KHS America Announces Acquisition of Hohner Inc. USA

KHS America, Inc. has announced plans to acquire Hohner Inc. from Matth. Hohner GmbH in Trossingen, Germany.  Hohner, Inc. is the exclusive North American provider of Hohner branded Harmonicas, Accordians, Melodicas, Guitars and Bluegrass Instruments; SONOR Drums and Orff Instruments, Lanikai and Kohala Ukuleles, H. Jimenez Guitars, Hohner Airboard, as well as Hohner Kids and Greentones children’s instrument brands.  Transfer of ownership will take place today, January 12, 2015.

HARMAN Renews Support of Recording Academy P&E Wing

The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing is proud that its relationship with HARMAN Professional's leading audio brands AKG Acoustics, JBL Professional, and Lexicon has been increasingly successful in its efforts to promote quality in audio. As official "P&E Wing Sustaining Partners," these brands have participated in a wide variety of activities including being the title sponsor of high-profile Academy Chapter events, having a presence on the P&E Wing section of the new GRAMMY PRO site, and being supporters of the P&E Wing Manufacturer's Council. Now, for 2014-2015, HARMAN Professional has reaffirmed its sponsorship and has also added dbx as a fourth brand that will work cloesely with the P&E Wing to support its initiatives and membership.

"HARMAN proudly continues to support the Prouducers and Engineers Wing," noted Bryan Bradley, GM, Loudspeaker, Headphone & Microphone Strategic Business Unit, HARMAN Professional. "Their work as advocates for the recording industry, artists, equipment manufacturers, and listeners is of vital importance in this period of transition in the music industry and beyond."

Sweetwater Alleges its Content has been Plagiarized by More than 70 MI Retailers

Sweetwater Sound, Inc. issued the following press release in early 2015 regarding alleged theft of the company’s intellectual property:

Sweetwater Sound Inc. continues to be victimized by the misappropriation of its proprietary intellectual property. Most recently, Sweetwater's web content has been pirated by many music retailers, including UniqueSquared, Music & Arts (owned by Guitar Center), Cascio Interstate Music, Island Music Company, ProAudioStar, Chicago Music Exchange, and more than 70 more, with the violations ranging from a few pages of content to as much as hundreds and even thousands of pages. In response to these infringing acts, Sweetwater has increased its efforts to defend itself and its intellectual property rights.

NAMM Members Bring Music Instruments, Lessons to Anaheim School

NAMM members bring music to Anaheim’s John Marshall Elementary School with a day of service on Tuesday, January 20 from 8 a.m. to noon. The effort celebrates the Anaheim City School District’s (ACSD) re-introduction of music education programs. Assisted by the NAMM Foundation and Metro Nashville Public School’s “Music Makes Us,” ACSD re-initiated its music education program with an orchestra program in 2013. The district added three full-time music teachers in 2014 – the first music teachers in the district in 20 years. During the day of service, the NAMM Foundation will donate $5,000 and 12 guitars to bolster the district’s budding music programs.

Trade Regrets: Jack Sondermeyer

Peavey Electronics mourns the loss of one of its most celebrated engineers, Jack Sondermeyer, who passed away on January 4 at the age of 75.

Sondermeyer was Peavey’s hief engineer for 29 years, and had more than 30 patents to his credit. He was a brilliant and gifted analog design engineer who was well-respected in the engineering community.

Essential Elements Interactive (EEi) Now Available as an iPad App

Last month at The Midwest Clinic international band and orchestra conference, Hal Leonard Corporation launched its highly anticipated Essential Elements Interactive (EEi) iPad app. The free app is a mobile version of the company’s EEi browser-based program, which has been a game-changer for music teachers, students, parents and retailers since it debuted two years ago.

KHS America Reintroduces MAP Pricing on Hercules Stands

In their role as the North American distributor for Hercules Stands, which became effective January 1, 2015, KHS America is reintroducing MAP Pricing for all Hercules products. The Hercules MAP policy will take effect February 1^st, 2015 and will be monitored by Price Manager, a MAP monitoring software and current monitoring partner for KHS America, Inc.

According to KHS America President Tabor Stamper, “the company believes the reintroduction of MAP Pricing and our enforcement of our standard MAP Policy helps protect the profitability of our dealers and the brand. We believe the path to grow the stand business is through the continued product innovation that Hercules is already known for, customer-centric sales and marketing efforts and effective dealer support.” 

Ruling in Dispute Between Hailun and Magic Lid

On January 6th, a dispute between Magic Lid, LLC and Hailun USA and its affiliated entities regarding the use of a technology commonly known as HLPS, a grand piano lid support system, ended with a final ruling in regards to the technology. The dispute arose after Danny Geoghegan, CEO of Magic Lid, LLC, repeatedly contacted Hailun dealers and other industry participants claiming that Hailun USA no longer had rights to the system.

FMIC Sells KMC Music’s Percussion Brands & Ovation Guitars to Drum Workshop

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) has announced that its subsidiary KMC Music, Inc. has sold its owned and licensed percussion brands, including Gretsch® Drums, Latin Percussion®, Toca® Percussion, KAT® Percussion and Gibraltar® Hardware – as well as the Ovation® guitar brand and the exclusive U.S. distribution rights for Sabian® Cymbals – to Drum Workshop, Inc., the manufacturer of DW drums, hardware and accessories. 

Gruhn Commemorates 45th Anniversary with Two-Day Celebration

Gruhn Guitars invites friends and visitors to celebrate the shop’s 45th Anniversary on Friday, January 16th and Saturday, January 17th, from 9:30am to 6:00pm. The two-day celebration will feature several giveaways from a number of instrument and accessories vendors including Martin, Taylor, National, Collings, Larrivee, TV Jones, DR Strings, and from publications including Vintage Guitar, Fretboard Journal, and Premier Guitar. Gruhn Guitars will also have several special offers available for both in-store and online instrument and accessories purchases.

Established in January 1970, Gruhn Guitars quickly became a mecca for musicians and vintage instrument collectors worldwide. The store buys, sells, consigns, trades, and appraises fretted instruments and houses one of the world's premier vintage and used collections including classic Martin, Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch and National instruments as well as a wide selection of new instruments from Martin, Taylor, Collings, National, Larrivee, McPherson, and others. Gruhn Guitars employs 24 staff members including nine highly skilled repairmen well-versed in repairing, restoring, building and designing guitars and eight salesmen with vast knowledge of musical instruments and instrument trading. 

Bill’s Music Becomes Full Line D’Angelico Dealer

Bill's Music in Baltimore, MD recently became a full line D'Angelico dealer. To celebrate and to unveil the instruments, Bill's hosted a clinic & guitar sale on Black Friday featuring the brand. Adam Aronson (pictured left), the rep for D'Angelico was on hand to demonstrate and explain each of the models displayed including Standard Series and USA Master Builder Series instruments.

Aristides Announces Artist Line Up for NAMM 2015

With a brand new booth location in Hall D #3589, Aristides Instruments is bringing a full arsenal of guitar players to demonstrate the line this year during NAMM. This year will include Timo Somers of Delain, Aaron Marshall of Intervals, Jose Macario, and Fred Brum.