I know at least one lutenist, who stopped using gut, because whose skin is
so acidic that it corrodes gut within days.
RT
----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 9:08 AM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: String hairs
Human skin is acidic - we secrete weak acids through our skin - even the
fingertips. This acid will slowly break down the collagen in the gut
strings, thus shortening their lives. It is a good idea to wash one's
hands (even if they are clean!) with soap before playing (soap is alkaline
and neutralizes the acids). This is not a 'cure' , but it helps to
slightly lengthen the short life of the gut string.
Remember, Baron, in the "Study of the Lute" (1727), boasts that "there are
instances where a Roman string lasted four weeks". !!! So this problem is
not new. trj
-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Hind <[email protected]>
To: William Samson <[email protected]>
Cc: lute <[email protected]>
Sent: Thu, Jan 19, 2012 7:44 am
Subject: [LUTE] Re: String hairs
William, I have also been suffering recently from this problem, more
than previously.
I had dropped the pitch from 407 to 392Hz but while encreasing the
diameter from 44 to 46 (70cm lute).
This should result in a very slight drop in tension, but the fraying
has been more frequent.
This did, however, correspond with a change of string make, but in the
past, when I had tried this particular maker's strings they
had proved both very sweet, and quite strong. This could be due to a
poor batch, or perhaps even be down
to the strange weather we have had recently.
In fact strangely, the last string I put on has lasted quite well,
following about five that haven't done very well.
When transporting my lute too and fro between very dry Paris, and humid
Normandy, I have put my lute inside
one of those survival sheets, within the lute case, just hoping that
this may protect it from any extreme temperature or
humidity shocks.
Otherwise, I do as you do, snipping the hair as close as I dare to the
string, with a fear that I might
also snip the string, or slip and dig into the lute.
Anthony
__________________________________________________________________
De : William Samson <[email protected]>
A : David Smith <[email protected]>
Cc : "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Envoye le : Jeudi 19 Janvier 2012 9h28
Objet : [LUTE] Re: String hairs
Unless you want to be continually replacing your first string, you
should either drop to a lower pitch standard (even a semitone will
increase the lifespan quite significantly) or if that isn't an option
(horror of horrors) use a synthetic (e.g. nylgut) string for your
first. There's always the forlorn hope that somebody will start
producing stronger gut, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Maybe one of us knows more than me about the process of giving gut an
even diameter, but I have heard there are two options, one involving
the abrasion of the 'rough' string, and the other using strings that
have been very carefully hand-made with selected strips and don't
need
grinding of the string's surface to make it even. The latter type
would be stronger, but I wouldn't know where to buy them.
Bill
From: David Smith <[1][email protected]>
To: Lute List <[2][email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, 19 January 2012, 6:25
Subject: [LUTE] String hairs
I have a new lute that has gut strings on it. I have had it for
about
3
days. The 1^st string has unraveled a single "hair" about the 7^th
fret. In the past I have just cut these as short as possible but
frequently the string breaks within a couple of weeks. Is there any
better way to treat these "hairs"?
I play with no nails and have been very careful so am somewhat
surprised at this happening so quickly. Is this common with gut
strings?
Thanks for any words of wisdom.
Regards
David
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