Loaded gut basses (Type CC)
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These are whole lamb gut strings that have been ‘densified’ using metallic copper powder, effectively doubling their original specific weight.
Recommended uses for Plucked Instruments: These strings are highly recommended as basses for:
Renaissance lutes with more than six courses (7, 8, 9, and 10).
17th-century 12-course Dutch lutes with a short scale length.
11-course D-minor lutes.
Fretted basses and the short scale length of Italian liuti attiorbati.
The fretted 6th, 7th, and 8th strings on theorbos.
Recommended Uses for Bowed Instruments: For bowed instruments, they are well-suited for viola da gamba setups from the period prior to the introduction of wound strings (around 1670–1680). They are especially ideal for violas da gamba where the vibrating string length is shorter than what the so-called “law of proportions” dictates (which accounts for the majority of modern reproduction instruments). Furthermore, they are excellent for the viola bastarda and lyra viol repertoires.
Note: They are not recommended as bass strings for the cello.
Sound characteristics & safety: The tone is full and rich, centered on the fundamental frequency. It blends seamlessly with higher gut strings—unlike wound strings, where the timbre’s difference is often too much. Finally, this type of string allows for the use of unison courses, just as John Dowland recommended in 1610.
These strings do not contain any toxic compounds based on lead or mercury salts.
Sound Test
How to Choose the right String
The product code listed in the table also indicates its “equivalent gut” measurement. For example, a string with the code 150 CC corresponds, for calculation purposes, to a theoretical gut string of 1.50 mm gauge. This means it will have the exact same tension, but due to its higher specific weight (i.e. density), its actual outer diameter will be thinner.
Because the “equivalent gut” value is part of the product code, you can easily use any standard string calculator.
P.S. By “equivalent gut,” we mean a theoretical string that produces the same working tension as a “densified” string under the exact same operating conditions (frequency and vibrating string length). Naturally, the densified string will have a smaller diameter and a substantially better acoustic response.
String length: 120 cm.
Important Usage Warnings
Type CC strings are designed to be used exclusively in the lower registers
The company accepts no liability should this type of product be used improperly in the high or middle registers of a plucked or bowed musical instrument (i.e. where the FL product exceeds 90 Hz · m). Examples of improper use include: the first, second and third strings of the viola da gamba family; the fourth course of the Renaissance lutes; the fifth course of the d minor lutes; the third and fourth strings of the theorbo.
Tip: CC strings stretch more than a standard gut string and become thinner: increase the theoretically calculated diameter (or that of a standard gut string) to the next size up available on the market. E.g.: 150CC becomes 155CC, etc.
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| SKU | Gut Equivalent | CC Gauge Range | Length | Price | Buy | hf:att:pa_budello-equivalente | hf:att:pa_cc-range-diametro | hf:att:pa_lunghezza |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100CC | 1.00 mm | 0.71 - 0.75 mm | 120 cm | €28.30 + VAT | 1-00-mm-en | 0-71-0-75-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 105CC | 1.05 mm | 0.75 - 0.79 mm | 120 cm | €28.30 + VAT | 1-05-mm-en | 0-75-0-79-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 110CC | 1.10 mm | 0.78 - 0.82 mm | 120 cm | €30.68 + VAT | 1-10-mm-en | 0-78-0-82-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 115CC | 1.15 mm | 0.82 - 0.86 mm | 120 cm | €30.68 + VAT | 1-15-mm-en | 0-82-0-86-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 120CC | 1.20 mm | 0.86 - 0.90 mm | 120 cm | €30.68 + VAT | 1-20-mm-en | 0-86-0-90-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 125CC | 1.25 mm | 0.89 - 0.93 mm | 120 cm | €33.47 + VAT | 1-25-mm-en | 0-89-0-93-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 130CC | 1.30 mm | 0.93 - 0.97 mm | 120 cm | €33.47 + VAT | 1-30-mm-en | 0-93-0-97-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 135CC | 1.35 mm | 0.97 - 1.01 mm | 120 cm | €33.47 + VAT | 1-35-mm-en | 0-97-1-01-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 140CC | 1.40 mm | 1.00 - 1.04 mm | 120 cm | €39.55 + VAT | 1-40-mm-en | 1-00-1-04-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 145CC | 1.45 