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    What gauge string do I need for my musical instrument?

    We often hear from folks that have "found an old zither in the attic" or "picked up this instrument at a garage sale" or had an instrument given to them by a well-intentioned friend or relative. There are a myriad variety of these old zithers, psalteries, ukelins, and other musical instruments around and most of them need some strings. Unfortunately, if you have ever brought one of these instruments into a modern music shop and asked for some new strings, you are not likely to get much help.

    The purpose of this page is to help you find the correct replacement string for your instrument. This information could also be used as a resource for those that wish to design their own musical instrument and need to figure out how to string it.

    In order to make good use of this information and find the correct string, it helps to understand a few concepts about strings on musical instruments and about how the chart below is set up. I'll start with a brief overview of these ideas and then give you a few scenarios where this table would come in handy and how to make use of it.

    Note Names

    The table below uses Scientific Pitch Notation (SPN). SPN is a way to identify a specific musical pitch using the musical note name and a number which identifies the pitch's octave. In this system, Middle C on a piano is C4. The number, or octave, changes occur on the C notes. So the C one octave above middle C would be C5 and so on. See the keyboard below.

    Vibrating Length (VL)

    This is simply the length of string that is allowed to freely vibrate when plucked. Usually this distance is measured from the bridge to a guide pin or tuning pin. It should be fairly straight forward to figure this out.

    String Gauge

    This is the diameter of the string. If the old string is still on the instrument you can measure the diameter with a digital caliper. Do a quick google search and you should be able to find a digital caliper for less than $20. They are also often sold at home improvement stores.

    Some of the gauges in the chart below are highlighted orange. This indicates the use of a wound strings. Wound strings have a steel core and a bronze winding. A wound string is necessary to provide enough mass when the string tension for a given note and VL falls below 30% of its breaking point.

    String Gauge Table

    The table below contains a collection of several strings we use on our instruments. The table is sortable. You can click on the Header of each column to sort from smallest to largest. Click the Header again and the table will sort from largest to smallest. (The mouse may just look like a cursor when you hover over a column header but click anyway. It works.)

    The Sort by Pitch column is there to easily sort the notes from low to high. If you sort the Note column you do not get all of the A notes together, then all of the B notes, etc. This can also be useful.

    How to use this table

    Scenario 1:

    You have a zither that is missing a string. You know that the string is supposed to be tuned to G above Middle C and you have measured the Vibrating Length to be 18" but you don't know what gauge replacement string to use.

    If you sort the table by note you can scroll down until you see all the examples of G4 (G above Middle C) You'll find six examples from different instruments. Look for the example that has the VL closest to what you need. Your VL is 18" which is right between the Autoharp (17.375") and the Hognose Psaltery (19"). Both of those instruments use a .016" diameter string. So it is safe to conclude that a .016" string will work for your instrument.

    Scenario 2:

    You are designing an instrument and need to know what gauge string to use. For example, let's say the vibrating length is 14" and you want the note to be tuned to a D. You can sort the table below by VL. You find a few D notes in the 14" range to chose from. The mandolin uses a wound .024" string for D4 (the D right next to Middle C). More common in that vibrating length would be a D5 (the D above the C one octave above Middle C). You'll find the Bowed Psaltery uses a .010" and the Kantele and Hognose use a .014.

    A note about tension.

    When you find you have a different gauge options to choose from - remember that increasing the diameter for a given note and VL will increase the tension. More tensions will generally result in a louder, clearer tone. You have to balance this against the additional stress you will place on the instrument. If you are concerned about the structural integrity of your instrument, it might be wise to lean toward the lighter gauge string. If your instrument seems overbuilt, it would be safe to lean toward the heavier gauge.

    Sort by Pitch NOTE VL Gauge Instrument
    01 C6 6.125 .012 Limerick Lap Harp
    02 C6 8.25 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    03 C6 8.75 .012 Hognose Psaltery
    04 B5 6.75 .012 Limerick Lap Harp
    05 B5 8.875 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    06 B5 9.75 .012 Hognose Psaltery
    07 A5 7.375 .014 Limerick Lap Harp
    08 A5 9.875 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    09 A5 10.375 .010 Autoharp
    10 A5 10.75 .012 Hognose Psaltery
    11 G5 8 .014 Limerick Lap Harp
    12 G5 10.625 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    13 G5 11.5 .010 Autoharp
    14 G5 11.5 .012 Hognose Psaltery
    15 G5 10 .012 Reverie Harp
    16 F5 8.63 .016 Limerick Lap Harp
    17 F5 11.75 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    18 F5 12.5 .012 Autoharp
    19 F5 12.75 .014 Hognose Psaltery
    20 E5 9.25 .016 Limerick Lap Harp
    21 E5 10 .012 Reverie Harp
    22 E5 12.5 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    23 E5 12.875 .012 Autoharp
    24 E5 13.75 .014 Hognose Psaltery
    25 E5 14 .010 Mandolin
    26 D5 10 .018 Limerick Lap Harp
    27 D5 11 .014 Reverie Harp
    28 D5 13.375 .012 Autoharp
    29 D5 13.5 .010 Bowed Psaltery
    30 D5 14.25 .014 Kantele
    31 D5 14.75 .014 Hognose
    32 C5 10.75 .018 Limerick Lap Harp
    33 C5 12 .016 Reverie Harp
    34 C5 14.25 .012 Bowed Psaltery
    35 C5 14.875 .014 Autoharp
    36 C5 16 .014 Hognose Psaltery
    37 B4 11.5 .020 Limerick Lap Harp
    38 B4 15.125 .014 Kantele
    39 B4 15.25 .012 Bowed Psaltery
    40 B4 15.5 .014 Autoharp
    41 B4 17 .016 Hognose Psaltery
    42 A4 12.25 .020 Limerick Lap Harp
    43 A4 12.75 .018 Reverie Harp
    44 A4 14 .014 Mandolin
    45 A4 16 .016 Kantele
    46 A4 16.25 .012 Bowed Psaltery
    47 A4 16.375 .016 Autoharp
    48 A4 17.25 .014 Mandola
    49 A4 18 .016

