For those who are interested, and this involves strings and the question on alternatives such as guitar strings.
Background, as a reminder: My "flat back lute" is 63.3cm VL, the La Bella strings supplied were quite inappropriate (the kit maker is changing his specs and has ordered from Aquila USA). I had down tuned my "lute" to e' to practice with those strings. I got the nylgut (and D type wound strings) from Aquila USA (Curtis Daily) yesterday, but he was back ordered on the chanterelle that was defined as a nylon .44 (@ .0175in) as the ng was "iffy" for that length and pitch. He was to have sent me a nylgut to see if it would hold in the interim. Now I sit with the nylgut, and octave ng and D type G and F's, and an unstrung instrument that I used the opportunity to sand down those wooden frets that are untraditional, but effective. Brought them to a bit less than 1/16th height (@ 1.5mm, I think). But I wanted to play, and there are no strings of .44 for the guitar, and all the music stores near me have never heard of a lute (one can get wire mandolin strings). So the temporary solution! A sporting goods store had fishing line of 20lb test and .017in (.43mm). I didn't want to spend $8 US for 330 yards, so the store gave me 10 yards of it from a spare reel without charge. It works! It is holding pitch as it stretches just as well as the nylgut Aquila's on the rest of my courses. Not that I suggest fishline as an alternative, it definitely doesn't have the quality of sound. But the sound is surprisingly good and quite adequate for practice. And with ten yards of it I can supply the entire community with back up chanterelles <g>. So if you are looking for a practical alternative while awaiting the proper strings the sporting goods store is a better place than the local music store. (I just went back and rechecked the pitch of the fishing line, I strung it six hours ago and brought it back to g' an hour and a half ago, and it has dropped about a quarter tone since then). I repeat, a temporary solution, the tone is thin and it is no substitute for gut or nylgut. But in an emergency it works. Best, Jon
