mi pro august 2010 - issue 123

MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO AMAZON BEHRINGER TASCAM JET CITY

No. 123 • AUGUST 2010 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL � FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS

A STAR ISREBORNHH amps and speakers return with a

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REGULARS: DISTIE PROFILE 15 I WOKE UP 36 RETAIL NEWS 58 LOCATION REPORT 62 PRODUCTS 50-55 CODA 72

FEATURES

ROSETTI 30A look at the supplier’s new British guitar project

JET CITY 32Why this US brand chose to enter this alreadysaturated market

TASCAM 34Exploring the rising appeal of field recorders

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COVER STORY 27

ISSUE 123 AUGUST 2010

Summer has long been referred to as the silly season forthe media, with the world and his wife – and MI is noexception here. The traditionally ‘quiet period’ of the year

for most of the trade usually leaves MI Pro scratching aroundfor news and features alike. Not this year.

Thanks to the MI Retail Conference & Expo, there has beenenough of a buzz about the place to keep us going at leastuntil September.

You can read the main report, starting on page 18, but itwas, for us, an extremely positive experience, albeit a nervewracking one. No-one had ever really done anything like thisbefore and the build-up to the event for the MI Pro team wasfilled with a lot of variables.

The nerves were, however, pretty much gone by the time theConference was underway and had been replaced bysomething approaching satisfaction once we started gettingfeedback from retail delegates and Event Sponsors alike at theExpo and the After Show Party.

You can see the positive reponses from both sides of thebusiness on pages 20 and 57.

What this has done for the MI trade in the UK will only bemade clear after the event has had the chance to bed itselfinto the calendar, but from the reactions we have received, it isclear that the MI Retail Conference & Expo has the makings ofbeing an annual hub around which the issues of the day can bediscussed. From discussion, of course, comes conclusions, aclearer path ahead and more ease in decision making. This isthe potential.

Next year’s event is already in the early stages of beingplanned and dates for the 2011 Conference & Expo will beannounced soon, which means that the opportunity is alreadyupon us for retailers to begin thinking about what it is theywould like to debate.

With retailers’ concerns at the centre of the agenda, it ispossible to get the entire trade singing from the same songsheet – and as Paul McCartney said, ‘that isn’t silly at all’.

Andy BarrettManaging editor

NEWS

EVENTS

SECTOR SPOTLIGHTS

The PA market was more or

less dominated in the 1970s

and 1980s by one brand –

HH Electronics. Since Laney

took the audio giant under

its wing, it has been plotting

a return. Now, that time is

finally upon us.

A SECOND COMING

MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO,

AMAZON ENTERS MI, BEHRINGER

BREAKS FROM KORG, ZILDJIAN

ENDS YAMAHA DEAL, ROLAND

PRODUCT PREVIEWS

MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO 18MI Pro’s first ever event took place on June 29th,proving to be a huge success. This bumper eventoffering looks at the day’s activities what made it geta major thumbs up

MUSIC CHINA 25In a country that has achieved staggering growth,Music China has followed suit and established itself asthe third largest global MI trade show.

MIXERS 39A sector often shunned by retailers, there appearsto be no shortage of choice in the mixer market

SCHOOL RENTALS 45

An overview of the latest youth-friendly

instruments that fit into this difficult area of MI

6

20

52

RETAILRETAIL RESPONSE TO EVENT 57Dealers’ reaction to the MI Retail Conference & Expo

From the reactions

received, it is clear

that the MI Retail

Conference & Expo

has the potential to

become a hub for

the trade.

[email protected]

ANDY BARRETT

EDITORIALCOMMENT

37

Praise from all quarters for new trade event

MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO NEWS

MI Retail Conference & Expo attracts over 200 dealers and garners strong support from the market’s leading suppliers

4 miPRO AUGUST 2010 SIGN UP FOR THE MI PRO NEWSFLASH SERVICE AT WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

THE FIRST MI Retail Conference

& Expo, in association with

Musikmesse took place on June

29th at The Brewery in Central

London. It brought together 23

Event Partners and over 200 UK

retailers to discuss the

major issues facing the

trade today.

The morning’s

conference saw a

series of

presentations

and panel

sessions, while

the Expo

comprised an

afternoon of

business and further

informal discussions.

The day was

rounded off with a

relaxed After Show

Party, sponsored

by Roland.

The event has been hailed by

the UK trade as an unparalleled

success, with many suppliers and

retailers stating that this sort of

gathering had been well overdue.

The conference saw Matt

Gibbs of GfK reveal statistics

outlining the state of the UK’s MI

trade at the moment (see below),

panel sesions discussing the

lessons learnt from the recent

collapse of several retail chains

and the role of the internet in MI

today. Paul McManus took

delegates through the work the

MIA undertakes on a daily basis.

Rob Sherwood, the

MD of the UK office

of Musikmesse, felt

the show delivered

everything it had

set out to do. “It

was thoroughly

well organised

with excellent

attention to the

visitor experience.”

He said. “We felt it was

professionally branded.

Intent Media has

delivered on every

aspect of the event.

Congratulations and thanks.”

“This was the best business

decision we have made this

year,” said Monacor’s Neil

Clayton, one of the Event

Partners

Details of the 2011 MI Retail

Conference & Expo will be

announced shortly.

A full report on the event

begins on page 18.

MI Retail Conference& Expo

An event

in association with

THE FIRST keynote address at

the MI Retail Conference was

provided by Matt Gibbs of GfK,

the market research company

that collects, collates and

publishes sales figures for the

UK’s musical instrument trade.

This presentation was

undoubtedly among the major

talking points of the day.

Gibbs pointed out the

general stability and quick

reactions to economic pressure

the MI trade as a whole enjoys

and showed, using GfK figures,

consumers’ confidence in the

UK, with just 15 per cent of the

population describing their

households as ‘not managing

(ie running into debt or

drawing on savings), while 42

per cent are managing while

not saving and 44 per cent are

still saving.

With the arrival of a new

government those feeling that

they will be better off in 12

months’ time, however, has

recently dropped drastically.

During 2009, MI bucked the

trend of other consumer

durables in the retail sector by

growing its market, but January

to May 2010 figures show that

currently MI is starting to slip

behind most others in the

market, contracting by 1.7

per cent.

The good news comes in the

make up of musical instrument

sales. Strong value growth in

2009 was because of price

increases and growth at the

higher end of the sector (this

was also true of other sectors),

while the underlying volumes,

which were up only slightly,

have now moved in the

opposite direction. “But it’s

crucial to note,” said Matt

Gibbs, “that while prices

went up, volume sales did

not collapse.

“Prices have now begun to

stabilise, meaning that any

value increase must come

from volume development –

and in some areas that is

actually slowing.”

In conclusion, Gibbs pointed

out that over the past 18

months, MI has performed well

above general retail, but he

added: “Low interest rates have

helped push high-end sales in

this discretionary spend area,

and will this now dry up?”

Matt Gibbs discusses his

presentation is on page 22.

Research shows tougher times ahead

“During 2009, MI bucked the

trend of other consumer

durables in the retail sector by

growing its market.

MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO NEWS

Event Partners launch new initiatives

AUDIO TECHNICA and Barnes &

Mullins both used the MI

Retail Conference & Expo to

launch new initiatives for their

UK dealers and both Event

Partners were successful with

their new introductions.

Audio Technica exceeded its

target for retailer sign-ups to the

company’s Summer School

training programme, launched at

the new retail event. The

company’s idea is to help

retailers improve customer

service through better product

knowledge and the initiatives

were warmly received by retailer

delegates, who were quick to

sign up for the tailored training

sessions in July and August. In

addition, the launch of AT’s

Centre of Excellence initiative at

the expo proved popular, with

retailers keen to benefit from

accreditation as a premium

supplier of the brand’s

microphones and headphones.

Barnes & Mullins used the

event to launch the second part

of its ‘manifesto’, which saw the

launch of the String Gallery

website, designed to be a

comprehensive resource for the

supplier’s orchestral strings. For

further information on String

Gallery, see page 58.


Musikmesse reaches out to retailMUSIKMESSE, the headline

sponsor of the recent MI Retail

Conference & Expo used the

event to get face to face with UK

dealers and promote both its

trade shows, held in Frankfurt

and Shganghai.

“Being the headline sponsor

of the MI Pro Conference

allowed us, as Messe

Frankfurt, to get in front of UK

retailers on their home turf –

which was an experience

which we found highly

rewarding and worthwhile,” said

Messe Frankfurt UK’s managing

director, Rob Sherwood.

“Many of the retailers who

stopped by at our stand were

visitors to Musikmesse already –

and it was great to hear about

how we can make the experience

better for UK visitors.

“We’ve recently tied up a

great deal with a big hotel

agency in Germany to get

Musikmesse visitors preferential

rates, and we’ll be working on

putting together a great package

for UK visitors over the coming

months.”

Sherwood explained that it

was also a good opportunity to

let retailers, who hadn’t yet

visited Musikmesse, know what

to expect and how the organiser

could help make the trip as easy

as possible.

With 79,000 visitors attending

Musikmesse from around the

world (110,000 if you include

the concurrent Prolight + Sound

show) and over 1,500 exhibitors

making the most of the time

available is paramount and

preparing as much in advance

will help dealers get the most

from your visit.

Musikmesse’s involvement

also generated a lot of interest in

Music China, particularly with

those thinking of making the trip

for the first time. This year’s

event is scheduled for October

12th to the 15th and a preview

of the trade show, which is now

the third biggest in the world

with over 1,100 exhibitors, can

be found on page 25.

Sherwood asked that UK

retailers wishing to register

interest in visiting should drop

him an email at

[email protected]

.com. Tickets will be available in

2011 and the UK office can be in

touch with you with travel

details as soon as they are.

Musikmesse 2011, which has

taken the slogan ‘Mission for

Music’, will run from April 6th to

9th next year at the Frankfurt

Messe. Visit the website below

for more information.

MUSIK.MESSEFRANKFURT.COM

NEWS


AMAZON HAS officially joined

the MI retail market, by

launching a dedicated musical

instrument category.

The move, announced on July

1st, follows a long 'trial' period

working with several established

retailers across the country and

offering a relatively small

selection of instruments and

accessories under the

'electronics' tab of the UK

version of the retailing website.

It is understood that the vast

majority of items for sale are still

from UK retailers (rather than

direct from Amazon), although

many dropped out of the

scheme when, also on July 1st,

Amazon hiked its 'marketplace'

commission from seven to 12

per cent and was also discovered

to be talking directly to suppliers

and manufacturers.

Trade reaction to Amazon’s

step-change has been mixed.

Most retailers, understandably,

are fearful of the impact the

online juggernaut seems set to

make. Some suppliers are also

wary, with Roland, Peavey and

Marshall all confirming to MI Pro

that they will not be dealing

directly with Amazon.

MI Pro recently contacted

Amazon with a list of questions

designed to determine its

intentions in the sector. In

response it issued a brief

statement: "Here at

Amazon.co.uk, we aim to provide

our customers with the widest

range of products at low prices.

We have a range of musical

instruments and, as with any

range on Amazon, we will

continue to grow over time."

(See news analysis, page 13.)

Amazon goes live with musical instruments

Behringer breaks deal with Korg

BEHRINGER MUSIC Group has

confirmed it is rearranging its

European and American

distribution policy in favour of

a ‘direct to dealer’ approach,

severing its ties with Korg,

which became its distributor

on May 1st.

According to a statement

released by the company, it

will now aim to ‘streamline

distribution and logistics

operations’. There will now be

more of a focus on areas such

as product conceptualisation,

development, manufacturing

and customer experience.

All changes will apply solely

to the Behringer and Bugera

brands, as Midas and Klark

Teknik will maintain it’s current

sales structure.

Uli Behringer, chairman and

CEO of the company

continued: “The restructure of

our sales model will help us to

place certain logistic

operations into the capable

hands of our partners and

allow us to focus on expanding

our brand into new business

segments, place a significantly

increased emphasis on

proprietary technology, and as

always, deliver our savings back

to the consumer.”

The statement does not

however mention why this

decision was made so

suddenly, or how this new

system will work in the UK.

There is also no indication as

to how this new operation will

differ from Behringer’s original

set-up before Korg was named

distributor earlier this year.

KORG: 01908 857100

Company restructures distribution plan towards direct ‘factory to

dealer’ operation two-months into deal with major UK supplier

Online retail giant introduces dedicated MI section and stings ‘partner’ retailers with fiver per cent commission hike

Zildjian terminates 15-year

distribution deal with Yamaha

IN A letter to its dealers, Yamaha

Music UK has announced that

Zildjian has decided to end the

distribution agreement it has

with Yamaha as of January 2011.

The letter, written by Richard

Hodgson, director of the pro

music division at Yamaha Music,

details the agreement and the

effort his company has put into

Zildjian since it took

responsibility for supply in 1995.

“We worked hard to establish

a sales structure and refined

dealer network,” he said.

“Many Zildjian dealers told us

they had been pleased that the

confusion and last minute deal

culture was replaced with a new

professionalism. Zildjian cited the

move to a unified YME as one it

is uncomfortable with.”

The Yamaha-Zildjian

agreement will remain

unchanged until January.

"My whole team and I want to

take this opportunity to thank

you for your continued support,”

concluded Hodgson.

YAMAHA: 01908 366700

HODGSON:

Worked hard

BEHRINGER: All

change. As you

were

NEWS


ROLAND WILL be offering a

sneak preview of a selection of

Roland and Boss products, which

are due to arrive in stories this

coming Autumn.

Venues in both Walsall and

Manchester have been chosen as

the physical locations for the

combined online ‘event’ before

the official global launch date of

September 1st.

These events are free to

attend, but those interested

must act quickly, as there are

only a limited number of spaces.

Roland introduced this format

last September and brand

manager Martyn Hopkins

believes it is a format that

appears to be working. “It has

been very successful. It’s a global

event and a great way to get all

the assets together in one place,

reach more people and develop

more of a buzz. The download

stats also prove that it works.”

The Walsall venue is: Walsall

College, Wisemore Campus,

Littleton Street West, Walsall,

WS2 8ES and it will take place

on Wednesday August 18th. For

further information, dealers

should call 01922 657000.

The Manchester location will

be the Monastery Manchester,

Gorton Lane, Manchester, M12

5WF on Thursday August 19th.

The contact number here is

0161 223 3211.

Both events start at 1pm and

refreshments and lunch are

included. To book, contact Lisa

Lewis on 01792 702 701, or via

email: [email protected]

ROLAND: 01792 702701

Roland Connects worldwide

MI Pro becomes exclusive trade partner for LMS

Launch initiative brought back after success of last year’s global promotion brought results

Wayne

Blanchard

leaves Sabian

WAYNE BLANCHARd has left his

position as senior marketing

manager at Sabian after 24 years

with the company.

Blanchard, a high profile figure

in the cymbal manufacturer’s UK

and international operations, was

responsible for introducing the

concept of brand-led growth into

its marketing agenda. He was

also editor of the company’s

Newsbeat magazine.

He personally designed and

directed the current cymbal

advertising campaigns, the

NAMM and Musikmesse show

booths, as well as the 2010

Sabian Cymbal and Sound Guide.

“It's a unified, sequential

programme, possibly the first in

our industry and has been met

with a remarkable reception,"

he said.

Blanchard was in London

recently to direct a photo shoot

and managed Sabian media

relations, as well as serving as AR

liaison for the UK. Blanchard also

introduced Sabian’s Jackie

Houlden to Westside

Distribution, which has been the

cymbal maker’s supplier since

the demise of Arbiter.

Blanchard is now currently

discussing possible contract work

with the cymbal giant. “Having

lived and worked in the UK I am

well attuned to the market, have

a place to stay and I am available

on a consultant basis and for

marketing-related projects,”

he added.

WESTSIDE: 0141 248 4812

MI PRO HAS been named as

the exclusive trade media

partner for the London Music

Show, which is coming to the

city’s Excel venue from October

8th to 10th and will also be

sponsoring the trade lounge.

Organised by Future

Publishing, the event has also

confirmed several new

additions to its line-up, which

now includes ex-Prodigy

guitarist Jim Davies, DJ John ‘00’

Fleming and keyboard player

Howard Francis.

The exhibitor list is also

growing, with contributing

companies taking part now

including Fender, Roland, Korg,

Peavey, Marshall, Sound

Technology, JHS & Co and

Focusrite, with many more

involved and several slots still

to be announced.

The London Music Show will

feature a combination of

workshops, interactive feature

areas and live performances,

while visitors will have the

opportunity to get hands-on at

the Rhythm Live Drum Theatre,

Guitar Zone and the Sound and

Recording Technology Theatre.

“The London Music Show

promises to be a fantastic

event, giving musicians of every

level the chance to try out the

latest gear, join in a host of

interactive feature areas and

buy musical instruments and

recording equipment,” said the

event’s director, Future’s

Chris Down.

“We’re really pleased with

how the show is coming

together. Manufacturers are

really getting behind the event

and working closely with us to

help create a much-needed

showcase for the industry.”

FUTURE: 01225 442244

Dealers welcome every day as artists and exhibitors added to already impressive line-up

Music Live 2010 victim of calendar gridlock

MUSIC LIVE 2010, due to take

place at Birmingham’s NEC from

November 4th to 7th, has been

postponed, according to the

show’s organiser, Clarion Events.

The event, however, is

scheduled to return next year,

with a revamped structure

planned. The congested autumn

2010 show schedule for MI

related events has been flagged

as the main reason for this

decision, as well as exhibitors

citing financial restraints.

Music Live’s show director,

Tiffany Pritchard is optimistic for

next year and stressed that

Clarion remains committed to

the event.

“We are dedicated to the

development of Music Live. I’d

like to thank exhibitors for their

support for the UK’s longest-

running music-making event and

look forward to unveiling our

exciting plans for Music Live

2011 later in the year,” she said.

NEC CLARION: 0121 767 3592

Show schedule and financial pressures on exhibitors leads to Birmingham event’s cancellation

HOPKINS: Developing a buzz

Yamaha acoustic drums have been the instrument ofchoice for leading drummers since 1967. And morerecently our DTX electronic drums have pushed backthe boundaries of technology, allowing beginnersthrough to professionals the opportunity to take theirdrumming to new levels of excellence. Here in the UK, Yamaha has been committed to providing the very bestlevels of service to the drum market for many years and we look forward toserving our UK and ROI dealers well into the future. Exciting new releases for 2010 include Rock Tour and the flagship DTX 900 Series. And withour massive investment in new pad technology, as well as advanced production techniquesand innovative design, there's never been a better time to get onboard with Yamaha Drums. To find out how you can drum up a storm with Yamaha Drums please contact: Gavin Thomas, Product Manager, on 01908 366700

NEWS ANALYSIS AMAZON


WE ALL watched from a distance as we

saw the (initially gradual) disintegration of

the record shop. From such a distance,

indeed, that we probably didn’t even think

about the fact that, as we bought our CDs,

DVDs and books from Amazon’s website,

we were contributing to the demise of at

least two independent retail communities.

The beauty of the Amazon model was

that, unlike anything other than the

largest bricks and mortar outlets, it could

stock everything, offer it at discounted

prices and deliver within a couple of days.

The Post Office liked it, too.

July 1st saw Amazon further extend its

already vast scope by introducing a

dedicated tab for musical instruments,

accompanied by a large sigh from the

whole of the MI retailing fraternity…

Although some for different reasons.

