Before the holiday madness of November and December sets in, it’s always a good idea to start thinking ahead when it comes to the essentials: getting the right gifts for your family and stocking your store with the MI goods your customers need and want. That’s where MMR has you covered. Check out our annual holiday buying guide of new products for prepping your store for the winter, all sorted by price point. No excuses for procrastinating this year!
Under $25
Los Angeles-based DJ, vocalist, and record producer Charlie Sputnik has written DJ Techniques – Vinyl and Digital to help today’s developing DJs become familiar with the main methods of DJing while also teaching the important historical and technological landmarks that have molded this art form. Not only does it present the traditional methods using vinyl records, but it also shares modern methods of performance, including both digital media players (Pioneer CDJ/XDJs), and the industry-leading software, Serato DJ. A chapter on business provides insightful advice gathered along years of experience, as well as useful tips and tricks for onstage performance. It also includes over 80 minutes of online video demonstrations of the concepts addressed in the book. Upon completing this study, the reader will be able to perform a convincing DJ set on a variety of DJ setups. Price: $19.99
Top Hits of 2018 features over a dozen hits from Taylor Swift (“Delicate”), Shawn Mendes (“In My Blood”), Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (“Meant to Be”), Camila Cabello (“Never Be the Same”), Arianna Grande (“No Tears Left to Cry”), Zed, Maren Morris & Grey (“The Middle”), “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman, and more. Editions are available for piano/vocal/guitar, easy piano, big-note piano, ukulele, and easy guitar. Prices range from $12.99 to $17.99 depending on the instrumentation.
www.halleonard.com
Bourns Lower Profile Motorized Slide Potentiometers
Slim, sleek, lower profile audio, broadcast and lighting console designs are enabled by Bourns Model PSL motorized slide potentiometers. Specifically designed to meet small space constraints, longer product life and repeated automated console adjustment requirements, the innovatively designed Model PSL measures just 25 mm high. Model PSL also meets increased power efficiency demands while maintaining high performance characteristics.
Bourns latest motorized slide potentiometer features a power-saving 5 VDC Mabuchi motor so it can be used with more energy-efficient circuits. It also utilizes a highly durable contacting carbon resistive ink element that provides extended wear characteristics of up to 500,000 cycles. The element design produces very low noise output delivering an optimal signal-to-noise ratio that allows improved audio quality. Bourns Model PSL motorized slide potentiometers are offered in 100 mm and 60 mm versions and are available in a variety of resistance values and standard taper options.
As a pricing reference, the 100 mm version of the Model PSL is $24 in quantities of 1,000 pieces, and the 60 mm version is $23 in quantities of 1,000 pieces.
www.bourns.com
New from GluBoost
GluBoost makers of the finest instrument repair products releases Fill n’ Finish Black. Fill n’ Finish Black enjoys the same great flexibility and resilience that all the Fill n Finish formulas enjoy and as always, is guaranteed fresh. With zero to minimal witness lines every time this game changing product is ideal for all of your wood builds, repairs, inlay work and marquetry. Fill n’ Finish Black reliably fill pores and gaps and vanquish cracks, dings and dents. Perfect for your quick repairs and restorations.
GluBoost makers of the finest instrument repair products releases MasterGel Ultra Gel Adhesive. MasterGel Ultra is an absolutely outstanding Ultra High Performance Gel Adhesive product. MasterGel Ultra is so sticky it clings to vertical surfaces with absolutely no run off. This UltraGel adhesive product has superior gap filling capability up to .01.” Price: $18 each
www.gluboost.com
Dava Power Grips
Dava Power Grips are thicker and stiffer than Dava’s Grip Tip model, and have Dava’s proprietary rubber grip and distinctive look but now provide extra bite and attack for musicians who need a rock solid feel. Power Grips come in a choice of materials, including delrin, nylon, and poly-gels. A 6-pack retails for $7.50
www.davapick.com
Kyser’s New Hawaiian Capos
Kyser’s three new Hawaiian-themed Quick-Change capos for ukuleles include Red Hibiscus, Pastel Hibiscus, and Hawaiian Lei. These Kyser Quick-Change capos are specifically made for the small neck and flat fretboard of ukuleles. With a much smaller body, no curved radius, and lighter spring tension than the original Kyser Quick-Change capo, it’s the perfect fit for ukes. Ukulele players can now use a beautiful, island-themed capo to quickly and easily change the pitch of their instrument without changing their chord fingerings. MSRP: $24.95
www.kysermusical.com
Henry Heller Sublimation Ukulele Straps
The success of the Henry Heller Sublimation Guitar Strap series has led to the release of seven new ukulele designs. With fun designs inspired by Hawaiian surf culture, these new ukulele straps are 1.5” wide and extendable to 58”. They feature buttery soft nubuck top grain leather ends and are made in Sheridan, Indiana. $19.95 street price.
