String calculator, gauge equivalences and tunings

Please be careful: the wrong choice of gauges can damage your instrument. If in doubt, contact us and we will help you choose. Contact us

STRING TOOLS

Each row groups gauges in different materials that, at the same string length and pitch, work at a similar tension. Gut/Nylgut, nylon and carbon are given in millimetres; Aquila D, Pyramid and Savarez NFC use each maker’s own gauge reference. Click a column name to see those strings in the shop.

Gut / Nylgut	Nylon	Carbon (PVF)	Aquila D	Pyramid	Savarez NFC
0.36	0.40	0.30
0.38	0.42	0.33
0.40	0.45	0.35
0.42	0.475	0.37
0.44	0.50	0.38
0.46	0.525	0.40
0.48	0.54	0.41
0.50	0.56	0.43
0.52	0.575	0.45
0.54	0.60	0.47
0.56	0.625	0.47
0.58	0.65	0.50
0.60	0.675	0.52
0.62	0.675	0.52
0.64	0.70	0.55
0.66	0.75	0.57
0.68	0.75	0.57
0.70	0.75	0.60
0.73	0.80	0.62	73	905	–
0.76	0.85	0.64	76	906M	–
0.79	0.875	0.69	79	906	–
0.82	0.925	0.71	82	1006/10065	70 – 72
0.85	0.95	0.74	85	9075	–
0.88	0.975	0.77	88	908/1007	80 – 82
0.91	1.00	0.77	91	1008/10075	90 – 92
0.94	1.05	0.79	94	909/9085	–
0.97	1.10	0.81	97	1009/10085	100 – 102
1.00	1.13	0.85	100	10095	110 – 112
1.04	1.17	0.87	104	1010	120 – 122
1.08	1.23	0.92	108	1011	130 – 132
1.12	1.26	0.94	112	10105	–
1.16	1.30	0.97	116	1012	150 – 152
1.20	1.35	1.02	120	1013	170 – 172
1.24	1.40	1.05	124	1014	–
1.28	1.44	1.10	128	1015	–
1.32	1.50	1.12	132	1016	190 – 192
1.36	1.54	1.15	136	1116	–
1.40	1.60	1.20	140	1017	210 – 212
1.45	1.65	1.25	145	1018	–
1.50	1.70	1.30	150	1019	230 – 232
1.55	1.75	1.33	155	1020	250 – 252
1.60	1.80	1.35	160	1021	275 – 275
1.65	1.90	1.40	165	1022/1023	300 – 300
1.70	1.95	1.45	170	1024	325 – 322
1.75	2.00	1.50	175	1025	350 – 352
1.80	2.05	1.55	180	1026	–
1.85	2.10	1.58	185	1027	375 – 380
1.90	2.15	1.60	190	1028	–
1.95	2.20	1.65	195	1029	410 – 412
2.00	2.25	1.68	200	1030/1031	430 – 442
2.10	2.45	1.85	210	1032/1033	500 – 482
2.20	2.50	1.88	220	1034/1035	–
2.30	2.6	1.93	230	1036/1037	–
2.40	2.45	1.80	240	1038	530 – 520
2.45	2.50	1.60	245	1239	560 – 522
2.50	2.55	1.65	250	1240	622
2.60	2.60	1.68	260	1440

DIAMETERS

Actual diameter, in millimetres, of each gauge of wound strings and of Aquila CD and CDL loaded basses. Useful, for example, to check whether a string fits the nut or bridge slots.