A number of MI dealers had, in fact,

been using Amazon for some time to sell

through stock, including Jonathan Birch of

JB’s Music in Tunbridge Wells. Birch is one

of the only dealers willing to talk openly

about his involvement with Amazon,

seeing it as an essential weapon to fight

the online tidal wave that is causing so

much consternation among bricks and

mortar retailers.

“There are three or four retailers

working online that most of us simply

can’t compete with,” he explained. “The

likes of Digital Village, Dolphin and

Thomann have got online business

pretty well wrapped up. Working

with the likes of Amazon means we

can compete.”

Birch went on to say that this isn’t

simply box shifting, either. Customers

had phone numbers and email addresses

and could get good after sales back up

from JB’s.

The problem for these

dealers came on the same

day as Amazon’s dedicated

MI tab was introduced. A

hiking of the website’s

commission from seven to 12 per cent,

thus killing off much of the point for

dealers selling through the website.

“Throughout the three years I’ve been

using Amazon, they have used words such

as ‘partner’, but then, suddenly, you

couldn’t reach anyone to talk to. They

have promised to contact me, but so far

[as MI Pro goes to press] nothing,” said

Birch. “What’s more, we discovered that

they are turning to the manufacturers and

going direct, undercutting us even more.”

As a result of all of this, Birch has severely

cut back the lines he sells through Amazon

and is investing the money in his own

website instead.

This is where things start to get

interesting. There are, of course, a few

suppliers that avoid websites and

multiples anyway, but among the big

boys, Roland UK, Peavey Europe and

Marshall Amplification have said that

they will not be dealing with Amazon in

the UK or Europe... At the present

moment... The on-the-record statements

are almost as bland as the occasional

sentences of general meaninglessness that

emit from Amazon itself (which only says

anything once one has pushed hard and

long for a quote. Even the BBC could get

no more). This could be because American

branches (or headquarters) of global

companies are already supplying Amazon

across the pond.

As to which suppliers are selling directly

to Amazon, it is hard to tell. The supply

chain is something of a labyrinth.

Anything on the website that is listed as

being ‘fulfilled by Amazon’, comes from

Amazon’s central warehouse, although this

does not mean that it has been supplied

by the manufacturer.

To add to the confusion, certain

suppliers are threatening to send letters to

dealers forbidding the sale of their

products through third party websites.

While many dealers will applaud such a

move, others, such as Birch, see it as

somewhat absurd. “There was one

company that forbade the sale of its

products via third party websites and all

the legitimate dealers accordingly

stopped – only for rogue traders to

continue regardless.

“It’s a bit odd. My suppliers know me, I

don’t hide anything, they know the service

I offer, they know the level of training my

staff have. I’m not certain of the legality

of such demands, so I shall be finding out

as soon as I get one of these letters.”

It’s all a bit of a mess, really, which

probably falls nicely into Amazon’s plans –

divide and conquer and all that. One thing

is for sure, however, and that is that

Amazon selling musical instruments will

not crumble the foundations of

independent dealers in the way it did for

books and records. For one, there is little

in MI that can fit in the average letterbox

and that trip to the Post Office might as

well be a trip to the shop. Second, it is

clear that suspicion and disgruntlement

will keep a good deal of the trade well

away from Amazon… For now.

“Digital Village, Dolphin and Thomann have got

online business pretty well wrapped up. Working

with the likes of Amazon means we can compete. Jonathan Birch, JB’s Music

We’re delivering first class customer service. Are you with us? Be an Audio-Technica Centre of Excellence.

Our new customer service initiative is designed to equip you with the tools you need to become power sellers of our products, armed with our

award-winning customer service know-how and on going personalised training programs to keep you streets ahead of your competition.

Our Centres of Excellence will be split into three categories:

Studio Microphones - Monitor Headphones - Live Sound Microphones

Be a Centre of Excellence for just one, or all three.For more information visit www.audio-technica.com/coe

AT4080 AE5400BP892

ATH-M50

� � � � �Centre of Excellence

Amazon has made headlines by going live with a dedicated

tab for musical instruments – and the online giant doesn’t

seem too bothered about upsetting anyone, either. Andy

Barrett swings his machete through the undergrowth…

Lost in the jungle

Mel BayM U S I C , L T D .

Excellence in Music

Mel BayM U S I C , L T D .

Excellence in Music

Follow us: twitter.com/melbaymusic • facebook.com/melbaypublicationsVisit us: www.melbay.com

R

UK Freephone: 0800 432 0486 • e-mail [email protected]

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DISTRIBUTION PROFILE

Year Established: Around 1936

Number of employees: 24

Is business up or down compared to last year?

Compared to last year we’re finding business is

slightly down and we’re noticing the same trends

across the whole music industry in the UK at the

moment. We’re also hearing similar reports from

the US and the rest of Europe as well.

How has the economic climate affected business?

The current economic climate has affected business

for us and the rest of the music industry on the

whole from what we’ve all seen and heard. The

majority of the British public still want to play and

desire new musical equipment, but we’re noticing

that the UK population has much less of a

disposable income to spend on music gear.

What are your best-selling lines, and why do

you think they perform so well?

Vandoren has always been one of our best selling

lines due to its rich history and excellent quality

and now that its reeds are supplied in ‘factory fresh’

packaging, this makes them even more desirable.

Rickenbacker is also a very popular, unique and

exclusive brand, which is highly regarded by many

professional musicians. Again, the quality is second

to none and demand is greater than supply.

Our own Adam Black range is performing very

well and the acoustic range offers exceptional

performance and quality for the price. Our new

Libra UK model adds additional credibility and

strength to the brand name.

Promark is another brand doing well and is

helped by its excellent endorsee roster and

exceptional quality.

How does Rosetti feel the UK market differs

from other global markets?

Music is a huge part of the UK identity and its

culture. British music has always stood apart from

the rest of Europe and the US. This makes it very

hard to predict future trends and a best selling US

model doesn’t always translate to the UK.

Music now plays a larger and important role in

education, which has been a great help over the

recent years and hopefully this will continue.

What distinguishes you from the competition?

We distribute the best brands, hold great stock

levels and offer free delivery on all orders over £25,

regardless of weight. Every guitar we send out is

checked by our in-house workshop for quality

before dispatch and we also offer a generous five

per cent settlement on invoices paid within terms.

How do you maintain a good relationship

with retailers?

We strive to offer good service, generous terms and

excellent products and we always check stock

before dispatch.

We’re also in the process of organising an open

day and look forward to meeting with many of our

key customers in September.

What would you say is the biggest challenge

facing the MI industry today?

Amazon, Tesco and other large corporations that

are selling into the MI market are a big challenge at

the moment, forcing us and everyone else into

looking into new ways to work within this new

business climate.

What are your aims for the next 12 months?

To increase our market share with our current

brands as well as establish Hagstrom as a brand.

We also aim to increase our strengths in-house,

and improve customer service. We’ve already re-

designed and heavily updated our own website.

Mark Ellis

ROSETTI - BRAINTREE, ESSEX

Rosetti’s Mark Ellis

highlights the

strengths of his

company’s brands

and what sets the

supplier apart

from the rest…

Address: 4 Blackwell Drive, Springwood Industrial

Estate, Braintree, Essex CM7 2QJ

Phone: 01376 550033 Email: [email protected]

Web: www.rosetti.co.uk

CONTACT DETAILS

TOP DRUMMER Dave Weckl has

become the final addition to the

London Drum Show lineup,

according to Sabian's UK

distributor Westside.

The event, set to take place

over the weekend of September

4th and 5th will mark the first

time that Weckl has undertaken

a UK clinic or master class

appearance for some years, so

confirmation of his appearance

will allow UK drummers the

opportunity to witness his

legendary technique and playing

skills up close.

Weckl will perform a master

class on Saturday 4th and play

the main stage on Sunday 5th.

Ian Croft, Editor of Drummer

magazine, told MI Pro: “We are

delighted to have Dave

confirmed for the show. He is a

musician of the greatest repute

and his performance is

guaranteed to enthrall The

London Drum Show audience.”

Dave Weckl joins Benny Greb,

Pete Locket, Mike Mangini,

Ndugu Chancler, Andy Fisenden,

Ralph Salmins, Paul Clarvis, Nisan

Stewart, Ian Matthews, Craig

Blundell, Albert Vila and Young

Drummer of the Year Ben Clark

at London's Olympia

venue. Steve Gadd will

be formally opening

the show at

midday on

September 4th.

Jobeky

Drums, one of

the UK’s leading

innovators in

developing

electronic drums

and marrying electronics to

acoustics, will also be exhibiting

at The London Drum Show,

“proving that the custom drum

industry values the exposure that

the London Drum show can

bring,” said the show's organiser,

Oyster House Media.

Jobeky co-owner Jane Ackroyd

added: “Following on from our

own Custom Drum Show in May,

we are very pleased to be

exhibiting at The London Drum

Show where we will be

displaying our full sized, hand

painted kit by Scary Designs.

“Jobeky’s aim has always been

to show that electronic kits can

be as realistic in look and

playability as an acoustic,

without compromise.”

OYSTER HOUSE MEDIA:

01884 266100

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING DRUMS.

VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.

DRUM NEWS


London Drum Show lineup completeOyster House announces increasing exhibitor list and initial artist roster with more to follow in the near future

ROLAND'S SALES training

scheme is set to continue with

a special V-Drums education

event in the West Midlands.

This one-day sales training

session will be held at Walsall

College on Tuesday August

17th. It is due to be hosted by

Michael Schack (pictured),

Roland’s international V-Drum

demonstrator, who has been

involved in V-Drums product

development, demonstrations

and training for over a decade.

The objective of the day is

to share the latest sales

techniques and ensure all

participants have the tools and

knowledge to increase V-Drum

turnover in stores. The session

will include tips, examples and

ideas that can be put to use

by retailers on the shop floor.

The event will be split into

different stages, focusing on all

the main kits in the V-Drum

range, as well as the new

Octapad, SPD-S sampling pad

and Handsonic series. The day

will start at 11am and is set to

finish at 4pm. Lunch will also

be included.

Although free to attend,

there is a limit of 30 people,

so dealers are advised to book

now by contacting Lisa Lewis

on the number below, or via


The venue for the event is

Walsall College, Wisemore

Campus, Littleton Street West,

Walsall WS2 8ES

ROLAND: 01792 702701

Roland announces

V-Drum education eventMore big names sign up to DW DRUM WORKSHOP has

announced the official signing of

several high-profile drummers.

Dave Grohl, Thomas Lang and

Dominick Howard have become

the latest endorsers for the top

drum company.

Drum Workshop considers its

artist roster to be one of the

most celebrated and highly

visible in the drum industry

today and already has more

endorsers than you can shake a

drumstick at, including Tommy

Lee (Mötley Crüe), Mick

Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Max

Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen),

Aaron Spears (Usher), Alex

Gonzalez (Mana) and Neil Peart

(Rush). Its latest recruits include

Austrian virtuoso drummer

Thomas Lang, Derek Roddy,

Creed stickman Scott Phillips,

John 'JR' Robinson, heavy hitter

Dave Grohl and Muse drummer

Dominick Howard.

“At Drum Workshop we really

pride ourselves on our artist

relations programme," said the

company's director of marketing,

Scott Donnell. “We have an

amazing roster and it’s a real

family atmosphere.

It’s always been that way and

we feel that, more than ever, we

can offer drummers the best

service, products and people in

the business. We’re honoured to

be working with so many

talented artists."

"Guys like Thomas and Derek

take drumming to new heights,

Scott and Dominick are billboard

chart toppers and what can you

say about JR and Dave Grohl,

other than they have influenced

a generation of drummers and

continue to do so today. We

couldn’t be happier to have these

guys on board and we look

forward to working with them

for years to come.”

MORICO: 01992 461089

GROHL: Renowned tub thumper is one of DW’s newest endorsers

The original concept was a simple

one: could we get 75 to 100 UK

retailers together to discuss some of

the major issues facing the MI trade today

and then talk business with 15 or so

leading suppliers. It ended up being a lot

more than that.

At the final count, almost two dozen

suppliers gathered along with over 200

dealers and the UK’s MI trade got a clear

and valuable snapshot of its current

condition and future challenges.

The responses from all concerned were,

as you would expect, many and varied,

although there were a few issues that

illustrated a general theme as to how

things could be improved, but as you will

see (page 20) the overriding opinion was

very much a thumbs up that MI Pro had

managed to launch a vital and needed

event that will grow into the future.

For those of you unlucky enough not to

be there, here’s a rundown of how the

event was scheduled: The day started

casually with registration and coffee,

followed by all the delegates taking their

seats in the large Porter Tun hall, where an

introductory video was followed by a few

words of welcome from Intent Media’s

managing director, Stuart Dinsey.

The keynote presentation came from

Matthew Gibbs of the market research

company GfK, the only researcher to be

tracking retail sales of musical instruments

in the UK. Gibbs illustrated how MI had

largely cruised through the initial impact

of the global economic crisis, but also

showed that the first five months of 2010

looked uncomfortably like a downturn.

“Prices have now begun to stabilise,” he

said. “This means that any value increase

must come from volume development –

and in some areas that is actually

slowing.” A full report of Gibbs’

presentation can be seen on page 22.

The first of two panel sessions,

‘Reverberations: What Have Retailers and

Suppliers Learnt from the Collapse of

Sound Control, Reverb and Other

Multiples?’ was chaired by Andy Barrett,

who aimed questions at Simon Gilson of

PMT, Noel Sheehan of Sheehan’s Music,

Dennis Drumm of JHS and Julia Thomson

from FCN.

The discussion moved around topics

such as the ease of supply – indeed the

idea that MI is drastically over supplied –

and that suppliers should look upon

themselves as banks, offering, as they do,

lines of credit to dealers. “At the moment,

18 miPRO AUGUST 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

EVENT REVIEW � MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO

The first MI Retail Conference & Expo took place at The Brewery in Central London on June 29th. A new type of trade

event, it put retailers top of the agenda and benefitted from the support of some of the market’s biggest suppliers...

We can work it out

FACT FILE:

EVENT: MI Retail Conference & Expo,

in association with Musikmesse

DATE: June 29th 2010

VENUE: The Brewery, London

EXHIBITORS: 23

VISITORS: 304

VERDICT: As a first attempt, it

couldn’t have been much better.

Generally, it was seen that the

conference element could have been

longer and the panel sessions deeper,

but by and large, the UK trade gave

MI Pro’s first trade event a

resounding thumbs up.

banks are extremely cautious as to who

they lend money to,” said Gilson. “Yet a

shop can get thousands of pounds worth

of gear just like that.”

Both Drumm and Thompson concurred,

but qualified the statement. “We have a

warehouse full of stock so that we can

supply what is wanted by the dealer,” said

Thompson. “It is so easy to become an MI

dealer, so it is up to us to make sure

these businesses are being run properly.”

“It’s not for us to dictate to other

businesses how they are run,” said

Drumm. “That said, JHS looks for

customers who run their businesses with

a close eye on their fiduciary duties and

trade with our company more or less

within terms.”

Paul McManus, the CEO of the Music

Industries Association took to the podium

next and ran through the efforts the

organisation is constantly undertaking to

grow the market, lobby parliament and

ultimately, make more musicians.

One of the major functions of the MIA

is to run the charity Music for All and to

this end, Roland UK’s managing director,

Tim Walter, took a few minutes to launch

the initiative ‘Three Men on a Bike’. This

will see Walter and two other Roland

directors cycle from Lands End to the

London Music Show in October to raise

funds for the charity. Walter called upon

any and every individual in the MI trade

to ‘give something back’ and get involved

in any way possible. (For further details,

go to http://threemenonabike.org.)

In another seamless link, Walter

handed over to his sales director at

Roland UK, Peter Heath, who chaired the

second panel session, ‘Online Selling:

Threat or Opportunity’. On the panel

were Paul Marshall of Marshall

Amplification, Harvey Roberts of Audio

Technica, David Briggs of Dawsons and

Katy Watson-Cave of Dolphin Music.

“In MI, we are a long way behind

getting the most out of the internet,” said

Watson-Cave, whose experience is mostly

outside MI with the likes of Halfords,

Boots and Marks & Spencer. “Denial of

the online e-tail industry goes back many

years and in all cases has been reversed.

We need a complementary approach.”

Roberts agreed with this, pointing out

that a complementary approach is

needed from everyone. “Traditional

retailers need to think about what added

value they can deliver so that consumers

want to shop in-store,” he said. “What do

people currently get out of visiting the

stores? If it's not very much, then of

course, they'll just buy online as there's

no service being offered.”

Briggs proved immensely popular on

this session and, in inimitable style, boiled

the retailing mission, whether online or

on the shop floor, to its fundamental

purpose. “You buy a product at ‘X’, you

sell at ‘Y’ and you live off the difference. If

you can’t live off the difference, you need

to find a new product.”

A lively Q&A brought the conference

to an end, but it was immediately clear

that the delegates had an appetite for

more. The presentations had been well

received and the panels sparked debate.

Next year, the plan is to increase the

content and tackle even more subjects,

possibly in a multi-track programme.

After a networking lunch, the action

then shifted to the expo, where 23 Event

Partners met with existing customers –

and found some new ones.

It was very much a business

environment, conducive to meetings and

discussion, with some product and service

demos, and even a retailer survey adding

to the buzz.

Among these were the initiatives

launched by Audio Technica and Barnes &

Mullins. The microphone giant used the

Expo to introduce its Summer Schools

and Centres of Excellence, While B&M

unveiled its new orchestral strings

website, String Gallery, as part of its

‘manifesto’ to rally behind the

independent retailer.

As you will see from the comments

that follow, the vast majority of Event

Partners and delegates felt the event was

a great success – as good as a first

attempt could be – and exactly what the

UK trade has needed for some time now.

Curiously, perhaps, of all the events

that have taken place aimed at UK

retailers, this is the first time that retailers

have been the centre of attention.

The inherent beauty of it, of course, is

that the event is all about dialogue and

that discussion is still ongoing, meaning

that next year’s MI Retail Conference &

Expo is certain to be better still. We can

work it out.

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST 2010 19

MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO � EVENT REVIEW


An event

in association with


EVENT REVIEW � MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO

“As the organiser of Musikmesse we

found the MI Retail Conference to be an

excellent way to engage with UK retailers

and suppliers. The event was thoroughly

well organised with excellent attention to

the visitor experience. We also felt the

event was professionally branded. MI Pro

has delivered on every aspect of the

event. Congratulations and thanks.”

ROB SHERWOOD, MUSIKMESSE

“Congratulations to

the MI Pro team for

putting on something

new and different to

the usual trade show.

This was the first

event and obviously

lots of lessons can and will be learnt for

next year, which without question Audio

Technica will be keen to support. The

more feedback and comments received

will obviously help shape future events

and make it the ‘must-attend’ annual

diary event.

“I would also like to thank all the

retailers who came along and showed

their support and hope to see them and

others coming back next year for what

will undoubtedly be bigger and better.”

HARVEY ROBERTS, AUDIO TECHNICA

“There could have been one or two more

hours in the conference. Pre-selected

questions would have been better,

perhaps people could have submitted

three questions beforehand. But it’s been

good value for money, bearing in mind it’s

new – and it was great to talk to dealers

we never normally would.”

