It’s a sad week in music instrument history. First, the death of Donald Leslie. And yesterday, pioneer guitar string maker Ernie Ball gave up the ghost at just 74. Ernie Ball’s strings are as ubiquitous in rock and roll as Fender guitars. According to the Associated Press, Ball developed his first strings in 1962 after “complaints from customers (at his guitar shop) that they couldn’t find lighter-gauge, flexible strings for their rock ‘n’ roll instruments.” Shortly after, the Slinkys were born. And, well, the guitar solo has never been the same. Link(Thanks, Vann)
