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Gamut Music Glossary

Below is a select list of commonly used terms and phrases relating to Gamut gut strings.

TERM DESCRIPTION NOTES
3-D Printed Ball End Modern replacement for a knotted end. Secures string in the tailpiece.
Academie Gold Strings Gamut sheep gut strings. Historically manufactured gut strings; produce a warm, rich tone with traditional elasticity.
Academie Strings Gamut beef gut strings. Includes both plain and wound options.
Anti-Tarnish Strips Small black squares included with gut/silver-wound strings. Prevents oxidation of silver windings.
Approximate Diameter (≈) Physical polished diameter of plain gut. Minor variance occurs with humidity/environment.
Bass Re-Wind Service to replace worn winding on contrabass gut/metal-wound strings. Extends the life of gut/metal-wound bass strings while preserving the original gut core.
Beef (Bovine) Serosa Outer membrane of cow intestine used to make strong, durable gut strings. Standard material for Gamut Academie strings.
Bridge / Nut Slots Contact points where strings rest. Must be smooth and rounded to avoid gut string breakage.
Burrs / Sharp Edges Protrusions on an instrument's bridge, nut, or tuning pegs that can put excessive stress on a gut string. Make sure all contact points are smooth.
Catgut Traditional, but misleading term historically used for gut music strings. Not made from cats.
Cleaning / Rosin Removal Wipe strings after playing to remove rosin and dirt. Prevents buildup and protects string varnish.
Custom Gauged Strings Gamut strings (Treble, Lyon, Pistoy, Sheep, etc.) beyond standard listings. Precise diameter selection for personalized tension or tone.
Dampits Soft rubber tubes soaked in water and inserted into an instrument for humidity management. Not recommended as they can damage the instrument.
Dependable Coated Violin Strings Beef gut violin strings with polymer coating for protection. Adds durability and resistance to moisture while retaining gut tone.
Diapason Gut An extra-long, plain gut string used for archlute, theorbo, lautenwerck, etc. Same processing as Treble/Lyon strings but longer.
Double-Length A double-length treble gut string. Designed to be cut in half for two uses.
Early Music Broad term for repertoire predating the modern era, typically Renaissance and Baroque. Commonly performed using gut strings and period instruments.
Equal Tension Historically designed to carry a similar pulling force across all strings when tuned. Provides even feel and tone across the set.
Equivalent Gauge (=) For wound or gimped strings, gauge equals the plain-gut equivalent in mass. The string will have a smaller diameter, as the wire is heavier.
Fine Tuners Tailpiece screws used to adjust string pitch in small increments on synthetic/metal strings. Not generally recommended for gut strings, as incremental tuning and metal edges can damage the string.
Fret Gut Beef gut for tying frets on instruments. Used on lutes and viols.
Gimped Gut Gut string with a light metal thread partially wound into the string. A transition between plain and wound strings; adds mass while retaining gut tone.
Gut/Metal-Wound Strings Beef gut core strings wound with metal wire such as silver, copper, or silverplate. Adds mass for lower pitches without excessive thickness.
Historically Informed Performance Playing style and equipment based on documented historical practice. Often uses pure-gut strings and period tuning of a=415 Hz.
Humidity Sensitivity Gut is hygroscopic, it absorbs and releases moisture from air. Causes pitch and tone fluctuations; store strings in a cool, dry environment.
Knotted End / String Knot Traditional loop knot at the end of a gut string used to anchor it to the tailpiece. Instructions are included on all Academie string inserts.
Lyon Gut A gut string twisted in one direction to a high twist. Not as flexible as the Pistoy; preferred when a little extra stiffness is required.
Mensur The vibrating length of the string between nut and bridge. Affects required gauge and tension.
Modern Performance Practice Contemporary playing approach using current setups and expectations. May combine gut or synthetic strings for flexibility; a=440 Hz tuning.
Mucosa / Submucosa / Serosa Layers of intestine involved in gut string manufacture. Gut strings are made from the serosa of beef and sheep.
Nylon Strings Polished DuPont Tynex® 612 nylon, rectified to precise gauges. Synthetic alternative to gut; stable under humidity; consistent tension.
Over-Tightening Putting too much tension on a string when tuning. Allow the string settle and tune gradually.
Pistoy Gut A double-twist string providing great flexibility and quick response. Supple and lively under the bow; often used for middle or lower strings.
Plain Gut Natural gut (Treble, Lyon, Pistoy) string. Does not include metal winding.
Polishing / Finishing Workshop process that smooths and sizes gut. Ensures uniform diameter and feel.
Red Diamond Bass Strings Contrabass gut and gut/copper-wound strings. Designed for modern players seeking warmth and stability at a=440 Hz tuning.
Settling The period of time it takes a gut string to settle at tension on an instrument. Larger strings will take more time.
Sheep (Ovine) Serosa / Sheep Gut Made from sheep intestine. Sheep gut has a slightly different structure than beef gut — tighter fibers, more translucency. Historical gut material; the tone has a warm and rich sonority. Used for Academie Gold and Tricolore pure-gut strings.
Soaking in Oil Unrecommended practice of immersing strings in oil. Weakens gut fibers and shortens life.
Solvents Avoid alcohol or strong solvents on gut strings. Can weaken gut cores or strip varnish.
Storage Keep strings cool, dry, and away from sunlight. Extends lifespan.
String Calculator Online Gamut tool for estimating string length, gauge, and tension. Helps users match gauge and tension for a specific instrument setup.
String Gauge The diameter or thickness of a string, measured in millimeters. Determines tension and tonal response.
String Leader A short, thin piece of gut tied to the end of a string to facilitate attaching to the tailpiece. Common on historical instruments.
String Length Total string length expressed in inches or centimeters. Not to be confused with vibrating string length (mensur).
String Oil Applied during the finishing process. Gamut discourages additional string oil.
Tail Gut Plain beef gut used to secure the tailpiece to the end button on violin- and viol-family instruments. —
Tension Force applied to a string when at pitch, expressed in pounds-force or Newtons. Determines how much stress the string and instrument are under.
Treble Gut A low-twist (15º) natural gut string available with either a natural or varnish finish. Suited for higher-tension instruments to stand the strain in the treble register.
Tricolore Strings Modern performance violin and viola strings, modeled on historical 1930s-era Tricolore strings. Offered in pure-gut (sheep) and gut/metal-wound (beef).
Tunings Standard reference pitches such as a=440, a=415, a=392 Hz. For modern and historical performance; affects string selection and tension.
Underlayer A layer of silk between the gut core and the metal winding. Provides internal damping which gives the string a warmer tone.
Varnish Protective finish on gut strings. For environmental and moisture resistance.
Whiskers Little hairs or loose fibers that develop on a gut string. Use nail clippers to carefully trim them.