I lubricate instrument nuts for living. I did try graphite (or lead pencil) in the past, but for the last... well, 15 or so, years i use a good quality bees wax, just lifting the string above the nut a bit and applying the wax on this little bit of the string. Many advantages to the method, which you could discover for yourselves, if tried. I also tie leaders to the strings for living. With gut, you could burn the end of the string to create a tiny ball (as done with the frets) and use some non-stretching, better braided or twisted material, it will less likely damage your pegs. It should be thin enough for the knot to be portable, not to interfere with the neighboring strings. A some sort of wrap-around knot (shell knot is a good one) might be the best. Yes it will stabilize certain things, yes, possible. But boy, it will look ugly. On the lute...? Plus, there is a tremendous chance that these leaders will resonate to your notes in the most unexpected ways and create some new and challenging tuning problems. While the usual piece of string in the peg box is still a good quality even round string, and if resonates, still harmoniously in some way, a tied leader will not so. alexander r.
On Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:27:13 +0000 Ron Andrico <[email protected]> wrote: > I have found it necessary to tie a 'leader' onto unexpectedly shortened > strings and finding that, surprisingly, it does seem to stabilize > tuning problems. I have always used well-stretched bits of slightly > thicker-gauged used gut or fret gut, since it seems to find its point > of stability in fairly short order. Of course the knot makes a > difference and it must be fast and not catch on other strings or the > tuning problem is exacerbated. Your strings need to be well-ordered in > the pegbox or the crisscrossing will result in unauthorized > intermingling and the catching of windings, gimps or fibers. > Lubricating the nut with a pencil is probably the place to start > tacking the problem though. > RA > > Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 00:49:15 -0600 > > To: [email protected] > > From: [email protected] > > Subject: [LUTE] Non-stretchy pegbox leaders. > > > > > > We had a discussion similar to this three years ago > > (Dec 7 2008). However, I'd like to revisit the subject with > > my question rephrased to focus more closely on my problem. > > > > Stretching of strings between the nut and the peg is causing > > me severe difficulty in tuning -- I can turn the peg > > 90 or 120 degrees with no response in the pitch. > > > > Lubricating the nut is of course a possibility. > > > > But I'd also like to try replacing the portion of the string > > between nut and peg with a leader of some material which > > (a) does not stretch, > > (b) can be tied securely and easily to the string, > > (c) will not slip on the peg, > > (d) will not damage anything, > > (e) is strong enough, and > > (f) is readily available. > > > > Does anyone have experience in this? > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > -- >
