But he can sell you a limited-edition effects pedal to get you as close as possible to the decades-old tone created by Dave Gilmour’s guitar on the Dark Side of the Moon album.
Or he can sell you the warmth you can only get recording on analog tape as opposed to digital.
Lavigna’s business, The Sound Parcel in Easton, grew from a part-time pursuit in his attic and basement to a flourishing full-time livelihood based on the hard-to-find needs of musicians.
“People are experimenting with more analog mediums. They just find a lot of joy in doing so,” Lavigna said.
The 40-year-old Nazareth man saw an unmet need in the Valley five years ago for the kind of niche equipment he sells. He’d buy the equipment on eBay, use it for a few months and then sell it. That evolved into a music equipment rental business he started online. His wife rents dresses and jewelry for big events. Why not offer new music gear with old school sounds for rental the same way?
Demand grew faster than Lavigna ever expected. As the business transitioned from rentals to mostly sales, his volume justified the move to a storefront within three years. He left his job as a software salesman and never looked back.
He says his business based in the Simon Silk Mill complex handles “1,000 shipments a month nationally and internationally, which is staggering for our little operation.”
His suppliers tell him he’s among the largest independent retailers for guitar effects pedals in the eastern United States. He carries over 100 brands of pedals and deals with more than 200 manufacturers of various music equipment.
Lavigna sells the Boss and Roland pedals you might see at a big box retailer, but his specialty is the sale of gear small companies create to mimic vintage sounds.
He sells Heritage guitars, for instance. The guitars are made at a factory abandoned by Gibson in Michigan. Former Gibson luthiers took over the factory to make limited edition guitars on the same equipment that once churned out Gibson guitars. The Heritage guitars have the same bodies as Gibson guitars but different headstocks, Lavigna said.
Effect pedals are his bread and butter, but the shop also sells boutique guitars, amps, cables, recording equipment and synthesizers.
The Sound Parcel in Easton sells mostly boutique brands of guitars and amps. The business is in the Simon Silk Mill, 669 N. 13th St. Suite A101. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hartman
The Sound Parcel in Easton sells a premium "house brand" of cable assemblies for musicians and audiophiles. The business is in the Simon Silk Mill, 669 N. 13th St. Suite A101. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hartman
The Sound Parcel allows people who see boutique gear on the internet to come in and try it out before they buy it. They likely won’t find the items he stocks for a two- to three-hour drive. And they won’t have to fight New York City traffic to play with it.
“Folks just love having a comfortable space that they can come in to try out the equipment. A lot of times it’s something they’ve only seen online or on YouTube,” he said. “They’re just blown away that this type of equipment is available here.”
He sells to professionals and hobbyists, from low profile to high profile clients.
Filmmaker J.J. Abrams snatched a limited edition Korg ARP 2600 synthesizer from the Sound Parcel. It was one of only 300 made. The audiophile who made blockbuster Star Wars and Star Trek feature films couldn’t find the synthesizer anywhere. So he reached out to Korg who reached out to Lavigna.
“We definitely have had some celebrities here and there that have purchased from us,” Lavigna said.
Most of Lavigna’s sales are online. But you are welcome to come in and play around between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or by appointment on weekends.
While the pandemic crippled many businesses, it has caused Lavigna’s to flourish. He’s grown in leaps and bounds over the last two years. While he’s gotten by with lots of contracted help, he said he’s now looking to hire more staff.
“We do surprisingly well for such a small operation,” he said.
The Sound Parcel in Easton is a high-volume independent online retailer of guitar effects pedals. The business is in the Simon Silk Mill, 669 N. 13th St. Suite A101. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hartman
Full Article: This Easton shop sells boutique guitars and gear you can’t find anywhere. Lots of it. | lehighvalleylive.com
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