Dear Bill,

   I meant to send the email to the lute list but pressed the wrong button
   - I've rectified this now.

   As you say it's unlikely we'll know for absolute certain - but I think
   we can be pretty sure (95%+?) that before 1660 wire wounds were unknown
   (tho' of course, twisted/braided wire was used for wire strung
   instrument basses since the 16th century) and so paintings showing
   coloured basses represent simple colouring effects or something else:
   loading perhaps. Because of the limitation of string diameters on some
   original bridges (and shown in some of the clearer paintings) I favour
   denser basses which implies loaded strings. But they may have been
   happy with a rubber band feel in the bass even when plucked at the
   bridge - tho clearly there was an awareness that basses might be too
   weak (hence theorbos etc).... No need to go over the story again here
   but its more a matter of the weight of evidence rather than a
   categorical proof - ie more civil court than criminal court burden of
   proof.

   So I don't think we need be so pessimistic as to think  'In
   all probability it will be different from what was admired at the time'
   since the weight of evidence does indicate much.  And this is the
   history of such research - incremental steps.

   regards

   Martyn
   --- On Wed, 28/11/12, William Samson <[email protected]> wrote:

     From: William Samson <[email protected]>
     Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: Lute bass strings - was Re: Are Pistoys
     prone to rot according to Mace?
     To: "Martyn Hodgson" <[email protected]>, "Lute builder
     Dmth" <[email protected]>
     Date: Wednesday, 28 November, 2012, 11:38

      I don't suppose we'll ever know for sure, unless somebody comes
   across
      a well-preserved, accurately dated stash of old lute strings - or
      perhaps they have all decayed/rotted?
      Still, interesting views are being expressed.  I suppose what we
   should
      all be doing is trying to produce as good a musical sound (to our
   own
      ears at least) as we can, using what's available to us.  In all
      probability it will be different from what was admired at the time,
   but
      short of discovering time-travel, there's not much we can do about
      finding out how it actually did sound back then.  I'd bet, though,
   that
      it would sound quite 'eccentric' to our ears.
      Bill
      From: Martyn Hodgson <[1][email protected]>
      To: Lute builder Dmth <[2][email protected]>
      Sent: Wednesday, 28 November 2012, 8:57
      Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Lute bass strings - was Re: Are Pistoys
   prone
      to rot according to Mace?
        When you write  'The better explanation for seemingly thin,
   coloured
        strings on the basses of lutes.......',  what do you mean by
        'better''?: - better in relation to the historical evidence (if so
        precisely what)?; better for modern ears?; better for the cost?;
      better
        than currently available coloured /loaded strings?; better than
   what?
        And why would we wish to ignore clear iconographic evidence and
        historical record?
        MH
        --- On Wed, 28/11/12, Shaun Ng <[1][3][email protected]> wrote:
          From: Shaun Ng <[2][4][email protected]>
          Subject: [LUTE] Re: Are Pistoys prone to rot according to Mace?
          To: "<[3][5][email protected]>" <[4][6][email protected]>
          Cc: "<[5][7][email protected]>"
   <[6][8][email protected]>
          Date: Wednesday, 28 November, 2012, 0:45
        Just a short comment: I recently did some research on historical
        stringing and in regards to pistoy loaded strings, there is no
        evidence. The better explanation for seemingly thin, coloured
   strings
        on the basses of lutes is wound strings. At least we know such a
        technology existed, even though their mention mostly comes a bit
   too
        late when we compare paintings of the time, which is not a good
   way
      to
        get credible information about musical instruments anyway.
        Shaun Ng
        0426240 775 | [1][7][9][email protected] | shaunng.blogspot.com
        On 28/11/2012, at 5:35, <[2][8][10][email protected]> wrote:
        > Dear Anthony,
        >
        > Once more my apologies for such a hiatus in writing. As I said
        before, the
        > change of internet provider caused a lot of connection problems,
      and
        then
        > traveling (a concert tour) didn't give me a chance to write
   longer
        messages.
        > I'll try to catch up now, so please excuse me if I write too
   long.
        > You touched a couple of related topics in your last email, so I
      will
        try to
        > address them separately.
        >
        > ROTTEN GUT
        >
        > Obviously the word "rotten" can have at least 2 meanings,
   however I
        am
        > afraid in this case Mace very clearly writes about decay of gut
        strings.
