01/03/04 Hello All,
A while ago someone asked what Oil to use for Gut Strings. That got me thinking what a good idea for those of us living with high humidity (80% in my apartment right now.) So I checked with Daniel Larson (luthier in Duluth, Minnesota, USA, also maker of Gamut Strings--gut strings and frets) to see if he sold any. Dan was kind enough to reply that he didn't sell gut oils, nor did he have any personal recommendations. However he did mention that a number of old-time double bass players swear by Lanolin (a natural oil produced by sheep and recovered from their wool) for preserving gut strings. The human body also produces an oil very similar to Lanolin to keep the skin pliable and healthy. So I ordered a 4 ounce bottle from www.herbalremedies.com in Casper, Wyoming, USA. I received 100% pure liguid lanolin. It reminds me of a very thick, clear honey. $4.98 USD for the bottle and $5.49 USD shipping within the USA. I put it on the gut strings and frets last night. Since the back of my lute's neck is unfinished wood, I applied it to the back of the neck in addition to the gut frets there (I use Mason double frets.) The Lanolin is so thick it's almost like glue, and seems to have helped in anchoring the frets in place. (A side benefit.) I used a thin cotton handkerchief to remove the excess Lanolin from the gut strings, mainly so my 1st course G string would vibrate true (it had stuck to the first two frets.) After drying overnight, everything appears to be in good shape. Some minor fraying that was already in the lower courses is still there, so it didn't repair that. But it might have if I didn't wipe off the excess Lanolin. I was concerned that the globules of Lanolin may effect the tone of the strings if I allowed the globules to remain on the strings. Dan Larson said the Lanolin would help with keeping the strings from drying out (is this a cause of fraying?), but wouldn't form a barrier to keep the humidity out. For the person who had mentioned olive oil: Dan thought olive oil can be acidic, and acid is very bad for gut strings. Whatever you use should be as close to Ph neutral as possible, was Dan's recommendation. I wonder what the Ph is for Lanolin? If you're interested in hearing a followup on this topic, let me know. Regards, The Other.
