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Original Post By:
ukola
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Date: 5/24/2009 1:55:40 AM |
| Does anyone out there enjoy using gut strings? How long do they seem to last for you? I just got some and put them on my old 20's martin. They have the look and feel of uncooked spaghetti. I would guess that they are probably edible. I might buy a pack some day, boil them, and throw on some marinara for a nice snack. The sound is really interesting and different. I like it. I can see how they might need a loud and responsive instrument to sound their best though. They seem like they will get dirty fast. Does anyone have any gut string care advice? After getting these strings I finally figured out why koolau golds are that funky yellow color and have that dry feel. They are trying to mimic the look and feel of real gut. They missed on the color though, way too yellow. |
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Posted By:
ed w
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Date: 5/24/2009 2:44:14 PM |
You say:
" I can see how they might need a loud and responsive instrument to sound their best though."
Why is that? What would you say are the characteristics of these strings?
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Posted By:
ukola
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Date: 5/24/2009 5:19:51 PM |
| Well ed, I say that because the strings are fairly mellow and don't have a lot of sustain. So I imagine if you put them on a quieter laminate instrument like a Johnson they might sound kind of dull. I don't really know though because I haven't done it. They might still sound interesting. The gut strings have a lot of character. I don't have a lot of experience with them and so that's why I was seeking advice here.
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Posted By:
PhonoFred
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Date: 5/25/2009 12:51:33 AM |
| Where did you get these strings, ukola? I think I might like to try some.
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Posted By:
ukola
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Date: 5/25/2009 1:33:47 AM |
| You can get them online from a variety of music stores. They are made by Aquila and I got mine from Elderly instruments. They are worth trying. I think they sound especially good when doing right hand strum rolls.
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Posted By:
DougD
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Date: 5/25/2009 4:57:31 AM
(Updated: 5/25/2009 5:00:25 AM)
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I have them on my Martin made Ditson, partly because the string slots in the bridge are narrow and I could get the right gauges. I like them a lot, but they will fray if your fingernails are sharp. I've had that set on for five years now (I don't play that uke that much,) but the first string just broke.
I think you can still get Purr'll gut strings from Bob Thornburg: http://www.gourdbanjo.com/GBhtml/gut.html
He has a standard set for ukulele. They are double length, so they're long enough for two sets.
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Posted By:
Diane1020
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Date: 5/25/2009 6:55:21 AM |
| Speaking of "Purr'll" gut strings, where do they get these cat guts from? Do they breed cats for their guts? Do they catch stray cats and "gut" them? What is it, the intestines?
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Posted By:
DougD
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Date: 5/25/2009 8:51:04 AM |
| No cats are involved. They're generally made from sheep or lamb intestines. Here's a description of the whole process: http://www.daniellarson.com/article.htm
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Posted By:
Diane1020
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Date: 5/25/2009 10:10:41 AM |
| Thank you for that thorough explanation. I had always heard the word, "catgut", and thought it was that. I think, however, that Nylgut is as close to any animal's intestines as I want to get, (yes I know it's only immitation gut), so I'll stick to Aquila's.
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Posted By:
DougD
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Date: 5/25/2009 11:51:31 AM
(Updated: 5/25/2009 3:39:37 PM)
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Ha! Nylguts ought to carry one of those warning labels that says "Packaged in a facility that also processes sheep intestines."
BTW, Bosko and Honey visited Mimmo and Daniela at Aquila and made this video if you want to see the whole process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Cwe_pz0Uo
You can see that the cat in the video isn't worried at all!
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Posted By:
NinaC
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Date: 5/25/2009 2:37:42 PM |
I tried a set of Aquila gut strings on a vintage Martin and I liked them, but I still like the Nylguts better. They last longer, they're cheaper, and they project a little more.
It was fun to try them out, though.
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Posted By:
ToeBone
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Date: 5/25/2009 3:01:36 PM |
That video was pretty cool. I remember seeing the twists in gut strings - now I know how they got there!
I've never tried gut, probably never will. I really hate fiddling with strings, so the longer they last the better
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Posted By:
Skiplunch
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Date: 5/26/2009 1:36:56 AM |
| Though they aren't "gut" strings, how are Ko'olau gold strings compared to Nylgut? My tenor fluke A string just didn't ring well with the Hilos, so we put on Nylguts. They sound great but the tenor (non-wound) seem to be backordered and I may need a replacement soon.
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Posted By:
Dave Means
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Date: 5/26/2009 8:17:46 PM
(Updated: 5/26/2009 9:41:32 PM)
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When I built the 1850 Octavianno Nunes machete replica for John King, I asked him if he wanted me to string it with gut like the original. He said no way... string it with Nylguts. He was planning to tour with it and didn't want the aggravation.
If a purist like John thought we should move on from gut, I guess we should.
-- Dave
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Posted By:
ukola
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Date: 5/27/2009 3:49:08 PM |
"how are Ko'olau gold strings compared to Nylgut?"
I think they sound very nice if you can get past the color. Although they might look good on the right fluke. To my ears the sound is like a cross between nylgut and worth clears.
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Posted By:
ukulelezaza
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Date: 5/29/2009 5:10:33 AM |
When I visited the Aquila factory last year, Mimmo called his dog, made him sit - and then gave him a bunch of gut strings to eat! (so yes, they're edible - if you're a dog)
Anyway, I tried a set of Aquila genuine gut strings on my old 3K and I really like them. They have a lovely warm sound and look cool on a vintage uke. I posted a video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ76gusiXa4
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Posted By:
Dutch
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Date: 5/29/2009 5:45:37 AM |
Dave has hit on one of the big problems with real gut. Apparently, John King had used real gut at some time in the past. Unless they live in a stable environment, they can be difficult to keep stable. I would never use calfskin on the bottom head of a drum. I have used real calfskin as a batter head. They sound great! But if you leave them in the car too long (even inside the case) on the wrong day, you are tuning for the whole first set. What's worse is recording where they expect you to play perfectly right out of the box. It's not worth showing up an hour early to tune, even for a nice sound. And they always play a little differently from plastic. We are fortunate: "Better living through chemistry" 'Plastic' is so easy and friendly. But, from what Dave says, it sounds like John had tried them.
Strength & Honor
Dutch.
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