says that at least 60
per cent of Orange’s production comes
from the UK and he feels it is a significant
factor in the brand’s success.
“When you manufacture anywhere in
Europe, it adds a premium aspect to the
brand and the more discerning customers
will not accept a Far Eastern made
product. The ‘Made in Britain’ tag,
particularly with amplification, is
important. These days, quality out of the
Far East is generally very good and we
control our Far Eastern production very
successfully. All the same, there are things
that we simply wouldn’t have done in
China, hand-wiring for example, but not
just that. The big valve amplifiers need to
be set-up correctly and that’s something
we prefer to do ourselves.
“British amps have always been the
world leaders and we strive to keep British
manufacturing alive as much as we can.
I’ve yet to see a high-powered valve
amplifier out of China that equals the
quality of UK-made equipment. I’m not
saying it won’t come, but it hasn’t yet.”
When Ashdown planned its Hayden
range of backline guitar amplification it
had the benefit of having had a foot in
both camps with its eponymous bass
range, some of which is produced in the
Far East, but the top end of which is still
manufactured in the UK.
As Dan Gooday says, Ashdown voted
firmly for making Hayden in the UK.
“We make a lot of our products in
England and have done for 13 years now.
It’s a very prestigious phrase too – ‘Made
in England’ – especially when it comes to
America. A lot of the artists I deal with ask
for something made in England and its
great to be able to offer that. Of course,
we can also offer ‘Made in the USA’, which
is an interesting one, too.”
Given Ampeg’s move to Vietnam, this
was a shrewd move on Ashdown’s part
and, although it doesn’t have a direct
bearing on manufacturing in Britain, it
strongly suggests that buyers genuinely do
care where their gear is manufactured.
“With Hayden, the majority of the
product is made here, because we can do
that and still sell it for the same price as
some of our competitors, who
manufacture in Korea. We may not be
making as much margin, but we didn’t
think it was necessarily about that. We
wanted to show the world that it can be
done at the same price point and for a
better product that we’re 100 per cent
confident in.”
Of course, it’s not all about amplifiers.
Though our guitar makers haven’t fared so
well in making the transition to
production quantities, that doesn’t stop
people trying. Companies like Fylde and
Overwater have survived for many years
and have strong followings, though neither
is what you would call a major producer
in terms of quantity.
One guitar maker who is trying to
break that mould is Alister Atkin, who has
steadily been growing his range of well-
respected acoustic guitars, which are being
COVER FEATURE • BEST OF BRITISH
18 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
“When you see a UK-made product and you know
that’s it’s UK jobs that put every nut and bolt in
it...Yes, that’s something worth supporting.”
Paul Marshall, Marshall
They’re all helping to sell great British products to the masses, left to right: Patrick James Eggle; Orange’s Damon Waller; Rotosound’s Jason How; Gremlin’s Chris Rudd
Some faces of the best of British, left to right: Gary Hurst and Hiwatt’s Justin Harrison; Chris Difford, Alister Atkin of Atkin Guitars and Boo Hewerdine; Marshall’s Paul Marshall
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stocked by a growing number of retailers.
Though still relatively small, Atkin has the
makings of considerably bigger things
and a keen recognition of the importance
of marketing.
“We’re making between 60 and 70
guitars a year and we’ve only been
involved with the trade for a couple of
years, but we are picking up new dealers
all the time,” he says. “What’s always been
very important to me is that the product
has to be placed in the right hands.” By
this he means endorsements – something
a few British makers (though not all) have
been able to capitalise on as well as their
American counterparts. Go to the Atkin
site and the first thing you see is a parade
of influential younger users, headed by
Graham Coxon.
“Where I think we can buck the trend is
by getting the right endorsements behind
us. If James Taylor was playing your
guitars, no one in the world would
question them. I’ve lost count of the
number of times I’ve stood around at a gig
like a spare part with a guitar in my hands,
hoping to get someone to try one, but you
have to do it.”
Coincidentally, with his Hobgoblin retail
hat on, Gremlin’s Chris Rudd, another keen
supporter of British-made products, has
recently chosen to stock Atkin’s acoustics,
along with Jimmy Moon’s, in preference to
a major American brand. Partly, he says,
because it helps Hobgoblin stand out from
the crowd and because, he feels, their
customers want to buy British guitars. For
that same reason Hobgoblin stores
strongly feature the work of local makers.
Meanwhile, switching back to his
distributor’s hat, Rudd says Gremlin stocks
an increasing number of British makers. “A
large percentage of our whistle catalogue
is UK-made – including the whole range of
Chieftain whistles and also Tony Dixon
whistles. Fylde guitars, which we distribute
to the trade, are made here, as are our
Sherwood concertinas, which are made
in-house.
“In fact, in a recent article in MI Pro I
said we wanted to hear from small British
manufacturers, particularly as the pound
had dropped against the Euro, making
British products relatively cheaper. As a
result of that, a luthier called Tom
Buchanan got in touch and I’m about to
take my first delivery of bouzoukis from
him. We do buy British where we can and
we are always looking for new
manufacturers from the UK.”
A maker who has trodden this path
more than once (including in the USA),
and who is currently treading it again, is
Patrick James Eggle. “I think making in the
UK is an advantage if you’re selling on
home soil,” he says. “But actual
manufacturing here is hard. The cost of
labour isn’t as bad here as it is in
Germany, but it’s higher than a lot of the
guitar factories in America have to pay.
However, I’m in a lower cost area of the
country and able to pay the rent (thanks
to Barnes & Mullins, which is a very good
landlord), pay people a liveable wage and
it works out for us.
“At the moment we only sell our guitars
into dealers in the Benelux countries and
the domestic market, but that is filling our
order book rather well, so I’m not looking
too seriously at other countries yet and
I’m not falling over myself to sell guitars
in America, either, because of all the hoo-
hah that goes with it there.”
Eggle is making steady growth once
again and helping keep alive the UK’s
position as a force in the guitar-making
world. He is one of any number of small
makers, many of whom are producing
instruments as fine as can be found
anywhere in the world.
It is, overall, a mixed, or even a lopsided,
picture. In MI, amp makers clearly prosper
in Britain, as do top-end pro audio
companies, such as Neve, Allen & Heath,
SSL, Digico, Soundcraft and Midas. Guitar
makers, however, tend to struggle for
reasons that are not quite clear. Some cite
the higher cost of raw materials and
manufacturing and the huge size of the
US home market. But isn’t that just as
true for amplifier makers? It’s hard not to
wonder if it isn’t simply that customers
have just got used to wanting American
guitars and British amplifiers. Meanwhile,
beyond the guitar market, there are
people working in most fields in the UK,
from drumstick makers, to brass
specialists, strap and pick makers – you
name it, someone is out there doing it.
What is clear is that the UK has largely
shaken-off the damaging legacy of the
British Leyland years and is regaining its
reputation as a maker of quality products
that customers overseas really want to
buy. It remains hard to manufacture in a
high cost environment like ours, but many
are still willing to give it their best shot.
Which, given the country’s balance of
payments position, has to be good news
for the rest of us.
COVER FEATURE • BEST OF BRITISH
20 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
Gremlin distributes a variety of British products including Chieftain whistles
Fylde may not be a huge manufacturer, but its quality work has a good reputation
Patrick James Eggle is working hard to keep producing fine British-made guitars
There are people working in most fields in the UK,
from drumstick makers, to brass specialists, strap
and pick makers – you name it.
The new MoFo by Hayden is an all-valve guitar amp with a whole lot of attitude.
But unlike other mini guitar amp heads, the MoFo is definitely not a one trick pony.
From stunning bell like clean tones with real depth to plexi-esque classic rock
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SECTOR SPOTLIGHT • MIXERS
22 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
Acursory survey of a handful of MI
shops up and down the country
reveals that all but the most PA-
phobic instrument retailer tends to sell at
least one mixing console of some
description. And they’re quite shrewd in
doing so – even in the analog days, it was
always worth stocking the odd small-
format live mixer for gigging musicians
and budding bands, but now that
affordable sequencing software and audio
interfaces have made home recording a
snip, it would actually be daft not to.
Associated PA equipment, too, is these
days within reach of the average player
who longs to graduate from the bedroom,
so modern mixing desks often spend their
time hopping between the stage and
studio, making their cost a lot more
justifiable than it once was. The question,
then, is what to stock and why.
Richard Harfield from PA specialist HW
Music offers some thoughts: “A traditional
setup comprising a good powered mixer
and quality passive speakers tends to
sound better, but, probably due to their
convenience, a lot more people are using
active speakers these days. The speakers
themselves can sound fantastic, but they
are let down by poor-sounding passive
mixers. The problem is that to get the
sound quality, you often have to spend
money on channels and features you don’t
need. Lots of controls can be daunting for
people who just want to sing and not
worry about operating complex
equipment. This opens up the market to
manufacturers who can provide a
compromise. Ultimately, you have to sell
a passive desk – it’s just getting the
right one.”
The message seems to be that if you
have the space to stock both passive and
active mixers, you should do so, since
there is still a healthy demand for both. A
larger retailer we spoke to noted a stock
ratio of 70:30 in favour of passive mixers,
but if you can only stock one mixer then
it should probably be a passive model –
and it’s worth pointing out that we heard
“the digital USB type with onboard FX”
mentioned numerous times.
That said, we shouldn’t underestimate
the demand from live-only users,
particularly gigging veterans, who will
accept nothing less than an active mixer.
With this in mind, here are a few examples,
of various kinds, for your perusal…
PEAVEY
Peavey was a brand mentioned
consistently by dealers we spoke to;
stocked by all but one and widely
considered to be a big hit with musos in
quest of a mixer. This is hardly surprising
since Peavey manufactures music gear
across the board and its development of
PA-related kit will logically benefit from its
understanding of instrumentation – a
concept clearly not lost on the customer.
