Guitar enthusiasts and musicians often delve into the history of their instruments and accessories, seeking to understand the evolution of sound and playing experience. Vintage guitar strings, like Black Diamond, offer a fascinating glimpse into the past. A recent online forum discussion on guitarplayers.net explored the age and characteristics of vintage Black Diamond Guitar Strings, revealing valuable insights into these iconic strings. This article delves into that discussion, expanding on the shared knowledge and providing a comprehensive look at Black Diamond guitar strings from a historical perspective.
The discussion began with a user, st3ph3nk3nn3dy, posting images of a boxed set of Black Diamond strings, sparking curiosity about their age. The set featured a small sticker indicating a price of $1.75, original wax paper wrapping, and pink envelopes for each string. This visual evidence immediately resonated with other forum members, triggering a wave of shared memories and expertise.
Mikehalloran, a forum participant, quickly identified the packaging as being typical of the 1960s, though without pinpointing a specific timeframe. This initial estimate set the stage for a deeper exploration into the string’s history. R Buck added to the pricing context, recalling purchasing strings for around $1.10 in the late 1960s and early 1970s, buying in bulk due to frequent gigs. This price point, slightly lower than the $1.75 sticker price, suggested the posted set might be from the later part of the 60s or early 70s, or perhaps priced higher due to retail markups or inflation even within the same decade. R Buck also mentioned Black Diamond alongside Bell Brand and La Bella as common string choices of that era, highlighting Black Diamond’s prominent place in the string market.
Further solidifying the 1960s timeframe, hbick2 confirmed the packaging style was consistent with that decade, sharing personal buying experiences. Hbick2 also provided interesting details about Bell Brand strings, another popular brand, mentioning their packaging evolution from sturdy boxes to flimsier designs and later yellow packaging in the 70s. This comparison helps contextualize the Black Diamond packaging within the broader string market of the time. Parkpicker even extended the timeline back to the 1950s, recalling purchasing Black Diamond strings with similar packaging in 1957 and 1958, emphasizing their availability even outside dedicated music stores, like in drug stores. The price Parkpicker remembered was around $1.00 per set, further supporting the idea that $1.75 might indicate a slightly later period or regional price variation.
The discussion then shifted to string construction. Mikehalloran raised the question of whether the set had a wound or plain 3rd string. banjo_nz and rexhunt clarified, based on the packaging photos, that the 3rd string was indeed plain steel, while the 4th was wound. This detail is crucial for understanding string sets of that era, as wound 3rd strings were also common, particularly in earlier sets or from brands like Gibson. Dan Gellert recalled a claim on older Black Diamond packaging, “will stand four to six half tones above concert pitch without breaking,” suggesting this claim might have been removed before the packaging style in question, potentially pushing the vintage even earlier, although the consensus leaned towards the 60s and early 70s for this specific packaging.
Experiences with Black Diamond string quality also surfaced. G Edward Porgie humorously described buying a set in the early 70s that seemed old stock and played “dead,” highlighting potential inconsistencies in stock freshness even then. wuzapicker shared a regional perspective, noting Black Diamond’s dominance in West Virginia during the 60s, even being referred to as “Black Diamonds” in a nod to the local coal industry. Jbo1 added a humorous anecdote about Black Diamonds being “pre-rusted” and recalled the 4th string unwinding, echoing Ebanjo and mikehalloran’s comments about Bell Brand 4th strings having similar issues with unraveling windings, especially silver-plated copper windings used in that period. These quality anecdotes provide a realistic user perspective on these budget-friendly strings.
In conclusion, the forum discussion paints a vivid picture of vintage Black Diamond guitar strings, placing the boxed set with $1.75 price tag firmly within the 1960s to early 1970s. The packaging style, price point, and user recollections all converge to suggest this era. While not top-of-the-line, Black Diamond strings were a readily available and widely used option, particularly for budget-conscious musicians. The discussion not only dates the strings but also provides a nostalgic and informative glimpse into the musical landscape of that time, reminding us of the evolution of guitar strings and the shared experiences of generations of players.
