KEMBLE YAMAHA LINE 6 ALLIANZ PLASA LONDON DRUM SHOW INTERMUSIC FIRST LINE

No. 125 • OCTOBER 2010 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL � FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS

AUTOMATICTrevor Wilkinson explains the revolution of auto-tuning

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REGULARS: DISTIE PROFILE 11 I WOKE UP 40 RETAIL NEWS 65 LOCATION REPORT 70 PRODUCTS 56-62 CODA 80

FEATURESLOUD TECHNOLOGIES 20Back at PLASA and with a host of new gear

FIRST LINE 23Jay Henson finds his niche with prestige lines

INTERMUSIC 32Clever branding for cool products equals growth

BARNES & MULLINS 34Technology meets tradition and makes Codabow

WORLD RHYTHM 20Easing into one fo the booming areas of MI

AUDIO TECHNICA 43Summer Schools and Centres of Excellence

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COVER STORY 27

ISSUE 125 OCTOBER 2010

My son has just started university, as I’m sure many ofyour offspring have also either this year or in the past,but if you’ll forgive me a little parental trumpet

blowing, I am especially proud.Yes, he’s got into a world class establishment and yes, he’s

almost a year younger than most of his fellow freshmen, buthe didn’t have to come to Britain to study. He could haveremained – and had a much easier ride – studying in his nativelanguage in his native country: Bulgaria.

What he realised (with no little encouragement from hisparents) is that taking the risk and overcoming the fear factorof uprooting from all that is familiar to him has the potentialof paying dividends when he sets out on his future career.

I am inflicting this paternal blather on you because of a weetheme that has popped its head over the parapets in this issue.

The cover story of this issue (page 27) sees Trevor Wilkinsontalking about how he became involved with the ADT auto-tunebridge for electric guitars. It is a wonderful achievement ofengineering that has seen a number of companies gettinginvolved to solve the problems of creating a gearing systemthat can automatically wind a string without upsetting thetone and balance of the instrument.

Those involved knew they had a good idea, but could theyconvince the banks to help them out? Could they buggery.

In the end, they had to put their money and time wherethere belief was and bring the project to fruition on their own.This they have now done. I wish them well in getting some ofthe payback for their investments. (No doubt the banks will beon the phone the moment the bank balance starts climbing,letting them know how best to use their financial products.)

Then (on page 11) Tony Smith of Technote points out that,with margins being squeezed, retailers need to clearly identifytheir areas of expertise and focus on that, leaving the lowprofit products and services to the big boys. It’s a difficult pillto swallow and the risks are pretty extreme – but the pay-offcould well be worth it.

Andy Barrett, Managing editor

NEWS

EVENTS

SECTOR SPOTLIGHTS

The ADT auto-tune bridge

system has been 14 years in

the making. Trevor Wilkinson

describes the journey – and

reveals where he hopes it

will lead.

HOLDING A TUNE

KEMBLE JOINS BÖSENDORFER,

YAMAHA ZERO PER CENT

FINANCE, LINE 6 GOES ALONE,

HEADSTOCK GETS ZILDJIAN

PLASA 2010 15All the MI goodies from that most pro audio of shows

LONDON DRUM SHOW 18All the kit that’s fit to hit

TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS 44Every mando, uke and banjo – and whole lot more

BRASS & WOODWIND 51Looking for market dynamism? Look no further

4

15

51

RETAILDOLPHIN MUSIC 68How can we keep people on the page?

Retailers need to clearly

define their areas of

expertise and

concentrate on that

mipro@intentmedia.co.uk

ANDY BARRETT

EDITORIALCOMMENT

34

Kemble joins the ranks at Bösendorfer

NEWS

Former boss of Kemble Pianos becomes deputy MD for prestige Austrian manufacturer as new product range is launched

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

BRIAN KEMBLE MBE, the former

MD of Kemble Pianos has been

brought in by Bösendorfer to

strengthen the sales and

marketing activities of the piano

manufacturer. Kemble has been

appointed as deputy managing

director, with a remit to oversee

the sales and marketing divisions

of the Yamaha-owned company.

Kemble, who will be taking up

his new role on October 1st, has

an unparalleled CV within the

piano manufacturing world and

over 36 years experience in the

industry. He received the MBE

from Queen Elizabeth II for

services to the piano industry.

Talking to MI Pro, Kemble

described the closure of the

Kemble factory as traumatic, but

indicated that gaining a

consultancy position on behalf of

all of Yamaha’s piano brands has

brought back his enthusiasm.

“I had to take some time off

to take stock,” he explained.

“Then I went to Musikmesse and

was asked to do six months

consultancy to establish, on a

European scale, what local

impressions of the Yamaha

brands are. I suppose I must have

done well, because I was then

asked to move to Austria to help

Bösendorfer strengthen sales.”

Kemble was previously the joint

managing director of Kemble &

Co (with specific responsibility

for sales and marketing), the last

UK piano manufacturer, which

has been part of the Yamaha

group from 1986, and which he

said would never have survived

the last 20 years had it not been

for Yamaha’s intervention.

The Kemble & Co factory in

Milton Keynes was closed in

2009 (two years shy of its 100th

anniversary), when Yamaha

moved its European

manufacturing to Indonesia,

although the Kemble brand lives

on with Brian Kemble

instrumental in overseeing the

upgrading of the pianos for the

changeover last year.

Bösendorfer hopes that his

personal relationship with many

piano dealers worldwide will

assist the company in opening

up new market opportunities for

the prestige brand.

The Austrian brand launched a

new range of pianos at the end

of September, following a

restructuring of its sales

operation to Yamaha Europe

earlier this year, with a similar

change taking place in the US.

“Switching the sales operation

gives Bösendorfer the marketing

power that Yamaha has around

the world,” Kemble added. “No-

one will argue that it is very

tough out there at the moment,

but Bösendorfer has been

performing very well with sales

growing and I am hoping to

combine this with the new

selection of instruments and my

own dedication to bringing

Bösendorfer to a new level.

“I’ve been in pianos all my life,

so to continue with a

manufacturing company is

fantastic. Obviously, I love

Kemble – it is a Premier League

brand – but Bösendorfer is

Champions League. This is a

great honour for me.

“I am looking forward to

working with Mike Sakai again

[MD of Bösendorfer, formerly of

Yamaha Kemble] and using my

knowledge of the European

market – which has been added

to by my work over the past six

months. I suppose I should say

that old piano men never die.

They might fade away, but I’m

far too young to do that just yet.

YAMAHA: 01908 366700

Oyster adds two new pearls

HUGO MONTGOMERY-Swan

has told MI Pro that two new

events will take place in the

Birmingham area in 2011, based

on the model of the recent

London Drum Show.

While the venue is yet to be

announced, he was keen to point

out that it will not be the NEC.

The shows will take place in

the spring and summer and will

focus on bass and acoustic

guitars, matching Oyster's Bass

and Acoustic magazine titles.

“We see specialist shows as

the way forward,” he said. “In the

current climate, shows have got

to be affordable and the venues

appropriate to the sector.

“We are using the London

Drum Show as a model – we'll

only move ahead with our plans

once we have polled the

potential clients in the industry.”

The bass show will be going

under the name of Bass Live.

OYSTER HOUSE: 01884

266100

“Old piano men never die. They might

fade away, but I’m far too young to do

that just yet.Brian Kemble MBE

Bösendorfer

Yamaha introduces part exchange schemeFOLLOWING THE success of

last year's part-exchange and

zero per cent financing for

acoustic pianos, Yamaha has

now extended the offer to

include both pianos and its

selection of brass and

woodwind instruments.

The scheme means that up

to £2,500 can be added to the

value of the customer’s old

model, which makes the

prospect of purchasing a new

instrument more achievable.

The offer can be applied to the

full Yamaha ranges of pianos

and wind instruments, from

entry-level models up to grand

pianos, the Disklavier range and

professional wind products.

The upgrade bonus scheme

for brass and woodwind was

piloted earlier this year and

proved effective in driving

customers to visit local dealers.

The scheme is simple to

operate, offering benefits to

customers seeking a quality

intermediate instrument by

offering a guaranteed

minimum part-exchange value

against a new Yamaha. Extra

value is provided by dedicated

direct mailers for participating

dealers, together with in-store

point-of-sale.

"We know that many

people would like to own a

new Yamaha

instrument and a

large

number of

those have

older and

below par instruments. A poor

instrument means a poor

performance, so this scheme is

designed to help customers

acquire a Yamaha instrument

with the minimum of

financial pain," said Yamaha’s

Leanne Hassan.

YAMAHA: 01908 366700

KEMBLE:

Continuing with a

manufacturer is

fantastic

NEWS

Line 6 cuts ties with B&M

LINE 6 has announced the end of

its 12-month distribution

arrangement with the supplier

Barnes & Mullins.

Line 6 approached B&M in

August 2009 with a view to

broadening the distribution base

to reach out to new customers.

“The broad objectives we set

up at the start of our partnership

with Barnes & Mullins have been

met and I would like to thank the

whole team there for achieving

excellent results,” commented

James Owens, Line 6’s European

sales director. “We have had a

very open, collaborative working

relationship with Bruce Perrin

and Brian Cleary [B&M’s joint

MDs] and their sales team have

done a superb job in opening up

new customers to the brand.

As Line 6 is broadening its

range, our distribution strategy

requires more complex solutions

and trying to factor in a

distribution partnership simply

becomes unworkable.”

Barnes & Mullins’ take on the

move is somewhat philosophical.

“We are obviously sad to lose

Line 6, particularly as we had

some pretty high targets to hit –

which we did. We have had a

great year with a great product

and we sincerely wish Line 6 well

in the future,” said Cleary.

The official agreement runs

until the end of October, but Line

6 is making the announcement

now so that customers can

change supply arrangements

ahead of the approaching

Christmas season.

LINE 6: 01327 302721.

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Pitchforth weaves web of tiesMARK PITCHFORTH, a former

manager at Freestyle Music and

the founder of Edoru, the retail

website developer, has launched

a new website –

Findguitarlessons.co.uk (FGL).

His idea is to create a

community for both guitar

students and teachers and move

away from online lessons in

favour of ‘the real thing’.

The site, which was developed

by Pitchforth’s partner, Russ

Dudley, calls for teachers from

around the country to register –

as a first step – in order to create

the magnet for students seeking

face-to-face lessons.

“This is a website where

students can find teachers,”

explained Pitchforth. “But it will

also be a community where

teachers and players can flag up

events and gigs, as well as their

lessons and those that take the

paid packages can develop a own

microsite within the FGL hub.

The website is free to register

for students and teachers and

there is a four-tier system for

teachers, ranging from the free

basic package, up to a gold

package at £149 per year.

“Even at its most basic, guitar

teachers will have a visible, cost

effective web presence, especially

for the ones that don’t have their

own site,” continued Pitchforth.

“Also, we are working to expand

FGL to include ‘value added’

features, such as allowing

students and teachers to be

associated so that tutors can add

messages and lesson plans to the

site that only their approved

students can access.”

FINDGUITARLESSONS.CO.UK

Russ Dudley (left), the website’s technician and Mark Pitchforth

NEWS

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

FOLLOWING WEEKS of

speculation, the Avedis Zildjian

Company has announced that

Headstock Distribution is to

become its new UK and

Northern Ireland distributor.

Headstock will assume

exclusive distribution duties

from January 1st 2011. In a

separate announcement, it was

revealed that Lesley Kane’s KMI

Distribution will be handling the

brand in the Republic of Ireland.

“It is a tremendous honour to

become the new Zildjian

distributor,” said James Laney,

sales and marketing director of

Headstock. “Zildjian is an

amazing brand with a wonderful

family history, an outstanding

list of endorsers and a

sensational product range. This

is the perfect investment for

Headstock and sits perfectly

with our philosophy of focusing

on a limited selection of the

very best brands to ensure we

do the best job possible. We are

very excited indeed.”

“I think Headstock is a really

good fit for Zildjian,” added

Craigie Zildjian, the cymbal

giant’s CEO.

As a consequence of the

move, Headstock’s southern

area sales manager Andy

Sadowski’s role will be

expanded to become brand

manager for Zildjian and Tama

products in the company's

dedicated percussion division,

catering to the requirements of

the UK percussion marketplace.

“We are also absolutely

committed to minimising

disruption through the

forthcoming period of transition

and are dedicated to working

closely with our dealers to

maximise ongoing Zildjian

business,” Sadowski said.

HEADSTOCK: 0121 508 6666

Zildjian signs Headstock Cymbal manufacturer forms ‘dream team’ alongside Tama for UK

‘Three men’ grow in number

THE THREE Men on a Bike charity

ride from Lands End to London,

due to take place between

October 1st and 8th is gaining

further momentum.

Tim Walter, Peter Heath and

Simon Griffiths, all Roland UK

directors are close to raising

£10,000 each for Music for All

and The British Heart Foundation.

The 400-mile ride will take in

events along the way at Absolute

Music in Poole, Portsmouth’s

Nevada Music and Bonners in

Eastbourne. The journey has now

also received support from the

likes of JHS, Peavey, Sound

Technology and Yamaha.

Celebrities Howard Jones and

Kriss Akabusi will also take part,

along with Simon Gilson and

Terry Hope of PMT and Tony

White from Bonners.

ROLAND: 01792 702701

Zildjian is an amazing brand with a

wonderful family history, an

outstanding list of endorsers and a

sensational product range.

James Laney

Headstock Distribution

FUTURE PUBLISHING has

announced that Simon Wear,

the company’s COO, will be

stepping down from his

current role with immediate

effect and will eventually be

leaving the company, citing a

need for the executive to take

on new challenges.

Wear has been with Future

since 1992, during which time

he has filled the roles of group

publisher and international

director, before taking up the

position of chief operating

officer. He intends to remain

with the company for a limited

time before heading off to seek

‘new opportunities’.

“Simon has been a great

asset to Future and we’re very

sorry to see him go,” chief

executive Stevie Spring

commented. “I completely

understand that after many

years with the company, he’s

decided that he wishes to take

on new challenges.”

The news follows

the appointment of

Mark Wood as

CEO last month.

Wood joined

the company as

a non-

executive

director in

April 2009, but

on August 30th

stepped down

from his role to

assume his new

position.

FUTURE: 01225

442244

Wear tears away from Future

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DISTIE NEWS

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

Tomandwill Distribution

unites with Reunion Blues

THE UK and Ireland distribution of the

Reunion Blues range of instrument

bags has been taken up by Tomandwill

distribution, following the brand’s

departure from Summerfield.

“We have been keen to add a top

line range of bags for some time,” said

Tomandwill’s sales manager, Clive

Guthrie. “With our own branded bags,

MMX carbon fibre cases and now

Reunion Blues, we are rapidly

becoming a one-stop source for

musical instrument bags.”

“We’re excited to be working with

this very forward-thinking organisation.

Tomandwill understands what is

required to sustain and grow a

prestigious product like Reunion Blues,”

commented Dave Andrus of Reunion

Blues. “We’re confident that this

partnership will be a success.”

The first stock shipment has already

arrived, with more due in October.

Tomandwill, UK supplier of Graham

Lyons’ Nuvo Clarinéo, has also

announced it is now the exclusive UK

distributor for Jumbie Jams steel

drums, which were until now only

available in the US.

These tuned pans have been hugely

successful in the US, winning two

NAMM awards. They also come in a

colourful box with handle.

“It’s not my normal type

of product, but it’s great

fun we’re very excited

indeed about it,” said

Guthrie. “I can’t believe

the interest that we have

received in only the first

few days, in fact we are

even having to take on a

new sales person.”

The Jumbie Jams

are available in

four colours

and are ideal

particularly for

schools and

other

educational

establishments.

TOMANDWILL:

01428 658806

Guitar XS tempts ProvidenceTHE JAPANESE boutique guitar effects

brand, Proividence, is now directly available

in Britain through Guitar XS.

“We were attracted to Providence’s

combination of boutique tone and

approach to design, coupled with typical

Japanese build quality and attention to

detail,” said Guitar XS’s Doug Chandler.

“There are no hand painted boxes or

whacky names here, but with solid player

features such as the patented single

contact true bypass and metal stomp

guard, both available on all pedals, we feel

Providence has appeal to dealers in this

important sector of the market.”

Among Providence’s pedals is the SOV-2

Stampede overdrive and the Chrono Delay,

a metronome-accurate tap delay pedal

with a completely analog signal path, the

latter having just been launched to acclaim

in both the music press and in online chat

rooms. The Yokohama based company’s

products are used by a

plethora of world-

renowned guitarists,

including the likes

of Robben Ford,

Steve Lukather,

Matt Schofield

and Guthrie

Govan.

GUITAR XS:

01227

832558

Zappies makes Paper Jamz

‘instruments’ available in the UKZAPPIES, A UK distributor of hi tech toys

has introduced Paper Jamz to the UK, a

range of paper-thin guitars and drums

made by Wowwee. The range now includes

four amplifiers to power the instruments –

or any other audio source. There is also a

range of fully adjustable straps.

While these toys do much the same as

previous toys and games, in that they

allow users to play along with pre-recorded

songs, they go a step further than other

games with a ‘freestyle’ mode, where users

can, playing with up to three fingers, create

chord sequences of their own.

Technology similar to touch-phones

(called ‘active graphics’) is used and the

amps contain NXT flat-panel speaker

technology. There are five guitar ‘shapes’

and six drum kits, all made of paper.

ZAPPIES: 020 8133 6151

Supplier scoops bag range and Jumbie Jams steel drums

JHS scoops VQ Live JOHN HORNBY SKEWES & CO has been

appointed exclusive sub-distributor of

Tannoy’s VQ Live touring PA system.

TC Group International will continue

to manage direct relationships with a

small number of key accounts, but JHS’

pro audio division will begin handling all

other VQ Live business.

JHS was also recently appointed full-

line joint UK distributor for the TC-

owned Lab Gruppen power amp range.

“JHS’ track record in the live sound

market and its commitment to

customer support across the entire UK

market make

this an

exciting

prospect,”

said Simeon

Ludwell, TCGI’s

UK touring sales

manager.

JHS MD Dennis Drumm

added: “We are delighted to continue to

expand our relationship with TCGI and

bring Tannoy VQ Live to the wider pro

audio and specialist reseller market.”

JHS: 0113 286 5381

1 Ω

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DISTRIBUTION PROFILE

Year Established: 1991

Number of Employees: Eight

Is business up or down compared to last year?

In what is a tough business climate I am pleased to

say we have increased our business over the year.

We have achieved this simply by having the right

combination of products and customer base.

How has the economic climate affected

business?

Believe it or not it’s actually been our best time.

We were hit by Woolworths going down, but after

re-evaluating the way forward and making the

necessary changes, I was really focused on getting

additional customers and ensuring we spread our

customer base to affect both our turnover and

profit. The result last year was probably our best

ever in business. Of course, the challenge now is to

improve – going backwards is not on the agenda.

What are your best-selling lines and why do you

think they perform so well?

We have introduced our own brands. Jaxville,

Rockburn and Martin Smith Guitars have been very

successful lines, because they offer something

different and focus on what the market needs. We

have done very well with the whole Pink thing, and

without question these lines have been very

successful as some of the big retailers have taken

them and sales of these items never disappoint.

Accessories always do well and having

introduced accessory display stands in over 200

outlets, they bring in a good solid income.

How does Technote feel the UK market differs

from other global markets?

I think all markets are going through these tough

times, this is a worldwide problem and I think

dealers, distributors and manufacturers are looking

to either consolidate, re-structure or try and reduce

their overheads. Margins are getting tighter, so I

feel anyone in business needs to focus – if you do

not, you simply will not survive, whatever country

you live in. I feel the UK is better set than most

European countries, but I am a little biased.

What distinguishes you from the competition?

I think it’s been our attitude and products. I tend

not to get involved in the politics that go on in the

industry. Its not that I am not interested, but I

would rather focus on what I need to do to ensure

my business is successful than worry about others.

How do you maintain a good relationship with

retailers?

Good communication, a well-structured returns

policy, competitive pricing and quick delivery of

orders. I have a great team behind me, giving good

support to our customers, which is very important.

What would you say is the biggest challenge

facing the MI industry today?

As a supplier to the mass-market customers I see

independent stores facing tough times in terms of

competing on price. I believe the volumes being

sold via big retailers means a big opportunity for

smaller stores to improve their education facilities

in order to attract the many customers that have

bought from the big retailers. Look at Roy Jevons of

Dudley, he did this years ago and is doing very well,

which proves if you focus on what you do best, you

just need to work out the best way to sell it.

What are your aims for the next 12 months?

I think for 2011 I would like to maintain our

current activities. I’m not bothered about increasing

our business, but we need to focus on our

profitability. That will always keep the wolf from

the door and start to increase business for 2012.

TECHNOTE – LITTLE BARFORD - TONY SMITH

Address: Technote, Vernon House, Alington Rd,

Little Barford, PE19 6YH

Phone: 01480 470320 Web: www.technote.com

Email:enquiries@technote.com

CONTACT DETAILS

®

GUITARS

As a mass-market supplier, Technote has

been able to see off the threats that have

doomed others in MI. Tony Smith tells us

why it’s on the up…

12 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

THE FIRST London Drum Show took place

from September 4th to the 5th at The

Olympia and was generally praised by

exhibitors and visitors alike. Just under

2,000 people attended and some 40

stands featured major brands, such as

Pearl, Yamaha and Roland, down to start-

up companies like Stageworks Gear.

“The drum community always stands a

little separate from the rest of MI, so this

show really captures that. We all know

each other and it’s like old friends getting

together,” said Yamaha’s Darren Power.

Mikedolbear.com organised several

masterclasses run by the likes of Dave

Weckl and Craig Blundell.

