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OCTOBER 2026 I VOL. 37, NO. 9
PUBLISHER Kevin R. Maher EDITOR Katie Kailus
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kimberly Kapela CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ed Enright SALES MANAGER Chris Maher DESIGNER Žaneta Čuntová
CHAIRMAN Kevin Maher PRESIDENT Frank Alkyer ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Sue Mahal
CIRCULATION MANAGER Evelyn Hawkins BOOKKEEPING Evelyn Hawkins
OFFICES Phone: (630) 941-2030 Email: editor@musicincmag.com CUSTOMER SERVICE (630) 941-2030 ext. 122
Jack Maher, President, 1970–2003 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Free to qualified retailers and suppliers of musical instruments.
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Published monthly, except March. Printed in U.S.A. by Maher Publications Inc., 188 W. Industrial Drive, Suite 310, Elmhurst, IL 60126. Periodical Postage Paid at Elmhurst, IL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: MUSIC INC., 188 W. Industrial Drive, Suite 310, Elmhurst, IL 60126
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October 2026
Brian Ball
28 I FROM THE TOP CEO Brian Ball discusses Ernie Ball’s
recent acquisition of Source Audio, if it plans to expand further into the pedal market and more.
Micahl Craig
Tony Colwell
Robert Christie
38 I THE ANNUAL MUSIC INC. HOLIDAY SALES GUIDE Three MI retailers share their tried and true holiday promos.
Jerry and Myra Portman
32 I PORTMAN’S MUSIC AT 90 A conversation with the owners of the longest running music dealership in the state of Georgia.
25 I AI IN MI X Peter Dods on the benefits of inter- nal feedback on your AI tools.
44 I GUITARS, AMPS & ACCESSORIES 46 I AUDIO & RECORDINGS 48 I DRUMS & PERCUSSION 49 I BAND & ORCHESTRA 50 I PIANOS, KEYBOARDS & SYNTHESIZERS 51 I DJ & LIGHTING
14 I INDUSTRY PROFILE X We take an in-depth look at L.R. Baggs complete rebrand and what that means for the company.
26 I VIEW FROM THE REPAIR BENCH X Steve France shares how to establish training goals. 27 I NAMM YP X Erin Kessler and Ana Dobrian discuss using the “good-better-best” method outside of sales.
16 I INDUSTRY NEWS X NAMM Release 2027 Show Updates X PRS Guitars Announces New CEO X Nick Rail Music Celebrates 40 Years X Dawkes Music Celebrates 60th X Positive Grid’s SVP of Sales Retires X Reverb Hosts Jack White X Zildjian, Alesis Drums Announce Partnership
RETAILER ASK THE 54 I ASK THE RETAILER X Dealers share their must-stock gear items for the holidays.
Peter Dods
Steve France
Erin Kessler
Cover photo by: Mark Pointer.
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O n Aug. 26, the MI industry lost a true legend. Larry Linkin, former NAMM president and CEO, passed away at the age of 87. Larry was more than NAMM’s CEO. In a role he held from 1985–2001, he was a leader who helped build some of the organization’s most influential programs, many of which are still part of NAMM today. He helped shape what would become NAMM U, bringing education and professional development to the heart of The NAMM Show, and played an important role in the creation of the Museum of Making Music, which opened in Carlsbad, California, in 2000. He also championed PERSPECTIVE I BY KATIE KAILUS REMEMBERING LARRY LINKIN
the NAMM Oral History Program, help- ing ensure the stories and experiences of generations of MI industry members would be preserved and passed on. Though he retired from his post in 2001, Larry continued to be a part of the larger NAMM community. For years afterward, he remained a familiar face at NAMM shows. Here are just a few reflections on Larry from those who served the industry along- side him. An in-depth obituary will be shared in the forthcoming November issue of Music Inc. magazine. “Larry Linkin led NAMM through two decades of growth, while our industry was constantly evolving through the boom of digital product innovation, the introduction
Larry Linkin
of the internet and the growth of the international winter NAMM show,” said John Mlynczak, current NAMM president and CEO. “NAMM, and our industry, are stronger today because of Link’s leadership. His legacy will not only be remembered but is seen and felt every day in what he built for us.” “It’s impossible to measure Larry Linkin’s impact on NAMM and the global music products industry,” said Joe Lamond, former NAMM presi- dent and CEO who succeeded Linkin. “Through his vision, leadership and unwavering belief in the power of music, he changed countless lives and helped build a stronger, more connected industry. I was fortunate to know him not only as a mentor, but as a father figure and dear friend. His wisdom, generosity and confidence shaped my life in ways I can never fully repay.” “Every so often, someone comes along who touches your life in a way that leaves an indelible mark. Link was one of those rare people whose impact was lasting and profound,” said Gerson Rosenbloom, a former NAMM chair who served during Larry Linkin’s tenure as CEO. “We met in 1989 when I first joined the NAMM board. As I moved through the various officer roles, Link and I grew closer, and I learned more about how genuinely talented he was.” “All you had to say was ‘Link’ and everyone in the industry knew ex- actly who you were talking about,” said Kevin Maher Sr., owner of Maher Publications, Music Inc.’s publishing company. “We lost a truly great one. I’m sure he’s upstairs with all the great ones that preceded him.” MI
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Supporting Student Musicians E very back-to-school season re- minds me why I love this busi- ness. It is exciting to see a student pick up their first instrument and rewarding to help returning mu- sicians prepare for a successful year. Behind the scenes, months of planning ensure we are ready, but the real reward is helping create the next generation of musicians. Whether we are working with local educators, helping parents navigate rentals, or answering questions, these moments build lasting rela- tionships. For me, back-to-school isn’t just about selling gear — it’s about being part of a student’s mu- sical journey from day one. Don Frank General Manager Gelb Music Redwood City, California Honoring 80 Years O n behalf of Pearl Corporation and our partners worldwide, I’d like to thank Music Inc. for the wonderful feature on our President and CEO Max Iishi as we celebrate our 80th anniversary. We all know about this indus- try’s familial quality. While we may be competitors, there’s an underlying culture of camarade- rie, mutual respect, and a shared passion for music — more impor- tantly, the importance of preserv- ing it for future generations. All of this makes recognition from peers like you that much more special and rewarding. We’re proud and excited about everything going on behind the scenes here at Pearl and can’t wait to share more very soon.
