Special to the
Opelika Observer

Local musicians attended a free recycle and restring event at American Guitar Boutique in Phenix City on June 29. Sponsored by D’Addario® and international recycling company TerraCycle®, musicians could bring any old instrument strings for recycling and get their electric or acoustic guitars restrung with D’Addario NYXL or Nickel Bronze Acoustic strings. In exchange for restringing, American Guitar Boutique asked customers to bring-in non-perishable donations to benefit the local Lazarus Society Food Bank. Old strings collected during the event will be recycled through Playback, D’Addario’s free, national recycling program.
American Guitar Boutique was established by Tim O’Brien and Mike Childree in 2014 after the duo accumulated 40 years of experience by actively working as musicians. O’Brien and Childree apply what they learned from their time in the industry by providing exceptional service at reasonable prices, supporting local schools, and by nurturing their customers’ love of music whether they be a beginner or professional.
Playback is the world’s first instrument string recycling program, launched through a partnership between D’Addario and innovative recycling company, TerraCycle. The program is a part of D’Addario’s Players Circle loyalty program and allows registered users to recycle their used strings in exchange for extra Players Circle points. Musicians attending the recycle and restring events will receive a code at the event, redeemable for extra Players Circle points. Points can be used towards merchandise or donated to the D’Addario Foundation, the company’s non-profit organization supporting music education in underserved communities.
“We’ve been searching for a solution for old string reuse after installing a new set on a guitar, so it’s great that D’Addario and TerraCycle are helping dealers confront this issue” Childree said.. “Recycling these strings, regardless of brand-name, will greatly minimize our store’s landfill contribution.”
D’Addario has been consistently committed to the environment, working to reduce their company’s packaging waste and use the most environmentally responsible packaging available on the market. Their partnership with TerraCycle allows them to further reinforce their role as an environmental leader in the music industry.
TerraCycle is a global leader in recycling typically non-recyclable waste, working with companies to implement recycling initiatives and finding solutions for materials otherwise destined for landfill.
Musicians interested in recycling through Playback can visit http://www.daddario.com/playback. For more information on the recycle and restring event, please contact American Guitar Boutique at 973-476-2763.
D’Addario & Company, Inc. is the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories marketed under several product divisions: D’Addario Fretted and Orchestral Strings, Evans Drumheads, Promark Drumsticks, Puresound, D’Addario Woodwinds, and D’Addario/Planet Waves Accessories. A family-owned and operated business with roots dating back to the 17th century and 1,100 employees worldwide, the company manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. employing Toyota’s Lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario musical accessories are distributed in 120 countries, serve more than 3,000 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and are the preferred choice of professional and serious amateur musicians worldwide including Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz and more.
TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste®. Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers, cities, and facilities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. TerraCycle has won more than 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding 15 years ago.
To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.