Stephen, I often use Nylgut on the 1st and 2nd courses and 4th course octave of my 6-c lutes.
I like: the similar density to gut it's tuning is usually predictable (but the thin ones go a little atonal after 6 months). they are inexpensive I don't like (but deem acceptable): the hardness (it cuts into the fret gut more than gut) the texture lacks the gut subtlety but certainly fills the bill for general practicing the tuning (while somewhat predictable) moves differently than the gut strings. the slipperiness can occasionally make knotting a problem. the pasty white color (why can't we get blue, green or striped??) It can work okay for 3rd course but I don't like it on the 4th fundamental or below (too stiff for a pretty sound) I use solid gut on the 4th and suggest Aquila's V-gut or Dan Larson's 'roped' gut [Ed, what's the proper term he uses?] for 5th and 6th fundamentals and it all balances out nicely enough for general use. I can't speak to strings below that. Good luck, Sean Smith At 08:34 AM 5/23/04, you wrote: >Hello to All! > >I read with interest Bill's response to Charles concerning nylgut = >strings. I have been wanting to try nylgut, but the luthier who made my = >instrument has a rather low opinion of them, so I haven't yet. Since = >Bill plays the oud rather than the lute, I'm wondering whether any = >Renaissance lutenists on our list have used nylgut and, if so, what = >their experience with it has been. > >Best regards, > >Stephen Arndt >--