The firm’s PV series represents the
classic go anywhere, do anything passive
mixer. A good pick would be the PV 10
USB, with six XLR mic inputs, two stereo
channels with RCA and quarter-inch
inputs, USB connectivity, three-band
channel eq (80Hz, 400Hz, and 12.5kHz),
A/B stereo input selector to reduce
patching and inserts on all mono
channels. An 80Hz low-cut switch on all
mic inputs lends a hand during Isaac
Hayes tribute acts, while internal digital
effects include reverb, delay and vocal
enhancement.
For those willing to shell out a bit more,
the FX series offers professional features
such as group buses, uprated effects and
dynamics. Peavey also manufactures a
stalwart collection of MI-targeted powered
mixers, the PVi series and to satisfy
customers who want ‘the works’, its XR
1212 is due for release soon. This 1,200-
Watt Class D powered mixer sports auto,
digital nine-band G eq, four-band eq with
mid-morph technology, proprietary digital
feedback elimination and real-time analyser.
KAM
Although it manufactures a fairly broad
range of DJ mixers, Kam offers just the one
small format desk. Judging by its lengthy
spec, however, it would seem that this
little beauty covers all the bases by itself.
The recently launched KMD10 is a
powered mixing console that takes the
form – and almost the size – of a passive
desk and, alongside a well-hidden power
amplifier, packs in a host of extras and
professional features that are normally
restricted to far more expensive products.
Boasting top quality mic preamps and
low-noise, high gain circuitry, the KMD10
features six mono input channels with
gold plated XLR mic inputs and four stereo
line input channels with balanced jack
inputs. Channels are equipped with swept-
mid three-band eq and four-band eq,
respectively. Handily, the mute system
routes to a set of alt outputs instead of
just cutting the channel, so users can set
up a sub mix and, for those that wish to
add some distinction to a mix, 32 different
20-bit effects are built in.
LD SYSTEMS
LD Systems is quickly making a name for
itself in the PA sector, with its Dave series
of portable systems being received with
considerable acclaim. The brand’s LAX
series of mixers complements the range
with the same bang for buck philosophy.
The LAX series comprises eight models,
ranging from the compact LAX6 or LAX6D
mixers – a six-channel mixer available
with or without 100 preset, 24-bit DSP
multi-effects processor – to the LAX8D,
LAX12D, or flexible LD Mix 16-channel
LAX16D with eight XLR microphone inputs
and FX.
The product line is topped off with the
LAX12DA power mixer, with twin 300-
Watt (RMS) amplification built in. Also
including the DSP effects, this mixer ticks
all the boxes in application terms and
should see the average musician through
every conceivable situation. A ten-channel
version, the LAX6BMDA active box mixer
with two 220-Watt amps is also available.
PHONIC
Phonic seems to paying more attention to
market trends than ever and while it has
already released the new generation Helix
Board 18 mixer, it has a new
groundbreaking and NAMM-approved
mixer due for launch later in the year.
The universal Helix Board 18 mixer
features a Firewire and USB interface that
can individually stream up to 18
independent channels of audio to the
computer and return two tracks for
monitoring at transfer rates of up to 24-
The message seems to be that if you have the
space to stock both passive and active mixers,
you should do so – there is demand for both.
Not every retailer has room for a dedicated PA department, but even the modest guitar peddler would do well to make
space for a mixer or two. Rob Hughes looks at how you can make a small selection count...
Pick ‘n’ mix
SECTOR SPOTLIGHT • MIXERS
bit/96kHz with zero latency. The 32/40-bit
digital multi-effect processor provides 100
popular programs and six mono mic/line
channels with 75Hz low cut filters and
comes complete with three-band eq (six
with swept mid), while two of the four
stereo line channels have a four-band eq.
Expected to arrive in October, the
Digital Summit mixer is Phonic's new and
revolutionary 16-input mixing console,
with a colour, touchscreen graphical user
interface, full effects and delays built-in. It
can be used in a live setting or a studio,
with flexible balanced XLR analog outputs
providing users with numerous ways to
connect a setup for live performances
and/or studio application. Users are able
to use the automated faders to adjust the
levels of either their main channels or the
aux and group mixes, which should take a
lot of the guesswork out of adjusting
these levels.
ALLEN & HEATH
Although it has historically shied away
from this section of the market, Allen &
Heath’s Zed series mixers landed with a
thud in MI shops recently, offering
affordable, small format, USB-equipped
mixing for the working musician.
There are a whopping eight Zed models
in total, all of which are passive. A good
representation of the series is the Zed-14
– the first to be launched – with ten
independent outputs, plus two pre-fade
and two post-fade aux sends. The mixer
has six mono channels with three-band,
swept mid-channel eq and four stereo
channels with two-band eq. In addition to
the twin TRS jack inputs, dual input
options include stereo and two-track
returns on RCA and a USB interface to
enable the engineer to choose which
outputs to send to the computer.
All Zed mixers come supplied with a
copy of Sonar LE recording and production
software and also feature high
performance DuoPre padless preamps.
These comprise microphone circuits and
optimised line input circuits, rather than
just one preamp handling both mic and
line signals. For the technically-minded,
models with the FX post-fix, such as the
Zed-12FX retain the same professional
features as other models in the range, but
benefit from the addition of a
comprehensive set of in-house designed
effects, developed around an FX chipset.
All the effects have individual parameter
controls so they can be adjusted live,
using the switches on the front panel.
ASHTON
The Australian brand has a small but
comprehensive offering of both active and
passive mixers. On the active side, Ashton’s
PMX series of powered mixers range from
200-Watts to dual 450-Watts of power and
feature sturdy wood cabinets, built-in
digital effects, phantom power for use with
condenser mics and eq on every channel.
Each mixer also sports a fluoro paint that’s
almost as loud as its output, so musicians
will never lose it on a darkened stage.
Central to the range is the PMX1042ST,
with ten channels, eight XLR inputs and
combo inputs, 48V phantom power, two
stereo channels with quarter-inch jack
inputs, output limiter, twin 200-Watt
output (RMS at four Ohms), three-band eq
(seven-band for main and monitor outs),
auxiliary or effects send, RCA input and
output, 16 onboard footswitchable DSP
effects and LED metering.
Ashton’s passive range begins with the
£69 MXL6, a basic but solid performer,
with six channels and individual eq on
each. Top of the range is the £292 MXL12
with 12 inputs for mixing large ensembles
live, a USB adaptor, 99 24-bit digital
effects and phantom power to run
condenser mics at the flick of a switch.
This mixer also has three-band eq on
every channel, but comes complete with a
switchable low-cut filter to tame the bass,
if necessary.
YAMAHA
As one would expect, Yamaha has a huge
selection of small format mixers on offer,
from the lower-end passive MW series,
targeted at the home studio with USB
connectivity, to the more advanced MG
passive range and the EMX series of
powered mixers, the latter two both
aimed primarily at the live performer.
“Because each of our mixer line-ups
cover different production and
performance target markets, we find that
MWs, N series and the digital mixers tend
to work best within the music production
areas of the store, while the MGs sell
exceedingly well from the pro audio
department,” explains YMUK’s Peter Peck.
“Due to the diverse range of mixers we
have, some ranges are available to all
dealers, whereas others that require
specialist knowledge and need to be
displayed with third party peripherals are
only available to dealers who have
attended training sessions. The lower end
models of the MG series are classed as
open product so are available to all
Yamaha dealers.”
And with the built-in audio interfaces
and effects, it is the MG series that is the
most adaptable to a variety of tasks. As an
example, the MG12/4 has a total of 12
input channels (four mono mic/line inputs
and four stereo line inputs, two of which
offer mono mic inputs, all with phantom
power). The MG16/4 has eight mono
microphone/line inputs and four stereo
line inputs, two with mono microphone
input capability. Gain trim covers a wide
-60dB to -16dB range for mic inputs, and
-34dB to +10dB for line inputs. Mono
input channels feature insert I/O patch
points, so you can add compressors or eq
for vocals, a noise gate on a guitar
channel, or other extra signal processing
to individual channels as required.
SOUNDCRAFT
Harman’s console mastermind has been
effectively churning out mixing desks in
recent times and, from pro consoles such
as the Si2 down to the popular Gigrac
package, they’re being held in high esteem
across the board.
In the non-powered section, the
Soundcraft EFX series combines all the
features of the Soundcraft EPM mixer with
a built-in 24-bit, digital Lexicon effects
processor. The Soundcraft EFX mixer uses
the same Audio DNA processor featured in
much of Digitech’s and Lexicon’s outboard
equipment, including the respected
Lexicon MX400 processor.
A little further up the range are the
MPM and MFX series of mixers, newly-
upgraded versions of which shipped last
month. Soundcraft has uprated both the
hardware and audio performance in these
models and renamed them MFXi and
MPMi (emphasising the high input count
on each). This builds on the strength of
the original range by using vertically
mounted PCBs with the control pots being
nutted to the front panel. This not only
increases the rigidity of the mixer and
gives a firm operating feel, but also aids
servicing should it ever be required.
Soundcraft also took the hardware
development opportunity to fine-tune the
audio design and further enhance the
audio performance of the mixers,
improving key specifications including
noise and distortion performance.
CONTACTSLD SYSTEMS (ADAM HALL) ..................................................01702 613922
ALLEN & HEATH (JHS) .........................................................0113 286 5381
24 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
Yamaha has a huge selection of small format
mixers on offer, from the lower-end passive MW
series to the EMX series of powered mixers.
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Preview Day Tuesday 8th
In years gone by, music just didn’t cut
the mustard for some schools. For some
of us a token recorder or perhaps the
odd triangle and a tone-deaf maths
teacher filling in for an hour was as good
as it got. Thankfully, now that we all live in
the 21st century, music is seen not as a
legitimate way to catch up on a nap for
an hour, but as a vital part of a well-
rounded education.