musicians and content creators with solutions that simplify the creative process and help bring their ideas to life, whether they’re recording a first demo at home, producing content for a growing audience, or creating their next great record. We remain focused on innovating alongside retailers and creators to make profession- al-quality audio more accessible, helping the next generation of artists spend less time navigat- ing technology and more time creating. We look forward to continu- ing the conversation and help- ing shape the future of music creation! Laura Davidson Marketing Manager Shure Niles, Illinois An Evening with Martin Guitars W e recently hosted the CF ‘Chris’ Martin and Craig Thatcher Tour Event at our shop. Chris gave everyone a his- tory lesson of his 193 year-old family business, while Thatcher, who’s a Martin ambassador and an amazing player, treated every- one to some great demos on some of the custom Martins that they brought out for the show. We had just shy of 100 peo- ple attend and sold quite a few Martin Guitars that evening. Our shop has been a Martin dealer for 48 years, so our concert venue was the perfect setting for this event. It was a very entertaining evening in Downers Grove. Paul Tobias Owner Tobias Music Downers Grove, Illinois
The Creator Economy T hank you for including me in your September’s issue “Beyond the Music” feature and for the opportunity to contribute Shure’s perspective. It was an honor to be featured alongside other industry voices, and I appre- ciate the thoughtful way the piece highlighted the evolving trends, challenges and opportunities shap- ing our industry. Publications like yours play an important role in fostering meaningful dialogue, and I am grateful for the chance to share insights drawn from our work with creators, audio pro- fessionals and partners around the world. At Shure, we’re passionate about helping people communicate, create and perform at their best. As the creator economy contin- ues to evolve, we see tremen- dous opportunity to empower
tegrating AI into our solutions. I just wanted to update readers that we recently previewed our new Pro Tools Extensions archi- tecture at the IBC Show in Am- sterdam. Unlike our AAX format which supports plug-ins applied to individual tracks, Pro Tools Exten- sions is a new plug-in format that enables us, and our development partners, to easily integrate new, cutting-edge processes that can be applied across multiple tracks or even entire sessions to accelerate workflows. This will include our upcoming AI-powered Pro Tools Stem Separator Extension as well as Extensions by partners like Pro Sound Effects and others. Stay tuned as we roll out extensions and other updates.
Adam Jones Director of Marketing Pearl Corporation Nashville, Tennessee
An Update from Avid T hanks for giving us the op- portunity to share some of our recent Pro Tools advancements and discuss our approach to in-
EDITOR’S NOTE: MUSIC INC. ENCOURAGES LETTERS AND RESPONSES TO ITS STORIES. EMAIL LETTERS TO EDITOR@MUSICINCMAG.COM.
Derk Hagedorn Director of Pro-Audio Product Marketing Avid Burlington, Massachusetts
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INSIDE NEWS > Page 16 NAMM Announces Expanded 2027 Show Education Schedule > Page 18 PRS Guitars Names First-Ever CEO > Page 22 Reverb, Jack White Team Up
Fifty years in, L.R. Baggs has announced its evolution to ‘Baggs,’ putting its people, players and next generation of products at the center of a newly refreshed brand. — By Kimberly Kapela BAGGS IS REDEFINING ITS 50-YEAR LEGAC Y Lloyd Baggs Jennifer Luckett
F ounded in the 1970s by luthier Lloyd Baggs, L.R. Baggs began as a custom acoustic guitar workshop in California. Frustrated with the limited amplification options available to acoustic players, Lloyd shifted the company’s focus toward develop- ing reliable, high-fidelity pickups and pre- amps. Over the decades, the company grew into a globally trusted leader in acoustic guitar amplification, electronics and pedals. Now, 50 years after its founding, the company is entering a new chapter. As part
of a comprehensive brand rejuvenation, L.R. Baggs is simplifying its name to “Baggs,” a change that, according to the company, is less about reinventing itself and more about reflecting the team who’ve helped build it. “Over the years, as we’ve grown, it’s become less about me and more about our team,” Lloyd said. “Over the last decade or so, we’ve had discussions about losing the ‘L.R.’ and just making it ‘Baggs.’ When we introduced the guitar about three years ago, we decided to
use just ‘Baggs’ for the guitar, and that’s been great. It’s mostly been about our team and wanting it to be less about me. When Jennifer [Luckett] came on board over a year ago, she took that desire of mine to make it Baggs and more about the team.” INSIDE THE EVOLUTION Baggs sees the new identity as an opportu- nity to make its history more inclusive. The name is intended to encompass not only the people who work within the company,
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A NEW CHAPTER The renewed identity comes at a moment of meaningful momentum for Baggs. “We have developed a new acoustic guitar pickup system called the HiFi DNA and it’s another qualitative leap,” Lloyd said. “The original and great HiFi has been our primary, most successful pickup recently. It has the same feedback resistance of an undersaddle pickup, but it sounds so much more lifelike and makes an undersaddle pickup unnecessary. The HiFi DNA features an upgraded sensor plus a dedi- cated Class A, all-discrete studio-grade preamp for each of the two pickups.”
