LOUD Audio has sold the Ampeg bass amp brand to Yamaha.
The move is aimed at allowing Loud to narrow its focus and return to its pro-audio roots, says the firm.
“While saying goodbye to the Ampeg brand is like saying goodbye to an old friend, we are really excited by the prospect of returning to our audio roots and feel proud to have been able to contribute to this amazing brand’s market strength and legacy over the past several years,” said Alex Nelson, president and managing director of LOUD’s retail brands. “Ampeg has been loved and respected by both customers and by our LOUD employees alike, so we are happy to see it move into the hands of a company like Yamaha. We are confident that we have found Ampeg the best possible home.”
“We couldn’t be more excited,” said Marcus Ryle, Co-President of Yamaha Guitar Group. “Ampeg is arguably the most recognised bass amp brand in the world. They can even be credited with having invented the first bass amp. We are honored to take the baton in continuance of that legacy.”
“Simplifying the LOUD business so that the Mackie brand, in particular, could be free from the constraints of a complex organisation was always a cornerstone of our thesis for the LOUD acquisition,” added Ty Schultz, managing partner at Loud owner, Transom Capital Group.
Yamaha and LOUD will be working together over the transition period, after which Ampeg operations will be headquartered in Calabasas, CA at the Yamaha Guitar Group offices.