TONY GRAVEL, TASCAM

“Very, very good.

Anything that gets

dealers together and

creates feedback from

the market is a good

thing. I’ve seen a lot

of customers, I’ve seen

people I haven’t seen for years – it’s been

wonderful. It’s like the old days of the

BMF when we used hotels for the show –

really excellent.”

TONY FLATT, TANGLEWOOD

“We came to meet new retailers and

generate new business, as well as put

some faces to names – and that has all

been done.”

LAWRENCE DAVIES, ALLIANZ

“Just great – really good – and if I

thought it was rubbish, I’d tell you. Well

done. As a ‘first version’ I don’t think you

could have done it better, but you know,

of course, that the hard work begins now.

You have to identify the good and not so

good bits and improve everything.”

CRAIG FENNEY, NATAL

“It’s been a very positive day. A relaxed

environment in the Expo and enthusiasm

from the dealers has been good. Having a

checklist of dealers was really handy

because you can tick off who you have

and haven’t seen and it’s been nice to

meet some old friends too.”

SIMON TURNBULL, D’ADDARIO UK

“Quiet simply, it’s the

best show we’ve ever

done. Best for the

quantity of quality

contacts and the best

decision we’ve made

as a business this

year. I’ll tell you how good it was – the

only thing wrong for us is the difficulty of

parking with our van. When that’s the

only complaint you have, you know it’s

good.”

NEIL CLAYTON, MONACOR

“It has been very successful and far busier

than I thought it would be. I didn’t expect

everyone to make the effort, but it’s great

that they have.”

STEVE GREENWOOD, MARSHALL

AMPLIFICATION

“Congratulations for putting on an

extremely professional and well organised

trade event. The right people were invited,

excellent choice of trade dealers and key

decision makers. The stand and space was

perfect and the business from this one

afternoon will flourish over the next six

to 12 months. “

CHRIS STATHAM, MEL BAY

“A-plus. That’s what everybody has been

telling me. I think this is an excellent

initiative by MI Pro.”

DAVID RUSHWORTH, INTERMUSIC

“We bought 30 of our own retailers, so

there weren’t any surprises for us,

although with so many other exhibitors

outside our market, we have met a few

dealers we don’t know and we have

signed some new accounts – so, all in all,

yes, very good.”

DANIEL MASON, CASIO

“It’s a great location, a

really good spread of

people and I really like

the small, intimate

environment.”

ALEX MEW, BARNES

& MULLINS

“Well done – you should be proud of

yourselves for a job well done. There are

lots of ways we can improve this and I’m

happy to go through my ideas for what

they’re worth, but for a first attempt, I

think you’ve done extremely well.”

MIKE BARNFIELD, MICKLEBURGH (AND

FORMER MIA PRESIDENT)

“Just wanted to thank you guys for

being brave enough to organise such an

event during these unpredictable times

that both retailers and our suppliers are

faced with.

“Having recently returned from a very

similar (but more established) event,

which was being held by retailers from a

different industry, I can honestly say that

the event had all the ingredients to

become a successful annual event.”

TONY WHITE, BONNERS

With positive response approaching the overwhelming, here is what the Event Partners said about the MI Retail

Conference & Expo, as well as some of the retail delegates. Further retail comment can be found on page 55…

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REISSUED REISSUED

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MI RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO � EVENT REVIEW

Through our

panel of

over 76,000

UK retail outlets,

GfK is able to

gather sales data

from a wide

variety of

technology and

durable product categories. Coupled with

insight into consumer sentiment and

confidence, we’re able to build up a

comprehensive picture of whether people

are willing to spend, and then what they’re

willing to spend on.

The GfK NOP consumer confidence

index figure (which is derived from a series

of questions relating to household

finances) hit a low of -38 at the end of

2008. To put that into perspective, the

lowest score during the recession of

1990/1991 was -35. Anybody with

experience of both periods would agree

that the economic fundamentals are very

different. Currently unemployment is low

in relative terms, and interest rates are at

a record low of 0.5% compared to 14% in

1991. Clearly the drop in economic output

has impacted bonuses, pay reviews and

such like, but balancing that is the fact

that the largest single item of expenditure

for most UK households is housing, and

these costs have dropped. So confidence is

low, willingness to spend is low, but

disposable income for the average

household has up until now increased. This

is backed up by evidence from the

consumer confidence index showing that

44% of households are currently able to

‘save a little or a lot’, compared to only 15

per cent that state they are “drawing on

savings or running into debt”. When

looking forwards though, the indicators are

less positive. Following the election, there

has been a marked increase in households

believing their financial position will

worsen in the next year.

During 2009, spending overall dropped

by three per cent (or about £1.5 bn), yet

for musical instruments rose by over ten

per cent. Spending within durables over

the past 18 months has in particular been

focused on higher-end price points. High-

end brands have all performed well. And

whether it’s guitars, washing machines or

hair straighteners this trend can be seen.

In line with this, much of the growth seen

within MI was at the top end of the price

spectrum. Couple this trend with the fact

that exchange related price increases hit

MI far earlier than in other product areas,

and you get a strong value growth

reaction to very little volume change – in

fact most MI markets were flat or

declining in volumes during this time

period. From this, you could surmise that

retailers focusing on the high-end will

have performed best. Where people have

been willing to spend, they’ve spent on

aspirational goods and MI has clearly

benefited from this.

Move on to 2010 however and the

picture looks less rosy. Prices have now

begun to stabilise, meaning that any value

increase must come from volume

development – and in some areas that is

slowing. The durables market as a whole

has grown strongly for the YTD 2010 – up

by 2.4 per cent in value compared to a

drop of 1.4% for MI. This highlights how

fluctuating the performance of MI can be,

and is a trend commonly seen in markets

where power rests firmly with the

manufacturers rather than the retailers.

The electric guitar sector has seen the

fastest slowdown so far in 2010, with

high-tech products like synths, keyboards

and digital percussion the best performers.

So from this evidence we can conclude

that MI is not a very price elastic market –

spending or demand on a category level

does not seem to be stimulated heavily by

price fluctuation. ASP for an electric guitar

rose by nearly 20 per cent over the course

of 2009, but volumes were stable. What

we can say with some confidence is that

MI has benefited from low interest rates

and lack of consumer willingness to spend.

With disposable income likely to become

far more squeezed, the danger for MI is

that this spending will dry up.

Matt Gibbs is account director musical

instruments at GfK Retail. For further

information: [email protected].

One of the highlights of the MI Retail Conference was the

keynote talk based on GfK’s industry statistics. MI has

ridden the initial wave of the credit crunch, but the public

is now hanging on to its disposable income. Matt Gibbs

gives us a run-through of his well-received presentation…

Hitting the

brakes

“MI has benefited

from the low

interest rates and

lack of consumer

willingness to spend

2010 has shown MI’s first downturn since the recession began in 2008

Nearly half of the UK’s households are still managing to save

Growth has been seen in some unexpected places in the first half of 2010

MI succeeds to maintain volume sales despite wide-ranging price increases

As the world reeled from the

consequences of the credit crunch

through 2009, China proved exactly

how strong it had become as an

economic powerhouse by growing its GDP

by a mere eight and a half per cent

(compared to nine per cent in 2008 and

13 per cent in 2007).

There is a certain amount of ‘splendid

isolation’ involved in this, as China’s

currencies and financial systems continue

(thanks to its still largely controlled

economy) to function separate from much

of the world’s more dynamic exchanges,

but much of the buffer against tumbling

stocks and shrinking reserves was due

simply to the colossal manufacturing clout

that the country has.

China continues to grow, albeit at a

slower rate than before, and one assumes

that musical instruments and the Music

China show will, too – although that one

is a little more difficult to call.

Price increases over the past year have

maintained profits in MI trade in the UK,

but now prices have stabilised, it would

appear that unit sales are beginning to

dwindle, too – not that China would bat

so much as an eyelid at the sort of drop

the UK represents, but multiply that across

the developed world.

One thing is particularly clear, however,

as Music China’s growth has paralleled

China’s ascendancy since the launch of

the show in 2002, so 2010 will most likely

see a moderate, almost imperceptible

push upwards.

Combine this with the developed world

seeing the light at the end of the

(crunched) tunnel and October’s show is

likely to be as dynamic as ever. Last year’s

show took up some 65,750 square

metres of space over six halls and saw

1,164 companies from 24 countries

exhibiting to 42,499 people from 86

countries over the four days (two of them

open to the public).

“For 2010, we are seeing that exhibitors

are more confident in putting together

aggressive marketing plans to get back

any business lost during the global

economic downturn,” said Evan Sha, the

deputy general manager of Messe

Frankfurt (Shanghai). “Well over 90 per

cent of last year’s exhibitors have reserved

space for this year.”

Interestingly, this push for ‘bigger’

would appear to be an effort to create

more shelf space for higher-end products.

According to the National Bureau of

Statistics in China, the continued growth

the domestic population has enjoyed in

disposable income has contributed to a

steady increase in retail sales. In December

2009, the year-on-year growth rate was

17.5 per cent. The Chinese government

had initiated a stimulation plan to

compensate for the decline in growth,

which bolstered consumption and was

reflected at Music China 2009, with

buyers looking for high quality products.

“With an improving economy, we expect

this trend for quality to continue for

Music China 2010 as Chinese buyers are

still demanding high quality branded

goods to meet the needs of local

consumers,” Sha concluded.

Chinese buyers demanding branded

goods, eh?

Since Music China began, everyone has

been reflecting on the benefits of having

one’s foot in the door once the Chinese

domestic market began expressing itself

through a desire for luxury items (and for

the sake of argument, I am including all of

MI in that). With the developed world

taking a couple of steps backwards and

China continuing to run forwards, the gap

is now perceptibly closing… And the door

is widening. If your foot is in there, you’d

best be ready.

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO JUNE 2009 25

As China hauls itself out of the ‘blip’ that was for the rest of the world a global recession,

Music China continues to increase its gravitational pull on the world of MI. Andy Barrett

burrows down to bring the first of three overviews on this key event in the MI calendar…

China syndrome

MUSIKMESSE � EVENT REPORTMUSIC CHINA EVENT PREVIEW

OCTOBER 12TH TO 15TH SHANGHAI NEW INTERNATIONAL EXPO CENTRE

IN THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE CORNER

UK exhibitors have maintained their

numbers at around two dozen for a few

years now, with some, such as Howarths,

Tanglewood and Denis Wick being genuine

regulars. Those from the British Isles

exhibiting this year are listed here.

Colin Holdsworth tells MI Pro that there

are still a couple of £1,800 grants

available for qualifying companies

wishing to exhibit.

ABRSM/Oxford University Press

Denis Wick Products

G7th

Hiwatt

Howarth of London

IBC Trading

JMI Amplification

Mel Bay Music

Music Sales

Scalerail

Tanglewood

Tokai (unconfirmed)

“China continues

to grow and one

assumes that

musical

instruments and

the Music China

show will, too.

It would be almost impossible for

someone who wasn’t in the MI trade,

or an active musician in the late 1970s

and 80s, to appreciate how important the

HH brand once was. At that time, HH

more or less owned the band PA market

and was huge in backline. Born in the

early 1970s in Cambridge, the resolutely

black and red clothed, all solid-state

products epitomised an era of rapid

growth and innovation. Downed by a

series of poor management decisions

(including an ill-fated electronic keyboard

and a range of home computers) it

eventually passed, via Carlsbro, into the

ownership of Laney, which has quietly

bided its time, waiting for the perfect

moment to relaunch this iconic British

brand. And that moment will soon be

upon us, James Laney explains.

In 1990, when the ever-canny Lyndon

Laney acquired HH Electronics from

Carlsbro (then still owned by its founder,

Stuart Mercer) speculation was rife that

the iconic high-tech British brand was set

for an instant comeback. It hadn’t fared

well in Carlsbro’s hands – probably

because both brands catered to the same

market, producing ‘the working man’s

amp’ which, while it was the mainstay of

just about every pub and club band in the

country, was less often seen on the

professional stages – dominated by the

valve hierarchy.

But Laney hadn’t bought HH for its

amplification expertise – why should it

have? After all, the Birmingham amp

maker had plenty of that of its own.

Instead, it later emerged, Laney had

bought the company for its largely

unrecognised (outside of technical circles)

excellence at loudspeaker design and

manufacture. Lyndon Laney knew he

could take those speakers and use them

to equip his own amplifiers, giving him

an instant cost and quality edge over

his competitors.

Fast forward to Frankfurt this year,

where visitors found an HH stand

showing prototypes of a completely

new range. On the horizon, it appeared,

was not just the odd backline amp, or

PA enclosure, but a full-scale relaunch.

James Laney, overseeing the project, is

understandably excited by the prospect

of this.

Return of the kingHH Electronics is a brand that many musicians of a certain age will remember fondly. Now, since being bought by Laney,

it’s back with a whole range of products waiting in the wings. Gary Cooper was on hand to uncover the details...

HH ELECTRONICS COVER FEATURE


“At a certain point in time, HH was the

market leader – the innovator. Not just in

terms of marketing, but in terms of the

technology and the principles behind it,”

he enthuses.

So what exactly was it that has

restrained Laney from doing this in the

past? Both Lyndon and James have been

asked before, not least because to a

certain generation, it has seemed as if

they were neglecting a potential

goldmine in an industry obsessed with its

own heritage.

“The last decade has been a time of

remodelling the way we’ve worked – not

least in becoming a distributor as well.

We’ve moved from a business that was

making everything in the West Midlands –

bashing metal, cutting wood, making

speakers – to having to go through the

process of disassembling that and moving

it offshore, and that has taken a very long

time to get it how we want it and where

we want it. It’s a place where we still

have our heart in manufacturing.

“We still design the product, we still

go through the whole engineering

process – asking the questions about how

easy it will be to put it in the box and will

it still work at the end, when it’s been

shipped thousands of miles? Doing that,

and doing that at arm’s length across

the other side of the world, is a set of

skills that I think we, as a business, are

pretty good at. But you’ve go to learn

those skills.

“What you don’t want to do – and this

is why we might have seemed as if we

were dragging our heels – is come up

with a few speaker boxes, stick a name on

them and get someone in Asia to make

them for you. We know that wouldn’t

work with Laney, we know with Laney

that we still have to come up with the

ideas, and that’s just as true for HH. You

hear the argument that you can just go

to a factory, buy a product and stick a

badge on it, but you actually can’t – it

doesn’t work. The only place that can

work is at the very low-end, short-lived,

area in the market and that’s not where

HH was and it’s not where HH will be.”

Laney makes a good point. If HH

meant anything for its retailers and end-

users, it was as a stylish, innovative, high-

tech product. Slapping the distinctive red

logo on a box filled with cheap Chinese

speakers would be a sure route to

extinction. So what is on the way?

“It falls into two main camps, really.

I’d probably call it professional

portable audio – PA for musicians – and

some backline.”

That backline aspect could have been

easy for Laney to have ignored -

particularly as it already has a highly

successful offering in that area.

“HH was very successful there. Look at

the VS Musician, the Bass Machine and

the IC100. That was all iconic stuff and

the fact that we’ve got pictures of Marc

Bolan stood in front of his HH isn’t to be

ignored. In fact, there’s an enormous list

of artists who’ve used HH and it’s not

necessarily all in the past. I opened a

magazine just a while ago and saw a

picture of Johnny Marr sat by a VS

Musician. It’s everywhere, so there’s

definitely the will to do backline again.”

That said, one of the characteristics of

HH backline was that it most certainly

wasn’t a screaming, valve Marshall or

Laney. Though HH’s founder, Mike

Harrison, regarded valve technology as

obsolete, the fact was that most guitarists

continued to aspire to own valve products

and Harrison and his supporters (of whom

there were more than a few inside the

amp business) simply got it wrong. The

valve might have been a dinosaur, but it

made the sound guitarists wanted –

which was something Laney understood.

The point of which being, while

reintroducing HH will push some

guitarist’s buttons, it can’t be assumed

that the majority will feel the same way.

“Yes – we’ve got this great resource to

draw on, but it’s balancing that with

doing something that’s current that is

going to count,” Laney says. “We have to

use that past and we have to refer to it,

but we don’t have to copy it.

“To that end, we brought in Duncan

Boniface as product development

manager for HH. Duncan is specifically

tasked with leading the HH process. This

is not just the Laney design team doing

some HH on the side – we have got

separate resources, 100 per cent

dedicated to HH. Duncan is an

experienced speaker engineer, which adds

credibility to our original speaker design

approach, and he is also very experienced

in China.”

So what abut the PA products?

“What we’ve tried to do here is say

‘these are products for musicians,

designed by musicians’. That really is our

starting point. Most of us here are

consumers as well as producers, so our

starting point was to say ‘as a musician,

what do I want my PA to do?’ and that’s

not the same today as it was in the

1970s. You have to look at it and ask

what did it do well? What were the

design cues, what are the questions that

it was asking? You can’t not have a mixer

because there wasn’t one in the 1970s,

but what you can do is ask what

approach would HH have taken to it. I

think people will see the results of that.

For example, we’re working on a powered

mixer which we’ve yet to unveil and

when we do, I think people will see things

on it that are very different from what

they’ve been used to, because we’ve

approached it in that unique way.”

One other aspect of the relaunch that

will gladden many hearts is that HH will

be sticking to the philosophy with which

it began – all the speakers used will be its

own. Laney says the design team were

very aware of that aspect of HH’s original

success and they were determined to

make use of that legacy. “We are doing

the speaker design because if we weren’t,

we wouldn’t be doing the brand justice,”

he says.

Given that our industry – notably the

guitar and amp sector – is awash with

product nostalgia, does Laney feel there is

a sense in which HH has actually gained

extra credibility by not having been

available for 20 years? Isn’t it the case

COVER FEATURE HH ELECTRONICS

28 miPRO AUGUST 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

“What you don’t want to do – and this is why we

might have seemed as if we were dragging our

heels – is come up with a few speaker boxes, stick a

name on them and get someone in Asia to make

them for youJames Laney

Product development manager Duncan Boniface (left) and James Laney

HH ELECTRONICS COVER FEATURE


that some companies have revived

products that weren’t even a success the

first time around and tried to make

them hits, by adding a little marketing

fairy dust?”

“It’s all a question of how do you make

it cool, but that only opens the door. Once

that door is open, you’ve got to put a

product to the market that stands on its

own. That’s why I’m keen to emphasise

that were not doing a VS Musician Mk II

because that just won’t work today. We’ve

seen examples in our industry where

products have been re-released and

flopped – or where they are ‘re-released’,

called the same thing, but are nothing like

the originals. That doesn’t work either. Yes,

you can create mystique just by being old,

that gets you in the door, but once you’re

in, what do you do with it?

“There is this love for the brand. You

could see that on our stand at Frankfurt,

where people of a certain age would walk

past the stand, see the logo, do a double-

take and smile. But the real challenge is

that the people who buy this product,

particularly on an international stage

where we are very active, won’t remember

HH. We have to borrow a bit of the

history to show them this isn’t just a new

thing we’ve dreamed-up, but the product

has got to mean something for now and

we have deliberated a long, long time over

what is going to be quite a big launch of a

lot of products.”

So when will MI Pro’s retailer readers

actually get their hands on the new HH

range? And when they do, what will they

have to sell?

