30 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • APRIL 2018
D’ADDARIO & CO.:
GUITAR STRING MAKER HUMS ALONG
Sparkling diamonds, precious gemstones, and many
one of a kind selections for all occasions, you'll find
them in my boutique or on my website.
Come into the store to shop or share memories with our
friendly knowledgeable staff and expert jeweler.
—Esther Fortunoff
FORTUNOFF, THE SOURCE • 1504 Old Country Road, Westbury
516-222-7879 • 800-FORTUNOFF (636-7886) • fortunoffjewelry.com
PRESS BUSINESS
By STEPHANIE PERRONE
A century ago, an immigrant who
settled in Astoria set up a tiny, homebased
guitar string manufacturing
shop, continuing a family tradition
that he brought with him from the
Italian countryside.
That immigrant, Charles
D’Addario, passed along the
family trade to his children and
grandchildren, who set up a larger
manufacturing facility in Lynbrook
with five employees four decades
ago. Nowadays, D’Addario & Co.
has an almost 200,000-squarefoot
facility in Farmingdale that
employs nearly 1,000 workers,
making it the world’s largest
musical instrument accessory
manufacturer. It recently opened
a European division, effectively
coming full circle.
“We are very excited by the creation
of D’Addario Europe and we look
forward to advancing our brands
in these extremely vital markets,”
says John D’Addario, III, president
of D’Addario & Company, Inc.
“Our family began string making
in Europe, so it is personally
meaningful to return to Europe with
the promise of building more direct
relationships with this historic and
vibrant music community.”
Musicians who use their strings
read like a who’s who of big-name
acts: Keith Urban, the Red Hot Chili
Peppers, Zac Brown, and many more.
Part of D’Addario’s success is its
worldwide distribution and dealer
networks. The company products
are marketed in the United States
through wholesale distribution
and more than 5,400 retail music
stores. Their products are sold in
101 countries worldwide.
John Jr. and James D’Addario have
taken great steps to pass down the
family tradition. The family-owned
company’s roots date back to the
17th century, originating in the
small Italian town of Salle.
The family traces their start in the
craft back eight generations. A
baptismal form filled out by their
ancestor, Donato D’Addario, listed
his occupation as cordaro, which is
Italian for string maker.
Centuries later, John D’Addario is
still keeping the family business in
tune.