There was little in the way of new gear

on show, which could explain why

product sales were low. One stand that

did have new gear was Morico. The whole

stand was ‘branded’ Sound Garden, after

its new brand of sound sculptures: hand

beaten cymbals, gongs and other

‘hittables’ that looked and sounded great.

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

hits the right spotImpressive turn-out makes for a very well received event

GON BOPS has hired Terry Ryan to take

on the role of international sales

manager for the brand.

His job will involve overseeing the

sale of the brand outside of the US,

including Europe, Canada and South

America. He will also continue his

current role as manager of sales and

artist relations Canada for Sabian.

Ryan studied music at Memorial

University in St. John’s, Newfoundland

and traveled around Canada with

several recording acts before starting his

career in retail. He is a multi-

instrumentalist and has ten years of

experience in retail management.

“Terry brings exceptional experience

and knowledge of the Canadian MI

industry to his new role at Gon Bops

and his addition to the team is a huge

plus for our brand,” said Lane Davy,

executive director of Gon Bops. “As we

continue to build the Gon Bops brand

throughout the globe, having Terry

onside makes all of our jobs that

much easier.”

He has also worked in sales,

marketing, merchandising, purchasing,

inventory control, customer services

and human resources. He started at

Sabian in 2003.

WESTSIDE: 0141 248 4812

Terry Ryan appointed new Gon

Bops international sales manager

INTTEGRRATEEDD MMARKKETINGG COMMMMUNICATIOONS MANAGER

When most people think of Fender® guitars and amplifi ers, they think

of our rich history and legacy, after all the Spirit of Rock and Roll is our

Company motto.

For us at Fender® it’s all about the future. We work hard today to MAKE HISTORY

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The closing date for applications is 15th October 2010.

®

A NEW silent bass drum monitoring

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who struggle to hear their own bass drum

in a live setting.

The system features the most powerful

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built in to a throne top and coupled to an

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delivered by the Bum Chum’s bone

conduction technology, allowing the

drummer to feel the drum through

vibrations in the seat.

Audio technicians will also

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This product effectively

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The Bum Chum is already available, priced

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Those accustomed to the annual

audio and lighting spectacle that is

PLASA will be familiar with the

dazzling spotlights, perfectly assembled

booths, belching smoke machines and

towering line arrays that have become

synonymous with the event – and this

year’s show was no different.

Although the majority of the

attractions listed above would

leave most of the MI

community in a state of

bewilderment, there are

more than a few

reasons why MI Pro

feels it is worthwhile

sifting through the

corridors of cables,

lasers and recorders,

to find something

more suitable.

Shure Distribution

had scaled down from its

two-storey boothof previous

years, but still had a selection of

new products on show to turn MI heads.

The PSM 900 in-ear monitoring system

was given priority, with its precise front-

end RF filtering and digital stereo encoder,

which provides excellent audio clarity.

Optimised for channel 38 in time for the

2012 digital switch over, the PSM 900 is

made up of a transmitter with removable

antenna and a bodypack transmitter.

QSC might be known for its high end

audio lines, but its new K series speakers

were another prominent MI feature, back

from a gig at the top of Mount

Kilimanjaro, an example of their durability.

The range is split in terms of each

speaker’s conical waveguide (the angle in

which the sound is dispersed) instead of

output power and consists of eight-inch,

ten-inch and 12-inch versions, as well as a

portable subwoofer, the KSub.

Line 6 was attracting a real buzz.

Product specialist Simon Jones

felt this was proof of how

far the brand has come

in recent years. “Lots

of people have been

coming to see us,”

said Jones. “When

you achieve

certain growth,

you start making

new products for

existing customers,

then new products

for new customers and

that’s why we’re here.”

The XD-V digital wireless

systems on show have been praised for

their simplicity, protection against

interference and their superior range and

sound. The XD-V70’s rack mount function

was displayed to the masses, showing the

easy set up and operation first hand.

Portable PA systems don’t get much

more portable than the new Elements

range from HK Audio. This series features

components that slot together with

remarkable ease to create a variety of set-

up possibilities for different situations and

caught the eye of many passers-by who

were originally looking for high-end gear.

“We’ve had a good number of

conversations already so there’s already

been a great deal of interest,” said Alan

Smith, executive director of sales and

marketing for JHS, distributor for HK.

“We’re hoping to have more throughout

the week and we’ve been convincing

people coming to the stand to have a look

at the Elements and they’ve been very

impressed with what they’ve seen.”

Samson returned to PLASA this year

and was also pulling in the crowds, eager

to sample what the brand had to offer. The

510i was another portable PA system that

featured an ingenious transportation idea

– both speakers can slide together to form

one unit, encasing the accompanying

mixer and leads within.

The 401W-17 was another new

addition with its VHF wireless microphone

system, built-in iPod dock and battery

operation making it perfect for outside

performers and pubs wanting a simple, but

effective system for karaoke nights and

similar and other scenarios.

Robert Castle, managing director of

Korg UK, the distributor of Samson said:

“It’s been really good so far. It’s our first

year here and we’ve had a great deal of

interest from people, with many coming

up to us saying they never knew we did all

these types of products.”

Another returning star for the PLASA

faithful was Mackie. Situated on the same

booth as Loud Technologies’ brands,

Martin Audio and EAW, Mackie was back

with a bang, releasing the HD loudspeaker

and subwoofer series, the 24-channel

VLZ3 mixer and two new interfaces – the

Onyx Blackbird and Blackjack.

Adam Hall seemed to be having a good

week as well, with the cunningly placed

Dave G2 series portable PA from LD

Systems in a great position to pull the

punters further in to its area, which was

adorned with loads of MI gear.

“Last year we had a really small booth,

which made it pretty quiet, but this year

has been a lot better,” said Adam Hall’s

general manager, Andrew Richardson.

On the stand was the Eminence Flux

Density Modulation speaker technology,

which allows guitarists to control the

output level, distortion and tonal balance

through a dial on the back of the speaker.

This general feeling of satisfaction from

those who took part is an indication that

PLASA will remain very firmly on the MI

calendar for the foreseeable future.

Despite its pro audio priorities, there was still plenty of MI related gems to be found in the brightly lit (but not noisy)

labyrinth that was this 2010’s PLASA show. Adam Savage breathes smoke and dodges lasers to deliver his report…

A sound investment

PLASA � EVENT REVIEW

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 15

FACT FILE:

EVENT: PLASA

DATE: September 12th-15th 2010

VENUE: Earls Court, London

EXHIBITORS: Over 300

VISITORS: Over 12,000

VERDICT: The exhibitors certainly

found this year’s show worthwhile

and the punters will have been

happy too, with so much to see.

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With no little cacophony and a

good helping of percussion

related bedlam, September 4th

and 5th saw the London Drum Show

come crashing and pounding into town,

which was to have been expected from a

building full of drummers and a delightful

array of the things for them to hit.

A glance around revealed just how well

the organiser had managed to fit so much

exhibition space in the small hall – and it

hadn’t been stingy on booth space either.

What was immediately noticeable was

how Yamaha had, quite literally, taken

centre stage with a trio of Rock Tour kits

sitting proudly on the corner of its large

display area. Although showing nothing

brand new, the Japanese company was

able to demonstrate not just its power,

but also that it is still takes shows like this

just as seriously as other brands.

“You have to be here to keep the brand

in front of the public. You can never

quantify this sort of thing, but you know

it’s valuable,” said Darren Power, Yamaha’s

national sales manager. “The quality of the

punter here has been excellent. Their

enquiries have been on a very deep level –

a lot of understanding.”

Another manufacturer that attracted a

great deal of attention was Roland. With a

stand that featured the much-loved V-

Drums range, there was barely a moment

where its space was not invaded by

legions of youngsters itching to unleash

their adolescent aggression on these kits.

Those who stopped by Roland’s stand

were also graced with the presence of

Craig Blundell, a demonstrator for the

manufacturer and another specialist who

wowed fans in the afternoon with his

electronic percussion skills. Blundell also

offered words of praise for the event. “It’s

got a really good, friendly vibe. It’s a good

experience for Roland and it’s great to see

the punters mixing with the players,” he

said. As well as the V-Drums, Roland’s

Octapad was a real eye-catcher, with

Blundell demo’ing how to loop the bass

and drum effects effortlessly.

As for sales, it seemed that accessories

and drum parts were doing better than full

kits, which was good news for a few of the

brands that had gone along. The Dream

Cymbals range, distributed by Soar Valley,

was there in full force and was the source

of a great deal of optimism from sales

manager Darran Bramley.

“We’ve just got the full product range

in, so the timing has been perfect. It’s a

good show for us and it seems people are

interested and getting the message. I’m

really optimistic for Dream Cymbals and

shows such as these only help,” he said.

Following on from this, one of the few

negatives that emerged was the lack of

overall sales across the venue. Hugo

Montgomery-Swan, managing director at

Oyster House Media, the event’s organiser

confirmed this, but also revealed that

many taking part had realistic

expectations, so weren’t too disappointed.

“It’s a difficult one. We brought the

people in, but we can’t make them spend,”

said Montgomery-Swan. “All I can say is

that we work in other retail sectors and

this sector is nowhere near as bad as

some of the others. I think it’s simply

down to the economy suppressing

people’s desire to spend.”

Also in the accessory category,

Stageworks used the Drum Show to

launch the second product in its line of

problem solving products, the Rimma. This

stick holder/clip attaches to the top of a

bass drum and allows the user to reach

down and grab a spare stick with ease,

should one fly out of the drummer’s hand

during a performance.

Interest in world percussion was

declared a bit quiet by a number of the

tradesmen that MI Pro spoke to, but a few

of the larger brands were an exception,

convincing a good number to have a tap

and a patter on their latest offerings.

Natal looked to have been extremely

busy since its appearance at the MI Retail

Conference & Expo, showing off a huge

array of cajons and a wonderful selection

of congas and bongos, including the Fuego

and Spirit ranges, which is impressive

considering how it is still in its early stages

of development since being taken over by

Marshall Amplification.

“It’s got good energy and good visitors.

There’s also a good spread of exhibitors –

just about everybody is here who should

be,” commented Craig Fenney. “Natal is

just getting into gear now and the plans

for new gear are on track.”

Another percussion brand that was

recently the subject of a new distribution

deal was Gon Bops – now owned, of

course, by Sabian. Instrument designer

Akbar Moghaddam, who designs and

makes its California conga range, as well

as a handful of its other models, was

making a surprise appearance.

Providing a plethora of rhythmic enjoyment for both the trade and the public, The London Drum Show finally gave the

percussion sector back an event of its own. Adam Savage waded through the paradiddles to check it out…

Striking a balance

“We brought the people in, but we can’t make

them spend. We work in other sectors and

this is nowhere near as bad.Hugo Montgomery-Swan

Oyster House Media

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

EVENT REVIEW � LONDON DRUM SHOW

FACT FILE:

EVENT: London Drum Show

DATE: September 4th and 5th

VENUE: Olympia, London

EXHIBITORS: 36

VISITORS: 1,921

VERDICT: An excellent event

that impressed both the public

and those with their gear on

show. Well organised with a

good choice of venue, the

London Drum Show is sure to

become an established MI

show, but dealer exhibitors

hope will sales will improve.

“It’s gone really well. It’s the first

proper showing since we took on the

Gon Bops brand and made it widely

available,” said Andy Gillespie, drums and

percussion product specialist at Westside

Distribution, a supplier that was also

displaying the Sabian cymbal range, a

section that certainly drew the crowds

and not just because Dave Weckl was

there to do a signing after lunch.

You know a show has been a hit when

a number of exhibitors already state an

interest in taking part next year, before

the weekend is even over. Active was an

example of this, showing off its

renowned Meinl and Ludwig brands, both

of which needing no introduction in the

drum and percussion markets.

“It’s tough out there for everyone at

the moment, but when someone

organises a drum show, you have to be

there,” said Active’s Lee Worsely. “It’s

really worth doing and this foundation

means there is more than enough for the

organiser to build on, so it will definitely

happen again next year – and we’ll be

here again, for sure.”

Although new products in general

were few and far between, Morico was

introducing the unusual Sound Garden

product line. Instead of being named

after an old American grunge band, this

delightful series of sound sculptures,

cymbals and gongs was presumably given

this title due to their resemblance to

garden ornaments.

What is more, they sound just as good

as they look.

Also on the Morico stand was the

imaginatively titled Bum Chum bass

drum monitoring system – another of

the few newcomers at the show, a device

that allows drummers to feel the bass

drum through vibrations in the seat, a

worthy solution for those who struggle

to hear themselves in live settings.

After a chat with Morico’s Kevin

Morris, he seemed keen to stress his

belief that developing your own products

and brands is a far more effective

business method for a supplier, rather

than having to deal with some awkward

manufacturers.

“I don’t want to work with people or

products I’m unsure of. Running things

myself gives me peace of mind – so I’ve

got a lot of stuff happening over the next

year or so,” he said. “This is just the start

of a lot of innovative products coming.”

A success it most certainly was. As to

whether this event will continue the

recent worrying pattern of show’s

crashing off the MI show calendar, you

can bet that this one won’t be, especially

with the feedback collected by

Montgomery-Swan.

“With a few provisos from some

companies, everybody said they would

be back again next year – and some have

asked for additional space,” he said. Will

it return in 2011? You can bet your

vintage steel snare on it..

“It’s tough out there at the moment, but when

someone organises a drum show, you know

you just have to be there.Lee Worsely

Active Music

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

DRUMS...YOU SHOULD BE DEALING WITH US

IF YOU DEAL IN...

WWW.BRDISTRIBUTION.CO.UKTEL: +44 (0)1207 282 806

COMPANY PROFILE LOUD

As one of the world’s largest pro

audio and music product suppliers,

it’s no wonder that Loud

Technologies, with its broad brand lineup,

created a stir when it announced it would

be exhibiting at PLASA after a brief hiatus.

A visit to the stand revealed a hive of

activity and swarms of eager techies,

drawn to the new lines from Mackie and

the pro brands – EAW and Martin Audio.

Although Loud might have been absent in

recent years, it seemed that they had been

biding their time, waiting for the perfect

opportunity to return in style, and they

certainly did that.

“While we held effective off-site

product demos and training events over

the past few years, Loud had so many

exciting products this year we felt a front-

row stand on the show floor was exactly

what we needed to bring those products

to market,” said Loud’s John Kaukis. “Our

plan was to make a clear statement

regarding our commitment to innovation

and the UK market.”

As well as the three aforementioned

brands together on the PLASA booth, the

new HD1221 compact loudspeaker is the

first Mackie product to include EAW and

Martin Audio technology. This 12-inch

two-way unit delivers 1,200 Watts of peak

system power via the Class-D fast

recovery amplification system and has

been boosted by the inclusion of custom

designed EAW transducers and a horn

from the guys at Martin Audio.

“The HD series is a perfect example of

Mackie delivering high-end pro audio

specs to the MI market,” commented

Kaukis, who explained that the name HD

was chosen because of the audio clarity

on offer from this range, similar to the

visual improvements that high definition

television brings. “We think your first

experience with the HD series will be as

amazing as your first glance at HD video

and all of the detail you had missed.”

This high definition sound is created by

blending Mackie active electronics

(precision cross-overs, phase and time

alignment) and EAW’s acoustic correction

processing. Greater accuracy and

consistency from box to box is also

ensured by Mackie’s DSP HD audio

processing and all of this leads to a very

open, natural and detailed sound.

Combining the HD1221 with its

partner, the HD1501 powered sub,

illustrates how the series was supposed to

sound. “Just pair them up for the ultimate

portable HD rig,” said Ben Olswang,

Mackie’s product manager. “It’s easy to set

up and the sound quality is amazing.”

The HD1221’s versatility can be proven

further by the fact it can also be used as a

highly effective stage monitor. Its

asymmetrical design makes this possible

and when laid down, its 60-degree angle

directs sound more steeply than usual,

which is ideal for musos who prefer not to

have sound blasted straight at them.

It is with mixing consoles, though, that

Mackie has really made its name. The

2404-VLZ3 four-bus mixer marks a step

up from the 1604-VLZ3, but is designed to

maintain the low-noise, high-headroom

performance that made its predecessors

so popular. It also offers several upgrades

that take the series forward.

The 2404-VLZ3 features dual 32-bit

effects processors, an integrated 4x2 24-

bit USB interface and eight dedicated in-

line compressors.

Equipped with studio-grade XDR2

extended dynamic range mic preamps

with phantom power and 20 mono mic

and line channels, this mixer is perfect for

beginners, but also includes plenty of

high-tech components to keep the pro

audio crowd happy.

A three-band active eq with swept mid-

frequency and six aux sends (two pre-

fader and post-fader sends, with sends

three and four switchable between the

“We think your first experience with the HD series

will be as amazing as your first glance at HD video.John Kaukis

UK sales manager, MI group, Loud Technologies

Loud and proudLoud Technologies returned to PLASA this year, with Mackie one of three of the audio giant’s brands launching a plethora

of new audio arrivals. Adam Savage armed himself with headphones and ear plugs and went to check it all out…

20 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

two) are just some examples of what the

2404-VLZ3 offers more experienced users.

“Mackie is known for creating

professional quality products that not only

sound great, but are also user-friendly,”

said Olswang. “As such, we made it easy

to use for beginners and experienced pros

alike. We didn’t skimp on any pro features

but we also made sure users could easily

start with the basics and the mixer would

be able to grow on them.”

Mackie claims to have set a new

standard in mid-format with this model

and with a four-band Perkins eq on every

channel, a built-in stereo compressor and

limiter all packed into a console the same

size as the popular SR24 and SR32

versions. It looks as though the 2404-VLZ3

will take some beating.

Completing the Mackie display at

PLASA were the Onyx Blackjack and

Blackbird interfaces. The unique selling

points behind the Blackjack is without

doubt how the manufacturers have

managed to get Mackie’s boutique-quality

Onyx mic preamps into a remarkably

small unit, without costing the earth.

The Blackjack’s two-channel design is

perfect for bands wanting to record their

performances, either at gigs or during

rehearsals and for overdubs in a home

studio environment.

Making it even more competent in a

studio setting are the Cirrus Logic ADA

converters with 114dB dynamic range and

preamps taht deliver top-of-the-range

fidelity and dynamic range.

The Blackbird is a 16x16 Firewire

recording interface, which houses eight

Onyx preamps and high-end 24-bit/96kHz

conversion in a rackmount design. The two

‘super’ channels located on the front panel

provide quick access to crucial recording

tools and the Blackbird matrix mixer

software allows for quick mixes and

routing any input to any output.

For both interfaces, the built-in Onyx

preamps have been flagged as one of the

most important additions and it seems

that this is one of the areas that the

designers at Mackie are most proud of.

“Great recordings start with high-quality

preamps and you will simply not find

preamps at this price range better than

the Blackjack and Blackbird Onyx

preamps,” said Olswang. “Found on our

most expensive studio consoles, Onyx pres

are designed to meet or surpass expensive,

esoteric standalone pres in terms of

fidelity, headroom and transparency.”

The amount of interest generated at

trade show launches is always a first-hand,

preliminary indication of how successful a

product (or in this case, series of products)

could turn out to be, which is why Loud

will be sitting very comfortably indeed

after its PLASA outing. Add to its brand

inventory the likes of Ampeg, Blackheart,

Alvarez and Crate and it’s no wonder that

Loud Technologies has reached the status

it has and it’s with new lines like these

that will allow its reputation to grow

further still.

LOUDTECHINC.COM

LOUD COMPANY PROFILE

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 21

The 2404-VLZ3 might not have a snappy name, but does the business for beginners and pros – and dealers – alike

FIRST LINE COMPANY PROFILE

One small ray of sunshine in the

current economic crisis is that it’s

provided what you might describe

as ‘encouragement’ for retailers to look

long and hard at their stock. Increasingly,

both they and distributors tell MI Pro they

are turning away from trying to compete

with brands that attract heavy discounts,

because they realise discounting is a

battle they cannot win. This doesn’t

automatically mean the big brands are

vanishing from smaller shops – they’re still

needed and always will be. However, it

does mean that canny retailers are doing

what canny retailers always have – making

sure that they also offer lines on which

they can make a good margin and to

which they can steer the right customers.

While sometimes this category is

composed of what might be described as

‘second tier’ brands, it also includes the

prestigious US-sourced lines that First Line

Distribution has done so well with. This

dovetails nicely with the current mood of

the industry, that should be no surprise, as

First Line was started by Jay Henson, who

had a long background in MI retail before

moving into distribution.

The company began with Carl Martin

effects pedals, then began to add similarly

prestigious US lines like Spector basses,

Eden bass amplification, Parker guitars,

Diamond amplification and DR Strings.

Most recently it has caused a real stir with

the long-awaited DBZ guitars – the latest

project from Dean founder, Dean Zelinsky.

But wait a minute – DR strings? Surely

the axiom is that getting new string lines

established in the UK is next to

impossible, as most retailers can’t be

persuaded to stock anything but the big

three or four brands? According to Jay

Henson, this is not the case with DR.

“DR has been doing incredibly well for

us and the further we go, the more we are

starting to realise how much potential

there is and it’s all down to the quality of

the product. As a retailer, having someone

come in with another strong brand is a bit

of a nightmare, I realise, having been

there. You want to be able to offer your

customers more choice, but trying to put

aside that extra bit of space, when you

know your Ernie Balls and D’Addarios will

sell, is a bit difficult. But the thing with DR

strings is that it’s not just a marketing

exercise – it’s not

just another ‘me

too’ product with different

marketing and a new set of endorsers.