        > Just one example:
        >
        > "for that colour is a general sign of rottenness, or of the
   DECAY
      of
        the
        > string"
        >
        > The word "decay" reappears several times in the technical part
   of
        Music's
        > Monument, always in conjunction with the word "rottenness". This
        can't be
        > coincidental.
        > Now, one can consider why it is so difficult for us to accept
   that
        decay
        > process of a gut string could be real. I can see two reasons,
      namely:
        1/
        > none of us saw a rotting gut  2/ Mace is viewed as a very
   eccentric
        man
        > thence unreliable source of historical information.
        > I would like to challenge both of these notions.
        >
        > 1/ Is this possible for a gut to decay? Gut is an organic
   substance
        so if
        > unprotected it would start to decay very fast. Modern gut
   strings
      are
        very
        > well chemically protected against such a possibility. In Mace
   times
        gut was
        > treated with Griepoli i.e. tartar and a small quantity of Roch
      Allum
        (as
        > Philip Skippon an English traveller who visited an Italian
   string
        > manufacture testifies in 1663). In general gut absorbs humidity
      very
        easily
        > during which process it swells putting on some weight and
   volume.
      The
        porous
        > structure of gut and the way strands are assembled into a string
        makes it
        > even more susceptible to decay. Now, if we try to recreate
      conditions
        that
        > people were used to live in an average English household in 17c.
        (maybe
        > excluding aristocracy), and Mace was not a wealthy man, it is
   not
        difficult
        > to imagine that walls of such a building that had never seen a
        central
        > heating system would be prone to keep constant humidity inside.
   In
        that
        > light Mace's advice to keep a lute in the room with fireplace
   and
        even his
        > amusing remark to wrap it in blankets seems to be quite
   practical.
      We
        don't
        > know what was the climate in 17c., but we can easily assume that
   in
        England
        > it would be definitely humid. Mace's remarks seem to confirm
   this:
        "for the
        > bed will dry up all the moisture and clamminess, which moist
      weather
        > constantly ocassions to any thing made of wood etc." I can only
   try
        to
        > imagine that clammy furniture and other wooden things. Therefore
      Mace
        says
        > that old lutes are better than new because: "if this
        > thick-strong-lusty-sturdy-oak will (in 100 years) decay, by such
        usage; how
        > much more easily then, must a lute (made of gentle wood, and so
      very
        thin)
        > with such like ill usage decay? Yet we see, that many lutes
   there
      are
        of a
        > great age and I myself have at this present a lute made of ayre,
      that
        is
        > above 100 years old, a very strong lute..." To complement this
        picture one
        > has to add the level of hygiene and knowledge of elementary
        microbiological
        > processes during that time. We don't even know under what
      conditions
        strings
        > were transported and stored before selling by merchants.
        > I am not surprised Mace writes a lot about rotting strings and
   even
        whole
        > instruments.
        >
        > COLOURED STRINGS
        >
        > Since I began to play lutes which was many years ago, the
   passage
        from
        > chapter VI p.65-66, was always interpreted one way, suggesting
   that
        the red
        > colour of Pistoys is something different than gut colours
   described
        further
        > under a heading of "coloured strings". I don't know who was the
        initial
        > source of this information, but it must have been suggested very
      long
        time
        > ago. Unfortunately, as usual in such cases, people repeat ideas
        without
        > considering another possibilities.
        >
        > Mace writes: "There are several sorts of coloured strings, very
      good;
        But
        > the best (to my observation) was always the clear blue; the red,
        commonly
        > rotten, sometimes green very good."
        >
        > Lets presume that as you suggest he is talking only about some
      shades
        of
        > clear gut strings. Now, I have to ask this question - have you
   ever
        seen a
        > clear gut string which would have a blue, green or red shade ?
   Hm,
      I
        haven't,
        > and I am afraid this is not the same type of question as - have
   you
        ever
        > seen decaying gut string. Why? Because decay of a gut is
   possible
      and
        it's
        > only a matter of some conditions that could trigger this
   process,
        whereas
        > such a palette of colours understood as a raw gut shading
   (without
        any
        > additional procedure like dyeing) is very unlikely, because we
   use
        very
        > similar if not identical processes to make HT or LT gut strings.
   I
        have seen
        > only gut strings that were either clear, yellowish or whitish.
