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Throwing Shade at String-Makers
By Adam Guggemos
The evaluation, discussion, and criticism of the quality of gut music strings from different regions has been at least a part-time past-time of string makers, instrument makers, professional performers, hobbyists, and armchair experts since words were first printed. Sometimes oblique, sometimes direct, frequently with thinly veiled sarcasm, these historical examples clearly indicate that opinions have been wielded every which way for hundreds of years depending on the speaker, the audience, and the intended outcome.
Below are a few select examples of such historical trash-talking:
1610:
“We next read about string quality almost a century later in Dowland’s (1610) instructions on stringing a lute. He stated that good thin strings came from Rome but the better ones came from “Monnekin” (Munich) and “Mildorpe.”
Historical Background to the Strings used by Catgut-Scrapers - Ephraim Segerman and Djilda Abbott. The Catgut Acoustical Society Newsletter, No. 25, pp. 24-26, 1976
1750:
“It is said that good strings for instruments are only made in Italy, those that come from Rome passing for the best. […] The Italians have their secrets, which they do not communicate to strangers. The workers of this country who claim to understand something, and who in fact make instrumental strings that critics judge to be rather good for the music composed for them, have also their secrets which they keep well, above all when they are questioned.”
Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers. Para Une Société de Gens de Lettres. (Encyclopedia, or Reasoned Dictionary of Sciences, Arts and Crafts. For a Society of People of Letters) - Denis Diderot, M. D’Alembert. Briasson/Paris, c. 1750
Translated by Stephen Bonta in The Making of Gut Strings in 18th-Century Paris - Stephen Bonta. The Galpin Society Journal, Vol. 52, 1999
1771*:
“One shouldn't be surprised that not so many strings are made in other [non-Italian] countries. The inhabitants are more economical and do not slaughter so many thousand young lambs of seven months as in Italy, but allow them to grow larger because of the use of wool.
[…]
The Italians are almost the only ones to trade in violin strings, and they supply the whole of Europe with them. It is true that the good strings abroad are generally called Roman, but a far smaller number are made at Rome than at Naples, and the latter exceed the former. The strings are manufactured very secretly in both places, so that the foreigners should not become too clever*.
*Footnote: There are also string makers in Paris who are secret about their art. But they do not make good strings for the violins, only the strong ones for the big clocks, for the racquets for hitting balls, and for the hatters.”
[German] Historisch-kritische Nachrichten von Italien, Welche eine Genaue Beschreibung Dieses Landes, der Sitten und Gebräuche, der Regierungsform, Handlung, Oekonomie, des Zustanders der Wissenschaften, und Insonderheit der Werke der Kunst Nebst einer Beurtheilung Derselben Enthalten. Dritter und Letzter Band (Historical-critical News from Italy, Which Provides an Accurate Description of this Country, the Manners, and Customs, the Form of Government, Action, Economics, the State of the Sciences, and Especially the Works of Art, Along with an Assessment of Them Contained. Third and Final Volume) - Johann Jacob Volkmann. C. Fritsch/Leipzig, 1771
1774*:
“Some have a great prejudice against titles [string brands], and believe that if they only buy so-called Romance ones, they are proven. But you don't know that most Romansh strings are made in Germany, and that the real Italian strings are often very bad.”
[German] Anweisung zum Violinspielen, mit Pracktischen Beyspielen und zur Übung mit vier und Zwanzig Kleinen Duetten Erläutet (Instructions for Playing the Violin, with Practical Examples and Practice with Four and Twenty Small Duets Explained) - Georg Simon Löhlein. At the expense of the Waysenhaus and Frommannische bookstore/Leipzig and Züllichau, 1774
1782*:
“[…] These strings are made in almost every country in Europe. The best ones are made in Italy alone, and especially in Rome. Those made in Germany have not yet reached perfection than those in Italy and Lion.”
[German] Darmsaiten (Baukunst), in: Deutsche Encyclopädie oder Allgemeines Real-Wörterbuch aller Künste und Wissenschaften von einer Gesellschaft Gelehrten, Sechster Band (Gut Strings (Architecture), in: German Encyclopedia or General Real Dictionary of All Arts and Sciences from a Society of Learners, Vol. Six.) - Johann Georg Glenk. Frankfurt, 1782
1783*:
“It is well known that most foreign strings have lost their quality for some time now. I can speak from my own experience, since I am so well informed from Rome, as well as direct from Florence. Not only will such strings become very expensive due to long-distance transport, but I have alway been able to consider it a very excellent choice when 20 in a stock of 30 [strings] are usable. The strings, which are said to have come from Nuremberg, Augsburg, &c., are scraped unevenly that where the gut has been taken too much, the string is wrong, and where it has been spared too much, the string becomes crooked and crooked. In addition, the strings are too aggressive, so that if the string is not carefully oiled, it bends so tightly that you can probably wind a dozen (especially in the violin fifths) before you find a clean and durable one.”