It’s a genuinely original product made

using different construction methods and

it has a huge following. People who know

them don’t just go back and ask for

‘another set of those strings with the pink

packets.’ Once they’ve tried them, DR is all

they’ll buy. They won’t even tell me how

they make their latest strings, DDT – Drop

Down Tuning. They’re absolutely incredible

strings across the range and are starting to

build a serious following.”

A following is what Dean Zelinsky has,

too. It has been over two years since word

went out that he had parted company

with the Dean brand he founded and was

teaming-up with Diamond Amplification

to launch an entirely new range of guitars.

It has taken Zelinsky time to get DBZ into

full production, but the delay seems to

have heightened the buzz surrounding the

newcomers, which have now been

received to great acclaim in the USA.

“It has taken a while to get up to full

production but we now have

containers coming every month,”

Henson says. “The reason it took so

long was because Dean Zelinsky

knew it had it be right.”

What is particularly interesting

about DBZ isn’t just that the

guitars look so good (check out

the DBZ website), but that they

“The company began with Carl Martin effects

pedals, then began to add similarly prestigious US

lines like Spector basses and DR strings.

First in lineWhere does the MI retailer turn when the larger brands start squeezing margins? Most of them are discovering that

quality, niche brands are quite often the way to keep profits high in these financially tough times that we find

ourselves in. Gary Cooper has unearthed a swathe of them all under one roof at First Line Distribution…

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 23

COMPANY PROFILE FIRST LINE

share something in common with the

other First Line brands – they’re not

bargain basement, but neither are they in

the ‘boutique’ price range which, with the

best will in the world, only specialist

retailers can sell. In fact, the new DBZ

models retail between £300 and £800,

making them competitors, not with

handmade luxury guitars, but with

mainstream, established brands. Again,

Henson reminds us, DBZ is really an

established name. Once a potential

customer makes the connection between

DBZ and Dean, the product ceases to be

an unknown quantity.

“With a DBZ you’re getting the

excitement of a new guitar company, but

with the heritage of Dean Zelinsky, who

has got 30 years behind him. The price

points are attractive, they’re profitable for

retailers, we’re not appointing a lot of

dealers and I think it represents a really

good profit opportunity for those who are

looking at their walls and thinking ‘I can’t

make enough money off these’.”

The same is true of Eden bass

amplification – another product that has a

pedigree as a top-end professional range,

but has broadened and expanded so that

it now includes a range of products which

wouldn’t be out of place in a general

music shop, as well as bass specialists.

“The range that Eden offers now is

quite extraordinary. They can compete

with any bass amplifier brand – from

extremely light micro heads, all-valve

Seventies type bass heads, and they’re still

doing all their flagship models – like the

WT 550. Four years ago that sold for over

£1,000 but now it’s selling for £699. There

are even practice amps for £100, yet the

quality is still there, it’s a profitable line

for dealers to sell and anyone who takes it

on does so knowing that we don’t do

special deals on the golf course – it’s a

completely level playing field for our

dealers. Eden is a range that enables the

smaller dealer to have just one bass range

in stock and it covers all his options.

“A lot of what we sell are the products

you move up to, once you’ve gone beyond

the average big name brands that

everybody plays at some time or another.

They’re the products you graduate to –

quality products – and that takes a big

worry away from the retailer, as it means

people aren’t going to be walking into

your store thinking ‘what is it?’ or ‘that’s

not very good, is it?’ They’re quality

brands with customer recognition.”

They are also brands that despite

having a certain cachet, don’t come with

price tags that are looking problematic as

the recession bites, Henson says.

“Retail has been struggling, but there

are things people can do – looking for

alternative brands that can be profitable

for them, for one. I know from having

spent years as a retailer that it’s very easy

to start doing deals, cutting your margins

and trying to compete with people you

really can’t hope to compete with. It’s

about protecting your margin and stocking

the type of products that enable you to

do that. We don’t deal with the very top

market leaders, but I consider our brands

to be prestige brands – there’s nothing

cheap and nasty there. They’re all known

names – not household names, perhaps,

but, for example, anyone that would buy a

Music Man bass will know of Spector

basses and anyone that’s a fan of Dean

guitars will know of DVZ. At a time when

retailers are struggling, I think we are

offering a range of very profitable

alternatives, that aren’t hard to sell

because they are all brands that their

customers will have heard of.”

And just to add a final clincher, Henson

adds that there is about to be a new

dealer website which will make selling his

brands even easier. For example, it will

have pictures of his actual DBZ stock –

not just catalogue images. As Henson

explains, the range of finishes on DBZ is so

wide that he wants retailers to be able to

hand-select the individual guitars they

want. The site will also feature charts of

all the different DR strings, as well as Q&A

on matching Eden bass amp products.

“It’s all designed to offer dealers

support. Talking points about the products,

information they might find useful –

things that will make their jobs easier

when they come to sell these products.”

FIRST LINE: 01626 830336

24 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

“We don’t deal with

the very top market

leaders, but I

consider our brands

to be prestige brands.Jay Henson

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Trev Wilkinson has something on his

mind. As Britain’s one-man guitar

think-tank, this isn’t particularly

surprising – indeed, you imagine that his

brain must be bubbling with ideas

continuously, but almost as soon as we

start speaking, it’s clear that he wants to

get something off his chest. The problem,

he explains, is one of perception. He

wants to make sure the industry

understands that the recently launched

Wilkinson ATD HT440 self-tuning bridge

system wasn’t a solo project and, equally,

is soon to be available on other guitars

besides his (and JHS’) Fret King – the first

brand to carry this remarkable product.

Though it wouldn’t be the MI Pro style

to spring Paxmanesque-style questions,

Wilkinson’s candour did slightly take the

wind out of our sails as these were two

issues we had intended to raise – both the

story behind Auto Tuning Developments

and whether it has got off to a lower key

start than one might have expected for

what could be a truly world-beating idea.

The ATD has been a long time in the

making. Word began to spread about its

development several years ago and,

originally, Wilkinson’s name wasn’t

connected with it. We wanted to know

how he had got involved, what his role in

the project had been and whether he feels

he can succeed in selling an auto-tuning

system to a public (let alone a trade) that

hasn’t exactly showered Gibson’s Robot

concept with universal praise.

Moreover, we wanted to know whether

he felt Gibson had tainted the entire

market for self-tuning guitars.

But before that, whence ATD?

“The system came about in the first

place with Richard Whittall and his son,

Nick. Nick was at college and a guitar

player. He had heard a guy talking about a

device that could automatically tune a

guitar. He mentioned it to his father as a

product they should develop and, to cut a

long story short, they did that. They then

looked around for the best way to take

what was a very large, expensive piece of

equipment to the next stage. They were

put in touch with me – and to give you

some idea how long this has been in

gestation, this was in around 1996 or 97.”

WILKINSON COVER FEATURE

Fine tuning ideasAfter years of development, the long rumoured ADT self-tuning bridge was launched at Summer NAMM on a

Wilkinson-designed Fret King. Gary Cooper tightens the gears with Trevor Wilkinson to see how it all came about…

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 27

“I want to set the

record straight on

this. This was not a

solo effort – it has

been a team effort

from the start.Trevor Wilkinson

COVER FEATURE WILKINSON

Wilkinson – the only man in Britain

who had managed to challenge the US

monopoly on advanced guitar vibrato

systems and components – had unique

experience here. He had a reputation

among players, had sold branded products

to the big international guitar companies,

been an early pioneer in sourcing reliable

Far Eastern licensing without getting his

ideas stolen – in short, he had credibility

in the international guitar world. It was

that experience and insight that made

him set two initial conditions for his

involvement in the project. The first was

that it had to retro fit an American

standard Stratocaster, the second, that it

had to sell at an affordable price. Two

conditions which, particularly in the light

of what Gibson debuted ten years later,

shows the sort of market nous for which

Wilkinson is famed.

At this point in the interview, Wilkinson

launches into a fascinating account of the

technical struggles the team (which

included Richard Whittall, a digital

engineer, a mechanical engineer and

himself) had to overcome. It’s to be hoped

that one of the guitar magazines will find

space for this story – which we,

concentrating on the business angle, do

not have – because for anyone interested

in guitars, engineering or turning an idea

into a product, it must rank alongside the

Dyson saga for interest.

Britannia’s business

Our focus, being on business, needs to

record the difficulty Wilkinson says the

team faced in trying to get support – the

familiar tale that has left the UK with an

unmatched record of patents and an

empty treasure chest, as waves of

inventors have been spurned by banks. For

all the talk of ‘cool Britannia’ and the

posing of government ministers with rock

stars, no-one from government was

interested in helping the ATD come to life

and the banks proved equally as

unenthusiastic. Wilkinson and the team

were on their own.

Help came from other companies –

including Maxon Motor, German gear

makers founded by the Braun family (of

electric razor fame) and Turchan, a US

company that had developed a

revolutionary process using lasers,

employed to grow diamonds on the ATD’s

bridge saddles and Shadow electronics,

again in Germany. With these three

working alongside the British quartet

(which, itself underwent some design

personnel changes along the way) the

product was, finally, brought to

production, though it took an exhausting

14 years to do so.

Team work

“I do want to set the record straight

about this, “ Wilkinson continues. “This

wasn’t a solo effort. For example, ten

years ago I brought into the team a lad

called Andy Leadbetter, straight out of

college with an honours degree in

mechanical engineering. At that time we

thought we were going to have to

construct the whole gearbox ourselves,

which was a nightmare project to

undertake. Andy came to the project

without the slightest knowledge of guitars

and that has more or less defined my role,

which has been as designer and

taskmaster. I supplied my knowledge of

guitars, vibrato systems and fixed bridges

and he did the leg work. That’s how this

has worked – it’s been a team project.

“Richard Whittall, as the managing

director, has raised capital and all the

essential things that go to make

something like this a reality. For 14 years

we’ve been an R&D company – there’s

been no money coming in, it’s been just

going out. “

Wilkinson also stresses the contribution

of Dave Goodway, the digital engineer

who was a key component in the team.

“The other partners included Maxon.

They make planetary gearboxes and I

need to explain why that matters. We’ve

got to be able to have enough torque to

turn a 52 gauge string around a capstan

the size of a tuning key, within the

confines of a vibrato block in a bridge, and

we can’t go any deeper than 45 mm

because 13⁄4 inches is the thickness of a

Strat body. That means I needed to find

gearboxes and motors within that size. I

knew Maxon made a planetary gearbox

and after a bit of a giggle at our

prototype, they said they could do it. They

saw it. I think, as a challenge – a way to

demonstrate their skills. They’ve invested

a lot of time and money and I’m very

grateful for their involvement.

“We’ve had so many things happen

like that – Maxon was a strategic partner

– and so was Turchan. A problem we

needed solving was reducing friction on

the bridge saddles without sacrificing the

sound of a Strat. Turchan had that

technology and they’ve been invaluable. “

Lift off

The launch vehicle for the ATD self-tuner

was the Fret King Super-Matic.

Without wanting to belittle Fret King,

wasn’t that a low-key launch for such an

exciting product? Wouldn’t it have made

more impact on a Fender or an Ibanez?

Wilkinson has an intriguing answer.

“The device is available to every guitar

company in the world and has been since

the start. The reason that it has appeared

first in the Fret King Super-Matic is simply

because Dennis Drumm at JHS had had

the guts and the foresight to say ‘We’ll do

that – put it in one of our guitars’. It’s just

the fact that Dennis was prepared to do it

before anyone else. “

So, what held back the rest of the

world? Does Wilkinson think that Gibson

could have shot the auto-tuning fox with

its Robot – putting guitarists off the

whole idea?

“I don’t think they damaged the

market – I think they damaged

themselves. I think in some ways they did

us a favour as they did bring something to

the mass market by making people aware

that the technology exists and actually

does work. And there’s no doubt that the

Gibson technology does work – it’s just

that it works within certain limitations.

“But not only do I think Gibson have

damaged themselves, I think Tronical have

damaged themselves, too, by taking it to

market with an exclusive company. “

Herein lies what could prove to be ATD

and Wilkinson’s smartest move, or biggest

mistake. It isn’t hard to imagine a deal

being struck with a major guitar

manufacturer to offer the ATD as an

exclusive product – but Wilkinson is sure

that would be the wrong thing to do.

“In an ideal world I’d like to have seen

it available from every single guitar brand

in the world. But to have gone from

nothing to producing 10,000 bridges a

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

Wilkinson with the

ADT auto-tune fitted

Fret King Super-Matic

“There is so much I could tell you. We don’t look

after our own in this country. Even with sales in

hand, you still can’t raise money from a bank.Trevor Wilkinson

Tel: 01202 696963 Email: info@intermusic.com

Call Intermusic to get your username & password to log on to the site or apply to use.

off all Guitars, Brass, Stringed, Woodwind & Accessories in

our online store:

www.intermusic.com

month would have been impossible.

Someone had to be first. I’ve been in

meetings with investors who know a little

bit about rock n roll and their first

comment is always: ‘We need to sell it to

Fender’. But my call has always been,

Fender can have it with pleasure – but

I’ve worked with companies like Fender

and Ibanez in the past and what they

want is exclusivity. Why would I want to

give it to a company that has 20 per cent

of the market and thus alienate the

remaining 80 per cent? If I offer it to the

other 80 per cent, that 20 per cent has to

have it anyway – or be left behind.”

One can only imagine the wrangling

that must have gone on behind the

scenes as Wilkinson sought to persuade

fellow board members and investors of

this point of view. And yet his logic is

hard to fault.

“I’m not bad-mouthing Fender and

Gibson – they’ve both been good

customers of mine in the past – but they

don’t sell guitars any more, they sell

nostalgia and they don’t have to try as

hard as the other guys. You’ve got an

awful lot of customers of my age who

played guitar, never did anything with it,

went into business, made a few bob and

later in life decided they always promised

themselves a Les Paul or a Strat. But

they’re not looking at the guitar, they’re

looking at the nostalgia.

“The key to this has been developing a

tool that the guitar player can use on

stage with confidence, not to show how

clever we are. It doesn’t take away from

his art – that is our guiding principle.

“As I say, we were never going to get it

on everybody’s guitar at once. Somebody

will be first and after a few years of argy-

bargy with various guitar companies,

someone had to be willing to go first and

it turned out that nobody – nobody –

said ‘All right, Trev – I’ll have some of

that’ except for Dennis at JHS.

As long as it’s black

And what did happen was epitomised by

the reaction of ‘a major guitar retailer’ in

the USA who, while apparently loving the

system, opined that no one would pay

$1,599 for a Korean-made guitar. No

matter that Korean guitars can be better

made than US-produced ones, or that it

featured a player-friendly self-tuning

system that actually worked

Which isn’t to say that the

aforementioned guitar chain was wrong.

Guitarists, as everyone in the industry

knows, can make the Women’s Institute

look radical and edgy.

“I’m not knocking dealers, because I

know they’re having a tough time, but I

sometimes just wish these two

impediments to sales – dealers and

distributors – would give the consumer

some credit for making the choice. I know

they see it as a gamble, but f we’d have

thought making the ATD was too much of

a gamble, I’d have gone fishing instead. If

nobody takes a gamble, how the hell are

we going to move forward? This attitude

even hurt Leo Fender. He wanted to make

a better guitar than a 62 Strat and he

used to say to me: ‘Trevor, why do people

want to buy my old guitars? They’re

junk?’ Well, they weren’t junk, but I know

what he was saying. His G&L guitars

were, to him, better. He did till the day he

died – tried to make a better mousetrap.“

The waiting game

To bring things back to the present, the

ATD system, for now, can be found solely

on the Fret King Super-Matic guitar but

that raises the question of Wilkinson’s

initial caveat when offered the chance to

get involved – wasn’t it supposed to be

available as a retro-fit for a Strat?

“It’s do-able now, but I learned early

on – especially when I introduced the

Wilkinson roller nut, which got me into

the business in 1984 – if you put

something in a box and put it on the

counter, the first question is “Does that

work?“ If you can’t point him to a guitar

on the wall where he can see it working,

you’ll never sell it. So we had to get it out

OEM first. We’re playing a waiting game

and if you pressed me for a date, I’d say it

will be available as a retro-fit by next

year. It could go tomorrow, but I feel I

mustn’t take my energies away from

selling it to other guitar companies.”

Will we be seeing an ESP, Ibanez or

Dean with the ATD any time soon?

“I’m pretty confident that by the time

NAMM 2011 comes around there will be

quite a lot of major guitar companies

that will have a prototype on show with

this system. “

If Wilkinson is right, the appearance of

the ATD system on a variety of guitar

brands will encourage this preternaturally

conservative market to trust the idea.

That should translate into increased

guitar sales as ATD becomes the latest

‘must have’. Beyond that, the market for

retro-fitting the device to Strats and

copies should also grow – another

welcome stimulus for sales which the

industry doesn’t currently have.

Which takes us back to the point

about the difficulty of raising investment.

“There’s an awful lot more that could

be done with the ideas we have here.

“The frustration is the fact that you

can’t get any money to develop anything.

We don’t look after our own people in

this country. There is so much more I

could tell you that we could do with this

and yet, even with sales in hand, still you

can’t raise money from a bank. That’s

another huge debt of thanks we have – to

Richard Whittall and his family, without

whom none of this could have happened.

“None the less, in the ATD the MI

industry has a new opportunity for

increased business. Let’s hope its own

innate cynicism doesn’t prevent it from

seizing the chance.

COVER FEATURE WILKINSON

30 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

“I’m not bad-mouthing Fender or Gibson – they’ve

been good customers of mine – but they don’t sell

guitars anymore. They sell nostalgia.Trevor Wilkinson

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COMPANY PROFILE INTERMUSIC

You have to hand it to Intermusic.

Following the demise of his retail

chain, Minns Music, Richard Webb

saw an opportunity in the piano importing

business and started the company straight

away. It’s likely that there were a few

raised eyebrows accompanying

Intermusic’s start-up, as it was at the time

a crowded acoustic piano market, but 25

years on, the company is going from

strength to strength.

But what does that mean? It’s a phrase

the PR people dish out at every opportune

moment, but rarely has any substance

behind it. In the case of Intermusic there is

real justification. Occupying nearly half of

an office/warehouse site in Poole (some

five units out of 12, with an eye on each

of the others as they become available),

Webb’s company has recently undergone

an internal revamp, establishing a new

website (having finally wrestled the

intermusic.com domain name from a

previous owner) and two new showrooms,

one based on the company’s general MI

offering and the other for the impressive

Bechstein piano brands.

Coming from a strong retail

background, Webb is always very clear

about where his efforts are aimed.

“The showrooms are for dealers to

come along and have a look at what we

are doing and what we can offer,” he

explains. “We’re really pleased with them

and we hope it will inspire some of them

to get a little bit more focused.” And it’s a

focus that can be seen immediately,

particularly in the Bechstein showroom,

where the C Bechstein, Bechstein Academy

and Hoffmann grands each sit in their

own space, with some classy branding

panels among them. “It’s like you would

see in a Mercedes showroom,” Webb

continues. “A well organised space with

the brands given their own area, with

tables and chairs to talk business. If a shop

takes on a display such as this, they will

benefit from being a prime dealer.”

The general showroom displays all of

the guitar, brass and woodwind, with the

impressive (and extremely wide) range of

Shine guitars, the Kiss endorsed Silvertone

brand and Intermusic’s own Bentley

branding on pretty much everything else,

from saxes, brass and woodwind to digital

pianos and drums.

The two spaces illustrate the maturity

Intermusic has achieved over the years,

which together with its long-standing

policies of allowing dealers to set their

own retail prices and the ability for them

to buy products with their own branding

makes the supplier one of the most

retailer-friendly operations in the country.

The icing on the cake, therefore, has

been the capture of the intermusic.com

domain, which inspired a complete

overhaul of the company’s website. Once

again, it is focused on the dealer, with a

secure retailer area, a fully spec’d search

engine and the ability to see full account

details and any orders progressing.

Webb’s son, Oliver, as well as looking

after business outside of MI, has been

turning his attention to the website.

Marginal opportunitiesThere is little that makes a company take stock of where it is more avidly than a landmark anniversary, although as

Intermusic approaches its 25th birthday, Andy Barrett finds out, the Dorset-based supplier is already a step ahead…

32 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

L-R: Intermusic’s piano product manager Steve Hammett, founder and chairman Richard Webb and managing director, Oliver Webb

“It’s a new direction for

Intermusic,” he says. “We

are hoping to show

dealers the exceptional

value they can get by

working with us online. To

begin with, we are offering

a 20 per cent discount for

those paying up front on

the website. It’s a

considerable reduction and I

think it will tempt a lot of

dealers to take a look.”

“We think we can probably beat

pretty much anybody’s trade

prices,” adds Richard Webb.

“Even those that are buying

direct from China will find us

extremely competitive.”

“And the website is

completely secure,” says

Oliver. “We’ve spent a lot

of time on that and getting

thorough checking systems

to ensure not just anybody

gets on to the trade pages.”

We hear the phrase ‘helping

dealers make more margin’ a lot

these days, but with Intermusic’s

reputation, it is easy to believe. “With the

website, we can really offer dealers some

excellent deals,” continues Oliver Webb.

“It’s what we’ve always done, it’s just now

there is more technology involved. What

we have now is a 20 per cent discount

store for dealers – all day, every day.”

The website is very much aimed at the

MI market – as opposed to the acoustic

piano sector. “I can’t see us ever selling

pianos online,” says Richard Webb. “It’s

just not that kind of market – I don’t see

it that way and nor do the dealers.

Intermusic’s MI is really about the entry

level – although Shine does go a lot

further than that. The Bentley digital

pianos and digital drumkits will find a

place online soon, but that’s probably

about as far as it will go.”

