Several years ago, I wanted to create a cultural arts center in a beautiful, albeit older bank building in our former hometown. The idea was to bring together art, photography, and music under one roof, but the timing wasn’t right, and the concept was set aside. While disappointing, the notion of doing this never left my imagination, and the first week of October will finally … [Read more...]
Get Out and Play!
My last few blog posts have been squarely focused on the current and more recent situation in the musical instrument and pro audio business, much of which called out the challenging times we find ourselves in. Our “aspirational customers” are still sitting it out on the sidelines, there’s way too much fretted instrument inventory in the channel, and uncertainty permeates the … [Read more...]
Hot Fun in the Summertime
In the past couple of weeks, a record heat wave and series of floods, tornadoes and natural disasters have pummeled much of the country. The temperatures in many areas of the U.S. are punishing, especially for older folks, or those whose occupations require them to work outside. From a business perspective in the Musical Instrument and Professional Audio trade, we are going … [Read more...]
A Tale of Two Trade Shows
This past week the InfoComm show was held in Orlando, and by all accounts was a well-attended, successful event. There appeared to be more traffic in the video end of the hall compared to audio, but without question a large contingent of Commercial A/V Integrators made the journey to the “sunshine state,” and there was a decidedly positive buzz in the air. Something of a … [Read more...]
Back to Basics in a Transition Year
As we move further into 2023, it’s become quite evident that the industry at large continues to shake off a profound “Covid Hangover.” There is a mixed bag of results, with Live Sound posting a rebound, while other categories such as fretted instruments still wading through more inventory on hand than would be desirable at this point. As the consumer slowly comes back to the … [Read more...]
Wham Bam, Thank You NAMM!
I’m starting this post at 34,000 feet, winging my way to the 2023 NAMM Show. It’s been a comfortable flight thus far, but internally my adrenaline is bubbling up in anticipation. This is a special convention for me, my family and several others who have supported our efforts to create a new brand of guitars and cajóns. It is with great anticipation and a bit of high anxiety … [Read more...]
When Things are Slow, Go Faster
I came across a Facebook post recently with a quote attributed to famed race car driver Mario Andretti, who quipped, “If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.” It made me pause and think about the situation in the musical instrument and pro audio markets today, along with how various constituents in our industry are dealing with continued turbulence. … [Read more...]
Relationships Still Matter, But Becoming a “Trusted Advisor” is the Ultimate Goal
The past few years have had our collective heads spinning - navigating an unprecedented pandemic, dealing with supply chain issues the likes of which we’ve never seen before, and trying to make sense of the real economic outlook for the musical instrument and professional audio trade. But through all this turmoil, one thing stands out in my mind, and that is the power of … [Read more...]
Making Sense of the Musical Instrument and Pro Audio Business in 2023
In the past couple of weeks, I have engaged numerous suppliers and other industry professionals in a conversation about what this New Year brings us. The most thoughtful among them agree that the current dynamics must improve before we see anything remotely resembling “normalcy,” or what we thought was typical in B.C. (before COVID). Many vendors are looking at 2019 numbers as … [Read more...]
The Year in Review – A Roller Coaster Ride in the Musical Instrument Trade
To say that this year has been tumultuous would be quite an understatement. We started 2022 with many manufacturers still struggling to get product into the country, especially fretted instruments. The cost of shipping a container had skyrocketed throughout the pandemic, and the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach had seemingly endless backups. Finding inland transport was also … [Read more...]