Optima 24K Banjo Strings
These banjo strings from Optima use gold to make the strings soft to the touch, and are handmade in Germany. The strings produce warm and unique overtones, while also protecting…
D'Addario Accessories Premium Leather Guitar Straps
These premium leather guitar straps from D'Addario Accessories are made in the USA from the highest quality of padded, comfortable garment leather. The line of straps uses precision stitching and…
Select Jazz Tenor Mouthpiece from D'Addario Woodwinds
The Select Jazz Tenor Mouthpieces from D'Addario Woodwinds are milled from solid rod rubber using D'Addario's precise computer-controlled mouthpiece-making technology. These mouthpieces capture the classic sound and response of vintage…
Sittin’ Pretty in ‘Music City:’ Summer NAMM 2017 Keeps Up Momentum
Two things stand out in my mind from this year’s Summer NAMM,” says NAMM president and CEO, Joe Lamond. “The dealers I spoke with were so incredibly earnest about improving…
VOX and Chicago Music Exchange Host Anniversary Event for VOX
VOX Amplification and Chicago Music Exchange hosted a 60th anniversary event to honor VOX’s history and legacy on August 2. Guests were able to demo gear from VOX, such as at…
SURVEY :The 2017 acoustic guitar market
Overall, the acoustic guitar market seems to be a relatively rosy segment for MI retailers in 2017, with nearly 75 percent of participants in this month’s survey reporting that sales…
Higher-Quality Instruments, Broad Consumer Base, Concerns about CITES Fallout…:The 2017 Acoustic Guitar Market
Overall, the acoustic guitar market seems to be a relatively rosy segment for MI retailers in 2017, with nearly 75 percent of participants in this month’s survey reporting that sales…
March ‘Em Off to Class: Back to School Season and Marching Band Instrument Sales
With nearly 40 percent of participants in this survey claiming that “Back to School” business accounts for between 50 to 100 percent of their total annual sales of marching band…
Musicwood, Part II – The Rest of the Story: Stop Using Old Growth, Clear-Cut Sitka Spruce in Musical Instruments
America’s largest national forest – the Tongass in southeast Alaska – is the only national forest where commercial clear-cutting continues. This forest treasure has stood magnificently for thousands and thousands…
Five Values and Guiding Principles of Leadership
To be an effective leader in the music retail business, you need beacons and guiding principles to get you through the difficult job to which you committed yourself. In the…
Smarter PA Systems Will Offer MI Retailers a New Opportunity
Historically, one of the hardest things for performing musicians has been getting the PA sound right. Two things have been happening to make that less of a problem, and they…
Nightclubbing
While in Nashville for the Summer NAMM Show, I was able to carve out 20 minutes and meet up with a buddy – a Nashville local – for coffee. In…