WINDING ROAD

As the world's biggest string manufacturer, it's fitting that the half-century history of D'Addario has plenty of twists. We speak to current chairman, Jim D'Addario, about the company's roots, breakthroughs and next moves

- Jamie Dickson & Henry Yates

The D'Addario story begins in the Abruzzo mountains of Southern Italy, crosses the ocean to America at the dawn of the 20th century, and writes a new chapter with every pack pulled from the peg of a neighbourhood guitar store. But alongside the geographical mileage, what resonates with this family firm's current custodians - chairman of the board and chief innovation officer Jim D'Addario and CEO John D'Addario III - is the relentless march of its product.

From the hard-won intuition of its first string-makers to the forensic accuracy of its cutting-edge wire mill in Farmingdale, New York, D'Addario has remained the market leader since '74 through its credo that even the most advanced guitar string is a work in progress. Better materials, tighter tolerances, greater uniformity: all are moving targets that have seen the firm deliver breakthrough products spanning from the XS coated series to the uncanny pitch-holding abilities of the NYXL line - not to mention luring star turns including Nile Rodgers, Mark Knopfler and Guthrie Govan. We asked Jim D'Addario to reflect.

Congratulations on last year's milestone anniversary, Jim. But the D'Addario story actually goes back even further, doesn't it?

"Yes. My grandfather [Carmine/Charles D'Addario] came to America in 1905 - at about 14 years old - after there was an earthquake in the family's hometown of Sala, Italy. He wasn't really a trained string-maker yet, but there was a shortage of quality strings in America at the time because the recording business was just getting off the ground and there was more need for musical instruments and strings. My grandfather started importing strings, but then, during World War I, there were embargoes on importing. So he partnered up with an uncle that knew the trade and he trained him to make strings.