When Ernie Ball learned players of his day were dissatisfied with the current state of guitar strings, he decided to take things into his own hands to find a solution. In his pursuit of a lighter gauge string he would go on to persuade a manufacturer to create custom sets with a 24-gauge third string, which he then sold in his store. From there, the Slinky line was officially born, and would go on to be endorsed by countless guitarists and become a top-seller for over fifty years. It was this drive to put the needs of musicians first that lead Ernie Ball and his company to become a world-leading manufacturer of premium electric and acoustic guitar strings, bass strings, and guitar accessories. A family business to this day and a fixture in the southern California community, the Ernie Ball Company continues to make a blend of consistent essentials and innovative new products for guitar and bass.