Most schools have not only choirs, but
some sort of orchestra, perhaps a jazz
band and certainly a full-blooded
approach to the musical way of life.
Some educational establishments have
even embraced that most unruly of
beasts, rock n roll and have invested in
enough kit to allow students to form
bands and perform for their peers,
teachers and families.
With all this in mind – and as the
summer break grows shorter by the day –
it’s time for schools across the country to
start thinking about what they can find in
the way of musical rentals.
A potentially lucrative area of the
market, schools can provide an awful lot
of business in these tough times –
something that retailers yet to jump on
the scholastic bandwagon would do well
to recognise. Even the smallest bit of help
given to a local comprehensive can lead to
a steady flow of uniformed customers and
the potential of regular large-scale rentals.
So, with the writing on the blackboard,
let’s open our books at the appropriate
chapter and find out what the market has to
offer the bright young minds of tomorrow…
SOUNDPOST
Soundpost is a distie that has
been especially thorough in its approach
to the schools market, with each of its
instruments tested against guidelines
issued by the Department for Children,
Schools and Families and administered by
the Federation of Music Services in
association with the MIA.
Its Primavera family of bowed string
instruments fulfils all of the criteria set
out in the guidelines, ticking all of the
boxes for music education instrument
procurement, but also delivering the
quality and reliability that hire
instruments need to be able to provide.
For rental instruments, the objective is
durability to ensure that retail suppliers
get the maximum life and, therefore,
rental return after the initial purchase
price has been covered. Soundpost is
particularly proud of the fact that there
are Primavera instruments out there in
regular hire use which are older than the
students playing them.
The award-winning
Prima 200 violin, the Prima
200 viola and all Prima cellos and
double basses feature ebony fingerboards,
and are incredibly consistent performers in
the rental market.
JHS & CO
As you might expect from one of the
biggest and broadest distributors on the
market, JHS has got plenty to offer in
this area.
Antoni strings remain a strong seller
and a popular brand for beginners on the
look-out for their first step into the weird
and wonderful world of the school
orchestra. Antoni is a name that has
become synonymous with excellent
quality, ready-to-play and importantly –
for parents on a tight budget – affordable
string instruments. Available in sizes from
eight to full-size in violins, the Debut
range aims to cater to students who want
an easy-to-play and reliable first
instrument. Cellos and double basses can
also be found in the Debut range, with
prices starting from £69.99.
On the brass and woodwind side of
things, the Odyssey brand sees JHS once
again hitting all the key areas confused
parents and teachers want to see – high
quality, well priced and dependable flutes,
clarinets, alto saxophones, trumpets and
With term time just around the corner, it’s time for our nation’s
educators to start thinking about their students’ musical needs.
Rob Power finds out what’s on the curriculum…
A potentially lucrative area of the market, schools
can provide an awful lot of business in these tough
times – something retailers should recognise.
Back to school
STUDENT RENTALS • SECTOR SPOTLIGHT
www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 29
cornets, starting at £129.99. A full range of
accessories is available
alongside the instruments, and each
comes with a fitted ABS case that looks
able to stand up to the most determined
of schoolboy scuffles.
Finally from JHS is a brand that will no
doubt be popular with those kids who
prefer hitting things to sitting down and
playing them: Performance Percussion. This
is a line that covers a broad range of
percussion items, from junior KS1
percussion sets through to ever-popular
world and multi-cultural percussion, to
hardware and accessories. Additionally,
electronic drum kits – so vital for low
noise in-school practice – and the UK’s
best selling full-size, all-in five-piece kit,
the PP300 (£399) also have a big part to
play in the success of the Performance
Percussion range.
BARNES & MULLINS
A huge amount is on offer from Barnes
and Mullins for schools looking to stock
up on the musical side of things. First up is
the Jose Ferrer line of classical guitars,
which is a popular choice as a rental
instrument. The Classical Guitar –
especially in fractional sizes – is still the
instrument of choice for beginner
guitarists, due to its wider string spacing
and softer-impact nylon strings.
Jose Ferrer guitars are entry level
instruments that offer a level of quality and
playability that is significantly higher than
the sort of thing offered up by High Street
chains. Sizes available are 1/2, 3/4 and full
size, with current retail prices of £49, £53
and £59 respectively, with each guitar
coming complete with a woven gig bag.
Orchestral strings is also an area
covered by Barnes & Mullins, with its
Hidersine Piacenza and Hidersine Piacenze
Finetune violin outfits. Hidersine has been
famous for its rosin for over 120 years
now, but in recent years a whole range of
accessories and instruments have also
been introduced.
The Piacenza Violin is an ideal starter
instrument, featuring a spruce top with
figured maple back and ribs. It comes with
a case and bow and is fitted with
Thomastik Infeld Synthetic Core strings,
which would cost around £35 in stores.
Add to this the inclusion of a block of
Hidersine 3V rosin, and you have a quality
outfit with a very affordable retail price
of £175.
The next step up for budding concert
violinists is the Piacenza Finetune, which
is equipped with Wittner FineTune pegs.
Although visually identical to traditional
pegs, the Wittner Finetune pegs have a
tiny internal gearing system that allows
for ease of tuning. This is a tuning
innovation that has the potential to
save thousands of hours of wasted lesson
time and make teachers’ lives that bit
more bearable. The Piacenze Finetune
retails at £245.
Another range from Barnes & Mullins is
Höfner, a name most of us associate with
the Beatles, but one which also turns out
an awful lot of orchestral strings that are
well suited to the school market.
The Höfner Alfred Stingl (AS) range of
instruments are the result of the
company’s Chinese manufacturing
operation, with the AS060 range of violin,
viola, cello and bass outfits available for
students of all sizes – violins from 1/16
through to full size; violas in 13-inch, 14-
inch and 15-inch variants; cellos from
1/8th to 4/4 size; and double basses from
1/8th to 3/4 size. Prices start from £106.
THE MUSIC FORCE
There is plenty worth checking out from
the Music Force, with Ashton having
established itself as a front runner in the
beginners’ corner of the market and made
the natural progression to providing
instruments that are suited to the
playground.
First up is the SX10 saxophone, an alto
sax with a lacquered brass body that
includes a hard-wearing canvas case and a
neck strap. The FL10 flute is a classically
styled silver-plated flute crafted in the key
of C. Well suited to first-time flautists, it
comes complete with a carry case to
protect it on the way to lessons, as well as
a cleaning rod and cloth to keep it looking
and sounding as good as new.
Next up is the CL10 clarinet in Bb,
which aims to provide a good jumping off
point for youngsters to learn on. It
features a 17-hole ebonite body and
smooth action nickel plated keys, and
comes with a reed and 4C mouthpiece.
With a case and cleaning cloth also
included, Ashton has covered all the
basics here.
Finally there’s the TR10 trumpet. This
top-value package includes a cleaning
cloth and valve oil, so young players can
keep their horns in tip-top condition, as
SECTOR SPOTLIGHT • STUDENT RENTALS
One range from Barnes & Mullins is Höfner, a
name most of us associate with the Beatles, but
one which also turns out a lot of orchestral
strings that are well suited to the school market.
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Education, have a vacancy for an Education Sales Adviser. Themain focus of the role involves visiting education
establishments throughout the UK, advising and trainingteachers on a wide range of ICT solutions. The ideal candidatewill possess an in-depth knowledge of a wide range of music
software applications and be able to explain the relevantfeatures and benefits with confidence at any level. They will
need to be well organised, proactive, presentable andconfident presenting to teachers. A clear commercial
awareness and a proven track record in sales is also essential.
Salary and commission structure will becommensurate with experience.
Please apply in the first instance with a covering letter and C.V to
“We had several energetic discussions with some dealers about
whether the UK is in Europe and how relevant our direction was
to doing business in the UK.”
Ricci Hodgson, Yamaha
www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 37
In the six years since it first began
trading, Freshman has achieved more
than many companies manage in 20. As
a brand, it has gained a reputation for
quality, top-notch customer service and,
most importantly, guitars that look, sound
and play beautifully. Thanks to the forward
thinking attitude of founder and Freshman
MD Sean Kelly, the future is looking
increasingly rosy for the Scottish firm.
The last year alone has seen Freshman
experience dramatic growth and with a
number of new employees on board, 2009
has been something of a landmark year.
“We’ve experienced growth across the
company and we’ve tried to keep with it,”
comments Kelly. “We’ve employed two
brand new admin staff in the office in
order to keep up with account enquiries
and that side of things and three new
account managers out in the field.
“It’s no secret, what’s going on in terms
of the industry and the economy. Many
are battoning down the hatches, but if we
don’t take the initiative, we won’t grow,”
he points out. “We have to invest and as
growth has been consistent over the last
few years, now is the right time to do it. In
terms of our brand awareness and sell
through, the last few years have been a
really significant time for us.
“We measure our success in terms of
what is selling through and that tells us
that we are on the right track. Part of
what we are doing is dealing with that
growth while also investing in the future.”
The real question here, then, is how has
the company managed this impressive
feat. “There are three main areas that we
concentrate on,” explains Kelly. “First is our
brand awareness. We’ve worked hard at
raising our profile with big media
campaigns. We’ve recently been featured
in a Smart Car international marketing
campaign, for example – it’s things like
that that have helped get the brand
known. Also, I’m a great believer that you
make your own luck and we have worked
very hard in this respect. We have some
good contacts as well as some big
endorsers and have managed a lot of
tabloid exposure. Although that doesn’t
sell more guitars tomorrow, it builds the
brand. The job isn’t done yet, but the
harder we work, the better we perform.”
“Second, we have always been proud of
the quality of our products. I design the
guitars, we source the best woods and
materials and ensure high standards all
round, which ensures the guitars sound
brilliant. We have a 16-point QC check
here and we also set the guitars up before
they leave the factory, which makes sure
the quality of the guitars arriving at stores
is of a much higher standard than many of
our competitors.
