Hitting the high notes: can an 80-year-old publisher of sheet music and instructional books make [financial] music with a fledgling maker of guitars for girls? (Small Business).

You don't stay in business for eight decades without making a lot of changes.

Just ask the father and sons team of Alfred Publishing Co.

Alfred President Morty Manus and his sons, Ron, who is vice president of creative development, and Steve, who is CEO, have built the Van Nuys-based company into a leading publisher of sheet music and instructional books and CD-ROMs distributed through major chain music stores as well as schools nationally and internationally.

Revenues have grown from $10 million in 1992 to $28 million last year. And in December, the company made what is arguably its biggest change yet. Alfred acquired a 50 percent stake in Daisy Rock Guitars, makers of acoustic and electric guitars for girls and women.

"It's a definitely a new direction for us, but an exciting one," said Ron Manus.

Under a partnership agreement with Daisy Rock, Alfred has acquired part of the company and will, in turn, market the guitars through its network of 1,700 music dealers nationwide. Financial terms of the partnership deal were not disclosed.

"We felt this was a niche market that could really benefit from our marketing," Ron Manus said of Daisy Rock.

Daisy Rock, a two-year-old company, makes guitars that are lighter and have narrower necks, a design especially suited to women.

So far, Daisy Rock's distribution has been limited, but thanks to its founder's previous background as a musician, the instruments have caught on with a few guitarists from bands like Stone Temple Pilot and The Cure.

"I basically like the unique sound and light weight of the instrument," said Adam Levy, guitarist for pop artist Norah Jones.

Alfred hopes to put its distribution weight behind the guitars and tap the fresh market for female guitarists.

"That's really one of the most important aspects, along with having Alfred's great management team on our side," said Daisy Rock founder and President Tish Ciravolo.

Ciravolo said she expects the company's sales to double this year, although she declined to discuss specifics.

"We're seeing our sales growing with more exposure thanks to things like our new 'Power Puff Girls' guitar (based on the cartoon) and more artists using Daisy Rock guitars," she said.

The third largest music publisher behind Hal Leonard Corp. of Milwaukee, and Warner Brothers Publications, based in Miami, Alfred has carved its niche by targeting music schools and music teachers throughout the country.

Gary Ingle, executive director at the Music Teachers National Association in Cincinnati, pointed to the company's inventive use of CD-ROMs and other learning aids as Alfred's strong suit.

"Alfred's publications are popular because their authors are in tune with the needs and desires of both music teachers and their students," he said.

Alfred's CD-ROMs were among the first to make extensive use of graphics to help illustrate instructional materials along with easy-to-understand language.

Not all of Alfred's ventures into new territory have succeeded. Back in the 1970s, the company attempted to enter the college textbook market with dismal results.

But the company made big strides in the 1990s by offering its books with CD-ROMs and DVDs instead of cassette tapes, reducing the cost of the books and winning a larger base of clients.

By selling its books to music superstores like Guitar Center and Sam Ash Music in 1992, Alfred attracted pop music and Rock 'n Roll musicians, both amateur and professional, further expanding its market and boosting its revenues.

Growth stalled when Alfred's roof collapsed in the North-ridge earthquake in 1994, but last year, the company's revenues reached $28 million, and sales are projected to hit $31 million this year.

Sam Manus, Morty's father, acquired the company in 1928 from Alfred Piantodosi, who founded the business in New York in 1922. In 1975, the Manus's moved Alfred to Van Nuys.

Alfred employs 90 workers at its Van Nuys headquarters. Another 200 are employed at other national and international locations.

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Alfred Publishing Co.

Year Founded: 1922

Employees in 1992: 34

Employees in 2002: 290

Revenues in 1992: $10 million

Revenues in 2002: $28 million

Goal: To expand its customer base.

Driving Force: The growing number of students interested in learning to play piano and guitar.