After using the search function on this site, I found some useful information about proper string gauges for a 19" scale, 10 string Sobell cittern tuned GDAEB. However, are there any actual owners of such an instrument who could provide some first hand knowledge? What do you use?
(Emailing Sir Stefan himself has not been overly productive thus far - he appears a tad busy...)
Hi Dow - I've a 23.5" scale Fylde (which has been gathering dust since I bought it - to my eternal shame), so would be very interested to hear what you've got your cittern tuned to & the gauges you've found to work. Cheers.
I use a nice string tension calculator to figure out what gauges of strings to use, and then I buy in bulk from juststrings.com, usually. The calculator is here: http://www.pacificsites.net/~dog/StringTensionApplet.html (Thanks, Dan!)
I find that tensions around 20 to 25 lbs seem to sound good, and trying to get a fairly consistent tension across strings helps with the balance.
For your Sobell, your chart might look something like this (with wound E strings, and unison tuning):
len 19"
B .010" PL == 20.21#
B .010" PL == 20.21#
E .017" PB == 22.15#
E .017" PB == 22.15#
A, .024" PB == 21.15#
A, .024" PB == 21.15#
D, .036" PB == 21.63#
D, .036" PB == 21.63#
G,, .054" PB == 21.24#
G,, .054" PB == 21.24#
You might have some difficulty finding a wound .017 phosphor bronze string, but an .018 would probably be OK too (25# or so), or you could do a plain steel .015 or .016 for the E.
My Brock 5 course is longer scale, and generally tuned DGDAE or CGDAD. My string chart looks like this (with octave strings):
len 24.75"
D .013" PL == 22.1#
D .013" PL == 22.1#
A, .020" PB == 24.9#
A, .020" PB == 24.9#
D, .030" PB == 25.53#
D .013" PL == 22.1#
G,, .048" PB == 28.78#
G, .022" PB == 24.08#
C,, .060" PB == 22.22#
C, .034" PB == 25.94#
The nice thing about the applet is that you can play around with different string gauges and materials to see what kind of differences it would make.
Sobell cittern string gauges
Sobell cittern string gauges
After using the search function on this site, I found some useful information about proper string gauges for a 19" scale, 10 string Sobell cittern tuned GDAEB. However, are there any actual owners of such an instrument who could provide some first hand knowledge? What do you use?
(Emailing Sir Stefan himself has not been overly productive thus far - he appears a tad busy...)
# Posted on June 22nd 2008 by the dawn
Re: Sobell cittern string gauges
I have one tuned GDADA or sometimes GDAEA if that's any help. I have his recommended gauges somewhere. I'll hunt them out.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Dow
Re: Sobell cittern string gauges
I think mine's 22.5" scale though, so maybe not...
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Dow
Re: Sobell cittern string gauges
Hi Dow - I've a 23.5" scale Fylde (which has been gathering dust since I bought it - to my eternal shame), so would be very interested to hear what you've got your cittern tuned to & the gauges you've found to work. Cheers.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Ron P
Re: Sobell cittern string gauges
I use a nice string tension calculator to figure out what gauges of strings to use, and then I buy in bulk from juststrings.com, usually. The calculator is here: http://www.pacificsites.net/~dog/StringTensionApplet.html (Thanks, Dan!)
I find that tensions around 20 to 25 lbs seem to sound good, and trying to get a fairly consistent tension across strings helps with the balance.
For your Sobell, your chart might look something like this (with wound E strings, and unison tuning):
len 19"
B .010" PL == 20.21#
B .010" PL == 20.21#
E .017" PB == 22.15#
E .017" PB == 22.15#
A, .024" PB == 21.15#
A, .024" PB == 21.15#
D, .036" PB == 21.63#
D, .036" PB == 21.63#
G,, .054" PB == 21.24#
G,, .054" PB == 21.24#
You might have some difficulty finding a wound .017 phosphor bronze string, but an .018 would probably be OK too (25# or so), or you could do a plain steel .015 or .016 for the E.
My Brock 5 course is longer scale, and generally tuned DGDAE or CGDAD. My string chart looks like this (with octave strings):
len 24.75"
D .013" PL == 22.1#
D .013" PL == 22.1#
A, .020" PB == 24.9#
A, .020" PB == 24.9#
D, .030" PB == 25.53#
D .013" PL == 22.1#
G,, .048" PB == 28.78#
G, .022" PB == 24.08#
C,, .060" PB == 22.22#
C, .034" PB == 25.94#
The nice thing about the applet is that you can play around with different string gauges and materials to see what kind of differences it would make.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Reverend
Re: Sobell cittern string gauges
Very cool. Thanks much, Reverend!
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by the dawn