“Finally, we are a profitable brand,” he
continues. “We’re not greedy, so margins
for stores are excellent. We’ve seen a
significant increase in account enquiries
recently, and it would seem that a lot of
this is down to the fact that retailers can
make money with Freshman, so it makes
the decision very easy.”
With these key tenets of the Freshman
way of thinking in place, success has come
naturally to the company and if all goes
according to plan it will continue to do so.
The next twelve months will see a brace
of new guitars that look sure to continue
this tradition of great sounding guitars
with affordable price tags.
“There are a number of new guitars this
year,” says Kelly. “We have a brand new
line of solid tops for under £200 with
A-grade sitka spruce tops. This will be out
in the autumn as part of the FA1 series.
We also have a limited edition range of
national flags – featuring Irish, English,
Welsh and Scottish designs – on acoustics,
which will have a big media campaign.
“There will be additions to the Apollo
series, which has performed brilliantly for
us in last 12 months. We’re adding to that
with the Apollo 3, which will be launched
in autumn this year.”
All indications point towards the
unveiling of the 600 series, following on
from Freshman’s 500 series, which
features some of the best high-end guitars
to come out of China.
While there is still work to be done,
Freshman is on a sure footing and given
past form will no doubt continue its rapid
rise to the very top of the business. With
the driven and determined Kelly pushing
things forward, expect a whole lot more
from this young company as it makes
waves across the market.
FRESHMAN: 01355 228028
FRESHMAN • COMPANY PROFILE
“Retailers can make money with Freshman, so it
makes their stocking decisions very easy.”
Sean Kelly, Freshman Guitars
www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 41
The Fresh princeThings are moving pretty fast for Freshman, a company that has grown to become one of the
premier UK-based acoustic guitar brands. Rob Power takes a look at some impressive growth
and uncovers the secret of the brand’s success…
Taylor’s move to pan-European distribution, courtesy of Fender, has taken none of the
acoustic guitar brand’s autonomy, Brian Swerdfeger tells Gary Cooper. What is more, the
company is making the end-user’s aspirations even more accessible through the dealers…
It is just over a year since one of the most
unexpected UK distribution switches of
recent years – the move of Taylor Guitars
from Sound Technology to Fender. Though
Taylor was swift to point out that the change
implied no criticism of Sound Tech (which
had, by any standards, done a first class job
with the brand) and that it was shifting to a
pan-European model with Fender, it still
must have stung and Sound Technology
hasn’t been slow to move Larrivée into areas
where it had previously been working so hard
with Taylor.
All the same, Taylor has continued to
make its presence felt in the UK and the
company shows absolutely no sign of
yielding an inch in its marketing. It
exhibited independently of Fender at last
year’s LIMS show and this year, despite no
Fender stand at the event, it still took a
sizeable one of its own and drew
enthusiastic crowds on the public days.
In charge of Taylor’s LIMS stand was Brian
Swerdfeger, vice-president of marketing. I
seized the opportunity to ask him how the
guitar maker had been doing in the UK in
the past 12 months and what plans Taylor
has to offer UK retailers over the coming
months. But to start with, I asked how
Swerdfeger had found this year’s LIMS.
“We had a great turnout because, as
one of the anchor brands, the dealers
came to see what was new and meet the
folks from the factory – and that’s why it
has been really important for us to be at
LIMS as a manufacturer. That’s why two of
us came from San Diego to say ‘hi and
thank you’ to the frontline guys.”
When news of the move was
announced, concerns had been expressed
in the trade that Taylor might become ‘just
another line’ in a large catalogue of
premium acoustic brands. Prior to the
interview, MI Pro contacted several leading
acoustic retailers to ask about their
experiences and, it must be said, even
when quizzed on an off-the-record basis,
the feedback was very largely positive.
Taylor would appear to concur.
“One of the things that has been most
beneficial for the EU market is that we
now have one distributor to focus on, so it
can get all of our attention and all of our
resources. A great example of that would
be that for the first time ever we now have
Taylor factory service centres in the UK,
Germany, Sweden and, this autumn,
coming to France. All of our equipment,
our tooling and our finishing department
have moved into a Taylor Centre at Fender
in each of those countries, so for dealers it
means when there’s a guitar in the shop
that has somehow been damaged – maybe
a ding or a scratch – it can go right back to
Fender. We’ll fix it and you’ll never know
that mark was ever there, so they always
have first quality guitars available.
“Also, we’ve just completed our first go
round, which is when we send factory
techs from our repair and production
departments into stores with the express
mission to take the guitars off the wall,
make sure they’re clean and put new
strings on them. If they need a neck re-set
we can do that – we’ll do whatever it
takes to make sure that guitar is the same
as it was when it left the factory,
regardless of its age.
“There’s no charge to the dealer – we
just go in and love-up the guitars, say ‘Hi,’
give out a few T-shirts and fix the
instruments. It’s a programme we run in
the States and this is the first time we've
exported it. We did 78 dealers and we
are planning on doing it twice a year,
going forward.
“We had three teams of two and it
went down really well. For us it’s a chance
to see how guitars age and it’s also a
chance to remove any preconceived
notions about the products. We’re putting
guitar makers into the stores, so there are
people you can ask first hand questions.
Why do you do this? How should I handle
that? What do you do for care? How do I
sell the guitars?
“Here we have a wealth of guitar
knowledge just hanging out in the store
for three or four hours. The store gets
some training, the stock is now all first
quality and as for customers that come in
after we’ve been, they have got a great
guitar with clean strings, ready to go.
“The other good news about the Fender
relationship is that everything we make is
now in Europe. All our guitars are at
Fender’s distribution centre in Rotterdam,
so everything is available – never more
than three days away.”
Given Swerdfeger’s extensive travelling
during the past year, evangelising the
brand during what might have been a
tricky time, had he any observations about
the way Taylor guitars were being handled
in the shops?
“I think, first and foremost, that Taylor
is a premium brand and so, even though
we make some laminated guitars, it was
our high-end instruments that really made
Taylor – they are what built the brand. So
one thing I would encourage dealers to do
is not to be afraid to stock the high-end
products, because that’s what consumers
know us for. Even though people may
come in and say they only have a certain
budget, most of them aspire to the high-
end guitars.
“Among the other things we've been
doing are the Europe roadshow events,
which are free for dealers to host. We
bring on 12 to 20 of our premium guitars,
including our build-to-order custom
guitars. We do a programme where we
teach people the difference between the
“The good news about the Fender relationship is
that everything we make is now in Europe.
Everything is available.”
Brian Swerdfeger, Taylor
42 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
A tailored fitfor Taylor
COMPANY PROFILE • TAYLOR
different shapes and their signature
sounds and then we talk about tonewoods
and their influence. After that we take a
break and have what we call the Taylor
‘petting zoo’, so everybody at the event
can pick up a guitar and try it. If they’ve
never tried a grand symphony or a grand
concert or never tried cocobolo or koa – I
want them to have first hand, hands-on
experience with the guitars.
“One of the things all the retailers
comment on (and it’s true in the States
and all across Europe) is that they’re
surprised during the petting zoo when
somebody falls in love with a £3,500
guitar and buys it. These are customers
who come into their stores every day –
they just don’t announce themselves.
They come in, they look around and if you
don’t have it, they leave. The roadshows
have proved that Taylor does sell a lot of
high-end guitars and that those customers
are there.”
All the same, there is an understandable
reluctance to stock upmarket guitars
during a recession, so what is Swerdfeger’s
message to retailer in this climate?
“This is my challenge to all of the
retailers worldwide. The news reports as if
it’s the end of the world, but guitar
playing and music as a hobby are an
escape for most people and the truth is
that most of the world is still employed.
We’ve found that when you have great
service and a great selection and you offer
somebody an alternative to the doom and
gloom, more and more people spend their
money. But they prefer to go with a
trusted brand and they like go with a
trusted retailer, too.
“So building a relationship in your
community is so important because then
people start saying ‘this is a retailer I want
to be in a relationship with’. This business
brings people joy and I can’t stress that
point enough. This isn’t about selling
sponges or cleaning supplies – things that
are soulless. We’re in the guitar business.
We sell approved mistresses – curvy
things that we lust after and try to spend
all our spare time with and yet our wives
allow four of them in the house.
“A guitar player is going to have a
relationship with that guitar and it’s going
to be there when they’re happy and when
they’re sad. You can say ‘times are hard
and people don't want to spend any
money’, but they do. The challenge is that
you’ve got to give them a reason – remind
customers about the passion of music
making and the joy of playing guitar. You
get a nice guitar and you play it more and
the more you play, the better you get and
the better you get, the more you enjoy it
and that’s what sets you thinking about
having yet another ‘mistress’ or two in
the house.
“I would encourage retailers not to
abandon that. Don't race for the bottom,
don't try to be the lowest price or have
the cheapest Taylor, because there are
many customers who do want to feel
good about themselves and do want to
have a great experience. People are careful
where they’re spending their money these
days, but they’re still spending it and the
danger I see some retailers getting into is
convincing themselves that the money
has stopped. The truth is, it hasn’t – it’s
just that people are being more selective.
“We build beautiful instruments, we do
great promotional material and we bring
people into the store. The retailers’ part of
that is to have instruments in stock and
be knowledgeable and enthusiastic and to
be a passionate brand evangelist. The
dealers that we have who do that are the
ones that are very successful.”
FENDER: 01342 331700
TAYLOR • COMPANY PROFILE
www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 43
Brian Swerdfeger (left) is understandably proud of what the Taylor team (right) has achieved with its brand and says retailers benefit
Apart from a dodgy spire, there’s not
an awful lot that leaps to mind
when you think of Chesterfield.
