FROM THE TOP ERNIE BALL I BRIAN BALL
INTERVIEWED BY MICHAEL GALLANT
HOW DO YOU START YOUR DAY? I’m a father of three and mornings can be a little chaotic getting them ready for school. But the most important thing for me, as far as morning routines, is actually walking. I set my treadmill with an incline and do a workout where I stay in specific zones as far as heart rate and caloric deficit. It helps me get in a mental state where I can handle the challenges of each day. Then when I get to the office, I never have meetings before 9 a.m. Before 9 a.m., I focus on whatever unique opportunities and challenges the day seems to be bringing up, and think about how to work on them together with the team. FOR YOU, WHAT’S NEWEST AND MOST EXCITING RIGHT NOW AT ERNIE BALL? What excites me most is that several capabilities we’ve spent years building are starting to connect. There’s mean- ingful innovation happening in our core string business, and some incredibly ambitious projects happening with Music Man. I’m also extremely excited about Source Audio, which we acquired this year. Their DSP and sound design capabili- ties fit perfectly with our existing innovation capabilities. For the first time, we can think even more broadly about musi - cians’ creative chain — from the strings under their fingers to the signal afterwards. We’re not just adding tech for tech’s sake. We’re asking how all of these different things can give musicians more options in how they creatively express them- selves. ERNIE BALL ANNOUNCED ITS ACQUISITION OF SOURCE AUDIO IN JULY. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ACQUIRE THE COMPANY, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ERNIE BALL MOVING FORWARD? To me, Source Audio represented a very rare and excit- ing opportunity. They have incredible DSP and sound design capabilities, they’re a respected brand with great breadth in their catalog, and they have a loyal community of serious players who use their products. I wasn’t interested in just buy- ing a pedal company or adding another logo to our roster. I see them as an innovation engine. What Ernie Ball brings to the table with them is global distribution, artist relation- ships, brand reach, and experiential marketing. I looked at our strengths, paired with their deep technology, and saw an incredible opportunity to innovate together. WHAT MIGHT READERS NOT KNOW ABOUT ERNIE BALL? Ernie Ball is a legacy brand, but not a nostalgia company.
We began as a small independent guitar retailer that served players in Los Angeles and the nearby Tarzana area before becoming a string manufacturer. And that direct connection with players helped lead to my grandfather creating Slinky strings. We run the company in a way that’s deeply focused on enhancing the legacy he and my dad built by looking through the front windshield and thinking about everything that could be possible, what we can do better. People may only know us through the small packages of guitar strings they see on music store walls and not necessarily realize how much scientific, engineering and manufacturing expertise goes into making those products. We’re always developing materials and processes, building proprietary manufactur- ing capabilities, combining highly precise automation with highly skilled handwork. And we’re doing it all in California. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE? I try to empower my leaders in the organization. They’re experts at what they do, and I’m really there to support them with major decisions and to help them when they need it. I’m super fortunate that I don’t have much turnover, especially in our leadership team, which has hundreds of years of ex- pertise collectively. My department heads, from finance to marketing to R&D to product management, have all been with Ernie Ball for over 20 years. That’s not something I take lightly. They’re such an incredible team of autonomous lead- ers, and I want to nurture what’s already great. AS THE COMPANY’S LEADER, HOW DO YOU SEE THE INDUSTRY SEGMENT AS A WHOLE? Our culture is to be as warm and friendly as possible while balancing that with a competitive edge. In our industry and segment — guitar strings and accessories — it’s very com- petitive, and the business landscape can feel like a daily battle for market share. In other words, we have to be good in everything we do. Product consistency is key when we’re making upwards of 7,000 products each day. From market - ing to social media to overall culture, we have to maintain the highest standards across the board. The most important in- gredient is collaboration. I care deeply and immensely about that, and love that our team wants to win, but always wants to do it the right way. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR OWN MUSICAL BACKGROUND? IS MUSIC MAKING PART OF YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW? I started working on the Vans Warped Tour when I was just
28 I MUSIC INC. I OCTOBER 2026
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