Price List and Catalog 2003

Treble Gut: This gut is processed to be a little harder than the other kinds of gut. The treble string also has a lower twist of about 15º. This construction gives it the strength and resistance it needs to stand the strain in the treble register. The treble gut can be used in some places instead of the Lyon gut. It should be preferred if a greater stiffness is required. This type of string is characterized by a low twist that is sometimes not even visible. The color of the string ranges from clear to white and sometimes to transparent yellow. This type of string is an ideal use for:

                Violin: e-1 and a-2

                Viola: a-1 and d-2

                Cello: a-1, D-2

                Bass viol: d-1, a-2, and e-3

                Tenor viol: g-1, d-2, and a-3

                Treble viol: d-1, a-2, and e-3

                Lute: g-1, d-2, a-3, and octaves on bass courses

                Harp: treble strings

Lyon gut: Named after the town in France which was famous for a particular type of flexible gut string. From the 16th Century these strings were recommended as being some of the best strings for basses. Our reproduction of this string is made from sheep gut specially processed in our shop to be soft and responsive. The gut is twisted in one direction to about 45 degrees for the optimum combination of durability and flexibility. The Lyon string is not as flexible as the Pistoy string. Both Lyon and Pistoy can be used for the same string positions. The Lyon should be preferred when a little extra stiffness is required under the bow or finger. This type of string is characterized by a tight and visible twist. The color tends toward opaque light to medium yellow. This type of string is an ideal use for:

                Violin: d-3 and G-4

                Viola: d-2, and G-3

                Cello: a-1, D-2

                Contra bass: G-1, D-2, A-3

                Bass viol: e-3, C-4, G-5, and D-6

                Tenor viol: f-4, C-5, G-6

                Treble viol: c-4, g-5, d-6

                Lute: f-4, C-5, G-6, octaves on bass courses

                Harp: midrange and bass strings

Pistoy gut: The Pistoy strings is a unique development of Daniel Larson at Gamut Strings. It is named for the town in Italy which was famous for producing the best string for basses, being "flexible, smooth, and well twisted". Our reproduction is made of three strands of gut twisted in one direction and then the three combined together by twisting in the other direction. When dry, the string is polished down to the specific gauge required by the instrument. The results are a very flexible string with a quick response and a full, round sound. This is not a polished. The Pistoy twist is fundamentally a different kind of string. It shares one trait with the catline in that the string is made with two directions of twist. This is where the similarity ends. The Pistoy has no space in the structure like the catline does and therefore has the same density as any plain gut string. The Pistoy string takes a lot of time to sort the gut into small bundles to twist and retwist. The gain is in the flexibility. Even in thick gauges the string remains supple and responsive. The string is characterized by a noticeable twist and flexible feel. The color ranges from clear white on thinner strings, (1.00 mm to 1.10 mm), to opaque yellow on thick strings. This type of string is an ideal use for:

                Violin: d-3 and G-4

                Viola: G-3, and C-4

                Cello: D-2, G-3, C-4

                Contra bass: G-1, D-2, A-3

                Bass viol: C-4, G-5, and D-6

                Tenor viol: f-4, C-5, G-6

                Treble viol: c-4, g-5, d-6

                Lute: f-4, C-5, G-6, fundamentals on bass courses

                Harp: bass strings

Wound Strings: I have spent a lot of time, money, and research on making durable wound strings. I believe that my wound strings are among the finest wound gut strings being made. The machines I use to put the wire on the gut were made and used by the Perfection Musical String Co. They were the ones that made the old Wonder Tone, Gold Label and Tricolore strings. The cello string machine was made in about 1900 and has been making strings almost daily for nearly 100 years.

                The recipes of the strings, the diameters of gut and wire, have been carefully researched to duplicate the kind of tones and tensions that were used historically. The earliest actual string I have been able to copy is from about 1820.