“In time, we could get piano

information online, but it won’t go further

than that,” points out Oliver Webb. “Steve

Hammett [Intermusic’s piano product

manager] has just sold a £25,000

Bechstein grand today. It was a long

procedure. Had to make the call and give

explanations, send over pictures to

confirm the exact colour – it was a big

sale. You are simply not going to be able

to do that sort of thing online.”

This is very much the nature of the

beast when it comes to acoustic piano

sales. There is an extremely limited

number of them – and Intermusic has

known all about them since…well, forever.

Advances in that business come in

different ways – subtle ways and by no

means earth-shattering.

“All we can do is help the dealers think

like us,” says Richard Webb. “This is why

we have set up the showroom. Dealers can

see how a shop floor can work with just a

couple of brands on show. They buy the

stock and we do the branding. When they

do this they get a good deal – I should say

an even better deal. On top of this, they

will be flagged up on the website as a top

dealer – and when you are talking about a

brand such as Bechstein, you have

probably the only high-end piano that is

growing its market at the moment.

Bechstein is pretty unique in the market

at the moment, in that it is, I think, a

better product than all the competition

and is at a far better price point. It really is

turning heads at the moment.”

Dealers wishing to take advantage of

the special showroom branding from

Intermusic will also be pleased to hear

that the deals are not set in stone. The

company is willing to look at each store

on a case-by-case basis, with a lot, of

course, depending on its size and then a

reasonable commitment from the store

based on that. Alongside the Bechstein

Academy range bringing the Bechstein

name to a more budget conscious market,

there is the Hoffmann range, which slots

in between the two. Hoffmann is made in

Bechstein’s Czech factory and as such is a

keenly priced European-made piano.

“With the Pearl River products added

into the equation and everything that

they can bring to the table – Rittmüller,

for example, which slots in nicely in

between Bechstein Academy and

Hoffmann, and is, I think, the best Chinese

upright on the market – we have such an

offering that there are a few dealers for

which Intermusic is the sole supplier,”

explains Richard Webb. “But there could be

a lot more. Dealers should take a good

look at what we are doing, whether high-

end pianos or OEM stock with their own

branding on it. We don’t tell dealers what

to sell for, so when it comes to offering

top margins, we win. We earn dealers

more money.”

That window of opportunity that

Richard Webb saw 25 years ago, then, is

still open – although it would appear that

today it is very much Intermusic’s window.

Dealers could do a lot worse than having a

peek through it.

INTERMUSIC: 01202 696963

“We think we can probably beat pretty much

anybody’s trade prices.Richard Webb

Intermusic

INTERMUSIC COMPANY PROFILE

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 33

COMPANY PROFILE BARNES & MULLINS

Around the world of MI, almost all

instrument categories include

accessories to aid the musician’s

playing experience to varying degrees, but

there are few products that are as

important as the bow is to the violin.

The clue is in the name, of course:

bowed instruments. When you take this

into consideration, it is baffling that little

attention is given to bows. Here’s an

opportunity, then, for them to get some

much-needed limelight.

The US bow maker Codabow provides

bows for string enthusiasts with varying

levels of skill and ability. Whether a

student in the early stages of

development or an accomplished solo

artist, Codabow targets all musicians.

The brand traces its history back to the

commercial introduction of carbon fibre in

the early 1950s and the product is made

by a team of craftsmen and scientists,

blending tradition and technology to

produce quality, performance bows.

Stan Prosen, a key player in the

composites industry, is one of the pioneers

of this carbon fibre approach, along with

Roger Zabinski, who is up there with the

most respected traditional bow makers.

Completing the trio is Codabow chief

executive Jeff Van Fossen, a mechanical

and aerospace engineer. Together, they

have started a trend with carbon fibre

bows that professionals now follow.

Two areas where Codabow has made a

real difference to players are with its bow

camber and bow balance innovations.

“Camber refers to the arc of the bow

shaft, typically measured when the bow

hair is at full rest,” says Van Fossen.

“Optimum camber is largely dependent

upon the material properties of the shaft.

Codabows are crafted using stable

materials to exact specifications, yielding

bow performance that is predictable and

consistent throughout. The camber on all

Codabows will never require adjustment.

“Balance is perhaps the least

understood and yet one of the most

important characteristics of a performance

bow,” he adds. “The ‘balance’ that a player

feels is a combination of two properties:

the static balance and the dynamic

balance points. The location of these two

points strinbgly influences the playability.

“In the case of traditional wood bows

whose material properties are defined, the

maker has limited control over balance.

Because of the material properties of

Codabows, the control of balance can be

engineered exactly, so the dynamic and

static points can be placed precisely where

they serve the player best.”

There are a number of different ranges

available from Codabow through Barnes &

Mullins that cater for players of all levels.

Starting from the top, the Diamond

series is available for violin, viola and cello

and consists of three model levels: the GX,

SX and NX.

The GX is designed to be the ideal bow

for those looking to replace their

pernambuco model, the SX is best as a

touring bow for the busy musician and the

NX is for advanced players who want to

make their first steps towards becoming a

fully-fledged professional string maestro.

The most innovative of the Codabows,

the Joule, offers performance unobtainable

from materials traditionally used.

Originally developed for extended range

and electric instruments, this design is

capable of commanding power for the

lower range, while still allowing colour and

nuance for the upper range.

The Prodigy is another product that

Codabow feels can enhance the

performance of a player. Precision-

engineered to provide professional

characteristics at an affordable price, the

Prodigy is ideal for more experienced

students. The balanced shaft delivers off-

string agility, usually found in high-

performance bows, while providing ease of

use and comfort for younger players.

Not forgetting double bass, Codabow

has created the Infinity and Revelation

bass bows – the former more suited to

soloists and the latter for orchestras.

Prices start at £275 for the Prodigy and

currently peak at £720 for the double bass

Revelation bows.

“Players have really taken to Codabow,”

comments Bruce Perrin, B&M’s joint MD. “I

spend a lot of time at string players’

summer schools and events and I have

worked hard to promote the benefits of

carbon fibre bows wherever possible.

“Many players are very happy to try

and buy an alternative bow, so with

import restrictions on endangered woods

such as pernambuco, having a strong,

reliable and high quality replacement is

now an essential consideration.”

Taking a bowThe use of modern technology might be less common in the orchestral string sector, but Codabow has been using

contemporary techniques to make its bows for decades. Adam Savage sees what they’re all about…

“The control of

balance can be

engineered exactly.Jeff Van Fossen

Codabow

34 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

COMPANY PROFILE WORLD RHYTHM

One of the few bright stars in the

MI industry in recent years has

been the growing interest in

percussion. Not only does percussion sell

to existing musicians but it also has a

growing market among ordinary members

of the public. Increasingly, percussion is

showing it has the power to draw people

in to start playing by proving that you

don’t need to be a musical genius, it’s

inexpensive and can be a lot of fun.

Many distributors specialise in this field

and among them is one of the most go-

ahead small distributors in the MI sector –

World Rhythm Percussion. This is a

company that prides itself on the ethical

sourcing of its products and while that

does mean sourcing materials from

sustainable resources, it goes a great deal

further, involving WRP directly in the

communities which make the instruments.

Which brings us to World Rhythm

Percussion’s latest addition – a line of

cajons not drawn from ‘the usual sources’

but actually made in Spain, where the

instrument has a long association with

Flamenco, much as it has right across the

world, where it has found its way into

ethnic music styles on several continents.

In case you’re thinking ‘another cajon –

so what?’ WRP’s Chris Bromwich explains

there is a difference. “The ethical sourcing

is very important. All the wood used

comes from FSC sources and then there is

the constructional quality. If you put them

next to other visually similar cajons, you

can see that these are built to a very high

specification. The company that is building

them have over 20 years collective

experience building cajons so a lot of

forethought, experience and attention to

detail has gone into them. Every one is

hand-built from start to finish.”

Despite being high quality and made in

Europe, the new cajons are not expensive,

Bromwich says. “They’re certainly well

priced compared to others. There are

cheaper products, but they are much more

inferior. There are also products on the

market that are a lot more expensive and

are no better. There are three ranges priced

from £120 to £230.”

It can’t be stressed enough how fast

percussion is growing in the UK. For many

years it was the poor relation of the MI

family and though having undergone this

tremendous surge in popularity, it is still

often overlooked by stores. This means if a

member of the public is enjoying playing

percussion at home and is buying products

from a teacher or website, they might not

even think to visit their local music shop.

Fortunately, a growing number of

retailers have begun to realise this and

have started to expand into this area.

Understandably, World Rhythm Percussion

is keen to encourage them, Bromwich

says. “At a time when there aren’t many

growth areas in music, percussion is one

and now could well be the time to invest

in it.”

Bromwich points to an interesting

potential market, too. “Most people who

are interested in making, playing or

producing music are interested in new

sounds and my experience of selling these

products to retailers and players is that

while there’s a lot of synthetic software

that has a variety of sounds, you never

really get the true essence of the

instrument. What I find is that a lot of

general musicians are interested in

purchasing percussion items. A lot of the

products we sell on the hand-held side

come in at under £20. People may not

have been thinking of buying a percussion

product but they see a shaker, pick it up,

it’s earthy, organic, the sound is really

interesting and it’s only £7, £12 or £15. So

it’s inexpensive, appeals to most musicians

and is fairly recession-proof. Everyone has

got £15 to spend, even today.”

And the new WRP cajons? “My

impression is that what we’ve seen with

the djembe in the UK over the past five

years is gong to be superseded by the

cajon. Its already big in Spain, Germany,

Europe and the USA. Effectively, it’s a

portable drum kit without the cymbal and

most musicians are very excited when

they see it. We think this is going to

become a very big market and now is a

good time for retailers to get involved.”

WORLD RHYTHM: 01242 282191

“What we’ve seen with

the djembe in the UK

over the past five years

is going to be

superseded by the

cajon.Chris Bromwich

World Rhythm Percussion

Percussion is one of the very few MI sectors that is really hotting up at the moment and a lot of dealers are taking

advantage of the surprisingly small number of brands there are out there. One of these, World Rhythm Percussion, has

adopted a fresh, new approach with the business and wastes no time beating out the message to Gary Cooper…

36 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Cajon spice

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 39

ALLIANZ COMPANY PROFILE

At a time when retailers of all kinds

need to squeeze the highest profit

possible from their floor space, one

avenue which is frequently overlooked is

acting as a partner with one of the

insurance companies specialising in the

music industry. Of those, among the most

active is the giant Allianz, which claims to

be the largest musical instrument

insurance provider in the UK, having

established several hundred partnerships

with UK MI retailers and it has just

launched a new website, designed to

make the business even easier to operate,

it says.

Allianz’s new site – amipartner.co.uk –

is dedicated to retailers, allowing them to

register on the site to kick-start the

process of becoming an ‘Allianz Musical

Insurance partner’. It gives them, the

company says, access to a range of

support materials to help promote musical

insurance to customers and earn

commission every time a new insurance

policy is taken out.

And that commission certainly isn’t to

be sneezed at. It’s a healthy 25 per cent

on every policy sold until the end of

November.

“We have historically seen a good

business channel with the music retailers

we work with. They have already referred a

lot of business to us and we want to build

on that,” says Allianz’s marketing

executive, Lawrence Davies. “We also think

it might help some of the smaller retailers

who are perhaps struggling a bit in the

online environment by giving them a bit

more of a profile.”

This refers to a feature that is due to be

added to the website in the near future,

Davies reveals. While retailers can already

order stock and promotional material

online, soon, those signed up to

amipartner.co.uk will also be able to

advertise their business for free – a facility

which will kick in when Allianz Musical

Insurance launches its business listing tool

‘Find a Retailer’ on allianzmusic.co.uk –

the company’s consumer website. Allianz

says this will give retailers the opportunity

to reach thousands of potential customers

every month.

Allianz has set its sight not just on

music retailers, but is also very interested

in working with repairers, too. It is the

latter, after all, that usually see the

broken instruments on which claims

might have been made, so it seems a

logical connection for an insurance

company to make.

Does a retailer who is interested need

specialist knowledge to take part?

“They don’t need to know a huge

amount at all,” Davies says. “Basically, all

they are doing is referring customers to us.

In fact, there are limits on what they can

say, because we are regulated by the FSA.

They can say that insurance is a great idea

and hand over one of our leaflets, but they

can’t say ‘Allianz is great and we

wholeheartedly recommend them’. We

provide retailers with lots of material they

can hand to customers, with details of our

policies and what we are doing now is

trying to build more links to our website.

“The longer term plan is to offer the

‘find a retailer’ tool that will sit on our

consumer-facing website, but we’re

anticipating that this will take possibly

three months. What we’re trying to do

first is recruit enough retailers to populate

a database, so it’s useful to the public

from the start. The aim is to provide a

short reference guide to our customers

who, if they are on our website, may be in

the process of making a claim and will be

looking for someone in their area.

“From a retailer’s perspective, there is

very little effort involved and it will

generate commission without costing

them anything – it’s a no lose situation

with no financial commitment from them

and with a lot of support from us to help

them. Importantly, we feel, is that it also

helps retailers build long term

relationships with their customers. Many

retailers – particularly independents – do

repairs and if a customer becomes loyal to

a retailer as a consequence, it can be a

very good source of repeat business.”

ALLIANZ: 0800 197 5783

“We think it might help some of the smaller retailers

who are perhaps struggling a bit in the online

environment by giving them a bit more of a profile. Lawrence Davies

Marketing executive, Allianz Musical Insurance

An Allianz of convenienceWe all know that having some form of insurance has become something of a necessity in virtually everything we do

these days, but thanks to Allianz’s new dealer website, the company tells Gary Cooper, it can be a two-way street…

PROFILE

I WOKE UPTHIS MORNING

I’ll usually rise at about 6:30 in the morning

and get straight on Skype and talk to the PR

and product managers over in China, where

the International Audio Group, of which

Wharfedale is a wholly owned subsidiary, has its

own factory.

Both of them used to work for Sound Control

in the UK.

I’ll normally do this between 7:00 and 8:30

and we’ll talk about a variety of topics and

recently we’ve been discussing matters relating

to the BPM show. I also often chat with the guys

from Surgex over in the States, but this would

happen later in the day.

I’ll then check my emails, which is when I

regularly receive a lot of requests from dealers

about products. Our biggest customer is PMT,

but we also help out a lot of the bricks and

mortar stores. Our office opens at 8am, which is

quite early for this industry, but there are 25

employees currently working with us and there

will almost always be someone in

communication with those over in China, hence

the early start. I sometimes get a lot of enquiries

from end users asking me about products and

then it’s my job to direct them on to a dealer.

I live near Nottingham, just off the M1, which

means I can get to a lot of places quickly. I’ll

spend at least one night a week away from

home, travelling all over the country.

As for what I do in my spare time, I’ve always

loved music and sound. I’m a very bad guitar

player.

I enjoy all kinds of music – what I have on my

iPod is very varied. I don’t really watch films or

TV that much and I also have two children, aged

three and seven and I have encouraged one of

them to start playing the violin.

I go to a lot of trade shows such as Frankfurt

and NAMM and I will soon be making the annual

trip to China along with a group of dealers.

I’ll always make an appearance at the other

large shows, like PLASA, too. However, that show

seems to have grown a bit too much for the

people and brands I deal with, although the

regional event in Leeds (PLASA Focus) is much

more suitable.

We’re looking to launch the new Alvion range

of amps in the UK soon. These have been

designed by Steve Grindrod, the director of

Wharfedale’s Musical Instruments Division.

I’ve been here for nine years. Before that, I

was working for a Canadian installation company

and before that a hi-fi company and I was selling

Wharfedale products in each of these roles.

I’ve made a lot of friends in this time and I

love the way that everyone seems to stay in

the industry and refrains from becoming

hard-nosed businessmen.

Maybe we should all be a bit more like this. In

the end, I just enjoy getting out there and

meeting people.

Chris Fearn goes through

his busy schedule involving

Far Eastern connections,

trade shows, traveling and

juggling the development

of a number of major

audio brands…

National sales manager – Wharfedale Pro/Surgex

CHRIS FEARN

“I love the way that everyone seems to stay in the

industry and refrains from becoming hard-nosed

businessmen – we should all be a bit more like this.

40 miPRO OCOTBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

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WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 43

AUDIO TECHNICA COMPANY PROFILE

The success of the MI Retail

Conference & Expo is no secret to MI

Pro readers by now, but one key

feature of the event – that was in fact

launched there – is the series of summer

schools and Centres of Excellence from

Audio Technica.

As a retailer, developing a good

knowledge base for the whole MI

spectrum can often be a real challenge,

especially when it comes to the industry’s

more technical categories, which is why

when Audio Technica announced that it

was to send its training and product

specialist, Logan Helps, to dealerships

nationwide in order to get them more

clued up on the often complicated and

confusing subject of microphones, retailers

leapt at the chance.

Upon receiving an invitation to sample

one of these sessions at Absolute Music in

Poole, therefore, it seemed both churlish

to refuse and the perfect opportunity to

see an initiative like this in action.

The first impression that was created

was how face-to-face and personal the

training was. Too many schemes of this

kind seem too much like a boring and

lengthy university lecture, but with an

excellent informant like Helps sitting so

close and pointing out features and giving

in-depth explanations, it’s no wonder that

so many participants have come away

stating how beneficial it was to their staff

and personal knowledge.

Travelling the length and breadth of the

country, visiting a large number of stores

and doing more or less the same thing

repeatedly might put other people off, but

Logan was clearly happy with this element

of his responsibilities.

“It’s about the application rather than

the products,” said Helps. “I’m doing 34 of

these, which is of course very tiring, but

I’m really enjoying it. The question and

answer format is key, as people just want

knowledge in order to sell the products

more effectively.”

Participating retailers were given the

option to choose which modules they

wanted to cover, encompassing other

areas such as headphones, wireless

systems and various categories relating to

the world of microphones.

Condensers, cardioids, sibilants, ribbon

and instrument mics were explained in

immense detail, with background

information, diagrams and explanations on

suitable applications all part of the

package and if that wasn’t enough, an

entire box full of cut-away product

examples meant the participants could

see for themselves how the theory is

applied to the actual models.

It is an initiative that has gone down

well with those that have taken part. “Our

customers have really appreciated the

support offered by Audio Technica in

training staff, increasing their

understanding and enabling them to sell

product from a position of confidence,”

said Harvey Roberts, Audio Technica’s

senior UK marketing manager.

Microphones are an often-

misunderstood area of MI by both retailers

and consumers. To many, the dizzying

selection of mics available from Audio

Technica alone might seem almost

unnecessary at first, until you learn the

importance of getting the right mic for

your voice, something that was stressed

repeatedly by Helps.

Of course, some stores will benefit

more than others, particularly those that

specialise in other areas, but are looking to

get more educated in this sector. In this

case, the Absolute Music workforce

already possessed a good deal of know-

how on microphones of various kinds

already, but were still extremely glad that

they took part.

“We’re very big on sales training,” said

Richard Malpass, Absolute’s store manager.

“You need to know your products. We

already had good knowledge, but you can

always do with knowing a bit more. Audio

Technica is a major brand for us as well.”

Recommending the right microphone to

a customer, rather than automatically

selling the first one they take an interest

in was another crucial point made.

“We get a lot of people coming in and

asking for a (Shure) SM58, because it’s

what everyone else has,” said Absolute’s

Dan Henry. “It’s nice to know more about

Audio Technica products specifically,

especially as they have a wider range than

many other manufacturers.”

As vocalists usually have just the mic

for their entire set-up, they are often

much less ‘nerdy’ with their gear choices

and so another feature of the Summer

School is to encourage dealers to ensure

that a customer doesn’t just go home

with the right model, but that they also

know about what they’ve bought.

Having smashed the target number of

sign-ups at the MI Retail Conference &

Expo launch, Audio Technica would have

already known it had hit the right note

with a scheme such as this.

“The reaction to Audio Technica’s

Summer School training programme has

been excellent. We exceeded our

expectations for dealer ‘sign-ups’ at the MI

Retail Conference, where we launched the

initiative and I’m very pleased with the

response to the training sessions around

the country,” added Roberts. “The

programme has been a great success and

has become an important part of Audio

Technica’s commitment to customer

support this year.”

AUDIO TECHNICA: 0113 277 1441

“It’s about the application, rather than the products.

The question and answer format is key as people

just want knowledge in order to sell.Logan Helps

Training and product specialist, Audio Technica

School’s in for summerThe complexities of the microphone can be perplexing to many MI retailers, which is why Audio Technica decided to help

out. Adam Savage went along to Absolute Music in Dorset to see what the Summer Schools were all about…

44 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT TRADITIONAL

It can’t be denied that certain musical

trends play a major part in the

popularity and sales of instruments of a

certain type. The electric guitar has been

the king for many decades because it’s

undeniably ‘cool’ and classical instruments

have always chugged on nicely due to the

level of prestige associated with them.

Folk and traditional instruments have

never really been ‘cool’ though, but they’re

still going strong and many of the

products in this sector benefit from their

comparatively low prices, making them

great impulse buys or tempting for those

wanting to mess about on something

simple to fulfill their creative urges.

For a supplier that provides the full folk

division, right down to the most unusual

instruments found in this sector, look no

further than Gremlin Music.

If it’s a whistle you’re after, you’re spoilt

for choice, as Gremlin is the largest UK

distributor in this field, with models from

Waltons, Clarke, Generation, Dixon,

Chieftain and many more. The latter two

brands are by far the best sellers and both

are made in the UK.

The Dixon range varies from simple

one-piece high D models, right up to

alloy-bodied versions and Chieftain

whistles are for those looking for

something further up the scale. These

instruments are available in a variety of

different keys, in either tuneable or non-

tuneable formats and prices start at £94.

