PR – Willcox Guitars, the pioneers of optical pickup technology, increases its retail presence with a new dealer network and plans for new product categories throughout 2017 –

2016 has been an exciting year for the Southern California guitar and bass maker. They have learned from their recent successes and have continued to make a serious impact on the guitar and bass community, by responding to the market’s demands for innovative and useful technology in their instruments.

“2017 is going to be the year that everyone Hears the Light” says the company’s newly appointed Director of Sales Programs, Paul Wilson. “I’ve spent the last 15 years shopping at and working for music gear retailers, and trying to figure out how the business works… music is passion, music is language, and it’s such an important part of so many people’s lives. Like a lot of emerging companies, we’re trying to give people new ways to express themselves through music” said Wilson, talking about the company’s proprietary LightWave Optical Pickups, arguably the first real innovation in stringed instrument pickups in over 40 years.

Willcox traditionally retailed their offerings direct only, via their website, but now has nearly 20 authorized dealers worldwide. “The way people are buying instruments is changing, and there are always big surprises, but one thing I feel will never change, is people’s desire to feel and play new instruments, their desire to share that enthusiasm for music gear with a local dealer they have a relationship with… that’s magic, that’s why I’m in the business,” said Wilson, adding that “Our dealers are some of the greatest people in the business and they’re our partners in bringing this disruptive new technology to a very nostalgia-based market.”

“Our instruments are for serious players looking for an exciting, new and better way of creating music, with high quality, boutique-level instruments as the platform” said company’s president and creator of optical pickups Christopher Willcox. Regarding the decision to not exhibit at Winter NAMM Willcox says “We’re taking all the money we’d ordinarily spend on NAMM and investing it into product development. We owe it to our players, and to our dealers. We’re not trying to be the big guys, we’re trying to bring this technology to everyone who wants it, and subsequently we’re committed to releasing new models of instruments this coming year.”

For 2017, in addition to the Stylus Electric Upright bass, Willcox Guitars plans to release a new electric guitar model, an entry level electric bass, as well as expand their MIDI-capable HexFX instruments.

Learn more at: willcoxguitars.com