Pyramid wound		Savarez wound		Aquila wound		Aquila CD		Aquila CDL
Gauge	Diameter (mm)	Gauge	Diameter (mm)	Gauge	Diameter (mm)	Gauge	Diameter (mm)	Gauge	Diameter (mm)
805	0.40	72	0.48	73	0.43	75	0.69	90	0.81
905	0.42	82	0.54	76	0.44	80	0.74	95	0.86
906	0.44	92	0.56	79	0.47	85	0.78	100	0.90
9075	0.47	102	0.59	82	0.48	90	0.83	105	0.95
908	0.49	112	0.61	85	0.53	95	0.86	110	0.99
9085	0.52	122	0.64	88	0.56	100	0.92	115	1.04
909	0.51	132	0.69	91	0.59	105	0.95	120	1.08
909_AL	0.50	152	0.72	94	0.60	110	1.01	125	1.12
1005	0.44	172	0.74	97	0.62	115	0.94	130	1.17
1006	0.46	192	0.75	100	0.62	120	0.98	135	1.21
10065	0.48	212	0.76	104	0.62	125	1.01	140	1.26
1007	0.51	232	0.79	108	0.62	130	1.05	145	1.30
10075	0.50	252	0.81	112	0.63	135	1.09	150	1.35
1008	0.50	272	0.82	116	0.63	140	1.11	155	1.40
10085	0.52	302	0.85	120	0.65	145	1.16	160	1.44
1009	0.52	322	0.87	124	0.67	150	1.19	165	1.48
10095	0.53	352	0.88	128	0.71	155	1.24	170	1.53
1109	0.54	382	0.91	132	0.72	160	1.26	175	1.57
1010	0.55	412	0.94	136	0.72	165	1.32	180	1.60
10105	0.55	442	0.98	140	0.73	170	1.36
1011	0.56	482	1.01	145	0.75	175	1.39
1111	0.58	522	1.05	150	0.79	180	1.42
1012	0.56	552	1.07	155	0.80	185	1.48
1013	0.59	622	1.10	160	0.81	190	1.51
1014	0.59			165	0.82	195	1.53
1014AL	0.59			170	0.85	200	1.58
1114	0.62			175	0.87	210	1.63
1015	0.63			180	0.89	220	1.68
1016	0.65			185	0.92
1116	0.68			190	0.95
1017	0.66			195	0.96
1018	0.67			200	0.98
1019	0.69			210	1.00
1020	0.72			220	1.05
1021	0.74			230	1.08
1022	0.75			240	1.14
1023	0.77			250	1.18
1024	0.79			260	1.21
1124	0.82
1025	0.83
1026	0.84
1027	0.86
1028	0.88
1029	0.90
1030	0.91
1031	0.89
1032	0.95
1033	0.96
1034	0.98
1035	1.02
1236	1.06
1237	1.09
1238	1.11
1239	1.13
1240	1.14

TUNINGS

Tuning of each course, from the first to the last, in Helmholtz notation: c′ is middle C, c″ is an octave above, c an octave below and C, C′… are the lower octaves. Use the filters to show a single period or instrument.

