Archives: Brands

Gravity® is the new brand of modern music stands by Adam Hall. After 2 years of intensive development work with users and top designers, They have created a sophisticated core range of musicians’ stands and accessories. Through many innovations, such as a customisable marking concept and the focus on design, the Gravity brand challenges the often outdated image of accessories. Technical development focused on the selection of materials and robust construction. The combination of higher material thicknesses, high-quality 2-fold injected ABS plastic, and die-cast zinc connectors creates a high degree of accuracy in absolute professional quality.

Gravity products feature their unique sheen green “G” rings that are replaceable in seconds. Available in a variety of attractive colours, you can now customize your stands with additional ring packs and match them to your show‘s visuals, music genre or personal preference.

What‘s more, the smart “G” ring concept provides convenient colour coding to indicate a stand‘s intended purpose, placement on stage or the performer to use it. Just pick your colours to add style and distinction to your stands, or choose vanta black “G” rings for a classic, discreet look. These are included with most Gravity products.

Gravity® – Stand your ground.
Designed and Engineered in Germany.

Gravity is part of the Adam Hall brand. Direct Imports is excited to have been appointed the exclusive distributor of Cameo Lightning, Gravity Premium Stands, LD Systems Pro Audio & Palmer Musical Instruments for NZ.

About ADAM HALL

Adam Hall is a key international player in the pro audio, light and event industry, not to mention the specialist musical stockist industry. Adam Hall develops and produces professional, innovative audio and LED lighting solutions for stages, studios, radio, fixed installation and even live sound – and all with growing success: it is today regarded as one of the world’s top 25 manufacturers in the field of professional events technology.

Adam Hall has developed audio products under the name Palmer since 1980 and equips studios and musicians with guitar amps, selectors, DI boxes, splitters, effects devices and power supplies.
LD Systems was introduced in 2002 as a brand for professional audio technology and system solutions. It today offers a broad range from wireless audio transmission through portable sound systems to installation speakers.

The Cameo brand has represented professional LED lighting equipment and laser effects since 2012.
Gravity is the latest own brand from Adam Hall. After 2 years of intensive development work with users and top designers, a sophisticated core range of musicians’ stands and accessories was launched in 2015.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

Pro Audio in Motion

Designed in Germany, heard around the world!

Within just a decade LD Systems® has become a major pro audio brand with an extensive range of product lines. The expert LD engineering team and highly motivated personnel are continuously engaged in creating advanced, state-of-the-art audio equipment that provides superior sonic performance and exceptional value. Designed in Germany, LD Systems® professional audio products deliver world-class sound around the globe.

LD Systems is part of the Adam Hall brand. Direct Imports is excited to have been appointed the exclusive distributor of Cameo Lightning, Gravity Premium Stands, LD Systems Pro Audio & Palmer Musical Instruments for NZ.

About ADAM HALL

Adam Hall is a key international player in the pro audio, light and event industry, not to mention the specialist musical stockist industry. Adam Hall develops and produces professional, innovative audio and LED lighting solutions for stages, studios, radio, fixed installation and even live sound – and all with growing success: it is today regarded as one of the world’s top 25 manufacturers in the field of professional events technology.

Adam Hall has developed audio products under the name Palmer since 1980 and equips studios and musicians with guitar amps, selectors, DI boxes, splitters, effects devices and power supplies.
LD Systems was introduced in 2002 as a brand for professional audio technology and system solutions. It today offers a broad range from wireless audio transmission through portable sound systems to installation speakers.

The Cameo brand has represented professional LED lighting equipment and laser effects since 2012.
Gravity is the latest own brand from Adam Hall. After 2 years of intensive development work with users and top designers, a sophisticated core range of musicians’ stands and accessories was launched in 2015.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

Seldom in the history of rock – in the history of guitar playing, period – can monumental change be attributed to a single guitarist whose own individual contribution amount to nothing short of an astounding re-imaging of the instrument’s possibilities and whose playing abilities and innovations are so utterly dazzling as to be considered truly revolutionary. Such is the case with Edward Van Halen.

