RotoSound
Rotosound is a British guitar and bass string manufacturing company based in England.
Industry | Music |
---|---|
Founded | 1958 |
Headquarters | , England, United Kingdom |
Key people | James How (Founder) Jason How (Chairman) |
Products | Guitar strings |
Website | http://www.rotosound.com/ |
History of Rotosound
Started in the late 1950s by James How, a musician and engineer by trade. How started manufacturing music strings for many famous artists across the world. It is still a family-run business. All Rotosound strings are made in England.[1]
Rotosound's trademark Swing Bass string set was first produced in 1966. John Entwistle of The Who came to the Rotosound string factory looking for an even-sounding, heavy roundwound bass string. Entwistle spent the afternoon there, trying string after string before settling on a set that would become known as Swing Bass 66.[1][2] A fake jingle for Rotosound can be heard on The Who's 1967 album The Who Sell Out, immediately preceding "I Can See For Miles". This jingle would later be covered by the American band Shellac on their album Excellent Italian Greyhound and Petra Haden on Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out.
Jaco Pastorius was also a dedicated user of Swing 66 bass strings.
Notable Rotosound users
- John Entwistle (The Who)
- Michael Amott (Arch Enemy)
- Zeta Bosio (Soda Stereo)
- Jean-Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers)
- Cliff Burton (Metallica)
- Stanley Clarke
- John Deacon (Queen)
- John Wetton (King Crimson, Uriah Heep, U.K., Asia)
- Herbie Flowers
- Guthrie Govan
- Julian Neville (Turrentine Jones)
- Colin Greenwood (Radiohead)
- Steve Harris
- Jimi Hendrix
- Alex Hutchings
- Ryan and Gary Jarman (The Cribs)
- James Cashman (Altamonte, Brooklyn Electric Co.)
- John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
- Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)
- Geddy Lee (Rush)
- Phil Lynott
- Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
- Duff McKagan
- Michael Paget (Bullet For My Valentine)
- Jaco Pastorius
- Louis Johnson (The Brothers Johnson)
- Mick Ronson
- Dave Sharman
- Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, The Winery Dogs)
- Chris Squire (Yes)
- Roger Waters
- Snowy White
- Doug Wimbish
- Eva Gardner[3]
- Jason Decay (Cauldron)
- Billy Sherwood
- Starlite Campbell Band
- Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper Band)
- Brian May (Queen) originally used in the 1970s-1980s
- Peter Steele (Type O Negative, Carnivore)
- Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)
References
- Staff. "British String Manufacturers (IM Nov 75)". Mu:Zines archive. International Musician & Recording World, Cover Publications Ltd, Northern & Shell Ltd. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- Staff. "History-Rotosound". Rotosound. Orotund Manufacturing LTD. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- http://www.rotosound.com/eva-gardner/