John Pearse

John Pearse

Also known as: John Pearse Strings, John Pearse & Co., JP Strings

Unclaimed

John Pearse is the string and accessories brand of Breezy Ridge Instruments, Ltd., a Center Valley, Pennsylvania company founded in 1980 by English studio musician John Pearse (1939–2008) and his wife Mary Faith Rhoads. Before launching the brand, Pearse had been researching string design since the mid-1960s, collaborating with British Music Strings and Thomastik on longer-lasting wraps and mor...

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John Pearse is the string and accessories brand of Breezy Ridge Instruments, Ltd., a Center Valley, Pennsylvania company founded in 1980 by English studio musician John Pearse (1939–2008) and his wife Mary Faith Rhoads. Before launching the brand, Pearse had been researching string design since the mid-1960s, collaborating with British Music Strings and Thomastik on longer-lasting wraps and more consistent vibrational patterns, and spending roughly eighteen months at C.F. Martin & Co. before striking out on his own. The company's first product was the Breezy Ridge Hammer Dulcimer, with a line of strings aimed at working musicians following shortly after.

The catalog covers phosphor bronze and bronze acoustic sets, pure nickel and nickel-wound electric sets, classical and flamenco strings, and specialty strings for mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, dulcimer, fiddle, and ukulele. The Manouche Nuages line, built for gypsy-jazz and Selmer-style guitars, is one of the more distinctive offerings, alongside the brand's pure nickel electric sets favored by blues and vintage-tone players. Breezy Ridge also produces picks, capos, slides, armrests, rosin, polishing cloths, and a range of instructional books and recordings — many authored by Pearse, who wrote roughly forty titles on instrument construction, technique, and other subjects.

The brand is known within the acoustic and folk communities for its hands-on, musician-run character and its niche string formulations rather than mass-market visibility. John Pearse himself was a pioneer of televised guitar instruction through the BBC's 'Hold Down a Chord' (1962) and the later PBS series 'String Along,' and the company continues to operate as an independent, family-run business under Mary Faith's direction.

John Pearse has 9 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Picks & Pick Holders, Strings, and Acoustic Guitar Pickups. Their gear is featured by 5 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include Elliott Smith, Pat Smear, and Neal Casal.

Artists Who Use John Pearse

Elliott Smith uses 1 John Pearse product

Elliott Smith

Singer, Guitarist · Heatmiser

Pat Smear uses 1 John Pearse product

Pat Smear

Guitarist · Nirvana

Neal Casal uses 1 John Pearse product

Neal Casal

Singer, Guitarist · Phil Lesh and Friends

Ray Benson uses 1 John Pearse product

Ray Benson

Guitarist · Asleep at the Wheel

Cindy Cashdollar uses 1 John Pearse product

Cindy Cashdollar

Guitarist · Asleep at the Wheel

Gear Guides featuring John Pearse

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