However, thanks to the sales successes of
a certain hard shell case manufacturer,
Chesterfield does have something else to
shout about: Hardcase. As one of the
leading manufacturers of plastic hard
cases in the industry, this entirely UK-
based outfit has been flying the flag for
home-based industry since it first got
going back in the late 1990s and it shows
no signs of slowing up.
“Hardcase is a division of Amber
Plastics, which was the original
manufacturing company,” says UK sales
manager and artist liaison David Eyre.
“Several years back, in the early 90s, we
realised that the technology could be
adapted to all sorts of uses and one of the
areas we thought of going into was
musical instruments. We looked into it and
started out with drum cases in about
1992. It proved very successful, so in 2001
we had a complete redesign where we
developed the next generation of cases,
which had the stacking feature and short
webbing straps. Everything we do
is made from the same strong, high
tensile material.”
That material, polyethylene, is what has
proved the secret to Hardcase’s success.
It’s a petrol by-product that is both
incredibly durable as well as flexible and it
has been the bedrock of Hardcase’s
product lines. Combined with great
designs, Hardcase’s success has been
natural from the start.
“We try to give everything little
touches to provide each product with a
unique selling point,” continues Eyre.
“Everything is made of polyethylene,
which is a very strong impact and
weather-resistant material that is still
flexible and lightweight enough to give
you a good product to mould that retains
lots of strength.”
On the drum side of things, Hardcase’s
design ensures that cases are slightly over-
sized, which allows any impact to be
spread throughout the case as opposed to
absorbed into the drum shell. This 25mm
air gap is bigger on some cases, but the
idea is that even though the lids telescope
onto the drums and lock them in place, it
is side impacts that are often the biggest
problem. There’s no metal work there, so
the drum shell can be easily damaged. As
Eyre says: “We’ve had many an email from
people who have had van doors damage
their cases, but not their drums.”
Hardcase’s success is all the more
impressive when you factor in the size of
the company and the fact that it keeps
everything from marketing to design to
manufacture in house and doesn’t farm
it out to the Far East for a fraction of
the price.
“We’re a small company – there are
only nine people who work here,”
continues Eyre. “Our managing director,
Derrick Round, felt that there was a lot of
potential in this area of the market and he
developed the Hardcase branding and the
technology behind it back in the early 90s.
It’s gone from there – I’ve been here since
2003 and having been a working drummer
myself, I have a good idea about what I
would want if I walked into a shop.
For 2009 there have been a plethora of
new products from the company. “We’ve
introduced steel pan cases, a general utility
case, increased marching band coverage
and now we’re looking at expanding our
latin and ethnic percussion,” adds Eyre.
“We want to work towards improving our
offering in that area of the market. We’ve
also introduced gong cases this year and
we’ve revamped the colour range, so
there’s been plenty going on.
“We will be launching our upgraded
guitar amp cases this autumn, which will
be available in the bright red, light green
and light blue colours as well as black.
Each of these cases will now be fitted with
metal locking clips and catches instead of
the familiar webbing. The same metal
fittings will be used on the guitar cases.
Again, these will be in the bright colours
but the range has been reduced from
three down to two – electric guitar and
electric bass models only.”
So, with plenty to look forward to and a
fine reputation behind it, things looks set to
go from strength to strength for Hardcase.
“The great thing is that we only
manufacture here in Chesterfield, nowhere
else in the world. We’ve got 400-plus
retailers throughout the UK and Northern
Ireland, we’re available in 45 countries and
it’s all done out of Chesterfield. We’re very
proud that we’re one of the last remaining
UK manufacturers, which is a shame really.
I think the music industry owes a lot to
this country and we really should be very
proud of it.”
HARDCASE: 01246 451234
COMPANY PROFILE • HARDCASE
Born and bred in the heart of the UK, Hardcase’s success is a lesson in what innovation and hard work can achieve.
Rob Power talks to sales manager David Eyre to find out what makes the company tick…
44 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
Hard shell, easy sell
On a typical day, my alarm goes off
at 6:25am and, fortunately for
me, my loving wife makes me a
cup of tea every single morning. I leave
the house at 7am and then travel from
home, which is Ipswich, to Adam Hall,
which is in Southend. It’s a journey of 60
miles, and can take from one to one and
three quarter hours, depending on traffic.
I arrive at the office between quarter
past and half past eight and the first thing
I’ll do is turn on the computer and go
through my emails before a cup of tea.
What we’ll typically do is look at the daily
figures, which is the sales sheet from the
day before and look at what we’ve sold
and what has gone out. It’s part of my job
to liaise with all the staff here and work
out any marketing plans we’ve got, any
shows coming up, any magazines we’re
talking to, and any advertising campaigns
we might have going on.
A lot of my day is spent going over
reports and checking that the systems we
have in place are the right systems. If they
are not, then we need to change them.
There are a lot of other issues I tackle
here, too. As well as being general
manager, I look after all the marketing,
and oversee the purchasing department.
While most of my interaction is with the
sales department, recently I’ve also been
spending a lot of time with accounts,
making sure everything is up to date.
When it comes to lunch, recently I’ve
been either grabbing a sandwich and
eating at my desk or heading to the gym.
I’m taking part in a London to Paris bike
ride for Christian Aid that starts soon,
which is 300 miles over four days. I’ve
been training a lot for that and I’m a
gym animal anyway and love going there.
I like to participate in a lot of challenges,
like the London Marathon and I take part
via charities.
After lunch, I will usually check more
reports, make phone calls to chase things
up and work in conjunction with the sales
department. It’s a varied job and no two
days are ever the same. I like to get out
and about to see customers as well, so I
could be out for whole mornings or
afternoons.
I joined Adam Hall in February 2008
and have enjoyed the challenge of adding
significant growth to the company in the
UK market.
The advantage I’ve had in some ways is
that I’ve not worked in the music industry
before, so I’ve approached it from a totally
fresh perspective. It’s taken me time to
understand how the industry works and
that has been a learning curve for me. I’m
still learning about the market to this day,
in fact. In the last year, we have been
growing as a company, although
profitability is something that everyone
has had to look at due to fluctuations in
the value of the US dollar.
I leave the office between quarter past
and half past five, in order to get home for
around 7pm. It’s a long day, and when I
get home I’ll knock off a few more emails
before dinner. After that I’ll spend as much
time as I can with my daughter, who is
seven, and then maybe go out running or
cycling. Generally I find that once I’ve
done all that I’ll sit down for about an
hour of TV and then head up to bed. It’s a
pretty packed day.
I WOKE UP THIS
MORNING
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST 2009 45
PROFILE
ANDREW RICHARDSONGeneral Manager, Adam Hall
Adam Hall’s Andrew Richardson enjoys an action-packed working week, all while fitting in training for a charity bike ride...
NOW RECRUITINGDawsons Music, one of the biggest and
longest-serving MI retailers in the UK are
currently recruiting. We currently have
vacancies in our Reading, Warrington and
Altrincham stores, as well as in our
Education and Internet Sales departments,
based in Warrington.
If you are reading MI Pro then you probably
know what kind of people we will be
interested in.
We want energetic, enthusiastic, professional
salespeople who really know what they are
talking about when it comes to musical
instruments and equipment. For more details
of the various positions currently available
please visit www.dawsons.co.uk and click
on the jobs section.
Are you ready to take up the next challenge in your sales career?
Then you should be working with us, because we need an
EXPORT SALES MANAGERFaber Music is one of Europe's largest print music publishers anddistributors with a growing international reputation. We are lookingfor someone who can maximise our overseas sales potential withimpeccable key account management and can devise strategiesand implement marketing and promotional plans with a high degreeof creativity and innovation in both our pop and educational musiccatalogues.
You must have excellent communication and negotiation skills, ademonstrable track record of success and an ability to think quicklyand act appropriately, and have a keen awareness of current issues and pressures in the music industry and preferably a working knowledge of other languages.
If you are hungry for success and you want to be part of a dynamicand ambitious sales team contact:
Phillip Littlemore, Sales & Marketing Director, Faber Music Limited,Burnt Mill, Elizabeth Way, Harlow, Essex CM20 2HX or email:[email protected].
Please include CV and current salary details. Closing date: 28th August 2009.
MUSIC RETAIL BUSINESSFOR SALE IN BUSY NORTH WEST LONDONHIGH STREET LOCATION• Well-established, reputable and
consistently profitable business
• Large attractive showroom and storage facility
• Major dealerships for instruments, accessories and printed music. ‘Take it Away’ and rental schemes.
• New lease by negotiation with the landlord
• Ideal opportunity for someone with music retail experience to be owner/manager of an established business
Hi On are among the acts at this year’s show as the Hellfire Festival comes to town
2009 show bookings on target, retail sponsors announced and collaboration with Hellfire Festival adds further dimension
48 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
RETAIL • NEWS
Planet Waves launches
Beatles straps and picksFab Four licensed for the first ever official Beatles accessory line
Free amps from Fender
FENDER GBI is giving away a
free Fender Champion 600
amplifier to every customer
buying a Fender USA guitar
this summer.
The promotion, which runs
from July 18th to September
30th, is aimed at driving
customers into Fender dealers,
the company’s Graeme
Mathieson told MI Pro, and will
operate on a voucher basis.
To get their free Champion,
customers have to pre-register
on Fender's website to receive
a unique serial numbered
voucher. These can be printed
out and handed to
participating retailers, or
emailed, if customers are
buying from a webstore. When
the sale is completed, the
dealer hands (or ships) the
customer a free Champion
600 from stock, and is then
reimbursed direct from Fender .
The promotion, which
applies to US guitars only, not
basses, is going live currently,
with advertisements in the
consumer press and a planned
mass email promotion to
Fender's extensive UK
consumer database. A full
range of display material is also
being offered to Fender's
participating retailers.
Fender stressed that the aim
of the promotion is ‘to put
something positive back into
the trade’ to encourage
customers to visit their Fender
dealers and the company
believes it is likely to be
welcomed at a traditionally
quiet time of the year.
