Calace Strings

**August Watters** · May-25-2012, 2:23pm

I could post this in the "Equipment" forum, but am guessing a lot more classical mandolinists will see this here:

Does anyone have a source for Calace strings, short of buying them from the dogalstrings.com website? I spoke to Juststrings.com about it, and they were unfamiliar. I'll bet if enough of us asked, they'd stock them.

fun fact: they were designed by Ugo Orlandi, Carlo Aonzo's teacher.

**brunello97** · May-25-2012, 3:01pm

Originally Posted by August Watters

I could post this in the "Equipment" forum, but am guessing a lot more classical mandolinists will see this here:

Does anyone have a source for Calace strings, short of buying them from the dogalstrings.com website? I spoke to Juststrings.com about it, and they were unfamiliar. I'll bet if enough of us asked, they'd stock them.

fun fact: they were designed by Ugo Orlandi, Carlo Aonzo's teacher.

August, you got me thinking because I'd lost the contact information from the place out in CA where I get mine. Here is a thread on the topic in general:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-dogal-strings

To quote Jim Garber from that thread:

The source in the US for Dogal mandolin strings is:
Classic Bows, Inc., PO Box 81655, San Diego, CA 92138
Phone: 1-888-402-5277
email: classicbows@nethere.com
Talk to Greg Gohde who specializes in mandolins

Mick

**Mike Thomas** · May-25-2012, 3:22pm

Bernuzio's lists several types of Calace strings. I've been trying to get the diameters for the different types, but no luck so far.

**Bruce Clausen** · May-25-2012, 4:15pm

I ordered the RW92B set from Bernunzio a couple of years ago. At that time they were able to ship right away from stock.

I found these figures for gauges in old discussions here on the Cafe, and assume they are correct.

Calace RW-92: 11-14-26-38

Calace RW-92B "dolce": 10-14-24-34

Hope this helps.

**Matt Vuksinich** · May-25-2012, 4:21pm

Dogal Calce RW-92 is indeed what Carlo Aonzo uses (at least, as of March 2012, when I last saw him). I, too, bought my last set from Bernunzio--but I see today on their site that they're listed "on hold"?

**August Watters** · May-25-2012, 4:54pm

Originally Posted by Mike Thomas

Bernuzio's lists several types of Calace strings. I've been trying to get the diameters for the different types, but no luck so far.

I think I saw all that information -- the different types and diameters of Calace strings, on their site.

Thanks everyone -- you're amazing. What a fount of information!

**Jim Garber** · May-26-2012, 9:26am

I use RW-92 on my Pandini -- that is the only type of string that has ever been on it. I like the dolce RW-92b for vintage bowlbacks and have used them on Calaces and others. They sound esp good on my Vega style 3.

I think Bernunzio will have them in stock, when they can. The price is about the same as Classic Bows last time I checked. I hope that Classic Bows continues to carry them. They were the only place a few years back.

**billkilpatrick** · May-26-2012, 9:36am

absolutely the best strings ever - i buy them from a shop in siena, which is probably no help to you at all. i've always used medium tension strings but i bought a set of rw-92 "dolce" (read "light") for my new bowlback. only trouble is ... the frets on the bowlback are very squared-off and angular and i have to find a way of rounding them off (making the action smoother) before putting on these new strings.

**brunello97** · May-26-2012, 10:34am

Originally Posted by billkilpatrick

absolutely the best strings ever - i buy them from a shop in siena, which is probably no help to you at all. i've always used medium tension strings but i bought a set of rw-92 "dolce" (read "light") for my new bowlback. only trouble is ... the frets on the bowlback are very squared-off and angular and i have to find a way of rounding them off (making the action smoother) before putting on these new strings.

Bill, I bought one of these 'fret crowning' tools a few years ago

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...Fret_File.html

and it has been incredibly useful for a range of minor at-home fret fixes. I tried doing things with tiny flat files but would inevitably muck things up. Don't know if you can one them in Siena but I'd bet any decent repair shop would have one for working on guitars, etc. The initial price wasn't cheap but I have found it to be a very handy tool to have around.

Mick

**billkilpatrick** · May-26-2012, 10:42am

thanks mick - i'll see what i can find locally - looks perfect for the job. i just went at mine with some flat mini-files and fine steel wool - works ok (sort of) but i think it needs new frets in any case - some are very old and in bad condition.

**Tiple** · May-26-2012, 12:25pm

Originally Posted by brunello97

Bill, I bought one of these 'fret crowning' tools a few years ago

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...Fret_File.html

and it has been incredibly useful for a range of minor at-home fret fixes. I tried doing things with tiny flat files but would inevitably muck things up. Don't know if you can one them in Siena but I'd bet any decent repair shop would have one for working on guitars, etc. The initial price wasn't cheap but I have found it to be a very handy tool to have around.

Mick

For what it's worth, I much prefer a small 3-corner file (with the corners ground smooth/safe; available from StewMac, or make your own) to the concave "fret-crowning" files. Not difficult to learn how to use it. The concave files never seem to be quite the right radius for a particular fret size.

Looks like the Calace strings question has been dealt with. I'll offer that these folks have been accommodating in past when I've requested items not listed in their normal inventory: http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/

**billkilpatrick** · May-26-2012, 12:32pm

riiight ... one of the mini-files i have is triangular - didn't think to use it

**Tiple** · May-26-2012, 12:43pm

Originally Posted by billkilpatrick

riiight ... one of the mini-files i have is triangular - didn't think to use it

Just to be certain I'm not spreading confusion - the triangular file must have safe edges or you'll seriously mar the fingerboard. An off the shelf triangular file needs to be modified in this way.

The modification is easy enough. I've made them with nothing more than sandpaper and a hard flat surface (quicker if you have a bench grinder or belt sander). You'll want to polish the newly created, slightly rounded over, safe edges up to at least 400 grit (or finer).