This leaflet with instructions on how to install the strings is included in each envelope
Choose the instrument where you need to install the strings
Ukulele / Banjouke strings
Red Series Low G Unwound
Procedure for correctly installing Aquila unwound Low G strings.
The main purpose when installing strings is to prevent them from being damaged by sharp edges on the nut, especially if it is not properly finished. The primary focus should be on how the string is fitted into the peg hole and ensuring that the string remains off the nut’s slot while tuning it up to G. Only after pulling the string several times by hand to achieve stable intonation should you proceed to place it into the nut’s slot.
Red Series Strings
Procedure for correctly installing Aquila Red Series strings.
The main purpose of when installing strings is to prevent them from being damaged by sharp edges over the nut, especially if it is not well done. The main work to be done is to follow the way how the strings is fitted into the peg hole and the fact that the string is keeping off form the nut’s slot while you tune it up. Only after pulling it several times with the hand until it reach a stable intonation, do you proceed to insert it into the slot of the nut.
Doublebass strings
Gold Springs Vintage, Gold Springs Synthetics; Red Springs
Gold Springs Vintage, Gold Springs Synthetics; Red Springs
Procedure for correctly installing our G and D strings from Gold Springs Vintage, Gold Springs Synthetics; Red Springs The G and D strings of the sets listed here are made by covering a core of genuine gut or synthetic cores with flat Nylon thread.
The main purpose of when installing these delicate strings is to prevent them from being damaged by the abrasion they suffer over the nut, especially if it has not been modified to receive these strings. The main work to be done is to hold the string up off the nut’s slot while pushing it, by hand, towards the tuning machine. Then tune it up to G or D. Only after pulling it several times with the hand until it reach a stable intonation, do you proceed to insert it into the slot of the capo. Once tuned, lift all the strings out of each slot of the bridge for a moment: this procedure serves to perfectly balance the tension upstream and downstream of the bridge, improving intonation stability and preventing the bridge from bending forward. When inserting the string through the peg’s hole, make sure that the string it is not initially too tight: on the first turn the tension may already be so high that the peg- hole acts like a cutter/scissors on the flat, thin nylon coating, cutting it. Leave at least a couple of turns around the peg free with little tension.
Guitar Strings
Gut & Silk
Gut & Silk
Installing gut strings on a classical guitar is not as easy as one might think: gut strings are very soft and tend to flatten on the nut (and they are also expensive). The rules are as follows:
- If possible, change the type of nut: most current ones do not fit and may cut the string.
- During tuning, position it outside the nut groove: this way, not only is the tension upstream and downstream perfectly balanced, but it also prevents a bad nut from cutting the string.
- Pull the string to half the length of vibration exactly as seen in the video: this way, the string stabilizes after a few minutes.
- When not using the guitar, detune the first string by half a tone.
Bass strings
Flat Spirals, Round Spirals
How to install in the right way the Aquila Round and Flat Spirals strings
1) The most important thing to do is to run your hand over the section of the string that will go around the roller in order to soften it.
2) Once the string is assembled and brought to the final note, pull it to the middle repeatedly until the tuning is stable.
3) Keep the string out of the nut’s groove while you are tuning the string 4) the acoustic performance improves over the following days
Bass strings
ThunderBrown, ThunderBlack, ThunderReds, ThunderGut
How to install the G string
These strings are made with an elastomer. An elastomer behaves exactly like a rubber band: it stretches a lot under tension.
At the same time, being a rubber material, it doesn’t slide on the nut (and that’s precisely why rubber is used in shoe soles): when tuning, you should keep it out of the nut groove and only reinsert it at the end of the procedure.
Below, we present two different procedures explaining how to install the E string (but these procedures also apply to the other three strings A, D, and G).
Once installed, the strings should be pulled several times by hand (as seen in the video): this way, pitch stability is achieved within a few minutes.
How to install the E string
These strings are made with an elastomer. An elastomer behaves exactly like a rubber band: it stretches a lot under tension.
At the same time, being a rubber material, it doesn’t slide on the nut (and that’s precisely why rubber is used in shoe soles): when tuning, it should be kept out of the nut groove and only reinserted at the end of the procedure.
Below, we present two different procedures explaining how to install the E string (but these procedures also apply to the other three strings A, D, and G).
Once installed, the strings should be pulled several times by hand (as seen in the video): this way, pitch stability is achieved within a few minutes.
Bowed instruments
F-Reds
Come installare nel modo giusto le corde F- reds per Violino
1) Once the string has been attached to the tailpiece and peg, make the first few turns of the peg while holding the string up over the bridge. Proceeding in this way avoids dragging the bridge forward too much while at the same time limiting the surface of the string being abraded by the bridge as much as possible 2) Once step 1) has been performed, leave the string out of the nut’s groove and arrive near the final note. At this point put the string back into the nut groove. 3) Once the final note has been reached, pull the string back to its middle and re- tune. After a few operations the string will be perfectly stable 4) Never use oil or other substances on the string
Come installare nel modo giusto le corde F- reds per Basso di viola
1) Once the string has been attached to the tailpiece and peg, make the first few turns of the peg while holding the string up over the bridge. Proceeding in this way avoids dragging the bridge forward too much while at the same time limiting the surface of the string being abraded by the bridge as much as possible 2) Once step 1) has been performed, leave the string out of the nut’s groove and arrive near the final note. At this point put the string back into the nut groove. 3) Once the final note has been reached, pull the string back to its middle and re- tune. After a few operations the string will be perfectly stable 4) Never use oil or other substances on the string
How to properly install Aquila gut strings on a baroque Violin
There are also some other best practices to follow:
- tune the string keeping it out of the nut slot and, for bowed instruments, every now and then lifting the string from the bridge: this prevents the sliding on friction points, and assures an even tension on both sides of the constraint points. Put back the string in its slot only once tuned (or very near to its final tuning);
- Once in a while, it’s good practice to gently pull the string at half of its length, in order to unload its not recoverable elasticity and at the same time clamping it on its constraint points (this way the string will be almost immediately ready to be played);
- Put the string in tension slowly: the material needs time to reach its final state of stretching;
- The portion of the string wound on the peg should be as small as possible, making sure that on the first loop the string passes on top of itself, and then closing the spirals without further overlaps: see the indications of Thomas Mace on Musik’s Monument (London 1676).
How to properly install an Aquila Gut String on a Gamba
There are also some other best practices to follow:
- tune the string keeping it out of the nut slot and, for bowed instruments, every now and then lifting the string from the bridge: this prevents the sliding on friction points, and assures an even tension on both sides of the constraint points. Put back the string in its slot only once tuned (or very near to its final tuning);
- Once in a while, it’s good practice to gently pull the string at half of its length, in order to unload its not recoverable elasticity and at the same time clamping it on its constraint points (this way the string will be almost immediately ready to be played);
- Put the string in tension slowly: the material needs time to reach its final state of stretching;
- The portion of the string wound on the peg should be as small as possible, making sure that on the first loop the string passes on top of itself, and then closing the spirals without further overlaps: see the indications of Thomas Mace on Musik’s Monument (London 1676).