In the last several years, I’ve heard a common refrain from brick-and-mortar music products retailers both large and small: low-price, high-margin items like accessories, cables, and bags and cases have become the bread-and-butter sales powering their stores. This puts a company like Petaluma CA-based Ace Products Group, which boasts well-respected brands that include Kaces, Strukture and Reunion Blues, in an enviable position, and it’s made the company’s products extremely desirable for stores like yours to stock. This time, we spotlight Reunion Blues’ new RBX series of gig bags. Dave Andrus, Vice President at Ace Products Group, explains how they’ve set the entire industry abuzz.
“Reunion Blues has the distinction of being the first brand in the industry to recognize that there was a market for a ‘gig bag’ that was designed to protect the instrument,” explained Andrus. Over the years, the brand built a following among professional musicians who didn’t want to lug their heavy cases around constantly. Reunion Blues’ signature has been a blend of comfort, style and, above all else, protection. “We’ve worked hard over the last several years to bring that founding ethos to a wider segment of the market,” Andrus continued. “First was with our RB Continental line; now, it’s with the new RBX series. Reunion Blues still commands an enormous amount of respect in the musician community, and our dealers recognize the benefits of representing the brand to their customers.”
The company started to brainstorm RBX shortly after launching the RB Continental, but it wasn’t until the RB Continental became successfully entrenched in the market that RBX really started to take shape. According to Andrus, “Our goal was to complement the RB Continental case with a line of stylish gig bags that incorporated some of the RB Continental’s features, but at price points that could put the brand within reach of a much wider market.” Reunion Blues also recognized that each product fulfilled a different need: if you’re traveling or touring, you need a case that you can conveniently carry onto a flight and still confidently check at the gate; around town, however, you might want something a little lighter weight that you can sling over your shoulder on the subway or carry on a bike. “RBX fills the latter need,” he continued. “And with price points in the $100 to $120 range, they’re affordable for a much larger group of musicians.”
Reunion Blues’ initial RBX series launch covered the brand’s core guitar business: dreadnought, electric guitar and bass. “We like to use the NAMM show to fine-tune and get customer feedback,” Andrus stated. “So, we also showed prototypes for several other instruments: small-body acoustic, tenor and concert uke, and cymbals.” The response to the line, needless to say, was unambiguously positive. “We pretty quickly determined that there was demand for the whole range,” Andrus added.
Let’s delve into what’s gotten everyone so excited. From a protection standpoint, all the guitar models are using a very light, but dense, layered foam padding that is reinforced in key areas with a rigid EVA, which adds some impact resistance. “We also have a redesigned neck cradle and endpin rest that work together to provide a lot of protection in a really lightweight frame,” Andrus enthused, hastening to add that the cymbal bag is constructed a little differently, although with the same basic philosophy. “Our Zero G handle was one of the most popular features of the RB Continental,” he continued, “so all the RBX models include that, as well.”
Reunion Blues has trimmed out the bags with ample pockets and backpacks, so you can get around easily with all the gear you’ll need for any gig, all while looking stylish. “Aesthetically speaking, we’ve used a really high quality rip stop for the outer material and patterned it with a really striking quilted chevron effect,” Andrus detailed. It makes for a very modern, urban look. “Our customers expect our products to look great,” he continued, “so we try to raise the bar with every new product release.” In the case of RBX: mission accomplished!
The RBX series has recently expanded, adding two new double gig bag models for both electric and bass guitars. According to Andrus, “We actually get a lot of calls for double bags, but, before RBX, we weren’t able to offer anything in this price range [$199 MAP]. The response to it has been amazing!” From a design standpoint, the doubles are a perfect fit for RBX because, naturally, musicians want a double bag to be somewhat light. “When you’re using two guitars or basses,” Andrus began, “you’re already packing a lot of weight from the instruments themselves…not to mention the added bulk. So, it really requires a sleek protection system like we have in the RBX.”
Although Reunion Blues has been fortunate to have a strong core of “early adopter” dealers that jumped on RBX quite early, the company’s also making a concerted effort to get the word out to a broader number of dealers by offering programs to help retailers secure stock, as well as lock in discounted pricing for the remainder of the year. “We do have a limited production capacity for the remainder of the year,” Andrus revealed. “So, we’re encouraging dealers to get onboard soon to guarantee stock for the holiday season.” Reunion Blues’ aggressive dealer outreach complements a steady stream of social-media blasts, Web content, contests and strategic ad placement, all intended to get RBX in front of consumers and, most importantly, pull them into your store.
With all RBX series models currently shipping, the Reunion Blues brain trust is continuing to innovate and sketch out plans. According to Andrus, “Our vision of RBX as a subset of the Reunion Blues brand is very much based on the combination of quality and value. So, I expect we’ll see other ranges of RBX product in the future.” Consider the industry’s appetite whetted!
As the holidays approach, serious musicians who regularly gig around town are going to be compiling their Christmas lists. With accessories, bags and cases continuing to reign supreme in neighborhood MI stores like yours, items that offer high value and high margins like Reunion Blues’ RBX series gig bags might be the thing to add a little “merry” to your Christmas season.
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