Instruments: The National Musical String Company

Subject: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Chris
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 10:48 AM

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!

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 08 - 11:25 PM

I just came up with two boxes of bell brand music wire, NO 00

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Nov 08 - 12:01 AM

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

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 11 - 12:39 PM

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,   [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 12:34 PM

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 [e-mail] if anyone has anything to share about it

thanks

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 12:33 PM

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.
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Faye Reeves
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 08:03 PM

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.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 12 - 01:25 PM

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?

Subject: RE: Folklore: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 12 - 04:43 PM

Back in the day, if you bought steel guitar strings they were either Blck Diamon or Bell. No choice of gauges.

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 12 - 07:06 PM

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 !!

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Sep 13 - 12:28 PM

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!!

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: G-Force
Date: 03 Sep 13 - 12:39 PM

And don't forget Guy Clark wrote a great song called 'Black Diamond Strings'.

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 14 - 10:02 AM

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
[e-mail] dated 2/9/14

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Gene Baumwoll CSW
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 06:40 PM

I am in contact with his distant relative... see his FindaGrave memorial

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=66562154

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,miriam
Date: 18 Aug 14 - 10:04 PM

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

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,GUEST. Wayne
Date: 04 Jun 15 - 07:39 PM

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.

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 15 - 02:50 PM

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

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Robert Mahon
Date: 04 Jul 16 - 12:55 AM

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.

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Alan Bates
Date: 21 Feb 17 - 09:59 PM

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

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Eric Villliers
Date: 26 Jul 17 - 03:09 PM

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.

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,eric villiers
Date: 27 Jul 17 - 07:09 PM

Hi, I have info on William McClelland who owned the National Musical String Company. Regards, [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST,Lisa
Date: 28 Jul 17 - 10:42 PM

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!

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 03:22 PM

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

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 07:15 AM

saw a cardboard tube of 50 .036 strings w/nat.musical string co. label on it. whasatabout?

Subject: RE: Instruments: The National Musical String Company
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 06:57 PM

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.