Korg USA Adds Two Key Members to Sales and Marketing Team

Korg USA announces that, following an extensive search, experienced MI industry veterans Kate Moyer and Anoush Saboktakin have joined the company’s sales and marketing team to help shape and achieve its future goals. Moyer will now be the Bass Brand Category Manager, which accounts for all products within the Spector, Aguilar, and Darkglass brands. Saboktakin will now be the Guitar Amplifier Category Manager, which accounts for all products within the Blackstar and Vox brands.

Korg USA’s Director of Sales Matt Phillips states, “Category Managers will serve as a key link between Korg USA and our manufacturing partners. They will develop, present, and evaluate sales and marketing strategies aligned with the manufacturer’s objectives for each product or category.”

Kate Moyer has an extensive background in the musical instrument business and sales, having served in key roles with major suppliers and retailers in the trade. Before Korg USA, she brought her skills to play at Guitar Center, Aguilar Amplification, and Sadowsky Guitars. 

More recently Moyer led the sales and operations teams at Equinox. In this role she spearheaded initiatives to design and execute training programs for over 30 of the organization’s coaches, leading to improvement in client attrition, session volume, and SPU. Under her guidance, conversion increased 12 percent MoM and KPI lead generation consistently performed 120 percent+ to goal. Moyer studied Music Business and Audio Production at State University of New York Oneonta. 

For over two decades Anoush Saboktakin has used his sales leadership and analytical abilities to contribute significantly to increased revenue growth for major players in the musical instrument realm. His tenure with Guitar Center stretches back to 2001, where he first served as sales manager in Los Angeles, before advancing to serve as vintage & premium sales & training manager for GC in New York City. 

Saboktakin has led comprehensive training programs for sales staff, successfully conducted sales & inventory acquisition, and has consistently outperformed sales growth projections. He consistently ranked within the top-10 in sales performance for vintage & premium instruments during his time at Guitar Center. Saboktakin holds a Bachelor of Music, Commercial & Media Writing from California State University Northridge, with added certifications from Santa Monica College and Fullstack Academy Data Analytics Training Accelerator (DATA).

Phillips concludes, “We’re thrilled to welcome Kate and Anoush to our team. Their combined experience and passion for the industry will undoubtedly drive our brands to new heights!”

Kevin Beller: 45 Years of Pioneering Guitar Technology at Seymour Duncan

Seymour Duncan, a leader in the design and manufacture of guitar pickups and musical electronics, is excited to commemorate the 45th work anniversary of Kevin Beller, the company’s esteemed VP of Engineering and a lifelong bass player. Kevin’s journey with Seymour Duncan began in 1979, just three years after the company’s founding by Seymour and Cathy Duncan, and his impact on our business and the wider music industry has been nothing short of transformative.
Over the past four and a half decades, Kevin has played a critical role in shaping Seymour Duncan’s product offerings. His initial work on developing the production line laid the foundation for the company’s reputation for excellence.
Kevin’s commitment to innovation is evident in his diverse portfolio of designs, which range from traditional pickups to modern cutting-edge musical electronics. Among his best-known designs are the now-legendary Nazgul / Sentient passive guitar pickups, APB-1 Active P-Bass pickup, Wavelength acoustic guitar pickup, the groundbreaking Convertible Amp (the world’s first modular and configurable tube amplifier, loved by Jeff Beck), the PowerStage line of pedalsized amplifiers, which are a mainstay of many modern touring guitar rigs, 805 Overdrive and Pickup Booster pedals, and noiseless pickup designs such as the Stack Plus and recently introduced P90 Silencer.
His ability to blend technical expertise with creative vision has resulted in numerous patents and industry recognition. Kevin’s collaborative spirit has also led to successful partnerships with top artists, helping to refine and perfect Seymour Duncan’s product lines based on real-world feedback.
Seymour W. Duncan commented, “I first got to know Kevin when he came by the guitar shop where I was doing repairs, and I worked on his basses. After I founded Seymour Duncan, Kevin dropped by our first warehouse in 1979. He wanted to move from his job at a tech firm to a new challenge. He’s been our head engineer ever since, and his passion for guitars and music has been a cornerstone of our innovation.”
Cathy Duncan added, “Kevin takes such joy in creating products for musicians and it shows. He’s never happier than when guitarists tell him that he’s captured the tone they hear in their head – and 45 years later it’s still a thrill for him, and for us!”
“Seymour Duncan’s success is built on the foundation of our amazing people, and their service to musicians. No one embodies these qualities more than Kevin Beller, and we’re incredibly grateful for his 45 years of innovation,” said Marc DiLorenzo, CEO of Seymour Duncan. “His contributions helped shape our company, and we’re excited to keep bringing more of Kevin’s pioneering designs to musicians everywhere.”

