Rufi - 2-25-2004 at 09:29 PM
I work in a folk music store and came across aquila nylgut ukulele strings. Me and my customers were very impressed. So I wondered how good they
will be for an oud?
I originaly contacted Roy T Cone thier us representative and he bit on the Idea also I posted his email adress for all of you to write him.
I received my first testing sets in the mail last friday and I am extreemely pleased they out perform ordinary nylon of any maker!!!!!!
They have more tone and richness to them. In the naxt few days I will post a sound clip of my oud with them on it. and another of the same peice and
tunning with a pyramid nylon set. I think you all will be impressed with thier sound...
The only problem is ..... the price!!!
Roy asked me what they could charge and I said they should try to keep them under 20 bucks retail. He sells four shorter uke strings for seven or
eight dollars retail. that means that an oud set would probably be around 25 to 27 dollars a set of twelve.
I guess that is really not so bad eh?
what do you all think? 
aquila - 2-25-2004 at 10:11 PM
Ciao Rufi,
I am happy that you love such set: it is the first set in the market, at the moment.
About prices: they are still in discussion here, anyway due to the fact that 1 Euro = 1,25 dollars about I think ok to make for US the same number.
(i.e. make 1 euro = 1 dollar) = 20 Dollars.
About the 6th wound bass: I have made it for G tuning not for E so perhaps it is low in tension.
Ciao, grazie!
Mimmo
Jameel - 2-26-2004 at 05:15 PM
What info did you need to provide Mr. Cone about your oud?
aquila - 2-26-2004 at 10:22 PM
Hi Jameel,
The only open question concerne what standard tuning to do for the uke sets both Turkish and Arabic. Into the specific, the 5th and 6th bass notes can
be changed: what notes are more common?
As example, on the Turkish tuning the 6th of my first set is G (I have seen the La Bella set), but perhaps it is better like E...
Now I am working on the oud envelope...
Mimmo
oud nylgut
Rufi - 2-26-2004 at 11:47 PM
Jameel In response to your question,
I let him know the sclae length and intended note for each string. also which ones were to be wound and which were to be plain.
also I had him check out and test a set of labellas and some pyramids to help him.
He ended up sending me three sets of trebles and one set of basses.
Interesting fact is that the first set of trebles I like so much that I have not bothered to try the others yet, The only problem I had was with the
basses. I had to use different 7th and 8th strings as well as 11th and 12th to get them to sound right for me.
thanks Jameel and you too Italian aquila man!!!
What is your name any ways?
Also I am curious to see id your arab set is different then the one that roy sent to me.
I hope you are still planning on sending me a set aquila strings are wonderful and they work great on ouds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
aquila - 2-27-2004 at 03:59 AM
Hello Rufy,
my name is Mimmo; I am Aquila's chairman.
Whwn I discovered the Nylgut in the 1997 year after4 years of experiments never immagined that a day it will employ on ukuleles and ouds! At the time
my dream was to discover both a syntetic string with the gut sound and the nylon strenght. Well, I need to precise you that the first set sent to Roy
eas for a Turkish lute. So gauges, in general are too thin for an arabic tuning. OK, later I will made by my hands a set for you with arabic
tuning.
I will send to Roy as soon as possible.
Please, remember that on the set gived you from Roy that the 6th was made for G and not for E.
Ciao from Vicenza (50 Km far from Venice...)
Mimmo
norumba - 2-28-2004 at 11:46 AM
allo Mimmo,
I also worked extensively with st4ring calcualtions here and ordered individual strings from Curtis to comprise a set -
ehre is waht i arrived at and im very very pleased with the result. heres what I ordered:
highest pitch to lowest, western actual pitch, on a Turkish oud:
2x 56NG D
2x 76NG A
2x 100D E
2x 132D B
2x 150D A
1x 240D D
on a scale length of 58.5 cm these all came to around 37-38 n if i recall correctly, very very even.
Mimmo, I sent a duplicate set of these to an oud maker in Turkey to put on an oud he's making for me - he is very impressed and wants to import
them, how can he contact you?
samzayed - 2-28-2004 at 02:47 PM
Hello everyone,
My g string broke from the bridge last night, so I figured I would try some Nyglut strings I bought a few months ago. I have 79NG and 60NG.
It's still stretching and breaking in, but sounds really warm and smooth sounding. It dosn't have that high pitched rattle, that standard
nylon has.
Mimmo, how will they new Aquila strings be in comparison to the 79NG and 60NG I am currently trying?
I am interesting in trying a set of the arabic set once you finished with them
Thanks,
Sam
aquila - 2-29-2004 at 06:57 AM
Ciao Sam, the nylgut is softer than nylon, exactly like gut.
So, please make sure that the bone is very smooth and the grooves not so deep.
The tensile resistence is quite similar to nylon.In other worlds, nylgut is cut sensitive. The best sound came out after that you stretch by fingers
the new strings just put on the instruments.
Ciao
Mimmo
nylgut
billkilpatrick - 2-29-2004 at 10:00 AM
mimmo!mimmo!...
allejuleah!!!
when can i order them and how much will they cost?
i've been using your 5 string banjo strings for the oud but this is wonderful news!
(i'll say it again...)
allejuleah!!!!!!
- bill
ps- you should write to your friends more often and keep them informed
Set For Arabic Oud?
freya - 3-2-2004 at 03:04 PM
When it's available, please post ordering information for a set appropriate for an Arabic Oud with a 61.5 cm string length.
Thanks,
Harry