> So we are left with some very difficult problems. I'm glad that more > people > are now taking the debate seriously - who knows, we might end up with some > decent (and historically plausible) lute strings... > > Best wishes, > > Martin > > P.S. But I'd settle for just "decent".
Actually, I find the Pistoy basses by Gamut more than decent on my 10-course (62 cm, a' = 415, strings ranging from 0.40 for 1st to 2.20 for 10th); they are beautiful and very satisfying. More so than the Gimped ones I tried first. But I have some trouble on my single strung theorbo. I am stubborn enough to want 7 and 8 on the fingerboard (76 cm, tuned in a at a' = 415/440). When playing those basses alone they are rather dull, but played in chords with their higher octaves they are wonderfull again. And the transition to the extended basses is not in balance. For me this is practical evidence that a double strung theorbo would be better, or that indeed I shouldn't want string 7 and 8 on the fingerboard. |-( But I must say that they are still slowly improving (over a period of about a year now), something also very noticable on the extended basses. David To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
