John Pearse

BOOSE · #1 06-24-2021, 08:19 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWK_zzrS1xw

Hope the link works, This is John Pearse who i know most of you have heard of on here, on British tv demonstrating how to build a Dulcimer, he also used to have guests and on this particular episode it's the brilliant Steeleye Span who were newly formed. It's very dated and a bit stuffy in parts but a good watch none the less..

Daddyo · #2 06-24-2021, 08:34 AM

I've been buying John Pearse strings for years but never knew he was a musician.

BOOSE · #3 06-24-2021, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyo

I've been buying John Pearse strings for years but never knew he was a musician.

Yes that was his first love and he was very successful in his day and very important on the folk scene.

lfoo6952 · #4 06-24-2021, 12:34 PM

Interesting. Thanks for posting. I never knew he was a Brit, because his company JP Strings is based in the US.

Goat Mick · #5 06-24-2021, 12:40 PM

John was also a really great guy. I met him on the old rmmga newsgroups and he very gracious. He even gave me an artist slot just because I had been using his strings for years. I keep coming back to them and that's my string of choice today.

Wellington · #6 06-24-2021, 12:55 PM

I have my first pair on right now on my Guild, 11-52 80/20. Love them, I'm definitely buying more unless they turn out to have an exceptionally short life span.

Slim Zooms · #7 06-24-2021, 01:35 PM

Hi all

John’s ‘Hold Down A Chord’ LP and books in the early 70s were important in getting a whole generation of guitar players going.
Not to mention his weekly program on building your own dulcimer!
Amazing, thanks for posting!

Cheers

Slim

Brucebubs · #8 06-24-2021, 03:39 PM

Yes a Brit who came up with a string concept picked up by string makers Thomastik-Infeld and named after him.

I believe he moved to the USA and headed up Martin string production before leaving them and starting his own business.

frankmcr · #9 06-24-2021, 03:59 PM

Super influential guitar teacher in the UK in the 1970s.

And he could play a bit, too.

zmf · #10 06-24-2021, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOOSE

It's very dated and a bit stuffy in parts ...

No disrespect intended -- I'm a big fan of John Pearse strings -- but my first reaction was -- it's a Monty Python skit.

KalamazooGuy · #11 06-24-2021, 07:56 PM

I have been a fan of his strings for years, especially the bluegrass guages. Wade should chime in about now.....

BOOSE · #12 06-25-2021, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zmf

No disrespect intended -- I'm a big fan of John Pearse strings -- but my first reaction was -- it's a Monty Python skit.

, It could well have been a Python sketch, it's exactly the right time in the 70's when the Python boys were doing their stuff!

BOOSE · #13 06-25-2021, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lfoo6952

Interesting. Thanks for posting. I never knew he was a Brit, because his company JP Strings is based in the US.

Indeed he was, a Yorkshireman to be exact, there's another Python connection, and born just down the road from me.

Malcolm Kindnes · #14 06-25-2021, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zmf

No disrespect intended -- I'm a big fan of John Pearse strings -- but my first reaction was -- it's a Monty Python skit.

I know, it seems incredibly old fashioned to me and I was actually 21 and living in London in 1970, it must appear completely ridiculous to a young person.

Rad · #15 06-26-2021, 04:00 PM

I just tried some of the John Pearse bluegrass strings on my Martin D-18.

I found them to be fairly warm and balanced......That was my problem. Both the volume and the Bluegrass boom in the bass were gone.

I ordered three sets and I think the other two will be perfect for my Guild D40 with its more balanced tone than my D-18.

I put D’Addario’s back on the D-18 and the boom is back. My Mandolin player will be pleased this week.

Just the opinion of one old guy with tired ears.