In a joint announcement that was nearly a decade and a half in the making, pickup design and manufacturing legend Bill Lawrence has teamed up with Jeff and Don Lace of Lace Music Products to build all future Lawrence-designed pickups at the Lace in Huntington Beach, CA USA.  Effective immediately, Lawrence's current Keystone® and Wilde® products as well as all subsequent Bill Lawrence designs will be built and shipped from the Lace facility under the direct supervision of the Bill and Becky Lawrence and the Lace brothers, who anticipate significant improvements in technical innovation, quality control, and delivery time.

Bill Lawrence stated that, "It's been some fourteen years since we first discussed working together with Jeff and Don -- we have always had so much in common.  While most of our industry has been focused on merely recreating the past, we've both been working on new, original ideas to advance the art and science of the pickup. Over the years, we've developed a close friendship and mutual respect based on our common principles, but until now the time for a joint venture never seemed quite right."

"Given my current health issues," Lawrence continued, "Becky and I maintaining our own production facility was no longer feasible, and a partnership with our old friends has become the logical way for me to continue my design work and bring my latest ideas to fruition.  I simply can't imagine better manufacturing and marketing partners than the Lace family and their team – both companies have established their own unique places in the market, each with very different design and marketing approaches that I'm sure we can maintain side by side into the future.  It's a classic win-win situation for us, our distribution channels, and the pickup buying public."  Jeff Lace, who has succeeded his late father Don Lace Sr., as Lace's lead designer, said, "This is a remarkable opportunity for our companies – not only will we continue making the best pickups on the market today, but we'll also be expanding our product portfolio with more original designs that are unlike anything else available."

Both Lawrence and Lace hold numerous technology patents in the pickup arena, with Lawrence's design work dating back some 60 years including historic stints with giants like Gibson, Framus, and a virtual who's who of the guitar industry, and Jeff Lace following in the footsteps of his father's unique "Fender-Lace Sensor®" design dating from the early 1980s.  More recently, Jeff has created Lace's Holy Grail® and Alumitone® pickup technologies, both featuring zero noise and full-range bandwidth.  Lawrence, known for decades as the industry's most dynamic and knowledgeable pickup designer, is responsible for the SCN (Samarium Cobalt Noiseless) line of pickups currently offered by Fender both in their prestigious American Deluxe guitars and basses and as popular aftermarket upgrades.

"Bill has established a great legacy of design innovation that we will honor and continue just as we've carried on our father's wishes and aspirations," Jeff Lace declared, "We've been looking forward to working with Bill and Becky for a very long time -- and together we have so many exciting ideas that we can't wait to bring to the market!"  Don Lace enthusiastically pointed out good omens for the new venture by noting, "This year marks Lace's® 30th anniversary -- and what a way to celebrate our success, with the introduction of our new Helix® bass and guitar plus this monumental new pickup partnership happening simultaneously.  This is going to be a truly exciting year for us and the industry!"

The sales and distribution approach for Lawrence products is currently being finalized, with a detailed announcement expected shortly.  No changes in the established distribution channel for Lace® products are planned.  More information on Lawrence is available at www.wildepickups.com and www.billlawrence.com. For Lace®, visit www.lacemusic.com.

Lace® Music Products will debut it’s new Sonic Squad testing program and forum for guitar players on the Lace website. The new Sonic Squad site and forum offers players a chance to road test Lace’s  Alumitone® line of pickups at no cost. The patented and patent pending line of pickups offer zero noise, light weight, full band frequency range in a attractive new look.

“We are so sure that once a player, try’s a new Alumitone that he will not only be impressed with the full tone and zero noise, but that player will let his fellow players know about it as well.” States Jeff Lace, Vice President and innovator of the Alumitone. "There is nothing else on the pickup market that compares to the Alumitone 'current driven' technology."

Those wishing to participate in road testing for Lace are invited to fill out the Sonic Squad application thru the website at lacemusic.com/sonic squad. Players must submit why they want to try an Alumitone and list what guitar and pickup will be replaced with a Sonic Squad evaluation pickup.

