Our Legacy
"Great strings can't cure a bad amp, an s-curve neck, or lousy room acoustics; but when all of these primary elements are correct, strings become bottom line! And that's where we come in. We provide for the necessary goals sought by guitarists everywhere: consistently reliable, high quality strings, reasonably priced."
While Ernie was in Arizona, he heard about the radio repairman named Leo Fender who was making solid body electric guitars and steel guitars. Ernie took leave, drove to Fullerton, and he and Leo hit it off. Ernie thought this was the best thing he had seen. From there he beta-tested for Leo and became an endorsee.
Ernie Ball's official Fender endorsee photo.
Ernie Ball opens up a teaching studio, giving guitar lessons to aspiring players. It is through teaching these young students that he notices the difficulty of bending strings and fingering guitar chords with the thicker gauge strings.
Ernie Ball surrounded by guitars in his first Tarzana, CA store.
In the mid-1950's Ernie opened what was the first electric guitar store in the world. Never accepting the first forms change, people warned him that he would go broke. Though he did just that many times, first and foremost Ernie always paid his bills. Finally in 1958 things started to turn around.
Ernie Ball expands his business and starts to sell drums.
Ernie Ball revolutionized the guitar string market with the introduction of four iconic Rock'n'Roll string sets, each featuring bright, eye-catching labels. Among them, Super Slinky was the first to bear the Slinky moniker, setting the stage for a line known for its distinct tone and feel. The sets—Regular, Super Slinky, Skinny Top Heavy Bottom, and Rhythm Guitar—have become industry standards still used to this day.
By 1965, word of Ern's Rock 'N Roll strings had spread beyond students and teenagers to british rockers like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck. With the popularity of Super Slinky strings, the Slinky name was extended across the Rock 'N Roll Line.
Ernie Ball and his famous trend-setting Xerox machine ad.
Ernie Ball closes the retail store and moves to Newport Beach, CA to concentrate on the string and accessories business. Ernie also had a vision of working part-time, surfing and flying airplanes. However, the guitar business took a new and heightened direction and things would never be the same.
The Slinky moniker extends beyond Super Slinky to other sets featuring an unwound G-string. The Rock'N'Roll string line gets a facelift known now as Slinky strings and expands to include Extra Super Slinky and 12-String Super Slinky which will later become Extra Slinky and 12-String Slinky.
Rock'N'Roll guitar accessories also become a focal point, further cementing Ernie's involvement in a rapidly growing industry.
Ernie Ball introduces Earthwood Bronze Acoustic Strings, wound with 80/20 Bronze, offering consistently reliable high quality strings for acoustic players in 6 different gauges.
David Ball, Ernie Ball, and Tom Walker at NAMM. Ernie and Tom Walker met early on when Tom was the west coast Fender sales rep calling on Ernie's guitar shop. They became great friends and Tomas Walker was asked to be the godfather of Sterling Ball. In the early 70's Tom designed a new preamp circuit that would eventually become a new line of amplifiers for the Music Man company. Founded by Tom Walker, Leo Fender and Forest White in 1972, the Music Man company was eventually bought by Ernie Ball in 1984.
Earthwood manufacturing delivers first Earthwood bass to customers.
In early 1973 Sterling decides to join the team as a traveling sales rep and fully thrown himself into the evolving company. Sterling says to the inside sales manager at the time "Give me a month, a gas card and that old Chevy ou in the parking lot that's not being used, pay me only what I sell and if it isn't worth it, then fire me." Needless to say, Sterling went on to set record sales that year and hasn't looked back since.
Sterling Ball was involved with the family business at the early age of 9 years old. Running cash registers and packaging strings, he worked part-time after school and on weekends. Being part of a very musical family, Sterling picked up the bass and guitar early on and was involved with many bands around the LA area. This early musical adaptation led to a life-long career in the music business, most notably working as a beta-tester for Leo Fender's new bass, the Music Man StingRay.
Ernie Ball expands its bass offerings to include Flatwound Bass Strings for a smooth feel and a mellow, rich tone in four different gauge combinations as well as Custom Gauge single string systems for players to build their own sets. These strings were the first to feature the iconic Eagle logo found on countless Ernie Ball sets including Slinkys.
Ernie Ball unveils Roundwound Bass Strings, providing bassists added brightness and flexibility in four gauges along with a Custom Gauge single string system.
Phosphor Studio Bronze Strings are introduced in four gaues offering a rich, balanced tone.
Slinky Sets get a new icon with the addition of the Eagle, first featured in Eagle'Toons Issue #1.
Ernie Ball moves corporate headquarters to San Luis Obispo, CA. The string and Earthwood facilities and packed up on their way to a new home in March 1979.
Hybrid Slinky strings are added, combining the gauges of Super and Regular Slinky.