        Besides the
        > heading of this paragraph would be something like "Minikins" if
      Mace
        had
        > thought of clear trebles. On the other hand the process of
   dyeing
        strings in
        > 17-18c. seams to be proved at least for harps. If for harps, why
      not
        for
        > lutes? Mace clearly writes that bass strings were: "commonly
   dyed,
        with a
        > deep dark red colour". If basses were coloured then other
   strings
        could be
        > dyed too, as some iconography confirms like Van der Bilcius's
        painting.
        > Strings could have been dyed for several reasons: 1/ some
        manufactures could
        > want to stand out from a competition 2/ for ease of playing
      (finding
        a
        > proper string with a finger) especially for beginners (amateurs)
   3/
        for
        > aesthetic reasons etc.
        > I don't know why dyed strings for lutes are so rare nowadays. As
      far
        as I
        > know Dan sells some red gut strings, but no other colours
   (anyone
        ells?).
        > Why aren't they more popular? They would sell easily IMO. Maybe
        that's an
        > idea for some string manufactures?
        >
        > PISTOYS
        >
        > "There is another sort of strings, which they call Pistoy
   basses,
        which I
        > conceive are none other than thick Venice-Catlines, which are
        commonly dyed,
        > with a deep dark red colour. They are indeed the very best for
   the
        basses,
        > being smooth and well-twisted strings, but are hard to come by;"
   MM
        p.66
        >
        > This passage is often quoted in the context of loaded strings.
   Mace
        calls
        > this another sort of strings Pistoy basses and suggests that
   they
      are
        (and
        > this part draws my attention) "none other than thick
        Venice-Catlines". Why
        > "none other than"? Maybe because they were imported and people
      didn't
        know
        > how they were produced so they speculated about it. However for
      Mace
        they
        > looked and worked exactly like thick Venice-Catlines. Normaly
        > Venice-Catlines were manufactured in Bologna, but then
   transported
      to
        Venice
        > (that's why the name Venice). The "Catline" part of the name
   comes
        from
        > naval terminology. Catline on a ship was a very elastic rope
   used
      to
        lash an
        > anchor to a "cathead" which was a special beam. The rope had to
   be
        extremely
        > flexible. Therefore they were twisted from several ropes in
      opposite
        > directions. Very similar construction was later used for
   production
        of
        > middle register lute strings. Not much was written about their
   use
        for
        > basses though, however Mace's statement could correspond well
   with
        George
        > Stoppani's idea of rope strings. Ephraim Segerman suggested once
      that
        to
        > make a proper Venice-Catline bass string one would have to use a
        special
        > Catline twisting process. Only this could produce an extremely
        elastic
        > Catline rope-like string. Normally I use Venice-Catlines for
   middle
        > register, but haven't tried Stoppani's or Gamut's Pistoys for
      basses
        yet.
        > However  some reports are very promising.
        > How about a deep dark red colour? Mace claims they were commonly
        dyed. He
        > hadn't noticed anything unusual about them like rare thickness,
        > construction, weight etc.
        > Then, how about loading?
        >
        > LOADED STRINGS
        >
        > Nothing can be excluded just by reading MM, but there are no
   traces
        that
        > could point to loading in Mace's text. Personally I don't think
   the
        sentence
        > about Pistoys can be used as an argument in favour of loaded gut
        theory.
        > Pistoy (thick Venice-Catline) roped string is good enough to
   cope
        with a
        > problem of dull sounding basses, and loading is not necessary in
      this
        case.
        > It could however have been loaded during light saturation
   process
        which was
        > to protect against decay, but this is only a guess as Mace says
        nothing
        > about it. The historical evidence on string manufacturing
   doesn't
        help
        > either.
        > There is a very detailed description of gut string manufacturing
   in
        18c.
        > France in "Encyclopedie ou dictionnaire raisonne de sciences,
   des
        arts et
        > des metiers" by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond D'Alembert from
        1751-65,
        > under an entry of Boyaudier or Corde. It describes even
      over-spinning
        of gut
        > with a wire. All stages from a raw material to a ready string
   are
        covered
        > including such details as clothes used by workers during
   production
        and  all
        > needed accessories. Unfortunately there is no mention of a
      "loading"
        stage.
        > It would be quite difficult to keep away such a messy business
   as
        loading
        > from an inquisitive eye of Diderot. It is possible that after
   1750
        loaded
        > strings were already out of use as overwound basses were
      manufactured
        as he
        > describes their production in detail. However he also  says that
      the
        best
        > strings come from Rome, and later that Italians have their
   secrets,
        which
        > they do not communicate to strangers. On the other hand neither
        Barbieri's
        > (as you rightly pointed out) nor Philip Skippon's description of
      gut
        > production in Italy confirms this. This could indicate that in
      Italy
        it
        > would be rather a speciality treatment kept in secret but not a
        common
        > procedure.
        > All in all, coming back to my question concerning a connection
        between red
        > colour of strings Mace described, loading and decay, I'd say
   that
      the
        > strings he described weren't loaded, or if they were it was
   rather
        > non-invasive process which didn't change the string properties
   in a
        way it
        > would be visible to an eye (like unusual diameter). At least
   Mace
        haven't
        > noticed it. One could say that he didn't mention it because it
   was
        obvious
        > that all basses would be loaded. This is exactly the point were
   my
        question
        > originated from. If bridge holes on his lute were so tiny that
   he
        could use
        > only heavily loaded bass strings, then how was it possible that
   he
        used
        > Lyons which were ordinary thick gut strings often rotten
   (according
        to Mace
        > , not loaded) interchangeably with Pistoys (which are suggested
   to
      be
        > loaded) ? Moreover Diderot's description coincide with Lady Susi
        Jeans's in
        > "Manufacture of strings in England". Again, no sign of loading.
   I
      am
        not
        > trying to say that the loaded gut theory can't be true. On the
        contrary,
        > modern loaded gut strings are good alternative for basses in
   case
      of
        > stringing some 17c. lutes, no matter how they will prove to be
        historical in
        > future. We discuss only Mace's remarks, and these are only some
   of
      my
        > impressions after reading chapter VI of MM once more.
        >
        > ECCENTRIC MACE
        >
        > This a very difficult subject. There is a little bit of
   psychology
        and
        > philosophy in it ,so probably someone that is a professional
   could
        say much
        > more (and better) than me, but I have a feeling that it's very
        relative.
        > Reading a book such as  Music's Monument is like time-traveling.
      You
        go back
        > in time, and the same time you enter absolutely unknown reality.
      You
        try to
        > project your experiences into the past, but unfortunately it
      doesn't
        work.
        > Well, you may think it does, but it doesn't.
        > Eccentricity is usually measured by a comparison to the general
        public's
        > standards. If you compared Mace to our modern society he would
   be
        terribly
        > eccentric. We are used to reading of old texts, and in spite
   they
        feel very
        > old-fashioned there is some level of universalism that one can
      relate
        to. In
        > most books from that time there are things that a modern reader
      would
        most
        > probably skip. When Burwell writes on many pages about Angels,
   the
        most
        > usual reaction would be that she is a little bit potty in this
        matter, but
        > in general it's easier to accept some unusual believes as most
      people
        know
        > something about basic concepts of spiritual life in old ages.
      However
        Music's
        > Monument is more unique as it is more personal. It shows Mace's
      most
        > personal views and ideas. One of the reasons for that is that
      Music's
        > Monument wasn't written just for one rich sponsor (which would
   be a
        normal
        > way to go) like a king/queen, prince/princesse etc. He wrote it
        encouraged
        > by some of his pupils, and printed using his own means and those
        collected
        > from subscribers, however he says: "It cannot well be afforded
   at
        that price
        > (12s.), to return me any tollerable, or reasonable requital."
        > On the subscription list there are around 300 names among which
      there
        are
        > only 2 barons, 4 baronets, 2 bishops, 4 knights - the rest being
        scholars,
        > clergyman and ordinary gentleman. Not writing for a court he
   took a
        > different attitude: "But if I had only to have spoke to those of
        experience
        > and to show the elegancy of my tongue, I should have contriv'd
   my
        discourse
        > into another shape; But in that I intend it chiefly for
   learners, I
        conceive
        > I have not spoke much too much." If he was to write for a king
   he
        would be
        > afraid of saying much too much, and eccentricity of his book
   would
      be
        > comparable to some French tutors written for a court.
        >
        > Therefore, when reading Music's Monument one has to remember
   that
      if
        we were
        > allowed to spend just an hour in the reality people in 17c.
   lived
      in,
        we
        > would be extremely surprised by some standards they were used
   to.
      It
        is in
        > fact like traveling to another planet, and we can not do justice
   to
        this
        > kind of sources without making some necessary adjustments.