www.omgmusic.com
Under $50
Loog‘s 3W guitar amplifier
Loog‘s 3W guitar amplifier is built with premium materials and bundled with an instrument cable. The Mini Amp is designed to sound and look as good on stage as in your kid’s bedroom. The 3” speaker is battery operated, and features Aux in and Headphones out. MAP: $49 (includes instrument cable).
www.LoogGuitars.com
Whirlwind’s Leader Standard Series Cable
The Leader is Whirlwind’s lifetime guaranteed cable that started an industry. There’s not a performer out there that doesn’t bend, pinch, or tangle their cable. That’s why Whirlwind invented the Leader Series. Premium, rugged, and practically indestructible, the Leader plug’s patented cable grip absorbs any typical straining in the field, and its flexible boot extension has virtually eliminated breakage at the cable exit. Combined with Accusonic+1cable, the Leader is the highest quality instrument cable manufactured today. Available in 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 18, 25, 30 and 50-ft. lengths. The model number is formed by L + length. e.g. “L10”) Cables are also available with a right-angle classic style plug on one end. Price: $28.
www.whirlwindusa.com
D’Addario’s Auto Lock Guitar Strap
Designed in partnership with Ned Steinberger, the Auto Lock guitar strap is designed to work with most standard electric guitar and bass strap buttons on the market. Awarded “Best in Show” at the 2018 Summer NAMM Show, simply slide the strap end over the guitar strap buttons, and you are locked in – it’s that easy. The grey clamp is spring-loaded so it automatically clamps down on the strap button, and it will not release until you unlock it. Just push up on the grey latch, slide the end off, and the strap is removed. The strap has been successfully pulled tested to 180lbs. Available now for $42.90 MSRP.
www.daddario.com
New Harmonicas from Lee Oskar
The Natural Minor (Green Label), with its five altered notes, is a natural choice for playing minor music in 2nd Position (Cross Harp): reggae, ska, Latin, funk, R&B, and hip-hop. This altered tuning harmonica is available in 12 Keys (Listed low to high): Dm, E♭m, Em, Fm, F#m, Gm, A♭m, Am, B♭m, Bm, Cm, D♭m
The Harmonic Minor (Yellow Label) with its five altered notes, is ideal for playing World Music. Typically played in 1st Position (Straight Harp): Eastern European, gypsy, Yiddish, Asian, tango, reggae. This altered tuning harmonica is available in 12 Keys (Listed low to high): Gm, A♭m, Am, B♭m, Bm, Cm, D♭m, Dm, E♭m, Em, Fm, F#m. MAP: $43.99 each.
www.leeoskar.com
New Hercules ‘Plus’ Stands
The GS414B Plus and the GSP38WB Plus from Hercules Stands feature a wider mounting area to better accommodate extended range instruments (up to 2.05” nut width), an upgraded height adjustment clutch, and upgraded rubber feet for increased stability.
Included with this stand and hanger is the new Hercules accessory, N.I.N.A., Narrow Instrument Neck Adjustment, which is designed to increase the thickness of the AGS yoke so that it can accommodate instruments such as ukulele, mandolin and banjo (as small as 1.1”). Price: $49.99.
www.herculesstands.com
Under $100
The New Jupiter Sax Gig Strap
KHS America announces the release of the new Jupiter Sax Gig Strap JCM-SXNS01. This over-the-shoulders strap is constructed of leather and suede giving it the durability and comfort necessary for those long gigs or for players on the marching field. Multiple adjustment points allow the perfect fit every time. The convenient design also allows the player to put it on and remove with ease.
