When I first started playing lute, many moons ago, Pyramid strings were
virtually the only ones available in a variety of sizes/specifications
which one could personally select. The majority of players therefore
used their strings.
At that time one could also order (for the same price or thereabouts)
the same equivalent specification but with more nylon filaments in the
core and thinner winding. Thus, for example, 1020 might be replaced by,
say, a 1416. The advantage of this was that the string had less 'zing'
and sustain (a particular advantage for lutes with many added open free
bass courses) and the fundemental was more predominant with less
apparent higher overtones. For some reason, tho' I suppose economics,
few people bothered to order the non 10-- spec strings - so they
stopped producing these (except of course for the very heaviest wound
basses (eg 1445 as they apparently still do). But the end result was
counterproductive in that it led to a widespread dissatisfaction with
Pyramid wound basses which, linked to an increasing wish for gut basses
(loaded or extreme high twist), must I suggest have hit their potential
sales. But of course the company makes many strings for all sorts of
modern instruments so I guess this is where their heart is....
MH
--- On Sun, 26/12/10, Karl L. Eggert <karl.l.egg...@t-online.de> wrote:
From: Karl L. Eggert <karl.l.egg...@t-online.de>
Subject: [LUTE] Pyramid wound strings
To: "Lute List" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Date: Sunday, 26 December, 2010, 17:31
Hi Herbert and all interested
The wound string key of Pyramid: xxyy
The first two numbers xx denominate the number of ?nylon?
multifilament
threads in the core. The following two numbers give the diameter of
the
wire in 1/100 mm. The wire is silverplated copper.
Mrs. Junger (Pyramid) told me that for lute basses 10 threads are
best;
these strings can bear 50 N before breaking. For higher tension
basses
(e.g. theorbo) 12 threads may be needed (breaking tension ca 60 N).
1 N = kg/9.81
The weight per unit length of the strings can theoretically be
calculated
from the old catalogue of 1980.
Mrs. Junger told me the following (15.1.2010):
The tensions given in the catalogue were calculated too small in the
big
octave (C-B), and still more in the contra octave CC-BB (presumably
deviating the more, the deeper the pitch), caused by a program
error.
The Pyramid string calculator is exact in the big octave, but still
deviating in the contra octave.
I guess that all numbers you can find about the string weight are
based
on
the 1980 tensions, for Pyramid has'nt published any other numbers
since.
You can buy the Pyramid string calculator to get correct values for
the
big
octave, and too small tensions for the contra octave (10-20% ?).
Below you can see a table with calculated equivalent gut diameters.
From
this you can calculate the
weight per unit length (g/m) = Deq(mm)**2 *gut density(kg/m3)*Pi
/4000.
gut density = 1330 kg/m3, Pi = 3,1415
Calculated equivalent gut diameters of Pyramid wound strings
(K.L. Eggert 12/2010)
equival.
gut diameter Pyramid
Deq(mm) Code-Nr
0,714 805 neu 4)
0,723 905
0,782 906
0,801 1006M Brass
0,822 1006
0,837 10065
0,860 9075
0,878 1007
0,890 908
0,901 10075
0,923 1008
0,943 9085
0,965 909
0,969 10085
0,981 1009
0,990 1109 neu 1)
1,00 10095
1,05 1010
1,06 10105
1,09 1011
1,11 1111
1,16 1012
1,19 1013
1,21 1014
1,22 1114 neu 1)
1,29 1015
1,34 1016
1,35 1116 neu 1)
1,41 1017
1,44 1018
1,49 1019
1,53 1020
1,59 1021
1,6 1121 neu 1)
1,63 1022
1,67 1023
1,71 1024
1,72 1124 neu 1)
1,74 1025
1,82 1026
1,85 1027
1,89 1028
1,93 1029
1,95 1129 neu 1)
2 1030
2,03 1031
2,07 1032
2,12 1033
2,16 1034
2,21 1035
2,28 1236
2,48 1236
2,34 1237
2,41 1238
2,46 1239
2,53 1240
2,57 1241 neu 2)
2,62 1242 neu 2)
2,69 1243 neu 2)
2,7 1244 neu 3)
2,83 1445
2,96 1448
diameters in italics are too small, deviating the more the smaller
the
pitch
neu: string not in the 1980 catalogue
Best wishes
Karl
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