KMC Music Named Exclusive United States Distributor of Aclam Pedalboards

Accelerating an already fast start to the 2016 sales year, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has been appointed by Aclam Guitars to serve as the exclusive United States distributor of the company’s Aclam pedalboard product line.  According to Roger Hart, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising, the appointment is effective immediately and includes Aclam’s Smart Track, and Evo Track pedalboards and related accessories.

“The addition of Aclam pedalboards to our rapidly growing portfolio of distributed brands simply provides more options for our dealers to choose from when meeting the needs of their customers,” Hart said today. “Aclam is known for creating innovative pedalboards that combine a high degree of functionality in a minimalist design.  KMC is excited to make this award winning line of products available to our customers.”

Founded in 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, Aclam Guitars is a company focused on innovative product design and engineering that offers a complete line of guitars, amplifiers, guitar supports, pedalboards, and accessories.  The company’s team of talented engineers is passionate about music and is trained to the highest tradition of engineering and industrial design. The combination of these two passions —music and innovation— keeps the company focused on constantly resetting the bar for performance across its entire product line.

“We are very excited to announce that KMC Music will be the exclusive distributor of Smart and Evo Track pedalboards in the United States market,” Aclam Guitars CEO Jordie Canivell added. “For Aclam Guitars this partnership provides us with a growth opportunity and the chance to share our passion for music in a strategically important market, a market where KMC has helped brands and manufacturers to become leaders of their respective sector. We are confident that this partnership between KMC Music and Aclam will result in great success for both of our companies!”

Focusrite Novation Inc. Appoints KMC Music to Serve as a United States Sub-Distributor of Focusrite and Novation Lines

Underscoring their shared commitment to meet the rapidly expanding needs of the 21st century MI retail marketplace, Focusrite Novation Inc. (www.focusrite.com) and KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that, effective immediately, KMC Music will become a United States distributor of both the Focusrite and Novation digital audio production and recording lines. The announcement was made today at NAMM 2016 by Focusrite Novation Inc. President Phil Wagner and KMC Music President Mark Terry.

In announcing its expanded distribution strategy, Phil Wagner noted, “We are very happy to have KMC Music represent Focusrite and Novation products to their customer base of more than 6,500 retailers.  We believe KMC Music have the reach into the market that our products deserve.  It’s tremendously convenient that our distributor, American Music & Sound, and KMC Music are both owned by Canada’s JAM Industries.  KMC Music’s customers will enjoy the same benefits that AM&S customers have experienced.”

For KMC Music, the appointment marks the start of the next great chapter in the company’s quest to meet all of the instrumental and technology needs of today’s MI retailer. “Having added 18 new lines to our product portfolio in 2015, including major guitar, amplifier, and percussion brands, KMC Music is taking the next giant step forward in its commitment to meet the needs of today’s 21st century MI retailer,” Mark Terry said today. “Today’s MI retailer has to be able to provide the instruments, accessories, and the digital audio production and editing technology that their customers want to buy.  KMC Music will now be able to provide them with the very best in digital technology with the Focusrite and Novation product lines. Now, more than ever, KMC Music’s offerings mirror the reality of the 21st century MI retail marketplace.”

Terry today also reaffirmed the importance of the larger corporate relationship between JAM Industries, KMC Music’s parent company, and Focusrite Novation. “This appointment strengthens a very successful existing JAM Industries corporate relationship with Focusrite while making it possible for thousands of new MI dealers to have immediate access to the Focusrite and Novation brands through KMC Music.”

Focusrite Novation, Inc. is the United States division of The Focusrite Group, a global music and audio products group that supply the hardware and software products used by professional and amateur musicians, which enables the high quality production of music. The Focusrite Group has two established and rapidly growing brands — Focusrite and Novation. The Focusrite brand makes audio interfaces and other products for audio recording musicians. The Novation brand allows its customers to make electronic music using synthesizers, MIDI controllers and computer-enabled technology. Each brand has over 20 years of quality sound heritage and are well established as leaders in the music making industry.

Both the Focusrite and Novation brands are being featured at the KMC Music booth all during NAMM 2016 in Anaheim, California in Hall B at Booth #5952.  Focusrite is exhibiting its products at Booth #6464 in Hall A of the Anaheim Convention Center.

Aalberg Audio Appoints KMC Music as its Exclusive United States Distributor of the Ground-Breaking, Wireless Controlled Effect Pedals

Adding further momentum to its 2016 business development program, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com), the industry-leading distributor of MI and ProAudio products, today announced that it has been appointed by Aalberg Audio (www.aalbergaudio.com) to serve as its exclusive United States distributor.

Roger Hart, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising, today called the appointment another important step forward in KMC’s 2016 business development program. “While last year was very much a year of transition for KMC, this year is going to be a year of significant growth and expansion as we add more and more lines to our brand portfolio," Hart said. "The addition of Aalberg’s audio effects pedals to our available lines is only going to help drive sales for our dealers.” 

According to Hart, great care has been invested in the hardware and software that makes Aalberg audio effects pedals sound amazing while being intuitive to use — with and without their wireless controller. “The pedals have rich, high definition audio, LED indicators for parameter levels, stereo in/out for multiple signal configurations, and a patented custom designed aluminum housing that is built to last,” he emphasized. “The pedals also the have the ability to wirelessly connect with the Aalberg Update app, enabling musicians to easily upload new content to the pedals.” 

