RADIAL ENGINEERING LAUNCHES FOREST AUDIO
Canada’s Radial Engineering has launched a new division, Forest Audio, named in honor of William DeForest, the inventor of the vacuum tube. Forest Audio will focus on high-end audio for studio and stage, catering specifically to professional musicians, engineers, and producers. The first product with the Forest Audio brand will be the F15 instrument preamp, a class-A device designed to “eliminate the use of circuit stabilizing negative feedback in the DI section.” The F15 includes remote phantom powering, selectable inputs, and other unique features.

TUNECORE AND ERNIE BALL UNITE TO HELP INDIE MUSICIANS
TuneCore.com and the Ernie Ball Co. have partnered to reward independent musicians with Ernie Ball endorsements and discounted products based on the number of downloads they sell on TuneCore’s online distribution and marketing system. Musicians selling 100,000 downloads via TuneCore will receive free Ernie Ball guitar strings at Guitar Center, while those selling 50,000 will receive discounted strings.

MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ, 1926–2008
Manuel Rodríguez, one of the finest of the Madrid school of guitar makers, died on December 25 in the city where he was born. Rodríguez apprenticed in the Ramírez shop as a teenager and began building instruments in his home workshop upon finishing school. Emigrating to the US in 1959 to further his skills, Rodríguez settled in Los Angeles, where his guitarmaking skills were prized by the southern California music scene. After returning to Spain in 1973, he established Rodríguez and Sons, bringing his family into a business whose award-winning student and professional instruments, praised by Andrés Segovia, Angel Romero, Joaquin Rodrigo, and many others, can be found around the world.

RECORDING KING GOSPEL SONGSTRESS GUITAR
The latest model in Recording King’s Contemporary Series, the Gospel Songstress is designed for contemporary players who want to be noticed. Available in dreadnought and 000 body sizes, the Gospel Songstress combines a solid Sitka spruce top (with scalloped forward X-bracing) with African mahogany back and sides and is adorned with a Celtic trinity fingerboard inlay, gospel dove headstock inlay, and half-moon Grover tuners. themusiclink.net

WEBER TENTH-ANNIVERSARY MANDOLIN
To celebrate his company’s tenth anniversary, Weber Fine Acoustic Instruments’ founder Bruce Weber is constructing ten deluxe F-style mandolins featuring a hand-rubbed varnish finish, a one-piece maple back, tone-bar bracing, flamed maple and pearl binding, and other distinctive touches. soundtoearth.com

LOWDEN BARITONE
Acoustic Guitar reviews a low-tuned steel-string from Northern Ireland’s guitar guru. With video. [more]

HIDE GLUE
Acoustic Guitar examines how the traditional adhesive is used in guitar construction and repair. [more]

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

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

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

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

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