Swedish Music Industry

Ahmet Ediz grew up in Turkey and began playing the violin at an early age.  He became a professional concert musician and traveled with several orchestras.  Along the way he noticed a need to better care for his instrument, particularly regarding the wood.  He noticed that even the instruments of his fellow musicians who cared for their violins would crack when the wood became too dry.  Ahmet soon developed a powder, which he placed in a pouch that would allow moisture into the case without getting the instrument wet.  The powder holds water that acts like a humidor for the instru

Martin Elneff is owner of i.K. Gottfried, a music store specializing in sales, production and repair of woodwind instruments since 1796. As a teenager Martin started in retail at Marno Sørensen music store in the heart of Copenhagen. He moved on to become successful starting an online business. When he sold this venture Martin looked back and realized that he very much enjoyed working at the music store years ago. So he set out to buy two important music stores in Copenhagen: Marno Sørensen music and i.K Gottfried. In this interview Martin talks about his old boss Poul Marno Soren

Bo Engberg was asked by a guitarist friend if he would please build a better amplifier. That one request from a friend change the direction of his career because Bo soon discovered he really enjoyed the inner workings of the amp and thought of a few ways he could improve on the design and functionality. Fast forward to 1979 when he created his first amp and again to 1985 by which time he had sold over 600 units.

Markus Engelbrekts brings a unique perspective to the music industry, drawing on his background in fashion and consumer goods to develop sharp skills in branding, strategy, and customer experience. Today, as CEO of Strandberg Guitars, Markus leads a team dedicated to pushing boundaries in design and innovation while staying true to the company’s mission of creating guitars unlike any other. He is especially proud of the Strandberg Family of artists, a passionate community that shares their performances and testimonials across social media, amplifying the brand’s reach and celebrat

Benny Englund was a rock and roll singer as a teen when he fell in love with the music industry!  He toured with groups as a roadie and sound engineer.  He also worked for a time for a few record companies and traveled with groups such as the Hollies with Graham Nash and the Rolling Stones.  Benny opened the first music store in Sweden to sell amplifiers and had his own management company at the same time.

Michael Heuser recounted his early meetings with Mr. Ikutaro Kakehashi, the founder of Roland Corporation during his NAMM interview. The two men worked on product ideas as well as the goal of creating a branch of Roland in Switzerland. Michael headed the efforts as president of Roland Switzerland to great success. Michael was also very active in supporting and guiding our industry, contributing to several programs and initiatives including the  Global Economic Summit. During his interview he also discussed his great pride in not only working with Mr. K but in being his friend.   

Werner Hotan has a background as a radio technician and worked in a music retail store in Switzerland before he began working for Mr. Sacher. Werner learned about drum making and many other instruments from Mr. Sacher, who was a legendary percussionist. As the rock and roll movement was increasing in Switzerland in the late 1960s, Werner helped increase the products in the shop, which was a wonderful success.  

Jens Kruger is one of the world’s most technically accomplished 5-string banjo players who have worked with the Deering Banjo Company to create a more sophisticated instrument; one that could holds its own in a classical music concert. Jens has played the banjo is many settings and finds the challenge to be creating an instrument that can showcase overtones and sustain, which the folks at Deering have been working on for several years. The results have been amazing and Jens is very proud of his role in creating new instruments for future players to use.

Uwe Kruger grew up singing old German folks songs with family in Switzerland. Picking up the guitar at eight years old, he later played with his brother, Jens, on street corners. His love of country and bluegrass music developed while listening to military radio stations as a kid. Uwe has always felt a strong connection with Bluegrass music and the stories that they tell. Once he moved to the United States, he started to feel like he was becoming a true musician and learned so much playing with artists like Doc Watson and Tut Taylor.

Niclas Luthman has a long history in the music industry. Beginning in 1989 at a NAMM show, Niclas started his distribution company by "accidentally" taking on the M-Audio line for Scandinavia (the original business was to develop software and accessories for synthesizers). Niclas built on this foundation, adding more lines including Mackie, Gibson, Alesis and Line 6 before moving into the music retail end. Following the acquisition of four stores, Niclas created the model for 4Sound that pulled together a number of independent music stores to create a large collective, franchise G

Yngwie Malmsteen is a ferociously talented guitar player, composer, and producer from Sweden. He first gained notoriety in the mid 1980’s when he exploded onto the music scene blending his mastery of neoclassical guitar technique with the heavy metal music genre. Building upon the fame from the bands Steeler and Alcatrazz, Malmsteen soon grabbed the reigns of his fame and started his lucrative and very productive solo career that still sends would-be guitar players back to the woodshed. His signature Fender guitar, which incorporates a scalloped neck combined with 70’s styling, is

Itte Nygren first learned of the Ronnie Gardiner Method of music therapy in the early 2000s and at once was eager to apply the treatment to her patients. She has since witnessed the healing process with patients of strokes, Alzheimer's and children with Down Syndrome and Autism. This method was created by jazz drummer Ronnie Gardiner, who used percussive rhythms and body movements for emotional and physical healing. Itte has since become a teacher of the method and established a non-profit organization to train healthcare providers so they can apply what they learn to their own pa

Johan Sahlin grew up surrounded by music, inspired by his father’s love of the guitar and the Rolling Stones. One of his fondest memories is attending a Rolling Stones concert with his dad, an experience that cemented his lifelong passion for music. Johan channels that same spirit of creativity and connection as Chief Marketing Officer for Strandberg Guitars, a company known for its innovative instruments that “challenge the norms” of guitar design. In his role, Johan oversees marketing and artist relations, helping to shape the global presence of the brand while supporting the un

Ola Strandberg is the luthier, founder and Chief Creative Officer for Strandberg Guitars located in Uppsala, Sweden. Ola actually played drums as a kid, but when the family moved and the kit did not fit in the truck, he took up the guitar. Early in his career Ola was working in a music store where he repaired and set up guitars and by the end of his teens he had made a few guitars of his own. After a 15 year career in the software industry, Ola needed a mental break, which brought him back to his passion for guitar building.

Lars Wern is the Vice President of Em Nordic AB in Stockholm, Sweden, working alongside the company’s founder, Benny Englund.  In fact, during the 2013 NAMM Show in Anaheim, Lars and Benny were interviewed together and shared their love for the industry and spoke about some of the changes they witnessed during their careers.  Lars made his own guitars as a teenager and by 1964 he had met Benny and was hired to sell musical products, a dream job for Lars.