gut

GUT STRINGS

MAKERS:
Pirastro
Gamut
Dlugolecki
George Stoppani
Aquila
Kuerschner
NRI

Years ago there was a rumour going through the Early Music World that someone had found some 18th century grass seed and wanted to grow it, feed it to sheep and make their guts into strings. Sadly nothing more was heard of this experiment and whether the strings resulting from it were any better than the ones we can buy today. We now have many different and excellent gut string makers providing us with strings for all tastes and needs: varnished, loaded with metals, high twist, wound (fully, or losely), twisted and many more. There is no ultimate advice one can give on which to use, as some are better plucked, some are better bowed, some stay in tune better, or last longer, but have other problems, some sound softer or harder, some are better on one instrument, but not as good on another. Which strings are best for a particular instument often depends on the size, number of strings, model and character of the instrument, as well as the taste and technique of the player. Also, as gut is a natural product, some strings just frazzle instantly, whereas another by the same maker, from the same batch, might last for a long time.
A common problem is the life of gut strings. Thinner strings (which also tend to get played more) last less long than the lower, thicker ones and they have to be replaced more often. Players in hotter climates have more of a problem, but also players in milder climes, but with varying humidity, such as travelling and performing musicians, encounter serious problems. The problem is not only the constant humidity the string is exposed to, but the changes it is faced with. The journey of a string from a hot car into a cold and humid church on a fine summer's day is taxing. Also, during a performance one tends to excrete more sweat due to stress, which affects the life span of the string at a crucial moment.
My colleague, Lynda Sayce, once said about gut strings: 'they are like shoes - as soon as they are worn in, they are worn out!'

Many suggestions have been made to prolong the life of a gut string, and I will list them here, without any guarantee that any of them will work:

1. When tuning is affected by a new string being put on: Often only replacing the top string causes problems with the overall tuning, as the older strings are worn and thinned out in the fingerboard area. This means that the older strings need to be fingered lower (in pitch) than the new string. This can be a problem on fretted instruments. Some suggest turning the older strings upside down, but I find that the finger grease doesn't help with the bowing, and the old bridge kink and rosin residue can cause a problem when it falls into the fingerboard area. Another solution is to push the older strings down, thereby using an unworn (but slightly mangled from the peg) bit of string in the fingerboard area. This can only be done if there is enough string left on the peg end. As an example for a bass viol, when replacing only the top d, I would pull the 2nd string down towards the tailpiece by c.7cm, the third by 5cm, the fourth by 3cm. The wound strings age in the opposite direction, as they finger sharper in pitch as they get older, so the problem is solved for the break between plain gut and wound strings.

2. As students we used to coat our top strings in vaseline or lip salve to make them last longer

3. Some think that releasing the string tension while the instrument is unused, will prolong the life of a string

4. The thickest Badminton string can be used as the top string for a bass viol, the thinnest Tennis string (often gut) as the 4th bass viol string. Other options might have become available in the last 20 years. nb I have just been made aware of nylegut strings by Savarez which are fine when used with a bow, which has been problematic so far. They come in all gauges.

5. Someone experimented with twisting dental floss to make cheaper strings.

6. Fretgut is cheaper, but often not in tune, as irregular

7. Nutrition is a big factor, as it can help reduce the acidity of sweat. It is widely believed that caffeine, tomatoes, orange and grapefruit juice increase the acidity in sweat. Here is a list of the main alkaline minerals which help balance the ph levels of the body and therefore the sweat:

CALCIUM
is the most abundant mineral in the body and is also one of the most alkalising. Calcium deficiency may ultimately lead to acidification and negatively affect the bones, where 99 percent of calcium is found.
HELPS: dairy (but see note 5 below), rhubarb, tofu, almonds, oatmeal, salmon, hailbut, kale, broccoli
AVOID: grains, salt, sugar, soft drinks (phosphoric acid), coffee, tea, nicotine
DO: walk, be outside

Also helping Calcium uptake:
VITAMIN D3
is produced in skin exposed to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet, B radiation.
HELPS: fatty fish (such as salmon, catfish and tuna) and eggs (but see note 5 below).
DO: be outside

