The D'Addario family history in the music industry began in the 1670s when Donato D'Addario worked as a “cordaro” – the Italian word for “string maker.” Since that time, the family has perfected the art of handcrafting strings as well as other music accessories.
In 1905, two brothers-in-law, Rocco and Carmine (Charles) D'Addario emigrated to Astoria in Queens, NY, planning to expand their market by importing and selling the strings made by their family in Salle, Italy.
In the early part of the 20th century, the guitar garnered immense popularity because of new popular music. In the 1930s the D'Addario family began making strings for the guitar, producing them in a made-to-order fashion for individual musicians and guitar manufacturers.
During the late 1940s and early 1950s, nylon-stringed guitars were eclipsed in popularity by the steel-string guitar. In 1956, a new company (Archaic Musical String Manufacturing Co.) began to make steel strings, run by Charles' son, John D'Addario Sr. In 1962, the two companies were merged under the name Darco.
In the late 1960s, Darco was approached by Martin Guitars regarding a merger to pool resources and development efforts. While the partnership was beneficial for both companies, by 1974 the D'Addario family decided it was time to market strings under their own name, and the J. D'Addario & Company corporation was formed.
Originally located in Lynbrook, New York, the business continued to expand and moved to its current facility in Farmingdale, New York in 1994. The company is still owned and operated by the D'Addario family, with 13 family members among the 900 company employees.
Through acquisitions (most notably Evans Drumhead Company in 1995, Planet Waves guitar straps in 1998, and National Picks in 2021) and internal product development, The D'Addario Company has carved out a spot amongst the heavyweights in music accessories. The company is also a leader in percussion, orchestral, and woodwind accessories.
Fast forward to 2022. In addition to a huge selection of quality strings, D'Addario also has a diverse offering of accessories and merchandise. From guitar straps and tuners to capos and picks, the company is a leader in the accessory space. Other very functional accessories offered by D'Addario include gear bags, mic stand accessory systems, power solutions, and more.
The company believes in the transformative power of music. Like the music they support, D'Addario also wants to be transformative — by turning the success of its products into industry-leading standards for sustainability and philanthropy. Whether through teaching music to children in underserved communities, or creating sustainable manufacturing processes, D'Addario continues to take responsibility for impacting the world in a truly positive way.
If being part of a like-minded community of musicians is something of interest to you, check out the D'Addario Players Circle. It is free to sign and up and has some great benefits.
The Players Circle offers an opportunity to earn and redeem points. It’s a neat way to reap the rewards of playing D'Addario. When you select products have a unique code, you can add points to your account—points that you can redeem for D'Addario gear. You will also receive exclusive access to deals, new products, and pre-release sampling.
The Acoustic Shoppe carries dozens of D'Addario products at competitive prices.
We offer an extensive selection of strings for acoustic instruments. Tuners, humidification products, picks, capos, and instrument straps are also popular items that we stock. Check out or online store at theacousticshoppe.com, give us a call at 417-720-1223, or stop by our showroom at 1913 E Seminole St. in Springfield, Missouri.