Saw it on History Channel

[mandodebbie]

Last weekend I was watching History Channels's Worst Jobs. The host,a British man, was trying all kinds of horrible "professions" practiced throughout the ages and he was assigned one in which he had to make violin strings from the guts of sheep.(Musicians and artists had to supply their own materials!) First he had to cut open the sheep carcass...well, I'll stop there. Now aren't we glad we can now buy our mando strings at the shop? (And todays strings are made of wire, so at least we can save a sheep.)

[Pedal Steel Mike]

Classical guitarists have been using nylon instead of gut for decades. I wonder if there is any real sonic advantage to using gut, or are people still doing it out of tradition.

[Fretbear]

We have it so easy...Imagine a lute player hundreds of year ago, dozens of poor quality, inaccurately gauged, possibly home-made sheep gut strings, friction tuning pegs, all expanding and contracting with every shift in the weather. Playing for a cranky King...off with his head.....

[Bob DeVellis]

Yeah, I saw that program, too. It was pretty gross. Glad smell-a-vision hasn't been invented yet.