>When I tried varnished gut, I got a lot of squeaking on the strings from my right hand, no matter how much I filed and lubricated my fingertips. I replaced the chanterelle and 2nd course with unvarnished gut and the squeaking went away. Is that just sloppy right-hand technique on my part, or is there something about the varnish coating that leads to squeaking? More friction?
I did notice that the varnished strings were pretty resistant to changes in pitch due to changes in weather. Tim > > >---- Original Message ---- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: gut treble strings >Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2005 07:59:52 -0700 > >>Hello Martin, >> >>I thought I'd chime in since I string my mandolinos completely in >gut, >>including the doubled chanterelle (tuned an octave above the >standard >>lute treble at g''). Last year I spent several months going through >every >>variety of .40mm gut that I could obtain with the same (remarkably >>consistent) results, namely strings that sounded great, but that >would >>only last 1-2 days at most. >> >>Then I tried varnished gut, at the suggestion of Chris Hendriksen >>(Boston Catlines). The difference has been remarkable. The first >pair >>(cut from a single length) lasted for 1.5 weeks of heavy concert >preparation >>(Nirvana!) I put the second set on just before the concert and they > >>settled >>in and worked fine and have lasted even longer. I lost one string >of >>the pair >>about a month ago, the other single string is still there and >getting >>daily use... >>at something like four months! >> >>At the high pitch of the mandolino, gut really makes a difference in >the >>sound >>produced, and for my money, its worth it to have the varnished gut. > >>They are, >>of course, very smooth and consistent. Also, I play with rather >short >>nails on >>this instrument, so these strings are not particularly pampered. >> >>Just my 2-cents... hope it helps, >> >>Eric >> >>Martin Shepherd wrote: >> >>>Calling all you gut string players out there: >>> >>>With all the discussion of gut strings recently on the list and >>>listening to Jacob Heringman's magnificent Siena Lute Book CD, I've >been >>>tempted (after a gap of about 12 years) to return to all-gut >stringing. >>>So my question is: >>> >>>Who manufactures the best (strongest, truest) gut trebles? >>> >>>I'm finding Sofracob very good for thicker strings (2nd course >down) but >>>haven't any thinner ones to try at the moment. The nice thing >about the >>>Sofracob strings is if you run them through your fingers they are >really >>>smooth - no lumps and bumps - and they are true on the instrument. >They >>>are also cheap - with a 3m length you get three strings out of a >length. >>> >>>Please reply off list if you want to say anything libellous about >any of >>>the manufacturers, otherwise please keep it on the list so everyone >can >>>benefit from your experience. >>> >>>Thanks, >>> >>>Martin >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>To get on or off this list see list information at >>>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >>
