BBE SOUND, INC. with That?" a Leading Audio Innovator's Diversification Is Helping to Build a Global, Cross-Market Brand

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es, lmtlate rentals, or check on an demand, Tri-Tech has also updated its every single cLlstomer who has come instrument's repair status directly package with an automated phone noti onboard," says Acton. "When someone through a website portal. fication system to alert customers when suggests a new feature, chances are Rycent developments have made it repairs are completed or special orders someone else could use it too. More possible for users to interface AIMsi have come in. The company is in the often than not we add that feature and it with eBay and Amazon, allowing the process of setting up touch-screen capa just makes our product that much more dealer to either send product and pricing bilities and an automated system to con attractive." ttl-low about information to the website or retrieve tact customers by text message. (800) 670-1736 information about products already list "Our software could not have become www.aimsi.biz ed on the site. In response to user what it is today without feedback from a~~E BBE SOUND, INC. with that?" A leading audio innovator's diversification is helping to build a global, cross-market brand.

technology. Developed by inventor Bob Crooks, the technology addressed the phase and amplitude distortion inherent to loud speakers. Crooks' circuit automatically compensated for these problems, allow a o.~g '~"'" o •• \.)v •• ' 'a'" " 'a'"" . C. II .'"'. '"~o a ing speakers to more faithfully repro • ,. ," 'N aUT ·a· .\Q V duce amplified sound. "I went to hear a CHANNEL A 1()(,)r~IOUn I'llllf~~ DBEPROCESS til! t{J~l)rJrCJLJR PH()lI"~ CHANNELS POWER BBE's new D82 Sonic Maximizer plug-in for computer recording applications. demonstration of the circuit, not expect ing much," John recalls, "but the clarity and detail in the sound made the hairs on l-iere:~ tip-~top IN AUDIO, A FEEDBACK loop is typi sioned with the parent company's appar my neck stand up, As a musician, 1knew a leaVing money on the tabl cally viewed as a situation to be avoided, ent lack of passion and dedication to its immediately that this was something but that's precisely the goal at BBE m.i. businesses, and on his 50th birthday special." "Sonic Maximizers are great P~ofitabl~ restaurants pump up the average meal tab and fatten margin' Sound. Located in Huntington Beach, he quit CBS. Following a brief interlude By then the company had already con because making the sale is as Wlth,lu~clous dessert treats. Profitable music dealers do it wi.th SSE Sonic California, BBE Sound has created a of publishing the McLaren Report, an sumed nearly all of the venture capital easy as the pushing a button. " ~axlmlzers. T~eY're irresist!ble to customers once they hear the big unique promotional feedback' loop industry newsletter, John was introduced funds originally invested, but John took Clay Bailey, owner among its signal processing products for to Barcus Berry Electronics. A spin-offof over the company in 1985, renamed it Improvement In sound quality that only a Sonic Maximizer can provide. Bailey Bros. Music musicians and