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Care and Cleaning of Gut Strings
TL;DR: Gamut Music strings are natural gut musical strings as manufactured for the past 400 hundred years. They are designed, after settling, as ready-to-play — they do not need to be soaked in oils, or scraped with sandpaper, or brushed with homeopathic elixirs. Any aftermarket “string solutions” are gimmicks, and such claptrap should be avoided.
Proper care and storage of gut strings is important to maintain their quality and longevity. Following these practices will ensure your strings produce the best sound and last longer:
Cleaning Gut Strings
The simplest, most effective method for cleaning gut strings is to wipe off the strings with a soft, dry cotton or microfiber cloth after each playing to remove rosin, dirt, and sweat. And it definitely does not hurt to always wash your hands before playing.
String Hairs, or “Whiskers”
For the little hairs or whiskers (loose fibers) that develop on a gut string, we recommend using a pair of nail clippers to carefully cut those stray gut hairs.
When Should I Replace My Strings?
When strings fray, sound dull, or lose their tuning stability, it may be time to replace them. Natural gut strings will wear over time — it is practical to think of gut strings as consumables — important components of a craft that will need inspection, maintenance, and replacement over time.
It is always prudent to consider installing new strings at least a week or more in advance of any important performance so the strings have a period of time to settle on your instrument.
Cutting Strings / String Lengths
Gamut strings are offered in “standard lengths” for “standard-sized instruments.” However, plain gut strings (not gut/metal-wound strings) may need to be trimmed to fit the pegs of your specific instrument. This can be easily done with scissors, just be sure to leave enough string to wrap around the peg correctly. In general — although every instrument can be different:
Small string instruments (violin, viola, treble, alto, and tenor viols) need about 4" of string to wind around the peg.
Larger string instruments (cello, bass viol) need about 5.5" of string to wind around the peg.
Contrabasses need about 8" of string to wind around the peg.
Please understand that these measurements are guidelines, and your instrument may require more or less string for winding around the peg.
As always, measure twice, cut once.
Storage of Strings
“As concerning the keeping of your strings, you must know, there ought to be a choice care taken; for they may be very good when you buy them, but spoiled in a quarter of an hours time, if they take any wet, or moist air. Therefore your best way is to wrap them up closed […] Which, when you have thus done, keep them in some closed box, or cupboard; but not amongst linen (for that gives moisture) […] And when at any time you open them for your use, take heed they lie not too long open, nor in a dark window or moist place, for moisture is the worst Enemy to Your Strings.”
[Early Modern English] Musick’s Monument - Thomas Mace. London, 1676
Strings should be kept out of direct sunlight and heat, and stored, ideally, in an environment with 30–45% RH (relative humidity).
Our recommendation for string storage is fairly simple, keeping in mind that humidity and temperature — especially big swings — have the most detrimental affect on gut strings:
Strings On the Instrument
If the instrument is in use and played regularly, keep strings at tension; if it is being stored for a period of time, the strings can be detuned a tone or so. When not being played, we recommend an instrument be stored in its case with the lid closed, versus sitting on an instrument stand or left out in the open.
Strings Off the Instrument
Store gut strings in a cool, dry place, preferably in a sealed container.
Humidity Control
“The gut string may contain so much humidity that it remains soft and cannot be held in tension; and conversely, it may be so dry that it breaks easily. Thus, there is nothing more variable than gut strings, because they follow all the changes of the air, of moisture, and of dryness.”
[French] Harmonie Universelle, Contenant la Théorie et la Pratique de la Musique (Universal Harmony, Containing the Theory and Practice of Music) - Marin Mersenne. Chez Sébastien Cramoisy/Paris, 1636
Gut, being hygroscopic, will very easily take or lose water, and this swelling or reduction can cause the collagen bonding of the string to break down (the drying and curing process causes the individual gut ribbons to physically bond together into a single structure), leading to fraying, a false string, or eventual failure or breakage.