And PHOSPHORUS
binds to acids in the kidneys creating a substance called phosphoric acid. This acid is then excreted via the urine. Through this buffering method, the kidneys reduce the degree of acidity in the bodily fluids.
HELPS: red meat, dairy foods, fish, poultry, bread, rice and oats

Notes:
1. A diet high in phytic acid, which is found in the bran of whole grains, is likely to interfere with calcium absorption. This acid binds to a variety of minerals including calcium, to form insoluble salts, called phytates, which are wasted from the body. Probably because grains are a relatively new food, from an evolutionary perspective, it appears that we have not yet developed digestive tracts which can break down these phytates.
2. A diet high in sodium may also interfere with calcium absorption. Some researchers believe that dietary sodium levels were extremely low in the past, compared to modern diets and increased sodium intake can result in increased calcium excretion.
3. Vitamin D is formed by an interaction between the sun's rays, and skin oils. Without supplementation, we may be at risk of inadequate vitamin D, if we spend most daylight hours inside.
4. Our sedentary life ways also interfere with mineralizing our bones. Our ancestors were probably much more active than we are. Impact stress on bone, as in walking and jogging, tends to increase production of calcitonin, which leads to increased deposition of calcium in the bones. It is important to note that cycling and swimming are not as beneficial because these activities are not as likely to cause calcitonin production.
5. While there is no evidence that high levels of meat consumption are detrimental, as long as there are adequate minerals in the diet, there are reports of isolated, fractionated animo acids from milk or eggs, which have been found to correlate with calcium loss. Some suggest that we should be especially leery of whey protein.
6. Too much calcium prevents the absorption of phosphorus

MAGNESIUM
is another crucial mineral that helps restore proper pH Balance. In addition to its alkalising effect, magnesium is vital in assisting calcium and potassium uptake.
HELPS: green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, bread, meat

POTASSIUM
is an electrolyte critical in maintaining proper acid-alkaline balance. Potassium is highly concentrated inside the cells, while its partner, sodium, is highly concentrated outside the cells. It is their perfect ratio that maintains fluid and electrolyte balance. In caveman days, our potassium intake was seven times higher than our salt intake. These days, we’ve gone completely out of balance, with sodium intake tripling that of potassium.
HELPS: bananas, pulses, nuts, milk, (shell)fish, poultry, beef and bread.
AVOID: salt, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine

MANGANESE
is one of the unsung minerals. But just because it doesn’t get as much press as calcium, magnesium, and potassium doesn’t mean it’s not important. Like “the big three,” manganese supplies alkaline buffers that neutralise acids in the system. Amazingly, manganese is needed for numerous enzymes, so it is a required trace mineral for all living things
HELPS: tea, bread, nuts, cereals, peas and runner beans
NOTE: Iron and manganese intake should be separated, as iron hinders manganese absorption

IRON
is necessary to carry oxygen in the blood. This is of crucial importance for people who have trouble metabolizing acids, since they cannot oxidize volatile acids properly.
HELPS: liver, meat, beans (soaked, see note 3 below), nuts, dried fruit, most dark green leafy vegetables such as watercress and curly kale (but see note 1 below), garlic, onions
AVOID: Tea, coffee

Notes:
1. Some people think that spinach is a good source of iron, but spinach contains a substance that makes it harder for the body to absorb the iron from it
2. One type of food that can prevent iron absorption are foods containing phytates. Phytate or phytic acid is found in whole grain products, including breads and cereals, as well as nuts and seeds, including beans. Tofu is another source of phytates, but fermented soy products such as miso doesn't seem to be a problem since the fermentation process hydrolyzes the phytate. When foods high in phytates are eaten, they bind with iron and other important minerals such as calcium and magnesium, reducing their absorption.
3. The phytates can be significantly reduced in beans by soaking them overnight in warm water and discarding the water before cooking them.
4. The tannins found in tea can also prevent iron absorption. In fact, tannins are so effective at reducing iron absorption that one study shows that drinking tea may help people who suffer from the disease hemachromatosis, a disease characterized by too much iron. The best way to prevent problems with iron absorption is to avoid drinking tea within two hours of meals.