“It will be the very end of the year –

with a launch in earnest in the New Year.

What we’ve got is a whole range of

products: three ranges of PA cabinets,

some active, some passive, with monitors

that go with them. We’ve got bass amps,

guitar amps, mixer heads – a lot of

products to launch simultaneously, plus, of

course, the power amplifiers. Those power

amplifiers are a perfect example of what I

was talking about, though. Everyone

remembers the V series, but though

there’s a great pedigree there, you

can’t do yesterday’s power amplifier – of

all the things. You can’t re-release a

product in that market to an old design.

Mind you, there may be a small corner of

the market that wants a boutique,

handmade V800. We realised that when

we saw people drooling over the one we

had on the stand at Frankfurt.

“One of the reasons this is taking so

long is that we are obsessed with

reliability. The thing that must not happen

is uncertainty about quality. Yes, there

might be some love for the old name, but

if the product turns up and doesn’t work,

then we’ve blown the chance. We’ve been

working for 18 months to bring this many

products together. We couldn’t launch it in

bits and pieces, we’ve got to launch a full

range and that’s taken a lot of work. It’s

been quite a test for us.”

One area of frustration for well-wishing

onlookers when Laney purchased HH was

that it didn’t build what could have been a

knock-out bass system, using HH’s

advanced speakers and its superb power

amps. Have Laney and his team’s minds

strayed in that direction this time around?

“Absolutely. It’s an area that’s not in our

first launch stage, where we’ll be doing

some more entry-level bass amps to get

the volume aspect of the business going,

but we do want to do it. We have the

right bits and we even know what we’re

going to call it, but it probably won’t be

right at the beginning. And the other area

is acoustic amps - which didn’t exist

when HH was around before - there are a

lot of possibilities.”

However good

the HH range

proves to be, one of

the obstacles facing

the Headstock

distribution team

could be the

unwillingness of

some MI retailers to

get involved in PA –

and often only in the

most peripheral sense, when they do.

What is the plan here?

“It’s changed a lot. There were always a

few powered monitors in the corner of a

guitar shop and even that’s fading away. I

think our approach for the UK, speaking as

Headstock, the distributor rather than as

HH, is to ask what dealers do we want and

how are we going to work with and

support them? You don’t actually need

that many shops to do the job right, You

need good national coverage and you

need backing for the product, but we don’t

need 300 dealers all at once, selling them

all two pieces each. I think it’s much

better, like we did when we launched

Ibanez, to work with the people who are

committed to it and help them make

good money, help them display it properly

and help them reach their consumer. I

think Headstock has the right abilities to

take that through.

“I think what I’d say to dealers about

this is that it’s a fantastic opportunity.

What matters to dealers? I think that they

like working with the company whose

supplying them, that they can make good

profits on the products in their shops, and

that they don’t make profit on things they

only sell once a year – they make profit

on something that sells consistently. Also,

we will make sure that the product is

reliable and that it’s not just something

we’ve found in China and stuck a badge

on. I can’t say that enough. What retailers

want least in their lives is a stream of

products in their store rooms that have

come back because things have gone

wrong with them. I know I sound like I’m

banging-on about quality control, but

we’re obsessive about that.

“The focus of our first phase will be the

professional audio side – a package of

cabinets, mixers, power amplifiers and the

hardware that you need. At the start, there

will be some backline for the entry-level

market, the 15, 30 and 60-Watt market,

because it’s a product the dealer will sell

every day. We have more exotic products

on the way, like a wonderful two-by-15-

inch isobaric bass cabinet that will sound

amazing and shake the glass out of

windows, but dealers don’t sell one of

those every day. They need bankers and

commodity sales that will help build faith

in the brand and which they can make

good profit on. It’s getting the right split

between commodity sales, core sales and

iconic products and the core is where

we’re going to start.”

Whether dealers will queue round the

stand, as they were said to have done

when HH made its début at Frankfurt in

the early 1970s, remains to be seen.

There’s no doubt, however, that the return

of the two red Hs will inject a much

needed jolt of excitement into the MI

scene early next year. For any reader of a

certain age, it will be hard to suppress a

welcoming smile.

HEADSTOCK: 0121 508 6666

COMPANY PROFILE ROSETTI

If the name Adam Black sounds like the

hero of a tough, down to earth detective

series, then it’s likely Rosetti’s marketing

team hit the target, when they came up

with the name for a range of no-nonsense

‘bang for your buck’ acoustic guitars. The

brand has matured since its launch, finding

a healthy niche in the market, but

significantly has recently been graced by the

introduction of affordable UK-made electric

guitars that are starting to attract serious

attention. Affordable UK-made electric

guitars? Absolutely, explains Rosetti’s MD,

Mark Ellis.

“In 2002, we identified that there were

still opportunities in the acoustic guitar

market, but that it had to be approached

differently. We aimed to include all the

features players want and leave out the rest.

“When you sit down with a factory in the

Far East, they literally have an Excel

spreadsheet that says if you want a fancy

inlay, it will cost you $10 and so on. But we

stuck to the basics, for example starting

with reliable machine heads. We said we

want Grovers because we’ve found from the

guitars we’ve handled that it takes a lot to

destroy a Grover. So we started with that,

then a simple dot inlay, added a basic

abalone inlay round the soundhole, but

opted for good solid tops, scalloped bracing

inside, dovetail neck joints – the features

that you’d have on a high-end instrument.”

The plain but honest approach went

down well with retailers and the public, with

Adam Black acoustics starting at £149 and

more than making up in sound and quality

for what they might lack in flashy

cosmetics. With a top-end Adam Black

acoustic costing around £449, it’s a

competitively priced range likely to appeal

to the experienced player, who appreciates

a quality instrument and isn’t beguiled by

showy looks.

“Lately we’ve added free cases as part of

the deal for retailers that buy a small

quantity of them and that’s how we have

progressed with it. It’s been a case of

thinking ‘what can we do to make it an

easy sell for the retailer?’, with the added

benefit that he can make decent money on

it, plus the opportunity of offering a free

case, should he need to.”

So was the name actually chosen to

represent that philosophy?

“Very much so. You wouldn’t believe

how many names for guitars have been

registered. We said we just wanted a

simple product that gets you from A to B

– hence Adam Black.”

The first guitars appeared in 2003 and

were followed by an electric range which,

it’s probably fair to say, wasn’t such a

success. Possibly, too many models were on

offer, Ellis concedes, though some of the

models sold well. The range was soon

whittled down to more manageable

proportions. Then, last year, Rosetti decided

“We thought there had to be a way of making a

guitar that was affordable and has features over its

competitors from the Far East Mark Ellis

Rosetti’s managing director

English RoseDesigning a British electric guitar might seem like a daunting task, but not if you’re a

member of the Rosetti team behind the Adam Black range. Gary Cooper finds out more…

The Rosetti team, with MD Mark

Ellis proudly holding an Adam

Black electric in the centre


to do something almost unprecedented for a UK

wholesaler: it built a British electric guitar.

“We’ve got great skills in our workshop team at

Rosetti. People who have worked with guitars and

indeed built their own guitars, and I thought: can we

utilise their skills to build a guitar that’s made in the

UK? So, early this year, that’s what we did and it was

one hell of a battle. I didn’t realise how much goes

into producing guitars.

“Being based in the South East, there’s a lot of

specialist engineering companies around here –

particularly manufacturing for Formula One. For

example, I found a guy in Suffolk who could make

the body blanks for us out of high quality ash, so

we’ve been able to offer a three-piece body, like on a

custom shop Fender. Then I found a CNC company in

Essex that could CNC the bodies. They specialise in

making fine detail products for Formula One and

other demanding applications and were keen to get

involved. We give them the ash and they do the rest

– drilling, routing, creating the scratchplates and so

on. The necks weren’t quite as easy and we have to

source those from a Japanese company.”

Ellis found one interesting reflection on the MI

business when working with these precision

engineers. When he gave them the components that

he wanted to use with the bodies, they were hugely

impressed by the standard of bridges, saddles and

other machined items, which we take for granted in

the guitar business, but which these specialist

engineers said were exceptionally high quality.

“We tend to look at it and think it’s just a stop

bar tailpiece, but the quality of engineering in our

industry – well, the word they used was

‘breathtaking’. We just take it for granted, but they

were so impressed by the quality of the die casting

and plating on products we handle every day.”

Of course, once you start importing components

like bridges, tailpieces, necks and so on, it raises the

question ‘how British is a British guitar?’ Without

wandering into litigation territory, it’s a question that

might just as easily be asked of some US guitar

producers, but it concerned Ellis enough to call in

the Essex trading standards department which was,

he says, astonishingly helpful and

supportive, advising Rosetti what it

needed to do to comply with the strict

regulations. “I couldn’t fault the way

they supported and helped us with this

project,” he says. “It’s been enlightening

for us, and now we have a UK guitar which

will retail with a nice bag for just £400.”

Part of Rosetti’s plan was the leverage of

the team of guitar experts it had assembled

through all the years it had distributed

Gibson and Epiphone. Now its four

guitar experts not only set up every

guitar that Rosetti distributes, but

also assembles and perfects the

Adam Black electric range.

“All that work is done here. The bodies come in,

we assemble them, then we do the finishing here,

too. Some of our guys have been with us for 20

years, so they’ve got the skills and were instrumental

in the final design, too, so it has been a good

exercise right throughout the whole company from

the very beginning.”

In common with everyone else, Ellis admits that

times are hard in the guitar market right now, so

Rosetti wasn’t expecting to set the market on fire

with the new UK Adam Black electrics, but they have

had a positive reaction from retailers and he says

that positive mood is beginning to spread.

“We’ve got a number of endorsers already, who

we’ve been working with for a number of years and

we also work with a company that liaises with band

management companies. I’ve asked them to start

working on these, as well. It’s critical to have artist

endorsement and relations programmes, particularly

at a time like this. You have to make it as easy as

possible for the people out there, so that’s what

were doing. It’s hard work, mind you.” he laughs.

It’s refreshing when one of the UK’s longest

established distributors decides to break the mould

and not just buy Asian guitars out of a pattern book,

but takes the trouble to design, specify, assemble

and finish a line of its own. From a commercial point

of view, it ticks the box that UK distributors have

increasingly had to pay attention to – realising that

placing your business’ future in the hands of brand

owners carries a serious risk – and Adam Black, for

all that it means to the company, has to establish

the brand from new, gives them ownership of a

range over which it can exert complete control.

“We thought there had to be a way of making a

guitar that was affordable and has features over its

competitors from the Far East,” Ellis says. “We’d put

this guitar up against any other at the price point.

“One thing we also did was involve the endorsers,

who tend to be younger and with up and coming

bands. That’s important, because we’re not going out

with an established name. It would be difficult to

convince older guys, who have long since decided

they are Fender players, for example, that this is

what they must have, so we’ve targeted Adam Black

at younger players – and people like it. They are

happy to see a guitar that is made in the UK.”

While you have always been able to buy a

handmade British guitar for a thousand pounds (or

two or three) a British-made guitar selling in the

£400 region (or its pre-inflationary equivalent)

hasn’t been available for a very long while. If Rosetti

can pull this off it could set a completely new

market trend for home grown instruments

– and that can only be a good thing.

ROSETTI: 01376 550033

ROSETTI COMPANY PROFILE


COMPANY PROFILE JET CITY

IIt’s not an original story, three guys

from the MI business meet up working

for a large corporation and say to each

other ‘hey, we can do this – and what’s

more, we won’t need to report to anyone

but each other’. But when Dan Gallagher

(above) and Doug White found themselves

working with each other for Loud

Technologies, selling and managing several

products including the Blackheart range of

amplifiers and did exactly that, they went

a stage further and did something a bit

different. Soldano was a consultant on

that project as he had been on projects

working with White in the past.

Gallagher and White had worked

together in 1999 and through the early

noughties establishing Behringer in the US

and then met up again at Loud, where

Gallagher was VP of International Sales

and White was VP of Product

Development for MI Brands.

“We had both worked for big

corporations, so the opportunity to work

with a product range of our own design

was refreshing – and we saw the benefits

of getting away from the pleated trousers,

the white shirts and the bean counters,”

explained Gallagher. “So we said to Mike:

‘what if we start a new business and take

your designs to a much bigger market?’

We knew Mike had been approached

before, but we were offering him the

chance to have complete decision making

over the designs and hands-on

manufacturing involvement. He is known

for being fastidious – that’s why he’s

called the Ferrari of amps – so if anything

is wrong, he tells Doug and we change it.”

Gallagher describes Jet City (named

after Seattle, where the company is based)

as “very honest with good honest

products, “but we don’t take ourselves

too seriously.”

The birth of Jet City, then, is nothing

particularly out of the ordinary, but it is in

the development, manufacture and

marketing of the products that things take

a swerve away from the norm. We have

seen it before in the guitar market, top

luthiers designing models for the mass

manufacturing market – although in those

cases, there tends to be a brand looking to

step up from the entry level to the high

end. In the case of Jet City, the brand is

born of the idea.

Gallagher is keen to point out the

equality of each of the members of the

triumvirate, Soldano on design and

engineering, White on product

development and marketing, Gallagher on

sales and business, but this is not a

dictatorship in any other way. Jet City is

essentially these three and all other work

is sub-contracted out, including a heavy

nod towards viral marketing.

“Everything we do has a purpose,”

pointed out Gallagher. “Jet City is what

people call Seattle, which is where we are

based, the concentric rings of the logo is

based (a bit tongue in cheek, I admit) on

another famous Seattle brand, the 333

refers to Mike’s ’formula’ for overdrive –

everything is as deliberate as the designs.”

The result of all this is the JCA range of

amps, cabs and combos, designed by

Soldano and brought to market only after

Soldano was happy enough to put his

name to them.

“He is very strict. The transformer of

the first prototype is a classic example.

Mike built the first prototype in his shop

in Seattle and Doug took it to China to

build the production units. Doug spent a

few weeks there setting our standards and

revised the output transformer about

three times by comparing measurements

to Mike’s original US-made transformer,

Jet settersIf ever there were a market suffering from

congestion, it must be the guitar amplifier

scene. Andy Barrett hard wires into Jet

City to find out what is powering the

new US brand – and discovers

some impressive whys,

wherefores and Watts


and through listening tests. When he came home

with what he hoped would be the production

standard, we were very happy with the parts and

construction, and it sounded good – but not good

enough for Mike. It turned out that there wasn’t

enough iron in the transformer and it didn’t have

enough bass output. It felt good we were working

with a factory with a high level of competency, but

there are not many guitar amp makers in the world

like Mike Soldano.

“Mike has consulted with other manufacturers

before, so he knows – and we know – that what we

are making are never going to be Soldano amps –

but this is the first time he has had some ownership

in the company, so JCA amps are as close as is

humanly possible to the real deal.”

The range comprises three heads (with compatible

cabs) and two combos, the higher wattage models

having two channels: ‘crunch’ and ‘overdrive’. The

overdrive circuit is what made Soldano famous,

ranging from dirty to an extreme high gain, much

loved by modern guitarists. The units are all plywood

construction with a 16-gauge steel chassis – and,

put simply, you would probably have to have ears

the quality of Soldano’s to hear the difference

between these and their big boutique forebears.

“If you take the 20-Watt JCA 20H, which was

based on the Atomic 16, we have managed to create

a copy of a Soldano amp that sells for $1,200 for

just $299 – when you take the quality of these into

consideration, that’s not cheap, that’s just

unbelievable value.”

Because of this, Jet City has been something of an

overnight success in the US and the brand is now

opening out into the international market. In the UK,

Source Distribution has taken on the line.

And there, apart from the possibility of running

through the specs of each individual unit, the story

would have ended for now and we could have closed

with Gallagher, White and Soldano, arm in arm,

gazing over the Pacific ocean. Enthusiasts, however,

rarely draw a line under their activities. If it worked

for Soldano designs, the team thought, why

shouldn’t it work with others?

“While we are certainly concentrating on the

Soldano designs at the moment, the object of Jet

City is to co-brand with other boutique amplifier

makers as well and the first step along that path is a

collaboration with Andy Marshall of THD,” explained

Gallagher. Marshall, like Soldano, began his career by

hot rodding amps for pro players and moved on to

making THD a big name – and like Soldano has been

looking to get his designs out to a wider public.

“These guys represent big brands, but they are

both looking to take up a bit more shelf space in the

shops,” continued Gallagher. “This is what Jet City

does – and we are looking to do more when it is

possible. Obviously, we have to be completely legit.

We have to be honest, we have to be right about

everything we do – and the products have to be

absolutely right.”

The THD-style model takes the currently popular

‘mesh steel’, small format casing, an all-new design

with a five-Watt amp with a half power switch,

called the PicoValve.

“If you think the Jet City by Soldano are value for

money, then the Pico Valve is even better,” enthused

Gallagher. “This has a US street price of $299 and

like the THD original, it can be hot-valve switched

the power section, like the THD UniValve – we’re

going to offer an oven glove as an optional

accessory item.”

The Pico Valve is the kind of amp that guitarists

love in the studio. The combination of the low

Wattage and the interchangeable valves means that

a huge array of tones can be achieved and the low

output means that a full, juicy overdrive can be

achieved at manageable levels.

“We are really looking forward to doing more with

Andy,” admits Gallagher. “And the beauty of our set-

up is that we can put out an open offer to amp

makers everywhere – you can come to us. Guitar

players are always looking for their’voice’ – and likely

as not putting down the established brands. They

want something different – and that’s what we do.”

Gallagher concluded by underlining this ‘service’,

saying that Jet City is genuinely looking to give

brands that have never really had a chance to get

their products out to the wider market, simply

because of availability and price – and he hopes the

JCAs and Pico Valve will get that message across.

They aren’t the originals, but they are damned close.

SOURCE DISTRIBUTION: 020 8962 5080

JET CITY COMPANY PROFILE

Soldano (left) with Lou Reed. The designer made his name hot-rodding amps for pro players


COMPANY PROFILE TASCAM

Despite the infamous ‘summer

slump’ in the MI trade, some

products seem to have a special

appeal at this time of year. Acoustic

guitars, for example – perfect for

impromptu jams and in the back garden or

on the beach. And while you’re playing

outdoors, how about a solid state field

recorder to act as the perfect notebook for

when genius strikes? Tascam has carved

out a great market for these incredibly

useful devices, which musicians have

taken to for all sorts of applications – not

least for sampling and taking advantage of

digital sound quality, which means they

can integrate the results into fully

professional standard recordings.

Recently, Tascam added to its range, but

as the company’s technical sales manager,

Gary Maguire explains, the previous

market stormer, the DR-07, has been such

a success that it is maintaining its place in

the line-up, with the newcomer, the DR-

08, coming in above it in the range.

There’s no doubt that field recorders are

selling so just who is buying them?

“It’s one of those markets that at times

is hard to fathom, but from what we’re

hearing, a lot of people are using them for

capturing sounds outside for sampling,

open air gigs and practising. Field

recorders make it easy to get down ideas,

before committing them to a portastudio

or computer based recording solution.

“One of the most common uses of

these recorders we have seen is the

recording of gigs where traditionally the

only means of recording was using a CD

recorder. Now they have the option to use

a field recorder, take it home and burn off

CDs or upload to Youtube or a similar

service. It’s much more convenient to have

a small, handy pocket recorder for that.