FENDER GBI: 01342 331726
Fender to boost trade with tempting 'Buy a
US guitar and get a free amp' promotion
A Lifetime of SatisfactionIn 2007, we introduced a unique Lifetime Warranty* across our 40 Series studio microphonesand in 2009 we are going a step further and extending this offer to include both our Artist Eliteand Artist Series ranges of wired microphones.
Unsurpassed in the market, our Lifetime Warranty offers genuine added value to every sale andreinforces our commitment to unbeatable customer service.
Call us today on 0113 277 1441 – and experience more.
*Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.audio-technica.com/warranty for full details.
Social guitar design for B&M
BARNES & MULLINS has
claimed to have launched the
world’s first social network
guitar design project: the ML1.
The project is a partnership
with guitarist Rob Chapman,
who caught the attention of
B&M when it noticed his videos
were receiving 10,000 views a
day from his online following. It
was at the LIMS show that B&M
director Bruce Perrin first saw
Chapman at work.
“I was amazed that almost
everyone recognised him,”
recalled Perrin. “He was followed
to the Faith stand by dozens of
fans as his crew filmed him. I
realised that we needed to work
together to mutual benefit and
the Rob Chapman Signature
guitar was born.”
Chapman then decided to
allow his web following to help
design his signature guitar.
“I wanted the ML1 to be two
thirds mine and a third the
people’s,” Chapman explained.
“After all, they will be buying it. I
came up a concept and then let
the fans tell me how they
wanted it, eventually narrowing
it down to four concepts, which
they voted on in a huge surge
that crashed my forum.”
“This is quite a big deal,” said
Alex Mew, B&M’s marketing
manager. “It’s incredibly exciting
to be involved in this project, as
social networking has become a
very powerful influence.”
The ML1 Rob Chapman
Signature guitar will be released
under the Chapman by Gould
brand and is expected to be out
by Christmas 2009.
BARNES & MULLINS:
01691 652449
Internet guru’s signature guitar designed by fans and future owners
PLANET WAVES has launched a
one-of-a-kind collection of
Beatles guitar picks and straps.
The designs of the straps
feature the album artwork and
signature images that define the
Fab Four. With artwork from
every period of the Beatles
illustrious career, the luxury
straps are also vegan
friendly. The picks are
available in a multiple
pick set for playing,
displaying and
collecting.
The Beatles strap line is an
extension of Planet Waves’
successful licensed strap and pick
range which now includes
Woodstock, Alchemy, Lethal
Threat, McWhite, Joe Satriani and
Pat Metheny. All Planet Waves
licensed straps and picks were on
display at the recent LIMS event,
with exclusive dealer offers at
the show. Initial UK stocks
have now arrived.
Dealer info on the
complete range of
licensed straps,
including the new
Beatles straps, can be
found in the dealer area
of the Summerfield website.
SUMMERFIELD MI:
0191 414 9000
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST 2009 49
13 – 16 October 2009 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China
live for the music
International Exhibition for Musical Instruments and Services
For information, visit www.musikmesse.com Or email [email protected]
• over 40,000 distributors, dealers, retailers and musicians from 91 countries
• over 1,100 exhibitors showing a broad product mix of both western and traditional Chinese instruments
• set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most exciting and rapidly-developing music product markets
BEHIND THE COUNTER • RETAIL
Our undercover reporter suffers from sunshine envy, while the shop he works in takes a giant leap into the internet age
Indoors and online this summer
There’s nothing quite like
sitting indoors watching
people have fun in the
sunshine to really ruin a
summer. When the sun is out
and every passerby has some
sort of ice-cream based
confectionary, life on the shop
floor can get really trying.
But it’s the simple things that
keep us going. The timely sale of
a top end electric guitar we
never thought we’d see the back
of and the increasing number of
kids turning up for every effects
pedal delivery is certainly
enough to raise the spirits. A
fresh push at getting the shop
into the public eye is also being
undertaken across the board.
Brand new posters and flyers are
going out locally, while a bit of
advertising in the various
regional rags and national mags
should help us become a little
bit more visible.
As summer is the usual time
for a footfall downturn, we’ve
taken it upon ourselves to be as
pro-active as possible in
bringing folks near and far
across the threshold of our
wonderful little boutique and
have been pursuing all manner
of unusual activity in order to
do so. A newsletter is now going
out, while a monthly prize draw
is already causing quite a stir
among the regulars and there
are mutterings about sponsoring
a local night going on. We’re
keeping our fingers crossed on
that one…
We’ve also started dabbling
in the dark arts of this inter
web-type trickery. That’s right,
the internet age has finally
arrived in our cautious little
world and it’s been quite a
shock. Not only do we have a
brand new, shiny and sparkling
website that punters can buy
things from as well as use to
check out all our lovely guitars,
but there’s Facebook, Myspace,
Twitter – it’s never ending, it’s
baffling, but it really is quite a
lot of fun.
A website and associated
blog are, as we all know, an
absolute necessity these days,
and thanks to a couple of
months’ work, a lot of swearing
and an awful lot of in-store
photography, we can finally feel
proud of our online offering.
For some reason, even
though our particular store has
been around for a number of
years and has slowly built a
large, loyal customer base of
which we are rightly proud, it
feels as if only now that we
have a tangible online presence,
have we finally arrived. All that
remains is to see whether we
will actually sell anything online
or whether this whole
endeavour has been a massive
waste of everyone’s time.
We’ve emerged blinking from
our luddite pen-and-paper
based world into the blinding
glare of the brave new internet
world. As far as information
superhighways go, we’re
cautiously sticking to the slow
lane for now, but hopefully,
given a bit of time and effort,
we’ll start ramping up the sales
soon enough. Here’s hoping,
NEXT MONTH...Mystery balalaikas, lefty
dilemmas and the ongoing
struggle for online supremacy
are all in the crosshairs of our
undercover operative in next
month’s issue...
50 miPRO AUGUST 2009 www.mi-pro.co.uk
A ROUNDABOUT SOUND
Nicely situated among a cluster of
specialist shops (including a slightly scary
rifle specialist), A Roundabout Sound is a
beautifully presented, well-branded and
nicely stocked example of how to run an
MI business in the 21st century. Although
not a massive shop, it still has an
extensive collection of new and second-
hand electric guitars, a bass room, a drum
demo room and a nice airy acoustic space
upstairs. A good range of products from
starter gear all the way up to top-end
Gibsons, means that any muso visiting
this shop is going to find something to
suit his taste and budget and the friendly
staff are helpful without being pushy.
It’s the details that stand out here.
Though everything is neat and tidy, every
single item is clearly priced and well
presented and the shop front is appealing
and interesting to pass by. The logo and
shop name is distinctive and it would
seem that A Roundabout Sound has its
sights set on being around for a long time
– something which, on this showing,
Cheltenham should be pleased with.
MILLENIUM MUSIC
A bit of a strange beast, Millenium Music
is based in the heart of a busy shopping
district and as such has the geographic
edge over its local competition. Having re-
located recently, the shop is a strange mix
of instruments – including electric and
acoustic guitars and plenty of world
percussion – and musical gifts, ranging
from stickers and stamps to ties and t-
shirts. Interestingly, it also gives over half
its window space to bizarre ornamental
dragons and the sort of goblets you might
see in a film featuring dragons and knights
of old. While this is undoubtedly odd, it
certainly brings a bit more character to
what is a well put together little shop,
which realises the potential in musical
gifts more than many. Manufacturers
represented include Höfner (seemingly
very popular in Cheltenham), Yamaha,
Blueridge, Orange and, of course, Stagg.
WORLD OF GUITARS
A hop, skip and a jump away from A
Roundabout Sound, Guitar World is a
reminder of days gone by, when guitar
shops could be smoke-filled dens full of
nooks and crannies, with instruments
hidden away in all sorts of strange corners.
A small shop floor is not helped by
being crammed full of odds and ends and
although there are undoubtedly some
great finds to be had here – a rather tasty
Gibson Melody Maker caught the eye, for
example – it’s just too cluttered and
generally haphazard to live up to its
obvious potential.
The shop front is very bright, but comes
across as a bit old fashioned. The staff are
extremely friendly, not to mention hugely
knowledgeable, so it seems a shame that
while the window display looks inviting
and indeed tempting, upon entry you
can’t help but be a little disappointed.
CHELTENHAM PIANO CENTRE
Nicely located in the centre of town, the
Cheltenham Piano Centre is, simply put,
an excellent store that has plenty to offer
musical locals, even if they aren’t a dab
hand at the piano.
A dedicated Kemble dealer with a fine
line in pianos from a wide range of makers
and at a variety of price points from a few
hundred pounds all the way up to a
mighty £15,000 (for a handmade and
really rather impressive Bechstein), the
spacious shop floor also houses a
thorough sheet music section and a small,
but well thought out selection of acoustic
and electric guitars and amplifiers that
mainly cater for beginners.
Orchestral strings, as well as brass and
woodwind, are well catered for and a huge
accessories section must make the
Cheltenham Piano Centre top of the list
for any number of local musicians when
looking for spares. Well priced, nicely set
out and tended to by extremely
professional and well mannered staff, this
is a store that sets the standard.
A mecca for fans of the gee gees and a fine place to do
business, Cheltenham has a great selection of MI retailers
hustling for business. MI Pro casts a critical view over
what’s on offer…
Cheltenham
RETAIL • LOCATION REPORT
Nicely located in the centre of town, the
Cheltenham Piano Centre is, simply put, an
excellent music store that has plenty to offer all
PETITE 5 COMBO £749They say: Sounds glorious with both
single coil and humbucker-equipped
guitars.
For: Guitarists
Range: Hayden combos
Spec: Five-Watt, single channel, valve
combo, dual switchable power stage (EL84
or 6V6 valves), 10-inch Celestion G10
Greenback speaker, hand wired,
components on gold turret tags.