[German] Magazin der Musik (Magazine of Music) - Unattributed. 1783
1823*:
“As early as 36 years ago, the famous Leopold Mozart complained in his Violin School that most gut strings are not the same thickness, but are stronger at one end than at the other, which means that the intervals of the tones that two strings are supposed to produce are never produced purely. As unpleasant as this error, which comes from the carelessness of the maker, is to the player of fine hearing, it can still be avoided on the violin and those instruments that have no frets, but not on those provided with frets, such as the guitar. It is annoying, however, that one can now obtain strings, no matter how high the price, which not only have the indicated defect but hardly last the day, if they don't even snap off when being wound up, or when playing. It is nevertheless worthwhile to investigate the cause of the current bad quality of the strings.
[…]
The Italian strings, especially the Romaner strings, were long preferred to all others because of their durability, and the purity of the tone they gave off. Should this come from the quality of the sheep or goat casings there? — It would be possible that the finer lining also gives finer intestines; but this cannot be essential because half a century ago in Munich, Straubing and other places strings were made which are not inferior to the first. — So how is it that they are no longer so good? — that they are so brittle, give off a repulsively screaming sound? Whence her frailty? I cannot believe that the new string manufacturers intentionally make them so bad in order to increase consumption and thus sales, and since the strings are almost universally bad, there must be an agreement between them that is not good is conceivable.”
[German] Neues Kunst und Gewerbblatt (New Art and Trade Journal) - Unattributed. 1823
1833*:
“In addition to strength, you also have to pay attention to the quality of the strings when buying them. There are Italian and German strings. The latter, however, are much worse than the former and cannot be used at all for solo play. The Italian strings are also of unequal quality and, as a rule, the Neapolitan ones are preferable to the Roman ones and these to those of Padua and Milan.
The external characteristics of a good string are: white color, transparency and a smooth surface. However, the latter must not, as with the German strings, be brought about by grinding with pumice stone, since closed strings are always loud and wrong in tone.”
[German] Violinschule: mit Erläuternden Kupfertafeln (Violin School: With Explanatory Copper Plates) - Louis Spohr. Haslinger/Vienna, 1833
1860*:
“The intestines, dried into wormlike strands, are softened in potash, unraveled on a table, and repeatedly cleaned of their slimy coating. The girls engaged in this work have a title against which they should object emphatically, they are called ‘slime girls.’”
[German] Wissenschaftliche Beilage der Leipziger Zeitung, Nr. 97, vom 2 Dezember (Scientific Supplement to the Leipzig Newspaper, No. 97, December 2) - Unattributed. 1860
1876*:
“The English intestines, however, seem of late to have been declining in goodness and value. This is partly due to the lack of suitable, clean air cleaning places, which are very scarce in London in particular and are not even tolerated. The greatest culprit, however, is the increasingly careless treatment, in particular the cleaning that often takes place too late of the intestines […]
It is to be lamented, of course, that a large proportion of Russian guts, in spite of the originally good quality, are spoiled by poor treatment during cleaning and can therefore only be used for small and medium-grade strings. Properly cleaned intestines can only be achieved with certainty if the Vogtland string makers go to Russia themselves to oversee the cleaning.
[…]
Simultaneously with the growing supply of raw material from Russia, the export of gut strings to America increased so significantly from year to year that it is hardly exaggerated to say that this export 20 years ago was not [a] 20th part of the present represented. It is to be regretted that America only ever reacts to the finest, i.e. to the appearance whitest, but not always the strongest types of strings.
[…]
As far as the French strings are concerned, it should be emphasized that although they surpass the Vogland strings in terms of cheapness, they are by no means equal in terms of quality and beauty.”