but also the artists, dealers, customers and players who have helped shape the brand over the past five decades. To officially introduce the refreshed iden- tity, Baggs hosted an industry party on Aug. 27, at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, Tennessee. The event gave members of the music industry a first look at the company’s new website and the revitalized brand. “We went with ‘Baggs’ as the name to reflect a bigger story about the family,” said Jennifer Luckett, creative director of Baggs. “This is about all the artists that use the products. This is about the employees that are in the company that are actually family. There are so many people in the business that are either related or married or have been together for 30 years. The brand becoming Baggs opens it up to everybody that’s made Baggs what it is, and also just makes it easier for the industry to use the name. It had a lot to do with empathy for the people outside of us and an inclusion for the people within.” According to Lloyd, the refresh is intended to communicate that Baggs is still the same company, with the same leadership, principles and values driving its work. “We’re just losing the ‘L.R.’ to make it more inclusive,” Lloyd said. “We’re a family-first company, and as Jenny said, we have four mar- ried couples within our business, and lots of cousins, nieces, and nephews, and we have some people that have been with us for 30 years. The only thing that’s changing is that we’re making it easier for our customers to find us and get help. We’re showing the public more of who we are today than who we have been.” As part of the rejuvenation, Baggs also took a close look at how its visual identity and outward-facing communications rep- resented the work happening behind the scenes. For Luckett, the rebrand became an opportunity to examine the company from the inside out. “It was time to do a full inventory of who we are as a company, how we want to present ourselves, how we want to look and then really modernize it,” Luckett said. “We wanted to make it beautiful and intuitive, and give customers a really wonderful experi- ence getting the information that they need about our products. It was a very natural progression to have done this.” “We’ve always been a rather organic com- pany, so this grew out of wanting to pres- ent ourselves better and help our customers, and it’s been a thrilling ride,” Lloyd added. “We’re modernizing our look and our feel to bring our public-facing communications to the level that we put into our products.”
The product announcement arrives along- side a new exclusive agreement with Gibson. Under the agreement, the Baggs HiFi DNA pickup systems will be featured on Gibson’s top models, with the two companies also collaborating on efforts. “This refresh feels like we’ve expanded our toolkit, giving us more ways to tell our story more effectively,” Lloyd said. “With the launch, the combination of the partner- ship, the new technology exclusive with Gibson, the new website, the launch party, this will be a great, gleeful surprise for the industry.” MI
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Succession Summit will reveal what drives value in your business and how to prepare for a successful transition. In the afternoon, the NAMM Financial Summit will show busi- nesses how to take control of their finances by understanding how to monitor their financial health and strengthen the bottom line. Also that afternoon, the inaugural NAMM Music Educa- tion Advocacy Summit will arm attendees with practical tools and messaging they can bring straight back to their businesses to advocate for music education funding. Wednesday continues with the new NAMM AI Marketing Summit. Building on the success of previous Marketing Summits, this year’s edition will dive into leading- edge marketing strategies by harnessing the latest AI technology. New this year, the NAMM Sync Summit will take place on Thursday and explore the latest developments in sync and music placement, straight from industry pros. This new summit is offered to serve the over 24,000 artists who attend The NAMM Show each year.
NAMM ANNOUNCES EXPANDED 2027 SHOW SCHEDULE N AMM has announced the expanded schedule of events and experiences
global platform that brings together the people, products and ideas shaping the future of music,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “The 2027 show builds on that momentum with more opportunities to do business, experience incredible brands and the diversity of our industry, connect with live musical performances and content creators, plus celebrate the achievements of our global industry throughout the entire week.” Tuesday, Jan. 26 will kick off the show with education, networking and professional development opportunities, including a full day of financial training for music businesses presented by financial experts Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe. In the morning, the NAMM move that wheel, it’s really tactile. It feels so good to control echo that way. Black Mountain designed that concept. It’s really well designed. We’re so glad we were able to do that.” White said Third Man and Black Mountain had been working on the pedal for years. He noted that using the echo and trem at the same time created some “really cool staccato mo- ments. I can push them both on while you’re performing. You can ease back the wheel on either and change the whole [sound].” The conversation also covered White’s love for touring, especially playing in small venues where he and his band can really connect with the audience. That style of intimacy is also how he likes to record music, including his latest album, “Frozen Charlotte.” “Almost 100 percent of it starts with tape and me and several other musicians playing together something,” he said. “And I’m not a big fan of putting things that I created and
for The 2027 NAMM Show, taking place Jan. 26–30, 2027, at the Anaheim Con- vention Center in Anaheim, California. The five-day event will bring together music makers, creators, artists, retail- ers, manufacturers, educators, technol- ogy professionals and industry leaders for a week of networking, professional development, live performances, special events and industry recognition. The main exhibition floors will be open Jan. 28–30, offering three days of product discovery, demonstrations, business meetings and brand experiences. “The NAMM Show has evolved into a on July 26 and stopped in at the offices of Reverb for an invitation-only interview and product launch from Third Man Hardware, his guitar gear company. During a conversation, White spoke about his life as a musician, his love of gear and Third Man Hardware, a company he founded to create new pedals and gear in collaboration with some of the most gifted boutique and large manufacturers of guitar gear. While speaking with Jim Tuerk, Reverb’s vice president of marketing, White offered an in-depth tour of his pedal boards and intro- duced Third Man’s long-anticipated Roto-Trem pedal, which has been shrouded in secrecy. “We had the Roto-Echo that came out recently, which is outstanding,” White said. “If you ever get a chance to use this and play with it and stand up and use your foot and
Beginning Thursday, The NAMM Show exhibit floor will open. New to the show will be the Percussion Showcase, which will feature top brands, with live demos on the hour, creating an immersive and energetic environment in Hall C for the percussion community. {namm.org} Reverb Hosts Jack White for Exclusive Gear Launch G uitarist, songwriter and entrepreneur Jack White popped into Chicago for a concert
Jack White displays the new Third Man Hardware Roto-Trem.
