New York, NY (May 11, 2018)—Yamaha has acquired Ampeg from Loud Audio; the manufacturer of bass amplifiers and pedals founded in 1942 will become part of a newly created U.S. subsidiary, Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc.
Ampeg will be headquartered at Yamaha Guitar Group’s offices in Calabasas, CA, following a transition in the coming months. Shoji Mita and Marcus Ryle are co-presidents of the new subsidiary, which also includes the Yamaha guitar and Line 6 brands.
“There is enormous respect for Ampeg within Yamaha,” said Mita. “Both Yamaha and Ampeg have histories in the guitar market that stretch back over seventy years, so we see the two brands as great companions for one another. We intend to maintain the outstanding quality and commitment to tone that the Ampeg brand has long-exemplified.”
Announcing the sale, Loud executives characterized the move as one made in order to place more focus on its Pro Audio efforts. “Simplifying the Loud business so that the Mackie brand, in particular, could be free from the constraints of a complex organization was always a cornerstone of our thesis for the Loud acquisition,” said Ty Schultz, managing partner at Transom Capital Group, Loud’s parent company.
Loud Audio’s former iteration, Loud Technologies, first acquired Ampeg in March, 2005 as part of its purchase of St. Louis Music. Last October, Loud and its various brands—Mackie, EAW, Martin Audio, Blackheart, Crate, Ampeg and Tapco—were sold to Transom Capital Group, and the company was renamed Loud Audio LLC.
Alex Nelson, president and managing director of Music Gear brands at Loud Audio, noted in a statement, “Ampeg is loved and respected by both customers and by our Loud employees, so we are happy to see it move into the hands of a company like Yamaha. We are confident that we have found Ampeg the best possible home.”
Ampeg • http://ampeg.com
Loud Audio • www.loudaudio.com
Yamaha Guitar Group • www.yamahaguitargroup.com
