ESP Guitars has announced that musical instrument and pro audio industry veteran Blue Wilding has joined the company in the role of Director of Product Development.
“The ability to make the right design choices and to quickly bring new, high-quality guitar products to market is more crucial now than ever before,” says Matt Masciandaro, President and CEO of the ESP Guitar Company. “We got to know Blue via his position in OEM sales and product management for Seymour Duncan, and he’s going to be a huge asset for ESP’s product development and marketing efforts. Blue is going to be a great addition to this team from day one.”
A lifelong musician, Blue Wilding has over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and product development roles in the MI, Pro Audio, and related industries. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Blue’s career in the industry began with a number of sales and consultation positions within respected retailers like Dale Pro Audio and Guitar Center’s GC Pro division. He also founded Audio Power Tools, a New York-based consulting and sales firm that handled high-end recording products for top producers, mixers, and artists. At Seymour Duncan, Blue was responsible for sales of pickups to many of the world’s best-known guitar manufacturers, and also acted as the company’s Signature Artist liaison and National Accounts Manager.
Wilding states, “I’ve been a huge ESP fan since I was a kid, and while I was at Duncan, I reveled in the opportunity to work closely with this team in the creation of custom pickups. I couldn’t be more excited to take up this key role with one of the most respected, and just plain coolest, guitar manufacturers in the world… it’s a dream job for me.”
