August 2025
Jonathan Spangler
28 I FROM THE TOP
Ciari Guitars founder Jonathan Spangler shares how his background as chief patent counsel for a medical device company helped him transition into building travel guitars.
32 I THE BEAT OF THE DRUM MARKET From the hottest new digitals to popular travel kits, we take the temperature of the drum market in 2025 with insight from some of the industry’s leading brands and top drum retailers.
Ddrum’s E-Flex BT8 Kit
37 I THE 2025 FALL PRODUCT PREVIEW Music Inc.’s annual fall gear guide has returned, and it’s chock full of the latest product releases head- ing into the holiday selling season. Plus: We ask MI retailers what they’re stocking up on for Q4.
20 I MY TURN X MI retailer Miles DeCastro shares his take on tariff surcharges.
38 I GUITARS, AMPS & ACCESSORIES 44 I AUDIO & RECORDING 50 I DRUMS & PERCUSSION 54 I BAND & ORCHESTRA 56 I PIANOS, KEYBOARDS & SYNTHESIZERS 58 I DJ & LIGHTING RETAILER ASK THE 62 I ASK THE RETAILER X Retailers share their best tips for handling the back- to-school season.
14 I NEWS X Cassell’s Music to Close After 78 Years X Cosonic Acquires Beyerdynamic X Two Old Hippies Sells Breedlove, Bedell Guitars X NAMM NeXT Europe Debuts X Sweetwater Brings Back GuitarFest X Fender Establishes Fender Music Korea X Samson Appoints New Head of Sales 12 I INDUSTRY PROFILES X NAMM’s Museum of Making Music celebrates 25 years of sharing the joy of music making with its community — while approaching the 1 million- visitor mark.
22 I MY TURN X Rande Vick advocates that retailers be memory makers.
24 I NAMM YP X Music educator Brandon Dittgen offers tips to support percussion educators. 26 I WOMEN OF NAMM X Sarah Hollandsworth on the importance of cultivating support. On the cover, from left: PRS Guitar’s 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 LTD in Translucent Black; Korg’s B2+ and B2+SP keyboards; LP’s Praise cajons; Warm Audio’s WA- CX24; and P. Mauriat’s PCL-521S intermediate clarinet.
6 I MUSIC INC. I AUGUST 2025
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