    Hognose Psaltery

    50 G4 13.125 .022 Limerick Lap Harp
    51 G4 13.5 .020 Reverie Harp
    52 G4 17 .016 Kantele
    53 G4 17.25 .012 Bowed Psaltery
    54 G4 17.375 .016 Autoharp
    55 G4 19 .016 Hognose Psaltery
    56 F4 14 .022 Limerick Lap Harp
    57 F4 18.25 .016 Kantele
    58 F4 18.25 .016 Autoharp
    59 F4 18.375 .014 Bowed Psaltery
    60 F4 20 .016 Hognose Psaltery
    61 E4 14.25 .025 Reverie Harp
    62 E4 15 .022 Limerick Lap Harp
    63 E4 18.875 .018 Autoharp
    64 E4 19 .018 Kantele
    65 E4 19.5 .014 Bowed Psaltery
    66 E4 21 .018 Hognose Psaltery
    67 E4 25.5 .010 Bouzouki
    68 E4 25.5 .012 Guitar
    69 D4 14 .024 Mandolin
    70 D4 15 .025 Reverie
    71 D4 16 .022 Limerick Lap Harp
    72 D4 17.25 .024 Mandola
    73 D4 19.875 .020 Autoharp
    74 D4 21 .018 Kantele
    75 D4 21 .014 Bowed Psaltery
    76 D4 22 .018 Hognose Psaltery
    77 D4 25.5 .014 Bouzouki
    78 D4 27.25 .012 Mt. Dulcimer
    79 C4 15.5 .032 Reverie Harp
    80 C4 17.25 .025 Limerick Lap Harp
    81 C4 20.125 .020 Autoharp
    82 C4 22.375 .014 Bowed Psaltery
    83 C4 22.5 .020 Kantele
    84 C4 23 .018 Hognose Psaltery
    85 B3 18.5 .025 Limerick Lap Harp
    86 B3 20.375 .022 Autoharp
    87 B3 24.25 .020 Kantele
    88 B3 25.5 .016

    Guitar

    89 A3 15.75 .032 Reverie Harp
    90 A3 19.75 .025 Limerick Lap Harp
    91 A3 20.5 .025 Autoharp
    92 A3 25 .022 Mandocello
    93 A3 25.5 .014 Bouzouki
    94 A3 26 .020 Kantele
    95 A3 27.25 .012 Mt. Dulcimer
    96 G3 14 .036 Mandolin
    97 G3 16 .042 Reverie Harp
    98 G3 17.25 .032 Mandola
    99 G3 20.75 .032 Autoharp
    100 G3 21 .025 Limerick Lap Harp
    101 G3 25.5 .018 Bouzouki
    102 G3 25.5 .025 Guitar
    103 F3 21 .032 Autoharp
    104 F3 22.25 .032 Limerick Lap Harp
    105 E3 16 .042 Reverie Harp
    106 E3 21 .032 Autoharp
    107 E3 23.5 .032 Limerick Lap Harp
    108 D3 21.25 .042 Autoharp
    109 D3 24.75 .032 Limerick Lap Harp
    110 D3 25 .034 Mandocello
    111 D3 25.5 .024 Bouzouki
    112 D3 25.5 .032 Guitar
    113 D3 27.25 .025 Mt. Dulcimer
    114 C3 16 .056 Reverie Harp
    115 C3 17.25 .048 Mandola
    116 C3 21.5 .048 Autoharp
    117 C3 26 .032 Limerick Lap Harp
    118 A2 25.5 .042 Guitar
    119 G2 21.75 .056 Autoharp
    120 G2 25 .048 Mandocello
    121 G2 25.5 .042 Bouzouki
    122 E2 25.5 .056 Guitar
    123 C2 25 .074 Mandocello
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