Kentucky mandolins is another major

line for Gremlin. Although originally

intended for use in the bluegrass genre,

their versatility would also suit a variety

of other musical styles. Made in China,

these beautiful instruments start at £199

all the way up to £1,500 for the KM-1000.

One final highlight from Gremlin’s

lineup is the new Ashbury banjos. The AB-

65 includes maple for the rim, resonator

and neck, a presto-style tailpiece and a

flat-type flange, available in either five-

string or tenor for a very reasonable £299.

The AB-85 five-string has a scooped

fingerboard, walnut neck, rosewood

fingerboard and brass tone ring for £349.

Aria is another distributor that takes a

keen interest in the folk market. The AM

mandolin collection starts with the AM-

200, sporting a spruce top and mahogany

for the back, sides and neck and a 20-fret

rosewood fingerboard with chrome

hardware. It is also available as an

electrified version – the AM-200E.

Also from Aria, the steel bodied DG-20

emits a brilliant metallic radio chime. The

DG-10 uses its wooden construction to

produce a rich, warm sound, ideal for

finger picking and slide players.

Folk guitars are very popular in this

market and Aria has plenty on offer. Its

steel-strung AF Auditorium line has been

an Aria flagship model for many years.

High grade spruce, mahogany and

“While not ‘cool’,

traditional

instruments are

going strong and

many benefit from

comparatively low

prices, making

them tempting for

those wanting to

mess around on

something

different

There aren’t many sectors as diverse as the traditional one – ranging from the simplest

whistle to the grandest of ornate pluckables. Adam Savage assesses the latest offerings…

Steeped in tradition

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 45

TRADITIONAL SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Representing the middle of the Kentucky range, the KM-

900 features a solid, hand-carved spruce top, a one-piece

maple neck with a dovetail neck and body joint at the

15th fret, a nitro-cellulose finish in the 1920s sunburst

style, a vintage-style ebony bridge with small

adjustment wheels and Ivoroid binding on all the edges.

Kentucky KM-900 £999

rosewood have been chosen here, and a three-quarter

sized variation has appealed to traveling musicians

and younger players.

Fender’s three tenor-style ukeleles feature an

intricately honed sound and careful construction that

can conjure up a Hawaiian feel to any setting.

Its entry-level banjo is the FB-54, an instrument

that includes specs more commonly found on more

pricey rivals, such as a mahogany resonator and neck.

Other notable qualities are the aluminium rim,

rosewood fingerboard with pearloid inlay and

chrome-covered tuners.

The FM-52 mandolin is another product made

from high quality materials, namely a spruce top, with

nato back and sides, chrome hardware and rosewood

for the fingerboard and fretboard. The inclusion of a

single coil pickup, as well as tone and volume controls

means it produces cutting volume and chiming tone

when hooked up to an amp.

Roland might seem a surprise entry in this sector,

but the manufacturer more than qualifies for

inclusion with the FR-3x V-accordion. Typically

Roland, this is a unique combination of a traditional

instrument with modern, innovative technology.

Ozark is a brand that has become the choice of

many for its quality selection of mandolins, banjos

and bouzoukis. Its mandolin range starts with the

£170 2250 Army/Navy special model with solid

mahogany top, right up to the 2255S, which is hand

carved from solid spruce and maple.

In the banjo sector, Ozark has the five-string

2112G. For £405, you get a mahogany neck and

resonator, 24 plated brackets and double co-ordinator

rods, a clamshell tailpiece and a chrome plated

armrest with chrome hardware, making this ideal for

upgrade from a first banjo.

A more entry-level option is the 2035 ukelele

banjo. This instrument comes with 12 plated brackets,

a cream bound fingerboard and resonator, ‘old-style’

open machine heads with cream buttons and aged

brass finish settings.

Stagg is a major player in the entry level of many

MI sectors and this is no exception. The US100

traditional soprano ukelele has a walnut top, back and

sides, a mahogany headstock and rosewood for the

fingerboard and bridge.

The M20 bluegrass mando from Stagg has

basswood construction and a black-stained maple

bridge. Its engraved tailpiece, nickel machines and ‘f’

holes make this great to look at and play.

Although amps have replaced the original purpose

of the resonator guitar, there are a number of modern

resonator models that would appeal to the tastes of

today’s folk musician.

A new bellows sensor helps

achieve quicker response and

greater sensitivity, a USB

connection allows the user to

save and store settings, a Bellow

Resistance Regulator can adjust

the bellows’ inertia and a built-in

amplification system make this a

worthwhile alternative to a

standard, traditional accordion.

Several accordion simulations

Roland FR-3x V-Accordion £2,399

Both the AM-600 and 400

resemble classic designs with their

vintage headstocks, solid spruce or

maple carved/scrolled tops

and the back and sides are

made from either maple

or mahogany. 23 or 30-

fret inlaid rosewood

fingerboards can be

selected. Gold hardware

gives these models a

real sense of quality.

Aria AM-600 £419

These models are equipped with an

unmistakable Telecaster headstock

shape and bracing patterns made solely

for this range. Named after the

Hawaiian word for party, this Pa’ina

model is comprised of solid mahogany,

with a satin finish and passive

electronics for those wanting to crank it

up a bit.

Fender Pa’ina ukelele £304

46 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Ozark 2255SD £695

The ‘f’ model 2255SD is a

highly desirable instrument

because of its aged finish and

its older, more traditional

appearance, as well as its

powerful, smooth tone. A

rosewood fingerboard, along with

gold plated machines and a die-

cast tailpiece add further to

this valuable product.

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT TRADITIONALGREMLIN 01903 203044ARIA DISTRIBUTION01483 238720FENDER01342 603733ROLAND01792 702701OZARK (STENTOR)01737 240226EMD (STAGG)01293 862612RECORDING KING (WESTSIDE)0141 248 4812BARNES & MULLINS01691 652449VINTAGE (JHS)0113 286 5381LEE OSKAR (FCN MUSIC)01892 603733TANGLEWOOD01937 841122

One of these is the Style-O from

Recording King, which starts with a

powder coated bell brass body and comes

with Fishman Resophonic pickups.

Recording King’s Tricone series, named

after its three six-inch Continental cones

is available in three engraved designs and

a new champagne finish. An eq balance is

created from the two cones on the base

side and the third on the treble side,

providing a sweet, warm sound. The

Tricone also includes an ebony and maple

saddle and a T-shaped bridge connected

to the centre of each cone, which helps

direct the vibrations towards the bridge

from the saddle.

The Professional resonator banjo

combines pre-war traditional features

with modern components, such as its

floral peghead and inlay and Mastertone-

style flange, for more experienced players.

The Soloist has mostly the same features

as The Professional, but instead has a

flamed maple resonator and figured neck,

along with a glorious sunburst finish.

Considering Barnes & Mullins’

founders based their business on the

banjo back in 1895, it’s no surprise they

have a grand selection in this category. A

variety of tenor, five-string and six-string

guitar banjos are available from the

supplier, ranging from £169 to £320.

B&M also distributes Brunswick

mandolins, which specialises in primarily

entry-level instruments. The BM500E is a

sunburst-finished, arch-topped, flat-

backed model with Shadow Electronics

SH928 Nanomag pickups. The pickup bar

moves and the controls are mounted with

the pickguard assembly, making it

virtually identical to a regular instrument.

It is when the BM500E is amplified

though that it really plays to its strengths.

As well as being a major force in the

electric guitar market, Vintage also offers

a variety of ukeleles, mandolins and

banjos. The Laka uke range provides

excellent tonal resonance and response as

a result of their open pore satin finishes.

The VFM300/400 and VMT400

mandolins feature oversize headstocks,

solid spruce tops and maple back and

sides, creating a collection of affordable

instruments that also possess great tonal

qualities. All of the above have adjustable

rosewood bridges and gold plated open

gear tuners with ‘crushed ice’ effect

pearloid buttons.

Vintage’s banjo series starts with the

£159 VOB12 open back G banjo and the

range offers great response, tone,

performance and value.

The VGB26 six-string version is ideal

for bluegrass and at £349, the VUB50

ukelele banjo represents the top of the

Vintage range.

Tanglewood’s TB18 four-string tenor

banjo has a mahogany resonator, neck

and rim, a chrome tension hoop and

tailpiece and a maple bridge with

rosewood tip. Then there’s the spruce

topped TML VS mandolin and the Union

series ukeleles, meaning there is more

than acoustics on offer from this brand.

One other instrument associated with

folk music is the harmonica. Lee Oskar is

one of the leading brands here and The

Major Diatonic is its bestseller.

Replacement reedplates can also be

purchased for all models for those serious

about maintaining their instruments.

The Mi-Si series of pickups and pre-

amps is also available from the supplier

FCN Music. These battery free accessories

can provide eight hours of playing time

with only one minute of charging time

and include pickups for guitar, mandolins,

violins and ukeleles.

CONTACTS

The Lakas are equipped with high quality Italian Aquila strings, which enhance the instruments’

performance and help produce a well-balanced sound. These electro-acoustic models are even

fitted with Fishman Sonitone preamp systems, which are soundhole-mounted and nicely concealed.

Vintage Laka ukeleles £99-£219

Lee Oskar harmonicas £29.95

The Major Diatonic is most commonly

used for blues, rock, country, folk and

jazz styles. For more traditional ethnic

music genres, including Eastern

European and Middle Eastern styles,

there is the Harmonic Minor.

Recent additions include the BJ301 and

BJ301T, which feature high quality geared

machineheads, a maple fingerboard, Remo

head and satin maple resonator. These five-

string and tenor models are aimed at

musicians looking for something a bit

different from the norm.

Barnes & Mullins BJ301 banjo £249

The BJM30 4DL four-string

bluegrass banjo is equipped with

an all-cast metal alloy pot, an 11-

inch Remo head, a resonator and

neck binding made from Ivoroid

cream and a maple and ebony

bridge.

Stagg BJM30 4DL £216.91

Its bell brass construction delivers excellent

sound projection and tone with its 9.5-inch

hand-spun Continental cone, mahogany neck

and hard maple bridge. This instrument has

received acclaim from beginners all the way

up to professionals.

Recording King RM-998-D(Style O series) £429.99

Tanglewood TMR £499.95

The TMR resonator from

Tanglewood is another quality

instrument, with a maple biscuit

bridge, mother of pearl veneer

headstock, chrome die-cast

machine heads and a nickel

plate finish.

“The BR-183

delivers simply

astounding

value with

nothing

coming close

for that

money”

Guitarist

Contact Gremlin MusicTel: +44 (0) 1903 203044Email: post@gremlinmusic.co.ukWeb: www.gremlinmusic.co.uk Contact Gremlin Music, Tel: +44 (0) 1903 203044

E: post@gremlinmusic.co.uk, W: www.gremlinmusic.co.uk

Drummer Magazine’s conclusion on the Rumba and CalaboCajon models: “These are two very impressive instruments, onesthat attracted a good deal of attention from the other folks in theoffice, which is very telling, especially as they are all guitarists!They, too, clearly enjoyed the musical scope that each box of trickshad the potential to create. Response is excellent, and the array oftones that each drum possesses is highly rated. Build quality is goodtoo, and pricing seems spot on, making the ownership of such ahighly dexterous instrument all the more attainable.”

“Very ImpressiveInstruments”������� ������

New to the UK! ���� �� ��� ������� ������������������ ����������� ���� ���� �� �����

COMPANY PROFILE YAMAHA

Ask anyone involved in the pro audio

industry to name the world’s

leading mixing console

manufacturers and it’s likely that Yamaha

will be one of the first names that they

will utter.

To describe Yamaha’s presence in the

mixing console market as ‘ubiquitous’ is

similar to suggesting that the M25 sees ‘a

few’ cars every day. Thousands of Yamaha

consoles are in use throughout the world

at festivals, gigs, in theatres, nightclubs,

hotels, schools, houses of worship,

conference suites, community halls and

are used to satisfy the biggest to the

smallest requirements for sound

reinforcement, mixing and distribution.

Yamaha began making mixers in 1972

with the EM60 six-channel 'ensemble

mixer' and the EM90, which featured a

built-in drum machine, establishing a

tradition of including features to make the

products more flexible.

This is at the core of the design

features of all Yamaha mixers, together

with audio quality, ease of use and, most

importantly, reliability. Being able to rely

on a mixing console – to have that

confidence that it won’t let you down –

may not be the most glamorous of its

functions, but it’s one of the most vital.

Speak to audio engineers about Yamaha

consoles and you will hear the same thing

time after time: “they never fall over,”

“you have complete confidence that you

can walk up to the desk at any time and

it’ll be working perfectly,” “I’ve never had

one crash,” and so on.

Since the EM60 and EM90, the

company has continued to bring many of

the industry’s innovations to market.

Entering into the professional mixer

market in 1974, Yamaha introduced the

first live mixing console with VCAs in

1985 and the first digital mixing system,

the DMP7, in 1987.

1994’s Promix 01 opened up the

markets for digital live sound and

recording, while the new millennium

brought the PM1D, the industry’s first

large-format live digital mixing console.

Yamaha’s digital mixers have since

become de rigeur in the industry – the

PM5D, DSP5D, M7CL, LS9 and DME series

all becoming staples of high profile live

shows and installations.

IT’S NOT ALL DIGITAL

Yamaha’s focus, however, is not exclusively

digital products. The company still ploughs

as much R&D into producing analog

mixers that satisfy a high demand from a

range of market sectors, all of which

demand slightly different feature sets.

“Once the initial period settles when a

new technology is launched and gradually

adopted, people realise that there isn’t one

product, or range of products, that

Mix and matchYamaha has made a reputation for itself in the pro mixing world that is, to be fair, second-to-none. The onset of digital

technology, which was led by Yamaha as much as anyone, has seen the company grow to a position of sheer dominance

in the console market. But it’s not all pro – and it’s not all digital as MI Pro learns from the manufacturer’s Peter Peck…

48 miPRO OCOTBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

satisfies every possible use,” says Peter

Peck of Yamaha Music Europe (UK)’s

professional music division. “We have to

accept that different technologies can

exist side by side. There is no panacea and

at Yamaha we have always found that

diversity is the key.

“We are continually working to improve

our analog mixers alongside the digital

ranges, applying new technology and the

latest thinking to have different ranges of

consoles to satisfy every market.

“We consider ours to be the most

respected digital consoles and we take

that experience and knowledge to produce

a major line-up of smaller, analog mixers.

By combining this with the core values

mentioned before, we aim to keep Yamaha

dominant in the mixing console market.”

MG: COMPACT, NOT MIDGET

An example of this is the MG series of

powered analog mixers, which covers 12

models and between them are ideal for

everything from corporate, classroom and

church systems, through rehearsal and

production studios, right up to major

theatre and live music events.

Touted as ‘the ultimate in portable-yet-

rugged, cost-effective flexibility’, the MG

series

is made

in four

ranges. The

MG-C models

comprise the MG102C (ten

inputs), MG124C (12 inputs – you get the

idea), MG166C and MG206C. All of these

feature four stereo line inputs with XLR

mic inputs making up the remainder of

the channel count. There is a host of pro-

level features, such as onboard

compressors and graphic eq, switchable

phantom power, input gain trim pots,

insert channels, LED metering and Neutrik

XLR connectors, but its all very

straightforward to use.

The compact size also makes them

ideal for small spaces. The MC102C, for

example, measures just 30cm by 26cm,

while the MG166C and MG206C can be

mounted in a standard 19-inch rack.

The MG-CX line-up comprises the

MG82CX, MG124CX and MG166CX. These

models have all the features of the C

models and have the SPX digital multi-

effects engines, packing a huge amount of

signal processing power into the compact

chassis. If the user needs to keep both

hands free to play an instrument or

perform other operations, an optional

footswitch can be connected to the

mixer’s effect footswitch jack.

Another demonstration of Yamaha

including the latest technology on its

analog mixers can be found in the MG-

USB models, which, as the name suggests,

add a USB interface to allow integration

between the mixer and a Mac or PC

running the supplied (Yamaha-owned)

Steinberg Cubase AI5 software. This

provides a powerful set of DAW tools that

are pretty easy to use. The three-console

line-up offers a choice of 16 or 20 input

channels, the former with or without an

onboard SPX processor.

For medium-sized and larger scale

events, the MG-FX models offer all

the features of a high-spec

front of house or monitor

board and have

become regulars

with many rental

and touring

systems.

“One of the

key aspects

of the range

is that they

make it

really simple

for the

inexperienced

user to create

a tight and

controlled

sound,” says Peck.

“Market research

never ends and it’s only

through this that we can

make sure we've included all the

features that specific markets need. For

example, the footswitch control on the

MG-X models has been really well

received, while things like rack ears on the

MG166C, MG166CX, MG206C and all the

USB models have allowed installers to

specify without any additional cost.”

EMXCELLENCE

The EMX series of powered mixers takes

the application of digital technology to

analog mixers one stage further.

Housed in convenient angled cabinets

for easy portability, the EMX212S, 312SC

and 512SC all feature Yamaha’s

proprietary FCL system (which makes

locating and eliminating feedback very

easy), 16 digital SPX effect programs with

adjustable parameters, a standby switch to

mute performer inputs while the stereo

inputs remain active for background

music, connectors for external power

amplifiers/effect processors and a high-

efficiency, high power onboard amplifier.

The console-styled EMX5014C and

5016CF feature all of the above, as well as

the inclusion of 26-dB pad switches for

input level matching, three band eq on all

of the input channels (with mid-

frequency sweep on mono channels),

power amp mode selector and, on the

EMX5016CF, nine band digital graphic eq

with presets and memory, automated

frequency response correction,

automated feedback suppression and a

multi-band maximiser.

MW – SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

It would be a mistake to think that

Yamaha mixers are all about live sound.

Applying the technology developed for the

live environment to recording means that

there are flexible solutions available for all

kinds of recording needs.

The MW series offers eight, ten and 12

channel consoles with the same USB

technology from the MG-USB series. They

allow for recording to a Mac or PC running

the same Cubase software – turning a

computer into a pro quality studio.

The MW8CX and MW12CX also feature

the SPX effects processor, providing high

quality signal processing within the

console. Each of the 16 effect programs

has a number of editable parameters, as

well as effect on/off switching capability

and return level control.

Ideal for the home or project studio –

or for companies that want to make their

own audio/visual promotions – the MW

series is designed to be very easy to use,

meaning that even the most fleeting idea

can be captured quickly.

IN GOOD COMPANY

“Our analog ranges are designed

specifically to be easily usable for anyone

from the home musician, through staff in

schools, churches, public facilities and at

companies to whom audio is just one of

many jobs, to full-time, professional

mixing engineers,” concludes Peck.

“As well as giving them all the facilities

they will need at their fingertips and the

confidence that Yamaha’s reliability brings,

we have also tried to make the operation

manuals really intuitive. We recognise that

not every user is a skilled mix engineer, so

in all manuals there are clear explanations

of mixing terminology, cabling and how to

get the most from all the products.

“Using a Yamaha mixer means that you

can easily get the best results – along with

the knowledge that you’re in the

company of thousands of others doing

the same.”

YAMAHA: 01908 366700

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 49

YAMAHA COMPANY PROFILE

“We have to accept that different technologies can

exist side by side. There is no panacea and at

Yamaha we have always found that diversity is key. Peter Peck

Yamaha Music Europe

* 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

• Stentor Student II

• Stentor Graduate

• Stentor Conservatoire

* Our high grade orchestral models:

- Messina, Elysia and Arcadia

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

from solid tonewoods, with correct measurements and good

tonal quality, offering students the best start to their musical

careers.

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: sales@stentor-music.com

STENTOR The First Choice

It is a truth universally acknowledged

that not much happens in the world of

brass and woodwind… and that’s a lie.

Just ask anyone in this turned, welded,

keyed and valved world and you will find

that there is more going on now than

(arguably) at any other time in the long

and illustrious history of wind instruments.

A lot of it comes down to the ‘taming’

of Far Eastern manufacture (for want of a

better word), in the shape of vigorous

quality control, allowing many brands to

significantly increase their product ranges

and bring in a trickle down (or sometimes

a trickle up) effect. This means that not

only has good quality manufacture been

achieved in the vast halls of mass

manufacturing on the western edge of the

Pacific Rim, but that quality is growing

and cheaper products are benefiting from

the techniques and technologies.

Add to that the daring and precision of

UK makers, such as Peter Pollard and Andy

Taylor and you have a product and brand

world as dynamic as anything you could

hope to find in the small world that is MI.

For the retailer it remains, however, a

bit of a minefield and a lot of homework

needs to be done before taking on brass

and/or woodwind ranges. For all the

exceptional quality that is now available

for intermediate and entry-level ranges,

there are still just as many cheap and

nasty instruments popping up at trade

fairs around the world that should be kept

as far as possible from the hands of

beginners and students.

For the uninitiated it can be difficult to

tell, although a couple of rules of thumb

do exist. Use a reputable supplier and look

for products designed by recognised

technicians, for a start. What sort of back-

up is offered by the manufacturer or

supplier? How do they ‘feel’ in your

hands? How do the mechanisms respond?

Even with these sorts of questions

answered, there are still more subtle

pitfalls. Thus, once again, MI Pro’s top tip

is: if you want to sell brass and woodwind,

make sure you have someone who knows

their stuff. There are technicians in every

region of the UK. Forge a relationship with

one if you don’t have the resources to

bring one on to your staff.

The good news is that there is a lot out

there that retailers can trust implicitly.

Quick off the blocks

There is one benchmark the uncertain can

turn to anytime, because wherever there is

brass and woodwind, there is Yamaha.

Consistent – and persistently pushing up

the bar for quality – the Japanese giant

covers this market from top to entry level

and across the whole breadth of the

product offering. And it has never been

easier to buy (or sell) a Yamaha

instrument. Following the success of last

year's part-exchange and zero per cent

financing for acoustic pianos, Yamaha has

now extended the offer to its wind

instruments, coinciding with the 'back-to-

school' season.