“The DR-07 has been out for some time

and the next step was to make it more

pocket friendly, so the DR-08 is a lot

smaller than the DR-07. However, we’re

continuing the DR-07, as it’s our ‘value’

product at the moment. But the DR-08

has added features, as well. It has a higher

sampling rate, a built-in speaker and you

can move the microphones, so that you

can get a wider stereo image. It’s probably

a bit more music-friendly than the DR-07,

but that has sold so well that we’ve been

able to bring the price down and we’ll be

continuing to meet the demand for it.

“At the same time as the DR-08, we’ve

introduced the DR-2d, which has a

massive unique selling point – its dual

recording function. Why this is so

important is because if you set your

recording levels at the start of a

performance and you set them incorrectly,

there’s a secondary recording being made

in the background at a lower level - so

whoever came up with that idea, we

should take our hats off to him.”

Given the way almost any performance,

acoustic or amplified, tends to creep up

the dB scale as the evening wears on, this

feature could prove to be a lifeline to

anyone making a live recording. And it’s by

no means the only feature that makes the

DR-2d stand out, as it also boasts a pair of

onboard condenser mics, slow-down

playback with no pitch change, and the

now familiar, easy to use Tascam interface.

“It’s also effectively recording four

channels at once, so another way of using

it, if you were recording a live gig for

example, would be to record via both the

line inputs and the microphones. That way

you end up with two stereo files, one with

the ambience of the gig and the other as

your direct mix from the front of house

mixer. That makes it ideal for putting files

up on Youtube or Sound Cloud, because

you can mix in the crowd sound and

ambience however you like.”

Tascam has a host of field recording

solutions, many of which will appeal to

the broadcast industry but a larger

majority are targeted at the MI sector. For

Tascam has recently added to its range of best-selling field recorders. But that's not all this industry stalwart has been up

to in its never-ending bid to tempt end-users and retailers alike. Gary Cooper gets the latest from Tascam's Gary Maguire.


Track and Field

example, the

affordable DR07, the

DR08 with its slim

profile, the DR2d that

would appeal to a

recording novice due

to its dual record

function, the GTR1 for

guitarists and two

boom box models for

rehearsal rooms, as

well as practicing

musicians.

So what about

Tascam’s venerable

Portastudio range,

now in its 30th year?

“Currently we

have four models: a

four track, an eight

track, an eight track

with CD and a 24

track with CD,”

Maguire says. “One

thing that we’ve

done over the past

year is streamline

our range, allowing

retailers to offer easy

options. The idea is to

enable a sale to go through more

easily. We’ve done the same with the

streamlined audio interface range, too –

which currently comes as a two input,

four input and sixteen input, with a few

more eight input models on the way.

“Most of our products are designed to

make for easy choices. It’s a case of the

retailer saying ‘what are your needs?’ and

the solution presents itself. One of the

biggest things that I’ve had feedback on

from our dealers is where someone takes

a customer through their options, gets to

the end of the conversation, they’re just

about to take the customer’s money when

he says ‘By the way, I’m using Windows 7

64-bit, will it work?”. All of a sudden, the

interface that they’ve been talking about

for the previous 20 minutes or half an

hour is not suitable for their needs. Well,

what Tascam has done is pump a lot of

money into making sure our products are

compatible with every version of Windows

on the market and every version of the

Mac operating systems as well.

“It avoids that situation where you’ve

described the perfect product for the

customer, only to lose his confidence at

the end of the transaction. So we have, in

true Tascam style, stuck to the basics and

made sure it’s a simple sell for the retailer.

There are a lot of things that you can put

into a box as technology becomes cheaper

and cheaper but, particularly for

musicians, that can sometimes act as a

deterrent if the choices become murky for

someone who only wants to click ‘record’.”

When MI Pro last spoke with Tascam,

Tony Gravel explained how much trouble

the company goes through to make itself

appealing to smaller retailers, who might

imagine they are too little to interest

them. Gravel stressed that small retailers

are very important to the company and

Gary Maguire says that, they have

increased their efforts to attract them.

“We know that it’s tough out there and

that footfall is down in the smaller stores.

In the industry there has been a bit of an

over-reliance on Internet selling, so in the

last year we have been visiting a lot of the

smaller stores, supporting them and

bringing them to our products. We’re open

for all small retailers to help them

compete with the larger shops and help

them sell our products – we’re certainly

not prejudiced as to where our products

go and we’ll, on occasion, support some of

the smaller dealers even more so.”

This is not a Quixotic gesture towards

smaller stores either, as Maguire explains.

“There are a lot of guitarists out there

who aren’t interested in the technology

and a lot of the smaller stores are guitar

stores, where they may not have a lot of

knowledge about recording and

technology, but where there are a lot of

opportunities to make sales. That’s why

we still have our Portastudios and the

sales of those are very good, so we’re

going to carry on with them. A lot of

manufacturers have discontinued

multitrack units, but we’ve every intention

of continuing with them and we’ve new

models coming along in the future. There’s

still a large market out there that is

intimidated by computer recording – but

it’s not just about that. There are people

that have got big Pro Tools systems, but

don’t want to be stuck in front of a

computer when trying to get ideas down.

A Portastudio offers an easier route and

thanks to digital technology, where once

you were recording to a four track

cassette and it was stuck there, now you

are recording in digital. So, if you happen

to do the best take you’ve ever done, you

can export that to a Pro Tools set up and

have it professionally mixed later.”

Convenience, ease of use, professional

audio quality at competitive prices and a

policy of helping independent retailers.

What’s not to like?

TASCAM: 08451 302511

* Teachers and music services everywhere recommend Stentor

for the quality and value we offer

* Stock Stentor and keep customers coming back to you as they

upgrade to their next instrument

* Ideal student and intermediate instruments:

• Stentor Student I

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• Stentor Graduate

• Stentor Conservatoire

* Our high grade orchestral models:

- Messina, Elysia and Arcadia

* Stentor violins, violas, cellos and double basses are carved

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Contact us for free copies of the Stentor brochure, our DVD

‘The Making of the Stentor Violin’ and Stentor posters

www.stentor-music.com

Stentor Music Co LtdTel: 01737 240226 Email: [email protected]

STENTOR The First Choice

“In the last year we have been visiting a lot of the

smaller stores and bringing them to our products. Gary Maguire

Technical sales manager, Tascam

TASCAM COMPANY PROFILE


PROFILE

I WOKE UPTHIS MORNING

As a sales manager, there are two

types of day – one where I’m at

home and the rest where I’m out

on the road. If I’m home based, I’ll get

up around seven and if I’m away it

could be any time between five and

nine o’clock, depending on where I’m

going. I’m lucky enough to live 15

minutes away from the M1 and most

retailers in the UK don’t open until 10,

so I can get to most places fairly easily.

The first thing I’ll do is have a cup of

tea and then switch my computer on

and have a look at what’s happening in

the world and then take my dog, a

labrador, out for a walk. The other day, I

was talking to my neighbour and the

dog started eating his fence, so it’s

important to get him some exercise as

soon as I can in the morning.

When I get home, it’s back to the

computer again checking emails and

planning the day out. I’ve been pretty

busy of late; I think in the last few

months we’ve opened up 36 new

dealers. Most of the day I’m answering

emails, as I’m also international sales

manager, so there is always a lot to

deal with. We do a lot of business in

Europe and Africa, so the time

difference isn’t too bad and a lot of my

time is spent in contact with them.

In my spare time I like to do

anything that doesn’t involve music.

After 19 years in the business, I find

that when I get out of the car or

switch off the computer, I just want to

do something else. I still love guitars,

but you have to have a break from it,

otherwise it becomes all-consuming.

I like listening to my six year old’s

opinion of the world, reading books and

anything that allows me to relax.

My background before joining

Studiomaster was in retail. I worked at

Academy of Sound and then got a job

at Loud Technologies with Ampeg,

before moving on to Maverick Guitars,

which make some of the best guitars

I’ve had my hands on in many years. I

had a stint running my own company

too – GNT guitars, where we

specialised in boutique effect pedals,

while doing freelance for Maverick.

I then went self-employed again

before being offered the job by

Studiomaster. It was the perfect time

to join, starting from the bottom and

it’s great how much it has grown since.

As for future plans, I’d just like to

win the lottery so then I could go and

buy my own island. But if we’re being

serious, I’d just like us to carry on as we

are, to ensure everything keeps going

ahead as planned to make sure there

are no shocks in store for us in this

wonderful industry.

Life can be stressful

for MI salesmen,

which is why

Studiomaster’s

Callum Talbot likes to

clear his mind of

everything music

related when he gets

some much needed

free time.

International Sales Manager – Studiomaster

CALLUM TALBOT

OUR ACCESSORIES

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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DADDARIO.CO.UKD’ADDARIO UK I A3 ELEVENTH AVE, TEAM VALLEY, GATESHEAD, NE11 OJY I 0191 300 3000 I

[email protected]’Addario, Planet Waves, Evans, HQ and Puresound are registered trademarks or trademarks of D’Addario & Company, WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

”I love guitars, but

in my spare time I

like to do anything

that doesn’t

involve music.


MIXERS SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Although more likely to be

associated with MI Pro’s sister

magazine, Audio Pro, mixers are a

worthwhile purchase for a band either

looking to record their creations or those

seeking a way to add something a bit

different to their sound.

MI is full of categories whereby the

difference between the low priced, entry

level products and the top notch, all

singing all dancing models equipped with

the best gear, is vast. Mixing consoles are

no different – they can range from below

£100 all the way up to many tens of

thousands. Of course, as appealing as mile

long desks with more buttons than an

aeroplane cockpit are, they’re a wee bit

inappropriate for your regular musical

instrument retailer to stock. So here’s a

taster of the market for us MI folk.

Allen & Heath’s Zed series is aimed at

the modern working musician for either

touring or recording situations. This

collection consists of the Zed-10, Zed-14

and Zed-24 stereo mixers, along with Zed-

10FX, 12FX and 22FX, which come

equipped with a set of in-house designed

effects. The versatile Zed-R16 is a

recording mixer, blending Firewire with

multi-mode MIDI/audio filters, MIDI

controls and ‘home studio’ routing.

Delivering both powered and

unpowered consoles is the PA series.

Designed as the perfect tool for running

your average PA system, the PA12 would

feel right at home in clubs, school and

conference systems, as well as in the

possession of traveling musicians.

24 mono channels, a four-band eq, four

stereo channels, each with two

unbalanced stereo inputs on each and four

aux sends are just some of the features on

this member of the Allen & Heath family.

A 16-program digital FX processor offers

reverbs, delays, chorus and more.

Proel’s M series is a complete range of

mixers with price points spanning from

£159 for the extremely compact M6 with

6 inputs, up to the £1,225 M1500USB.

The last two channels on the smaller

members of the series (the M6 and M8)

use combi XLR’s, meaning they can be

used as stereo channels or simply for a

mic on XLR. The M500 is the best selling

mixer in the range, due to the power it

produces from its compact size, as well as

its choice of effects and price.

Alto has also produced a fine blend of

both active and passive mixers suitable for

the MI market. One of particular note is

the Lynx-Mix244. This 24 input, four-bus

console offers high headroom, ultra low-

noise discrete mic preamps and a variety

of effects (256 in total).

Mackie’s Onyx 1640i represents the

upper end of what can be categorised as

MI mixers. This desk blends a powerful

16x16 Firewire interface with the

premium analog features such as 16 Onyx

preamps and Perkins eq. This will certainly

attract bands keen to both play and

record and is compatible with all DAWs.

The ProFX8 compact effects mixer is

the ideal partner for musicians playing

small to medium size performance venues.

It is equipped with four mic preamps a

three-band active eq and LED metering on

each channel. A selection of 32-bit effects

“ MI is full of

categories

whereby the

difference between

entry-level product

and the all-

singing-all-dancing

gear is vast.

They may not be commonplace in your average MI store, but mixing consoles are a great creative option for musicians

and essential for home recording enthusiasts. Adam Savage investigates the latest offerings…

Allen & Heath ZED10FX £299

The Zed-10 and FX version represent the most

compact members of Allen & Heath’s lineup. Two

ultra high impedance discrete Class A FET inputs

allow instruments to be plugged straight in. There

is capacity for up to four microphones and two

stereo sources, separate two-track record

outputs, an input for stereo playback, three-band

eq, two aux sends, a separate stereo bus and

monitoring, as well as DI level switching.

Proel M1000USB £899

This model has been flagged as an

ideal addition to a band’s

inventory. Compact, light digital

amplifiers are included within

Proel’s active mixer offering, which

utilises PWM technology and a

switching power supply section. A

compact, light 500-Watt-per-

channel digital amplifier is built-in

and rack ears and a carry case are

included in the price.

Soundcraft Notepad 124FX £182.13

The 124FX features an internal digital effects processor

with a feed from every input and over 100 effects. An

aux send replaces the FX send on the standard 124 with

a dedicated output. A high pass filter can be found on

the mono inputs, as well as a multi-segment LED

metering on the mix output.

This 16-channel desk is fitted with a pro-quality 24-

bit/96kHz FireWire recording interface, as well as

professional analog features, including Onyx preamps

and four-band, dual sweep eq on each channel. Six

pre or post-fader auxiliary sends are also built-in and

can be flexibly routed via the Firewire.

Mackie Onyx 1640i £1,303

A three-band eq is included with each

mic input, along with hipass filters.

Five stereo line inputs are also built-in

and extra versatility is achieved due to

the presence of eq and RIAA phono

preamps on several channels. ‘Main’

and ‘sub’ represent the two output

busses and there are two aux sends for

monitors and effects.

Tascam M164 £318

Into the Mix


MIXERS SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

A high-impedance input on channel two allows

the direct connection of a guitar or bass and a

tape RCA stereo input means audio from

external sources, such as CD players, can be

added to the mix. The internal effect processor

allows for the easy adjusting of effects via the

pre or post faders on each channel strip and the

USB function, also found on the other mixers in

the Multimix series, makes computer

connectivity remarkable easy and hassle free.

Alesis Multimix 8 USBFX £139.99

is also available, as well as a seven-band

graphic eq. Also included on this eight-

channel console are 60mm faders for

input channels, returns and

main/monitor masters.

Unveiled at Musikmesse, the M-164

series from Tascam is suitable for live

bands, home recording and installation

situations. The standard model, along

with the M-164FX (with added digital

effects) and the M-164UF (with effects

and an USB 2.0 interface) each come

with six powered XLR mic inputs.

Soundcraft’s FX16ii offers several live

and recording features, with direct

output on each channel and 24-bit

Lexicon digital effects.

The FX16ii borrows a number of

attributes from Digitech and Lexicon

equipment, including the AudioDNA and

MX400 processors. 32 effects are

integrated, with a tap tempo function,

three parameter controls, a settings store

ability and an effects clip LED.

Doubling up as both a mixer and

computer recording interface, the

Multimix 8 USB FX from Alesis is an

easy-to-use, feature-laden unit great for

band use or for sub-mixing a group of

inputs. Its microphone inputs feature

switchable phantom power,

accommodating both dynamic and

condenser mics, plus a wide range of

studio quality, 28-bit digital effects and

low-noise analog electronics.

The smaller Multimix 4 USB is a four-

channel desktop mixer with a built-in

USB digital audio interface. This model is

best suited for basic computer recording,

video editing, production studios and

portable podcasting. It outputs stereo

16-bit, 44.1kHz digital audio via USB and

users can monitor from a computer

through the same connection.

The new MCX series from

Studiomaster includes 12 and 14-

channel versions (the MCX-12 and MCX-

14), which fit perfectly into this

category. Featuring a rugged steel

chassis, accommodating the individual

circuit boards, this range is aimed at

engineers, installers and bands.

For a rackmountable option, there’s

the 162 BPX. This solidly built 16-

channel mixer offers 28 inputs and a

regulated internal power supply. Six

reverb effects and six pre-set delays,

ranging from 120ms to 720 ms allow for

a variety of creative options. 12 mic/line

and four mic/stereo line inputs mean up

to 16 mics and four stereo inputs can be

used simultaneously.

A four-band eq and two frequency sweep

controls are examples of features more

commonly found on consoles higher up

the scale. Three inputs per channel allow

for high flexibility and the 100mm faders

give accurate level tweaking. The stage

mode option turns the MCX into a stage

mixer by swapping group and mix faders

with the auxiliary send rotary controls.

Studiomaster MCX12 £799

Featuring a USB audio interface, the MMX-

512USB incorporates a stereo LED display,

two stereo input channels with balance

controls and a two way connection to a PC,

offering recording onto a PC in one direction

and reproduction of audio from the

computer in the other. An adjustable

headphone output and a power supply via a

supplied PSU make up this great little plug

and mix device.

Monacor MMX-512USB £79.99


Phonic HelixBoard18 £703.83

Over 100 32/40-bit high-definition digital

multi-effects are on offer and eight extremely

low noise mic preamps are spread across six

mono mic/line channels equipped with 75 Hz

low cut filters and four stereo line channels.

Also on board are three aux sends, two stereo

aux returns, a solo on each input and output, a

switching power supply and a rack-mount kit.

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT MIXERS SOUND TECHNOLOGY(SOUNDCRAFT)01462 480000JHS (ALLEN & HEATH)0113 286 5381SCV LONDON (FOSTEX)020 8418 1470PEAVEY01536 461234PROEL020 8761 9911LOUD TECHNOLOGIES(MACKIE)01494 557398TASCAM01923 438880MONACOR01908 217100AVID (M-AUDIO)01753 659590 STUDIOMASTER01525 217111SHURE DISTRIBUTION(PHONIC)01992 703058NUMARK ALESIS01252 896000AVSL (CITRONIC)0845 270 2411

What will surely appeal to budget

conscious individuals is the MMX-512USB

from Monacor, a three channel audio

mixer with five inputs and USB interface.

The PMX-162 represents the next rung

on the Monacor mixer ladder. This is a

240-Watt powered mixer, featuring four

mono and two stereo inputs, as well as a

five band graphic equaliser, LED level

display, a USB interface and LCD display.

Further up the scale still is the PMX-

350DSP. As the name suggests, a variety

of DSP effects are equipped with this

170-Watt powered model, with a five-

band graphic equaliser.

The Helix Board 18 Universal from

Phonic features a 96 kHz USB

2.0/FireWire interface for instantly linking

16 independent channels of audio to a

computer. A three-band eq is present on

each mic channel and a four-band on two

of the stereo channels.

For those with a bit more cash to

splash, Phonic is soon to release the

Summit Digital Mixer. This 16-input,

eight-bus digital console has a full colour

touch screen, allowing users to access the

onboard high quality GUI interface.

The LM16 live mixer from Fostex is a

digital console that represents an all-in-

one mixing solution, with knobs and

faders similar to an analog console.

A three-band eq with swept mid-

frequency are featured on each of the 16

channels. There is a selection of built in

digital mastering effects and the I/O and

mixer components can be separated at a

range of up to 50 metres.

The LR16 has almost identical

specifications to the above, except it also

functions as a hard disk recorder. The built

in hard drive has an 80GB capacity, which

can hold around 16 hours of

uncompressed digital audio.

Peavey has a couple of ranges in this

category that are ideal for bands and

home recording. The PV10 USB is fitted

with six XLR mic inputs and two stereo

channels with RCA and quarter-inch

inputs. A three-band eq, effects and

monitor send per channel and eight

inputs on total are on offer.