By distributing the weight of the instrument away from the neck and equally over both shoulders, saxophone players will experience fewer neck and back problems. The simple construction is light-weight and fits easily in a case or gig bag without getting tangled. MSRP is $89.99.
www.jupitermusic.com
AirTurn’s New Footswitch Controllers
AirTurn’s new line of wireless footswitch controllers allow users to perform actions from simple page turning to audio, lighting, MIDI performance, switching controls, and more. Its proprietary, keyboard, and MIDI interface options work with most Bluetooth 4 enabled computers, tablets, and specialty equipment. Using Bluetooth technology and Over-the-Air services, each device can be programmed to send any type of keyboard signal, MIDI, or proprietary commands the user needs to operate their apps. The option of open pairing and closed pairing offers the user the ability to store pairing for multiple hosts or lock their device to a single host. Currently available are the 2-switch and the 4-switch versions for $69 and $99. A 6-switch version will be available in Q4 2018.
www.airturn.com
Kohala’s New Ukuleles
Continuing to inspire musicians of all ages and sizes, Kohala ukuleles announces a new series of sized guitars in nylon and steel string versions. A total of 8 “KG series” guitars will join the Kohala brand. The 4 Nylon string guitars – KG50N ½ size nylon, KG75N ¾ size nylon, KG100N full size and KG100NE full size acoustic electric with on-board tuner. The 4 Steel string guitars are KG50S ½ size nylon, KG75S ¾ size nylon, KG100S full size and KG100SE full size acoustic electric with on-board tuner.
More than just an entry level guitar, all of the new Kohala guitars include features such as: adjustable truss rod; properly cured woods and bracing; special fret installation and pressurized gluing methods for enhanced performance.
Each Kohala guitar comes complete with a padded gig bag and a Limited Lifetime Warranty. All models have a MAP range of $99 to $149.
www.kohalaukuleles.com
Under $250
The Oceans 11 Pedal from Electro-Harmonix
The Oceans 11 is a powerful and versatile reverb pedal that can add everything from subtle depth to lose yourself ambience to your playing. With basic effects like Hall, Plate, and Spring, the Oceans 11 will cover any standard reverb workload. The surprises hidden in the special effects make this pedal unbelievably functional and inspiring. Dynamic and Modulated Reverbs add interactive movement while the Shimmer and Polyphonic Reverbs create ambient soundscapes that will fill any sonic space.
The Oceans 11’s Mode button lets the user select up to three variations of many of its reverbs for greater variety. The pedal also features powerful, yet intuitive “hidden” parameters accessible thru its Secondary Knob Mode that enable the player to take greater control of its effects.
An internal Tails switch provides a choice of whether the reverb effect fades out naturally or stops immediately when the pedal is switched to bypass. In most settings the pedal is also capable of producing infinite reverb which can be played over with a fresh reverb effect complete with adjustable parameters.
The Oceans 11 comes equipped with a standard EHX 9.6DC200mA power supply, is available now and features a U.S. street price of $147.80
www.ehx.com
New Grand Piano Clamp from House of Troy
The House of Troy GPLED19-7 LED grand piano clamp lamp in black with polished brass accents will illuminate your music with great efficiency. The 3000K LED uses 4.7 watts and gives off 200 Lumens. A felt lined clamp will rest easy on your music desk, and the sleek shade adjusts with a swivel at the shade giving great flexibility and adjustment options. The model is offered in three finish choices: black and brass, black and satin nickel and all polished brass. Retail price: $250
www.houseoftroy.com
New Rovner Platinum Gold Ligature
Rovner’s newest ligature option takes an already outstanding model and kicks it up a notch, making it a superb holiday gift idea for the discerning sax or clarinet player. The Platinum Gold maintains all of the original Platinum’s benefits: a pure, ringing, bell-like tone, incredible evenness of scale, superior control for a centered tone and flawless intonation, and enhanced facility and response. Twenty-four karat gold plating adds a warmer, darker tone that makes even synthetic reeds sound more like cane. Early adopters of this high-performance ligature uniformly agree that the new Platinum Gold lives up to all the opulence inferred in its name. Available in 11 sizes to fit most clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces. MSRP: $159.
