Ernie Ball Music Man Hits a Hole in One at NAMM Show

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (February 6, 2006)  -- The 2006 Winter NAMM show
played host to approximately 80,000 attendees, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the upcoming year's hottest new music related products. The Ernie Ball Company welcomed attendees into their Caddyshack themed booth, complete with a putting green, to check out new and exclusive instruments and accessories for 2006.

The debut of two new instruments showing at NAMM for ’06  created a large buzz. The 20th Anniversary Silhouette and the 30th Anniversary StingRay attracted large crowds and generated buzz inside the golf-friendly booth. Blending original features with modern improvements, both instruments were displayed and available for ordering.  Also shown were instruments in the fourth installment to the Limited Edition series, a special-run  featuring an all black finish and custom gold hardware package. The company also took orders for new glass Pyrex slides, which will ship in late February. The Ernie Ball Music Man booth achieved record sales figures for  guitars, basses, and strings.

A growing favorite in the Music Man Line, the Bongo’s huge sound filled the booth and drew crowds as Ernie Ball Music Man artists including world class bass player Cliff Hugo (Supertramp), Carl Verheyan and bass virtuoso Stan Sargeant (formerly of the Tonight Show) jammed on the Bongo 4 and Bongo 5.

Fans also gathered by the “shack” for a meet and greet with bassist John Moyer from Disturbed, who autographed photos for them.

Ernie Ball was the first to offer rock strings with the creation of Slinkys, and further revolutionized the market by offering guitarists Custom-Gauge single strings. The Ernie Ball Company also produces Music Man guitars and basses, volume pedals, and other accessories. The company's strings and accessories are available in more than 6,000 music stores throughout the U.S. The company also exports to 82 countries. For more information, contact the Ernie Ball company at (800) 543-2255, or visit their website at www.ernieball.com.

These products are Ernie Ball trademarks registered in the USA and many foreign countries:

ERNIE BALL®     CUSTOM GAUGE®     SLINKY®     EARTHWOOD®
MUSICMAN®
STINGRAY®     SILHOUETTE®     AXIS®
STERLING®     4+2®     3+1®

Trademark ownership is indicated by the symbol ®, however, for the sake of brevity it is omitted during the story.

Contact:
Derek Brooks
Ernie Ball, Inc.
(800) 543-2255

Media Contact:
Keith Negrin
MORSEKODE
(952) 853-9555