String Manufacturers

tplank · #1 10-08-2009, 01:21 PM

I've been curious about this for a while. I was told there are not very many actual manufacturers of guitar strings and that most are made in a few facilities. I've tried googling and such to find out more about it, but with no luck.

This doesn't really affect any purchasing decisions and don't really view it as that important, but I've had my curiosity tweaked. Anybody have any links or other scoop?

Glennwillow · #2 10-08-2009, 01:26 PM

I have heard this too and found the same amount of information on the subject as you -- zero. I can understand why this information is not easy to find. And as you've said, it's not going to change my purchasing decisions or what I like to use.

Tplank, I see you are relatively new to the forum -- WELCOME!

Regards, Glenn

tplank · #3 10-08-2009, 01:28 PM

I have lurked here a bunch ... lot of good information. I love to listen in on what real musicians have to say about my obsession.

Glennwillow · #4 10-08-2009, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplank

I have lurked here a bunch ... lot of good information. I love to listen in on what real musicians have to say about my obsession.

Good! Hang around -- lot of nice and knowledgeable people here!

- Glenn

dmcowles@comcas · #5 10-08-2009, 01:35 PM

D'Addario is based in Farmindale, NY, Martin makes their strings in Mexico, GHS makes their own in Michigan, and, believe it not, Black Diamond strings are made right here in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. I believe that John Pearse strings are also independently made.

Dave

SuperB23 · #6 10-08-2009, 01:39 PM

Curt Mangan Strings are made in their own factory or shop as well. I have a feeling there are probably more different factories/shops then we realize.

Monsoon1 · #7 10-08-2009, 02:28 PM

I'd bet the farm, the animals, and all the cats and dogs, that there is no such thing as a boutique manufacturer of strings. I have a long manufacturing background, and I can tell you with utmost certainty that the plant required to actually "make" the string, would cost a major fortune, probably upwards of a hundred million dollar range.
You're talking a full blown foundry that can deal with various types of alloy, and this would not be any kind of small facility.

Much like Craftsman with it's tools, these companies do nothing more than shop out the wire specifications to the manufacturer, and probably get spools in the thousands of feet that they cut to length and wrap/package in their small facilities.
But that's a long long ways from being an actual manufacturer.

Wade Hampton · #8 10-08-2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmcowles@comcas

D'Addario is based in Farmindale, NY, Martin makes their strings in Mexico, GHS makes their own in Michigan, and, believe it not, Black Diamond strings are made right here in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. I believe that John Pearse strings are also independently made.

Yes, they are, in Pennsylvania.

Adding to the list of makers, Ernie Ball makes its own and many other brands besides in California, Everly makes its namesake strings as well as Cleartones, LaBella makes its own strings, and Gibson has a string production facility in Wheaton, Illinois.

As for European brands, Thomastik and Newtone both make their own. In the case of Newtones, it's one guy, named Newton, doing all the work.

whm

Monsoon1 · #9 10-08-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Yes, they are, in Pennsylvania.

Adding to the list of makers, Ernie Ball makes its own and many other brands besides in California, Everly makes its namesake strings as well as Cleartones, LaBella makes its own strings, and Gibson has a string production facility in Wheaton, Illinois.

As for European brands, Thomastik and Newtone both make their own. In the case of Newtones, it's one guy, named Newton, doing all the work.

whm

Wade, read the post above yours. There's not a chance in the world that these small companies actually manufacture the string wire.
At the extreme end, you might have a facility that has a small coating line that hey can feed a spool of wire through, to get a "special" finish on the wire.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that there's one or two enormous plants in China that make the majority of actual wire now.

tplank · #10 10-08-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsoon1

Wade, read the post above yours. There's not a chance in the world that these small companies actually manufacture the string wire.

So that would be interesting to know as well and I wondered as much...if the manufactures buy wire from some common sources. That makes a lot of sense.

shadowboxer · #11 10-08-2009, 04:54 PM

While I don't believe that the small "manufacturers" actually draw their own wire - I'm certain they purchase wire made to the specs they need - I do believe that at least some wind their own strings. For example, Newtone (whose strings I adore) seems to wind their own strings, using various round core and winding sizes to achieve the desired traits.

I'm not sure that its reasonable to expect a string manufacturer to actually draw their own wire, honestly. Should guitar builders grow, harvest, and dry their own trees?

Sure, some of the small brands are probably just repackaged Ernie Ball or D'Addario strings (both great brands), and the plain strings are probably all but identical; but some of the manufacturers do produce their own strings.

ljguitar · #12 10-08-2009, 05:09 PM

Hi folks...
Everly strings are wound in California in a small factory setting...

Misifus · #13 10-08-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsoon1

Wade, read the post above yours. There's not a chance in the world that these small companies actually manufacture the string wire.

I suspect Wade knows as much about *string* manufacturing as you do. I know that John Pearce developed new string lines in his home, and did the manufacturing, as Wade said, in Pennsylvania. I know that Wade was personally acquainted with John, and he has been a John Pearce endorser for many years.

-Raf

Monsoon1 · #14 10-08-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misifus

I suspect Wade knows as much about *string* manufacturing as you do. I know that John Pearce developed new string lines in his home, and did the manufacturing, as Wade said, in Pennsylvania. I know that Wade was personally acquainted with John, and he has been a John Pearce endorser for many years.

-Raf

Winding wire into guitar strings is not manufacturing. It's assembly.

Larry Pattis · #15 10-08-2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsoon1

Winding wire into guitar strings is not manufacturing. It's assembly.

You can pick all the nits you'd like.

NO "string manufacturer" is actually manufacturing the metal wire (core or wrap-wire) that goes into the making of their strings.

They also don't mine and smelt the materials, either.

If you would like to insist on them being "string-assemblers" rather than string manufacturers, then this is your prerogative.

P.S. Automobile manufacturers don't "make" everything that goes into the "assembly" of a car...many of the products are out-sourced...so where does this leave your thinking...Ford is an auto-assembler?