Greetings all,
I play a D-G HG and recently did a little experiment which turned out
rather well. I replaced my petit Bourdon (higher drone string) which was a
D an octave below middle C with a D string that is 2 octaves below middle C.
This is hefty string - a big mother and I was worried about what would
happen. But since the instrument was playing well and I can't seem to help
but muck with success, I tried it anyway. It worked. The lower D sounds
very, very cool and the melody strings (two D's an octave apart) sound much
clearer. There was some futzing that had to be done - I had to file a new
groove into the drone's bridge and I had to drill a bigger hole for the peg
but now it's working fine.
Technically since the new D string is the Gros Bourdon (deeper drone -
my French is bad), I should have switched out the two drone strings, but
the G that was the Gros, which is now the Petit was sounding just fine where
it was and I didn't want to move it. (I'm not a total masochist).
As Cali Hackman recommmended, I used a Thomastick Infeld cello C for a
1/8 cello. This is chrome wound string - not as pretty as silver wound or
copper wound but it's the only choice you have for a 1/8 instrument. I have
a Thomastick Infeld viola C for my melody string and it also sounds great.
I play mainly renaissance, medieval music with a couple of middle
eastern songs thrown in and the deeper drone gives everything a darker, more
exotic texture.
Well, just thought some of you might be interested.
-Jocelyn (the newly low)
