I recently received some images from a lady wanting to know the manufacturer of some banjo strings. The box that the strings came in, I presume, is pretty old and damaged. Does anyone have any information I can send back to her about this manufacturer?

Views: 363

Attachments:

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I'd send the pix to Mimmo Peruffo of Aquilacorde (maker of Aquila nylgut strings). His family has been making strings since the 17th cent. in Italy and perhaps he might recognize the box or logos.

http://www.aquilacorde.com/

Since the words are in English I think we can rule out an Italian market for these strings. These are from the English speaking world. England or its former colonies. Were these strings purchased in the USA? Were the strings gut? Steel?  The more specifics you can provide the more likely it is that an answer can be found.

I'd wager these were violin gut strings branded as banjo strings. Most banjo players strung their banjos with the same gut strings used for violins at the time, and Italy was one of the foremost producers of such strings, as it remains to this day.

I have seen in the 19th century manuals where violin strings are recommended. I don't understand how this could work. Violin strings are cut too short. Maybe they were on a spool and cut to order?

Violin strings were available in double lengths, fifty years ago, I used violin D strings as banjo third strings at the time, they were cheaper than banjo thirds and slightly thinner, which suited me both ways.

I seem to recall George Wunderlich commenting on how violin strings of the middle-19th cent. were sold in specific lengths (double or better, presumably), which inadvertantly limited the design of banjos down to scale lengths of ~29" or less. There were a few banjos of the early period having 30"+ scales (the "Stitcher" banjos were 31") so the violin strings of the period had to be at least a yard or more in total length.

Even today, I had to do some sleuthing to find long enough strings for my CB (29" scale).

I believe violin strings sold then were usually quite long, so that violinists could cut them to get a segment of gut that was perfectly true (or as true as possible). When cut in half, these made two strings, but banjo players would use the entire length.

How could a violinist know in advance what segment was perfectly true?

He didn't know in advance, he found out by cutting it and trying them out.

I see, the quote sheds light. I was imagining a length of visibly varying degrees of uniformity and a violinist picking the most likely segment and having waste at either end that was too short for musical use.

I received this reply from Mimmo Peruffo of Aquilacorde:

" I do not think that these strings came out from Italy right in to this metallic box.
Most of italian stringmakers of the past produced their strings in bulks for all the customers, both italian or foreings.
Hard to know if the strings were autentic or fake italian strings. We have some sources that well explained about  gut strings sold out like italian strings while they were done in other countries. The banjo was a instrument not know at all in italy of those times
Best regards
mimmo Peruffo"
So the question still remains. Any other ideas out there?

Reply to Discussion

RSS

© 2024   Created by thereallyniceman.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service