www.rovnerproducts.com
Under $500
Kala’s Solid Spruce Top Hawaiian Koa Gloss Line
A cousin of the Hawaiian Koa Gloss line, the Solid Spruce Top Hawaiian Koa Gloss line pairs a solid Engelmann Spruce top with Hawaiian Koa back and sides, all sealed in a gloss finish to bring out the grain of the wood. Providing a complex, open sound with loud projection, the Engelmann Spruce top pairs with the bright, midrange tone of the Hawaiian Koa back and sides. Available in concert, tenor, and baritone models with electronics and a cutaway—concert and tenor also available in standard acoustic models without electronics or cutaway. MAP Prices range from $279.99 to MAP $459.99.
www.kalabrand.com
New Flame Maple Series Ukuleles from Lanikai
The new Flame Maple series from Lanikai features a satin Flame maple top, back and sides with rich bloodwood rosette, and binding on the fingerboard and body.
Lanikai Flame Maple series includes an acoustic concert and tenor sizes and as acoustic/electrics with a cutaway. The electric models are equipped with a Fishman Kula pickup with a convenient onboard tuner. Like all Lanikai ukuleles, the easy playing neck profiles are accented by a wider nut for added player comfort.
Other features that highlight this series include chrome open back tuners, Nubone XB nuts and saddles for increased tone and projection, a walnut fingerboard and bridge, and D’Addario strings are standard. Each Flame Maple ukulele ships with a deluxe Lanikai 10mm padded gig bag and a Limited Lifetime Warranty. MSRP range: $269 to $449.
www.anikaiukuleles.com
3i-5014-SRB iSeries Waterproof StingRay Bass Case from SKB
This case is waterproof, military-grade, USA-made, and has been designed specifically to fit Music Man StingRay 4 and 5-string bass guitars, featuring a deluxe platinum plush-covered rigid foam interior that provides total neck support and protection on all sides for both left and right-handed StingRay basses. Two TSA-accessible locking latches, quiet glide wheels, and a pull handle also help to make this case an ideal choice for musicians on the go. The 3i-5014-SRB iSeries Waterproof StingRay Bass Case is available now with a street price of $289.99.
www.skbcases.com
Under $1,000
New Veneers from Mapex Drums
Using beautiful Olive Exotic veneers, Mapex is releasing the colors Desert Dune and Black Dawn. These new finishes are being applied to the best-selling Armory Series Hybrid shell which is constructed of Birch/Maple/Birch, in a 6-ply, 7.2MM thickness. The finishes are stunningly beautiful, breaking the appearance quality barrier of a drum set in this price-point. Nothing in the price-point looks this good. With this latest finish addition, all current Armory finishes now feature this Exotic Olive veneer.
The Mapex SONIClear bearing edges allow for a direct transmission of sound, reducing unwanted frequencies and provides a strong fundamental pitch and effortless tuning experience, especially at lower tunings. Price: $699-$899 depending on configuration.
www.usa.mapexdrums.com
The P-125 Digital Piano from Yamaha
The P-125 digital piano is a compact and stylish instrument featuring legendary Yamaha touch and tone, and ideal for a wide variety of beginner pianists.
The P-125 replaces the P-115, which has earned its reputation as one of the top-selling digital pianos on the market today. Immediately noticeable in the new model is its striking design, featuring a beautiful curve to the front panel that was inspired by the company’s flagship CFX concert grand piano. Using the P-125 with the Yamaha Smart Pianist app for iOS devices, users gain a touch screen graphic interface to select Voices, and to configure settings quickly and easily.
The Smart Pianist app also takes advantage of the instrument’s built-in USB audio and MIDI interface and on-board speaker system. This not only enables the user to play along with their favorite artists, but it also allows them to record audio and/or MIDI performances into a computer.
Other key features of the P-125 include 24 instrument Voices (pianos, electric pianos, organs, strings, bass and more), 20 simple drums and bass Styles and 50 Classical Music Masterpieces. MSRP: $999.
www.yamaha.com