Lace®will host a Sonic Squad players forum on the Lace site, so that players around the world will report back with their findings. All interested Lace players are invited as well. However, Sonic Squad members will receive monthly updates and opportunities to further test pickups and to receive discounts on Lace pickups thru their local music store.

For further information: Contact Lace at 800 575-LACE or visit at www.lacemusic.com.

The Guitar Wall has launched a new wall focused on quality and value among guitars and basses. In a cautious economy, many guitar builders, custom and production alike, are emphasizing a new breed of instrument that combines the virtues of high quality sound and playability with pricing that will appeal to cost-conscious players of all kinds.

The Guitar Wall, one of the most unique, engaging and efficient visual resources, has answered the call to provide a new wall that focuses on this growing and important market. The new Value Guitar Wall is not about cheap guitars... price isn't the criteria used. All price points are included with the emphasis being on overall value for the money.

For potential wall space owners, the Value Guitar Wall offers introductory pricing and Front Wall (homepage) bonus space which makes the wall itself... a great value. With performance that is highly competitive with other less-focused PPC programs... the Wall makes a lot of sense... and, there are no recurring bills. There is a small, one-time charge for wall space which can be changed out at will by the wall space owner.

For more information, visit TheGuitarWall and click Value.

Aguilar Amplification, a builder of high-quality bass amplifiers, speaker cabinets and accessories for bassists is pleased to announce the continuation of their Artist Series Master Classes on Saturday, March 7, 2009 with endorsing artist, Gerald Veasley. The clinic, entitled “Improvisation for Everybody”, will focus on demystifying some of the concepts and approaches to soloing.

Veasley is a well-respected bassist, composer, producer and educator. He has been voted “Best Electric Bassist” by Jazziz Magazine and his resume includes tenures with Joe Zawinul, Pat Martino, Grover Washington Jr. and Gerald Levert. Keeping active in the field of Music Education, Veasley co-founded the annual Bass Boot Camp to share his passion for music with others.

The event is free to the public and will be held at Aguilar’s New York City showroom. Attendees will tour the Aguilar factory and be able try out Aguilar products such as the enormously popular Tone Hammer preamp/D.I.

RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it before March 6th, 2009. Space is limited!

Here's the details...

Gerald Veasley Clinic and Aguilar Factory Tour
Saturday, March 7, 2009
599 Broadway 7th Floor NYC, NY 10012
Doors open at noon
Clinic at 1 pm – Free!

Visit the Aguilar website at www.aguilaramp.com

Taylor Guitars is poised to bring its Road Show to dealerships across the U.S. and abroad in 2009.

Now in its third year, the Taylor Guitars Road Show is a lively in-store gathering that brings enthusiasts together with Taylor clinicians and experts straight from the company's factory in El Cajon, California. At each Road Show, the Taylor Road Show team shares insights on the company's guitar making process, including an informative demonstration on how body shapes and woods affect tone. After the demonstration, players are invited to take part in the show's most popular feature, the "Petting Zoo": an opportunity to pick up and play a variety of different models, as well as rare and custom Build to Order models. Admission to each Road Show is free.

At select locations, a special Electric Road Show will highlight Taylor's award-winning electric lineup, including the new and much-raved-about T3 and T3/B, the ever-popular Taylor SolidBody, as well as the versatile, number-one-selling electric/acoustic hollowbody, the T5. Attendees will also have the chance to explore Taylor's line of acoustic guitars.

The 2009 Road Show tour will kick off in March with multiple dates in California and Oklahoma, as well as an East Coast swing with special stops in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Each Road Show attendee will receive a complimentary copy of Premier Guitar magazine (www.premierguitar.com) and while supplies last, TaylorWare gear and Elixir® strings. Attendees will have the chance to enter to win the grand prize, an opportunity to build their own custom guitar through Taylor's Build To Order program.

In 2008, Taylor brought the Road Show to over 146 locations throughout the U.S., Germany and England. The Taylor Guitars Road Show was awarded the 2008 Supplier Excellence Award from Music Inc. magazine in the category of Events for putting "the excitement of the company's factory tours into retail dealers across the country."

For more information on Road Shows dates and locations, please visit the official Taylor Guitars Road Show calendar at www.taylorguitars.com/roadshow