Royer Labs Announces John Jennings as President

Royer Labs announces the retirement of President and co-founder Rick Perotta effective June
1, 2024. John Jennings, Royer’s co-founder and 26-year VP of Sales & Marketing, has become the company’s
President, assuring Royer customers and end users a smooth transition in company management.

Jennings’ long history with the company makes taking the position of President a natural step. Jennings
established and maintained the company’s dealer/distributor network and has directed Royer’s overall
marketing and branding strategies from the beginning. In Royer’s early days he attended countless recording
sessions, introducing producers, engineers and artists to Royer ribbon microphones and photographing them in
action. The company’s groundbreaking designs resulted in Royer Labs receiving a Technical Grammy in 2013.

Rick Perrotta co-designed many of Royer’s products with Chief Engineer David Royer. His technical chops
were, and remain, invaluable. Rick created Royer’s overall hand-built-in-the-USA production methodologies, he
formulated the company’s original business structure, and for 26 years he oversaw its day-to-day business
operations. In “retirement” Perrotta will continue to lend his expertise in a technical and design capacity, which is
the work he always enjoyed the most.

Jennings has lived in Nashville since 2013 and will continue to work from the office he calls Royer East. Having
in-person representation in two major music markets—Nashville and Los Angeles—enables the company to
better serve a higher number of important clients in addition to getting client feedback on new gear under
development. Jennings plans on putting more new microphone products into the pipeline with a focus on the
high-quality, hand-built approach that has defined Royer products for decades.

Reflecting on his time with Royer Labs, Perotta offered the following thoughts, “These 26 years have been one
of the most rewarding periods of my life. From our start in my backyard guesthouse to our presence as an
industry leader in high-end microphones and accessories, it’s been an incredible experience that I am very
proud of. While I may not be in the office on a regular basis going forward, I will still be involved with the company and the wonderful people that constitute Royer Labs. And as I pass the baton—or should I say
microphone—to John Jennings, I have every confidence the company will continue to thrive.”

John Jennings shares Perotta’s enthusiasm, “I’ve always been proud of what Royer Labs brings to the pro
audio community. Becoming Royer’s President now is an honor. Every day, I work with high quality people who
bring their A game – that’s the Royer way. I’ll miss having Rick here but we’ve been partners for so long, and our
management team is so good, that stepping into this position is an uncomplicated, natural progression. We
have some unique new designs underway and the next few years at Royer are going to be an exciting time to
hold down this seat.”

As Royer Labs moves forward, Jennings’ VP of Sales & Marketing position will be taken over by industry
veteran Dave Bryce, another seasoned sales and marketing professional. It is also important to note that the
remaining company management team has considerable depth, with over 90 years of collective experience with
Royer. They will continue Royer’s legacy, providing consistency in how the business is run and the same deep
commitment to quality that has always defined Royer Labs.

David Fournier promoted to Director of Product Management at Fishman

 Veteran MI Product Manager David Fournier has been promoted to Director of Product Management at Fishman Transducers. Fournier, who began his career at Fishman in 2004, has worked on Fishman’s most popular and successful products, including the Loudbox line of acoustic amplifiers, Aura Acoustic Imaging products, Platinum analog preamps, and most recently, the company’s new line of AFX Mini Acoustic Effect pedals. 

Fournier’s new position is part of an organizational shift to bring more efficiency through his leadership, expertise, and experience bringing products to the MI market. With a keen understanding of pro audio, product design, and product lifecycle, David is well versed in the needs of both the consumer and professional market.

Prior to joining Fishman, David has led a series of product successes for Lexicon, Line 6, and Eventide, covering a range of products from digital processors and amp modelers to a host of plugins for digital audio workstations.