[German] Die Fabrikation Musikalischer Instrumente: und Einzelner Bestandtheile Derselben im Königl Saxon Vogtlande (The Fabrication of Musical Instruments: and Individual Components of the Same in Royal Saxon Vogtlande) - Theodor Berthold and Moritz Fürstenau. Breitkopf und Härtel/Leipzig, 1876
1892*:
“[…] Gut strings are made in Italy, Germany, France, and England. The Italians take first place. Its merits appear evident in the three main requirements for strings: fine workmanship, great durability, and purity of tone. There are factories in Rome, Naples, Padua and Verona. These individual manufacturing locations differ significantly from one another in their products. The Roman strings are extraordinarily hard and shiny and show a little roughness of the work. The Neapolitan are smooth and softer than the Roman and whiter in color. The Paduan ones are very shiny and durable, but often wrong. The German strings take the next place after the Italian ones. Saxony is the seat of manufacture. They are very white and smooth. The better varieties are very durable. Your main fault comes from too much bleaching, and that is why mistakes in the tone are often written!? The French take third place. Your strings are carefully made. The stronger ones respond well, but the weaker ones leave something to be desired in terms of durability. The English manufacture all qualities, especially the cheap varieties. They are durable but made unevenly and have a dark appearance.
[…]
In Markneukirchen, this [Italian] process is known and they imitate both the production from whole intestines, as well as the way of twisting, as well as the characteristic bad smell of Italian strings, partly for the purpose of export to Italy, so that they can be shipped from there as Italian strings partly in order to satisfy the prejudice of some musicians in Germany regarding the Italian strings, of course, through this method of imitation one also trades in the disadvantages of Italian manufacture.”
[German] Die Geige, der Geigenbau und die Bogenverfertigung. Eine Anweisung zur Herstellung der Verschiedenen Geigen und Ihres Zubeho rs, Eingeleitet Durch eine Darstellung der Darauf Bezu Glichen lehren der Physik (The Violin, Violin Making and Bow Making. An Instruction for the Production of Various Violins and Their Accessories, Introduced by a Presentation of the Relevant Physics) - Paul Otto Apian-Bennewitz. B.F. Voight/Weimar, 1892
1893*:
“In 1882 and 1883 there was a shortage of raw [gut] material and, in connection with this, a considerable increase in the price of the same. The reason for this phenomenon lay partly in the great expansion which sausage manufacture was experiencing at the time, not only in Germany but also in other countries (e.g. America) where formerly the Germans' fondness for sausage products was ridiculed.”
[German] Die Volkswirtschaft im Königreiche Sachsen. Historisch, Geographisch und Statistisch Dargestellt (The National Economy in the Kingdom of Saxony. Historically, Geographically and Presented Statistically) - Heinrich Gebauer. Dresden, 1893
1901*:
“Obtaining good strings is a very difficult thing for the violin maker to do. Every string spinner, even if it is the worst, advertises its strings as being of the best quality, unsurpassed in durability and purity of tone.”
[German] Stradivaris Geheimniss: Ein Ausführliches Lehrbuch des Geigenbaues (Stradivari's Secret: A Detailed Textbook on Violin Making) - Carl Schulze. Berlin, 1901
1923*:
“The quality of the strings themselves has recently changed so much that it is difficult to say anything definite about them. I only mention that in recent years overspun [gut/metal-wound] D strings have been used by many performing artists. Although it cannot be denied that they are superior to the ordinary gut string in terms of sonority and ease of response, it must be emphasized that they do not have the pleasant timbre of the gut D string.”
[German] Die Kunst des Violinspiels (The Art of Playing the Violin) - Carl Flesch. Ries & Erles/Berlin, 1923
*Excerpts translated from [German] [PDF] Meisterleistungen Deutscher Instrumentenbaukunst, Bd. 8: Saitenherstellung in Markneukirchen und im Vogtland (Masterpieces of German Instrument Making, Vol. 8: String Production in Markneukirchen and In the Vogtland) - Kai Köpp, Jane Achtman, Johannes Gebauer (editors). Markneukirchen/Bern, 2019
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Hand-made in the USA by Gamut Music, Inc., a leader in the revival of early music strings and instruments. Gut strings are not intended to be used with fine tuners or string adjusters, and those devices should be removed before installing the gut string on the instrument.
All Gamut Academie strings (pure gut and gut/metal-wound) are made with beef serosa unless they specifically say "Sheep Gut." All pure gut Tricolore violin and viola strings are made with sheep gut; gut/metal-wound Tricolore and all Red Diamond strings are made with beef serosa.
Gamut gut string gauges are approximate (≈) diameter. Meaning, that while a ≈0.60mm string is polished in the workshop to a diameter of 0.60mm, changes in ambient humidity, temperature, shipping, and storage conditions can cause to string to expand or contract slightly.
Gimped gut strings and custom gauged equal tension strings are gauged with the equivalent-gauge (=) system. This means that the gauge listed, such as =1.50mm, indicates that the string is approximately equal in weight to a plain gut string of that diameter. Of course, because the wire is much heavier than gut, the string will be much thinner than a plain gut string.
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