mm | 1.03 - 1.07 mm | 120 cm | €39.55 + VAT | 1-45-mm-en | 1-03-1-07-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 150CC | 1.50 mm | 1.07 - 1.11 mm | 120 cm | €45.63 + VAT | 1-50-mm-en | 1-07-1-11-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 155CC | 1.55 mm | 1.10 - 1.14 mm | 120 cm | €45.63 + VAT | 1-55-mm-en | 1-10-1-14-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 160CC | 1.60 mm | 1.14 - 1.18 mm | 120 cm | €45.63 + VAT | 1-60-mm-en | 1-14-1-18-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 165CC | 1.65 mm | 1.18 - 1.22 mm | 120 cm | €49.07 + VAT | 1-65-mm-en | 1-18-1-22-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 170CC | 1.70 mm | 1.22 - 1.26 mm | 120 cm | €49.07 + VAT | 1-70-mm-en | 1-22-1-26-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 175CC | 1.75 mm | 1.25 - 1.29 mm | 120 cm | €49.07 + VAT | 1-75-mm-en | 1-25-1-29-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 180CC | 1.80 mm | 1.27 - 1.31 mm | 120 cm | €53.04 + VAT | 1-80-mm-en | 1-27-1-31-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 185CC | 1.85 mm | 1.28 - 1.32 mm | 120 cm | €53.04 + VAT | 1-85-mm-en | 1-28-1-32-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 190CC | 1.90 mm | 1.30 - 1.34 mm | 120 cm | €53.04 + VAT | 1-90-mm-en | 1-30-1-34-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 195CC | 1.95 mm | 1.34 - 1.38 mm | 120 cm | €57.53 + VAT | 1-95-mm-en | 1-34-1-38-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 200CC | 2.00 mm | 1.38 - 1.42 mm | 120 cm | €57.53 + VAT | 2-00-mm-en | 1-38-1-42-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 210CC | 2.10 mm | 1.43 - 1.47 mm | 120 cm | €57.53 + VAT | 2-10-mm-en | 1-43-1-47-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 220CC | 2.20 mm | 1.50 - 1.54 mm | 120 cm | €64.27 + VAT | 2-20-mm-en | 1-50-1-54-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 240CC | 2.40 mm | 1.64 - 1.68 mm | 120 cm | €68.64 + VAT | 2-40-mm-en | 1-64-1-68-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 250CC | 2.50 mm | 1.70 - 1.74 mm | 120 cm | €68.64 + VAT | 2-50-mm | 1-70-1-74-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 260CC | 2.60 mm | 1.78 - 1.82 mm | 120 cm | €75.79 + VAT | 2-60-mm-en | 1-78-1-82-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 270CC | 2.70 mm | 1.85 - 1.89 mm | 120 cm | €75.79 + VAT | 2-70-mm-en | 1-85-1-89-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 280CC | 2.80 mm | 1.91 - 1.95 mm | 120 cm | €83.32 + VAT | 2-80-mm-en | 1-91-1-95-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 290CC | 2.90 mm | 1.98 - 2.02 mm | 120 cm | €86.89 + VAT | 2-90-mm | 1-98-2-02-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 300CC | 3.00 mm | 2.05 - 2.09 mm | 120 cm | €92.45 + VAT | 3-00-mm | 2-05-2-09-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 310CC | 3.10 mm | 2.09 - 2.13 mm | 120 cm | €93.24 + VAT | 3-10-mm | 2-09-2-13-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 320CC | 3.20 mm | 2.15 - 2.19 mm | 120 cm | €95.75 + VAT | 3-20-mm-en | 2-15-2-19-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 340CC | 3.40 mm | 2.26 - 2.30 mm | 120 cm | €97.60 + VAT | 3-40-mm | 2-26-2-30-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 360CC | 3.60 mm | 2.43 - 2.47 mm | 120 cm | €101.80 + VAT | 3-60-mm-en | 2-43-2-47-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 370CC | 3.70 mm | 2.52 – 2.56 mm | 120 cm | €106.00 + VAT | 3-70-mm-en | 2-52-2-56-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 380CC | 3.80 mm | 2.60 - 2.64 mm | 120 cm | €110.20 + VAT | 3-80-mm | 2-60-2-64-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 400CC | 4.00 mm | 2.73 - 2.77 mm | 120 cm | €116.00 + VAT | 4-00-mm | 2-73-2-77-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 420CC | 4.20 mm | 2.87 - 2.91 mm | 120 cm | €121.80 + VAT | 4-20-mm-en | 2-87-2-91-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 440CC | 4.40 mm | 2.98 - 3.02 mm | 120 cm | €127.60 + VAT | 4-40-mm | 2-98-3-02-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 460CC | 4.60 mm | 3.13 - 3.17 mm | 120 cm | €133.80 + VAT | 4-60-mm | 3-13-3-17-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 480CC | 4.80 mm | 3.28 - 3.32 mm | 120 cm | €140.00 + VAT | 4-80-mm | 3-28-3-32-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 500CC | 5.00 mm | 3.43 - 3.47 mm | 120 cm | €147.20 + VAT | 5-00-mm | 3-43-3-47-mm | 120-cm-en | |
| 520CC | 5.20 mm | 3.58 - 3.62 mm | 120 cm | €154.40 + VAT | 5-20-mm | 3-58-3-62-mm | 120-cm-en |
The theory and practical application of loading gut strings are the fruit of Mimmo Peruffo’s research, which can be read here: