Fender buys PreSonus

Founded by Jim Odom and Brian Smith in 1995, PreSonus is known for its Studio One digital audio workstation and its array of hardware products, including headphones, StudioLive mixers, Quantum audio interfaces and more. The company will continue to operate independently for now.  

“After more than 25 years, PreSonus feels it has found the right partner to support us as we continue our growth,” Odom said. “We look forward to showing our current and future music community what this opportunity means for them”.

PreSonus CEO Jim Boitnott said: “PreSonus and Fender’s combined vision, the way we see the future of music creation, and the fundamental alignment of goals has made this an exciting idea since the first conversation.”

Fender is renowned for its prestigious guitar range over the past 75 years. The company says it aims to cultivate an ecosystem that “seamlessly integrates hardware and software to create an effortless end-to-end experience” for all music makers. Fender says that while most guitar and bass players still plug into amplifiers, many also plug their instruments into interfaces, using virtual amps and effects to create their sounds.

Fender CEO Andy Mooney said: “We are thrilled to welcome everyone on the PreSonus team to the FMIC family and excited about the future growth opportunities available to both companies. Our teams share the same passion for music, the same commitment to innovation and the same desire to inspire and equip current and future generations of artists.”

In addition, Fender said more than 1 million individuals had signed up for its Play app during the COVID-19 pandemic. The instrument manufacturer said there was an influx of young guitar players and their use of digital resources to learn the instrument. A survey commissioned by the Fender found that 72% of 10 644 respondents were between 13 and 34 years old.

Meanwhile, Fender in August partnered with songwriter and best-selling author Ari Herstand on its Artist Playbook – a step-by-step guide for emerging artists to navigate the changing music landscape.