You can indeed use simple multiplication factors. They are: 0.92 for gut / nylgut, 0.78 for fluor-carbon "Alliance". So, 1mm nylon string is equivalent 0.92mm gut / nylgut or 0.78mm fluor-carbon.
What is important to take into account here - in fact, with any methods of string calculations - is that different sting materials stretch at different rates, with nylgut being the stretchiest of all. For example, if the first string on your lute is 0.46 nylon, its nylgut equivalent is 0.42. However, bearing in mind that such thin nylgut string can stretch by c. 0.04 - 0.05mm under its working tension, you'd have to add this amount up to the calculated diameter. So, you end up with the same 0.46 gauge for the nylgut. The amount you'd have to add to compensate for the stretch factor obviously diminishes with thicker strings, so for the fourth course it would be c. 0.02 - 0.03mm, or, in practical terms, the next gauge up. Gut strings stretch less, so I'd usually add 0.02mm to the calculated gauges; perhaps 0.03mm for first strings. Can't recommend any online calculators, as I don't use them. Hope this helps. Alexander On 11/05/2020 00:30, [1]theoj89...@new-old-mail.cs.dartmouth.edu wrote: Dear wise luters: When converting strings from nylon to gut to a synthetic gut, are there simple multiplication factors that one can use to determine the diameter of a replacement string? For example, if I have a 1mm nylon string, and I want to replace it with a gut or synthetic gut, can one simply multiply the diameter by a factor - based on the densities of the material - to find the diameter of the replacement string (pitch, string length, and room temperature being same)? Sorry for the complicated question; I assume the answer will more simple. Also, are 'Nylgut' and 'Alliance' strings material the same density? And lastly, Any recommendations for user friendly online string calculators? Apologies that the questions may have been previously addressed in this group- Thanks, ted jordan -- To get on or off this list see list information at [2]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. mailto:theoj89...@new-old-mail.cs.dartmouth.edu 2. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