At the Fender ® Global Dealers Dinner in Anaheim California in January 2007, Edward Van Halen announced the launch of his new line of musical products, starting with a meticulously crafted replica of his own famous Frankenstein^TM guitar,  and then followed by the introduction of the EVH5150 ш

EVH® is part of the FMIC family and is distributed exclusively in New Zealand by Direct Imports (NZ) Ltd.

EVH® and EVH® logo are the registered trademarks of E.L.V.H Inc.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

In November 1978, Wayne Charvel sold the small Azusa, California, company he founded earlier that decade, Charvel’s Guitar Repair, to one of his employees, Grover Jackson. Charvel left the company soon afterward and ceased having any real association with the company’s name from that point on.

Jackson promptly began building highly regarded electric guitars bearing the Charvel name. In 1980, he was introduced to Ozzy Osbourne’s new young guitarist, Randy Rhoads; the two began to develop an angular, neck-through-body guitar designed by Rhoads himself that quickly evolved into a model dubbed the “Concorde.” Wary of putting the Charvel name on this radical new instrument lest it not prove a smashing success, Jackson instead put his own surname on the headstock in a move that prompted the creation of the Jackson guitar brand (the guitar was eventually re-christened the “Rhoads” model and remains a top Jackson seller today).

In the meantime, Grover Jackson had moved production to neighboring Glendora, California, where both brands were manufactured until moving to Ontario, California, in 1986.

Grover Jackson sold Jackson/Charvel to Japanese manufacturer AMIC in 1989. Thenceforth, Charvel guitars were produced to very high standards in Japan until 1991. Interestingly, the neck plates on these bolt-on neck Charvel models bear AMIC’s Fort Worth, Texas, address despite the fact that they were built in Japan.

Charvel’s active-electronics Model 4 and Model 6 guitars became popular in the latter part of the ’80s before the line was revamped in 1989 into several different series, including the Classic, Fusion and Contemporary instruments. Guitars in the Classic series included the 275, 375, 375 Deluxe, 475 and 750xl models. Fusion series deluxe and custom guitars had shorter scales than the others; the Contemporary line included the Predator and Spectrum models. Most of these guitars featured Schaller®-made hardware, including licensed Floyd Rose® locking tremolo units. The Korean-made Charvette brand was also introduced during these years to cover the lower end of the market.

Unfortunately at the time, the grunge rock boom of the early 1990s spelled trouble for Charvel; the brand fell from favor and suffered a drop in quality as the name was used on lower-quality budget instruments. Nonetheless, the ’90s and early 2000s did see several attempts to restore Jackson/Charvel to its ’80s-era glory, with high-quality Japanese and U.S.-made guitars such as the Journeyman. And, of course, original U.S.-made Charvel guitars (referred to as San Dimas models after the San Dimas, Calif., P.O. box listed on their neck plates) remain some of the most highly sought-after guitars in the world today.

Charvel and Jackson were bought by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in fall 2002, and the Charvel name saw a rebirth with several U.S.-made San Dimas^TM models, so named in order to recapture the spirit of the original high-quality U.S.-made guitars.

Today, Charvel offers several U.S.-made boutique guitars, including an Eddie Van Halen signature model (a very few of which were actually stenciled by Van Halen himself) and a special 2007 run of limited edition Grover Jackson Legacy Series historic instruments that expertly evoke the name’s 1980 heyday.

Charvel® guitars are part of the FMIC family and are distributed exclusively by Direct Imports (NZ) Ltd.

Charvel® is the trademark owned by Jackson/Charvel Manufacturing, Inc (JCMI).

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

From day one, Jackson® decided to be the leader in high performance edgy guitars. Today, they continue that tradition by offering you the very best quality materials and had craftsmanship at every price point.

From their world-renowned Custom Shop instruments, to the value driven JS series, only Jackson® guitars offer you this unrivalled level of commitment to quality, value and EXTREME PERFORMANCE.

Jackson® guitars are part of the FMIC family and are distributed exclusively by Direct Imports (NZ) Ltd

Jackson® is the trademark owned by Jackson/Charvel Manufacturing, Inc (JCMI).

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

For more than 100 years Gretsch® has developed what came to be known as “That Great Gretsch Sound ^TM,” but it all began with a young German immigrant in Brooklyn.

At 27, Friedrich Gretsch founded a small musical instrument shop 1883 to make banjos, drums and tambourines. Only 12 years later Friedrich died, leaving the fledgling company in the hands of his teenage son Fred.

