A gusli is a plucked instrument, so it is not to be compared with a hurdy gurdy: it may have a much lower string tension, say about 3 kg instead of 6 to 8 kg.
Nylgut will work fine, I suppose: it works fine on many early plucked instruments. A short time ago I heard Sequentia (in this case Benjamin Bagby + another fine player/singer) play two reconstructions of a medieval lyre with nylgut, with a fine sound. You might try to contact Sequentia directly or go to the early music list ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). The hg is not a list to discuss other instruments. I have tried nylgut on my hurdy gurdies, it works, but I prefer gut. By the way, nylgut has a somewhat lower density as gut. Good luck. Ernic --------------------- 2008/1/5, Wolodymyr Smishkewych < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > Cali and Alden, and anyone else: > I am trying to calculate strings I need for an instrument (not a HG), and > am at a loss. Just for comparison's sake, what is the string tension and > usual vibrating length on a HG that you folks make, and what string gauges > of gut would you use for stringing chanterelles, if the customer so desired? > I think the instrument I have would withstand about the same tension as a > HG, so it would certainly help me figure it out. I am using Arto's > string calculator for my calculations ( > http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/wikla/mus/Calcs/wwwscalc.html > ) but if anyone has any other suggestions they'd be very welcome. > > The instrument I am stringing up, by the way, can be viewed at: > http://www.rolandinstrument.com/ind/index.php?page=8&lang=2 > I'll be using Nylgut, which has similar density to regular gut, but is > very reliable. Anyone tried it for HGs yet? > > Thanks so much! > Vlad > > Wolodymyr Smishkewych > wolodymyrsmishkewych.com > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >
