Dear Tim, on Friday 23 April 2004 01:08, you wrote:
> I have kept my Baroque at A415 forever. But, there are occasions > where I wish it was @ A440. Are there folks out there that do switch > regularly between 415 and 440? Would there be any re-stringing > required for the two different tensions? With my theorboes I quite often need to re-tune between 415 and 440. (Well, now when I have 2 of them, I perhaps could quit the habit...;) Anyhow at least with these big instruments it is possible to find a stringing that works on both tunings. In 23.09.2003 I answered to Alfonso about similiar matters in the Lute List: Perhaps it helps to repeat our discussion here: > > Approximately one year ago I received my new theorbo made by Nico > > van der Waals in Holland. He suggested me an average string tension > > of 3.6 kilograms for a string length of 82 cm. Yesterday, speaking > > to the phone to a fellow lutenist, I discovered that he is using an > > average string tension of 4.2 kg on an instrument of 84cm string > > length. > > I am wondering now what would be the ideal tension for an > > instrument of this type. What are your suggestions? > > I don't think I know ideal solutions, but here are my experiences in > stringing my new big Dieffopruchar theorbo. > (http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/wikla/mus/Chitarroni_300603/) > > The string lengths are 87cm and 160cm. First I tried double courses, > but they did not feel god. My first try was (all nylgut): > > a'=415Hz a'=440Hz > 87cm 3.4-4.0 Kg 3.8-4.5 Kg > 160cm 2.9-3.1 Kg 3.3-3.5 Kg > > That was definitely too little - well I have only tuned to a'=415 - > but that is where I play nearly always. And those tensions were > meant for double fingerboard courses. > > Then I odered new strings from Aquila; there was some hurry, because > gigs and courses were coming. > > The new tensions vary: > > a'=415Hz a'=440Hz > 87cm 3.9-4.4 Kg 4.4-5.0 Kg > 160cm 3.4-3.7 Kg 3.8-4.2 Kg > > And that feels quite good! I still have not tried the a'=440. > At the end of my message I'll talk more of details. > > > Do you think the instrument will gain in volume by using thicker > > strings? > > I guess that is not so easy; I think "the best" tension also gives > the best volume and sound. But what is best... You just must test... > :-) > > > Besides this I have another question: > > > > Aquila strings states that the string gauges for Nylgut are the > > same as for gut strings. I have heard some people saying that > > Nylgut should be slightly thinker than gut in order to obtain the > > same tension. What are your experiences about this? > > I have heard that too, for example Jakob Lindberg says just that. I > cannot comment because I have so little experience of gut strings. > One thing I do know: it takes quite long for nylguts to achieve > their final feel. So "quick testing" is not possible. > > Here is my stringing now, if someone is interested in details. > There are certain problems, and also the available diameters have > some effect to some variations. And I am so used of having 8 > strings on fingerboard - for the sake of continuo - that there > are two or three extra problems. I might have a solution too, > see below. > > (Use monospace!) > > note string tensions Kg (415, 440) > a 54NG 4.0, 4.5 > e 76NG 4.4, 5.0 > b 50NG 4.3, 4.8 > g 60NG 3.9, 4.4 > d 85NG 4.4, 4.9 > A 112NG 4.3, 4.8 problematic > G 1.05 Carbon! 4.1, 4.6 problematic! > F 1016 Pyramid wound!! 3.9, 4.4 problematic!! > > E 76NG 3.7, 4.2 > D 85NG 3.7, 4.2 > C 91NG 3.4, 3.8 > B' 100NG 3.6, 4.0 > A' 112NG 3.6, 4.1 > G' 124NG 3.5, 3.9 > > Mainly the feel and sound are very good. Only lowest fingerboard > strings are problematic: the 6th is nearly ok as nylgut, but > 7th and especially 8th could not be nylgut. Now I have played gigs also in 440 and the stringing works there too. In 415 it is better - but that is where I most often use the instrument. (And I have also tried different solutions to the problematic strings.) Cordially Arto
