How to string a lute
A lute has no saddle and no tuning machines: each string is tied directly to the bridge and wound on a friction peg in a pegbox bent back at about 90°. The top is very light and the bridge only glued on, so the job is done one string at a time, at low tension, with care.
6-course Renaissance lute in G, course by course
From the 6th course to the 1st, at A 440 Hz; bass courses in octaves, single chanterelle on top.
| String | Note | Hz |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | G2 + G3 | 98.00 + 196.00 |
| 5 | C3 + C4 | 130.81 + 261.63 |
| 4 | F3 | 174.61 |
| 3 | A3 | 220.00 |
| 2 | D4 | 293.66 |
| 1 | G4 | 392.00 |
How to use it
- Open the Lute guide and tick each step; progress is saved on this device.
- When every step is ticked, the page scrolls to the tuner. Pick 6 or 8 courses in G, or 13 courses in D minor for a baroque lute.
- Pluck one string at a time and turn its peg until the needle centers. Start over clears the list.
Help and explanations
The steps cover a 6-course Renaissance lute and apply to 8-course instruments too. At the end, the tuner checks 6, 8 or 13 courses, from G2 (98.00 Hz) to G4 (392.00 Hz) on a 6-course lute in G.
Courses, octaves and the chanterelle
The 1st course, the chanterelle, is a single string. On a 6-course lute in G, the 2nd and 3rd courses (D4 and A3) are unison pairs, and the bass courses (C3 and G2, often F3 too) pair a thick string with an octave string. Before you remove a pair, note which string sits on which side and copy the layout.
The eleven strings of a 6-course lute carry only about 32 kg (70 lb) in Gamut's medium gut stringing, so a single string change barely moves the neck, but a thin top still prefers gradual changes.
Gut, pegs and frets
Gut strings stretch and react to humidity, so expect to retune often for the first day. Friction pegs hold by pressure: push the peg in gently as you turn. A string change is also the moment to check the tied gut frets, which wear where the strings press and need replacing from time to time, according to Wikipedia.
Tips
- Bring gut up to pitch slowly: a thin chanterelle tuned up too quickly often snaps.
- Comparing gauges? See each string's tension in the lute string tension calculator.
- Replacing worn frets too? The lute fret calculator prints where each one goes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you string a lute?
One string at a time: tie it to the bridge with a loop around itself and two or three twists, run it over the nut into the pegbox, wind it on its peg and tune it slowly. Start from the bass courses or the chanterelle, but keep the old layout of octave pairs.
How do you tune a 6-course lute?
In G: G2 C3 F3 A3 D4 G4 from the 6th course to the 1st (98.00, 130.81, 174.61, 220.00, 293.66 and 392.00 Hz), with octave strings on the lower courses.
How many strings does a lute have?
A 6-course lute has eleven strings, an 8-course lute fifteen and a 13-course baroque lute usually twenty-four, because the chanterelle and often the 2nd course are single.
Why does my lute peg keep slipping?
Friction pegs hold by pressure. Push the peg gently into the pegbox as you turn; if it still slips, a peg paste helps it grip without sticking.
How long do new gut lute strings take to settle?
Usually a day or so. Retune often in the first hours, and keep the lute away from sudden changes in humidity.