If you visited JustStrings.com recently and got a blank screen or an error, you’re not imagining it. The site is gone. This isn’t a server hiccup or a temporary maintenance issue. JustStrings.com has closed, and there’s a clear reason why.
This article covers what we know for certain, why it happened, where you can buy strings now, and what this situation should remind anyone who relies on small specialty retailers.
JustStrings.com Has Closed — What the Evidence Shows
JustStrings.com, the Milford, New Hampshire-based online string retailer, is no longer operating. As of early 2025, the website does not load. Multiple independent user reports confirm this, and at least one person received direct written confirmation from inside the company.
In February 2025, a customer reported receiving an email from Amy Arzoomanian, listed as Office Manager in the company’s BBB profile, confirming that JustStrings was closing its doors. The email described a planned wind-down, not a sudden collapse. The company was actively liquidating remaining stock at the time.
This is not a case of a hacked site, an expired domain, or a temporary outage. The closure lines up across multiple sources: the site is down, users have independently noticed it, and the internal email confirms it.
One important clarification: there is no public evidence of bankruptcy, lawsuits, or financial wrongdoing. This appears to be a deliberate business closure, not a failure. The BBB still lists JustStrings.com, Inc. at 20 Mont Vernon Street, Milford, NH, but small businesses often close without formally updating third-party listings. That listing alone doesn’t mean they’re still operating.
Why JustStrings Closed After 30 Years
According to the February 2025 customer correspondence, the owner retired after roughly three decades in business. The company then began winding down operations in conjunction with that retirement.
This is one of the most common ways small, owner-operated businesses end. When a founder builds a company without a succession plan — no partner to hand off to, no buyer lined up, no trained successor ready to take over — closure becomes the default outcome when they’re ready to stop working. It doesn’t matter if the business is profitable or well-regarded. Without a plan, the business ends when the owner does.
JustStrings had a real customer base. SiteJabber shows the company with a 3.1-star rating from 14 reviews, ranking 16th among music equipment sites. That’s a modest but legitimate footprint built over decades. The closure doesn’t appear to be driven by poor performance — it’s simply the end of a lifecycle that was never set up to outlast its founder.
The BBB profile identifies the president as Mr. Michael F. Jones, but the retirement has not been publicly attributed to any specific person by name in available sources. What’s confirmed is the reason: retirement, not financial trouble.
Will the JustStrings Brand Come Back in Any Form?
This is where things get less certain. The same February 2025 email mentioned that the company might continue offering its own-brand JustStrings strings after some restructuring. That word — might — matters.
This information comes second-hand through a customer reporting on a Reddit thread. There is no official press release, no new website, and no publicly visible successor operation as of the time of writing. Treat this as a possibility, not a confirmed plan.
If you want to check current status yourself, here are three practical steps:
- Visit JustStrings.com directly to see if anything has changed — a redirect, a closure notice, or a new store.
- Search recent threads on Reddit (r/Bass, r/Guitar) or musician forums for any updates about a relaunch.
- Check the New Hampshire state business registry for “JustStrings.com, Inc.” to see if the entity has been formally dissolved or remains active.
For now, plan as though JustStrings is gone. If the brand resurfaces in some form, that’s a bonus — but don’t wait on it.
Where to Buy Strings Now — Practical Alternatives
JustStrings served a specific kind of buyer: someone who needed single strings in specific gauges, bulk orders for a repair shop, or hard-to-find sets that general retailers don’t stock. Here’s where to go based on how you used to use JustStrings.
For Single Strings and Unusual Gauges
Strings and Beyond (stringsandbeyond.com) is the most commonly mentioned alternative in musician communities. They carry a wide range of individual strings across brands and gauges, which makes them a close match for what JustStrings offered.
Fret Nation (fretnation.com) is another option, particularly mentioned for bass and guitar string needs. Worth checking if Strings and Beyond doesn’t carry the specific gauge you’re looking for.
For Bulk Orders and Repair Shops
If you’re a guitar tech or luthier who was ordering bulk single strings for client setups, the most direct path is buying from D’Addario directly or setting up a dealer account. Members of musician communities on Facebook have noted that D’Addario dealers can supply singles in bulk without upcharging per string — something worth exploring if volume is your priority.
Strings by Mail is another option that comes up in discussions about sourcing specific string types, particularly for orchestral and classical instruments. If JustStrings was your go-to for cello, viola, or upright bass strings, this is worth adding to your list.
For General Sets
Sweetwater, Guitar Center’s online store, and Amazon all carry mainstream string sets from major brands. They won’t have the same depth of selection for obscure gauges, but they’re reliable for standard orders and usually ship fast.
Local guitar repair shops are underrated here too. Many of them order strings in bulk from distributors and can pass on individual strings or sets to customers who ask.
What Happens to Open Orders and Warranties?
If you have an unresolved order or return from JustStrings, the options are limited but not zero.
First, check your payment method. Credit card disputes and PayPal buyer protection have time limits, but if the purchase was recent, you may still be within the window to file a claim. Don’t wait — contact your bank or PayPal now if you’re owed a refund.
For warranty questions on strings themselves: most strings don’t carry meaningful manufacturer warranties, but if you bought JustStrings-branded strings and believe they were produced by a major manufacturer under a private label arrangement, you can try contacting the likely manufacturer directly. That’s speculative, but worth a try if you have a bulk order with quality issues.
There is no official JustStrings policy statement available regarding how outstanding issues were handled during the wind-down. The general expectation in a planned closure is that existing orders would be fulfilled or refunded before the site went dark, but there is no specific confirmation of that process here.
What JustStrings Teaches Us About Relying on Small Specialist Retailers
JustStrings lasted about 30 years. That’s a real business. But it also illustrates a risk that many buyers don’t think about until it’s too late: owner-dependent businesses can disappear quietly and quickly when the owner decides to stop.
There’s also the broader pressure that small niche retailers face. Major manufacturers like D’Addario have moved increasingly toward direct-to-consumer sales. Large marketplaces make it harder for smaller operators to compete on price. A specialist can survive by serving customers who need depth of selection — but when the owner leaves and no one takes over, that competitive advantage disappears with them.
The practical takeaway for anyone who relies on a single-source specialist: keep a short list of backup suppliers. Know the exact specs of the products you buy (brand, gauge, material, SKU if possible) so you can search for them elsewhere without starting from scratch. Watch for early warning signs — slower shipping times, shrinking inventory, liquidation language on the site — and have a plan before you need it.
For more practical guidance on business decisions and supplier management, StepToBiz covers real-world situations like this one from a business owner’s perspective.
Final Thoughts
JustStrings.com is closed. The owner retired after roughly 30 years, the company wound down in a planned way, and as of early 2025 the site is offline. There’s no evidence of financial scandal or bankruptcy — just an owner-operated business that ended when the owner was done.
There may be some version of the JustStrings brand that continues in a restructured form, but that is not confirmed. Plan around it, not on it.
If you need strings now, Strings and Beyond, Fret Nation, D’Addario direct, and Strings by Mail are all workable alternatives depending on what you’re after. The selection won’t feel exactly like JustStrings at first, but the products you need are still out there — they just come from a different URL now.
Also Read: