Alright — another fun week here at the shop. Lots of stuff going on, and things are starting to settle into a really exciting rhythm.

We’ve still been working hard on the renovation of the new Fender department where the stage used to be — and as of today, as I write this, I can officially tell you: the wall is finished and the guitars are hung! We’ve got a couple of finishing touches left and a few more amps coming in to fill some spots, but it’s already looking incredible. You can see some pics on our social media, but honestly — you just need to come see it in person. It’s going to be an amazing display of our Fender guitars. We’re planning out a Tele wall, a Strat wall, some Custom Shop and higher-end models like the Ultra II series featured front and center, and a really clean section where you can plug into a full lineup of Fender amps. Speaking of amps, we just put out the new Tone Master Deluxe Reverb in Blonde, and it looks unbelievable on that wall. It’s one of our favorites, and the whole section is really starting to feel special.

On the acoustic side, we had 18 Martin guitars arrive all at once this week — including the crown jewel: a D-42. It’s so beautiful and so special that we haven’t even really taken it out of the case yet. We’ve been very intentional about where it’s placed to keep it pristine.We’re really trying to step up our game with high-end Martin models, and the D-42 will be featured in the Martin room very soon. It’s truly a dream guitar, and if you’re into premium acoustics, you need to come see this one.

Over in pedals, we just received the new Vertex pedalboards made in partnership with Gator. We saw these at NAMM and were really impressed. They offer a super clean setup — including two-tier configurations where you can flip up the top panel and neatly mount your power supply underneath. It makes for an incredibly organized board.We brought in multiple sizes along with bags, and they’ve also got great accessories to keep everything tidy. Many people may not know this, but Gator has been making great pedalboards for years — and this move with Vertex is a big step that shows guitar players they’re serious about being in this space. 

And don’t forget — pedalboard building is a service we offer. Sway can help custom-build your board from start to finish. You can leave your pedals with him, and he’ll make sure the signal flow is right, everything is clean and organized, and it’s professionally assembled. Give him a call or come by to talk through the details.

Also in pedals, we got in the new Boss GX-1 and GX-1B — the updated guitar and bass multi-effects units replacing the old GT-1. We saw these demoed at NAMM and were super impressed. They’re built solid, sound great, and are a really nice update to the ever-popular GT-1 and GT-1B we’ve carried for years. Our full assortment of DigiTech also landed this week, along with a fresh stock of MXR and Dunlop pedals — including the Bass Synth, which never seems to stay in stock long. We got four in and two sold within the first hour, so as you read this… we may or may not have any left.

Our new NUX products we ordered at NAMM have also started arriving. We’ve got some really cool pedals starting around $50 all the way up to multi-effects units in the $200–$300 range. We’ve carried their wireless systems for a while and had great success with them, so we’re excited to expand the lineup with a solid pedal selection.

In the bass department, we just received about a dozen Höfner basses. Unfortunately — unless we hear better news — Höfner is going out of business. We’re hoping someone steps in and keeps this legendary brand alive, especially considering iconic models like the Beatle Bass that Paul McCartney made famous. We stocked up while we could, bringing in black and sunburst versions of the Club and Beatle basses. What we have may very well be the last we’re able to get — so if owning one of these has been on your bucket list, now is the time.

On the same day we received the Höfners, we also got a big shipment of Ibanez basses — about a dozen — along with the new Spector Icon Series basses. Spector has consolidated some of their previous lines into this new Icon Series, and they are fantastic. So far we’ve received three of the four new finishes/models, and they’re beautifully made, very professional-level instruments. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the market.

Over in Drumland, we received a solid shipment of DW gear, with a lot more on the way. The DW Performance Series snares are finally back in stock — including the brass 14x6.5, 14x8, 14x5.5, copper, and brass models. For under $600, in my opinion, these are some of the best snare drums for the money. They look like a million bucks and sound even better. We also got back in one of our longtime DW favorites — the 6.5x14 Collector’s Series aluminum snare customized with black nickel hardware. It’s sleek, clean, and the contrast between the aluminum shell and black hardware looks fantastic. Really excited to have that back in.

In the repair shop, we had a really cool Gibson Bill Kelliher Explorer come through from our buddy Sam. He recently picked it up and needed a setup, and John got it completely dialed in. This wasn’t an Explorer you see every day — it has an awesome black-and-gold dust-style finish and looked killer. After setting it up, John couldn’t resist heading into the Select Room, plugging it into the JCM800 half stack, and cranking out some Master of Puppets. It sounded absolutely fantastic.

John has been buried in the repair shop as usual — but he’s been clearing the queue every week. If you need some work done, come get in line so you can get your guitar dialed in before the next gig.

Overall, it’s been a fairly steady week at the shop. Outside of the renovation, nothing too crazy — which honestly feels nice. Now that the major construction phase is behind us, things can calm down a little bit.

And before I wrap up — we’ve got something special coming.

On Tuesday, April 14th, we’ll be hosting The Search for the Coolest Acoustic Guitar in Columbia event! As you may remember, we did this for electric guitars back in the fall of 2023 and it was an amazing night. We’re excited to bring it back — this time for acoustics — in our newly renovated acoustic showroom.

We’ll also have reps from Taylor, Martin, and Gibson joining us, making it an even more special evening. We can’t wait to see you there.

There’s a quick look at what’s been going on this week at the shop — lots of new gear, changes to the store, some cool repairs, and all the chaos that music retail brings.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s recap.

As always, thank you for the support.

Stay safe and rock on.

-Justin Sims