                Three types of wire are currently being used in wound string production. Silver, silver-plated copper, and aluminum. Strings are either all silver, all silver plate, or all aluminum. The one exception is the Classic Tone silver/aluminum violin d-3. The silver that I use is 99.99% pure wire that is drawn down to my specifications for each type of string. Silver and aluminum strings are polished so the surface of the string is smooth. Silver plate strings retain the round ridges of the wire. Wound strings are used for:

                Violin: G-4

                Viola: G-3 and C-4

                Cello: G-3 and C-4

                Bass viol: G-5, D-6 and A-7

                Tenor viol: C-5 and G-6

                Treble viol: G-5, and D-6

                Lute: G-6 and lower fundamentals

Gimped strings: This type of string was first mentioned in 1664 and marks the first evidence of joining wire with musical strings. This string is made with the Pistoy construction for flexibility. The wire is twisted into the gut at the time of construction to resist buzzing and failure. The string is polished smooth, but some strings have a slight texture to them. The gimped string is characterized by the barber-pole or candy stripe appearance of the wire in the twist of the gut. Gimped strings are gauged by the equivalent diameter system. This means that a given string is equal in weight to a certain gut diameter but the actual diameter of the string is smaller due to the added weight of the wire. A gimped string may be gauged at = 1.50 mm but the actual diameter of the string is 1.10 mm. The thinness and wire give a bright tone. Gimped strings are best used for:

                Violin: D-3 and G-4

                Viola: G-3 and C-4

                Cello: G-3 and C-4

                Bass viol: C-4, G-5, and D-6

                Tenor viol: F-4, C-5 and G-6 

                Treble viol: c-4 G-5, and D-6

                Lute: c-5, G-6 and lower fundamentals

                Harp bass strings

Académie Strings

Académie strings are carefully selected and prepared gut strings. The gut is chosen for good twist, color and structure according to the instrument and string position for each instrument.

Gauging. The Académie line of select strings are available in six standard gauges. These have been selected through years of trial and player recommendations. They are based on instruments of standard string lengths pitched at a-415.

Wound strings. The surface of the silver and aluminum wound strings are polished smooth so the wire windings are not obstructive to finger movement and shifting. Silver-plated-copper strings are not polished so the round tops of the wire windings can be felt with the fingers. The polishing of the windings make the tone a bit warmer. Silver plate strings are a bit brighter in tone.

Catalog numbers. Our catalog numbers can be a bit confusing. Here is how they work. The number is a five digit code that tells us exactly what the string is and where it goes. The first digit is a letter that indicates the product line: A = Académie, C = Classic Tone. The next digit is a number that tells us which instrument the string goes on: 1 = violin, 2 = viola, etc. The third digit is a number that indicates the string position as numbered from highest pitch to lowest pitch with the highest pitch string being the first or number one (1) string. The fourth digit indicated the type of string: 0 = treble gut, 1 = Lyon gut, etc. The fifth digit indicates the gauge of the string. EXAMPLE: A1102 = Violin e-1 medium.

Gauging systems. Gut strings are gauged by millimeter diameter and wound strings are gauged by pirazzi-meters. One pirazzi-meter = .05mm. There are at least three popular gauging systems for measuring strings. Two are mentioned above. Strings are also measured in thousandths of an inch, or thou. You can switch easily between each system by the following methods.  

                To change from millimeters to pirazzi-meters divide the millimeter number by .05.

                To change from pirazzi -meters to millimeters multiply the pirazzi-meter number by .05.

                To change from millimeters to thousandths of an inch divide the millimeter number by 25.4.

                To change from thousandths of an inch to millimeters multiply the thousandths number by 25.4.

Violin strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 33cm

Equal tension violin, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 33cm

Viola strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 36cm

Equal tension viola strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 36cm

Cello strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 69cm

Equal tension cello strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 69cm

Contra bass strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 105cm

Bass string re-winding service.

Bass strings can have new windings put on them when they start buzzing or go false. The string is put back on the winding machine and the old thread and wire is stripped off. The gut core is then stretched to playing tension and new wire is wrapped on. This process is very successful in renewing contra bass strings. The gut only gets better as it stretches and seasons on the instrument. As the gut is re-wound a couple of times it only gets more stable. A knot must be made in the end of the string so this process can be done about three times before the gut gets too short to be rewound again. Underlay on bass string rewinds is optional. The cost of the service for bass E-4 and A-3 strings is $45.00, plus shipping.

D - Violone strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 102cm

G - Violone strings, natural gut

Gauged for string length of 90cm

Bass viol strings

Gauged for string length of 69cm

* The Polygut string has a synthetic core with a silver plated copper winding. These strings are warm and responsive and are not affected by changes in humidity and temperature like gut core strings can be. Available in medium gauge only.

Tenor viol strings

Gauged for string length of 55cm

Treble viol strings

Gauged for string length of 36cm