        >
        > It was a pleasure to talk to you again Anthony.
        >
        > Best regards
        >
        > Jaroslaw
        >
        >
        >
        > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anthony Hind"
        <[3][9][11][email protected]>
        > To: "JarosAA'aw Lipski" <[4][10][12][email protected]>
        > Cc: <[5][11][13][email protected]>
        > Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2012 1:19 PM
        > Subject: [LUTE] Are Pistoys prone to rot according to Mace?
        >
        >
        >> Dear Jaroslaw
        >> A' A' A' A' As promised, back now in Paris, I will try to
        >> respond, with a few new thoughts on Mace's string remarks,
   along
        with
        >> the old, as when we talked last at
        >> [6][12][14]http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
        >> MaceA-c-s remarks can be found at
        >> [7][13][15]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
        >> But the CNRS facsimile is such a bargain, every lutenist should
        surely have
        >> one; unless, like a lute maker I know, you are lucky enough to
   be
        given
        >> an original edition for your birthday ...
        >> %
        >> First, I must say that my previous message, about loaded
   strings
        being fairly
        >> immune to humidity, only concerned modern loaded strings, which
      are
        >> coated with copper in a sort of glue. If historic "deep dark
   red"
        >> Pistoys had been loaded through saturation, with say a solution
   of
        red
        >> mercury oxide (akin to a dyeing procin to a dyeing process), I
        donA-c-t know if they would
        >> have been quite so immune to water absorption. But probably
   oxide
        >> loading (rather like salting hams) might have prevented them
        rotting, or
        >> at leastA' slowed the process down (are there any chemists
   among
      you
        who
        >> could say if this is likely?).
        >> %
        >> I will reply to your messages, but breaking up my responses to
        lighten the load:
        >> I) Why MaceA-c-s Pistoy Basses dyed Deep dark red are quite
        different from
        >> his omnipurpose plain red coloured strings, and are not
   therefore
        >> particularly prone to rotting according to Mace.
        >> II) How reliable, and not just excentric, is Mace, a few
   arguments
        in his favour?
        >> A) Meanes used for octaves? B) Why were the Lyons Burwell
   thought
      so
        good,
        >> now so bad, according to Mace? (some data on out sourcing from
        >> Barbieri)
        >> %
        >> I) Are Pistoys prone to rot according to Mace?
        >> In relation to the rotting tendency of red strings, you ask me,
        >> A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' A' "how will you explain
   a
        quote from Mace p.66:
        >>> A' A' "I have sometimes seen strings of a yellowish color very
        good; yet but
        >>> A' A' seldom; for that color is a general sign of rottenness,
   or
      of
        the decay
        >>> A' A' of the string. There are several sorts of colored
   strings,
        very good;
        >>> A' A' but the best was always the clear blue; the red commonly
        rotten."
        >>> A' A' As far as I understand red color is a most popular color
   of
        loaded
        >>> A' A' string. If this is so, how then they could be commonly
        rotten?" Jaroslaw
        >> Perhaps the "underlying" question, here (please tell me if I am
        wrong), is
        >> whether, when Mace describes Red coloured strings as "commonly
        rotten"
        >> (your quote above), he is including in this description, all
   red
        strings
        >> without exception (dyed or coloured), even those from Pistoy,
      which
        are
        >> dyedA' "deep dark red". In other words, is he saying Pistoys
   are
        >> commonly rotten? and if so, would this rule them out as being
      loaded
        >> strings?
        >> %
        >> Here, is my reasoning: Mace had a very strong preoccupation
   with
        rotten gut,
        >> clearly from personal experience (althoughxperience (although I
      have
        never encountered this
        >> problem), and he therefore gives detailed advice on how to
   store
        >> strings to make sure they don't "take any wet, or moist air."
        Further,
        >> whenever he mentions a string liable to rot, he immediately
   states
        this
        >> within the next few sentences, as in all these cases :
        >> "There is a small sort of lyons, which many use for the
   Octaves.
      But
        I care
        >> not for them, they being constantly rotten, and good for
   little,
      but
        to
        >> make frets of."
        >> (...)
        >> "I have sometimes seen strings of a yellowish colour, very
   good;
        yet, but
        >> seldom; for that colour is a general sign of rottenness, or of
   the
        decay
        >> of the string."
        >> (...)