Aalberg Audio of Norway, an award-winning manufacturer of innovative and high-end audio equipment, is committed to becoming the world leader in wireless music equipment. The core products of Aalberg Audio are guitar effects pedals that can be controlled wirelessly from a control unit attached to the guitar. This gives the guitar player greater freedom on stage, and the possibility to manipulate the sound in a manner not previously possible.

The inspiration for wireless effects pedals came to Aalberg Audio co-founder and guitarist Rune Aalberg Alstad after a night out with student friends in 2010 during which they'd been arguing about which were the best effects pedals on the market at that time. Alstad realized that all the pedals shared a common flaw: they are all fixed to one position on stage. The sky opened up and the ideas for a remote controlled pedal just came pouring in. Alstad recalls grabbing the closest object he could write on and scribbling down the blueprint for a remotely controlled effects pedal.

Rune used his idea to form the basis of a Masters degree in Music Technology at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU). Rune teamed up with the engineer Torkild Indstøy (now Aalberg's CTO) and entrepreneur Aleksander Torstensen (now Aalberg's CEO). The team has grown since then with many contributors and advisors helping to make our innovative ideas into a reality.

Manuel Rodriguez Guitars Names KMC Music to Distribute Exclusive Models in United States

Manuel Rodriguez Guitars (http://mrguitarras.es/en/) the renowned 110-year old crafter of the iconic Spanish guitars known around the world as a central contributor to “Brand Spain,” today announced the appointment of KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) to distribute exclusive models of Manuel Rodriguez guitars to its network of 6,000 resellers in United States, making it possible for dealers to offer their customers the greatest range of Rodriguez models in the company’s history. 

“Our partnership with KMC Music is going to make it possible for more consumers than ever before to experience the beauty, the craftsmanship, and the unique performance characteristics of a Manuel Rodriguez guitar, regardless of the collection and model they choose,” said Manuel Rodriguez III, the third-generation CEO of Manuel Rodriguez Guitars.  “The combination of our commitment to old-world craftsmanship and design and KMC Music’s ability to sell and support our line is going to make for a very powerful business relationship for many years to come.”

In accepting the appointment, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart emphasized, “It is an honor to represent this storied line of classical Spanish guitars, which has, for more than 110 years, maintained the very highest standards of design, materials, and construction.  Indeed, each and every Rodriguez guitar, handcrafted in Toledo, Spain, carries within it the very essence of Spanish history and culture.  Our dealers will be equally thrilled to be able to present the Rodriguez collections to their discerning guitar enthusiast customers.”

The full range Rodriguez guitars are almost entirely handmade.  Rodriguez still employs the traditional Spanish Heel construction technique that increases the solidity of the neck joint, resulting in enhanced resonance and tone. No detail is too minor to merit attention.  The tuning machines are intricately cast, whether nickel-plated or gold-plated.  Silver-plated frets from Germany are meticulously set, leveled and polished ensuring optimum feel and performance.  

The neck and headstock of Rodriguez guitars are typically made of Canadian cedar, often reinforced with two ebony strips on the underside of the fingerboard to increase rigidity and eliminate movement caused by wood aging.  Each Rodriguez guitar is hand-formed and glued to create precise balances.  From the delicate sanding —even inside the body, to the beautifully unique rosette inlays, each guitar stands as a credit to its luthier and is worthy of being handed down from one generation to the next.  Each instrument receives a thin varnish finish ensuring purity of tone.  The cutaway electric models feature a state-of-the-art L.R. Baggs or Fishman pre-amp system for excellence in response, balance, and tonal adjustability. 

KMC Music Strengthens Regional Sales Support With Three Key Appointments

KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com), the industry-leading distributor of MI and ProAudio solutions, today announced the appointment of three new regional sales managers for the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and West/Northwest sales territories.  According to KMC Music Vice President of Sales James Tsaptsinos, all three appointments bring significant MI retail and sales management experience to their new positions.

“Our philosophy is, and always will be, that it takes a retail sales veteran to understand the unique needs of today’s MI retailers, and the appointment of Michael Stockdale, Ryan Morgan, and Mike Johnson to key district sales management positions more than lives up to this philosophy,” Tsaptsinos said today.  “Each of them have countless years of experience in their respective territories demonstrating track records for building cost-effective, sales-productive business building programs for retailers. They all started their careers working for and managing MI retail stores as well.  We are thrilled to have professionals of their caliber join our sales team.”

Based in the Baltimore, Maryland area, Michael Stockdale now assumes the position of District Sales Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region.  He brings an extensive record of experience and success to his new position, having started his career as an Assistant Store Manager at Sam Ash Music, where he served for three years. Michael’s field experience includes having served as the National Product Sales Manager for Music & Studio Environments at IAC Acoustics, District Sales Manager for Specialty Brands at Fender Musical Instruments, Inc., Regional Sales Manager at Line 6, and District Sales Manager at Korg USA and Behringer. 

Ryan Morgan brings an equally impressive resume to his new position as District Sales Manager for the West/Northwest Region, based out of Bend, Oregon.  From a career starting in his Family’s Music store as a child to an 8-year General Manager of various Guitar Center locations, Morgan went on to serve as Director of Operations/Marketing/Sales for Boulder Creek Guitars/Riptide Ukuleles/Wedgie Picks and Accessories and Sales Manager for Bedell Guitars and Weber Fine Instruments. 

Based in Orlando, Florida, Mike Johnson now assumes the position of District Sales Manager for the Southeast Region.  Most recently, Johnson served as National Sales Manager at Gold Tone, Inc. Michael’s 30 years of MI experience on the National Level for Brands like Samick and regionally for Line 6 make him an obvious choice for KMC.

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