Chief Operating Officer Jason Cambra added, “David’s decades-long experience, along with his deep understanding of Fishman’s technologies and design approach, make him perfectly suited to drive our Product Management team. As our company and its product offerings continue to expand, David will have the opportunity to manage the people and the processes that will help Fishman deliver the next generation of best-in-class products.”

Orange Amplification Appoints Scott Donnell to Vice President – Marketing

Orange Amplification are delighted to announce the appointment of Scott Donnell to the position of Vice President – Marketing with immediate effect.
 
Scott Donnell is a well-known figure in the music industry, most notably as the architect of the brand strategy that helped DW Drums become a global leader in the musical instrument manufacturing business as well as successfully steering the Ovation guitar brand.  During his MI career tenure, he has also overseen marketing duties for notable brands such as Gretsch Drums, Latin Percussion, Vic Firth and many others.  As a part of the company’s leadership team this creative and innovative marketeer will oversee global marketing and branding of both Orange Amplification and the rapidly growing Orange Essentials division.
 
Speaking about the appointment Cliff Cooper, Founder and CEO of Orange Amplification said: “We are thrilled to welcome Scott to the Orange team. His extensive experience and skill set will complement Orange’s future plans and objectives. I am delighted Scott has joined our company and we look forward to exciting times ahead”.
 
“I’m truly honored to be joining this legendary brand.  Orange is incredibly well respected in the industry by pro musicians worldwide and have earned that reputation by offering consistently innovative, road-worthy and aspirational musical products for decades.  This is an exciting time for Orange as we bring the “The Voice of the World” to more players and music fans everywhere”, said Donnell, “It’s humbling knowing that Cliff and this highly dedicated team have put their trust in me going forward.”
 
To find out more please go to  orangeamps.com/ and orangessentials.com/

DPA MICROPHONES A/S WELCOMES JENS JERMIIN AS NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING

DPA Microphones A/S, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to introduce Jens Jermiin as the brand’s new Vice President of Marketing. A leader in the marketing world, with previous roles at global brands like Coca-Cola, Carlsberg and Bang & Olufsen, Jermiin has been with DPA in an interim capacity since December and will now fully lead the department, effective immediately.

As VP of Marketing for DPA Microphones A/S, the Denmark-based home branch of the company, Jermiin will lead initiatives for the brand’s market-leading microphones and accessories. This includes product launch campaigns, digital marketing strategies and internal and external communications, among other things.

“Following several successful months in an interim role, we are thrilled to now welcome Jens to our team in a full-time capacity,” says Soren Hogsberg, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for DPA Microphones. “Jens brings decades of marketing expertise to DPA that will be pivotal in continuing to grow our brand. With a focus on creative new approaches to drive our strategy and define our brand, Jens has what it takes to keep DPA at the top of the game. We look forward to his contributions to the brand as we reinforce our commitment to the industry.”

Jermiin comes to DPA with more than 20 years of marketing experience, following his most recent role as Chief Marketing Officer at TAKT, a Danish furniture brand that he co-founded. Prior to that, Jermiin served as VP of Global Brand & Marketing for Denmark-based Bang & Olufsen, a leader in high-end consumer electronics and audio products. He was also previously the Vice President of Digital, Media and Creative Content at Carlsberg Group, and held various creative and marketing roles with The Coca-Cola Company for more than a decade.

A graduate of Copenhagen Business School, where he studied marketing and economics, Jermiin also serves or has served on the board of several leading Danish organizations, including the Nic. Christiansen Group, Dwarf, Geismars Vaeverier A/S and Dansk Markedsfoering (the Danish Marketing Association).  

“I am honored that Soren and Kalle (Hvidt Nielsen, DPA CEO) chose me to fill this role,” says Jermiin. “DPA Microphones is a well-known, high-end brand with a large, devoted following. I look forward to finding creative new ways to grow this beloved brand.” Jermiin’s position was previously held by his colleague Anne Berggrein, who now leads the company’s initiatives in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) domains. “Anne’s substantial contributions over her more than 20-year tenure have played a pivotal role in elevating the DPA brand to its current stature,” adds Hogsberg.

MusicMax Distribution Announces Exclusive Partnership with Ashdown Engineering

Rob Joseph, President of MusicMax Inc. (on left) and Brian Harsh, VP of Business Development (on right) are thrilled to partner with the Ashdown and Meters brands.