taking all the solo stuff and using plug-ins and fixing all the supposed mistakes. All those mistakes, quote/unquote, are the best part.” After the interview in front of a few hundred invited guests, the space turned into a Third Man Hardware x Reverb pop-up shop selling gear to the public before the show, including a few hundred pedals signed by White. This was the first time Reverb tried such an event in the company’s new headquarters based at The Salt Shed, an indoor/outdoor music and community space in Chicago. MI — By Frank Alkyer
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“Our goal is to help everyone find an instrument that speaks to them and to be- come the best musician they can become,” said owner Laura Penrose. “Our dedication to music education, and being owned and operated by active musicians, is what has differentiated us across the decades. We have a willingness to change with the times, stay focused on what is most important and serve the customer the best we can.” The retailer commemorated the mile- stone with anniversary celebrations at each of its locations, featuring giveaways, raffle drawings, free restringing, special pricing, live performances and educational clinics. Remo also produced custom Nick Rail Music drumheads featuring the company’s 40th anniversary logo. “It definitely feels crazy as a newer owner of such a legacy company,” Penrose said. “It feels odd that the company was established when I was only a year old! It also makes me feel proud and honored to lead such an amazing company and determined to last another 40 years.” MI — By Kimberly Kapela
PRS GUITARS NAMES ITS FIRST-EVER CEO P RS Guitars has an- nounced that Jack
Higginbotham has been named CEO, making him the first person to hold that title in the company’s history.
Jack Higginbotham
Nick Rail Music Celebrates 40th Anniversary N ick Rail Music is celebrating 40 years in business this year, growing from a single Southern California music store into a multi-location retailer focused on instrument sales, rentals, repairs and music education. Since opening in 1986, the company has expanded its footprint across SoCal while maintaining an emphasis on supporting school music programs. Current owner Laura Penrose, left, with founder Nick Rail.
In this new role, Higginbotham will continue to oversee the worldwide day-to- day business operations of the company, regularly traveling around the globe to strengthen manufacturing processes, dealer relationships, vendor connections and every aspect of PRS Guitars. “Jack Higginbotham has been a leader with PRS since the beginning,” said Paul Reed Smith, PRS Guitars’ managing gen- eral partner. “He is deeply deserving of this role. I look forward to continuing our close relationship building and selling guitars and amps for the world.” Higginbotham has worked at PRS Guitars since 1985. {prsguitars.com} POSITIVE GRID’S ROBERT MCCULLAR TO RETIRE P ositive Grid has an- nounced the retire-
ment of Robert McCullar, effective Aug. 31, after more than 10 years leading the company’s global sales
Robert McCullar
and business development efforts as senior vice president of sales. Over the past several decades, McCullar has earned a reputation for leading and developing businesses in the music products industry. He began his career working at his fa- ther’s full‑line retail music store, followed by a decade as a regional sales representa- tive. He then joined Hermes Music, where he developed and managed distribution relationships with major music products manufacturers. That experience laid the groundwork for a 10‑year tenure at Korg USA as national sales manager. McCullar then served as director of sales at Line 6 before serving as senior vice president of sales for Positive Grid for the last 10 years. {positivegrid.com}
Zildjian, Alesis Drums Announce Partnership A vedis Zildjian Co. and Alesis Drums have announced a strategic partner-
what they’re inspired to create.” The partnership is marked by hand- selecting cymbals straight from Zildjian’s exclusive Artist Vault, a collection his- torically reserved for official Zildjian Artists to shape their signature sound. Alesis and the team at BFD Drums pulled from this library and recorded the cym- bals in stunning detail. With the part- nership launch, Alesis and BFD users will gain access to a new collection of exclusive Zildjian sound expansion packs, bringing some of the most sought-after cymbal sounds directly to electronic drummers and producers. {zildjian.com; alesisdrums.com}
ship. Together, the partnership brings Zildjian’s expertise in cymbal sound into Alesis’ advanced electronic percussion eco- system delivering greater realism, nuance, and inspiration to drummers in all areas of music performance and production. “Zildjian cymbals have shaped the sound of modern drumming for genera- tions, making them a perfect partner as we continue to raise the bar for electronic drums,” said Michael Weber, director of marketing for Alesis Drums. “We’re ex- cited to put these sounds into the hands of drummers of all skill levels and see
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“Although the digital age has brought about access to new customers far and wide, we’ve tried to keep that personal touch,” said Sam Gregory, Dawkes’ product specialist. “We’re all musicians. We get the problems and challenges inherent with playing wind instruments, and we’re here to help people overcome them and enjoy everything instrumental music can bring.” The anniversary follows a major expansion of the retailer’s facilities, letting Dawkes increase its programming and community outreach. “We’re hosting more events and gigs to help welcome musicians and non-musicians into the building to see the power of live music,” Gregory said. “We’re also working on new charitable partnerships.” As part of its anniversary, Dawkes re- viewed its internal operations, focusing on employee development and ensuring staff have the training and resources needed to continue delivering a high level of service. “We wanted to celebrate with our cus- tomers,” Gregory said. “[So,] we’ve actually planned for 60 events throughout the course of the year.” MI — By Kimberly Kapela
Jon Dawkes (left) and David Dawkes.