From: Hayden 01245 441155
STAGG
150 GC412 STRAIGHT CAB
£289They say: Great value for a cab that
packs a real punch.
For: Guitarists
Range: Stagg cabs
Spec: Four 12-inch straight, semi-
open back speaker cabinet for guitar,
150W, eight Ohm, steel pull-out
handles & casters.
From: EMD 01293 862612
PIGNOSE
P7 100 TRANSISTOR COMBO
FROM £129.95They say: As alive today as it has ever been.
For: Guitarists
Range: Pignose combos
Spec: : Five-Watt amplifier, mains or six AA
battery powered, preamp out, strap buttons,
internal lead storage. Also P7 200 Hog 20
with squeal control. Two inputs and
headphone socket (£219.95) and P7 300
Hog 30 with three-band eq, funk bass
switch (£259.95).
From: Aria 01483 238720
54 miPRO AUGUST 2009 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK
www.mi-pro.co.uk miPRO AUGUST 2009 55
TANGLEWOOD
TCT AND TKT TUNERS £POAThey say: Great tuners for all manner of
stringed instrument players.
For: Musicians
Range: New Tanglewood product range
Spec: TCT1 traffic light clip-on tuner (for
guitar & bass). TKT1 traffic light keyring uke
tuner (for use with any acoustic stringed
instrument). Powered by lithium battery.
From: Tanglewood 01937 841122
GUITAR GUARD
T-TYPE AND DREADNOUGHT
GUITAR SKINS FROM £29.99They say: The line of award winning
protective guitar skins has expanded.
For: Tele and dreadnought players
Range: Guitar Guard guitar guards
Spec: Two new models for T-type and
dreadnought guitars (£34.99). Also
available: NeverKink Cable Management
Device (attaches cable to guitar strap –
price TBC).
From: Wild Child 01273 702224
PLANET WAVES
BEATLES STRAPS £49.95They say: A one-of-a-kind collection of guitar
picks and straps.
For: Guitarists, fretted instrument players
Range: Planet waves guitar accessories
Spec: ‘Vegan friendly’ straps with artwork from
every period of The Beatles’ career. Dealer info on
complete range in the dealer area of the
Summerfield website.
From: Summerfield 0191 414 9000
BOSS
TU-12EX TUNER £85They say: A direct descendant of the
legendary TU-12.
For: Musicians
Range: Boss tuners
Spec: Needle-type meter, LED tuning guide,
thin-line body, flat tuning function (up to six
semitones lower), reference tone, auto-off,
Accu-Pitch (bleeps when correct tuning is
reached).
From: Roland 01792 702701
ZILDJIAN
STEVE GADD CYMBAL BAG
£99They say: Truly captures the class
and style of one of the most
influential drummers of all time.
For: Drummers, percussionists
Range: Zildjian Artist Collection bags
Spec: Heavy-duty cotton and
leatherette trim exterior, aged metal
hardware, 22-inch diameter,
adjustable shoulder strap, padded
carrying handle, rubberised skid plate.
From:Yamaha 01908 366700
REMO
SOLOIST DOUMBEK DK-
3208 6M FROM £317They say: Ideal for all educational
programmes and professional tours.
For: Percussionists
Range: Remo percussion
Spec: Soloist Doumbek with external
tuning and Ergo-Drum system, Remo
Skyndeep fish skin graphic
drumhead, Acousticon drum shell
bearing edge. Available as eight, nine
& ten-inch (£317, £329 & £345).
From: EMD 01293 862612
REMO
NSL SOUNDSHAPES FROM
£12.50They say: Great for places where
sound levels are a concern and are
easily stored, portable and stackable.
For: Education
Range: Remo percussion
Spec: NSL (not so loud) multi-packs
of six drums (£114), mallets
included, available in six, eight, ten,
12, 14 and 16-inch sizes.
From: EMD 01293 862612
SABIAN
AAX X-PLOSION FAST
CRASHES £POAThey say: Responsive to the touch
and work well within numerous
musical situations.
For: Drummers
Range: Sabian AAX cymbals
Spec: : Tight lathing and unfinished
bells, light hammering on top,
available as 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19-
inch versions, shallow profile, B20
bronze, Sabian warranty.
From: Westside 0141 248 4812
MEINL
BENNY GREB SIGNATURE
20” SANDRIDE £398They say: We are confident that
the sound of the Sandride will
please a lot of drummers
worldwide.
For: Drummers
Range: Meinl Byzance
Spec: Sandblasted top and
partial lathed bottom 20-inch ride,
light wash and stick sound, heavier
bell sound.
From: Active 020 8693 5678
ZILDJIAN
Z3 CYMBALS £POAThey say: A new level of power and
clarity with rock cymbals with an
abundance of sensitivity.
For: Drummers
Range: Zildjian Z series
Spec: Unique lathing process for ‘tone
grooves’, machine hammered, brilliant
finish. Ten rides (three medium heavy,
three rock, two mega bell & two thrash),
four hi-hats and nine crash.
From: Yamaha 01908 366700
STAGG
EXA, EXK & EXD CYMBAL
SETS FROM £135They say: Matched cymbals
perfect for the beginner or student.
For: Beginner drummers
Range: Stagg cymbals
Spec: B8 bronze student cymbals.
EXA: 16" crash & 13" hi hats
(£135), EXD: 18" crash & 14" hi
hats (£175), EXK: 16" crash, 20"
ride & 14" hats (£249). All sets ship
with cymbal padded gigbag.
From: EMD 01293 862612
THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING DRUMS.
VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.
PRODUCTS • DRUMS
VINTAGE
VS6 ICON £299They say: Only one thing could make
these top-selling guitars even more
appealing: an Icon version.
For: Guitarists
Range: Vintage Icon
Spec: Twin-horned, twin Wilkinson
humbucker, double cutaway electric
guitar, solid mahogany body, slim set
mahogany neck, gold Wilkinson
hardware, distressed cherry red finish.
From: JHS 0113 286 5381
REGAL
RD-30 RESONATOR SQUARE
NECK £995They say: This is the best entry level
squareneck resonator around.
For: Guitarists
Range: Regal resonator guitars
Spec: Black finish with spruce top,
mahogany body, rosewood
fingerboard, ivoroid bound body &
neck, rock maple saddle, bone top
nut, spun 10” aluminium cone, rock
maple sound well, 2” top nut.
From: Gremlin 01903 203044
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
FULL-SIZE GUITAR PACK
£159They say: Great news for all
Spongebob Squarepants fans.
For: Guitarist
Range: Spongebob Squarepants
Spec: Full-size, classic shape twin-
cutaway electric guitar with maple
neck, three single coil pickups,
vintage-style fulcrum vibrato system.
BB Blaster ten-Watt amp. Also carry
bag, strap, guitar lead, plectrum, spare
set of strings and tuition DVD.
Spongebob graphics.
From: JHS 0113 286 5381
BASS AND GUITAR • NEW PRODUCTS
ARIA
FA-77 ARCHTOP £879They say: Recreates the essence of those
early years of violin, cello and archtop guitar
builders.
For: Guitarists
Range: Aria solid bodied guitars
Spec: Solid sitka spruce top, double-bound
figured maple back & sides, set maple neck,
ebony fingerboard, bridge & floated tailpiece,
gold-plated tuners, gold-plated single floating
mini humbucker.
From: Aria UK 01483 238720
GITANE
DG-455 ELECTRO GYPSY
JAZZ £1,395They say: A small guitar that sounds
big in any room.
For: Guitarists
Range: Gitane jazz guitars
Spec: Solid spruce top, Fishman Aura
system electronics, rosewood back &
sides, ebony fingerboard,
ebony/maple purfling, mahogany
neck, high gloss finish.
From: Gremlin 01903 203044
SEAGULL
PERFORMER SERIES £920They say: The Performer series
receives an upgrade and now makes
for an even better guitar than before.
For: Guitarists
Range: Seagull electro-acoustics
Spec: Pressure tested solid spruce
top, flame maple back & sides,
Quantum 1 electronics, flame maple
veneer headstock, high-gloss finish.
Available as cutaway dreadnought,
folk and mini-jumbo models.
From: EMD 01293 862612
TANGLEWOOD
EVOLUTION EXOTIC
SERIES FROM £249They say: The Tanglewood
Evolution series has gone exotic
with some top grade woods.
For: Guitarists
Range: Tanglewood Evolution
Spec: Two ranges: Flame maple
(XFM) and Bubinga (XB). XFM with
spruce top and flame maple back &
sides, maple neck. XB all bubinga,
mahogany neck. Available as jumbo
and cutaway jumbo, dreadnought,
folk and grand auditorium. Also
bubinga acoustic bass.
From: Tanglewood 01937 841122
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST 2009 57
KENTUCKY
KM300 ELECTRIC
MANDOLIN £299They say: Newly re-introduced
into the Kentucky mandolin
range.
For: Mandolin players
Range: Kentucky mandolins
Spec: Solid basswood body,
arched back, set maple neck,
rosewood fingerboard, nickel-
plated brass tailpiece,
adjustable ebony bridge with
bone cap, single chrome-
plated lipstick pickup,
chrome-plated volume &
tone controls. High gloss
sunburst finish.
From: Gremlin
01903 203044
TANGLEWOOD
TU1 & TU2 UKULELES
FROM £49.95They say: A pair of the classiest ukes
on the market.
For: Uke players
Range: Tanglewood traditional
instruments
Spec: TU1: Mahogany top, back,
sides & neck, rosewood fingerboard,
natural satin finish. TU2: Solid cedar
top, bubinga back & sides, mahogany
neck, rosewood fingerboard, natural
gloss finish (£99.95). Also TU case:
£22.95.