MusicMax Distribution, a leading name in the pro-audio and MI industry, is thrilled to announce Ashdown USA Powered by MusicMax, its new exclusive distribution partnership with Ashdown Engineering, a market leader in bass and guitar amplifiers, pedals, headphones, and Bluetooth solutions. This strategic collaboration brings Ashdown’s innovative and high-quality products to a broader audience in the United States, offering an enhanced musical experience for both dealers and customers alike.

This new venture will also see Ashdown’s sister company, Ashdown Meters, represented in the USA. With support from some incredible artists and truly unique products within the consumer audio market, MusicMax believes in the Meters brand and will distribute and support Meters products. CEO of both Ashdown and Meters Music Mark Gooday is overjoyed to see this venture and the growth of both companies in the USA.

Ashdown Engineering has a rich legacy of crafting best in class musical equipment, known for its exceptional sound quality, versatility, and durability. With this new partnership, MusicMax Distribution becomes the exclusive distributor for Ashdown’s complete line of products, making them more accessible than ever before to dealers, musicians, and enthusiasts across the United States.

Managing Director Daniel Gooday said “The mission at hand is simply to provide a new level of service for our customers, such as we have in the UK, Canada and EU, with the team in place to provide support. It has always been my dream to see Ashdown supported in this way in the USA. Having grown up in this industry I am very excited at what the future will hold for our family business. We are still to this day a family-owned entity and my wish is to continue this tradition of engineering some of the greatest products available for all musicians and audio lovers.”

“The entire MusicMax Distribution team is incredibly excited to partner with Ashdown Engineering and bring their premium range of bass and guitar products to US dealers,” said Brian Harsh, VP of Business Development. “Ashdown’s dedication to innovation and quality aligns perfectly with our mission to provide high quality, high value musical instruments, pro-audio equipment, and accessories to the industry. This partnership will allow us to further diversify our product offering and provide our customers with an even wider selection of high-quality gear.”

MusicMax Distribution’s extensive reach and dedication to customer service will ensure that Ashdown products are readily available across the United States. This exclusive partnership will benefit both dealers and customers by offering an enhanced shopping experience, comprehensive support, and timely availability of Ashdown’s product range.

This partnership marks a significant milestone for MusicMax Distribution and Ashdown Engineering, and both companies are committed to working together to grow the Ashdown brand and increase its exposure to customers nationwide.

For more information on MusicMax Distribution and its exclusive distribution of Ashdown Engineering’s products, please visit www.musicmaxinc.com.

Fender Promotes Levi Perry to Master Builder

Fender Custom Shop is pleased to announce Levi Perry will be joining the Master Builders team.

Levi Perry began his journey with Fender in 2012, straight out of high school. He joined as a part of the US production final assembly department, showcasing his skills as a luthier and technician. His success in this department earned him a promotion to the Custom Shop within three years, where he served as a Relic artisan and tune tester, and, in 2018, he was promoted to assistant Master Builder. During this apprenticeship, he worked on many prestigious builds, including the Game of Thrones series, the Limited-Edition Phil Lynott Precision Bass, the Limited-Edition George Harrison Rocky Strat and the Limited Edition El Mocambo Heavy Relic Stratocaster and Telecaster models.

When asked how he feels about joining the esteemed rank of Master Builder, Levi Perry said, “For me, what’s important is always to be learning and growing and to remain a student of the craft. Fender has such a deep and rich history to glean from, and when you allow that history to teach and guide you while continuing to be creative and push the boundaries, you’ll be amazed at what you can create.”

Since 1987, the Fender Custom Shop and its esteemed builders have astounded players and collectors worldwide with creativity, ingenuity and artistry. From its humble Southern California beginnings, the Fender Custom Shop has grown to become the world’s preeminent maker of highly collectable, custom instruments operating in Corona, Calif. Known as the “Dream Factory,” the Fender Custom Shop is also home to an honoured group known as the Master Builders – some of the most skilled luthiers in the world – who craft Fender’s legendary instruments and push the boundaries of possibility.