DAWKES MUSIC MARKS 60 YEARS OF SERVING UK’S WIND, BRASS COMMUNITY D awkes Music is celebrating its 60th an- niversary this year, marking six decades
tion of the Dawkes family, with the fourth generation recently joining the company. Its current owners are Jon and David Dawkes. Dawkes credits its 60 years in business to always putting the customer first and paying attention to the customer experience. Origi- nally, the business was based in Uxbridge near the RAF barracks, and a lot of the early growth came about through trusted relation- ships. From there, word spread and musicians trusted Dawkes to take care of their gear.
of specializing in woodwind and brass instru- ments. Founded in 1966 by Jack Dawkes as a woodwind repair business in Uxbridge, the family-owned company has grown into one of the U.K.’s largest wind and brass retailers, offering new and pre-owned instruments, more than 10,000 accessories and replace- ment parts, and a dedicated repair workshop. The business is now led by the third genera-
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ARTIST APPROVED
The singer behind the garage rock/punk band Cellmate, and a touring bassist, shares how she brings a rhythm-first phi- losophy to both her songwriting and performance. MARIA ALVAREZ MUSIC INC.: What was your first instrument? MARIA ALVAREZ: My first instrument was my voice! Singing feels like something I can always do no matter where I am. It’s an instrument that no one can replicate and adds to what I can give as an artist. Around 12 years old, an acoustic guitar entered my life but I knew I wasn’t necessarily interested in learning guitar so I started learning bass lines on it. By 13, I asked my dad for a bass and he picked up a Black Beginners Bass with a mini amp for me. MI: What instruments are currently in your arsenal? MA: When I’m recording demos for Cellmate, I use Garageband. I plug in a Soundcraft Signature 12MTK board and then the fun begins. I start with the Arturia Mini Freak Synthesizer, and I love it so much because you get an endless amount of sounds out of it and I feel way more creative when I start writing with that first and rather than focusing on notes and melodies, I can start with honing in on a “vibe.” Then, I move on to adding bass where I use my Ibanez TMB100 Bass. It gets the job done and can be pretty versatile however, I’ve felt that strings make all the difference! Ernie Ball’s Slinky Cobalt 50-135 Gauge is what I’m sticking with. My new live bass is an ESP LTD F-104, and she’s absolutely amazing. Her name is Scarlett. Especially for touring, I couldn’t be happier because she’s incredibly light with a mighty sound and, with the help of my new Darkglass Alpha- Omega 900 bass head, I feel unstoppable. The Darkglass head is also very small and perfect for touring. MI — By Kimberly Kapela
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> Page 26 View from the Repair Bench > Page 27 NAMM YP
AI IN MI I BY PETER DODS BUILD IT & THEY WON’T COME
A few articles back, I warned readers about the hidden cost of building your own apps. Who owns them? Who fixes them when they break? And I learned that lesson the hard way. Yesterday, I finally landed on an answer. THE APP THAT NO ONE USED I built an instrument intake app that runs as a kiosk on an iPad. When a customer brings in a repair, they enter their information, snap a few photos and hit “submit.” They can be automatically added to our Mailchimp list. On the back end, our technicians see a live queue of arrivals with a running stream of time-stamped notes. When a tech closes a job, the customer gets an automated email with the final cost. It moves the whole process off pa- per and puts the bulk of the work on the customer. I proudly showed it to my man- agers. Then it sat there, untouched, for months. THE REAL OBJECTION When I asked my general man- ager why nobody was using it, he gave me a familiar answer: “I like what you made, and we clearly need something like this, but who supports it when there’s a problem?” It was a fair question. He likes the tech, but he isn’t invested in AI the way I am. Six months
what my team needed.