While it may be an unlikely start for a century-long (and growing) musical legacy, young Fred wasn’t the typical teen. By 1916 he had built the company into one of America’s leading importers and manufacturers of musical instruments, and the operations moved into a 10-story building at 60 Broadway in Brooklyn.

Fred knew listening to what the public wanted was the key to growth, and the public wanted guitars. So, Gretsch® began making guitars.

Initially, Gretsch® offered acoustic archtops aimed at jazz musicians, and a handful of flat-tops for country-western performers.

Meanwhile, 1935 marked an important year for Gretsch® – Duke Kramer joined the team. Kramer went on to become a mainstay of the Gretsch® company, and remains a valued counsel to this day.

“That distinctive sound was our product, the sound that energized the market for decades,” Kramer says.

Fred Gretsch, Sr. retired from the company in 1942, leaving the day-to-day operations to his sons Fred, Jr. and William.

Fred Gretsch, Jr. managed the company briefly, then left the company to serve with distinction as a commander in the Navy, and Bill Gretsch became president. Kramer recalls, “Bill was a man with a subtle talent for inspiring people to do their best and a genius for constructive counsel. His sense of humor was irresistible. When he passed away in 1948, a legion of individuals felt they lost their best friend.”

Command was again passed to Fred Gretsch, Jr. and the Navy veteran led the company into a new age of prosperity in the “atomic age” ’50s. Gretsch, being the first to use custom color finishes, and offering a wide variety of space age gizmos and gimmickry, was uniquely positioned to succeed in the era. Through the 50s, they even outsold Leo Fender’s wonderful new creations. High-profile artists and endorsers like Chet Atkins, Eddie Cochran and Duane Eddy didn’t hurt, either.

The ’60s brought a further boost to Gretsch® when George Harrison played a succession of Gretsch® models.

In the late ’60s, Fred Gretsch retired and sold the company to Baldwin® Manufacturing. Baldwin had difficulty understanding Gretsch’s position in the market and failed to make a transition through the psychedelic ’60s and hard-rock ’70s. Kids inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton turned to Fender®. To make matters worse, Baldwin® moved production to Arkansas, and Gretsch® suffered through two disastrous fires.

The Baldwin® marriage was always an unhappy one. With sales down and the head office increasingly disinterested, Gretsch® limped through the 70s and finally shut down production in the early 80s.

But ever since the company had left the family, Fred Gretsch III had vowed it would return. In 1985 his dream came true, and through the 90s he brought Gretsch® back into the limelight with a series of successful re-issues and new models.

In late 2002 a deal was struck for Fender® Musical Instruments Corp. to handle Gretsch® manufacturing and distribution, bringing that “Great Gretsch Sound^TM” to be heard worldwide once again.

Gretsch® trademarks are owned by Fred W Gretsch Enterprises Ltd.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

Direct Imports is the exclusive distributor of iDance Headphone Technology.

iDance is a leading audio brand that reflects the collision of the music, fashion, Dj and action sports lifestyles. iDance distinctive logo symbolizes youth, rebellion love and passion. The company’s motto “it is your life, it is your style.”

More than great design, iDance puts more value in your pack in adding some Software as Magic Muffin Player to organise your music, or PCDJ DEX2 LE, DJ software that let you mix your music, from your computer your iTunes Play list. More than words, you will get real power in iDance audio packs.

iDance Audio provides a variety of headphones and earphones that are targeted to be used and abused in all kind of everyday lifestyles.There is no need to ruin your style, iDance provides 2 main collections in a year, and these are shot as fashion shows. In ear, or over the ear, at affordable prices.
But don’t forget, NO compromise, our products looks good, and they sound good.

Most of our products come with the in-line microphone, making them compatible for most iPhone, iPad or iPod.

As music matters, iDance team, product specialist, designer, engineer, are all music lovers, musicians, DJs or producers.

iDance, it is your life, it is your style.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

Direct Imports is delighted to have been appointed the exclusive New Zealand distributor of IK Multimedia Products effective from the 1^st July 2015.