Also from Peavey is the FX series, a

step up from the PVs, but still desirable

by the MI category. Silencer mic preamps

allow high gain and low noise to ensure

faultless signal reproduction. Two post-

fader auxes add effects and dual DSP

engines allow multiple effects.

The CL82DSP from Citronic is an eight

channel live mixer, which would feel at

home in live PA, permanent installation or

home recording scenarios. Each channel

includes a three-band eq and headphone

output with PFL and a ten-bar LED

monitor display is just one of several

features that make this a great value

mixer. SMT technology is also built in to

ensure ultra-low noise performance.

For those seeking a powered mixer

from Citronic, there’s the CLP122DSP. This

12-channel unit has on-board 24-bit

digital effects, an FX send and return,

along with mic (XLR) or line (quarter-

inch) jack inputs.

Avid provides all kinds of products in

the audio-visual sector, among them

mixing consoles. For the MI market,

there’s the M-Audio NRV10.

Audio channels can be sent back on to

the NRV10, for CPU-free mixing and

monitoring. Add to that digital effects and

you’ve got an ideal companion.

Avid’s MC Mix offers a mixing speed,

resolution and integration of higher-end

desks, as up to four units can be linked

together, taking the number of possible

channels to 32.

CONTACTS

A three-band channel eq is included, as well as an 80 Hz low-cut

switch on all mic inputs and internal digital effects with 16

selections, such as reverb, delay and vocal enhancement. Patching is

reduced by an A/B stereo input selector and USB connectivity allows

it to be connected to a computer.

Peavey PV10 £259

A handy little hybrid, this piece of kit combines an 8

x 2 analog mixer with a 10 x 10 24-bit/96 kHz digital

audio interface. It cleverly allows users to link a

computer to a studio. This is achievable by routing

and recording mixer channels straight to individual

tracks in software such as Pro Tools and Ableton Live.

Avid M-Audio NRV10 £POA

Fostex LM16 £999

Citronic CLP122DSP £389.99

This 12-channel unit has an on-board 24-bit digital

effects processor with LCD screen. This, along with a

dual seven-band master graphic eq and 48-Volt

phantom power is what makes this another well priced

piece of kit. Effect send and return, along with mic

(XLR) or line (quarter-inch) jack inputs are what should

make people consider the CLP122DSP.

A single CAT-5 connecting cable eliminates the need for

bulky multicore snakes and it can sit either as a stand-alone

or mounted in a standard 19-rack. With fitting kits also

thrown in, the resulting versatility makes the LM16 perfect

for a variety of audio situations, as well as being highly

suitable for MI consumers.

Ltd

Sound Post

The

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Ltd Post

The Sound

The Sound Post Ltd Supplies the Widest Range of String Brands in the UK. Look No Further.

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The New Primavera Family. The Ideal Starting Point for Music Education. Ready To Hire.

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miPRO AUGUST 2010 45

SCHOOL RENTALS SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Speaking to a couple of dealers and

suppliers, one gets the impression

that the MI rental market is

becoming an increasingly difficult one.

Prices have maintained such low levels

for so long, there are a lot of parents out

there that would buy an entry-level sax

or trumpet almost without thinking

twice. Add to this the money made

available for schools to buy musical

instruments over recent years and we

discover that many of the more

opportunistic establishments are veritably

awash with instruments.

Of course, thousands of instruments

in schools is a good thing. The effect of

more musicians growing into the

disposable income market is bound

to help MI out in the long run.

In the short term, however, many

dealers have all but given up on the

rental market. With harder times

being promised by the new

government, the need for more

cautious spending is surely upon us.

The problems of renting are

many fold, however, and aside from

the maintenance and product knowledge

needed, there is the world of market

research and legal concerns.

The first question dealers need to ask

themselves is whether there is a market

for renting in their area. Has

someone else cornered it? Are the

schools musically active? How rich

is your catchment?

Then – and this is

important, as Justin

Wagstaff of The

Sound Post

explained – is your

paperwork in order?

“I’m amazed there

are dealers that don’t

know the difference

between renting and ‘try

before you buy’,” said

Wagstaff. “These are

fundamentally different

activities with different

statutory rights –

one is a delayed

payment, the other is a rental contract.”

So, you need to get that aspect in

order first. The type of contract, the VAT

chargeable (with the VAT rise in January, a

six-month ‘try before you buy’ scheme

started now, will finish after January 4th

2011 and thus be charged on 20 per

cent). Rental includes wear and tear – in

short, pop along to your solicitor or

Citizens Advice Bureau to make sure you

are using the right paperwork.

So, the rule of thumb is: 1) do a bit of

research and decide what you want to

do; 2) get your paperwork right; 3) get

the payments sorted.

“It takes a big investment, but if you

get it right it really can work well,”

insisted Wagstaff. “I know a fleet of

dealers who rent. Every now or then they

need to replace a bow or a case, a bit of

maintenance, but otherwise the money

keeps coming in and it pays the rent.”

That point of investment is crucial, of

course. Instruments need to be sturdy

enough to survive the sort of treatment

youngsters will give them.

Which brings us nicely to what’s on

the market these days.

While there are literally hundreds of

options for parents, there is one name

permanently on the tip of teachers’

tongues when making recommendations

to nervous buyers of kids’ musical tools:

Yamaha. It’s not simply the range of

instrument categories it covers –

everything across the wind and string

ranges – but also the varying degrees of

quality within each instrument. On page

47 is the company’s student flute (the

211), but in flutes alone, there is the 300

and 400 series student instruments and

then the 800 and 900 pro series. Do the

same for clarinets, saxophones, trumpets,

cornets, violins and cellos and you can

see why teachers would want a uniform

quality and sound across the entire

orchestra or band. If there is one brand

worth investing in, it is surely Yamaha.

Unless, of course, you are braver than

that. Yamaha does have its detractors

(not least among its competition), but

there are many individual fields where

The rental market has become a difficult one of late, with

falling prices and schools being given plentiful cash for new

instruments. Andy Barrett looks through the stockroom

and finds there is still good business to be had…

Hire love

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST2010 47

SCHOOL RENTALS SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Sold in various sizes for all ages, this outstanding violin includes hand carved, high grade

maple back and sides and figured spruce wood with inlaid purfling for the top. There is also

ebony for the fingerboard, pegs and nut. It comes with a durable, composite bow, a hardcase

with back pack straps, a full length music pocket and high visibility stripes and piping.

Primavera 200 violin £135

makers and dealers agree that Yamaha is

good, but that the specialist is better.

Enter The Sound Post Ltd and its

Primavera range of violins and cellos. The

company, which has helped with this

article, put in motion some market

research in 2009, to carry out a survey of

music services to identify how the

company could develop and improve

student products. The main findings were

that teachers want instruments that stay

in tune and last the distance – and most

LEAs were willing to pay that little bit

more for the necessary upgrades.

As a result, tuning and durability have

been addressed with better quality

fittings, including a new metal tailpiece

across the range. The new entry level

Primavera 90 now comes with rosewood

pegs and the well established Primavera

100 has been upgraded with ebony pegs.

Further to that, the Primaveras have new

bows across the range, a new carrying

system for the cases (with high-visibility,

reflective flashes and piping. For rental

instruments, durability ensures that the

retailer gets the maximum life and return

after the purchase price has been

covered. The Sound Post says there are

Primavera instruments in regular hire use

older than the students playing them.

Think student violins in the UK and

many think Stentor. Its violins, violas,

cellos and basses are ideal to stock as

part of any school rental scheme.

Most famously, perhaps, the Stentor

Student II is used by most UK music

services and is ideal for beginners who

want to rent their first instrument. The

violin is carved from solid tonewoods

with ebony fittings and comes with a

lightweight case and good student wood

bow with ebony frog (retailing for £135).

Then there are Stentor’s Mistral

woodwind and saxophones, comprising

alto, soprano (straight and curved) and

tenor saxes, clarinet, flute and piccolo –

the latter all hitting the £130 retail price.

Moving on to the brass and woodwind

side of things, some might be surprised to

hear that Jupiter has been around for 80

years now. Supplied by Korg in the UK,

Jupiter’s instruments cover everything

from the entry level to pro and the two

companies together have been extremely

active in education activities, particularly

the Sound Start scheme, teaching

hundreds of schoolchildren brass and

woodwind instruments since 2001.

Jupiter has also won the MIA Awards’

best woodwind instrument four times in

the past eight years, most recently with

the Jupiter JFL-511ESSC flute. This is one

of Jupiter’s core educational instruments

and joins the JAS-567GL alto sax, the

JTR-308L trumpet and the JCL-631SMTO

clarinet as an MIA award winner.

The instrument was one of the first to

include a silver chimney, which although

a small point, with a carefully designed

When teachers think student violins, most

think Stentor. This model is for those looking

to upgrade from their first instrument. It

features carved, solid tonewoods and cut for

quality of sound. Purfling is hand-fitted and

all instruments are checked for correct

measurements. This model has a shaded

satin finish, along with synthetic gut strings.

The outfit includes a lightweight case and

strong wood bow with ebony frog.

Stentor Graduate outfit£165

Mistral saxophones claim an excellent intonation. All have a high F# key and come with

a hard case. The alto has a full rib construction, high quality keywork and adjustable

thumb rest in a gold lacquered finish. The range also includes two soprano saxophones –

a straight and a curved model – and a tenor.

Mistral alto sax £345


This fully featured cello, with a satisfying and sonorous tone, has

a two-piece figured, hand-carved, solid maple back, belly and ribs,

double purfling, a satin finish maple neck with gloss scroll, ebony

fingerboard, nut and tuning pegs, and… well, the specs go on. A

remarkable instrument that ships with a Brazilwood bow, deep-

padded bag and comes in a variety of sizes.

Antoni Debut cello outfit£409.99

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT SCHOOL RENTALS

Jupiter JHR-452DFrench Horn£361

This is about as close to a pro

instrument as you can get with its

mechanical link rotors, leadpipe rose

brass, 12mm bore and 302mm bell, but

the price and interchangeable slides for

Bb and F keys, as well as adjustable

hooks make this a superbly priced horn.

KORG (JUPITER) 01908 857100SOUND POST (PRIMAVERA)01985 851122STENTOR (STENTOR, MISTRAL)01737 240226BARNES & MULLINS (ANTIGUA)01691 652449EMD (STAGG)01293 862612JHS (ODYSSEY, ANTONI) 0113 286 5381INTERMUSIC01202 696963BILL LEWINGTON01268 413366YAMAHA01908 366700

headjoint and well crafted keys, this silver

plated flute is a great model, and like the

rest of the Jupiter range offers quality,

design, longevity, playability and above

all, a student instrument that will last.

Antigua is a brand that has made

considerable waves in the saxophone

arena, but its extensive brass and

woodwind offering looks very much as

though it will be expanding its market

considerably in the coming years. Highly

professional instruments at medium

prices, these are quality tools. Last year

saw the launch of Antigua’s Vosi range,

born from four years of market research

and product development, coupled with

huge investments in technology and a

state-of-the-art new factory. The finest

materials sourced worldwide are used to

make Vosi instruments, with the line

comprising three flutes, a new ABS

clarinet (with LaVoz mouthpiece and Rico

H ligature kit), an alto sax with redesigned

palm keys for students’ hands, a lacquered

body with nickel, a matching tenor sax

and two trumpet models with a choice of

stainless steel or Monel pistons. All Vosi

instruments come in an ABS case and are

covered by the Antigua limited warranty.

Barnes & Mullins supplies Antigua to

the UK – as well as the Hidersine and

Höfner ranges of orchestral strings.

Also bridging the gap between quality

strings and brass and woodwind is JHS,

which, with its Antoni and Odyssey

ranges, more than covers the rental scene.

The big news this year is the arrival of the

Odyssey Premiere range, designed by

Peter Pollard.

Pollard has become one of the most

sought after instrument designers and

repairers in the UK, having worked with

the country’s top musicians for over 40

years. He is known for his experimental

nature and pushes the boundaries of

instrument design, often using materials

not ususally associated with the

instrument he is building.

The result is a range of instruments

targeting students specifically – including

smaller sized horns and saxes, enabling

the youngesters to start playing sooner.

The effort made with Odyssey matches

the work done with JHS’ guitar ranges and

Trevor Wilkinson, but also with Antoni

orchestral strings. Entry, mid and pro

versions of violins, violas, cellos and

basses make Antoni worth pushing.

Stagg, of course, comes up trumps for

the entry level, with a huge range of

instruments that can be bought almost

on impulse, but which makes the choice

of renting even easier. As well as the 77-C

clarinet, there are the 77-FE flute, the 77-

SA alto sax, and the very popular 77-T

trumpet. With value for dealer and

customer alike, Stagg covers so many

bases, it’s a wonder if there is a general

MI store that doesn’t stock it.

Intermusic’s Bentley woodwind and

brass packages have proved hugely

successful, especially for non-specialist

brass and woodwind shops. The range

takes the starter pack format and

comprises a heavy duty instrument stand

in a bag, a Tune-a-Day tutor book, sturdy

music stand, as well as the necessary

reeds, straps and cleaning kit.

Each instrument is blown and checked

before delivery and there is a no quibble

exchange policy. Although Intermusic has

no policy of recommending prices, rough

guidelines range from £199 for the

clarinet and trumpet packs, £239 for the

flute and cornet, £299 for the trombone

and £449 for the alto sax.

Aside from the instruments, it is well

worth using care products to help

maintain them. Bill Lewington’s

Superslick range of accessories are

inexpensive and this is a much overlooked

area. Five minutes with a care kit will

keep an instrument working for much

longer. The trumpet care kit, for example,

retails at only £15.50. A quick glance over

the workshop showed 13 brass

instruments, all with maintenance issues

that could have been avoided with little

attention from a care kit.

This is a fierce market and every one is

looking to put out the best deals with

little margin to be had. By adding in care

kits and maintenance accessories, some

margin can be recovered.

CONTACTS

As ever, Stagg comes through with a functional, no nonsense instrument,

practical and playable and at a price that could easily have parents handing over

the cash and not worrying about the rental scheme. This good quality clarinet

outfit is ideal for beginners, featuring a brushed, wood effect Bakelite body,

nickel-plated keys and ships with an ABS case and useful accessories.

Stagg 77C clarinet£199

The new Odyssey Premiere series

features a couple of ‘endangered

species’ and of note among them is

the truly excellent Baby French horn.

This model is ideal for smaller hands,

having a bell diameter of just

290mm and a compact construction

easily manageable by younger

players. Made in Bb, the horn has a

brass body, a detachable bell, a bore

size of 12mm and ships with a Zero

Gravity hard foam case.

Odyssey OFH1700 BabyFrench horn £319

Antigua SS3282LQstraight soprano sax£580

Refined key mechanisms provide the

SS3282LQ with a professional look

and feel at a modest price. A solid

performer, this model is perfect for

students and aspiring professionals,

featuring, as it does, a single piece

body with range to high F#,

lacquered brass body and power

forged keys, tilting low Bb spatula,

adjustable thumb hook and

premium leather pads. The outfit

ships with a 4C mouthpiece, a

durable ABS hard shell case and

comes with a minumum of five

years warranty.

With the same design and

craftsmanship as the 300 and 400

series, this wonderful flute is made of

nickel silver with a silver-plate finish.

The CY headjoint has a double flare

taper and a unique embouchure

undercut design for excellent

response and a warm, rich tone.

Yamaha YFL-211 flute£499.99

0845 270 2411 0845 270 2433 www.avslgroup.com

A comprehensive range of speaker, microphone and instrument leads with high-fl ex shielded cable and heavy duty metal connectors.

High quality leads for exceptional sound quality and reliability. High grade cable comprises 2 insulated pure copper cores and global shielding.

The durable PVC sheath has a soft texture and is reinforced with cotton cord to avoid tangling.

Superior leads that maintain signal integrity with uncompromising dependability.

Manufactured to strict tolerances using high grade pure copper signal cable with fl exible, soft texture PVC sheath and cotton reinforcement to avoid tangling. Terminated with genuine Neutrik ® connectors.

ELITES E R I E S

CLASSIC SERIES

STANDARD SERIES

NEW PRODUCTSACCESSORIES � BACKLINE � BASS & GUITAR � DRUMS � PRINT

NEW PRODUCTS BACKLINE

6. PRO CO

85 WHITEFACE RAT

£229They say: The original Rat is

still recognised by many as

the pinnacle of stompbox

style.

For: Guitarists

Range: Pro Co pedals

Spec: Identical re-issue of

original 1985 Rat, steel

enclosure, LM308 chip,

distortion, filter and

volume controls.

From: Aria 01483 238720

ACCESSORY SPOTLIGHT

MARKBASS

CLUB SERIES CABS FROM

£646.25They say: Offers exceptional audio

performance from cabs that won't

break your back.

For: Bassists

Range: Markbass cabinets

Spec: The Club Series kicks-off with

the lightest Markbass cab yet: the

eight-Ohm 2” Club 121. You can lean

it back in wedge monitor position to

hear better on-stage, while the new-

generation woofer and 1"

compression driver and custom horn

provide a seemingly impossibly full

sound from such a small cab. It will

handle a full 400 Watts (to AES

standards) across 40Hz to 20kHz.

Power-wise it delivers 99dB, all from

a box that weighs a remarkable 12.6

kg and measures just 17.56 in. (W) x

18 in.

If you think you can handle

something a little bigger and want

that 15” sound, there's the Club 151,

which is a single 15” plus tweeter

and horn enclosure. Like the 121, the

151 will handle a comfortable 400

Watts, deliver across 40Hz to 20kHz

and produce an SPL of 100dB.

The Markbass Club 102, a 2x10”

design will handle 400 Watts,

delivering 101dB.

Finally, there's a reintroduction

that takes Markbass back to the

company's foundation – the Club

600F32. This is a re-issue of one of

the first creations from Marco De

Virgiliis. In 1996, he produced the

Parsek 600F32. The success of this

cabinet and Parsek bass amps (and

increasing requests from musicians

and dealers) led to the creation of

Music Man's Audiophile bass amp

brand, in partnership with Sterling

Ball. It was this success that

convinced Marco that the time was

right for the start of a new Italian

brand – and that's when Markbass

was born. A four-Ohm design, the

600F32 features twin 12” speakers

plus a 1.25” compression driver

with a custom horn. It will handle

800 Watts.

From: Proel 020 8761 9911

1. FENDER

SUPERSONIC 22 COMBO

£959They say: For guitarists who crave

glorious clean and overdriven tones

and expressive high-gain distortion.

For: Guitarists

Range: Fender Supersonic

Spec: 50W valve amp, vintage channel

(clean), burn channel (overdrive with

gain 1 & 2 control), each with treble,

bass & middle control, black/silver or

1961 blonde/oxblood cosmetics, ships

with amp cover & footswitch.

From: Fender 01342 331700 2

3. FENDER

SUPERSONIC 60 HEAD

£1,039They say: Clean and high gain tones in

one no-nonsense tube amp.

For: Guitarists

Range: Supersonic amps

Spec: 60W valve amp head, vintage

channel (clean), burn channel

(overdrive with gain 1 & 2 control),

treble, bass & middle controls, voicing

switch, selectable 16, eight or four

Ohms, amp cover & footswitch

included. 212 cab available (£479).