90 MINUTES THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
My general manager was hooked, and with a twinkle in his eye, he went off on his own. HAND THEM THE MAP The next day, he showed me a redesigned intake app that was better than anything I could have produced alone. He admitted he never would have pushed through those first 90 minutes of setup by himself. He had quit in the past because he lacked the vocabulary. That’s the quiet wall most people hit. A year ago, I hit it too, but then I watched 20 hours of YouTube before build- ing my first automation workflow. It was frustrating, but it’s how I earned the words. What I handed my general manager wasn’t just code; it was a map proving there’s a way through to the fun part. By showing him the path in- stead of telling him to go watch YouTube, I finally unlocked what the project was missing: his natural eye for design and his deep knowl- edge of how the store actually runs. If you’re the person in your business leveraging AI at a high level, your job isn’t to be the sole expert. It’s to empower others with your resources and let them make the tools their own. Build it alone, and they won’t come. Build it to- gether, and you might be surprised who takes the wheel. MI
We started with Claude Code, a ver- sion of Claude that works directly with the files on your computer instead of in a browser tab. I figured the desktop app would ease him in, but it choked while installing software, so we switched to the ter- minal version. It looks intimidating, all command line and no buttons, but it downloaded everything it needed on its own and turned out to be the easier path. From there, we set up the plumbing. We signed him up for GitHub, the standard place to store and share code, so we could both work on the same project with- out overwriting each other. Then I invited him as a collaborator on Vercel, where I host a lot of my work. We also loaded a few token- saving Claude skills I’ve been lean- ing on lately. My favorite is called Caveman: it forces the AI to drop its polished paragraphs and grunt back at me. Instead of “Certainly! I would be happy to help you refac- tor that function,” I get “Function slow. Me fix.” Then, instead of starting from scratch, we pulled up the idle intake app. At first, I kept both hands on the wheel. Then my GM started making suggestions. As we debated edits, it finally clicked for me: he is the one who actually uses this tool. His instincts about how it should look and flow were simply better than mine. I realized how much time I had wasted trying to guess
“If you’re the person in your business
ago, I wouldn’t have had a good response. This time I did. I told him we have tools to build these projects together, so if either of us is out of the shop, the other can step in and fix it. He had tried developer tools before and found them intimidating, with too much noise and a payoff too far away to justify the time. So, we sat down with his laptop, one screen between us. leveraging AI at a high level, your job isn’t to be the sole expert. It’s to empower others.”
Peter Dods is the owner of Honolulu-based Easy Music Center.
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VIEW FROM THE REPAIR BENCH I BY STEVE FRANCE Establishing Training Goals
A ny repair shop with just one skilled technician can help solve the repair tech shortage by taking on an apprentice as long as you provide a plan. In a previous article, we discussed how to establish com- pensation that drives production as the first part of this plan. The second part is establishing training goals that set the course for the apprentice to become profitable to your team while they learn.
SPEED AFTER COMPETENCE I have a new tech who’s desper- ately trying to catch up to my production numbers. He’s at his bench more than I am, but I still outperform him. My three decades of experience enable me to make decisions or decide on a solution faster and consequently I produce more. This is natural. Help your trainer see this law of nature and set realistic expecta- tions on the trainee. To develop a trainee’s speed, be concerned with the trainee’s level of competence. We celebrated how close this new tech came to matching my num- bers last month because our focus on his competence is making him much faster at his craft. HANDS-ON PROJECT You’re now ready to create hands-on projects for your new apprentice. These should focus on developing skills and identifying if they have the disposition to do the trade. I start apprentices with cleaning a chemical tank, and then making a soldering jig. If they’re to learn string repair, we make various tools they’ll use. These projects are prac- tical to the shop and develop the technician without an instrument yet in their hands. Then move to simple instrument tasks like chem cleaning a trumpet or restringing a violin. The purpose is to build skills and awareness in a structured way. Establishing training goals isn’t enough. You must communicate them constantly. Your efforts will pay off by maintaining your company culture, and you’ll develop produc- tive new technicians much faster. MI Steve France is a veteran instrument repair tech- nician and educator based in St. George, Utah.
CULTURE FIRST I train apprentices so they can be hired by you. Your shop may train apprentices to fill your own needs. Either way, establishing and maintaining company culture is essential and this starts with who you bring on. You may need to pass on someone willing to learn the trade if they do not fit within your cul- ture (encourage them to learn but from somewhere else). When you do start training someone, clearly establish your cultural expectations and hold them to it. The costs of allowing your culture to slip are too high. Furthermore, coach your trainer on how to maintain culture rather than lording influence. CRAWL BEFORE YOU RUN A mistake often made is to expect more from someone than they currently have the skills for. When train-
ing techs, this happens by asking them to disas- semble an instrument before they understand the geometry, or having them solder a post on a saxophone before they can skillfully control heat. To successfully train anyone, consider how to break a given task down into its smallest pieces, ensuring they have an understanding of the necessary skills to be successful in the small
“To successfully train anyone, consider how to break a given task down into its smallest pieces.”
things before you expect the larger applications of those skills. By carefully considering the building up of small skills, which seems tedious and time consuming, you will greatly increase the rate with which someone learns. You’ll also notice a benefit to your current staff by asking them to focus on foundational skills for a moment. SPECIFIC SKILLS What does this person need to know? Are you training an entry- level prep tech or someone you expect to independently run your shop? You have options, so focus on building only the skills needed. Write out the necessary skills this person needs to learn and orga- nize them into a sequence which builds upon itself. This focus is essential to maximizing your investment in training.
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NAMM YP I BY ANA DOBRIAN & ERIN KESSLER Using Good-Better-Best Beyond Sales
W e were recently talking about “Good, Better, Best” (GBB), the sales framework that gives customers a few levels to choose from, and somewhere in the middle of our conversation, we stopped talking about sales. We asked: What if GBB is also a way to solve problems? For Erin, GBB creates a shift from defense to collaboration. When she brings forward one recommendation, she feels pres- sure to prove it’s the right answer. But when she stopped treating a recommendation as something to defend and started treating it as something to explore, the whole conversation changed. Ana realized that the most suc- cessful outcomes didn’t come from finding the perfect answer, but from identifying practical options that created momentum. Instead of fall- ing into “yes or no” thinking, GBB shifts the focus to how progress could look among challenges and competing priorities. So many decisions are treated as binaries. Was the solution wrong? Or was it the only one offered? GBB creates room between doing every- thing and doing nothing. It provides a way to talk about what’s possible now, what would improve the out- come and what the most complete solution could eventually look like. THERE’S MORE THAN ONE ANSWER. When using GBB for problem- solving, you don’t need to invent three versions of the same idea. It
means asking what could meaningfully improve the situation at dif- ferent levels of time, investment or support. A good solution addresses the immediate need, but it may not solve every part of the problem. A better solution goes further. It may ad- dress the underlying issue more effectively or create greater long-term value. The best solution is the most complete version. It’s the strongest combination of resources, time and support.