studios, its G&L electric the original Barcus Berry transducer BBE Sound to better distinguish it from Montgomery, AL It's, easy as pie. Have a Sonic Maximizer on demo in every department: guitar line, and its audio technologies manufacturer, the company was formed the Barcus Berry company, and invested licensed to consumer electronics manu in 1984 to license sound enhancement his own money while raising additional "I love Sonic Maximizers gUitar, bass, keyboards, recording, PA and OJ. Don't let a customer le8v facturers whereby the company's brand outside capital. John's son, Dave, who because my average sale goes the store without a demo, and make sure you've got good stock of SOil (, image in each market compounds and joined BBE in 1993 and is now execu up every time I sell one. " Maximizers, 'cause YOU'll be selling them like hotcakes. fortifies its marketing impact in the other tive vice president, recalls, "It was a Larry Fischer, owner commercial sectors. tough period, as the company didn't Metro Sound and Lighting BBE PROFIT FACTS: A music products industry veteran since have a chip small enough for licensing St. PaUl, MN 1959, BBE Chairman and CEO John and there was only a home audio proces • Sonic Maximizers are the best "plus sale" item in your store McLaren left his native Manchester, sor sold through a direct mail campaign "It's the only product I sell by • Everybody is a customer for a Sonic Maximizer England, to work at Steinway Hall in with ads in the back of aUdiophile mag turning it off. It's so easy" New York before relocating to California azines." John reasoned that the people Evan Sheely, owner • Easy to demo: Just punch the "SSE Process" button to join Yamaha. After rising over the next who would embrace the technology's Bass Northwest and get ready to ring the register 16, years to senior executive vice presi concept were musicians, so he had the Seattle, WA dent, in the 1981 he left Yamaha to device repackaged into two rack-mount • POW~rfUI national advertising and editorial coverage in major accept a challenging appointment as models, With his extensive network of "BBE makes any gear sound musIc and pro audio magazines. better, but more importantly, president ofthe CBS Musical Instrument contacts in m.i" he was able to get the ~reat Division, which at the time included products established fairly quickly, every customer who walks • word-of-mouth references from your customers help you Steinway, Fender, Rhodes and other By 1987 there was finally a single through my front door is a nng up even more sales of SSE Sonic Maximizers illustrious brand~. Among the noted channel chip ready to be licensed. With potential BBE sale. " Yamaha executives' who would follow dogged persistence John convinced Ryan Clement, Manno r ({) 800-233-8346 him were Bill Schultz and Ed Rizzuto. BBE has a fast-growing line of gui Aiwa, then a part of Sony, to incorporate Grandma's MUIlI,: But within a few years John grew disiJlu tar effects pedals. the BBE High Definition Sound circuit Albuquerque, NM www.bbesound.com 126 MUSIC TRADES APRIL 2009 5381 Production Drive, Huntington Beach, California 92649, USA ,. ~ ....J,L__C.___::..a l1:...... us at (~--- TOP GLOBAL MUSIC & AUDIO SUPPLIERS

