At 12:17 PM 1/11/2008, Gregory Doc Rossi wrote: >I don't know how many of you ever use iron or brass, but it seems to >last forever sound-wise. If I break one on a longer scale instrument, >I file it away in case I break one on shorter scale instrument. I >keep the old strings in envelopes according to gauge - must be my >librarian experience. I save the ones that are too short, too - you >never know when I might get a shorter instrument.
I use brass on early Neapolitan mandolin. I agree regarding the longevity of tone...although the finer gauges are rather brittle and break frequently under plectra. Unfortunately, I believe my instruments to be at the functional minimum for fretted brass, so once one of my a' strings breaks, it's done and gone. Best, Eugene To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