The scheme, developed in association

with Duet Finance, offers interest-free

finance over ten to 36 months on any

new Yamaha brass or woodwind

instrument. For added dealer value, Duet

“If you want to sell

brass and

woodwind, make

sure you have

someone who

knows their stuff.

There are

technicians in

every region of the

UK.

To those not keeping a close eye on things, the brass and woodwind sector might seem pretty dormant, but in reality

there is as much going on as in any other MI category. Andy Barrett reckons you just need to know where to look…

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 51

BRASS AND WOODWIND SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Wind of change

52 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT BRASS AND WOODWIND

Denis Wick DW5504trumpet mute£14 (ex. VAT)

Some say it is this innocuous little

accessory that made Denis Wick what

it is today. First launched in 1968, the

5504 mute maintains tune in all

registers and doesn’t affect the 'blow'

of the instrument. Hand-spun

aluminium, work hardened, real cork

and UK craftsmanship makes this –

and anything from Denis Wick, second

to none.

The Jupiter French horn is about as close to a pro

instrument as you can get with its mechanical link

rotors, leadpipe rose brass, a 12mm bore and a

302mm bell, but the price and the interchangeable

slides for both Bb and F keys, as well as adjustable

hooks, means this superbly priced instrument can

grow with the child.

Jupiter JHR-452D French Horn £1,671.99

Rosetti Series 5 Bb clarinet£160

The Rosetti Series 5 Bb clarinet is

an excellent value clarinet,

featuring a brushed ABS finish,

silver plated keywork and bell

ring flare – and it ships with its

case. It is designed for beginners,

students and intermediate

players and plays as well as many

more expensive models.

This C-tuned flute is extremely

keenly priced for a model of this

standard and the J Michael brand

is growing in popularity among

learners (and importantly their

teachers). A white brass body,

silver plated (as is the lip plate), a

low-B foot joint and in-line ring

keys, combined with the carrying

case, make this an outfit well

worth looking at.

J Michael FL-400SPO flute £199

Designed by Peter Pollard, the clear lacquered yellow brass body

produces superb tones through the 11.68mm bore and 123mm bell.

It has stainless steel pistons, a responsive top spring valve action and

a first valve slide saddle to fine tune the intonation. The outfit

includes an ABS case, a large cleaning cloth, valve oil and an

Instruction guide for instrument maintenance.

Odyssey OTR140 Bb trumpet£149.99

Listed as an intermediate instrument, this stunning,

four-valve euphonium has a distinctly professional

feature set, with precise valves, perfectly rounded

tubes for a smooth airflow and superlative

intonation. The instrument is laser fused for a

virtually seamless bell, which allows continuous,

even vibrations.

Yamaha YEP-321 Bb euphonium£2,495

Finance has provided a 'while-you-wait'

online authorisation process.

Another big news story this year has

been 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 has a thorough understanding

of the player’s needs, is known for his

experimental nature and pushes the

boundaries of instrument design, often

using materials not usually associated

with the instruments he is building.

The result is a range of instruments

targeting the student specifically –

including special, smaller sized horns and

saxes, enabling the younger learner to

start playing all the sooner.

Pollard has a pretty impressive CV,

having worked with Dawsons (designing

the Mirage range) and Dolphin (where he

oversaw an overhaul of the retailer’s

orchestral marketing), until turning full

circle and working with JHS on the

Odyssey line and creating his own custom

instruments for individual artists.

Supplied by Korg in the UK, Jupiter’s

instrument range covers everything form

the entry level to professional, and the

two companies together have been

extremely active in education initiatives,

particularly the Sound Start scheme,

teaching hundreds of school children

brass and woodwind instruments.

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. , which

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

headjoint and well crafted keys, this silver

plated flute is a great model, and just like

the rest of the Jupiter range offers quality,

design, longevity, playability and above all

a student instrument that will last for

years to come.

Antigua is a brand that has certainly

made waves in the saxophone arena, but

the company’s extensive brass and

woodwind offering looks very much as

though it will be expanding its market

considerably in the coming years.

A fresh start

Graham Lyons’ Nuvo Clarinéo is an

opportunity to access the six-year-old-

plus age group for the first time with a

proper wind instrument. The instrument is

perfectly designed for young children with

no compromises in tone, range or

expression and it ranges three and a half

octaves from E below middle C to the

third G above and is fully chromatic.

The Clarinéo does for woodwind what

the three-quarter sized guitars or violins

do for their respective sectors – bring

youngsters on before they are big enough

to handle the instrument proper. What is

important, however, is that the fingering

is the same basic Boehm system as the

Bb clarinet. When the child starts taking

up the clarinet proper, they are using the

same fingering to play the same notes as

they learned on the Clarinéo.

Never to be left out of any sector,

Stagg has plenty to offer the dealer

looking to dip a toe into the world of

wind. Beginning with the simple bugle at

£105, to the hefty tuba from £1,445, all

Stagg brass and woodwind is fully

serviced and regulated by qualified in-

house engineers before being delivered.

Making a name for itself in brass and

woodwind is Rosetti’s own eponymous

brand featuring trumpets, flugels,

euphoniums, trombones, cornets, French

horns, tubas, flutes, clarinets piccolos and

saxes – it’s an impressive range and very

keenly priced. Rosetti is also the UK

supplier for Vandoren reeds (see below).

Super-matic self-tuning guitarThe Fret-King Blue Label Super-matic self-tuning guitar, is the first ever guitar to

feature the truly outstanding and innovative Wilkinson ATD HT440™ self-tuning hard tail guitar bridge;a super low profile, real time electro-mechanical device utilising ultra hi-tech

micro gearboxes, with a micro hex magnetic sensor and an intuitive one touch button

The ATD bridge allows the player to automatically tune the Super-matic to Standard E or one of five alternative tuning presets such as, open E, open G, DADGAD... or a myriad

of other tunings chosen by you the player. Simply select the desired tuning preset, strum and the ATD will rapidly change the guitar’s tuning.

Tuning status is confirmed in the hi-visibility display, designed to be viewed whilst playing, and overall tuning is assured with the built in chromatic tuner.

The signature Wilkinson 'Vari-coil’ control, (allows either of the humbuckers to be progressively wound down to single coil), creates an instrument with

an exceptionally versatile palette of sounds.

© 2

010

JHS

& C

o. L

td.

Super-matic

Possibly the only ‘other’ guitar you’ll ever need!

Worldwide Trade Distributors:

www.jhs.co.uk

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON JHS PRODUCTS AND DEALERSHIP OPPORTUNITIESCONTACT YOUR JHS ASM OR OUR SALES OFFICE ON:

0113 2866 411

Order today and receive a FREE Fret-King Super-matic WALL DISPLAY

WORTH over £100!

MODEL ILLUSTRATED: FBSMOCB, ORIGINAL CLASSIC BURST. BODY: AMERICAN ALDER, NECK: HARD ROCK MAPLE BOLT-ON, SCALE 25.5,,/648MM, TUNERS: WILKINSON, BRIDGE: WILKINSON ATD HT440 WITH MICRO HEX MAGNETIC SENSOR, PICKUPS: 2 X WILKINSON WHHBZ33 ZEBRA HUMBUCKER (B/N),

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54 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

TOM & WILL (CLARINÉO) 01428 658806EMD (STAGG) 01293 862612YAMAHA 01908 366700DENIS WICK 01202 665100JHS (ODYSSEY) 0113 286 5381KORG (JUPITER) 01908 857100FCN (J MICHAEL)01892 603730ROSETTI01376 550033BARNES & MULLINS01691 652449

CONTACTS

This C clarinet is something of a revolution for woodwind teaching,

allowing small-handed players of six-years old and upwards to learn

the instrument and then, with just a day’s practice (or when the time

comes) transfer to a full-sized Bb instrument.

Nuvo Clarinéo£149.99

This Bb pocket trumpet sports stainless steel pistons, a

third tuning slide finger ring and ships with its own case.

The instrument comes in a variety of coloured finishes

and once again presents customers with the chance to

try out an instrument that might not otherwise be

considered, thanks to the spectacular entry-level pricing.

Stagg Mini trumpet £189.99

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT BRASS AND WOODWIND

Accessorise

Denis Wick Products specialise in brass

accessories, with the best-selling model

the DW5504 trumpet mute. This mute is

still hand-crafted in the old-fashioned

way. "This method gives the metal a

'work-hardened' quality that makes the

mute hard and resonant – ideal for

orchestral playing," said director Stephen

Wick. The DW5504 is available in

aluminium, brass or copper.

Whatever instruments you are selling,

there will be accessories to add to that

profit figure. Wind is no exception – and

the UK even has a world famous brand of

its own for your brass add-ons.

New products from Denis Wick include

mute bags for horn, euphonium and tuba

and mouthpiece pouches in embossed

leather or a canvas-like durable nylon,

although it is the mutes and mouthpieces

that are responsible for Wick’s appeal.

The first Denis Wick mouthpieces were

made in 1968, and the range has grown

to become one of the largest and most

comprehensive in the world. They are

famous for their wonderful sound and

designs, and are produced to the highest

technical specifications. Special attention

is paid to the rims, which are both

comfortable and consistent. Special

techniques are used to produce beautiful

and extremely hard-wearing silver and

gold plating. Many mouthpieces are

available in Heritage, Heavytop and Ultra

formats as well as in the Classic shape.

At the other end of the manufacturing

process come the items that make

clarinet, saxophone and oboe playing

possible – the humble reed. It takes

usually two to four years of growth

before a mature cane plant is harvested

and that harvest period takes up to three

months. Cane pole processing involves

de-husking, sunning, drying, sawing and

storage, which takes another two years.

After that the lengthy process of

cutting, splitting and shaping the reeds

into the wee tools we all know seems like

no time at all. Two brands stand out in

the reed department, namely Rico and

Vandoren. Rico divides its reeds for sax

and clarinet and for classical and jazz

players, while Vandoren has traditional,

V12 German and 56 Rue Lepic clarinet

reeds and traditional, V12, V16, ZZ and

Java saxophone reeds. Needless to say,

whatever your playing preference, these

two companies will be able to find the

right playing tool for your customers.

And there we leave it. It’s a huge

market and hard to get a handle, but with

the right research and the right partners it

could be your next best thing.

Wireless microphones and in-ear monitorsChannel 69 to Channel 38

the transition ...

Channel 69 - 854 to 862 MHZ

Channel 38 - 606 to 614 MHz

N.B. Any wireless systems operating in Channel 38 in the UK require a licence. Licences can be obtained from JFMG Ltd. www.jfmg.co.uk 0207 299 8660Sennheiser UK are a proud sponsor of BEIRG - the British Entertainment Industry Radio Group - working for continued access to sufficient quantity and quality of spectrum for our industry. www.sennheiser.co.uk

Sennheiser Channel 38 Equipment Options2000 Series

2000 Series - Range GW - 558 to 626 MHz

G3 Series

G3 Series - Range GB - 606 to 648 MHz

3000/5000 Series

3000/5000 Series - Range L - 168 MHz tuning bandwidth - 470 to 638 MHz - EM3732 II, SK5212 II and SKM5200 II

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

NEW PRODUCTS ACCESSORIES

GUITAR SPOTLIGHT

KORG

WI TUNE WIRELESS TUNER

£105They say: Korg announces the

world's first wireless tuning system;

the Wi-Tune.

For: Brass, woodwind, musicians

Range: Korg tuners

Spec: Korg invented the world's first

hand-held tuner in 1975 and the

company has continued to lead the

way, creating a succession of

revolutionary tuners featuring new

technology and new ideas.

Using Korg's wireless tuning

system, the Wi-Tune allows players to

tune any instrument in any situation,

unobtrusively, accurately, and easily.

Wi-Tune systems are ideal for

instruments such as sax, clarinet,

flute, horn, or tuba – instruments

where using a traditional tuner could

be problematic. Wi-Tune eliminates

these obstacles, allowing new

avenues for practicing. Wi-Tune

wireless tuning is discreet, and can be

used in any musical environment.

Korg offers the widest range of

tuners in the business and we will

continue to innovate with new

offerings like the Wi-Tune alongside

the best selling entry level models.

Korg tuners enjoy a high profile as

they are used by many top artists

and there is a real chance for dealers

to improve profitability by selling

customers up to a Korg.

There are two Wi-Tune packages:

the standard WR-01 and the WR-01S.

The WR-01 includes a regular clip

that fits a wide range of instruments.

The WR01S model for sax and

clarinet, which allows the tuner to be

attached to the strap rather than

directly to the instrument itself, so as

to not obstruct or interfere with

tuning the instrument (£117).

From: Korg UK 01908 857100

6. STRING SWING

JACK & FERRULE TOOL £24.99They say: Ever tried to tighten a jack on

your guitar or amp and the it starts to

spin, potentially trashing the wiring?

For: Musicians, technicians

Range: JHS accessories

Spec: Works on any surface-mounted

input, tool inserts into socket and tighten

internal screw with allen key, this allows

tightening of retainer nut without need to

go inside instrument or amp. Also works

with removal of 1/4" string ferrules.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

2

1. ANTONI

AVR1 VIOLIN & CELLO

ROSIN £3.99They say: Superior resin makes a

superior rosin.

For: Bowed instrumentalists

Range: Antoni accessories

Spec: Quality rosin, sold in box with

cleaning cloth.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

3. DR STRINGS

DDT ELECTRIC GUITAR

STRINGS £8.99They say: We call them Superstrings

because of all their unique attributes.

For: Electric guitarists

Range: DR guitar strings

Spec: Patent-applied

construction/winding, very stable

tuning whether de-tuned or normal,

extra sustain, long-life (uncoated).

Also available as bass strings (£33.99).

From: First Line 01626 830336

56 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

4. REUNION BLUES

CONTINENTAL ALTO SAX

CASE £125They say: Combining sleek,

contemporary design with the

ultimate in instrument protection.

For: Saxophonists

Range: Reunion Blues Continental

Spec: One-inch thick shock-absorbing

Flexoskeleton exterior, knurled

abrasion grid, large pocket, adjustable

shoulder strap, bell area suspension

system, rubberised protector pad,

double helix velvet lining, double

stitched seams, limited lifetime

warranty included.

From: Tomandwill

08450 945659

5. SEIKO

DM01 METRONOME £14.99They say: Keep in time with the latest

addition to Seiko’s metronome range.

For: Musicians

Range: Seiko metronomes

Spec: Tempo range: 30 to 250bpm (221

steps), tempo & beat sound beep, LCD

indicator, memory back up, auto off.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

1

4

5

6

3

2. PLANET WAVES

NEW LICENSED STRAPS

£45They say: We are proud to

announce the exciting launch of

new collections in the licensed

strap and pick lines

For: Guitarists, bassists,

musicians, collectors

Range: Planet Waves

licensed products

Spec: New ollections feature

Kiss, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mötley Crüe

and The Who. Products feature

album cover artwork and images

of the musicians.

From: D’Addario 0191 300 3000

Summerfield: 0191 414 9000

Pack a festive punch and give your customers more this

Christmas with some fantastically festive sound bundles from

Audio-Technica. This Christmas we’ll be packing a free pair

of monitor headphones with a selection of our best-selling

studio microphones. And that’s not all... for full details on this

and a whole load more seasonal special offers, call our sales

office on 0113 277 1441 or email sales@audio-technica.co.uk

Stocks of promotional bundles are limited, so order now for delivery anytime in October,November & December.

Audio-Technica’s

Great Christmas Giveaway

www.audio-technica.com

ATH-M50

AT4033

Connect with us...

twitter.com/AudioTechnicaUK

youtube.com/AudioTechnicaUK

flickr.com/audio-technica

facebook.com/AudioTechnicaUK

NEW PRODUCTS LIVE AND MICS

GUITAR SPOTLIGHT

JBL

PRX-600 SERIES PORTABLE PA

FROM £850They say: Portable PA from the master of

sound reinforcement.

For: Bands, performers, venues

Range: JBL portable PA

Spec: Offers unparalleled power, rugged

durability and incredible versatility for

small to mid-sized lenvironments.for

Bands, musicians, performers range JBL

portable PA spec Four full-range cabs

(PRX612M, PRX615M, PRX625, PRX635)

and two subwoofers (PRX618S and

PRX618S-XLF). JBL Differential Drive

speaker technology, dbx Type IV limiting

circuitry, Crown class-D amps, integrated

DSP input section with mic/line level

input, selectable system eq, A/D

converter.

In addition to Crown amplifiers, the

PRX600 series utilises new, low noise AD

converters that reduce idle noise and

improve the overall spectral balance. The

entire line has been revoiced for better

clarity and tone.

In addition to meeting the

performance requirements for the

PRX600 series, JBL also met using

Harman’s Green Edge promise of being

environmentally responsible. The new

speakers require less wood and less

plastic than their predecessors, use less

energy to build and will use less fuel (due

to the lower weight) to transport than

previous models.

All PRX600 series speakers include

proprietary JBL Differential Drive

neodymium woofers, powder-coated

obsidian 16-gauge perforated steel grilles,

obsidian DuraFlex finish; integrated

handles with backing cups,

commercialgrade

lightweight multi-layer 18

mm plywood cabinetry

and tongue & groove

construction.

From: Sound

Technology

1462 480000

6. TRANTEC

S5-3 & 5 WIRTELESS

SYSTEMS £POAThey say: Making sense of the

mayhem surrounding the past,

present and future of radio

microphone frequencies.

For: Live applications

Range: Trantec wireless

Spec: Channel 38-compliant

version of S4.16 16-channel

system, S5.3 12-channel

system and variant

24-channel S5.5.

From: Trantec 020 8330 3111

1. KAM

GIGSTER 14.2 CONSOLE

£399.95They say: Designed and built for

performers and musicians.

For: Musicians, performers

Range: Kam consoles

Spec: Balanced mic/line input with

combi socket, multi-functional

stereo channels, three-band eq per

channel, 24-bit digital multi effects,

two aux sends per channel, 60mm

faders, sealed potentiometers.

From: Lamba 01582 690600

3. KAM

POWERHEAD PA MIXER

£189.95They say: A perfect PA mixer for that

smaller event or gig.

For: Musicians, performers

Range: DR guitar strings

Spec: Delay effect with adjustable

parameters, front mic/line input, rear

stereo RCA input, USB and SD media

player, LCD display, four XLR mic

inputs, three 1/4 inch jack and two

line inputs, two-band eq with gain

control, three-band master eq.

From: Lamba 01582 690600

4. AUDIX

TM-1 CONDENSER

£276.13They say: Known for its linearity,

accurate response, consistency,

ease of use, and affordability.

For: Test and measurement

applications

Range: Audix mics

Spec: 6mm pre-polarized

condenser mic, uniformly

controlled omni-directional polar

pattern, 20Hz to 25kHz

frequency response, requires 18

to 52 Volts phantom power, four-

stage brass body and capsule

housing, nickel plate finish.

From: SCV London

020 8418 1470

5. SENNHEISER

G3 GB WIRELESS SYSTEMS

£POAThey say: In response to the impending

need for UK wireless users to move from

Channel 69 to Channel 38.

For: Live applications

Range: Sennheiser wireless

Spec: Covers all of Channel 38. Range D

(usable post Digital Switchover), Range A

will possibly lose 8MHz of tuning range,

but likely to become off-limits, Range G

possibly lose 40MHz of its tuning range

for the same reasons as Range A, Range B

f& C full tuning range available.

From: Sennheiser 01494 5515514

56

3

2. KAM

GIGSTER 16.2 CONSOLE

£469.95They say: When the gig gets that

little bit bigger.

For: Musicians, performers

Range: Kam consoles

Spec: Balanced mic/line input with

combi socket, multi-functional

stereo channels, three-band eq per

channel, 24-bit digital multi effects,

two aux sends per channel, 60mm

faders, sealed potentiometers.

From: Lamba 01582 690600

58 miPRO OCTOBER 2010

1

2

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

60 miPRO OCOTBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

DRUMS SPOTLIGHT

SABIAN

PARAGON NEIL PEART

CYMBALS BOX SET £????They say: Deliver full, musical

responses across a wide volume

spectrum.

For: Drummers

Range: Sabian Paragon cymbals

Spec: Set contains 11 cymbals (also

available individually): 16 (x2), 18 &

20-inch crash, 13 & 14-inch hi-hats,

22-inch ride, eight & ten-inch splash,

19 & 20-inch chinese. Shipos with

flight case.

Neil Peart first developed these

with Sabian in the late 1990s/early

2000s. These were originally a natural

(matt) finish cymbal set, but now

they have been updated to offer a

brilliant (shiny) finish. Made in

collaboration with Rush’s drummer,

Paragon is a range of cymbals that –

although designed for Peart''s hard

hitting, high powered style – delivers

full, musical responses across a wide

volume spectrum.

This complete set of cymbals in

their included flight case weigh in at

32kg, or around 5 stone. A hefty set

indeed.

On opening the heavy duty case

these new brilliant finish Paragons

greet you with an immaculate, shiny

surface with the golden B20 bronze

looking as good as any cymbal you

will ever see. All models show the

Sabian and Paragon logos in a subtle

and classy earthy golden colour. The

various models have their own

patterns of hammering and lathing.

The range is medium to heavy weight

and well proportioned as a cymbal

range and very professional looking.

From: Westside 0141 248 4812

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCEFOR EVERYTHING DRUMS. VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.

NEW PRODUCTS DRUMS & PERCUSSION

2

4

6

4. RHYTRHM TECH

ECLIPSE CONGAS & BONGOS

£329 & £114They say: An excellent choice for the

budget conscious and entry level player.

