D’ADDARIO IMPROVES EXP STRING TECHNOLOGY
String manufacturer D’Addario has improved its coated strings with a string that has 50 percent less coating, and which the company says has a tone and feel close to that of an uncoated string. The innovation was aided by D’Addario’s creation of the EXP Wire Company in 2007, which allowed the company to research and commission “new production equipment, including a special laser scanning system used to measure the coating thickness and concentricity of every spool of wire produced.” This advance resulted in a string that offers “an exclusive compound-plated (not coated) plain steel string, with utmost corrosion resistance.”

GODIN GUITARS SPONSORS HIGH-SCHOOL BATTLE OF THE BANDS
Godin Guitars is a sponsor of the “Can Your School Rock” battle of the bands competition, which showcases up-and-coming Quebec-based high-school bands. The winning band will receive $10,000 of music equipment, including a Godin Redline 2 electric guitar and a Godin Freeway 4 electric bass.

LANCE McCOLLUM
The acoustic guitar community is in mourning over the sudden passing of renowned California luthier Lance McCollum on February 1. McCollum, a full-time builder since 1995, and most recently a member of the group of luthiers behind Voyage-Air Guitars, was known for his stunning, elaborately decorated instruments and a client list that included Alex de Grassi, Dougie MacLean, Todd Hallawell, Martin Barre, and Roger Hodgson. He was a fixture at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival, and in 2004 Acoustic Guitar readers recognized his work with a Player’s Choice Award in the small-scale custom makers category.

TRACE ACOUSTIC AMPS
Twenty years after launching its first series of acoustic amps, which brought high-quality combo-amp technology to acoustic musicians, Trace Acoustic has introduced a new generation of acoustic amps with the TA100 (100 watts and two Celestion five-inch neodymium speakers), TA200 (200 watts and four five-inch speakers), TA300 (300 watts and two five-inch and one 12-inch speaker), and TA400 (400 watts and four five-inch and two 12-inch speakers). trace-elliot.co.uk

PRS ACOUSTICS
After four years of R&D, PRS debuted its highly anticipated line of acoustic guitars, the Angelus Cutaway and Tonare Grand, at the winter NAMM show with performances by endorser/performer Tony McManus. Look for a review in an upcoming issue of Acoustic Guitar. prsguitars.com

VOYAGE-AIR VAD-2
Acoustic Guitar reviews a radical approach to the travel-guitar concept. With video. [more]

TAYLOR MADE
Acoustic Guitar takes a tour of Taylor’s advanced guitar factory. [more]

April 1–4, 2009
MUSIKMESSE FRANKFURT
Frankfurt, Germany
musik.messefrankfurt.com

July 3–5, 2009
MONTREAL GUITAR SHOW
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
salondeguitaredemontreal.com

August 14–16, 2009
HEALDSBURG GUITAR FESTIVAL
Healdsburg, California
lmii.com/GuitarFestival

August 23–24, 2009
MUSIC INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION
OF CANADA TRADE SHOW
Toronto, Canada
miac.net

October 13–16, 2009
MUSIC CHINA
Shanghai, China
messefrankfurt.hk

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