Technical data
| Instrument | Double bass |
| String | C |
| Material | gut |
| Country of manufacture | Germany |
| Item number | C2017-Pfitzner |
Features
- C string for double bass
- Version: gut
- Handmade in Wernitzgrün
In practice
- Gut strings react to humidity and temperature. They need several days after fitting before they hold, and want retuning before every session afterwards.
- The grooves in nut and bridge must match the gauge and be rounded out. A groove that is too tight or sharp destroys the gut surface.
Sound and physics
Gut (1,300 to 1,400 kg/m³, modulus of elasticity as a measure of material stiffness 1,000 to 3,000 MPa) is far more yielding than steel and depends strongly on humidity; a gut string therefore follows changes of climate with small changes of tuning. In return, gut strings yield a little over time and let the instrument recover, while steel holds the load at its peak all the time.
Our Pfitzner gut strings have these diameters: G 2.15 to 2.20 mm, D 2.8 to 2.9 mm, A 3.7 to 3.8 mm and E 4.6 to 4.7 mm. They grow from G through D to A in such a way that the three plain strings lie in a similar tension range.
Our experience
The Pfitzner gut strings belong to our own range and have been turned by hand for more than a hundred years. During making each string is re-twisted and tightened every hour, through the night as well, until it has the density the sound asks for. We recommend giving gut strings a few days after fitting and playing them in an even climate; the wound gut strings in particular dislike warm, humid air.
When another model suits you better
If you are looking for the closeness of gut and want the tuning stability of a modern string, we recommend Thomastik-Infeld Belcanto, which for us comes closest to the gut sound on the bass.
Frequently asked questions
What diameters do the Pfitzner double bass strings have?
G 2.15 to 2.20 mm, D 2.8 to 2.9 mm, A 3.7 to 3.8 mm and E 4.6 to 4.7 mm.
Where are the Pfitzner strings made?
In Saxony, by hand, and that for more than a hundred years.
These texts hold decades of experience and a great deal of heart. They are protected by copyright, C.A. Götz jr. GmbH. Please ask us before any use. Thank you for your appreciation.