        >> "There are several sorts of coloured strings, very good; But
   the
        best (to my
        >> observation) was always the clear Blue; the Red, commonly
   rotten,
        >> sometimes green, very good."
        >> %
        >> It would therefore be very surprising if he had not done the
   same
        for
        >> Pistoy Basses, if he had really thought they were often rotten,
        >> especially as they were rare. Why allow a student to waste time
        >> searching them out, if they are both rare, and often rottenA' ?
      But
        he
        >> only speaks of their excellent quality (next to the heading,
   "And
        what
        >> sort of strings are best?"), and clearly contrasts them with
   the
        >> inferior Lyons, "They are indeed the very best, for the basses,
        being
        >> smooth and well twisted strings, but are hard to come by;
   however
        out of
        >> a good parcel of Lyons strings, you may (with care) pick those
      which
        >> serve very well." Wouldn't he have immediately (within the next
      few
        >> sentences) warned the reader about this danger, if there had
   been
        any;
        >> but follows a number of paragraphs, in which he explains "How
   to
        chuse
        >> your strings", giving rules for choosingA' Minikins, Venice
      Catlins,
        and
        >> Lyons, but not for Pistoys, presumably either because they are
   too
        rare,
        >> or because they are always good, in which case just the "deep
   dark
        >> red", is sign enough to vouch for this stringA-c-s quality.
   During
        these
        >> explanations, he again insists that Lyons basses are inferior
   ey
      are
        much more inferior strings than the other", but he does
        >> not extend this criticism to Pistoys, which seem therefore to
   be
        >> unparalleled in quality (indeed "the other" may actually be
        referring
        >> back to "Pistoys", the other type of bass string).
        >> %
        >> Finally, under the completely new heading "Coloured strings",
   he
        talks of
        >> yellowish, clear blue, red, and green strings, without giving
   any
        >> indication of their use (while for all strings with a name
   which
      at
        >> least originally implied a provenance, Minikin, Venices, Lyons,
      and
        >> Pistoys, he took great care to discuss their uses. In this he
   does
        >> exactly the same as Dowland, who mentions the same colours.,
   but
        gives
        >> no indication of their use (while he does for other string
      types)A'
        :
        >> "Some strings there are which are coloured, out of which choose
      the
        lightest
        >> colours, viz. among the Greene choose the Sea- water, of Red
   the
        >> Carnation, and of Blew the Watchet." Dowland (VLL, 1610,
   sig.Dv.)
        >> [8][14][16]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
        >> %
        >> I suppose there are three possible interpretations for this,A'
   :
      1)
        the
        >> colours discussed could be a natural coloration that can effect
      ANY
        >> string type, except possibly Pistoys which are dyed dark red
      already
        >> (indeed there are naturally coloured yellow, and brown strings,
   I
        have
        >> yellow and brown Venices, there are also red and black, but
      perhaps
        not
        >> green and blueA' ?); 2) they could be omnipurpose strings
   coloured
        simply
        >> for decorative use, for making an interesting pattern; 3) they
      could
        be
        >> general purpose strings that were coloured to work as position
        markers,
        >> just as with the synthetic harp strings shown here:
        >> Position marking coloured synthetic harp strings:
        >> [9][15][17]http://tinyurl.com/cdgsm5l
        >> as indeed, Dan Larson can do for Lyons; here is an example of
        coloured theorbo strings.
        >> Position marking coloured gut theorbo strings:
        >> [10][16][18]http://tinyurl.com/9gcf9z6
        >> In all these cases above the red strings are not restricted to
        basses, as they are in this one below:
        >> Loaded basses, a modern lute strung in loaded Venices:
        >> [11][17][19]http://www.luthiste.com/images/rosace.jpg
        >> A mixed case: before I had all loaded basses, I did tend to use
   my
        Gimped
        >> 7c as a position marker, while the colour from 8c down to 11c
   were
        just
        >> loaded basses :
        >> [12][18][20]http://tinyurl.com/czf8oy7
        >> %
        >> Does the iconography show similar patterns for historic lutes?
        >> See [13][19][21]http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
        >> There is a possible example of case 2, decorative use on P.
   62/102
        (of text
        >> above) Bilcius (?), 2nd half of the 17th C. detail of the
   bridge
      of
        a 12
        >> course (but I have no modern example of this decorative use).
