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Strings
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=53437		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Ken Nagy [ Tue Aug 18, 2020 5:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Strings
I've been on a violin forum, and strings come up a lot. But they are way more money than guitar strings, so people don't really want to buy 3 sets to find the best ones for their instrument. I've never seen anything about strings here.

I need strings for my baroque. I can only find one place that has all guts strings. The low A, (C on mine) is a 1.2mm gut. It seems like a gimped one would work too, (it has wire wrapped in it like a barber pole, so it is a little thinner; maybe 1.0?) but they don't come with that. All the others I've seen have a wound A, if it is fluorocarbon, or a wound A and D with nylons. Even a gut set I saw had a wound low A, or just octave a's.

Would the wound strings tear up the gut frets? It seems like it to me. I would have bought the guts already but I wondered if others would work. But its hard to even find any.

On another note, the high e on my Archtop doesn't excite me much. As you go up, you really have to smash it to get much. It is a heavy nylon e, (.028") I don't remember how the light steel jazz set I had on it sounded. I don't think it wimped out. It's only .010". Maybe just the instrument? Try a lighter string?
Author:  jfmckenna [ Tue Aug 18, 2020 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
Aquila makes what they call Nylgut strings which I think are supposed to be synthetic gut strings. I use them on my classical guitars and like them.
Author:  ballbanjos [ Tue Aug 18, 2020 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
+1 on the Nylguts. I use them on ukes and gut strung banjos--they're not as good as real gut strings, but hold up well and sound good.

I doubt that the wound strings will tear up the gut frets too badly--wound strings in gut sets tend to be wrapped with really fine silver wire.

Dave
Author:  Clay S. [ Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
Why not use a harder (and cheaper) fret material - heavy nylon fishing line. It is harder to tie on than gut but should hold up better.
I once used fly rod line to tie a set of frets on a lute. They worked fine but the lime green color was a bit unattractive. :lol:

You can tie nylon the same as gut - it actually makes the (melted) ball ends easier than gut. I do that on nylon trebles to avoid wrapping them around themselves on the bridge tie block - melt a small ball and then just tuck it under itself, same as the metal wound.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tieing+ ... Pk9ibqAs36
Author:  Ken Nagy [ Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
I see that you can just.order the strings individually online. Should be easy. I might order a couple of the octave a strings and one a gauge under to try on the other guitar as an e. They have a nylon to nylgut calculator.I

It's worth a try for $7.00

Nylgut is supposedly brighter? Might work.

Nice idea Clay! A bunch of gut to make frets is $70.00. Doubt a fretless baroque would work

Oh I see they sell synthetic fret.gut. I could string it up, and buy each gauge I need.
Author:  Ken Nagy [ Tue Aug 25, 2020 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
I ordered the strings late Friday, and got them this morning. The loaded bass string in RED. Cool.

I'll see how the strings work on the arch top too.

Attachment:
IMG_0075.jpeg
Author:  Clay S. [ Tue Aug 25, 2020 3:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
Is the red string a harp string?
Author:  wbergman [ Tue Aug 25, 2020 5:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
https://www.stringsbymail.com/?gclid=EA ... gI07fD_BwE

Give this guy a call.
Author:  Ken Nagy [ Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Strings
Clay S. wrote:
Is the red string a harp string?


No, it's a !oaded string. They put some sort of metal powder in it when it is made. It is scaled as a 1.25mm string but it.is 1.00. I haven't tried it yet, I need to make a nut.

I did try 3 nylgut strings on the archtop, and it brightened it up, just what I wanted. They are tough to tie. I cut a small piece of thick suede, and put a tiny hole in it.to.keep it from wanting to get sucked into the tailpiece slot. It worked really well.I

The baroque has a loop, to adjust action and even intonation to some extent. I'll have to figure out how to tie it. They aren't as flexible as gut strings.

I don't have to pound the high strings now to get sound out of them. Noticeable. Before they were lost. I went a.gauge or so lower:
.74/.60
.86/.73
1.05/.88

They are denser, so even Steven they are smaller.
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