For: Percussionists

Range: Rhythm Tech percussion

Spec: Ten and 11-inch select-wood

congas, double ultra-durable hardware in

matt black powder coated finish, 30-inch

height, slim line bowl, lacquered finish.

Bongos feature matching specs. Both with

animal skin heads.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

5. WORLD MAX

MICRO VENT STEEL SNARE

£150They say: Grown to a point where stores

and customers alike regard it as a well

reknowned snare drum for its quality and

price.

For: Drummers

Range: World Max snares

Spec: 14"x6.5" chromed, perforated steel

shell, for air movement inside drum, holes

kept small to avoid ‘dry’ sound and

maintain resonance. 20 single-ended

bullet lugs.

From: BR Distribution 01207 282806

6. YAMAHA

ROCK TOUR KIT £????They say: Yamaha’s most ecologically

friendly kit to date.

For: Drummers

Range: Yamaha acoustic drums

Spec: Indonesian Big Leaf mahogany kit

(100 per cent certified re-forested),

traditional rock sizes (incl 22-inch bass),

basic kit features bass plus 12x8 rack,

16x15 floor tom and 14x6 snare. Add ons

available (10x7.5, 13x9, 14x13”and 22x18

bass drum).

From:Yamaha 01908 366700

13

1. CUSTOM PERCUSSION

CYCLE THRONES £????They say: A new range of thrones, shown

to the world for the first time at the

London Drum Show.For: Computer

musicians

For: Drummers

Range: Custom Percussion products

Spec: World Max hardware frame and legs,

padded ‘cycle’ seats, leather, finished in

‘racing stripe’ designs (blue & yellow, red

& yellow or black & white).

From: BR Distribution 01207 282806

2. EVANS

POWER CENTER TOM HEADS

£????They say: A full-bodied tone with great

attack, increased durability, and

impeccable focus.

For: Drummers

Range: Evans drumheads

Spec: Graduated film thickness (10mm

film for six to 12-inch and 12mm on 13 to

18-inch), graduated dot sizes, stress-

relieved metalized dot on underside

(allowing flex and vibration).

From: D’Addario 0191 300 3000

Summerfield 0191 414 9000

3. GRETSCH

SM-45148DS STANTON MOORE

SNARE £????They say: Leans towards the past with a

mixture of old style and modern

manufacturing.

For: Drummers

Range: Gretsch snares

Spec: 14x4.5-inch solid (single-ply) maple

wood shell, eight lugs, die-cast hoops, big

snare wires, chunky reinforcement hoops,

30-degree baring edges, birds-eye maple

outer.

From: Fender 01342 331700

5

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

POPULAR

ARTIST: VARIOUS

POP STANDARDSTarget: Vocal

Series: Pro Vocal

Comment: Interesting to see some of the

pop of the early 60s now being touted as

‘standards’, but there you go. This book

contains eight titles of the easy listening

variety (Blue Velvet, Moon River, Singing

the Blues and so on) aimed at the

karaoke/audition vocal market. The CD

functions as such on a CD player, but on a

PC or Mac it can be pitch shifted without

adjusting tempo.

HAL LEONARD (MUSIC SALES):

01284 702600

ARTIST: VARIOUS

(ARR JOHN KEMBER)

MAMA MIASeries: Schott Saxophone Lounge

Target: Piano

Series: The Pop Piano Player

Comment: On the face of it, this looks

like another compilation of pop tunes,

thrown together in order to cash in on the

wave of Abba nostalgia resulting from the

film. It is that, of course, but with Kember

at the helm, it takes on meaning. He has

arranged the 13 tunes twice, for piano and

vocal, and solo piano, making this a good

resource for players’ repertoire.

FABER: 01279 828989

NEW PRODUCTS PRINT

60 miPRO SEPTEMBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

EDUCATION

ARTIST: BRIAN AUGER

HAMMOND B-3 MASTERTarget: Hammond organ players

Series: Alfred Artist

Comment: One of the masters of the

Hammond, Auger has played with some of

the biggest names of the 60s and 70s –

and now he shares some of his tips, tricks

and secrets. The book covers a brief

history of the instrument, looks at some

famous players’ drawbar settings, then

dives into chord constructions, scales,

soloing techniques and some left and

right hand practice. A must have for

Hammond players.

ALFRED (FABER): 01279 828989

AUTHOR: SCOT LITTLE

BIHLMAN

THE TOTAL BLUES DRUMMERTarget: Drummers

Series: National Guitar Workshop

Comment: Say the word ‘blues’ to many

and the image of a medium-paced 12-bar

arrangement immediately springs to mind,

but, as Bihlman points out, there are

almost as many blues styles as there are

styles. This book will provide all the tools

necessary for beginners and intermediates,

while offering advanced players different

angles and some useful tips.

ALFRED (FABER): 01279 828989

AUTHOR: JANET HORVATH

PLAYING (LESS) HURTTarget: Musicians

Comment: Much has been made in recent

years of the damage musicians suffer to

hearing due to amplified performance, but,

while admirable, the focus detracts from

the injuries musicians can subject

themselves to simply through playing.

Horvath takes the reader through the

whole gamut of strains and pinches, back

trouble and (of course) hearing, with

advice on prevention and cure.

A valuable publication.

HAL LEONARD (MUSIC SALES):

01284 702600

ARTIST: ERIK HALBIG

PENTATONIC SOLOING

STRATEGIES FOR GUITARSeries: The Improv Series

Target: Guitar

Comment: The pentatonic scale has done

for guitar soloing what the car has done

for human mobility – and like the car,

there is almost nowhere you can’t go with

a pentatonic scale. This book begins with

the basic major and minor scales and

builds up to a series of substitution scales,

including the rootless 9th, half

diminished and whole-tone augmented. A

lot of work here – and a lot of fun for the

solo guitarist.

ALFRED (FABER): 01279 828989

AUTHOR: TOM FLEMING

THE ULTIMATE GUITAR

TUTOR: ROCKTarget: Guitar

Comment: An unusual ‘tutor’ this one –

although very much in line with the

requirements of the aspiring rock guitarist,

whose tenet tends to be ‘I just wanna

play’. Fleming uses mainly top rock hits,

smattered with a few of his own

compositions and offers p[laying tips

before simply supplying the notation and

tablature for the pieces. The book comes

with a CD so the learner can imitate and

progress. Simple, but effective book.

FABER: 01279 828989

AUTHOR: JEFFREY DEUTSCH

PIANO FOR SINGERSTarget: Piano, vocals

Series: Keyboard Instruction

Comment: With the current prevalence

for youngsters to get in front of a

microphone and almost hope beyond

hope that they are going to be famous,

this book points out the values of being

able to accompany one’s self, grow

repertoire, understand music and

ultimately be more creative. It’s not a

question of becoming the next Bach or

Mozart, Jeffries explains, it’s much simpler

than that to give yourself the edge.

HAL LEONARD (MUSIC SALES):

01284 702600

MUSIC SALES TRADE SALES HOTLINE: +44 (0)1284 705050 EMAIL: ORDERS@MUSICSALES.CO.UK

LET THE MAGIC OF HELP BOOST YOUR SALES...

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EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY MUSIC SALES LTD

DION DUBLIN, the former Aston Villa,

Coventry, Norwich, Leicester and Celtic

footballer, and current BBC football

pundit, has launched a percussion

instrument, The Dube, and is presently

scouring the market for outlets.

The Dube is a wooden cube made of

basic woods, with a Shure PG52 kick drum

mic installed that offers different playing

tones on four of its surfaces – but

whatever you do, don’t suggest to Dublin

that it is like a cajon.

“It’s cubic in shape and you play it with

your hands, but it is nothing like a cajon,”

he told MI Pro. “It sounds nothing like a

cajon and with four playing sides, the

range of tones is far greater. You have at

least two different tones on each face,

which means it can sound like congas and

bongos – all sorts. On top of that, you can

play it in any way you like – on the floor

between your feet, standing up on a

stand, it’s entirely up to the player – and

then there is the microphone inside. It’s a

completely unique instrument.”

Dublin has been touting The Dube (as

MI Pro goes to press) for two months and

is disciplining himself with a gruelling tour

of schools, radio stations and potential

retailers and distributors as he, in his

words, starts “to get my head around the

drum world.”

He admits it is slow progress, but

Dublin believes in his invention to the

degree that he will not be giving up on it.

“The first thing is to get it into the right

hands, get the professionals playing it and

then get it into schools so the kids can

grow up with it. I’m at the very bottom of

the trade’s ladder at the moment, I know

that, but you have to have a beginning

and this is mine.”

That said, Dublin has already succeeded

in getting The Dube used on Courtney

Pine’s latest album and in the hands of

the likes of Carl McGregor and Karl Brazil

(of Feeder), as well as professional

soundmen, such as Jim Jones of the Royal

Shakespeare Company.

The instruments are made in

Chesterfield by Bedford & Havenhand and

the electrics are fitted by Foxwood

Electrical, meaning the instrument is

completely UK made.

Dublin has created an all-singing-all-

dancing website at thedube.com, where

anyone interested in finding out more

about The Dube and the opportunities for

selling the instrument should go.

The Dube comes in a range of finishes

as well as with accessories such as stands

and bags.

“It’s just a day-by-day thing at the

moment,” he concluded. “But I know how

addictive it is to play and I’m certain it

will catch on.”

RETAILNEWS, OPINION, DATA

Dion Dublin launches The DubePremier League footballer and pundit steps into MI trade with new percussion instrument

NEWSAudio

Technica

xmas offers,

Korg opens its

dealer portal,

Red Dog

Music events

planned

INDIE PROFILE

Francis and

Graham Jones

of Amen

Corner Music

reveal how

crucial repairs

are to their

business

RETAIL FEATUREJason Tavaria

and Katy

Watson-Cave

reveal how

they are

dragging MI

into the 21st

century

ALL INSIDE THIS MONTH

”It’s just a day-by-

day thing at the

moment, but I

know how

addictive it is and

I’m certain it will

catch on.Dion Dublin

Founder of The Dube

LOCATION REPORT

MI Pro visited

Hampshire to

see what

musical treats

could be

found in the

town of

Winchester

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 65

IN MAY, as part of its plans to distribute

the Behringer range of products, Korg UK

launched a new dealer portal giving

registered trade customers the ability to

process their own orders online. To date

this has been for Behringer items and

the company reports it has been a

great success.

Now Korg has started to add their

other brands – beginning with Samson,

which is now live on the site. So both

Samson products and the remaining

Behringer stock can be ordered on the

site. Additional Samson products will be

added in due course and will

automatically appear on the portal. Not

only will customers be able to purchase

Samson online, they will also be able to

track any outstanding orders, view stock

level indications, historical orders, web

confirmations and invoices.

Communications are being sent to

both new and existing users informing

them of the Samson additions and

either providing or reminding them of

their usernames and passwords.

Samson and Behringer will now co-

exist on the site while Behringer stocks

last, as Korg is finishing with Behringer

once the stock has gone. Behringer

products are automatically removed

from the portal as and when there is no

stock remaining. This means that if the

Behringer product line isn't on the site it

will have sold out.

With a new catalogue now available,

Korg urges dealers to look afresh at the

Samson range.

Call Oli Webb in the north on 07733

323599 or Mike Gibson in the south on

07887 854340.

KORG: 01980 857100

Korg opens up dealer portalWebsite expands to other lines, starting with Samson

RED DOG MUSIC is planning a series of

events for the Edinburgh music

community and is also launching The

Dog, a free magazine for the city’s

music fans.

These gatherings will include weekly

Red Dog Music Clinics, Hair of the Dog

Sundays, which will consist of several

in-store gigs from a number of local

bands and artists and Red Dog Music

Open Jam Sessions, which will aim to

bring the city’s musicians in to one

place and encourage them to

improvise together.

The release of The Dog magazine will

be celebrated with a launch party on

October 28th from 9pm to 3am at The

Caves on Niddry Street South.

A strong lineup of musical talent has

been arranged, with Horndog Brass

Band, The Ordinary Allstars, Stanley

Odd, The Black Diamond Express and

The Banana Sessions all scheduled to

take part on the night. There will also

be live DJs and a drawing showcase

from local artist group The Too Much

Fun Club.

RED DOG MUSIC: 0131 229 8211

Red Dog barks up right tree

RETAIL NEWS

66 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Yamaha Music is currently seeking a motivated andprofessional individual based in the Midlands, to sellour market-leading range of acoustic pianos.

Whilst not necessarily from within the "music industry", thesuccessful applicant must have some knowledge of the piano as wellas the ability to play to a basic level. More importantly they will beable to demonstrate their professional skills through a proven salesrecord and possess the drive, enthusiasm and confidence to expandsales within an established territory.

We seek an experienced and disciplined communicator, withadvanced inter-personal skills, who enjoys being part of a successfulteam. Computer literacy and a driving licence are essential.

This is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to expand anddevelop our Yamaha, Kemble and Bösendorfer piano business throughour new multi-brand strategy.

We offer a competitive salary and a car plus all the usualbenefits associated with working for a large, forwardthinking company.

If you meet the criteria please e-mail your CV anda covering letter, demonstrating yoursuitability and including your salaryexpectations, by Friday 15 October2010 (quoting referenceRMACO/1010/MID) to:

Helen Bates, HR Assistant, at:recruitment@gmx.yamaha.com

Regional Manager Yamaha, Kemble, Bösendorfer Pianos

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Christmas comes early for

Audio Technica dealersAUDIO TECHNICA has announced a

series of offers aimed at both retailers

and end users for the period leading up

to the festive season.

Participating dealers

will be able to

receive free T200

and T300

headphones

when ordering

some of the

manufacturers

highly

regarded M20,

M40 and M50

headphones, with

a potential saving

of up to £70. Retailers

will be able to take

advantage of these deals

from October.

Ordering five M20s will result in a

free set of T200s, five M40s will lead to

two pairs of T200s and two free T300s

are obtainable with a purchase of five

M50s. A free pair of T200s will also be

available when combining one of each

from the M series.

The audio manufacturer is also

planning a number of deals for the

benefit of the consumer.

Five special packages will be

available to end users,

which involves free M

series headphones

when purchasing

selected Audio

Technica studio

and video

microphones,

including the

popular 20 and 40

series among

others, with a

maximum possible

saving of £149. These

packages will be backed up by

consumer advertising and will be

available until the end of the year, or

while stocks last.

For more information on any of the

offers mentioned above, contact your

local Audio Technica area sales

manager or calles the sales office on

the number below.

AUDIO TECHNICA: 0113 277 1441

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 67

RETAIL

INDIE PROFILE

Francis Jones and Graham Jones of Amen Corner Music

in Berkshire reveal how good service and a strong

reputation in repairs have helped them survive the

worst of the recession…

What are your best selling lines?

Acoustic guitars, particularly Freshman at

the moment.

How is business compared to this time

last year?

It’s picked up slightly over the last 12

months actually. It’s not as good as it used

to be, but it’s not too bad either and it’s

certainly improved recently. I think we’ve

reached that turning point – people are

still talking about the effects of the

recession and all the doom and gloom

associated with that, but I think we’ve

turned that corner now.

How do you market the shop?

We have our website and that’s about all

we use on the marketing side, but we also

have an advert in the Yellow Pages.

How do you compete with the online

competition?

We do try and get pretty close to them.

Some we can compete with, others we

can’t, but we do try as best as we can. We

get a lot of enquiries through our website,

but it’s not the most important part of

the business, although we are looking into

improving the site in the future. As for the

local competition, there aren’t any music

shops in Bracknell or Wokingham and

you’d have to go to either Windsor or

Reading to find another similar store, so

we take most of the area up.

What are your biggest strengths?

It’s probably the repairs side of the

business, particularly with guitars. We

have a great reputation for being a major

port of call for anything to do with the

physical side of guitars.

How do you ensure a good level of

customer service?

This shop has been here for 33 years and

it’s part of the fixtures and fittings of

Binfield. Because we offer such good

prices on the repair side, we really do well

in this area. It’s a personal service that we

adopt here, especially as buying a guitar is

such a personal thing and therefore we’re

always inviting people to come down and

try out as many models as they want. We

let them take as long as they like and it’s

that kind of service that is the key to this

shop’s success.

What is the one product you couldn’t

live without?

Lower priced package deals are doing

really well for us right now, as are tuners,

particularly from Korg, but it’s the string

sector as a whole that’s most important

for us.

How can the industry do more to

support retail?

It seems that our online competitors are

getting better deals than we are – it’s

certainly more of a cut-throat business

with the online side. However, we don’t

rely on the Internet as much as most do –

we focus more on point of contact and

sticking to what we’re good at.

FACT BOXAddress: Beehive Road, Binfield,

Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8TR

Phone: 01344 427783

Owner: Francis Jones

Established: 1977

Employees: Two

Best-selling lines: Acoustic guitars,

particularly Freshman at the moment.

DURING MY visit to the Dolphin Music a

few weeks ago to discuss the company’s

restructuring (see MI Pro, September

2010), the conversation veered at various

points – as it tends to with the passionate

folk that inhabit the MI world, of which

Jason Tavaria (CEO) and Katy Watson-

Cave (chief of staff) are undoubtedly two.

I knew that there was going to be a

need for a second article, particularly

when Watson-Cave suggested that MI was

probably about 20 years behind as an

industry. Halfords, part of the Boots

Group, which is one of the companies that

makes up her impressive CV, she pointed

out, had said less than 20 years ago that

they couldn’t sell bikes online. Today, it’s a

significant part of its business.

Between them, Tavaria, Watson-Cave

and their team are among the pioneers

bringing MI (kicking and screaming,

admittedly) into the 21st century, so it’s

interesting to see how they view the

development of musical instrument sales

online and on the High Street – and the

relationship between the two – and where

the manufacturers and suppliers fit in, too.

As far as Dolphin is concerned, it’s not

just bricks and mortar stores that are

behind the times, either. The other online

purveyors of musical instruments are also,

according to Dolphin, languishing in

relative antiquity.

“It’s about good customer experiences,”

says Tavaria. “Whether in-store or online,

you put the customer first. You ask ‘how

can you have a good experience online?’

but you can have a bad experience in a

shop and online – and vice versa.

“If you go into a shop and the

atmosphere and service are bad, you’ll

leave pretty quickly. We want to keep

people on our website as long as possible,

so your appearance, branding and

positioning are all really important.” And

this is where manufacturers and suppliers

can learn a lesson or two.

“From our tracking, we have discovered

nearly 40 per cent of percussion buyers

are women,” points out Watson-Cave.

“Why isn’t that reflected in the marketing

percussion companies create?”

“If you’re a customer and you know

what you want, you can go on to a

website or into a store and buy that

product,” adds Tavaria. “It’s actually very

difficult to switch sell – even in a store.

But there are others that don’t really know

what they want and these people need

information and they need to be sold to.

This means, online, you need something

that gives the information, but in a

pleasant, enjoyable way. If the customers

are enjoying themselves, they are going to

stay on the page longer – this is key.”

Which makes sense, but isn’t Dolphin

(and the other e-tailers) turning bricks and

mortar into an expensive showroom? And

one that will fade and die if it continues

to lose sales to the online world.

“Yes, you hear this a lot,” explains

Tavaria. “It’s a bit misleading. I know a lot

of customers do their research online and

then go to a store to buy.” Well, yes, but I

don’t hear too many online retailers

complaining about losing sales as result.

“It’s the time we live in,” rejoins Tavaria.

“Online retailing is still so new, of course

its growth is going to look impressive.

Over time, the whole market will settle

down and achieve an equilibrium.”

RETAIL DOLPHIN MUSIC

68 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

In the second of our articles on the Dolphin Music business model, Andy Barrett discovers that while Dolphin is forging a

path for MI, the retailer recognises that it is simply staying in step with the rest of the retailing world…

Bang up to date

The Dolphin team: Jason Tavaria, Katy Watson-Cave, Sam Davey, Andy Ball, Carly Crowder, Stephen Hartley, Peter Moss

Which is all very valid. Everybody with

an ounce of understanding has known for

years now that internet retailing is here to

stay. The question is how do we embrace

(or reject) the phenomenon and what

does that do to our business model? One

thing is for certain, no-one can ignore it.

The industry got itself into palpitations

recently when Amazon launched its

dedicated MI ‘tab’ and quite

understandably. It was Amazon, after all,

that put paid to the UK’s record and

bookshops. Of course, the pricing and

convenience were major reasons for

Amazon’s success, but there was also the

ability the retailer has for allowing

customers to get hold of more obscure

items that would rarely make it into stores

simply because it would not be worth the

dealer’s time or money. This had the effect

of bringing a whole new market sector

into the mainstream. I put it to Tavaria

that this might well be the same for MI.

Let’s say I wanted a Gretsch White Falcon.

I know for a fact that none of the stores in

my immediate vicinity would have one – I

would have to go online to find it.

“Well, you could drive around a whole

number of stores – and people do that

happily – but if you are so precise in

knowing exactly which guitar you want,

chances are that when you find one, it

won’t be exactly right,” he muses. “The

hardware might be different, or the colour

or the trimming – there’s a lot that can

vary. When you go online, you find what

you want – exactly – and wait for it to be

delivered on exactly the day you want.”

“Customers have so little time these

days,” says Watson-Cave. “You can talk

about the intimidation factor of going into

a store, which does exist, but it is not as

big an issue as having the hassle of

delivery or collection taken out, the 30-

day customer returns protection and the

fact that online purchasing is really very

safe these days. Online buying gives the

customer time.”

“And this is a really important point,”

interjects Tavaria. “We are always hearing

about how much cheaper it is to run an

online operation, but it’s simply not true.

It is completely different, yes, but to run a

successful and efficient online business is

as expensive as it is difficult.”

“We have spent so much on staff and

systems to monitor customer traffic,

reactions and feedback in order to target

our marketing better. This is neither cheap

nor easy,” adds Watson-Cave.

“What we are doing here is working in

the realm of big business,” continues

Tavaria. “How many small retailers can

carry out this sort of research? Only a

couple. If anyone wants to sell online, I say

‘do it’, but don’t expect it to be the same

as working in a shop. Everything is very

different and it is very easy to fail.”

Indeed, when functioning on the level

that Dolphin is these days, there is a lot to

take into account. With the beginner and

mid-range market having grown up with

the internet as a daily tool for commerce

and socialising, there is a need to be

involved in all of the networking sites,

communicating messages and gaining

feedback, as well as having staff at a level

of understanding at least equal to that

found in a bricks and mortar operation.

This means that when an enquiry

comes in, someone in the team needs to

identify what sort of customer it is and

deal with him or her accordingly – again,

just like any retail operation – whether via

the website or the telephone.

These enquiries come when the

customer feels confident with the portal,

so the combination of lifestyle-centric

videos and demonstrations with careful

imaging, and the communication through

the social networking sites creates exactly

that sort of all-round confidence.

That most MI retailers using the

internet are still concentrating on simply

listing products and prices as though it is

an interactive catalogue shows that, once

again, Dolphin is a step ahead in this new

market, although, as Tavaria and Watson-

Cave point out, that means the company

is simply staying abreast of what the rest

of the commercial world is doing.

DOLPHIN MUSIC: 0844 815 0888

DOLPHIN MUSIC RETAIL

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 69

Quality Brands Sell

First Line Distribution Ltdwww.firstlinemusic.co.uk

01626 830336

DR Strings DBZ GuitarsEden Bass

Amplification

Clayton Picks Parker Guitars Spector Basses

Carl Martin Effects

Taking advantage of cool images helps keep punters on the page

RETAIL LOCATION REPORT

The former capital of the Kingdom of England might be a

historian’s dream, but it’s also got plenty of reasons for

musicians to visit, as Adam Savage finds out…WinchesterCY MUSIC

Having been around for five years since

taking over from Probyns Music, CY Music

gets its name from its jovial owner Chris

Yarnton. Catering primarily for the entry

level across all the sectors commonly

found in a general music store, CY has

managed to fit a lot into a small space,

but not make it look cluttered.

It’s nice to see an all-round store that

sees brass and woodwind as one of its

main sources of income, rather than an

after thought, which explains the very eye

catching display of saxes, including some

lovely Trevor James, Jupiter and Antigua

models, towards the rear of the shop.

Flutes and clarinets have also attracted

customers in droves, leading Yarnton to

state that interest is so high that it is

often difficult to maintain a full display.

A good range of Casio digital pianos are

another highlight, as is the selection of

acoustics, the most popular being the

Freshmans and the Tanglewoods.

CY Music also seems to pull in many

visitors from outside the city, including

many preferring this store ahead of those

in neighbouring Southampton. This,

combined with its brass and woodwind

attraction, the fact it’s the only general MI

retailer in the city and the personality and

attitude of its owner, makes this a very

pleasant store indeed.

HAYWARD GUITARS

Considering how Brian Hayward of

Hayward Guitars started off as an all-

round guitar builder, repairer and luthier, it

seems fitting that he would consider his

back room workshop as having more than

equal importance to its guitar retail

offering, which is certainly extensive.

With Hayward commenting that he had

cut his range down to the core stock to

focus more on the repair work, the variety

on display before this change was made

must have been impressive.

Currently, the entry level and mid range

is covered very well here, with Cort, Aria,

Vintage and Ibanez the main brands in the

electric sector. A separate acoustic room is

also adorned with a number of Cort

models, as well as a great selection of

Lags, Faiths, right up to a few nice Martins.

Seeing a business that really has

established a worthy balance between

selling and repairing is very refreshing and

it certainly seems to keep Hayward busy.

He must be good at what he does as well,

with guitarists travelling from as far away

as Devon and London to get their axes in

his trusty hands.

Whatever their requirements, guitarists

are sure to find whatever they need here.

With plans for a smaller workshop area

within the main retail space and an

increase in priority towards the spares

market, this business can only get better.

GEOFF DENYER VIOLINS

It’s always nice to get a pleasant surprise

and that’s exactly what we got uncovering

this little jewel in a quiet part of town.

Expecting little more than a small,

primarily repairs-based business that

serves the local area, Geoff Denyer turned

out to be a dealer of vintage stringed

instruments ranging from £200 right up to

many tens of thousands, as well as a

repairer for musicians all over the country

and even further afield than that.

Turning up at one of Denyer’s busiest

times of the year, his workload was

evident, with violins, violas and cellos

covering the room, which created a sense

of awe at how much of a reputation he

must have built over the years and how

many have chosen his services.

To be successful in the high end of this

market, you must develop a knack for

finding and identifying classic violins and

makers, which Denyer definitely has. He

said that this is the hardest part of his

job, especially as prices are going up,

putting more pressure on discovering the

right instruments.

Major portions of his customers are

serious students, specialist schools and

colleges, who often fork out between five

and ten thousand pounds a time. Add to

that the fact that there is certainly no-one

else in Hampshire trading in the high end

and that you’d have to go as far as Bristol

and London to find similarly priced

instruments, it’s no wonder that Geoff has

a nice little business going here. A friendly

demeanour with visitors is just another

string to his bow, so to speak.

70 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 71

MIA NEWS an update from your industry trade association

Music for All focus for MIA Awards

THE MIA has announced that it

will be hosting the 2010 MIA

Awards in partnership with

NAMM and the association is

planning a great celebratory

evening for the MI industry –

with all proceeds going to the

Music for All charity.

The evening will also see the

renewed partnership with MI Pro,

which is sponsoring two of the

best supplier awards. Other new

features of the event for this

year include a special raffle and

auction prizes and the Future

Publishing Instrument Awards.

The Future prizes will be voted

for by the music playing public

on the Music Radar website.

On top of that, the organizer

promises that this year will see

less speeches and more bar time

for that essential networking

activity, which is widely seen as

vital for these sorts of events.

The MIA Awards ceremony will

take place on the evening of

Wednesday November 24th at

the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone

Road, London NW1 6JQ.

Tickets are available

immediately with ‘early bird’

discounts available up to

October 15th (£150 plus VAT or

£1,350 plus VAT for a table of

ten). After this date, full prices

will be charged (£175 plus VAT or

£1,575 plus VAT for a table of

ten). Dress code for the event is

black tie or lounge suit.

Voting is also underway and

the association is taking the final

votes for the Best Suppliers and

Best Retailers. Those interested in

casting a vote should contact

Clare Sayers on 01372 750600

or by e-mail at clare@mia.org.uk.

This year’s entertainer and

awards presenter will be the

stand-up comedian, Dominic

Holland, who has made a name

for himself through appearances

on Mock the Week and Have I

Got News for You and the like.

MIA: 01372 750600

Annual celebration of all things MI has raft of new features, including all proceeds going to the Music for All charity

72 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

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

MARKETPLACE INDEX

SU

PP

LIE

R S

PO

TLI

GH

T

TO ADVERTISE CALL DARRELL CARTER OR JODIE HOLDWAY ON 01992 535647

Global distributor supplies vital accessories and

repair lines from all areas of the woodwind world

Wind Plus has been

supplying woodwind

repair materials to

repairers throughout the UK and

around the world for many years.

Stocking a wide range of pads from

two of the most renowned

manufacturers in this field – Pisoni

Music Center in Italy and Prestini

from the US.

“This means we can offer

repairers and players a great choice

of pads for all levels of instrument,”

said Gill Horton of Wind Plus.

Wind Plus also stocks an ever-

increasing range of specialist repair

materials and tools, such as cork and

felt sheets, metal rods, pliers,

screwdrivers, taps and dies, along

with workshop consumable items,

like abrasives and adhesives.

“Customer service is of great

importance to us. We realise that

orders need to be despatched

quickly and reliably to enable

repairers to meet players’ deadlines,”

added Horton.

The contact Wind Plus has with

specialist woodwind music shops

through their onsite technicians has

made the distribution of woodwind

accessories the next logical step to

complement their repair materials

business. To this effect, Wind Plus

distributes Kölbl instrument care

accessories, Roko case covers and

gig bags, and Légère synthetic reeds.

Kölbl is a German manufacturer

that specialises in woodwind

accessories. Its comprehensive range

of professional quality Roko brand

case covers and gig bags, and

attractive range of instrument care

accessories, slings and harnesses

under the Kölbl brand, are hand-

crafted in Germany with the

attention to detail expected.

In recent months, Wind Plus has

greatly expanded the Roko brand

products they distribute.

“We like the Roko case covers as

the quality is self evident. The

generous padding, the quality metal

fittings and the traditional styling

make them ideally suited for any

professional player,”

Horton continued.

Légère produce premium

synthetic reeds for clarinets and

saxophones. New this year is the

Légère Signature series reed,

available for clarinet, alto and tenor

sax. Signature series reeds have been

hailed as a breakthrough in synthetic

reeds and have been endorsed by a

long list of top professionals.

Wind Plus runs monthly special

offers on its distribution items giving

extra discount to the trade. Don’t

miss out – just sign up to the

mailing list now by emailing

gill@windplus.co.uk.

THE PLACE FOR BUSINESS

MIMARKETPLACE

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GGUITAR XS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01227 832 558

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

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CALL: (0)1992 535647

ADVERTISE IN

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MI MARKETPLACEABOARD REPRESENTATION

To find out more about the JVM Series and other Marshall products contact: Marshall Amplification plc Denbigh Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK11DQ www.marshallamps.com

AMPLIFICATIONS

Call Tom Harrison on 01132 589599 or email - tom@440distribution.com

DISTRIBUTOR

Active & passive speakers Line array InEar & Wireless Public adress

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a member of

dBTechnologies UK16 Whitebeam CloseNewhey, RochdaleOL16 4NDDirect: 07595 672157Freephone: 0800 234 2848mail: sales@dbtechnologies.com

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74 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

DISTRIBUTOR

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DISTRIBUTOR

DISTRIBUTOR

0845 270 2411

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sales@avslgroup.com

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

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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: post@gremlinmusic.co.ukTel: +44 (0) 1903 203044 (9.30 - 5.30 Mon - Fri)

DISTRIBUTOR

76 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

MANUFACTURER

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INTERNATIONAL LTD

The UK’s fastest growing supplier of Professional Audio and MI equipment direct to the industry!

Supplying you with our ever expanding range from

As well as premier UK distribution for these leading brands

Tel: 020 8761 9911Fax: 020 8761 9922

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DISTRIBUTOR

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MI MARKETPLACEMANUFACTURER

MUSIC PUBLISHERS

MANUFACTURER

INSURANCE AND BUSINESS

78 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

PERCUSSION & DRUMSOCARINAS

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

email: sales@ocarina.co.uk

MI MARKETPLACE

PERCUSSIONPERCUSSION

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WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 79

PROMOTIONAL

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Rober t MORLEY Co Ltd

34 ENGATE St. LONDON SE13 7HA

020•8318•5838Grand & Upright Pianos by

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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

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PIANOS

OCTOBER 2005Cover Stars: Gremlin’s Pete McClelland explains

how he built a £1 million business by staying

focused on the roots of folk music

News: Lloyds abandons £9 million musical

instruments for schools initiative due to lack of

interest, General Electronics buys Formula Sound,

Percy Priors in Wycombe changes hands, hedge

fund bids for Kaman

Features: PLASA 05 report, MIA Awards report,

Yamaha Expo, Drummer Live, Stewart Ward talks

internet potential

Products: Kemble Cambridge 10 piano, Fender

Jazz King combo, Peavey 6505 Plus amp, Fender

50s Precision, HK Audio Elias, Peavey Studio Pro

CM1 mic

Number one singles: Sugababes: Push the

Button, Arctic Monkeys: I Bet You Look Good on

the Dancefloor

Number one albums: Franz Ferdinand: You

Could Have It So Much Better, Sugababes: Taller

In More Ways, The Prodigy: Their Law: The Singles

1990-2005

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 mipro@intentmedia.co.uk...

80 miPRO OCTOBER 2010 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

THE LAST WORD IN MI PRO

PICTURE OFTHE MONTHHIGHLY STRUNGDanish guitarist and composer Henrik

Anderson has had himself made a 52-

string instrument, the Manzer Medusa,

combining the necks of a veena, a sitar

and a conventional guitar, on which the

the instrument is based.

Following on from Pat Metheny’s

Picasso guitar, also made by Linda

Manzer, that featured in these pages a

few months ago, the Medusa focuses on

Indian instruments. The nightmare of

amplifying the instrument fell to DPA,

which supplied the two 4061 miniature

omni mics. Next month, Slartibartfast’s

Octiventral Heebiephone…

HOW DID THEY DO THAT?THE BEATLES: A DAY

IN THE LIFEThe impact that Sgt Pepper’s Lonely

Hearts Club Band had on popular

culture has only now begun to be

questioned, but for 40 years it was

universally recognised as the album

that changed modern music. The

album comprised mostly McCartney

songs (thus the growing perception

that it’s not as good as we think), but

kept its feet on serious ground thanks

to groundbreaking contributions from

Lennon and Harrison.

The killer ‘hook’, though, came with

the stunning A Day in the Life, that had

within itself a dramatic crescendo that

makes both the song and the album

what they are.

Although Lennon and McCartney

had not really collaborated directly on

songs for a few years, this piece

perfectly illustrates the chemistry

between them, with Lennon writing

the ‘main’ verses in a moody, wistful

manner, while McCartney adds a

boppy ‘middle eight’. The two sections

are stapled together with a 24-bar

orchestral crescendo that stopped the

world in its tracks at the time.

After the band had finished

recording the basic track, there was a

24-bar bridge with a repeated piano

chord sequence and the voice of

studio assistant, Mal Evans, counting

the bars and setting off an alarm clock

at their conclusion.

The band and producer, George

Martin, had no idea what to do with

the bridge, other than McCartney’s

desire to bring in an orchestra and

Lennon’s wish to create what he

called ‘a musical orgasm’.

The three were concerned that an

orchestra would have trouble

improvising, so Martin wrote out a

‘score’, which started with the lowest

note of each instrument on the first

beat of the first bar and the highest

note in E major on the last beat of the

last bar. He joined the two notes

together with a squiggly line.

With Martin and McCartney

conducting, the players climbed

through scales in any way they

wished, ending with the huge spike of

sound that can be heard on the

album. This was done four times and

the takes were placed over each other.

The sections were then spliced to

repeat after the final verse.

The final (E major) chord was

played by Lennon, McCartney, Evans

and Ringo Starr on three pianos and

Martin on a harmonium and rings out

for some 40 seconds, with the

engineer raising the recording level as

the notes decayed. At the end, the

recording level is set so high, that

incidental noises in the studio can

also be heard.

A stunning conclusion – and one

that prompts one to ask where that

sort of imagination in the studio has

since gone.

LATEST NEWSSTRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE

Bookmark us in your phone:

MOBILE.MI-PRO.CO.UK

SEND YOUR PICTURES TO CODA@INTENTMEDIA.CO.UK

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK miPRO OCTOBER 2010 81

Gibson Les PaulSpecial (1969 – 1971)This was his guitar of choice when making

his first two albums, although he mostly

chose an SG for live performances.

Originally equipped with P-90 pickups and

later standard humbuckers, this helped

him achieve a raw sound that really

helped boost his status in the early years.

Gibson SG (1969 – 1972)This guitar is most fondly remembered for

its appearance at Woodstock, where

Santana truly made a name for himself,

having not yet released his debut album.

This now iconic red model also featured P-

90 pickups and another version with

humbuckers was also commonly seen in

his hands in the early 1970s.

Gibson Les PaulStandard (1971 - 1976) Santana used this model to record his

third album, Santana III, as well as

occasionally switching back to the SG. This

led to a very noticeable change in tone,

but at this point he had still not

established the unique sound for which he

has become known today.

Yamaha SG2000(1976 - 1982) His trademark tone started to emerge

during this period (particularly on the

1978 album Moonflower) with the

combination of this guitar and the Mesa

Boogie amps he began using at this time.

The SG2000 was based on the Yamaha

SG175 model and was a collaboration

between Santana and the manufacturer.

Various PRSSignature guitars(1982 - Present)Santana’s love for the Paul Reed Smith

brand began when he borrowed one to

record his 1981 record, Zebop! These days

he can be seen playing any one of three

PRS models – The Santana SE One

Abraxas, Santana I or Santana II. The

former features a mahogany body, PRS

designed Stoptail bridge and tuners and a

peace symbol on the 12th fret.

THE STARS AND THEIR GUITARS CARLOS SANTANAThis Mexican American maestro burst on to the scene at Woodstock and seems to have been around forever with his

signature singing sound. Here’s a look at the guitars he’s been using over the years in order to create his noise…

1976 - 1982

1982 - Present

It may not look like much, but over

the six years that the Korg M1 was

in production, it became the world’s

best selling synthesizer workstation. A

built-in MIDI sequencer and rich

variety of sounds that included never-

before-seen samples as standard

might not seem much compared to

today’s synths, but at the time these

features would have been a

breakthrough, as the M1 sold 250,000

units since its inception in 1988.

At the time, the likeness of artificial

sounds on similar products were poor,

but the M1 actually offered acoustic

guitars that resembled the instrument

and it was a similar story with the

oboe, strings, bass and piano sounds. It

was also one of the first to include a

worthy selection of drum kit sounds.

Up to eight programs could be

made into a combination and along

with the added sequencer and two

digital signal processing chips, which

produced a remarkable range of

effects, the M1 allowed for bags of

creativity. In fact, it was so ahead of

its time that there are a few die-hards

around today that still use it, despite

its age.

The M1’s retro controls were a lot

more basic than modern synths, such

as the 40x2 character LCD, data slider

and four-way joystick. Sounds and

sequences could also be saved using

the two expansion slots.

As its lifetime progressed, a number

of different versions emerged. These

included rackmount versions, such as

the M1R. Its synth engine was so good

that it remained until the release of

the Korg Trinity in 1995, which offered

several keyboard variations – a disk

drive and a better selection of samples

and an improved sequencer.

Like everything, it was eventually

surpassed as technology advanced, but

it was remarkable how long it stayed

as the synth benchmark.

MI ICON Korg M1 Workstation

1969-1971 1969-1972 1971-1976

Narrowly missing out on

the Mercury Music Prize,

these four lads have not

only skyrocketed in

popularity, but have taken

folk and traditional-style

music in to the

mainstream...

SOUNDALIKESMUMFORD & SONS

NEXTMONTHIn another edition bulging with content,

you’ll find a look at Chris May’s 30 years

making basses, MI trade show news, sector

spotlights on starter packs and guitar

accessories and a further fix of company

profiles, retail news and much more.

EDITORIAL: ANDY BARRETT

mipro@intentmedia.co.uk

ADVERTISING: JODIE HOLDWAY

jodie.holdway@intentmedia.co.uk

Company/job title:

Source Distribution, marketing co-

ordinator

Years in the industry?

I think it’s three now. I first started as a

lowly sales chap on the phone at Turnkey.

First single bought?

The first album I bought with my own

money was Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty.

Favourite album?

Aphex’s Drukqs, Music for 18 Musicians (if

you can call it an album), and nobody can

resist Screamadelica

Currently listening to?

Everything Everything’s Man Alive, which

I’m rinsing to death. It’s wicked.

Favourite musician?

Richard James.

Which instruments do you play?

I play the filter

Are you currently in a band?

Yes, although it’s more like a one-man-

band. The other members are Japanese and

born in the mid-eighties.

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

MARCUS MUMFORD – vocals, guitar,

mandolin, bass drum – Martin OM in

standard tuning, but a whole tone lower,

two Martin D28s (named Mary Kate and

Ashley) tuned to open C and open D,

Martin D-18VS, Martin OM-21, Gibson

ES335, Gibson SG, Gibson Mandolin, LR

Baggs parametric eq, Fishman pickups in

all guitars, Lehle 3@1 switcher, Boss TU2

tuner, Ludwig bass drum, Fender Hot Rod

Deville amplifier, all guitars have been

strung with Martin Phosphor Bronze

M550 strings

WINSTON MARSHALL – banjo – Gold

Tone EBM-5 banjo, Gold Tone OB-250

BEN LOVATT – keyboards and accordion –

Roland FR-7 V-Accordion, Nord Stage 88

TED DWANE – double bass – Guadagnini

double bass

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: mipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com

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 Barrettmipro@intentmedia.co.uk

Editor at LargeGary Coopergary@garycooper.biz

Staff WriterAdam Savageadam.savage@intentmedia.co.uk

Advertising ManagerDarrell Carterdarrell.carter@intentmedia.co.uk

Sales ExecutiveJodie Holdwayjodie.holdway@intentmedia.co.uk

DesignerClaire Brocklesbyclaire.brocklesby@intentmedia.co.uk

Production ExecutiveRosie McKeownrosie.mckeown@intentmedia.co.uk

Marketing & CirculationLindsay Banhammipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com

Editorial ProductionManagerHelen Frenchhelen.french@intentmedia.co.uk

PublisherDave Robertsdave.roberts@intentmedia.co.uk

Managing DirectorStuart Dinseystuart.dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk

82 miPRO OCTOBER 2010

ALEXTHEAKSTON

www.staggmusic.com

Stagg’s Vintage Bronze and Classic series were created with the discerning player in mind.

Someone who, whether into rock or jazz, demands a true, traditional sound coupled with a genuine feel.

Someone just like you.

Vintage tones.Classic sounds.Authentic you.

Distributed exclusively in the UK by EMD Music. Call 01293 862612 or e-mail p.woods@emdmusic.com for more details.

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