Period	Instrument	Type	Courses
Period	Instrument	Type	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Medieval	Citole		g′	d′	a	d	G / g / d′
Medieval	Citole		g′	d′	g	d
Medieval	Gittern	A	a′	g′	d′	a	d
Medieval	Gittern	G	g′	d′	g	d
Medieval	Gittern	D	d′	a	d	A
Medieval	Lute	G	g′	d′	a	g	d
Renaissance	Guitar		a′	e′	c′	g
Renaissance	Lute	G	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	E	D	C	B′	A′
Renaissance	Lute	Dalza Scordatura (type 1, 1508)	a′	e′	b	g	c	G
Renaissance	Lute	Dalza Scordatura (type 2, 1508)	a′	e′	b	g	d	G
Renaissance	Lute (octave)	D	d″	a′	e′	c′	g	d	c
Renaissance	Lute (octave)	C	c‴	g″	d″	b♭′	f′	c′	b♭
Renaissance	Lute (descant)	B	b′	f♯′	c♯′	a	e	B	F♯
Renaissance	Lute (descant)	A	a′	e′	b	g	d	A	G
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	F (type 1)	f′	c′	g	e♭	B♭	F	E♭
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	F (type 2)	f′	c′	g	e♭	B♭	F	C
Renaissance	Lute (tenor)	E	e′	b	f♯	d	A	E	D
Renaissance	Lute (bass)	D	d′	a	e	c	G	D	C
Renaissance	Lute (bass)	C	c″	g′	d′	b♭	f	c	B♭
Renaissance	Lute (bass)	G	g	d	A	F	C	G′	F′
Renaissance	Lute (octave)	D	d″	a′	e′	c′	g	d	c	B♭
Renaissance	Lute (octave)	C	c‴	g″	d″	b♭′	f′	c′	b♭	a♭
Renaissance	Lute (descant)	B	b′	f♯′	c♯′	a	e	B	F♯	E
Renaissance	Lute (descant)	A	a′	e′	b	g	d	A	G	F
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	G (type 1)	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	D
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	G (type 2)	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	C
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	F (type 1)	f′	c′	g	e♭	B♭	F	E♭	C
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	F (type 2)	f′	c′	g	e♭	B♭	F	E♭	B♭′
Renaissance	Lute (tenor)	E	e′	b	f♯	d	A	E	D	C
Renaissance	Lute (bass)	D	d′	a	e	c	G	D	C	B♭′
Renaissance	Lute (bass)	C	c″	g′	d′	b♭	f	c	B♭	A♭
Renaissance	Lute (bass)	G	g	d	A	F	C	G′	F′	E♭′
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	G (type 1)	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	E♭	D
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	G (type 2)	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	E♭	C
Renaissance	Lute (alto)	G	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	E♭	D	C
Baroque	Lute	D Minor	f′	d′	a	f	d	A	G	F	E	D
Baroque	Lute	D Minor	f′	d′	a	f	d	A	G	F	E	D	C
Baroque	Lute	D Minor	f′	d′	a	f	d	A	G	F	E	D	C	B′
Baroque	Lute	D Minor	f′	d′	a	f	d	A	G	F	E	D	C	B′	A′
Baroque	Theorbo	A	a	e	b	g	d	A	G	F	E	D	C	B′	A′	G′
Baroque	Archlute	G	g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	E	D	C	B♭′	A′	G′	F′
Baroque	Guitar		e′	b	g	d	a
Baroque	Chitarra battente	in e′	e′	b	g	d′	a
Baroque	Orpharion		g′	d′	a	f	c	G	F	E	D
Baroque	Mandolin	Neapolitan (Fouchetti tuning)	e″	a′	d′	g
Historic	Guitar	Terzina	g	d	b♭	F	C	G
Modern	Guitar	Russian	d	b	g	d	B	G	D
Modern	Guitar	10 strings (Yepes)	e	b	g	D	A	E	C	A	G♯	F♯
Modern	Guitar	High A	a	e	c	G	D	A
Modern	Guitar	High G	g	d	b♭	F	C	G
Modern	Guitar	Baroque tuning	e	b	g	D	A	E	D	C	B	A
Others	Hurdy-gurdy	Auvergnat G-C tuning	g melody	g	c trumpet	G alto drone	C tenor drone	G′ bass drone
Others	Hurdy-gurdy	Bourbonnais D-G tuning	d″ melody	d′ melody	d′ trumpet	g alto drone	D tenor drone	D′ bass drone
Others	Oud	Arabic	c	g	d	A	F	C
Others	Oud	Iraqi	f	c	g	d	A	F
Others	Oud	Turkish	d	a	e	B	A	E

MATERIALS

Manufacturer	String	Composition	Density (kg/m³)	Gauges
Aquila	New Nylgut	Synthetic polymer	1300	Gut-equivalent
Aquila	Wound D	Copper wire over a Nylgut multifilament core	Not available	Gut-equivalent
Aquila	CD / CDL	Synthetic, loaded during extrusion with very fine metallic copper powder	Not available	Gut-equivalent
Pyramid	Wound	Silver-plated copper wire over a nylon multifilament core	Not available	Own numbering; the last two digits give the actual diameter of the metal wire
Savarez	Wound NFC	Copper wire over a nylon multifilament core	Not available	Own numbering
Pyramid	Nylon	Nylon	1040	Actual diameter
Savarez	KF Alliance	Carbon (PVF)	1791	Actual diameter

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EQUIVALENCES

DIAMETERS

TUNINGS

MATERIALS