        >> A' An example of case 3 position marker, could be RubensA-c-
   Lute
        player:
        >> [14][20][22]http://tinyurl.com/9sjtjuf
        >> Ambiguous situation (case 2 or 3?), see P64/102 A-c-Dyed
   strings
      for
        aesthetical purposesA-c- MP
        >> [15][21][23]http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
        >> It would be difficult to differentiate use (2) and (3) with
        iconography,
        >> and nothing could prevent a luthenist just using any colour he
        happened
        >> to have for any position, with no aesthetic or other intention
      what
        ever.
        >> Contrast these with the red basses, presumably Pistoys, shown
      here:
        >> [16][22][24]http://tinyurl.com/9ry3r7b
        >> %
        >> Now all I can conclude from Mace, is that Pistoys dyed deep
   dark
      red
        were
        >> the very best basses of his time. We can not directly conclude
      from
        this
        >> that they were loaded, but it is highly likely they underwent
   some
        sort
        >> of special dyeing process, which, if loading with mercury salts
      was
        >> involved, would be an integral part of their bass string
   quality;
        but
        >> conceivably it could also be the result of a curing
   preservation
        process
        >> involving these same oxides, or the same chemicals usedA' just
   to
        >> distinguish them from any other bass string types (as a sort of
      seal
        of
        >> quality), but possibly all three purposes came together.
        >> They were probably rare compared to Lyons (see IInd part) and
        therefore
        >> appear only on some of the best or most wealthy playerA-c-s
   lutes
        (Charles
        >> Mouton for example).
        >> We can not expect to be able to recognize loading (over other
        purposes) in a
        >> painting (indeed it is hard to distinguish in the photos
   above);
        even
        >> if, in the hand, they might look and feel very different from
   the
        simple
        >> red coloured strings.
        >> We only have indirect evidence for loading: the small bridge
      holes,
        descriptions
        >> of bass strings having been quite loud, and yet the French
   lutes
        being
        >> quite small (Charles Mouton), all this, including the colour,
      makes
        >> loading a plausible hypothesis, but that has not been entirely
        proved,
        >> there are just strong indications.
        >> To go further than this, we would need to discover a list of
        chemicals
        >> including mercury salts, etc, in the atelier of a string maker,
   or
        >> similar chemical deposits. To my knowledge this has not been
      found,
        as
        >> yet (Barbieri did not find such data in Roman ateliers).
        >> %
        >> This is just my non-specialist musings around the data,
   Jaroslaw,
        but I have very much enjoyed thinking about all this again.
        >> %
        >> Regards
        >> Anthony
        >> A'
        >> A' A' A' A' DeA' : JarosAe^1aw Lipski
      <[17][23][25][email protected]>
        >> Ae'A' : Anthony Hind <[18][24][26][email protected]>
        >> EnvoyAe'AA  le : Samedi 6 octobre 2012 23h49
        >> ObjetA' : Re: [LUTE] Re: the point of synthetics - Rather the
        movement of the whole lute
        >>
        >> Dear Anthony,
        >>
        >> I understood from MP's website that one of the strong arguments
      for
        >> loaded basses is iconography which quite consistently shows red
   or
        >> brown-red bass strings, which are supposed to had been loaded
      using
        >> oxides of lead, copper, iron etc. We know from pictures that
      mainly
        >> basses were red or reddish and if they were only dyed (as Mace
        >> described), how can one discern them from loaded strings, and
   how
        one
        >> can take iconography as an evidence of loading if there is no
        difference
        >> between 2 types of strings on paintings? From Mace's
   descriptionA'
      I
        get
        >> an impression that he talks about ordinary red dyed guts:
        >> "There
        >> is another sort of strings, which they call Pistoy basses,
   which I
        >> conceive are none other then thick Venice-catlines, which are
        commonly
        >> dyed, with a deep dark red color"
        >> The same person
        >> writes
        >> on the same page that red colored strings are commonly rotten.
   For
        me
        >> it signifies that they were rather normally dyed, but not
   loaded.
        >> Obviously there is an argument about bridge holes etc, but I
        wouldn't
        >> like to return to our old discussion which in my opinion is
   quite
        >> difficult to solve at the moment without any new data.
        >> Meanwhile
        >> (returning to our topic), I don't think one needs to prove
        superiority
        >> of one string material over another. Everything has its
   advantages
        and
        >> disadvantages.
        >> Nice to hear from you too.
