I was just watching Larry Cordle on PBS, you know, the guy that wrote HWY 40 Blues, Murder on Music Row,etc. What an awesome bluegrass band he had. Anyhow, he did the one he wrote about Black Diamond Strings. Waxing nostalgic, I pulled the old Truetone out of it's cardboard print case and opened up the original Black Diamonds that were in there.
I acquired this TT 125 copy several years ago after my Uncle passed away. He played several instruments, including banjo and guitar, and I felt really honored when the family offered this guitar and the old Silvertone 1482 amp to me.
I thought some of you other old timers might enjoy seeing these original issues again. They've been in the case for years.
These were loose in the case Larry, no box. I don't remember what the box looked like in those days, but I remember buying them at the drugstore same as Lee and I think the Western Auto had them too.
My brother had a big archtop Harmony back then and it was kind of a big deal to get a whole set of new strings. Lots of times, we would just buy one at a time.
I believe the Black Diamond strings I bought back in
the '50's came in a black box with gold or silver printing.
Gibson "mona-steel" strings came in a bright orange
box.
My Dad had an old Kay archtop guitar (which my brother still has) and he used Black Diamond strings. I remember the black box also, but can't remember the color of the writing. All I remember is, as a kid, the strings were so heavy, they could have been used for cables to hold up the Golden Gate Bridge.
Carter D10 8p/7k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup, Regal RD40 Dobro (D tuning), Recording King Professional Dobro (G tuning), NV400, NV112, Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open G slide and regular G tuning guitar) .
Black Diamond strings were large no doubt. But, for about a week, they were the best sounding string around. After that they died. They would make any guitar you put them on, sound like a million bucks. Thanks for posting this, it sure brings back alot of memories.
Anybody have an idea about the scrapbook? It's all gone except for the covers. Has a return address of Knoxville Tn.
Don and Earl PO Box 670. Radio program?
Since we're on a nostalgia kick, how many of you remember this little book put out by Sho~Bud that had the tunings in it from all the pedal steelers at the time.
The original Black Diamond strings were made in New Brunswick, NJ, just a few minutes from me, and the birthplace of Joe Pass, James P. Johnson, and many others.
At one time I bought 40 boxes from a music store for $20. I still have some somewhere. I have a bunch of those Gibson Mona strings. Occasionally, I'll put those sets on.
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links
I remember hearing Don and Earl on the radio late at night. Probably about 50 years ago. On either WCKY or WWVA. One song that stands out in memory is "There ain't no grave gonna hold my body down". Here is a link to a web page about them.
Thanks a lot Dale. Although I don't personally remember the Don and Earl show, it's nice to put some history to the origin of the booklet. That fits too, 'cause Unc was a devout Christian man who loved and played a lot of Gospel, church hymns, as well as what is now referred to as Bluegrass Gospel.
Reno and Smiley was one of his favorite acts and he covered many of their tunes, particularly their songs of faith like "Using my Bible for a Roadmap" and "Over in the Glory Land". Other similar artists and music too.
b0b, I noticed the Black Diamonds in your catalog a while back I'll probably be ordering some of the reso sets later.
Black Diamond Strings were very popular in the 50's when I was about 10 years old and got my first Stella guitar as a result of the Elvis explosion. The strings were sold in drug stores and, for most people, were within easy walking distance from home. If you wanted anything else you had to go to a downtown music store. There were no malls in those days.
My first guitar solo was "Down in The Valley" a.k.a "Birmingham Jail". A short time later I was playing "Wildwood Flower" and thought I had arrived.
"Baby go down to the drug store
and buy me a guitar string
Be sure to wear your coat girl
'cause it might rain
Honey you know that rain
is bad for my guitar string"
--Waylon
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links
Black Diamond Strings
Black Diamond Strings
Drinkin1 W. Harper
PlayinBlack Diamond Strings
Black Diamond Strings
Are like white flour and grits
You play Black Diamond Strings
Cause it's all you can get
Black Diamond Strings on a Catalog Guitar
That's pretty high cotton whoever you are
You break one you change one, that's as good as it gets
You can play all year long on two or three sets
I bought a huge box of those things last summer when a music store was holding an auction for a charity event. I paid $11.50 for 8 boxes (80 strings). By the looks of the packages, they are from the fifties or possibly even the forties. I tried them on my Yamaha, jumbo acoustic guitar. They were not very bright; mind you the Yamaha has a deep tone to begin with.
There is also a pawn shop about an hours drive from here that sells antique musical anything. The guy has an old Les Paul, hollow body, 4 string acoustic bass guitar ($1200.00) and several amps that date back to the thirties. You have to walk sideways down the isles and back out if anyone is coming from the other direction. A flashlight also helps.
When I started playing Guitar, Black Diamond strings were all you could get at our local music store. Used to tune down a semi-tone to bend 'em, they were pretty thick from memory.