IK Multimedia is a multi-national company based in Modena, Italy. They have business units operating in 7 countries: Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Hong Kong. Their products are sold in over 120 countries with a network of 15,000 resellers and used by millions of musicians worldwide. The IK team includes nearly 100 people that take care of all aspects of their music creation products enterprise with passion.

It all began in a small town in northern Italy. Not just any small town, but a town rich in heritage — a heritage of innovation. A town known as the sports car capital of the world, and also known for its exquisite cuisine and as the birthplace of Balsamic Vinegar. And the birthplace of one of the most innovative companies in the music industry – the town of Modena, Italy.

Back in 1996 two Italian engineers got together to solve a problem in a recording studio. Could you get the sound of classic analog gear from a computer? One of them said (in Italian, of course) “Could we emulate electronic circuits using DSP algorithms and feed an audio signal through the computer and get the same sound?” The answer was yes, the piece of gear they emulated was a vintage Abbey Road console, and a company was born.

Although that’s a pretty simplified version of how IK came to be, it reflects the driving philosophy behind all of their products: give musicians the tools they want/need to be creative and productive.

Recreate classic legendary products in the digital world and make them available to all musicians. But make them simple. Make them both aspirational and affordable. And make them for Musicians First.

Their company motto, “Musicians First,” actually has a couple of different meanings.

First, they’re musicians. And musicians first — engineers, software designers, business specialists, marketing and sales pros, warehouse experts, logistics managers and overall nice guys and girls second. What does that mean to you? It means that they only design and create products that Musicians would use. It’s a very simple philosophy, but there’s beauty in simplicity, and it actually guides their product development and production processes.

You see, they don’t “exceed” expectations at IK. They create completely new ones by creating tools that inspire new levels of creativity.

They create products musicians use to create music whenever and wherever the inspiration strikes them!

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

Direct Imports is honoured to have been appointed the exclusive New Zealand distributor of DPA Microphones effective from the 31^st March 2014.

DPA Microphones creates products born from a single idea – Sonic Excellence.

For any company, excellence grows from the foundation and DPA have strong roots.

The company originated with BrÜel & Kjaer., the Danish sound & vibration measurement company respected worldwide for unerring dedication to quality and technical superiority.

Since 1992, when DPA created its first product until now, this standard has been maintained.

DPA products are designed and manufactured on request of sound aficionados.

A superior transducer is accurate both on and off-axis and DPA Microphones are designed with this in mind. Whether it’s a singer, choir, single violin or drum kit; or the roar of a Formula 1 car or a rocket launch, DPA can deliver a great sounding solution.

All products are made on site in their factory in Denmark, giving DPA complete control over all aspects of manufacturing.

When working in the studio, live venue, recording in the field or broadcasting, professionals trust in the performance of DPA microphones to capture the same sound quality time after time. With DPA’s commitment to quality they are supporting users now and in the future by developing microphones solutions that suit today’s and tomorrow’s needs.

DPA also supply the industry’s best range of supporting products for their microphones.

Please find our Mic University here.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.

For more than 30 years, TASCAM® has developed products for every segment of the sound and music industry. From the high-end audio professional in a major post-production studio to the novice or hobbyist at home, TASCAM® is everywhere. They are a company committed to providing their customers audio/video solutions that enable breakthroughs by using sound in ways that are as exciting as they are accessible.

TASCAM® is one of four divisions of TEAC® Corporation, a $1.2 billion manufacturing company headquartered in Japan. Since its founding in 1953, other divisions of TEAC® have evolved into high-tech leaders in data storage devices, consumer electronics tools and industrial products, but TASCAM® has remained dedicated to making innovative products for capturing creativity in the field of music and audio.

There have been many world first’s in TASCAM’s history, and they continue to lead the industry today. They have won countless awards and accolades for taking a leading role to today’s digital audio recording industry.

In New Zealand Tascam® is extensively used in the Film Industry, supplying equipment to the NZ Film Unit for use with Lord of the Rings^TM.

It is also extensively used in the recording, radio and television industry right through to the home musician where Tascam® M.I products can be found throughout the country from leading music retailers.

Direct Imports (NZ) Ltd is proud to have been associated with Teac® & Tascam® for over 40 years.

Teac® and Tascam® are registered trademarks of Teac Corporation.

Visit their website for a full product listing and more information or contact us directly.