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02 Nov 08 - 10:48 AM (#2482453) Subject: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Chris Hello All, My name is Chris and I am a New Jersey researcher studying the National Musical String Company, maker of Black Diamond, Bell Brand, Lyric, and other string lines, as well as the first harmonicas produced in the United States. I am hoping that some of you out there might have a little information on the company. I know there is a very nostalgic sense about NMSCo products but take a look at some information I have provided below and please post anything you might be able to add to it. 1897 - Thomas Nelson, Jr., owner of the Rice Musical String Company of New York, makers of the Bell Brand, Alexander M. Paul, owner of the Standard Musical String Company of Connecticut, makers of Black Diamond, and George Dow Emerson owner of a string factory in Bellville, New Jersey combine their interests to form the National Musical String Company. 1898 – The NMSCo moves into its new home in New Brunswick, New Jersey. 1899 – The NMSCo purchases the American Musical String Company. 1917 – William R. McClelland purchases the NMSCo form George Dow Emerson, the last of the NMSCo founders. 1932 – McClelland unexpectedly dies of a heart attack. With no wife or children the NMSCo is eventually bought by C. Bruno and Son, Inc. James and Frank Gibson, former employees, then rivals of the NMSCo (the Gibson Musical String Company), are put in charge. 1970 – The NMSCo is purchased by the Kaman Music Corporation. 1979 – The NMSCo is renamed the Kaman Musical String Company and moved to Connecticut. 1982 – The old New Brunswick NMSCo building is declared a national historic landmark and still stands today. 2001 – Black Diamond and other NMSCo trademarks are purchased by The Cavanaugh Company and relaunched from Florida. Thanks guys! |
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24 Nov 08 - 11:25 PM (#2500917) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST I just came up with two boxes of bell brand music wire, NO 00 |
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25 Nov 08 - 12:01 AM (#2500921) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: catspaw49 Isn't it true that farmers often purchased Black Diamond strings instead of barbed wire? Each were damaging to the skin when touched but Black Diamond strings were generally considered the most punishing. Spaw |
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19 May 11 - 12:39 PM (#3157074) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST John. My grandfather was James Gibson, a 20% owner from 1932 until his passing in 1950. I am interested in getting more info on the comp;any. such as, where did McClelland come from? What were executiove job titles, such as my grandfathers? What became of Alexander Paul, an original founder? Can you help? Thanks. John Tuley, tuley@comcast.net |
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19 Feb 12 - 12:34 PM (#3310983) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,guest i have here, in front of me, a ukelele (baritone) measuring approximately 31 inches in length made at the factory. It has the Bell tailpiece and stamped into it is the N M S co / made in USA logo not sure if this is of any interest to anyone...have no idea of its age, but it works great my email is xineohp2@hotmail.ca if anyone has anything to share about it thanks |
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04 Jun 12 - 12:33 PM (#3359156) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST I have 5 black diamond, NMSco, hawaiian guitar strings in a black diamond box. They were used for clock strike strings. They lasted for ever. antenna3@hotmail.com |
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13 Aug 12 - 08:03 PM (#3389832) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Faye Reeves I have several vintage instrument strings including a Bell Brand box of guitar Srings,No 033.I would like to sell these. Can anyone help me with the value of these? Thank you. |
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05 Dec 12 - 01:25 PM (#3447561) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST I found a small banjo shaped musical instrument which has Bell Brand and NMSCO on it, in addition to the name Bruno & Son, NY. Any value to it? |
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05 Dec 12 - 04:43 PM (#3447669) Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST Back in the day, if you bought steel guitar strings they were either Blck Diamon or Bell. No choice of gauges. |
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16 Dec 12 - 07:06 PM (#3453012) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST I just brought home an antique mandolin from my mother's house - at least 70 years old. I have 4 envelopes of strings - Black Diamond - for the mandolin. The packaging is also an antique !! |
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03 Sep 13 - 12:28 PM (#3555751) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST I have 2 "piano harps" circa 1902 from NMSCo. My grandfather was a night watchman there until 1965, when the building changed hands. I was very young at the time so i don't remember much. The instruments are stil in very good shape and still play well!! |
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03 Sep 13 - 12:39 PM (#3555756) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: G-Force And don't forget Guy Clark wrote a great song called 'Black Diamond Strings'. |
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09 Jan 14 - 10:02 AM (#3590366) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST This may be very old but I am trying to find out about National Music String and their history of making harmonicas. Who What When Why and Where. Any German connection etc etc. I would appreciate any help I can get.Thanks Harley hcrain@harleysharps.com dated 2/9/14 |
