Hi Laudon, Thanks again for all this info. I've been using synthetic strings on gut frets. I think I'll try out synthetic frets. I've used them on Gamba. One trick is to put fret in hot water and pre bend / crease the material where it will round over the edges of the fretboard. It helps in keeping the fret flat on the boar there. I have wound bass synthetic strings now. I dislike the twangy sound, and the unsmooth slipping over the nut, despite graphite or soap. I think I'll try to get some unwound strings. Sometimes broken strings can be salvaged with a proper fisherman's knot, as long as that is between the nut and peg. If you have time, add a bit of crazy glue to prevent the knot just slipping apart. (cheap and sometimes it works). Recently just before having to play - literally a couple minutes - my lute emerged from its case with a broken f string. I quickly tried to knot it while my partner stalled for time. It broke again at the same place. 😧So I just removed it. It was truly strange playing with a single f string. Just enough to throw the right hand off. I did chuckle a couple times while playing. Dealing with humidity - ugh! that's probably what caused the above broken string. Also, the lute sounds like playing wet cardboard. Not the best way to introduce new people to the sound of the lute, but better than nothing. Humidity can also lead to stuck pegs as you say. If I don't have time or can't dehumidify it, I boldly use a small dowel the size of the narrow peg end. Brace the peghead on its side on my thigh. While an assistant holds the lute body, I hold the dowel at the pointy end of the stuck peg, and smite it smartly with a light mallet or something with a bit of weight 🥴, gently at first, gradually more as much as you dare until the peg pops loose. So far so good... In a pinch with a broken fret and no time, I have used thin plastic coated wire to slide in place and twist snug with pliers where the knot would be. Be prepared for emergencies. I tuck string ends at bridge under the neighboring string being twist tied in sequence. It helps to keep the short exposed ends from snagging on a fuzzy sweater cuff, etc. Why am I going on and on? I think you just get my brain flexing.
@@robertpurrenhage1400 I feel like as lute players, we have all had to come up with our own tricks and ways to deal with things. You could probably write an entire book on lute maintenance tricks alone. I will have to try the hot water trick with frets! I have used a fisherman’s knot to quickly repair a string but the darn thing broke again at another point so started just bringing “prepared” strings to concerts that I could quickly put on and were already “trained” to pitch. I would definitely use the knot trick again in a pinch if needed : ) Thank you for sharing all these tricks, I am hoping others will leave theirs as well in the comments!
Hi Laudon Thanks for making this video. I fully admit that I've never had to replace a single string nor a fret since I purchased my lute four years ago. Then again, I surely don't practice as much as I ought.... Jack
Some great tips in here, thank you :) Finally, the story behind the clear taped wooden fret is told, I was starting to get curious ;) I definitely plan on using the synthetic frets in the future, the synthetic strings sound great too, way better than nylon even on my cheap lute, which interestingly came with the combination of gut frets and nylon strings. Maybe on my nice lute when I 'deserve it'. On that note, have you ever mentioned who built your lute and what is it modeled after? It sounds really nice and it maybe looks 'chunkier' than most 6c lutes I see.
@@miqbri it was built by Hirotaka Watanabe, a great Japanese builder. : ) yeah, I’m always glad to see other players tape their frets down as well….makes me feel less self conscious!
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welcome back!!
Hi Laudon,
Thanks again for all this info. I've been using synthetic strings on gut frets. I think I'll try out synthetic frets. I've used them on Gamba. One trick is to put fret in hot water and pre bend / crease the material where it will round over the edges of the fretboard. It helps in keeping the fret flat on the boar there.
I have wound bass synthetic strings now. I dislike the twangy sound, and the unsmooth slipping over the nut, despite graphite or soap. I think I'll try to get some unwound strings.
Sometimes broken strings can be salvaged with a proper fisherman's knot, as long as that is between the nut and peg. If you have time, add a bit of crazy glue to prevent the knot just slipping apart. (cheap and sometimes it works). Recently just before having to play - literally a couple minutes - my lute emerged from its case with a broken f string. I quickly tried to knot it while my partner stalled for time. It broke again at the same place. 😧So I just removed it. It was truly strange playing with a single f string. Just enough to throw the right hand off. I did chuckle a couple times while playing.
Dealing with humidity - ugh! that's probably what caused the above broken string. Also, the lute sounds like playing wet cardboard. Not the best way to introduce new people to the sound of the lute, but better than nothing.
Humidity can also lead to stuck pegs as you say. If I don't have time or can't dehumidify it, I boldly use a small dowel the size of the narrow peg end. Brace the peghead on its side on my thigh. While an assistant holds the lute body, I hold the dowel at the pointy end of the stuck peg, and smite it smartly with a light mallet or something with a bit of weight 🥴, gently at first, gradually more as much as you dare until the peg pops loose. So far so good...
In a pinch with a broken fret and no time, I have used thin plastic coated wire to slide in place and twist snug with pliers where the knot would be. Be prepared for emergencies.
I tuck string ends at bridge under the neighboring string being twist tied in sequence. It helps to keep the short exposed ends from snagging on a fuzzy sweater cuff, etc.
Why am I going on and on? I think you just get my brain flexing.
@@robertpurrenhage1400 I feel like as lute players, we have all had to come up with our own tricks and ways to deal with things. You could probably write an entire book on lute maintenance tricks alone. I will have to try the hot water trick with frets! I have used a fisherman’s knot to quickly repair a string but the darn thing broke again at another point so started just bringing “prepared” strings to concerts that I could quickly put on and were already “trained” to pitch. I would definitely use the knot trick again in a pinch if needed : ) Thank you for sharing all these tricks, I am hoping others will leave theirs as well in the comments!
Hi Laudon
Thanks for making this video. I fully admit that I've never had to replace a single string nor a fret since I purchased my lute four years ago. Then again, I surely don't practice as much as I ought.... Jack
@@jackhaefner9237 hey, no shame there! I don’t change things until it is needed : )
Some great tips in here, thank you :)
Finally, the story behind the clear taped wooden fret is told, I was starting to get curious ;)
I definitely plan on using the synthetic frets in the future, the synthetic strings sound great too, way better than nylon even on my cheap lute, which interestingly came with the combination of gut frets and nylon strings. Maybe on my nice lute when I 'deserve it'.
On that note, have you ever mentioned who built your lute and what is it modeled after? It sounds really nice and it maybe looks 'chunkier' than most 6c lutes I see.
@@miqbri it was built by Hirotaka Watanabe, a great Japanese builder. : ) yeah, I’m always glad to see other players tape their frets down as well….makes me feel less self conscious!
👍🏻🤙