Reverb CEO: State of the MI Industry E ach year, I get inspired at The NAMM Show, and this year that was especially true. While there’s been a lot of talk about industry declines, my time at the show reminded me that there’s also much to be optimistic about. Here are a few of the top trends I talked about with sellers at the show. First, musicians continue to buy music gear — particularly used music gear. While indus- try sales were reported to be down between 2019 and 2023, used music gear sales on Reverb were up 53% during that same period. As musicians seek out value, used music gear offers just that. How do we know? According to a recent survey we ran with insights company Ma- terial, the top reason musicians say they choose used music gear is affordability. Dealers and manufacturers are finding success with used music gear. Among the top sell- ers on Reverb, nearly all sell used music gear and more than half of their growth over the last five years came from used. If you’re not already, think about how you can better incorporate used music gear into your inventory mix to meet musician demand. Second, musicians are in- creasingly selling music gear so that they can buy more. On Reverb, more than half of musi- cians who sold an instrument went on to buy another within the next year, and musicians who both buy and sell spend nearly twice as much as those who only buy. As an industry, we should be encouraging these sales. According to another survey, the top reasons musicians say they’re likely to sell gear is so they can buy a different item. The ability to sell unused gear is an important part of the playing process for musicians, helping
leadership role as a newly elected NAMM YP board member. From the first NAMM show she at- tended with my husband, Rand, and I, we witnessed Hailey truly grasp the depth of NAMM’s im- pact. Her commitment to NAMM YP reflects the bright future of our industry. Seeing the next generation dive in with enthu- siasm and fresh ideas, while also mentoring the industry’s up-and-coming leaders, reinforces our faith in the resilience and evolution of music retail.
Cindy Cook Co-Owner Candyman Strings & Things Santa Fe, New Mexico
Thanks for the Support
I just wanted to send a heart- felt thanks to Music Inc. for the coverage of Elixir Strings’ brand refresh in the February/ March 2025 issue. Our whole team feels incredibly confident in our new identity and Tone for Life philosophy. This refresh was shaped by real players through extensive consumer research — including surveying 8,000 guitarists — so the response at NAMM was ev- erything we could have hoped for and more. We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to NAMM for putting on such a great show. Witnessing the indus- try pull together under extremely challenging circumstances was truly inspiring and a testament to the creativity and passion that make this community so special.
NAMM Is ‘More Than a Trade Show’ T he NAMM Show is so much more than a trade show. At- tending is a powerful reminder of why we dedicate our lives to sharing the joy of making music. It’s where passion, innovation and community converge to drive our industry forward. ‘The Music Begins Here’ isn’t just NAMM’s tagline; it’s a truth that resonates throughout the show. Inspiration gained compels us to take action, and we always come back from NAMM with new strategies to incorporate into our business. In fact, we’ve al- ready begun implementing ideas sparked by what we learned at the 2025 show. We’re excited to see how these changes help us better serve our community. One of the highlights for us was watching our general man- ager, Hailey Earp, step into a
them buy something new, ex- periment, sell and repeat. How can you support this flywheel? Accept trade-ins and consider how to make selling a natural part of the buying process — just like we do with automobiles. Finally, musicians love stores. Our data shows that testing in- struments and purchasing gear in-store is still very important to music-makers. If you have a physical space, you have a super power — lean into it. Consider how to promote your space as a destination to try gear, buy gear, help people ship gear and more. In short, the increasing popu- larity of used music gear is an opportunity for the entire indus- try — and I know many of us will rise to meet the opportunity.
Bill Fabiszewski Global Marketing Leader Elixir Strings Elkton, Maryland
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David Mandelbrot CEO Reverb Chicago
10 I MUSIC INC. I APRIL 2025
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