The goal isn’t to make “good” look inadequate and pressure someone to choose “best.” Every option should be responsible, useful and honest about what it could accomplish. This shifts the conversation from “Are we doing this or not?” to “What can we do now, and what would change if we invested more?” Instead of defending a single answer, we can help decision-makers understand what changes from one level to the next, which tradeoffs they are willing to make, and what may need to wait. Presenting alternatives doesn’t mean withholding expertise. It shows why additional in- vestment may matter while leaving room for a responsible solution that falls somewhere between the three options. GBB doesn’t remove constraints but makes them part of the conversation, and a better-informed “good” is more useful than an uninformed “no.”
PLAN FOR MORE THAN ONE VERSION OF SUCCESS. Most projects begin with an ideal outcome and then build the plan around it. Those plans often depend on ideal circumstances and the absence of unexpected problems. When one thing falls short, it starts to feel like a choice between delivering the original vision and accepting failure. GBB helps distinguish be- tween the elements that define success and the elements that enhance it. “GOOD” CAN BE A BEGINNING, NOT AN ENDPOINT. GBB can represent stages of progress. We may want the “best” outcome but lack the resources to pursue it. A “good” solution creates the conditions for a stronger solution later. An important distinction is that “good” shouldn’t be designed to fail or require an upgrade. Choosing “good” now doesn’t mean abandoning “best.” So, the next time you feel stuck between everything and nothing, ask a different set of questions: What would still be good? What would make it better? What does best look like? MI Ana Dobrian is a key account manager at The Music People and a member of NAMM YP. Erin Kessler is the marketing director of Maple Leaf Strings and the president of NAMM YP.
“Instead of falling into ‘yes or no’ thinking, GBB shifts the focus to how progress could look among challenges and competing priorities.”
OCTOBER 2026 I MUSIC INC. I 27
FROM THE TOP ERNIE BALL I BRIAN BALL
INTERVIEWED BY MICHAEL GALLANT
HOW DO YOU START YOUR DAY? I’m a father of three and mornings can be a little chaotic getting them ready for school. But the most important thing for me, as far as morning routines, is actually walking. I set my treadmill with an incline and do a workout where I stay in specific zones as far as heart rate and caloric deficit. It helps me get in a mental state where I can handle the challenges of each day. Then when I get to the office, I never have meetings before 9 a.m. Before 9 a.m., I focus on whatever unique opportunities and challenges the day seems to be bringing up, and think about how to work on them together with the team. FOR YOU, WHAT’S NEWEST AND MOST EXCITING RIGHT NOW AT ERNIE BALL? What excites me most is that several capabilities we’ve spent years building are starting to connect. There’s mean- ingful innovation happening in our core string business, and some incredibly ambitious projects happening with Music Man. I’m also extremely excited about Source Audio, which we acquired this year. Their DSP and sound design capabili- ties fit perfectly with our existing innovation capabilities. For the first time, we can think even more broadly about musi - cians’ creative chain — from the strings under their fingers to the signal afterwards. We’re not just adding tech for tech’s sake. We’re asking how all of these different things can give musicians more options in how they creatively express them- selves. ERNIE BALL ANNOUNCED ITS ACQUISITION OF SOURCE AUDIO IN JULY. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ACQUIRE THE COMPANY, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ERNIE BALL MOVING FORWARD? To me, Source Audio represented a very rare and excit- ing opportunity. They have incredible DSP and sound design capabilities, they’re a respected brand with great breadth in their catalog, and they have a loyal community of serious players who use their products. I wasn’t interested in just buy- ing a pedal company or adding another logo to our roster. I see them as an innovation engine. What Ernie Ball brings to the table with them is global distribution, artist relation- ships, brand reach, and experiential marketing. I looked at our strengths, paired with their deep technology, and saw an incredible opportunity to innovate together. WHAT MIGHT READERS NOT KNOW ABOUT ERNIE BALL? Ernie Ball is a legacy brand, but not a nostalgia company.