Quilter Labs and Neunaber Audio Announce They Are Joining Forces

Quilter Labs and Neunaber Audio have come together to offer up the best of analog power circuit and digital signal processing musical technology. This union will result in:

  • Wider Domestic and Worldwide Distribution of Neunaber Products
  • Expanded Product Development Capabilities
  • Standardized Logistics and Supply Chain
  • Enhanced Support System

In a statement, Brian Neunaber said, “I started Neunaber Audio to design products that I am truly passionate about, but ultimately, operating a business didn’t leave much time for that. By partnering with Quilter Labs, I can return to what I love doing and enable new opportunities for my team. I’ve known Pat and Chris for many years, and I feel that we have similar sensibilities in our approaches to design, marketing and management. When I decided to find someone to assume operations of Neunaber Audio so that I could return to full-time product development, Quilter Labs was top of mind. Fortunately, they were also looking for someone like me to expand their design team.”

Following up, Pat Quilter remarked, “As many thousands of happy Quilter Labs customers know, in retirement I have returned to my original passion of making high energy guitar and bass amps. My long career designing power amps at QSC Audio, which evolved from our guitar amp beginnings, have left me with a deep toolbox of analog power technology. More importantly, I have access to the vintage amps whose tone we all know and love, and I know how to unleash the same warmth and dynamics using modern lightweight circuitry. I am familiar with Brian Neunaber’s work, both at QSC and in his own company, and I look forward to combining our skill sets to bring together the best of both worlds – analog warmth and digital versatility – in easy-to-operate devices that fulfill our mission to Make Music Better.”

About Pat Quilter and Quilter Labs:

After decades of developing top-line QSC products, Pat had become a world-class designer of compact, high-power amplifiers. The final years of Pat’s QSC career saw his mastery of Class-D technology, the third wave of power technology that would replace traditional solid state, just as solid-state had replaced tube amps, except in the guitar field where tube amps continued to be respected as having the best and most natural tonal properties. Having built tube amps, Pat was well aware of the properties that they brought to the game. As a veteran of analog design, he could see what it would take to duplicate the behavior of tubes, but using modern, high efficiency, lightweight technology to design an amp that would serve the needs of musicians better than anything else on the market.

About Brian Neunaber and Neunaber Audio:

Coming from an engineering background, Brian Neunaber—the company’s founder—has grounded their mission in modern, highly technical excellence. Their products are the result of research, development, and intentional sonic engineering. They pursue sonic perfection, even at the cost of breaking industry norms. Their products deliver practical and intriguing sounds to a diverse range of musicians—from those whose desire is to effortlessly plug-in and play to those who need a more versatile platform to sculpt their ultimate tone. They believe that making great products is the best marketing strategy, and they rely on happy customers to spread the word.

Sweetwater Announces Over $800,000 in
Philanthropic Donations to More Than 400 Organizations in 2022

– Sweetwater, the country’s leading eCommerce provider of music instruments and pro audio gear, today announcedphilanthropicdonations ofover $750,000 to more than 200 organizations this year. In addition to monetary donations, Sweetwater has also donated more than $60,000 worth of instruments and audio gear to an additional 200+ schools, music programs, and other groups, enabling students from all over the country to explore music and participate in music programs.

Sweetwater partners with local, regional, and national organizations to have a far-reaching impact, with a particular focus on music and arts education, exploration, and enrichment.

“We’re honored to be able to give back to the communities that have contributed to our success, from inspiring a love for music in children, to supporting the local Fort Wayne community,” said Sweetwater CEO John Hopkins. “Our goal is to help musicians make their musical dreams come true and to help foster the next generation’s passion for making music.”

Sweetwater has long-standing partnerships with music and arts organizations like Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), Beats by Girlz, Women’s Audio Mission, We Are All Music, Arts United, Believe in a Dream, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Unity Performing Arts Foundation, Embassy Theatre, FWCS Foundation’s b Instrumental program, Make Music Alliance, Power2Inspire, Save the Music Foundation, and TI:ME (Technology in Music Education.)

“Sweetwater’s support has transformed the ways in which we interact with our students and allowed us to supplement our instruction with relevant hands-on activities using professional tools,” said TI:ME Executive Director Mike Lawson.

Sweetwater also supports numerous non-profit agencies that focus on youth development and meeting the needs of underserved populations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana, Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne, Bridge of Grace, Easterseals Arc, Fort Wayne Commission for African American Males, Fort Wayne Rescue Mission, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, and more. For further information, visit Sweetwater.com.