RETAILING SPOTLIGHT
Sweetwater Expands On-Campus Fort Wayne Retail Store Again S weetwater’s music store, located on its campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has ex- which delivers cinema‑quality audio in a tuned, purpose-built environment.
Dan Tremonti holding a finished ver- sion of a “String Thing” inside Fret12.
Fret12 Launches Creative New Solution to Guitar String Waste F ret12, a Chicago-based music instrument and culture retailer, has launched The String Thing, a new solution for keeping used guitar strings out of landfills. An 8.75-inch plastic figurine with 139 pre-drilled holes, The String Thing is designed for musicians to personalize their own mummy using their old guitar and bass strings. “We have set out to change the mindset of used strings as waste into a collectible,” said Dan Tremonti, Fret12’s co-founder. “Your 10,000 hours, your commitment to guitar and your testament to the instrument are really demonstrated by how much you play and how much you change your strings.” The String Thing functions as a craft and an opportunity to hand-make something, but it was also designed like a toy to be displayed on a shelf. Its origin story traces back to Tremonti’s drawer, where an old set of strings got tangled up with an action figure and inspired him to create a mascot for both his brand and the wider world of guitar. “We love the lore of this guardian of the planet and the stages growing bigger with every string that’s cut off a guitar,” he said. To further encourage people to refrain from tossing their old strings, Fret12 is listed as an official drop-off location for D’Addario and TerraCycle’s Playback program. “A lot of what we do is coming out of left-field and just being inventive and disruptive,” Tremonti said. “It’s not really a strategy of the brand. It’s more so, we created this brand out of passion and our love for music and wanting to share a different perspective for music.” Founded in 2008, Fret12 established a physical location inside The Salt Shed, an indoor-outdoor music venue in 2022. Open only two days a week, the store also functions as a studio and a backdrop for Fret12’s content. MI — By Paulina Kwik
panded again, unveiling a significant update which includes two new dedicated home audio listening rooms. The state-of-the-art immersive environ- ments are the latest enhancements to the store, which originally opened in 2006 and was expanded to its current location in 2021. As a part of this multimillion- dollar investment, Sweetwater has added two purpose-built listening rooms en- gineered to create a high-performance home audio experience. The immersive room features a cus- tom‑designed JBL Synthesis system. Sweet- water is the only place in the Midwest where customers can experience this setup,
The second space, the home audio room, includes three independent interactive listen- ing zones. More than 100 components are on display and available to explore — soundbars, floor-standing and bookshelf speakers, turn- tables, home theater systems, media players, home audio receivers and more. “At Sweetwater, everything begins with sound,” said Adam Crampton, director of music store operations at Sweetwater. “We want to help people build systems that aren’t just powerful, but purposeful. It’s about knowing the tools, knowing the technol- ogy, and using that knowledge to create the exact experience someone is aiming for.” {sweetwater.com}
Yorkville Adds 3 Brands to Distribution Portfolio Y orkville Sound has announced it’s now the exclusive Canadian distributor for series, precision-engineered cabinets and ef- fects pedals.
Spector Musical Instruments and Aguilar Amplification, as well as has introduced a new distribution part- nership with Darkglass Electronics. Founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1976, Spector has helped redefine electric bass construction.
“Aguilar represents everything serious bass players look for in am- plification — musicality, reliability and performance,” Cowling said. “Their commitment to tone and innovation makes them a perfect addition to the
Yorkville portfolio, and we’re excited to bring their full lineup to dealers and musicians across Canada.” Founded in Helsinki, Finland, Darkglass offers a range of solutions for modern bassists. “The way Darkglass artists craft tone is unlike anything else out there,” Cowling said. “We’re proud to bring their lineup to Cana- dian retailers and musicians who demand next-level sound.” {yorkville.com}
“Spector is one of the most influential bass brands in contemporary music,” said Jeff Cowl- ing, vice president of sales and marketing at Yorkville Sound. “Their instruments combine innovation, heritage and unmistakable style. We’re excited to offer Spector basses to our dealers and their customers nationwide.” Launched in 1995 in New York, Aguilar Amplification is known for its Tone Hammer
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