From: Fender 01342 331700

2. DIGITECH

JAM MAN STEREO LOOPER

£341They say: Now we are reinventing

loopers with the new Jam Man stereo.

For: Guitarists

Range: Digitech Jam Man

Spec: Stores over 35 minutes of

stereo, CD quality loops, 99 internal

loops, SD memory card expansion

slot with 16 hour capacity and

additional 99 slots, USB connectivity,

compatible with JamManager

software.

From: Sound Technology

01462 480000

4. KUSTOM

DEFENDER 5H HEAD £119They say: Is there any more fun

than cranking up the valve tone at

modest levels?

For: Guitarists

Range: Kustom Defender series

Spec: Five-Watt head, single control

knob (volume) through single

12AX7 preamp and EL84 power

valve, three speaker outputs (four,

eight & 16 Ohm). Also available

Defender 1x12 cab.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

5. PALMER

TWO IN ONE £TBCThey say: Sophisticated and simple, it

connects two amps to a single speaker

and switches between them.

For: Guitarists

Range: Palmer guitar accessories

Spec: Tube, transistor and mixed

configurations, footswitch (amp selector),

five-pin XLR controller cable, footswitch

features guitar input, 9V DC socket and

XLR connector for controller cable which

powers amp selector, adjustable cut and

boost for each output, silent and

instantaneous switching, can be used as

AB switcher.

From: Adam Hall 01702 613922

1

3

4

5

6



4. REMO

VINTAGE EMPEROR HEADS

FROM £14They say: A re-issue of the first Remo

Emperor drumhead that changed the art

of drumming in the late 1960s

For: Drummers

Range: Remo Emperor drum heads

Spec: Consisting of two plies of 7.5mm

polyester films, coated finish for accented

mids and lows and increased durability.

Eight models: eight, ten, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

and 18-inch.

From: EMD 01293 862612

5. MEINL

BENNY GREB SAND RIDE £380They say: Produces a dry sound with a

fast, articulate stick sound and quick

decay and a clear, bright bell

For: Drummers

Range: Meinl Byzance

Spec: 20-inch ride, two surface

treatments: sandblasted top and partially

lathed bottom. Designed in collaboration

with Benny Greb.

From: Active 020 8693 5678

6. RHYTHM TECH

JINGLER £19.99They say: Another original stick-mounted

percussion idea from Rhythm Tech.

For: Drummers, percussionists

Range: Rhythm Tech percussion

Spec: Nickel jingles pinned securely to

ultra-lightweight, transparent Jingler body,

slides on and off drumstick.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

1. DREAM

BLISS 18” CRASH/RIDE £84.99They say: These cymbals are so versatile...

Explosive crashes and a soft, but clear

stick sound

For: Drummers

Range: Dream Bliss cymbals

Spec: Thin cymbal, medium decay, hand

hammered, microlathed plates with low

bridge, small, but clear bell, brilliant finish,

B20 bronze.

From: Soar Valley 0116 230 4926

2. DRUM WORKSHOP

PDP BLACKOUT SNARE FROM

£153They say: A line of quality, value-priced

snare drums aimed at working drummers,

students and weekend warriors.

For: Drummers, percussionists

Range: Drum Workshop PDP drums

Spec: All-maple, lacquered snares, ‘black-

on-black’ finish, four models in range:

6x10”, 4x13”, 5x14” and 6x14”.

From: Morico 01992 461089

3. JHS

TT10T WASHBOARD TIE £19.99They say: Wear it anywhere, add a little

rhythm to your day, entertain and amaze

your friends.

For: General, percussionists, washboard

players

Range: JHS percussion

Spec: 24 gauge brushed stainless steel,

‘tie-shaped’, clips to collar or neckline,

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

DRUMS SPOTLIGHT

TURNING LEAF

DRUM SCREENS £POAThey say: Our tailored drum screens

are an ideal solution for all manner of

applications.

For: Bands, studios, stores, drummers,

touring

Range: New product

Spec: Turning Leaf is a furniture

specialist working mainly in wood, but

also in metal and acrylic and primarily

for the audio visual industry.

Following enquiries from a couple of

MI stores as to the possibility of

creating drum screens, the company

looked into the market and saw that

there was very little available and

almost nothing in the UK.

As a result, Turning Leaf is the only

company in the UK to offer

competitive trade terms to businesses

for acrylic drum screens. It offers a

bespoke service where customers can

specify their required dimensions and

panel requirements.

There are a range of optional

extras, which include unique deflector

panels, hard boxed flight cases and

the addition of band, establishment or

brand logos.

The hinges are imported from

Sweden and designed to enable the

screens to be concertinaed for travel

and storage.

Drum screens have become very

popular in the USA, although the UK

has until now not had a major

supplier that can offer high quality

items at competitive prices with trade

terms for retailers.

From: Turning Leaf 01482 219017

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING DRUMS.

VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.

NEW PRODUCTS DRUMS

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ACCESSORIES NEW PRODUCTS

4. GUITAR TECH

GT 2000 & 2500 CLIP-ON

TUNERS £15.99 (2000) &

£12.99 (2500)They say: From Guitar Tech’s amazing

array of accessories come two new tuners.

For: Guitar, bass

Range: Guitar Tech accessories

Spec: GT2500 clip-on LED tuner for guitar

and bass, adjustable head, lights go green

when in tune, switch for semitone drop

tuning. GT2000 as above, but chromatic.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

1. ANTONI

SYMPHONIQUE

VIOLIN STRINGS

£11.99They say: Stringed

instruments that, at every

level, look, feel, perform,

sound and play way out

of their price points.

For: Violinists

Range: Antoni strings

Spec: Available for 4/4

and 3/4 size

instruments, quality

strings with nylon

core, aluminium alloy

wound, excellent tone

and durability.

From: JHS

0113 286 5381

3. GROVER

MAESTRO LITE ILLUMINATED

BATON £19.99They say: The first illuminated baton

designed with quality and balance.

For: Conductors

Range: Grover accessories

Spec: Lexan polycarbonate shaft with soft

textured handle, ‘try-me’ packaging, shaft

illuminates along the entire length with

concentration at tip, on/off switch,

batteries included.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

1

2

3

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2. CRAFTER

TS10 HEADSTOCK TUNER

£12.99They say: Improved aspects of its

performance by the use of the latest

technology.

For: Guitar, bass, ukulele, etc

Range: Crafter accessories

Spec: Large LCD screen, changes from

amber to green when correct note

achieved, single on/off button also

functions as selector for

chromatic/guitar, bass or ukulele,

adjustable head for easy viewing.

From: Sutherland 029 2088 7333

53 Mipro123_FINAL.qxd 26/7/10 12:40 Page 1

Future:x 15/7/10 17:26 Page 1

1. LEXICON

NATIVE REVERB BUNDLE £564They say: Lexicon’s four most popular

reverbs available as efficient, multi-

platform native software plugins.

For: Computer musicians, producers

Range: Lexicon plugins

Spec: Chamber, hall, plate, and room

reverbs with over 200 studio presets,

universal DAW compatibility, functions

in mono, stereo or mono in/stereo out,

I/O meters, fully adjustable parameters.

From: Sound Technology

01462 480000

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Introducing Drum Kit Tutor book for the complete beginner featuring:

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Everything a drummer needs to progress from complete beginner to advanced player


RECORDING NEW PRODUCTS

4. ZOOM

R24 RECORDER They say: All the tools

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recordings anywhere.

For: Musicians

Range: Zoom

recorders

Spec: New sampler

function with 24

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track and create loops, drum machine with

400 rhythm patterns, SD memory cards

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hours of recording, over 100 built-in studio

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allows compatibility with most DAW

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From: Zoom UK 01462 791100

2. ALESIS

MULTIMIX 8 USB £119.99They say: Doubles up as a computer-

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For: Musicians and bands

Range: Alesis mixers

Spec: Mic, line and guitar-level inputs,

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01252 341400

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GAIA SH-01 £579They say: A high performance value synth

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For: Synth & keyboard players, musicians

Range: Roland synths

Spec: Three virtual ‘analog’ engines

onboard with dedicated oscillator, filter,

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From: Roland 01792 702701

1

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55 Mipro123_FINAL 26/7/10 12:45 Page 1

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO AUGUST2010 57

RETAILNEWS, OPINION, DATA

The UK’s top retailers, including PMT,

Musicroom, Dawsons and Bonners,

gathered at the MI Retail Conference

& Expo last month and hailed it a

tremendous success.

The event was created specifically for

UK retailers, so it seemed only right to

gather some of the thoughts of the

retail delegates.

The vast majority gave the event a

thumbs-up and are looking forward to it

taking place again next year. Musicians’

Centre, Northern Music and John Packers

were all in this number.

“We really enjoyed the event and, in

comparison to the many I have attended

over the years, I can say that this one was

definitely top of the list,” said John

Millington of Millington Music.

“The venue was first class and easy to

get to, the atmosphere was very friendly

and professional. Everyone felt relaxed and

ready to listen and learn – we did.”

Most dealers were grateful to the event

for bringing them together and providing

an opportunity to discuss matters, do

business with each other and with the

suppliers attending.

“Just a very big thank you to the team

for the brilliant retail conference,” said

Dave Sadler of Jack White Music. “We

were impressed how professional it was.”

“The morning session was extremely

enlightening and reassuring – it’s good to

share discussion on issues we all face,”

said Vivien Shiplee of Vivace Pianos. “The

afternoon was a chance for in depth

conversations and information, which led

to potential new suppliers and product

lines. I was intending to have just one

drink in the evening, but it was so much

fun chatting to people from other areas

and then there were fab ‘Beatles’, so I was

there till much later.”

On the reverse side, the Event Partners

were extremely upbeat about the quality

of the retailers that took part in the day’s

proceedings.

Notable among these was Neil Clayton

of Monacor. “This show was the best for

the quantity and the quality of contacts

we have come across,” he enthused. “The

best decision we’ve made as a business

this year.”

“The right people were invited – an

excellent choice of dealers and decision

makers,” said Chris Statham of Mel Bay.

Further comments from retailers

continued the approval. “We’ve been in

need of something like this for years,” said

Cliff Williams of Sharon Music.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the conference,”

said MIke Podesta of Cranes Music. “I

found the industry stats and comparisons

with other consumer spending very

interesting and the debates entertaining

and informative.”

“This was a great idea and well carried

out,” said James Foulds of Foulds Music. “I

just wish the balance could have been

slightly different, with more time given to

the conference session. Do it again please

with a different timetable.”

“Well done. It’s obviously been a lot of

work, but you have pulled off a very slick

little event here. Congratulations,” said Iain

Davidson of Musicroom.

“Thank you very much for an

informative, enjoyable and very

worthwhile day,” concluded Bill Maynard.

Retail welcomes dedicated eventOver 200 dealers, including some of the biggest and best on the High Street, attended the MI Retail Conference & Expo

and whichever element of the event they were asked about, they seemed to like it...

NEWSB&M’s String

Gallery initiative,

new manuals

from Jupiter,

Stentor’s Pirastro

strings offer and

Bass Gear goes

online

“This show was the

best for the quantity

and the quality of

contacts we have

come across.Neil Clayton

Monacor

INDIE PROFILEScarborough

Music’s joint

owners tell MI Pro

why customer

service is so

crucial when

competing with

online retailers

LOCATION REPORTMI Pro heads

to Lancashire

to see what

Preston’s MI

scene has to

offer and finds

some nice

surprises

JUPITER BRASS and Woodwind

Instruments has introduced a full

repairs manual, covering every

aspect of the entire brass and

woodwind range.

Available in two smart files,

they are currently in stock and

Jupiter can supply any spare

within 16 weeks.

Warranty repairer Graham de

Vere White is also on board to

help the company advise, repair

and replace parts for all

instruments in the Jupiter range.

White has been a professional

independent repairer for many

years, as well teaching at

technical repair colleges such as

Newark & Merton.

The Taiwanese manufacturer

is also celebrating 30 years in

the business this year and is

continuing to improve its

precision in manufacture, as well

as its machinery, in order to add

to its list of achievements over

the last three decades.

The manuals are free of

charge and dealers interested in

getting hold of the manuals

should call Kay Hollingsworth

(Jupiter’s brand manager at Korg

UK) directly on 01908 857104.

KORG: 01908 857100

Jupiter announces repairs

manual and in-house tech

Stentor introduces lowerprice on Pirastro stringsSTENTOR HAS announced new

lower prices on three selected

Pirastro string ranges.

Chromcor, Tonica and

Piranito violin and viola strings

are now available at what the

company claims are

unbeatable prices.

Professional quality strings

have risen greatly in price in

recent years and have become

unaffordable for many players.

Pirastro, one of the major

string brands, has been making

strings since 1798 and has

modernised with the

introduction of computer aided

design and new materials.

There are three main sub-

brands, with the Piranito series

being good quality steel strings,

ideal for students, with a

rounded sound and excellent

playability. Tonica strings are a

popular synthetic core set,

delivering a lively sound and

clear, balanced timbre.

Although they would also

appeal to students, Tonicas are

also targeted at professionals as

well. Chromcor strings should

be chosen for those favouring a

responsive, steel string with

brilliant sound and volume.

Next day delivery is

available on these items, for

orders placed before 12:30pm.

To find out these new prices,

contact Stentor on the

telephone number below.

STENTOR: 01737 240226

RETAIL NEWS


A NEW dedicated electric bass

specialist retailer, Bass Gear has

opened in the UK.

With demonstration facilities

at its base in Harrogate, this new

online store is now open with

the self imposed remit ‘to serve

bassists across the country’.

Bass Gear currently has

exclusive representation on high-

end boutique basses from luthier

brands such as Alleva Coppolo,

Fodera and Shuker. Zon bass

guitars are also on the site, along

with Purple-Chili lightweight

cabs, Bag End bass speakers and

self-powered systems.

Managing director, Phil Nixon

said: "Our mission is to bring to

UK bass 'prosumers', that which

hitherto was difficult to find, so

most items found on

bassgear.co.uk are not available

elsewhere in the UK.”

Nixon has been a keen bass

player since the 1970s and a

digital marketing professional for

the last 15 years. "We are an e-

commerce business, but not

because of price, as we have

unique stock, but because our

customer base will be small and

spread far and wide," he said.

BASSGEAR.CO.UK

Bass Gear opens its doors

BARNES & MULLINS has

announced that the first

version of its online hub, String

Gallery, promoting the sale

and use of orchestral strings

has gone online.

The website aims to

convince general music stores

that bowed instruments

should be seen as more of a

priority, as well as providing a

valuable resource for those

selling orchestral strings.

Revealed by the

distributor’s joint managing

directors, Bruce Perrin and

Brian Cleary, in last month’s

MI Pro supplement guide for

the MI Retail Conference &

Expo as part of the company’s

‘manifesto’ for dealers, String

Gallery has been created in

conjunction with the European

String Teacher’s Association.

Thought up by the supplier’s

creative and sales teams, the

launch of version 1.0 marks

the start of what will be a

growing initiative.

“The ultimate vision behind

String Gallery was to create a

space in which the bowed

instrument community can

connect and share, then find

ways to improve the services

offered by local stores to

string-players, provide links

between local teachers,

makers, restorers and local

stores,” explained Alex Mew

(pictured), Barnes & Mullins’

marketing manager.

Mew explained that

retailers are to play a major

part in this project. “A large

part of the reason for the

String Gallery project being

realised was our desire to

make bowed instruments less

‘scary’ to the general music

store. Granted, there are a

good number of general music

stores that do business in this

area, but there are many more

that tend to steer clear.”

“Members will also be able

to connect with each other

and discuss a variety of topics

via the String Gallery forums,”

continued Mew. “All of this will

be free of bias and censorship

from the distributor.”

The website is free to join

and use and includes a

number of tools and resources,

with regular updates.

Next month’s MI Pro will

have an in-depth focus on

String Gallery and how the

site will develop.

B&M: 01691 652449

B&M launches String Gallery

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.

SK120 Rated ‘Exceptional’ in AcousticMagazine. “A wonderful little amp designedby people who understand what musiciansneed”. Also Guitar & Bass have 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 pay

homage to the Selmer andMaccaferri guitars of the early

20th 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 competitively priced range of stu-dent squeezeboxes, including PianoAccordions from 12 to 120 Bass,B/C, D/G and Cajun one-rowmelodeons, and Anglo and Englishconcertinas, 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.

www.gremlinmusic.co.uk [email protected]: +44 (0) 1903 203044 (9.30 - 5.30 Mon - Fri) | Unit A, Easting Close, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 8HQ

Musical Instrument Co.

A new range of Ashbury ukuleles, tenor guitars andmandolin family instruments have been designedby British Luthier Phil Davidson and are hand madein Vietnam.Ashbury also has a professional quality range ofAcoustic Guitars, Mandolins, Banjos & Fiddles,Basses, cases, electrics and more manufactured toa high standard in China and Indonesia.

“I was amazed and Impressed”Build Quality: 5/5, Sound Quality: 4.5/5,

Value for Money :5/5.Acoustic Magazine reviews the AU-24T

Ashbury solid koa Tenor Ukulele

Just a few of our Leading Brands...

RETAIL


INDIE PROFILE Clive Haviland and Chris Eborall, joint owners of Scarborough Music

may be weary of the online giants, but see good service as their best

How is business compared to this time last year?

Not good, business is down a lot on last year. We’re

doing OK though, as we’re the major music retailer in

Scarborough. Of course, we want to be doing better,

but we’ve still got our heads above water.

How do you market the shop?

We do a lot of marketing. We have posters on the

back of buses in the local area and we advertise on

the radio, we’ve actually just finished doing one

recently. We also have our website, of course, which

helps a great deal with the business.

How do you compete with the online

competition?

We don’t really, it’s as simple as that. You just have to

do your best to compete against them and offer as

good a service as you can. When there are big online

retailers like GAK out there, we have no chance

against them.

What are your biggest strengths?

Our biggest strength is obviously personal service and

our ability to demonstrate and let people try things.

We’re not a faceless warehouse full of boxes just

waiting to be despatched on internet demand.

Musical instruments are personal. 'Feel' is the most

important aspect. I know price is a consideration but

anyone who is serious about buying an instrument

needs to deal with a music specialist. At Scarborough

Music, that message seems to be taken on board.

How do you ensure a good level of customer

service?

We are always friendly and helpful when dealing with

customers and we’re great at providing little services

as well, like retuning a guitar for free or when

someone snaps a string, replacing it for them.

What is the one product you couldn’t live

without?

One type of product almost everyone

underestimates, but that we find so valuable, is

books. We have over 1,000 music books always in

stock covering everything from guitar and piano

through to tin whistle. This ensures that just about

every music lover is catered for and at every level.

Once again we are serious about providing a total

music service and having such a huge choice of books

allows us to do this.

How can the industry do more to support retail?

We need a price maintenance scheme similar to the

one in the US, which allows for a more level playing

field. The industry could do more to support retail by

being a bit more thoughtful as to who they supply

and how internet companies (and when the going

gets tough, selling directly from ebay) can and do

affect us. The likes of Argos, Tesco, Toys R Us and

most recently, Amazon are not music specialists. This

industry attitude of supplying virtually anyone just

spreads the butter thinner and has helped in spelling

the end for so many independents.

