Loop-end plain steel strings are typically used for this application.  These 
strings are made for use on banjos, mandolins, bouzoukis, etc.  Most places 
that sell strings for these instruments will have individual strings for sale.  

If all you can find are ball-end steel strings for guitar, not to worry.  The 
"ball" can be easily removed from the string by crushing it with a pair of 
Vise-Grips(TM).  The ball is actually a little cylinder of metal, so gripping 
it on the curved sides and squashing it will cause it to break up into several 
pieces, which then fall out of the loop.  You get the added benefit of having 
slightly flattened the loop, better preparing it for being installed around the 
little pin or brad that holds it at the tail end of the instrument.  

BTW, wear some eye protection when you do this.  The little cylinder usually 
just falls inward as it breaks, but I've seen pieces come whizzing off.  Also 
watch out for the sharp ends of the wire strings.  Most sympathetic string 
changing operations involve a little "blood sacrifice" from getting poked by 
the sharp ends at some point.     

Alden F.M. Hackmann                        [email protected]

"Beati illi qui in circulum circumeunt, fient enim magnae rotae."

On Mon, 1 Oct 2012, Paul Howland wrote:

> Hello.  One of the steel sympathetic strings on my Siorat hurdy-gurdy has 
> snapped.  I know the diameter of the strings he
> uses, but don't know what kind of string I need to buy as a replacement?  I 
> assume it must be a banjo string or steel
> guitar or something, but would welcome advice on what I should be getting.  
> On my gurdy I have 8 sympathetic strings,
> tuned in pairs at GACD, with diameters quoted as 0.40, 0.35, 0.30 and 0.27 
> respectively (I assume mm).  Paul
> 
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