Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/11/2013:  03:16:19

I have an Aquila Nylgut Classical Banjo pack of strings. Sizes are as follows (measured on my Vernier):-

1st  0.68mm (0.026")

2nd  0.74mm (0.029")

3rd  0.94mm (0.037")

4th  0.65mm (0.025")

5th  0.64mm (0.025")

The strings are for my 'Bowlin' tribute banjo, 24" A scale.

There is an archived post about strings for a low tuned banjo here: banjohangout.org/archive/153787 (Loo P. - Posted - 07/27/2009:  09:26:56)

He specifies:

1st= .76mm 

2nd= .85mm 

3rd= .94mm 

4th= .89mm J4505 Clasical Guitar "A"-5th string, normal tension, silverplated wound, D'Addario Pro-Arte

5th= .76mm Nylgut

I have ordered a D'Addario J4505 Classical Guitar string to use as my 4th string it's 0.89mm (0.35"), so I'm ok with that string.

Where can I get  0.85mm and  0.76mm Nylgut strings from?

Also, the 3rd string is very thick, just how do I tie a knot in it?

trapdoor2 - Posted - 11/11/2013:  04:59:10

Aquila makes a "Minstrel" set that are thicker and are designed for the lower tunings. I use that set on my Ashborn (28" scale), tuned to either dGDF#A (Briggs tuning) or eAEG#B (a whole step higher). I don't know the diameters.

I have also used various strings from classical guitar sets, including Aquila's nylgut classical guitar stuff.

rudy - Posted - 11/11/2013:  05:27:13

Yup, you want the Aquila Minstrel set.  

Minstrel set @ Elderly:

elderly.com/accessories/names/...ANGMB.htm

John Bowlin will sell you replacement sets of what he strings with, which includes a different size of Aquila fourth string than what's provided in the sets.  John has info for his custom Aquila string sets posted in the Bowlin Users group here on the Hangout:

banjohangout.org/group/bowlin1...blog/2372

Edited by - rudy on 11/11/2013 05:32:57

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/11/2013:  05:41:24

rudy: It's strange but even Elderly show the Classical Banjo strings with "Ministral" sic. written on them...

I bought my Nylguts in England and I ordered Minstrel Banjo strings but the packet says Classical Banjo Product Code 7B. So they're the same thing I think.

I'm rather hoping to buy them in England to keep cost and elapsed time down, too.

So...

Aquila don't seem to show the string diameter on the packet so, I need to know which set has strings of the above diameter or close to... 

BBanjers - Posted - 11/11/2013:  05:58:47

The last set of nylgut minstrel banjo strings I got for a mountain banjo were from browndogbanjos on ebay, that was a couple of years ago tho! I tend to just get Chris Sands heavys now for lower tunings. I think Eagle music shop may sell nylguts in the U.K

rudy - Posted - 11/11/2013:  07:17:41

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lyndon Smith

 

rudy: It's strange but even Elderly show the Classical Banjo strings with "Ministral" sic. written on them...

I bought my Nylguts in England and I ordered Minstrel Banjo strings but the packet says Classical Banjo Product Code 7B. So they're the same thing I think.

I'm rather hoping to buy them in England to keep cost and elapsed time down, too.

So...

Where can I get  0.85mm and  0.76mm Nylgut strings from?

Aquila don't seem to show the string diameter on the packet so, I need to know which set has strings of the above diameter or close to... 

---

The individual string diameters are listed at the Elderly link I posted.

I believe John orders his custom gauges directly from Aquila, you could e-mail him for availability.  Since they are made in Italy I would think the correct gauge would be available there more easily than ordering it here.  You might e-mail Aqila directly with your needs, as I think that the special gauge sizes are just strings that they make for other "odd" instruments.  The Nylguts are produced to use on all sorts of medieval and Baroque instruments.

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/11/2013:  07:33:37

Thanks Rudy. I'll try that and see what happens...

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/11/2013:  07:40:30

Just tried aquilacorde.com and got this:



Dear Valuable Customer, as we are working in order to guarantee you our strings will be available worldwide, we are shutting down our online shop for good. All Aquila’s articles will be available from now on with even easier availability to all the best music shop in your city. If you encounter any trouble outsourcing our products please let us know we will solve the issue right the way. To continue placing orders for early music strings use as usually our form at the below link: aquilacorde.com/index.php?opti...p;lang=en Thanks for supporting Aquila Strings.

This is proving a bit tiresome...

SoundsGoodToMe - Posted - 11/11/2013:  07:41:07

The Aquila Classical set tunes down fairly well.  I have them on my 25" scale gourd, they sound fine in eAEAB.

rudy - Posted - 11/11/2013:  08:35:15

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lyndon Smith

 

Just tried aquilacorde.com and got this:



Dear Valuable Customer, as we are working in order to guarantee you our strings will be available worldwide, we are shutting down our online shop for good. All Aquila’s articles will be available from now on with even easier availability to all the best music shop in your city. If you encounter any trouble outsourcing our products please let us know we will solve the issue right the way. To continue placing orders for early music strings use as usually our form at the below link: aquilacorde.com/index.php?opti...p;lang=en Thanks for supporting Aquila Strings.

This is proving a bit tiresome...

---

Sounds like Mimmo sent a good supply out to your local music shop...

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/12/2013:  01:19:42

quote:

---

Originally posted by rudy

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lyndon Smith

 

Just tried aquilacorde.com and got this:



Dear Valuable Customer, as we are working in order to guarantee you our strings will be available worldwide, we are shutting down our online shop for good. All Aquila’s articles will be available from now on with even easier availability to all the best music shop in your city. If you encounter any trouble outsourcing our products please let us know we will solve the issue right the way. To continue placing orders for early music strings use as usually our form at the below link: aquilacorde.com/index.php?opti...p;lang=en Thanks for supporting Aquila Strings.

This is proving a bit tiresome...

---

Sounds like Mimmo sent a good supply out to your local music shop...

---

I just got this reply to my email:

Dear Sir,

this is the Aquila headquarter. we made industrial production only  and the great distribution.

Unfortunately we cannot follow retailrs.

Unfortunately single strings are not available

My best regards

Mimmo Peruffo 

At least I now know who Mimmo is...

So, I still need to know what Nylgut set has strings in of 0.85mm and 0.76mm.

And there was me thinking this was going to be easy...

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/12/2013:  02:18:14

I sent this email to Mimmo:

Hi



I'm sure that I saw a page on your site that had each Nylgut string set and showed the diameter for each string.



I cannot seem to find it now.



Do you know the link to that page?



Do you know where I can find out the diameters of each string in each set.



I'm looking for 0.76mm and 0.85mm strings...



Regards



Lyndon 

This is the reply:

I am sorry: thye are not in a list. you refers to lute string gauge NNG type early music strings

regards

MP 

I just cannot start buying string sets on the off-chance they will have a string that I need.

This is getting very painful...

Lyndon Smith - Posted - 11/12/2013:  04:15:04

Eventually found:

1 x Aquila 26C ALABASTRO Normal NT b-2 @ 0.83mm (I believe)

1 x Aquila 44C PERLA Normal NT b-2 @ 0.84mm (I believe)

2 x Aquila 49C PERLA Superior ST e'-1 @ 0.74mm (I believe)

I have absolutely no idea if I've done the right thing but it will serve at least as a starting point if I have got my information right...

What a palaver...