We began as a small independent guitar retailer that served players in Los Angeles and the nearby Tarzana area before becoming a string manufacturer. And that direct connection with players helped lead to my grandfather creating Slinky strings. We run the company in a way that’s deeply focused on enhancing the legacy he and my dad built by looking through the front windshield and thinking about everything that could be possible, what we can do better. People may only know us through the small packages of guitar strings they see on music store walls and not necessarily realize how much scientific, engineering and manufacturing expertise goes into making those products. We’re always developing materials and processes, building proprietary manufactur- ing capabilities, combining highly precise automation with highly skilled handwork. And we’re doing it all in California. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE? I try to empower my leaders in the organization. They’re experts at what they do, and I’m really there to support them with major decisions and to help them when they need it. I’m super fortunate that I don’t have much turnover, especially in our leadership team, which has hundreds of years of ex- pertise collectively. My department heads, from finance to marketing to R&D to product management, have all been with Ernie Ball for over 20 years. That’s not something I take lightly. They’re such an incredible team of autonomous lead- ers, and I want to nurture what’s already great. AS THE COMPANY’S LEADER, HOW DO YOU SEE THE INDUSTRY SEGMENT AS A WHOLE? Our culture is to be as warm and friendly as possible while balancing that with a competitive edge. In our industry and segment — guitar strings and accessories — it’s very com- petitive, and the business landscape can feel like a daily battle for market share. In other words, we have to be good in everything we do. Product consistency is key when we’re making upwards of 7,000 products each day. From market - ing to social media to overall culture, we have to maintain the highest standards across the board. The most important in- gredient is collaboration. I care deeply and immensely about that, and love that our team wants to win, but always wants to do it the right way. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR OWN MUSICAL BACKGROUND? IS MUSIC MAKING PART OF YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW? I started working on the Vans Warped Tour when I was just
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HQ: San Luis Obispo, California Founded: 1962 Employees: Roughly 600 across the Ernie Ball family of companies. Fun Fact: An accomplished athlete in high school, Ball first fell in love with the guitar in his 20s while touring with the Vans Warped Tour. He continues to play today, including with the hard rock band Eat The Wolf. THE DETAILS BRIAN BALL, CEO OF ERNIE BALL
FROM THE TOP ERNIE BALL I BRIAN BALL
out of college and it changed my life. Being in that environ- ment got me excited to learn to play guitar and I’ve been playing ever since. I’ve been in a few bands over the years. My band now is called Eat The Wolf and we’ve released three albums. With three kids plus the responsibility of run- ning the company, I don’t perform as much as I’d like, but it’s still a huge part of my life and I love writing, playing and spending time with instruments. I don’t want to run a music company from a conference room. I want to experience the same excitements and frustrations and searches for the per- fect sound that our customers experience. That’s my north star in running the company. WHAT WAS THE LAST MUSIC YOU STREAMED?
next decade rather than the next quarter.
ARE YOU INCORPORATING AI INTO YOUR WORK AT ERNIE BALL? At heart, I’m pretty old school. And maybe to a fault, I haven’t adopted all of the strengths AI can offer. Certainly for reporting and some administrative tasks, it can be helpful, but I’m really more of an analog guy. There are drawbacks to using AI and some people get too attached to it. Like most executives, I’m going to use the most modern tools to sup- port the business, but I’ve resisted embedding it in my work
by design. Our work and our jobs are the opposite of AI. We make an emo- tive product. Playing guitar is one of the greatest forms of self-expression there is. The human creativity at the heart of that, for me, clashes with some of the direc- tions AI is going. TO YOU, WHAT MAKES YOUR PRODUCTS DIFFERENT? We’ve learned that the most endur- ing products begin with a real player problem, not a marketing calendar. What problem are we solving and how can we continue to improve things for
‘MY JOB ISN’T TO PRESERVE THE COMPANY EXACTLY AS I INHERITED IT. IT’S TO PRESERVE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT THAT CREATED IT.’
Last night, I saw 311 with Dirty Heads in concert with my wife, and we streamed them on the way down. I saw 311 a ton live when I was in high school, so it felt like a blast from the past. WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE THE COMPANY IN FIVE OR 10 YEARS? I hope that we continue to be recog- nized as a fearless company that’s one
of the world’s most innovative supporters of music creation — and still family-owned, still manufacturing in California and still leading in the string category. I want Music Man to remain a company that takes intelligent and exciting risks with design. I want Source Audio to become one of the de- fining premium effects brands in the world. I want the con - nection between string instruments, electronics, and effects to produce entirely new categories of products and create new ways for people to express themselves as musicians. I’m not interested in recreating the past. I’m interested in building on the legacies of what came before and innovating. FOR YOU, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF RUNNING A FAMILY BUSINESS THAT BEARS YOUR NAME? The biggest challenge is that everything is personal. Family history, ownership, business responsibility — it all overlaps. Our name is literally on every package, so we have to work harder to separate what is truly best for the business from habit, emotion and just sticking with what’s always been done for no good reason. I’m a third-generation leader and there’s also the danger of confusing stewardship with preservation. My job isn’t to preserve the company exactly as I inherited it. It’s to preserve the entrepreneurial spirit that created it. I’ve never been a status quo leader. It’d be easy to rest on the laurels of Slinkies and StingRays, but that’s not in my DNA. I want to enhance the heck out of a legacy that I’m deeply proud of. Family ownership gives us a long-term horizon and allows us to invest patiently, protect quality and make decisions for the
musicians by solving it? My grandfather saw that guitarists couldn’t bend strings, so he changed the product, rather than having guitarists change how they played. Music Man and Source Audio bring that same mentality and precision to what they do. The common thread is that we obsess over what musicians feel and hear. Are our products consistent and reli- able? How do they make it easier for musicians to express themselves? Another thing that makes Ernie Ball companies unique is that we have great sophistication in our engineer- ing and manufacturing so we are able to deliver products repeatedly at the very highest levels of quality, because it’s one thing to make a great guitar string, but another to be able to consistently make seventy thousand great guitar strings a day. But when your family’s name is on it, it’s not just selling a product. It’s selling a family legacy and future generations’ legacy. Finally, what makes our products different is that they truly create an emotional response. We want everything we make to sort of disappear into musicians’ hands and allow them to just play. IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING IN MI, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING FOR WORK? I’d still be building something. I’m wired around products, brands, design and competition. I love taking an idea that may initially sound crazy and surrounding it with talented people to turn it into something real that people care about. If not music, I might be involved in sports or another consumer products category. I’d need it to be around creativity and passionate customers, for sure. MI
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