NAMM 2018: La Bella, the New York string company that traces its colourful lineage back to 17th Century Italy, is dipping into the relatively recent past to resurrect its seminal "The Bender" line.
La Bella was pioneers of nickel-plated steel electric strings, and Benders were, under a variety of brand names, among the most played strings of the '60s and '70s. Spotting the never-ending trend for vintage tone, the company has raided the family archive for details of the string's original manufacture.
“La Bella has a rich history in the commercialization of many different types of guitar strings,” says Richard Cocco, Jr., President of E. & O. Mari, Inc. / La Bella.
“Researching my grandfather’s construction manuals from the 1960s with my children and figuring out how we could bring back to life such a relevant product was definitely the highlight of the entire process.
"We’re very excited to invite guitar players to come discover ‘The Original Vintage’ with The Bender strings.”
The Bender strings are available in nine different gauges including B828 Ultra Bender, B942 Super Bender, B946 Lite Bender, B1046 Bender, B1150 Blues Bender, BJ1252 Jazz Bender, B1152 Medium Bender, B1252 Heavy Bender, B1052 Lite Top/Heavy Bottom Bender. For more details and dealers, head over to the La Bella site.
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