#31
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All above comments…true. My experience too comes from the mid 1960s.
I could get civilized guitar strings only at real music stores. But where I grew up, those were way across town. If I broke a string, Black Diamonds could be purchased at Perry's Five and Dime, the drug store, even the feed store…and all within 8 or 9 blocks of my house. Easy walking or biking distance. Made the mistake to trying out heavy BD strings on my acoustic arch top once. The guitar groaned and my fingers never forgave me. Last time I bought Black Diamonds. Dirk |
#32
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BDs? The first replacement string I ever bought, didn't know there was anything else. Along with my Hamilton torture device capo, which I believe they still make. I've seen the name Black Diamond associated with strings in recent years, but not sure if it's the original company.
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#33
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I've recently moved to New Hampshire but when I was in New Jersey my home and workshop were less than 2 miles from the old National Musical String Co. building and I would pass it all the time. I hunted around and managed to pick-up a complete set of Black Diamond strings still in the original cellophane;
If ever I get the bug to make a vintage style model guitar I figure these may come in handy somehow. Mark
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Mark Hatcher www.hatcherguitars.com “"A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking". Steven Wright Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 12-19-2013 at 07:18 AM. |
#34
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I tried Black Diamond black coated strings several years ago, and they were the worst strings I've ever played. They just sounded terrible. I could tell they were awful as I was tuning up just after having put them on the guitar. I kept them on for a couple of weeks, figuring I'd give them a good try, hoping they would sound better, but no luck. And since they were black (including the unwound strings) they were almost impossible to see!
Jack
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http://www.youtube.com/user/JCGuitar?feature=mhee |
#35
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Ooooo... A blast from the past. I never saw a set that wasn't rusted. Fleeing at my best speed, I settled on Darco New Yorkers. Remember them?
Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#36
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Hi Bob...
Pre-broken in. I cut myself on Black Diamond high e strings more than once. |
#37
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I hope you had your tetanus shot up to date...
Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#38
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I had forgotten all about those strings. In the early 1960's they were what I used when first learning the guitar. Maybe that is why I quite after a few years . I'll have to check to see if there are any still around my place.
Phil |
#39
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The revived name is owned by Super Sensitive Strings ( the Cavanaugh family's business) here in Sarasota, Florida. They are nothing like the National Black Diamonds so accurately described in this thread. I've tried the new ones and was monumentally unimpressed, however.
Every guitar I owned in the late 50s and through the mid 60s had blood soaked into the fretboard from the torture inflicted on my fingertips by the old BDs .
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I've cut this thing twice and it's still too short. |
#40
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Great news fellas ! You can still get 'em !
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Diam...item5402028dc4 If I had not read this thread , I might have been tempted, owing to Ray Wylie Hubbard's apparent endorsement in the second verse of this number. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsaD1moNvMw Merry Christmas All ! |
#41
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A few years back, an elderly woman walked up to me with a pkg. of Black Diamond strings. She said, "I found these at a garage sale and I thought you might need them." Upon opening the box, I discovered they had already been on a guitar. AND from the looks of them, quite a long time ago. They were kept in an acoustic case I had for a while and I think I just finally discarded them. I still thought it was nice of that woman to spend what little money she had on a set of strings for me. Folks aren't made that way anymore. Too bad.
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Dum Spiro Spero (While I breathe, I hope.) 1979 Martin D-35, 1978 Yamaha G230 classical, Yamaha A3R VS, Yamaha AC3R VS, Yamaha LS16 ARE sunburst, Yamaha NCX1200R Classical, Wechter TO-8418, Wechter DN 8128, Takamine EG334C.][/COLOR] |
#42
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While walking thru a flea market last summer, a vendor had a box full of guitar strings. I ended up walking away with some nostalgia, a couple of Black Diamonds(banjo no less!), and early Martin strings. Yes, I remember them BD's from the 60's and my first guitar, so I needed something to take me baaaack.
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