Hi Bruno --
... how to splice wound strings ...
The technique also works for unwound strings.
It works best if the splice is near one end of the string.
Then the differential equation for a vibrating string is
not greatly disrupted, and you don't get a very false string.
If the splice is towards the middle of the vibrating
length, the string might not sound good, but might be bearable.
Also, of course, It works better with diaspasons, where the
splice won't buzz against the fretborad or frets.
Here are step-by-step instructions:
1. If the strings are nylon, gut, or carbon, melt a little globe
at the end of each string.
2. Juxtapose the two string ends with, say, one centimeter of overlap.
3. Get 100% polyester thread (no cotton).
4. Wind thread around the overlapped region. This is difficult,
because it requires three hands or four hands, so to speak.
You might get a friend to help. Or you might use clothespins
to hold the strings while you wind the thread. I can do it alone
using fret-tying technique.
5. At this point, the two strings should be held together tightly
along one centimeter. But, of course, the thread will not hold
up under playing tension.
6. Now apply super glue to the splice.
7. If you're in hurry, you can apply a slurry of baking soda
in water (not
baking powder) to speed the hardening of the super glue. In
fact, such a slurry will harden the super glue instantly.
I've had success in doing this with metal-overspun strings.
Others have reported success with gut.
Merry Christmas to you,
Herbert
On Wed, 22 Dec 2010, Bruno Fournier wrote:
Sorry I missed this thread ( no pun intended) Would you explain how you
splice wound strings? I have some expensive copper wound
Savarez strings for my basses on my liuto attiorbato, and the wire typically
gets broken just before the nut when I tunehence
giving me a rather dead sounding string Wonder if I could at least splice
it to give it extra life...
Â
thx
Â
Bruno Cognyl-Fournier
www.estavel.org
Â
Â
On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 11:45 AM, Herbert Ward wa...@physics.utexas.edu
wrote:
The MSDS for super glue and the Wikipedia article both
warn against using super glue with cotton. Â So, when splicing strings,
using the technique discussed earlier, it might be better to use 100%
polyester
thread instead of cotton thread.
I have had good success splicing metal overspun strings this way, but it
takes a bit of technique to get the thread wound and tied.
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