        >> Best wishes
        >>
        >> Jaroslaw
        >>
        >> P.S. I am not against loaded bass theory, I'm just trying to
   asses
        all information objectively.
        >>
        >>
        >> WiadomoAe^1A" napisana przez Anthony Hind w dniu 6 paAe^1AAY
   2012,
      o
        godz. 22:13:
        >>
        >>> A' A' Oh I was only speaking about modern loaded strings, that
   at
        present are
        >>> A' A' covered in the copper loading.
        >>> A' A' I don't know what would happen with loading by
   saturation
      of
        >> an oxide,
        >>> A' A' although presumably that
        >>> A' A' should also prevent rotting. Oxide loading, however,
   could
        result in
        >>> A' A' various colours.
        >>> A' A' But according to Charles Besnainou thick untreated gut
   can
        also be
        >>> A' A' reddish or yellowish in hue.
        >>> A' A' I don't think colour is necessarilly always a sign of
        loading. Aren't
        >>> A' A' Georges Stoppani's strings rather red.
        >>> A' A' I am not of course suggesting tht they are prone to rot,
      but
        nor are
        >>> A' A' they loaded (although he may have made a few in
      experiments).
        >>> A' A' Nice to hear from you again
        >>> A' A' Best wishes
        >>> A' A' Anthony
        >>> A' A' A'
        __________________________________________________________________
        >>>
        --
      References
        1.
      [25][27]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=shaunkfng@gmail
   .com
        2.
      [26][28]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jaroslawlipski@
   wp.pl
        3.
      [27][29]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=agno3phile@yaho
   o.com
        4.
      [28][30]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jaroslawlipski@
   wp.pl
        5.
      [29][31]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   th.edu
        6. [30][32]http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
        7. [31][33]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
        8. [32][34]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
        9. [33][35]http://tinyurl.com/cdgsm5l
        10. [34][36]http://tinyurl.com/9gcf9z6
        11. [35][37]http://www.luthiste.com/images/rosace.jpg
        12. [36][38]http://tinyurl.com/czf8oy7
        13. [37][39]http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
        14. [38][40]http://tinyurl.com/9sjtjuf
        15. [39][41]http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
        16. [40][42]http://tinyurl.com/9ry3r7b
        17.
      [41][43]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jaroslawlipski@
   wp.pl
        18.
      [42][44]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=agno3phile@yaho
   o.com
      To get on or off this list see list information at
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   References
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      3. mailto:[48][email protected]
      4. mailto:[49][email protected]
      5. mailto:[50][email protected]
      6. mailto:[51][email protected]
      7. mailto:[52][email protected]
      8. mailto:[53][email protected]
      9. mailto:[54][email protected]
     10. mailto:[55][email protected]
     11. mailto:[56][email protected]
     12. [57]http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
     13. [58]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
     14. [59]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
     15. [60]http://tinyurl.com/cdgsm5l
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     21. [66]http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
     22. [67]http://tinyurl.com/9ry3r7b
     23. mailto:[68][email protected]
     24. mailto:[69][email protected]
     25.
   [70]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     26.
   [71]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     27.
   [72]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     28.
   [73]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     29.
   [74]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     30. [75]http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
     31. [76]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
     32. [77]http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
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     40. [85]http://tinyurl.com/9ry3r7b
     41.
   [86]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     42.
   [87]http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
     43. [88]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

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References

   1. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   2. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   3. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   4. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   5. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   6. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   7. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   8. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
   9. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  10. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  11. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  12. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  13. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  14. http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
  15. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
  16. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
  17. http://tinyurl.com/cdgsm5l
  18. http://tinyurl.com/9gcf9z6
  19. http://www.luthiste.com/images/rosace.jpg
  20. http://tinyurl.com/czf8oy7
  21. http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
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  23. http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
  24. http://tinyurl.com/9ry3r7b
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  33. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
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  44. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
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  46. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  47. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  48. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  49. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  50. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  51. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  52. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  53. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  54. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  55. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  56. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  57. http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
  58. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
  59. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
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  68. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  69. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  70. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  71. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  72. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  73. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  74. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  75. http://tinyurl.com/cugfph2
  76. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsmace.htm
  77. http://www.luteshop.co.uk/stringsdowland.htm
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  84. http://www.aquilacorde.com/images/pdf/9e.pdf
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  87. http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]
  88. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

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