FACT BOXAddress: 23 Aberdeen Walk, Scarborough, North

Yorkshire, YO11 1BB

Phone: 01723 373757

Owner: Chris Eborall and Clive Haviland

Established: About three years ago

Employees: Four

Best-selling lines: I would definitely say

Tanglewood acoustics are among our best sellers.

Although we consider ourselves as an ‘all rounder,’

we certainly get most of our business in the strings

department. Ukeleles are another product that does

particularly well, as well as Peavey amps, which we

have only recently started stocking.

RETAIL LOCATION REPORT

The seat of Lancashire County Council and home of the

mighty Lilywhites, Adam Savage discovers Preston also

has a good choice of MI stores to wander through…

PrestonTHE MUSIC CELLAR

This exceptionally friendly store is sure to

have the solution to most customers’

musical needs, due to its decision to stock

more or less everything, with the

exception of drums. Downstairs is home

to its range of guitars, accessories and in a

separate room, a lovely selection of

acoustic and digital pianos can be found.

Upstairs is where The Music Cellar’s

preferred area, brass and woodwind is

located. A large cabinet is home to an

array of shiny, polished goods, with a

couple of gorgeous Yanagisawa saxes and

York horns the main highlights. There is

also an extensive sheet music collection.

Brass and woodwind repairs also

represent a significant percentage of this

shop’s business. It’s nice to see a retailer

that still values more traditional services

and continues to profit well from it.

On MI Pro’s visit, the store was also

being graced by the presence of several

professional brass and woodwind

musicians, which underlined the

reputation this establishment enjoys and

it seemed that the staff had a great

relationship with the customers.

Experienced staff, who no doubt love their

work, adds to the number of reasons why

this place is well worth a visit.

HW MUSIC

Situated just down the road from The

Music Cellar, HW Music is an all-out rock

n roll music retailer, representing a much

different approach to that of the previous

stop on this tour.

The guitar offering from this retailer is

staggering and with several nicely

displayed amp ranges, this shop is truly a

guitarists’ paradise. Head up the stairs and

you’ll find an array of drum kits and in a

separate room, an impressive PA selection,

which the shop is aiming to grow further.

One thing that can’t he ignored about

HW Music is the amount of space that

the building offers – a dream for music

retailers. There’s no danger of accidentally

knocking a guitar over here and it means

that there is plenty of opportunity to

expand. This is sure to happen, with

ambitions for an extended cymbal wall, as

well as the aforementioned audio growth.

A younger, eager work force is perfect

to appeal to both of its target audiences –

students and high-end guitarists.

Preston is certainly inhabited by a high

number of metal and heavy rock fans, as

well as a large student population, which

is why this retailer has done well since it

became the second HW Music, after its

flagship store in Bolton.

One thing’s for certain, this store

certainly fills a niche within Preston’s

overall MI scene and on top of its friendly

service and dizzying selection, this should

be a serious consideration for any rock n

roll musicians across the North West, not

just Preston.

A&C HAMILTON

This shop might be based out of the city

centre, but that hasn’t stopped it from

building an excellent reputation, one that

they claim has put them in the top 20

music retailers in the country.

A quick glance around when entering

confirms this as a piano and keyboard

specialist. The level of choice is remarkable

and there is even a special, roped off

section of high end Yamahas. This store

stocks primarily the middle level to the

upper echelons of the keyed market,

causing customers to travel from far

and wide to cast their eyes over

Hamilton’s offering.

In terms of customer service, the team

here seems to go one step further than

other similar retailers. One member of

staff, who turned out to be the owner,

Alan Hamilton, was giving an extensive

demo to a pair of customers, allowing

them to see the instrument’s full

capabilities. It was evident that they made

a real effort not just to sell, but to ensure

that people go home satisfied.

Also on show was a nice display of

guitars, at the centre of which was a

lovely collection of Tanglewood acoustics,

which they are exclusive main dealers for.

In a second room, a Roland V-Drum kit sits

as a centerpiece alongside a well-

presented Korg section. All in all,

Hamilton’s is certainly worth leaving the

city centre for and its no surprise

customers come from so far afield to visit

this retailer.


Sound • Lighting • Special Effects • Distribution Power Squared • Tel: +44 (0) 1525 850085 • www.leisuretec.co.uk

bringing brands together

The Leisuretec Listings Plus 2010 • Call us to Order Your Copy • Experience • Choice • Value • Service


MI RECRUITMENT

ADVERTISE YOUR VACANCIES AT

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

NEW RECRUITNMENT

ADVERTISING POSITIONS

NOW AVAILABLE

FOR MORE DETAILS

[email protected]

OR PHONE

01992 535647

One of the most successful independent music retailoutfits in the UK, Newcastle Drum Centre is lookingfor a Sales/Operations Manager to play a central role

in developing and growing the business.

You will take charge of all day-to-day operationsreporting directly to the Managing Director.

This will involve everything you might expect in atightly run, dynamic, go-ahead organisation which hasstrong sales both on the shop floor and across the

internet. You will be running a busy team of customer-facing staff, dealing with suppliers, keeping

on top of the paperwork and planning for the future.Must-haves include organisational abilities, successful

retail management experience, skills in sales, EPOS systems, admin, team management, business

development and a good understanding ofIT/internet/online sales. If you are a quick thinker and

have a sense of fun, that would help too!

For more info or an application form contact us on0191 2210301 or [email protected]

OPERATIONS / SALES MANAGER WANTED

SALES MANAGER, YORKOrganise and lead a team within a busy salesenvironment in one of the largest and most

recognisable music stores in the country. You willneed to plan staffing requirements, organise local

marketing initiatives, motivate and manage adiverse team across various product disciplines

including guitars, drums, sheet music, and pianos.You will need proven experience in sales, with agood record of achieving targets. Good sales

and management skills. Excellent rewardspackage and career progression possible.

Please apply in writing with a CV to Iain Davidson, Musicroom, Distribution Centre,

Newmarket Road,Bury St Edmunds,Suffolk, IP33 3YB

or by email to [email protected]

SU

PP

LIE

R S

PO

TLI

GH

T

Rothwell maintains an unparalleled reputation for

quality – and it’s all truly British made...

Although Rothwell Audio

Products started making

guitar related gear back in

2004 with the Stompjuice effects

pedal power supply, it was when it

introduced its first effects pedals –

the Atomic Booster and Hellbender

in 2007 – that the world started to

take notice. Since then, the pedal

range has expanded and the

brand's reputation has continued

to grow. The company now has

dealers in 14 countries around the

world with America and Japan the

biggest markets. Not bad for a

workforce of just two.

"We're a very small company –

there's just the two of us at the

moment, but we're currently

making about a thousand pedals a

year," commented Andrew

Rothwell, the company’s founder.

"We might take on another

member of staff towards the end

of the year."

The company’s most popular

products are the Hellbender, for its

vintage Marshall-style roar, and the

Love Squeeze compressor for its

ability to do compression without

adding noise or sounding artificial.

Based in Bolton, Lancashire,

Rothwell’s premises and workforce

may be modest, but the company

uses a range of top quality UK

subcontractors to enable reliable

and efficient production. Cases,

circuit boards, badges and

subcontracted services such as

metal polishing and engraving all

come from UK sources, making

Rothwell truly ‘made in Britain,’

rather than just designed in Britain.

“I’m sure things could be made

cheaper if everything was farmed

out to the Far East, but our pedals

aren’t unreasonably expensive and I

like the control that using UK

suppliers gives us,” says Rothwell.

And what about the future?

Rothwell insists that he’s always

experimenting with new ideas and

has plans to expand the company’s

range of pedals, but was keeping

tight-lipped about details of

anything new.

“We have got one or

two things in the

pipeline, but we also

need to concentrate

on producing the

existing pedals so that

dealers are never

waiting long for stock.”

ROTHWELL: 01204

366133


CLASSIFIEDS: MINIMUM 12 MONTHS - ONE ANNUAL CHARGE QUARTER PAGE £1,295

MARKETPLACE INDEX

TO ADVERTISE CALL DARRELL CARTER OR JODIE HOLDWAY ON 01992 535647

THE PLACE FOR BUSINESS

MIMARKETPLACE

440 DISTRIBUTION ..................................0113 258 9599

AARIA ........................................................01483 238720AVSL ......................................................0845 270 2411

BBILL LEWINGTON ......................................01268 413366

CCOVERNOTES ..........................................0121 327 1977

DDADDARIO ..............................SALES@DADDARIO.CO.UKDBT........................................................0800 234 2848

FFCN ......................................................WWW.FCN.CO.UKFENDER ............................................WWW.FENDER.COMFOCUS MERCHANDISE ............................020 8245 9035

HHOT ROX ................................................0115 987 3163

IINDIE GUITAR ........................................01235 851 189

JJAM PERCUSSION ..................................0151 494 1492

LLEISURETEC ............................................01525 850085

MMARSHALL AMPLIFICATION ....WWW.MARSHALLAMPS.COMMCLELLAND/GREMLIN MUSIC ..................01273 491333MEL BAY ................................................020 8382 8010MUSIC SHIPPING CO. ................................01562 827666

OOCARINA WORKSHOP ..............................01536 485963

RROBERT MORLEY ....................................020 8318 5838ROTHWELL AUDIO ....................................01204 366133

SSOAR VALLEY MUSIC ................................0116 230 4926

TTEAC ........................................................01923 438880

WWIND PLUS..............................................0116 243 1698WORLD RHYTHM ......................................01242 282191

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

AMPLIFICATIONS

0845 270 2411

0845 270 2433

[email protected]

www.avslgroup.com

A leading distributor within the Audio Visual, Sound & Light, Public Address and MI trades.

GRO

UP

Order online

Friendly sales team

Over 4000 products in stock

DISTRIBUTOR


Active & passive speakers Line array InEar & Wireless Public adress

The sound of experience

a member of

dBTechnologies UK16 Whitebeam CloseNewhey, RochdaleOL16 4NDDirect: 07595 672157Freephone: 0800 234 2848mail: [email protected]

www.dbtechnologies.com

www.dbtechnologies.com

DISTRIBUTOR

MI MARKETPLACE

www.daddario.co.uk/inked

DISTRIBUTOR

DISTRIBUTOR

Call Tom Harrison on 01132 589599 or email - [email protected]

DISTRIBUTORDISTRIBUTOR


MI MARKETPLACE

DISTRIBUTOR

www.gremlinmusic.co.uk

Acoustic, Celtic and TraditionalMusical Instrument Specialists

Become a Gremlin Dealer and giveyour customers a bigger and betterchoice! We pride ourselves on thepersonal touch - you can alwaysreach us by phone during workinghours, and we’ll always send yourorder as fast as possible, no matterwhat the size. We’ve been in thebusiness for over 25 years, and can

offer you an experienced, friendly andprofessional service.

Email: [email protected]: +44 (0) 1903 203044 (9.30 - 5.30 Mon - Fri)

DISTRIBUTOR


MANUFACTURER

Find out more at www.fender.com/gdec3Fender® and G-DEC® are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. © 2010 FMIC. All rights reserved.

Like no other guitar amplifi er you’ve ever experienced.

ALL NEW

MI MARKETPLACE

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DISTRIBUTORDISTRIBUTOR


MI MARKETPLACEMANUFACTURER

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

MUSIC PUBLISHERS

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

www.ocarina.co.uk

tel: 01536 485 963fax: 01536 485 051



Rober t MORLEY Co Ltd

34 ENGATE St. LONDON SE13 7HA

020•8318•5838Grand & Upright Pianos by

Elysian, Grotrian-Steinweg, Bechstein,Monington & Weston

and other famous makers

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

www.morleypianos.com

PIANOS PERCUSSION & DRUMS

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WIND INSTRUMENTREPAIRS

AUGUST 2001Cover Stars: The BMF continues to stagger

through at the NIA, although exhibitors and

visitors alike said they were happy with

proceedings… It’s just there weren’t very many of

the latter. The printed music ‘village’ in the

Olympia hall were pretty disgruntled, though

News: IMP and Music Sales continue JV

negotiations, Studer buys Amek, Future says

everything’s fine, Yamaha EKB launch, Solihull rock

and pop

Features: Electric guitars (Part 2), PLASA preview,

Andy Wood’s exposé on ligging, Yamaha-Kemble

Family Tree, Wireless microphones, Muzonet

Products: Garrison acoustics, Musicman OLP

licensed guitars, Meinl Generation X cymbals,

Stromberg Montreux Jazz guitar, Ludwig Classic

Birch kit, E-mu Paris recorder, E-mu XL-7

command station, Yamaha Xeno trumpets,

Technics SX-PX662M, 4M and 5M digital pianos

Number one singles: So Solid Crew: 21 Seconds;

Five: Let's Dance

Number one albums: David Gray: White Ladder;

Atomic Kitten: Right Now

RETRO

MI Pro is the only place the UK’s MI trade turns for the news and analysis of everything going on in the industry. Aside

from that, we appreciate the fun that lies at the root of everything we do, so this is the section to crack open a beer, put

your feet up and have a laugh. If you have any pictures you’d like us to include, send them to [email protected]...


THE LAST WORD IN MI PRO

Mel Bay’s Chris Statham (right) talks printingwith Oliver Makings of Caligraving

PARTY TIME

After the MI Retail Conference & Expo, the

300-plus delegates all piled into the adjacent

Parker McMillan bar for the very best in

drinks, eats, networking and music, courtesy

of the After Show Sponsor, Roland.

It was a splendid affair, with numerous

delgates uttering the famous ‘last words’ of:

‘I’ll only be staying for one’ and then

proceeding to party well into the evening.

Music came courtesy of the Fabulous

Beatles – a tribute act that not only looked

and sounded exactly like the original Fab Four,

but impressed those more observant among

the clientelle by sticking to the songs of the

suited, mop-top era of 1962 to 65.

Whatever else anyone might wish to say

about the MI trade, no-one can deny that it

knows how to party.

SEND YOUR PICTURES TO [email protected]


When a product not only proves

to be a significant milestone in

its field, but also inspires a

whole new sound within popular music

and goes on to stand the test of time, it

clearly deservesthe moniker of MI Icon.

The Boss CE1 Chorus Ensemble was

the very first true effects unit from this

brand and sparked a chorus

craze among guitarists, an

effect that became all the

rage in the late 70s and

early 80s. Surprisingly, its

circuitry was taken

completely from the

previously released JC

amplifiers, which were also

hugely successful.

Unlike other MI Icons,

the CE1 actually sold

extremely slowly at first

and in its early days, it looked more like

an MI flop. This was due to its high price

and the fact that its first buyers mostly

used it as a mono effect. It was when

stereo amplification really took off in

the later prog era that musicians started

to realise the CE1’s potential and in a

remarkably short amount of time, Boss

was heading towards shifting its

millionth unit.

Of course, due to it being around 35

years old, the inclusion of just one level

knob for the chorus effect is nothing

compared to stomp-boxes of today.

However, this turns out to be a minor

hindrance, as the range that this one

control offered was hugely impressive.

Vibrato made up the other half of the

CE1’s available effects and this was

tweaked via speed and depth controls.

Some loved this effect as much as the

chorus, due to its resemblance to the

Magnatone vibratos of the 50s and 60s.

Gain control was another trick it had

up its sleeve. It gave the guitarist the

ability to fiddle with the input level, in

order to suit any guitar. With legendary

guitarists, such as Andy Summers from

The Police and Jeff Baxter of The Doobie

Brothers falling in love with this small

grey box, it’s no wonder that Boss

quickly found itself rocket to the top of

the guitar effects ladder as a result of

this little gem.

MI ICON Boss CE1 Chorus Ensemble


An event

in association with

Tanglewood’s James Day and Shea Rider, Christine & Del Eyre-

Walker of Guitar Village getting into the swing of things

AFTER SHOW SPONSORSharon Music’s Cliff Williams (front) and Colin Freeman (far

right) home in on Julian Markson (of Markson’s Pianos and

obscured by bottle) because his gang had food

NEXTMONTHMI’s run up to Christmas begins now and MI

Pro covers Casio’s 30th, previews the first

London Drum Show and looks at the

acoustic piano market. As it’s September,

that means PLASA and the BPM show, so

there’s an overview of DJ lighting, no less.

EDITORIAL: ANDY BARRETT

[email protected]

ADVERTISING: JODIE HOLDWAY

[email protected]

Company/job title:

Shure Distribution UK, marketing

communications manager

Years in the industry?

Three

First single bought?

Brown Girl in the Ring by Boney M, with my

pocket money.

Favourite album?

It depends on my mood, but I’ll go for

Bowie’s Hunky Dory today.

Currently listening to?

LCD Sound System, This is Happening

Favourite musician?

Stevie Wonder

Which instruments do you play?

A comb and tissue paper is about it, I

leave playing instruments to those with

some talent.

Are you currently in a band?

After being forced to sing (I sing badly) as

a backing vocalist in a school band, I

choose to keep off the stage and now just

appreciate music from afar.

MI SPACE

© Intent Media 2010 No part of this publication may be

reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission

of the copyright owners. Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ

Enquiries to MI Pro, Intent Media, Saxon House 6a St.

Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA.

Tel: 01992 535646 (Editorial)

Tel: 01992 535647 (Advertising)

Fax: 01992 535648

miPRO is a memberof the PPA

ISSN 1750-4198

MI PRO Magazine. Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street.

Hertford, Hertfordshire. SG14 1JA

ISSN: 1750-41980 Copyright 2010

Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ

the international monthlymagazine for musicinstrument professional andeveryone in the MI business

MI Pro has a monthly circulation of well

over 6,000. It is distributed to all MI

retailers and industry professionals plus

carefully selected pro audio executives

and resellers.

UK: £50 Europe: £60 Rest of World: £90

SUBSCRIPTIONEnquiries, please email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01580 883 848

Charges cover XX issues and 1st class postage

or airmail dispatch for overseas subscribers.

MI PRO is published 12 times a year, reaching well over

6,000 readers throughout the UK and international market.

Managing EditorAndy [email protected]

Editor at LargeGary [email protected]

Staff WriterAdam [email protected]

Advertising ManagerDarrell [email protected]

Sales ExecutiveJodie [email protected]

DesignerClaire [email protected]

Production ExecutiveRosie [email protected]

CirculationPaul [email protected]

Editorial ProductionManagerHelen [email protected]

PublisherDave [email protected]

Managing DirectorStuart [email protected]

74 miPRO AUGUST 2010

JHS EVENT

KIRSTYLAMPORT

JHS EVENT

The 14th JHS Event brought in the

crowds once again. Top: Alison & Steve

Busby with Tony Wilkins; HK’s Andreas

Mayerl and Hans Stamer with prize

winner David Ferriter. Right: Gordon

Giltrap with his signature guitar. Far

right Tony & Rachel Rodgers with

children Katie and Charlie and JHS’

Mike Onza. Below: The Wembley Guitar

boys Matt Curtis and Roger Smith flank

Danelectro’s Danny Dugan and JHS’

Dave Pomeroy. Soundhire’s Bob Stewart

and Ivor Johnson with JHS’ David Law.

Distributed exclusively by EMD Music

The V-Studio 20 from Cakewalk: an audio interface and control

Call 01792 702 701 or

Guitar FX by Boss

Control surface by Roland

Recording software by Cakewalk

Killer tunes by you

mi pro august 2010 - issue 123

Documents

mi trade

mi pro team

retail news

mi pro newsflash service

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marshall family

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