Care and treatment of gut strings
At medium temperature and humidity gut strings are not perishable.
All our gut strings which are not either wound or varnished are oiled before packing.
On bowed instruments the area where the bow contacts the string should be wiped with a soft cloth before initial use. When first playing new string a little extra rosin should be used, we recommend that the other sections of the string should be lightly oiled, preferably after being played and before storage.
Our gut wound strings are made with a loop end for attaching to the tailpiece, other strings need either a simple knot (if thick) or a loop made at the end.
If thick strings are to stiff to tie a knot, wrap the end with a wet cloth to make it soft. Make sure to let it dry completely before putting the string on the instrument!
At the peg excess string should be cut off so as to avoid unwanted buzzing.
Before fitting a new string one should check that all the angles that the string must pass over are smooth, i. e. at the tailpiece, the bridge, nut and peg.
It is also important that the grooves in the nut and bridge are wide enough so as not to pinch the string.
These grooves should also first be lubricated with graphite.
Optimal string tension
When you are not happy with the sound of a string the problem is often found
to lie with having the wrong tension. To test this, tune the string up or down in semitone steps.
When the string sounds better tuned higher it has too little tension, the remedy is to use a thicker string.
When the string responds best at a lower pitch then the tension was to high, needing a thinner string.
By using our
string calculator you can find the optimal tension
and correct string diameter.
As an approximation, when the pitch difference is one semitone you should select
the next thicker or thinner string from our programme.
When a different tone quality is required we recommend our custom made string service.
String calculation
We have built up archives of a still increasing number of string calculations, out of which we can
design new string sets.
Especially lutes and harps have many different constructions and tunings and it is not possible to offer standard sets.
Also newly designed and unusual instruments or even some compositions require special string selections and combinations.
In all these cases and many more we can offer you a calculation of string sets, where you get exact information about tuning, tension, string selection and alternative strings as well as the exact costs.
When using this service please refer to our information
"how to order - how to pay"
Custom made strings
From the strings outlined in our standard programme one should be able to string nearly every instrument and find the optimum tension.
For the customer who can not find a suitable wound string or for unusual instruments and tunings we can offer a custom made string service.
Please inform us about your requirements.