Ernie Ball
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Roland Sherwood "Ernie" Ball (1930 - September 9, 2004 in San Luis Obispo, California) was a pioneer maker of guitar strings used over the past 40 years by such guitarists as Steve Lukather, Steve Vai, Slash, Matthew Bellamy of Muse, Daron Malakian of System of a Down, Green Day, Blink 182, James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Albert Lee and Eric Clapton.
According to British music writer Mo Foster, in the 1950s Ball was the first industry figure to notice and exploit the trend for electric guitarists to buy lighter gauge banjo strings to replace the heavier gauge guitar strings which were then the standard, to improve playability. This led to his development of the so-called 'slinky' string sets which became his trademark.
He is also credited as the developer of the first modern acoustic bass guitar, introduced under the Earthwood label in 1972.
Ball died on September 9, 2004 in San Luis Obispo.
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