Dean Markley Strings is an American company that manufactures musical instrument-related products, primarily
strings for
acoustic and
electric guitars
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic g ...
,
classical guitars, and
bass guitars
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
. The company also produces
pick ups,
amplifier
An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost th ...
s, and
tuners, with
instrument strings being their feature product.
History
Before starting the company, Dean Markley was a
music store
A music store or musical instrument store is a retail business that sells musical instruments and related equipment and accessories. Some music stores sell additional services, such as music lessons, music instrument or equipment rental, or r ...
owner in
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara (; Spanish for " Saint Clare") is a city in Santa Clara County, California. The city's population was 127,647 at the 2020 census, making it the eighth-most populous city in the Bay Area. Located in the southern Bay Area, the cit ...
. In 1972 he began selling string designs he came up with himself through experimentation. His first breakthrough into success was when he created the
Voice Box effects pedal
An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing.
Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in e ...
used by
Peter Frampton in his smash hit "
Show Me the Way".
Blue Steel guitar strings
One of Dean Markley's recent notable innovations are "Blue Steel"
guitar and bass strings, which are
cryogenically frozen with liquid nitrogen to make them last longer.
[Dean Markley bronze hits 2]
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References
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External links
Dean Markley
Interview for NAMM Oral History Program (2007)
Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States
Companies based in Arizona