D’Addario develops face masks using Evans G2 drumheads to protect against Corona virus

(Image credit: D'Addario/Evans)

D’Addario, the guitar string manufacturer and parent company of Evans Drumheads has announced that it will begin production of protective face masks, using G2 two-ply drumheads.

The announcement was made today via the company’s Instagram profile, featuring a picture of the mask and a statement outlining D’Addario’s plan to begin production, with an aim to produce 100,000 masks per-week.

The Instagram post - which includes the heading "From drumhead to face shield" - reads, “D’Addario’s engineering team has found a way to transform Evans G2 drumheads into protective face shields for medical workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. The goal is to be in production by April 27th and to quickly ramp up to a capacity of 100,000 face shields per week.

We plan to manufacture these shields as long as they’re needed in NY or anywhere around the globe. We’ve watched the incredible efforts of our healthcare and essential services workers all across the world with great admiration. While we cannot match the immeasurable efforts of these selfless heroes, we feel an immense responsibility to do our part in overcoming this crisis.

We called this Project Excelsior after the New York State Motto, which means “Ever Upward” because it captured the extraordinary determination and can-do spirit of our small team of engineers and product designers. It also typifies our music company’s current credo during the crisis: #WeWillPlayOn. Stay tuned to our stories for a look at how we built the shields.”

To keep up-to-date on how the masks are produced, follow D’Addario on Instagram.

Stuart Williams
Drums

I'm a freelance member of the MusicRadar team, specialising in drum news, interviews and reviews. I formerly edited Rhythm and Total Guitar here in the UK and have been playing drums for more than 25 years (my arms are very tired). When I'm not working on the site, I can be found on my electronic kit at home, or gigging and depping in function bands and the odd original project.