When you say "steel strings" are you talking about a wound string? Or just a plain metal string like an unwound guitar string? I've used violin strings on a D/G HG, particularly for the lower chantrelle. I used a Thomastic Dominant violin D string, which has a perlon core and aluminum winding. Usually I've used a gut string for the high chantrelle. I did have a case where the high chantrelle broke and I used a wound violin E string to replace it. I've never tried a plain unwound string, mostly because I felt the tension might be too high, nor a steel core violin string for the same reason. Kevin
From: [email protected] Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:14:09 -0400 Subject: [HG-new] wire chanter strings To: [email protected] I had the chance briefly to try out one of Mel and Ann's (Hurdy Gurdy Crafters) kit-built gurdies earlier this week in the process of evaluating it for a friend to purchase. Overall I was impressed with the instrument for its use by beginning to intermediate players -- very solid, nice full sound, excellent trompette. But I've never played a gurdy with steel chanter strings before. At first I thought this was a bad idea, and wanted to replace them with the usual gut chanters before sending it on to my friend. But the sound was pretty good, and the pressure on the wheel wasn't unreasonable, so I left it alone. I'm just wondering what others on the gurdy list think of steel chanter strings. Are there problems with using them? Advantages? In particular, for an instrument such as this one with metal tangents, are there good reasons to use steel chanter strings, or is it best to replace them with gut? And what would you buy, if you needed to replace the steel strings with other steel strings, for D/G tuning in particular? Thanks, Mitch Gordon Guerneville, California, US -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
