JOHN HORNBY SKEWES & CO. TO SHUT DOWN A fter 60-plus years, U.K. distributor John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd., (JHS) has announced it will be closing. solvent. Over the coming months, and we anticipate the process could take as much as 12 months, years, offer heartfelt thanks to all of the brands who have entrusted their products to our care over
The JHS business comprises of a property company and a trading company, both major- ity owned by family trusts set up by the late John H. Skewes, the settlor of those trusts who stated that after his death, the companies should be sold. Over the last few months, the company said it took steps to secure a buyer to take JHS forward under new proprietor- ship, but had been unsuccessful. Therefore, the trustees, shareholders and board of JHS have concluded that to achieve the settlor’s mandate, a process of conducting an orderly winding down of the company will commence. The company shared the following state- ment regarding the closure: “This is not a liquidation or administration process forced upon us because of insolvency. JHS is entirely N AMM’s Museum of Making Music (MoMM) is celebrating PRS Guitars’ 40th anniversary with an exclusive exhibition “Roots & Wings: 40 Years of PRS Guitars.” This exhibition furthers MoMM’s mission to illuminate the full journey of a musical instrument — from its inspiration, creation and craftsmanship, to its distribution, perfor- mance and cultural impact. Through pivotal artifacts, immersive display and interactive learning, this exhibition invites visitors to explore one of the most influential companies in the music products industry. “Preserving and sharing the history of iconic music industry brands, such as PRS Guitars, is critical — not just to honor the past but to inspire the future of music profes- sionals, and we are pleased that NAMM’s Museum of Making Music can be a platform to showcase their historic journey,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “We are thrilled to present this new PRS exhibition as it isn’t just a display of musical products, but a journey through time, inviting museum
the company will continue to trade, downsizing along the way, gradually disposing of its stock and assets, includ- ing its valuable trademarks and other intellectual prop- erty, which include Vintage, Fret-King, Encore, Guitar Tech, Santos Martinez, Kinsman, Antoni,
the years, and recognize the contributions made by our designers and contributors, who have helped us achieve so much for so long. Most of all, we would all like to say a huge and most sincere ‘thank you’ to you, and all of our custom- ers around the world, without whom, we would not have had a business at all. So many relationships and friendships have been forged, so much has been achieved, and here at JHS we will miss all of that.” JHS will eventually close after settling all obligations, ending more than 60 years of business and leaving its longtime Garforth, Yorkshire premises. {jhs.co.uk}
Drum Tech, JHS Hornby and The Blues/ The Busker. All brands will be offered for sale to the highest bidder.” The statement continued: “The trustees, shareholders and directors of JHS would like to pay tribute to the immense hard work of generations of staff who have worked so diligently in the company over the last 60
NAMM’s Museum of Making Music Opens ‘Roots & Wings: 40 Years of PRS Guitars’ Exhibit
Attendees at the grand opening of the MoMM’s “Roots & Wings: 40 Years of PRS Guitars” exhibition. visitors to connect and engage with the past and reflect on the present.” “It’s an honor to see the story of PRS Guitars shared through the lens of NAMM’s Museum of Making Music,” said Paul Reed Smith, PRS Guitars’ founder. “The winter NAMM show is where we launched the company four decades ago and continues to play a significant role in our business. This exhibition captures the passion that drives every guitar we make as well as our
history, from its humble beginnings in a small workshop to building instruments played on the world’s biggest stages. We hope it inspires the next generation of innovators and instru- ment makers.” The limited-time exhibit features PRS in- struments on display; interactive media sta- tions that tell the PRS story; exclusive videos and interviews with Paul Reed Smith and the PRS team; and a look at the full life cycle of a PRS guitar. {museumofmakingmusic.org}
16 I MUSIC INC. I SEPTEMBER 2025
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