A well-known story embedded herein, but: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Augustine_Ltd.
Best, Eugene -----Original Message----- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2016 8:57 AM To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [LUTE] Re: Early 'Synthetic gut' A bit of a non sequitur -but nylon stocking were available in the 1940's so presumably nylon string could have benn.... Monica ----Original Message---- From: voka...@verizon.net Date: 04/06/2016 11:01 To: "Martyn Hodgson"<hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk> Cc: "Lute List"<lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Subj: [LUTE] Re: Early 'Synthetic gut' Regarding synthetic gut from the 1950s, I doubt they would be silk based. The time and "tennis" strongly suggest that it is actually nylon, rectified on a rough wheel not to slip under the bow (or tennis ball). I have encountered similar strings from the 50s for bass viol, claiming "synthetic gut" on packaging, being old yellowing nylon. It is quite easy to find out once and for all. Take a match (or better yet, gas lighter) to it. A silk based string will result in a slightly enlarged blackened "ball" on the end, with a clear burnt-wool smell, but will never melt. If silk was treated with some synthetic glue, there would be a chemical smell, but a blackened smallish "ball" would still result. Nylon would melt, and on persistence, catch on fire, which silk never does. If my memory is not failing me, i recall reading Segovia describing early nylon guitar strings as being called "synthetic gut", and being rectified (on his advice?) to a rougher surface. The "nylon string" apparently came into use later, as the strings attained some appreciation. Thank you for pointing out Mark Goodwin's article, never read it before. alexander r. On Fri, 03 Jun 2016 12:50:45 +0000 (UTC) Martyn Hodgson <hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > Recently I acquired a violin (probably Mirecourt made) imported by > Norman Duke c 1880. In the case were various spare strings. One is > particularly interesting: the packet has printed on it: > ------------------------------------------------- > Violin D or 3rd > Synthetic gut > 1 length > No.603 > for > SWEETER TONE > FULLER VOLUME > SUMMIT string > British Music and tennis strings Ltd. London > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > A few papers in the case are dated to 1962. The packet appears to > me fairly old from the 1950/60s I suggest. The string in the packet is > about 0.92mm, gut coloured, quite stiff, slightly rough surface but > with no sign of twisting as in gut strings of this diameter. > I had thought synthetic gut music strings were a more recent > invention (Eph Segerman of NRI offered some called 'gutlon' in the > 1980s I think and, of course, Peruffo currently with his Nylgut). Has > anyone come across these sort of earlier synthetic string? And I > wonder what became of them. > From the site below it seems the company lasted to the 1950s. Paste > this link into your browser > http:/www.gracesguide.co.uk/British Music and Tennis Strings > It also seems that a different company, but using a similar name > was established in the 1960s. See > http:/www.guitar-list.com/brands/british-music-strings-limited > The material might just possible be 'acribelle' which I believe > was a silk string impregnated with glue to stiffen it. (see Goodwin's > article In March 2003 EMP below). But because I've never seen pure > silk strings I don't actually know if this is the case > [1]http://www.earlymusic.info/performer/EMP11-1.pdf > Any information welcolmed! > MH > > -- > > References > > 1. http://www.earlymusic.info/performer/EMP11-1.pdf > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
