KSM unplugged; KSM Music offers Cache Valley residentsa a variety of instruments and music accessories
Ten years after creating custom guitars on his own for friends, Kevin Moore, owner of KSM Music, is providing Cache Valley musicians a store built just for them.
KSM’s custom, hand-crafted guitar design is as unique as the store itself.
Moore said he used to create the guitars to the customers’ specifications, but decided to work on one custom model and perfect it to make the best guitar possible.
Calling it the “358 model,” this instrument is different because it’s a “neck through” guitar.
“The neck goes through the body and is bolted onto the bridge. This creates a more comfortable design and makes the instrument a whole rather than a bunch of various parts,” Moore said.
Another important aspect of these custom guitars and KSM is the “revolutionary bridge design,” which is currently undergoing the patenting process. “The new bridge has no air under the strings, unlike regular guitars,” Moore said. “It brings out the body of the guitar and makes the notes sound longer and more sustained.”
This design is currently only available at KSM, although Moore said he is looking at marketing it nationwide.
Originally using his initials in the store name as KSM Guitars, Moore said he changed the name when his store began offering more instruments and services than just selling and repairing guitars.
Today, the store not only sells guitars, but drums, keyboards, banjos, mandolins and other instruments.
Recently, KSM has started renting out band and orchestra instruments, as well as teaching lessons for guitar, drums, banjo, harmonica and other instruments.
They can also repair “almost any string instrument,” Amanda Moore, Kevin’s daughter and an employee, said.
The store offers clinics as well as summer teaching programs. Also, the store recently got in a new line of products for home recording and has set up a demo station where people can try the new equipment out, Kevin said.
Because of their large inventory. KSM attracts a wide range of people. Although many college students shop there, they don’t make up the majority of customers, Amanda said.
“It’s pretty well spread out, but I’d say the biggest majority is moms shopping for their kids who are taking lessons,” she said. She also said that there’s quite a large customer base from around the valley and Idaho. “We see all musicians of all ages. Mostly guitarists, but we have some band and orchestra musicians, too,” she said.
The staff, though knowledgeable, will look something up if they don’t have the answer to a question, Amanda said.
For specific questions, the KSM Web site lists which employees might be able to best answer those questions.
“We don’t like to compare ourselves with anyone else,” she said.
“We like to keeps a good relationship with all the local businesses, but we have a larger selection, more services and competitive prices.”
-limarc@cc.usu.edu
