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What String Gauge Should I Select?

If you have never used natural gut strings on your instrument, selecting the right gauge (rabbit hole warning) can be a little daunting and a bit different compared to synthetic or steel strings, as gut strings come with their own unique tonal qualities and playing feel.

Here is a general guide for selecting gauges:

Start With Medium Gauge

Recommended - Medium string gauge is a safe and balanced starting point, as it offers a good balance of tension, playability, and tonal warmth. Gut strings, like our Tricolore Violin Medium gauge (designed for a=440 modern performance practice) are versatile for most players transitioning from synthetic strings.

Reasoning - Medium gauge strings provide a familiar tension for most players coming from synthetic strings, and they produce a well-rounded sound — not too bright or too dark.

Consider the Sound You Want

Lighter Gauge - if you prefer a more delicate, responsive tone with ease of playing, a Lighter gauge string might be better suited for you and your instrument. These strings have less tension and produce a brighter sound and may feel softer under the fingers.

Heavier Gauge - if you are seeking a fuller, richer, and more powerful sound, a Heavier gauge may be suitable. These strings require a bit more finger strength and bow pressure, but they offer a deeper tone.

Instrument and Playing Style

Instrument Response - if your instrument responds well to lower tension or has a warmer tone, starting with a Medium or Lighter gauge may be wise. If it needs more power or projection, you can try a Heavier gauge.

Bow Pressure - gut strings generally need a different bowing technique compared to synthetic strings. You will need to adjust the pressure and speed of your bowing to get the best tone from the strings.

Ease of Tuning

String Stabilization - natural gut strings take longer to stabilize than synthetic or steel strings. Medium gauge strings will provide a balance between quicker stabilization and tonal richness, while Lighter strings can settle a little bit faster but may provide less depth of tone.

If you are transitioning from synthetic strings, Medium gauge gut strings will provide a balanced experience, making it easier to adjust to the feel and tone of gut strings without overwhelming your instrument or your playing style. After becoming accustomed to the sound, feel, and playability of gut strings, you can experiment with Lighter or Heavier gauges depending on your preference.

Most Gamut Academie strings are offered in gauges Light, Light+, Medium, Medium+, Heavy, and Heavy+; Gamut Tricolore strings are offered in gauges Light, Medium, and Heavy. We include string diameters on every string page, and you can use our String Calculators to find the correct strings for your instrument. We also offer instrument-specific String Tension Tables for your reference.

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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.

More information about Gamut gut strings, string types, gauges, and string tensions can be found on our FAQ/Articles page. Not finding an answer to your question? Please contact us.