SALES RANKINGS ¢ PERFORMANCE ¢ PROFILES into its mini-component stereo systems. esoteric, device, but Rob showed them remains honorary chair of G&L. als around the world love what BBE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS making the sound richer and fuller. This Per John's advice, Aiwa marketed the how it could be one of the easiest high "For years Leo had been injecting cash does for their sound, and these people COMPANIES ARE technology will be of particular interest feature aggressively in its print and tele margin add-on sales a dealer can make." to keep G&L going," Dave recalls. have wide spheres of influence. to the growing number of mobile and vision advertising, stressing that BBE Rob's success, however, presented chal "Though we were thrilled at the opportu Undoubtedly, the synergy with G&L has IMPRESSED THAT BBE IS nightclub DJs who are working with technology, used by musicians and sound lenges of another sort. "The technology nity, it was a daunting challenge because played an important role." IMMERSED IN THE MUSIC MP3." He adds that today's car Ilidio professionals around the world, was now was still in its infancy," Dave explains, we couldn't continue to absorb the loss Dave adds, "Managers at consumer COMMUNITY, BUILDING market is influenced by hip-hop 'ulllll , available to consumers in home audio. "and the early pro m.i. units had some es as Leo had. We had to move fast." But electronics companies appreciate that " BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENTS so the DJs and remix artists wh< II l Aiwa's sales, profits, and stock price performance and reliability issues." with diligence and marketing savvy, BBE is immersed in the music commu WHICH INSPIRE MUSI BBE sound enhancement processors w; II soared, and its annual report cited BBE Fortunately, in 1990 Paul Gagon, who G&L became a success for BBE Sound nity, building beautiful instruments that inspire musicians, making equipment CIANS, MAKING EQUIP be significant to the brand's car audit, High Definition Sound as a major con brought engineering experience from on many levels. BBE gained sales vol licensees. tributor to the company's turnaround. CBS and Fender, came on board and dra ume and strength with reps and dealers that heightens the thrill of live perform MENT THAT HEIGHTENS Several years ago BBE's managemenl Consumer electronics companies licens matically improved the products." because G&L guitars were sold largely ances and captures more nuance and THE THRILL OF LIVE team resolved to grow the BBE brand in ing BBE sound improvement technology Though sales were growing, so were through the same distribution channels detail in recorded works. By the nature PERFORMANCES the m.i. market by venturing into areal'; now include Alpine, Clarion, JYC, expenses. Faced with the difficulty of as BBE's m.i. products. of our activities, the message heard by that, in Dave's words, "are a significant Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony, Philips, supporting the company with just two Economies of scale were realized in the licensees is, 'Who would know more anywhere there is amplified sound. The departure from BBE's high-tech prod Pioneer, Sanyo, Sharp, and Toshiba. Its products, John pushed for expansion. everything from electronic components about sound than these people?''' market potential is limitless." ucts. For example, an analog guitar pedal semiconductor partners who produce With a wealth of guitar industry experi to advertising space. Also, having a This "validation by association" is BBE has also begun seeing its develop is very old technology. We've got this chip devices incorporating BBE tech ence in the company, John had several glamorous guitar company helped accel reciprocal. As many of the world's lead ment of products for consumer electron team with so much personal experience nologies include Mitsubishi, Sanyo, conversations with Leo Fender about erate the popularity of BBE Sonic ing consumer electronics manufacturers ics lead to promising products for the with pedals that once we came to terms Toshiba, and Yamaha, among others. buying G&L Musical Instruments in Maximizers among artists. Dave have licensed BBE technology, BBE's m.i. market. Recently it began licensing with our high-tech brand doing low-tech "With the launch of the BBE 802 and nearby Fullerton. "Each time we got explains, "G&L's fine instruments natu credibility is strengthened in pro audio a new technology designed to improve products, a torrent of creativity was 402 Sonic Maximizers, the sales effort close to doing a deal," recalls John, "Leo rally attract artist endorsements, which and m.i. markets. Recognizing the huge the quality of compressed MP3 audio. unleashed." Having solved technological desperately needed more muscle," John backed off, confiding, 'This is what provides opportunities to introduce more potential in this "feedback loop," BBE's "MP3 compression removes 'pixels' challenges that hampered an effort in the recalls. "In 1988 Rob Rizzuto came on keeps me alive.'" Following Leo's death artists to the BBE products. This further goal is to achieve a level of brand recog from the audio picture," Dave explains. early '90s to produce a Sonic Maximizer board and put his relentless drive and in 1991, his wife, Phyllis, sold G&L to enhances the reputation of our brand and nition comparable to what Ray Dolby "We've developed BBE MP technology pedal, BBE introduced a successful foot charisma to work, quickly ramping up BBE because she believed BBE would the technologies we license to the con accomplished with his noise reduction that examines what's left after MP3 com pedal version called the Sonic Stomp in sales. Dealers and reps thought of the help G&L achieve the level of success sumer electronic industry. Today, mil technology. "The difference," John adds, pression and generates additional infor 2005, opening the door for the company Sonic Maximizer as a marvelous, but Leo had dreamed of. Today, Phyllis lions of musicians and sound profession "is that BBE technologies can be used mation to replace the missing material, to develop a full range of effects pedals.