From: Tanglewood 01937 841122
PRODUCTS • TRADITIONAL
W SCHRIEBER
7130 SERIES OBOE £1,650They say: Once again there are four
oboes available from Schreiber &
Keilwerth.
For: Oboists
Range: S&K woodwind
Spec: French fingering system,
grenadilla wood with natural wood
surface, stable key mechanism, cast
epoxy resin lining in bore, solid
nickel-silver mechanism, extra heavy
silverplating, five-year guarantee,
made in Germany. Ships with case
and extensive accessories.
From: Rosetti 01376 550033
ASHTON
UNION JACK UKULELE
£24.99They say: A super portable way to
bring a summer vibe to your next
campfire sing-a-long.
For: Beginner uke players
Range: Ashton traditional fretted
instruments
Spec: Hawaiian-style ukuleles,
geared machineheads, Union Jack
and London Underground graphics,
matched design gigbags.
From: Music Force 01780 781630
58 miPRO AUGUST 2009 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK
STENTOR
GRADUATE VIOLIN OUTFIT
£159They say: Perfect for the rental
market or players looking to move
up from their first instrument.
For: Student violinists
Range: Stentor violins
Spec: Hand carved from solid
tonewoods, shaded satin finish,
ebony fingerboard & pegs, fitted
with synthetic gut strings, 4/4, 3/4,
1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 sizes. Outfit ships
with lightweight oblong case and a
strong wood bow with ebony frog.
From: Stentor 01737 240226
NORD
C2 COMBO ORGAN £2,312They say: No other unit delivers so much,
at such a low cost, in such a compact and
lightweight package.
For: Organists, keyboard players
Range: Nord keyboards
Spec: Tonewheel, Vox, Farfisa and baroque
pipe organ emulation, 21 stops, new firm
action, left and right independent from
Leslie 11-pin & high level outputs,
Drawbar Preview function, extensive
percussion sounds. Footpedal board
optional extra.
From: Sound Technology 01462 480000
P MAURIAT
PMX T-66RUL
UNLACQUERED TENOR
SAXOPHONE £2,399They say: The lack of lacquer
frees up the resonance even
further which will make this a
firm favourite.
For: Saxophonists
Range: P Mauriat saxes
Spec: Acid treated body, rolled
tone holes, large flared bell,
high F# key, abalone shell key
touches, fully hand engraved.
Ships with Protec USA
contoured case.
From: Saxophones Ltd
01892 662533
Blueridge have taken America by storm withtheir authentic vintage style guitars, and nowwe have made them available in the UK. Thisrange, renowned for spectacular value formoney, continues to receive excellent reviewsin all the best known guitar press, includingGuitar & Bass, Guitarist, Guitar Buyer, AcousticMagazine...
The leading brand of resonator guitars, with along US heritage, available in the UK exclu-sively from Gremlin Music. Saga Music, haveapplied the same dedication to quality to theseguitars as they have to the Gitane andBlueridge guitars, and the results are spectacular.
News: SK120 Rated ‘Exceptional’ inAcoustic Magazine. “A wonderful little ampdesigned by people who understand whatmusicians need”. Also Guitar & Bass have
just awarded the SK60 a massive 82%.We distribute these ShireKing Acoustic Ampsalong with Headway’s very popular pickupsfor acoustic instruments, including the Snake3 and SA1 pickups, and the ‘Band’ violin andcello pickups.
The best selling aluminium whistles inthe UK. Renowned for their clear sound,they appeal to whistle players of all stan-dards. Though ideal for beginners, theyare professional instruments and areused on stage by many leading players.
For the Gypsy in your soul!These beautiful guitars payhomage to the Selmer and
Maccaferri guitars of the early20th century. They have solid tops,are a joy to play, and look andsound like the real thing, right
down to the excellent reproduction of the orig-inal tailpiece. More to the point, they are veryaffordably priced.
The Kentucky mandolins are the pinnacleof affordable bluegrass instruments, andoffer exceptional quality at excellentprices. These mandolins are a very wel-come addition to our growing section ofgreat quality bluegrass instruments,which includes mandolins, banjos,dobros, guitars and more.
A professional quality range of AcousticGuitars, Mandolins, Banjos & Fiddles, Basses,cases, electrics and more. This is the largestrange of mandolin family instruments, banjosand ukuleles in the UK, and the Ashburyname is associated with high quality andexcellent value.
A competitively priced range ofstudent squeezeboxes, includ-ing Piano Accordions from 12to 120 Bass, B/C, D/G andCajun one-row melodeons, andAnglo and English concertinas,all ideal for beginners.
As well as being the first point of call for all the hard to find traditional musical instruments your customers are askingyou for, Gremlin Music is a one stop shop for any musical instrument retailer. We can supply a massive range of acousticmusical instruments, spares, accessories, strings, books and DVDs. Become a Gremlin Dealer and give your customersa better choice! We pride ourselves on the personal touch - you can always reach us by phone during work-ing hours, and we’ll always send your order as fast as possible, no matter what the size. If you’re a dealer,you can browse our website for prices (retail and wholesale), contact us by email, and place orders online! We’ve beenin the business for over 25 years, and can offer you an experienced, friendly and professional service.
TO ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES CALL DARRELL CARTER ON 01992 535647MIMARKETPLACE
440 DistributionThe joys of maintaining guitar tradition while
championing the latest developments in cables
440 Distribution might be a new
name to some, but the man
behind the company will be
familiar to many. Tom Harrison left
Westside after seven years in 2007,
with a desire to bring focus to quality
products that had not yet appeared
on the radar of the music trade.
“It started off with Yairi,” explains
Harrison. “Japan has a high-tech
culture and yet there is this 75 year-
old company still making guitars as it
did in 1930. It has survived through a
commitment to quality and I like that.
It is still very old fashioned and I love
the fact I get these beautiful guitars
made with mallets and draw knives
held together with cow glue from the
most technologically sophisticated
race on the planet. I wanted to get
them in players’ hands because they
hold their own with anything else out
there.”
An Australian company, DSL straps
joined the 440 stable soon after.
These high quality leather straps have
seen some high end endorsement.
Motorhead’s legendary founder,
Lemmy, worked with DSL to create
four Motorhead signature series
straps, which are proving very popular
over here. DSL was so impressed with
440’s work that it awarded it the
European distribution rights in 2009.
This was a feather in the cap of such a
new company, but DSL has gained
valuable market knowledge in its
biggest export territory.
Recently, Core One Creative
appointed 440 as its UK outlet for the
Bullet Cable range and Harrison sees
great potential in these products.
“The cable market is saturated with
utilitarian product,” he says. “Core
cables make a fashion statement –
you can have Dice or Guns on your
jack plug or a wicked curly lead that
doesn’t break. How cool is that?”
Those who think this may sound a
tad gimmicky might wish to
remember that we are in a fashion led
industry, after all.
440’s recent addition of Baden
guitars looks like a great fit. These are
two forward looking companies with
great reputations (TJ Baden spent 18
years with Taylor and is receiving rave
reviews in the press for his innovative
acoustic designs), bringing the trade a
credible and profitable alternative to
the mainstream.
440 DISTRIBUTION: 0113 258 9599
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST 2008 63
MI MARKETPLACEACESSORIES AND GIFTWARE
ACOUSTIC DISTRIBUTION
ABROAD REPRESENTATION
To find out more about the JVM Series and other Marshall products contact: Marshall Amplification plc Denbigh Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK11DQ www.marshallamps.com
AMPLIFICATION
64 miPRO AUGUST 2009 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK
DISTRIBUTION
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MI MARKETPLACEDISTRIBUTION
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DISTRIBUTION
…more than just a gig bag!
“THEWINN
ING TEAM”
Visit us online atwww.fusion-bags.com
CelloAlso available in Black & Grey
Distributed byAria UK Ltd01483 238720
To order call 0870 442 3336Low call rate 0845 345 5951
Rothwell effects pedals are trulyhand-made here in the uk and built to thehighest standards. The cases are handpolished and the electronics carefullyassembled by skilled uk workers. The circuit designis innovative and original (we don't do clones, repros ormods) and the sound is the sound of classic rock guitar - pure tone.Our pedals are quickly gaining a reputation for superb quality and are being played on some of theworld's biggest stages. The Hellbender (overdrive) and Switchblade (distortion) are currently beingheard by thousands of fans on Justin Timberlake's world tour, played by Mike Scott (also Prince'smain guitarist), who says "you make truly great, great pedals".
Why not join our growing list of uk and international dealers and stock Britain's finest boutiqueeffects pedals.
BRITAIN'S FINEST BOUTIQUE EFFECTS
WWW.ROTHWELLAUDIOPRODUCTS.CO.UK01204 366133
INSURANCE AND BUSINESS
MI MARKETPLACE
ETHNIC AND FOLK
MUSIC PUBLISHERS
Excellence in Music
Office 2.05, Argentum 2 Queen Caroline Street Hammersmith, LONDON W6 9DX UK Sales Freephone: 0800 432 0486
John Morley Clavichords, Spinets,Harpsichords, Virginals & Celestes
Antique, Modern & New, Rental, Repairs,Sales lists & colour brochures on request.
Robert MORLEY & Co Ltd.Piano & Harpsichord Makers
Established 1881
125 x 180cm99x138mm ad 23/1/07 4:23 pm Page 1
PERCUSSION & DRUMS
OCARINAS
Making Music in SchoolsSince 1983
UK made rainbow ocarinas fromOcarina Workshop are easy to playand great fun to teach with.
These pocket-sized instrumentsare popular with kids & well-tuned.Together with 'Play your Ocarina'music books, they are the key tosuccessful music-making in manyschools around the country.
Make sure school ocarinas are onyour counter-top and availablewhen customers request them!
Quote ‘MI Pro’ when you order12 Ocarinas & 12 Books and beamazed at the ocarina’s potential...
Trade orders are sent by return:free delivery & no minimum order