The best advice we can provide is to shoot for 30–45% RH. One of the main considerations is consistency; it is the huge swings in temperature or humidity that can wreck gut strings (and instruments!).
For personal home humidifiers (you will need an accurate hygrometer to measure RH), clean them religiously or they will get super gross very quickly (get one that can be thoroughly cleaned inside and out as much as possible, or you are just purchasing a mold-vapor machine). While it is generally financially untenable to use distilled water, a splash of white vinegar and/or humidifier cleaner can go a long way. BE AWARE, REGARDING INSTRUMENTS: depending on the humidifier and water used, aerosolized water can leave behind a fine dust-like film on every surface, which can be tricky to clean if it goes unattended for too long.
String Varnish
Gamut Music offers the option of string varnish for plain gut strings, which can help mitigate the affects of your environment or perspiration. String varnish involves an application of three coats of a special varnish that stretches with the gut.
We receive many questions about the advantages of purchasing varnished versus unvarnished strings, and the answer depends a little on your own circumstance: how you play, your environment, and the acidity of your perspiration.
String varnish adds a protective layer between the surface of the gut and the environment. This layer inhibits — but does not stop — the absorption of moisture, oils, and acids. The varnish option is especially useful:
If you perspire a lot.
If you live in a hot, humid environment, or it is summer.
If your perspiration is acidic
What About Dampits?
Dampits (or Humitrons) are soft rubber tubes soaked in water and inserted into an instrument to provide humidity while in the case.
“I have never seen an instrument stored with Dampits that did not have water damage.”
— Daniel Larson, Gamut Music, Inc.
Our best recommendation for instrument case humidity management would be something like Boveda® two-way humidity packets.
String Oil
There is modern interest among players in wiping down strings with oil (or even deer tallow), but we have not found this practice useful. If you insist on using oil on gut strings, almond oil is the least detrimental, as it leaves little residue and dries more completely, versus olive oil or other vegetable oils which do not dry completely and can lead to strings becoming gummy or even rancid, and may reduce their durability. During production, Gamut natural gut strings are hand-rubbed with a light oil, and shouldn't need any additional oil or aftermarket liquids once on your instrument — provided they are stored in a humidity- and temperature-controlled environment.
(The historical use of aftermarket string oil by players most likely arose out of the necessity to make do with low-quality strings that were noticeably brittle due to age, poor manufacturing, and/or improper storage. Just because a practice was historically used does not mean it was the best practice.)
Soaking Gut Strings
Gamut Music does not recommend soaking strings in oil or any other solution, as this can interfere with the string’s natural protein fiber cohesion, disrupt its hygroscopic balance, and potentially weaken the structural integrity of the fibers, leading to fraying or failure.
“Across 400 years, player instructions are remarkably consistent: wipe gut strings, keep them clean, and replace them when worn. There is no evidence in pedagogical- or player-oriented texts that musicians were expected to oil or soak their own strings. Oiling was exclusively part of the string maker’s finishing process.
The player’s role is preservation, not altering the chemistry of a gut string.”
— ChatGPT
Cleaning Solvents
We see lots of Internet Advice™ on how to remove excess rosin from gut strings: rubbed down with alcohol, soaking in mineral spirits, scraped with sandpaper or steel wool, wiping down with lemon juice, rubbed with olive oil-soaked licorice(?), placed in an oven(?!?), and on, and on.
It is NOT recommended to use liquid solvents on gut strings, as it will cause the collagen to physically break down reducing the lifespan of the string (and even damage the varnish of an instrument).
How Do I Remove a Buildup of Rosin On My Strings?
The above being said, if you insist on using chemicals — versus just cleaning the strings with a soft cloth regularly — the best way to remove rosin buildup on strings is with denatured alcohol. This will remove the rosin and leave no residue on the string. Remember to use an almost-dry cloth to avoid dripping on the instrument or soaking the string, and be sure to keep a dry barrier cloth between the string and the instrument. Removing a little at a time is the best way to go.