The Music Man company was bought by Ernie Ball in 1984 with the vision to produce high quality guitars and basses in California.
Ernie Ball RPS (Reinforced Plain Strings) Slinkys enter the market and quickly becomes an artist favorite. RPS strings feature an extra winding of brass around the ball end of the string for added strength and stability.
Slinky Bass Strings hit the market with a new offering for 5-string basses, providing the iconic Slinky tone and feel to bass players.
Ernie Ball introduces Power Slinky Strings in Nickel Wound, RPS, and Stainless Steel sets, providing a heavier Slinky set aimed toward those looking for a more powerful tone and responsiveness.
Ernie Ball presents Classic Rock ‘n Roll Slinkys in Extra, Super, and Regular gauges, reintroducing the original Slinky formula wound with pure nickel.
The very first Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands at the San Francisco Warp Tour stop. The Battle of The Bands 1 had 19 stops in its first year and developed into a long-lasting relationship with Kevin Lyman and The Warped Tour.
The Ernie Ball Bus makes its debut at the Ernie Ball Open House. The bus went on to visit Ernie Ball Music Man dealers across the U.S., bringing along with it tons of Ernie Ball swag along with some amazing Ernie Ball Music Man instruments for customers to try.
Ernie Ball mobile stage (MS1) makes its debut. The mobile stage has become one of the most sough-after mobile venues around. Each year tens of thousands of concertgoers flock to see what new hot band is playing on the Ernie Ball Stage at The Warped Tour.
Beefy and Not Even sets join the Slinky lineup. Sensing the younger players needs for achieving a thicker, chunkier tone, Brian Ball creates string sets optimal for modern tunings including D Standard, Drop, D, and Drop C#. Thicker gauges combined with optimal core to wrap ratios increase the tension needed to keep strings playable at pitch while maintaining the iconic slinky tone and feel.
Ernie Ball "Scion Tours" hit the US, visiting dealers and stopping at every roadside attraction along the way. Dealers and end users alike are able to track the Scion's progress online with an up-to-the-minute website featuring blogs, photos, and insight as to what the Scion team is up to.
Ernie Ball moves string and strap manufacturing to the beautiful Coachella Valley, investing in state-of-the-art facilities to enhance product quality. Known for prevailing low humidity, makes this location ideal for making the finest and freshest products.
Due to the high demand generated by the first mobile stage, Ernie Ball unveils MS2! The second mobile stage now serves as one of the main stages on The Warped Tour.
Element Shield packaging launches with wide industry acclaim. Spearheaded by Brian Ball, the new packaging aims to keep your strings as fresh as teh day they were made. "We wanted to give consumers the absolute freshest sets of strings possible, in addition to enhancing the merchandising appeal for retailers". Element Shield packaging has also provide to combat counterfeiting".
New Coated Acoustic and Coated Electric Slinky strings make their debut at the Summer NAMM show 2008. These new coated Slinky strings feature a titanium reinforcement around the ball end to prevent string breakage and enhance tuning stability.
Ernie Ball marks its 50th anniversary, celebrating half a century of innovation and influence in the music industry.
Cobalt Slinky Strings are introduced, engineered for maximum clarity with increased low end and crisp, clear highs.
Everlast Coated Strings make their debut, providing added longevity with zero impact on tone or feel.
M-Steel Slinky Strings are launched, providing maximum output power low end using a unique steel alloy core for unprecedented performance.
Aluminum Bronze acoustic strings feature more projection and clarity than traditional bronze strings, while also providing improved corrosion resistance. Made from a blend of copper and aluminum specifically tailored for acoustic guitar strings.
Ernie's grandson, Brian Ball, is promoted to President. CEO Sterling Ball stated, "Since 1962, Ernie Ball Inc. has been dedicated to providing tools for artists, and we are excited to see what another 50-plus years in the industry will bring under Brian's leadership."
Ernie Ball launched the #iplayslinky campaign, highlighting some of the most iconic guitarists in the world that play Ernie Ball strings, including Clapton, Page, Beck, Richards, Slash, and more. Thousands of fans were also able to make their own #iplayslinky ads on our website.
Ernie Ball celebrates 20 years of partnering with Warped Tour to provide opportunities for bands to play live. In 2016, the longest-running Battle of the Bands program is renamed to Ernie Ball: PLAY Warped Tour, giving bands the opportunity to win over $40,000 in cash and prizes, a 3-son EP with New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert, plus a spot on the Warped Main Stage.
Ernie Ball expands its string offerings with the introduction of Burly, Ultra, Primo, Mega, and Mammoth Slinky strings, providing new gauge combinations for various playing styles and preferences. Additionally, Beefy Slinky Bass Strings are launched, targeting bassists who seek the thickest and most robust tones.
Element Shield Plus envelopes are added to string packages, enhancing protection against environmental factors and maintaining string freshness.