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15 Jun 14 - 06:40 PM (#3633364) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Gene Baumwoll CSW I am in contact with his distant relative... see his FindaGrave memorial http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=66562154 |
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18 Aug 14 - 10:04 PM (#3651909) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,miriam I was walking with my friend , we passed by the old factory i told my friend if we can go check it out we walking and as soon as we looked at the window a woman was looking at us scariest thing i have seen in my life |
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04 Jun 15 - 07:39 PM (#3714525) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,GUEST. Wayne I just now replaced the E string on my father's violin. He got it from his parents in the early 1900's and played it until his death in 1976. I don't play but found the string I needed in his case. It was made by the original National Music String Co. of New Brunswick NJ. I suspect he purchased it sometime around 1930. |
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26 Sep 15 - 02:50 PM (#3739943) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST Chris, I went to Rutgers, New Brunswick 1969-1973. Remember driving past the factory at least thru 1974. This is the building at 120 Georges Road. You can still see the name in faded white paint. https://goo.gl/maps/zJbqkM9Hrv72 Always bought Black Diamond strings to support local business. Found this also: http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/44073/Black-Diamond-Strings#.VgbiUZfgyL8 |
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04 Jul 16 - 12:55 AM (#3798931) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Robert Mahon I was one of 4 Generations of family members to work there. I was there for the 80th anniversary of N.M.S.Co. I recently was given a copy of a Photo of the head of N.M.S.Co. or Kaman with my family members that worked there.I was making a string called Dimond-Sonic. Strings were put in a Aluminum tube and argon gas was put in ,then the tube was put in an oven for a time and then removed and cooled down with water, after which the strings were removed. I was a spinner. I ran two old machines. Made Bass strings,Violin strings that had green thread on the ball end. After a while I ran the high speed two string machines, ran 2 of them also. That was one of my first jobs, I was only 18. |
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21 Feb 17 - 09:59 PM (#3840632) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Alan Bates Hi - I'm researching early American harmonica makers and came across this site. In my harmonica collection at the National Music Museum http://nmmusd.org/Collections ( see The Alan G. Bates Harmonica Collection) are some Bell Brand harmonicas made by the National Musical String Company of New Brunswick. I've been looking for good references to support just when that company began making harmonicas. (Clearly their main products were musical strings.) There were other makers (in Conn., NY and CA) in that same time frame (1917-20). Can you help me find the source of your statement that the NMSC made the first harmonicas produced in the United States? This is for an article I'm writing about the Conn. maker (1919-20) and also about a maker in western Mass. that is documented to have been making harmonicas in 1880, though no instruments are known to exist. Thank you for any help. Alan |
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26 Jul 17 - 03:09 PM (#3868438) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Eric Villliers Hi, During some history research I have come across details about William McClelland, who owned the National Musical String Company in New Brunswick. He emigrated from Cookstown, County Tyrone, and had been Ireland's correspondent/theatre critic/reporter for the Stage newspaper (London). He had been in America for about 20 years before buying NMSC. In 1916 he gave one of his oldest friends a job at the factory, and a place to stay, after he arrived penniless from Dublin. That man went on to become a Harvard professor; an academic celebrity and friend of Professor Brander Matthews (an intimate of Theodore Roosevelt) and Dr Quincy Adams. Thought this might be of interest to anyone researching the NSMC. Best regards, Eric Villiers. |
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27 Jul 17 - 07:09 PM (#3868720) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,eric villiers Hi, I have info on William McClelland who owned the National Musical String Company. Regards, ericvilliers@hotmail.co.uk |
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28 Jul 17 - 10:42 PM (#3868927) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST,Lisa Hi William, do you know if anyone passed away in the building or if employees were interned in the cemetery across the street? Thank you! |
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13 Nov 17 - 03:22 PM (#3888389) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST Hi my name is bill sidney and if any one can help me i got some black diamond strings a couple of years back for my twelve i was blown a way by the sound they gave they came in a black box that look antique they were Twelve string silkensteel guitar set the best strings i have ever used im looking for them agen i can use a few sets if any one help me please thank you |
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01 Sep 18 - 07:15 AM (#3947439) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST saw a cardboard tube of 50 .036 strings w/nat.musical string co. label on it. whasatabout? |
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22 Sep 19 - 06:57 PM (#4009965) Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company From: GUEST Hi all. Just got around to working on an old violin of my grandfathers. It has unopened Black Diamond strings manufactured by the National Music String Co in New Brunswick, NJ. Also has Black Diamond strings from 1316 E. Lancaster, Fort Worth,Texas. Hope that helps. It was like a time capsule for me. |