Fine Tuners
Gut strings are generally not intended to be used with fine tuners or string adjusters, and Gamut Music recommends removing those devices before installing the gut string on the instrument. If a fine tuner is used, ensure that all contact points are smooth.
Protecting Against String Breakage
While gut strings can have a long life, string breakage can occur due to a few common factors, with the most common culprits being: overstretching while tuning, incorrect installation, and sharp edges or burrs on the instrument’s bridge, nut, or tuning pegs, all of which can apply too much pressure on a specific point on the string in a manner the string is not designed to accommodate. Regular instrument maintenance, proper playing technique, and a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment can help minimize the chance of string breakage.
Protecting Against Abrasion
Natural gut strings are softer than synthetic polymer or metal strings, and care should be taken to prevent excess abrasion. In general, it is best to keep fingernails short. Additionally, your instrument or bow may contribute to string wear: keep the fingerboard free of dust and grit so it doesn’t grind into the string; and use smooth bow hair with balanced rosin, as excess rosin can act like sandpaper.
Sanding Strings
We do not recommend using sandpaper on a gut string. Sanding a varnished string will remove some or all of the varnish, and sanding a plain gut string can affect its structural integrity. A nail clippers is the safest way to carefully cut stray gut hairs or “whiskers.”
What Are Those Little Black Squares That Came With My String??
Those little black squares are anti-tarnish strips put in the envelopes of strings wound in sterling silver to avoid tarnish. Sterling tarnishes, turning black-ish in color, and cosmetically looks bad. The anti-tarnish strips react to hydrogen sulfide and other tarnish-causing gases to neutralize them. If the silver string tarnishes it is still perfectly fine, but these little squares help prevent tarnish.
Further Reading: Things to Avoid When Caring for Gut Strings
Gut strings are known for their warm and rich tone, but they require special care compared to modern synthetic or steel strings. Using improper methods to care for gut strings can lead to premature wear, tuning instability, and a compromised sound. Here's what you should avoid when caring for gut strings:
Exposing to Excessively High or Low Humidity: Gut strings are sensitive to changes in humidity. Exposing them to high humidity levels can cause them to swell and become unstable, leading to tuning issues and potential breakage; exposing them to low humidity levels can cause them to become stiff and brittle.
Not Cleaning Regularly: Neglecting to clean your gut strings can result in rosin buildup, which affects their playability and tone. Wipe the strings after each playing session to remove excess rosin and sweat.
Over-Tightening: Gut strings require careful tuning. Over-tightening them can lead to increased tension, which can cause them to snap or become prone to buzzing against the fingerboard. Fine tuners and string adjusters are not intended for gut strings and Gamut Music recommends removing those devices before installing gut strings on an instrument.
Using Harsh Cleaning Agents: Avoid using chemicals or cleaning agents on gut strings, as they can damage the natural materials. Stick to using a soft, dry cloth to wipe them down.
Not Winding Properly on Pegs: Properly winding gut strings on the pegs is crucial to prevent slipping and tuning instability. Make sure the strings are wound neatly and evenly, without overlapping or crossing over each other.
Sharp Edges or Burrs: If there are any sharp edges, protrusions, or burrs at all on an instrument's bridge, nut, or tuning pegs, they can cause excessive stress on that part of the string, leading to breakage. This is one of the most common culprits of string breakage with gut strings on a new (to you) instrument. (See: Why Do Gut Strings Break?)
Subjecting to Drastic Temperature Changes: Rapid temperature changes can cause gut strings to expand or contract, leading to tuning instability or breakage. Avoid exposing your instrument to extreme temperature fluctuations.
Using Excessive Rosin: Applying too much rosin to gut strings can lead to sticky buildup and hinder their responsiveness. Use rosin sparingly and wipe off excess after playing.
Additional Information
Survive the Cold: 5 Winter Care Tips For Protecting Your String Instrument - Claire Givens Violins
String Instrument Maintenance Guide - Claire Givens Violins