L0 LLA R rIc KU r s r::, /'~~ / /i

. ~ ',' / " the Straight Truth About Pickups by Jason Lollar

The"magic"found in some (but not all) classic vintage pickups was created by accident. Don't let anyone tell you different. And over time, some pretty stellar accidents happened. The only way to recreate that magic is to study more than a few exceptional examples of all the classic pickup types, while acquiring athorough understanding of exactly what materials were used and precisely how each pickup was constructed and wound. Only then is the "magic" repeatable, if you are willing to spend the time and money required to chase the dragon. Iam.

Ipersonally design and wind over 30 different pickup models, including all the vintage classics, many obscure works of art known only to lap and pedal steel players like Robert Randolph, and even afew of my own designs that never existed in the past.

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128 MUSIC TRADES APRIL 2009 MUSIC TRADES APRIL 2009 129 TOP GLOBAL MUSIC & AUDIO SUPPLIERS

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The line now includes 15 products, and version of its signature 482i. And the As has been the case since John more are nearly ready for market. company is close to launching a suite of McLaren took BBE's helm in 1985, the Meanwhile, BBE's range of high-tech sound enhancement plug-ins employing dynamic "feedback loop" among the products continues to grow. In response some of the DSP codes developed for the company's multifaceted interests contin to the substantial migration of recording licensing program. "Without revealing ues to fuel growth and innovation. industry from hardware to software, too much," says Dave, "BBE will soon (714) 897-6766 BBE recently introduced the D82 Sonic be introducing "a proliferation of plug www.bbesound.com Maximizer, the company's latest plug-in ins."

B.G. FRANCK BICHON Building a recession-proof business around high-fashion accessories

QUITE POSSIBLY THE ONLY manu including a "Best Of' collection for facturer to elevate musical accessories each version-each of which repre to a fashion statement, BO Franck sents a 15% discount on the individual Bichon occupies prime territory in one purchase of the products it contains. of the industry's most recession-proof "BO is always full of new projects, but segments. In the weeks leading up to we must also focus on existing lines," Musikmesse 2009, the Lyon, France says Franck. "In these economic times, based company was looking to main accessories are what dealers turn to." tain its advantage with a number of Plans for a wave of products to be new products and an aggressive game released for BO's 25th anniversary in plan. "Our answer to the global reces 2010 have been kept close to the vest, sion is to stay on the attack: more although the company has prean shows, more advertisement, action on nounced a new classical sax mouth FaceBook, new packaging, and new piece design-to be pre-introduced at products for now and 201Q," says the World Saxophone Congress in founder and President Franck Bichon. Bangkok this July-and new "DIVA" Nearly 25 years since launching its hybrid. reeds. Both products were stylish small goods line, BG is carrying developed by Franck's father, wood over its artistic concept into new pack wind expert Serge Bichon. "DIVA is a aging to be showcased in Frankfurt. unique concept, mixing natural fiber "You buy with your eyes," says (no cane) and synthetic material," says Franck. "Just as you can be attracted to Franck. "We are offering an alternative a person before knowing him or her, between natural cane and synthetic the same is true of packaging. You aim reeds." to be the most eye-catching and the Franck Bichon This year marks the start of a mer best-looking." With a space-saving chandising campaign highlighting the design, BG's new packaging allows want to stock." company's distinctive interlocking dealers to stock, for instance, twice as Among the BG products slated to "BO" logo. Where other companies many of its instrument swabs in a appear at Musikmesse are new microfi propagate their names and logos with given footprint. All packaging can be bre "cozies" used to protect instru complimentary pens and keychains, opened and reclosed without damaging ments from dust-either for musicians BG features musically relevant give it, allowing customers to examine the who leave their instruments on a stand aways including sample pad driers and product for quality before they buy. between sets or practice sessions, or glass cleaners made from the microfi Supplementary dealer materials have for dealers who want to ward off dust bre used in BO's instrument swabs and also been updated and distilled, with collection on the merchandise when care cloths. In a particularly luxurious product information expressed in easy they close their stores at night or over offering, the company will hand out to-understand charts and bullet points. weekends. New instrument warmers in branded scarves in the designer-quality "Simplicity is actually the hardest silk and polar fleece insulate instru silk used in its swabs, key covers, and thing to do in design and marketing," ments from extreme temperatures and instrument cushions. says Franck. "There is always so much shocks. "Why should we offer pens when we to show, to say! But with this 'less is Also new this year are BO Propacks, don't sell pens?" says Franck. "The more' approach, dealers don't need to kits containing a bundle of related BO only things we offer as giveaways are waste time sifting through longwinded accessories. Fifteen different Propack products that musicians can buy later explanations to find the model they concepts have been introduced- in shops. When musicians carry our 130 MUSIC TRADES APRIL 2009 TOP GLOBAL MUSIC & AUDIO SUPPLIERS

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