D’Addario develops face masks using Evans G2 drumheads to protect against Corona virus
“The goal is to ramp up to 100,000 face shields per week”

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.
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Stuart has been working for guitar publications since 2008, beginning his career as Reviews Editor for Total Guitar before becoming Editor for six years. During this time, he and the team brought the magazine into the modern age with digital editions, a Youtube channel and the Apple chart-bothering Total Guitar Podcast. Stuart has also served as a freelance writer for Guitar World, Guitarist and MusicRadar reviewing hundreds of products spanning everything from acoustic guitars to valve amps, modelers and plugins. When not spouting his opinions on the best new gear, Stuart has been reminded on many occasions that the 'never meet your heroes' rule is entirely wrong, clocking-up interviews with the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Foo Fighters, Green Day and many, many more.