Low F-string, 5 string viola
Q: I am building a solid body electric 5 string viola for a friend.
he wants to go with a low F string setup F-C-G-D-A on a small body
15 inch style. will this be a problem for the F string if I go
14 inch nut to bridge length? or do I need a longer scale to avoid
a floppy F string?
thanks for your advice
Rod
A: There is a formula for choosing strings which relates length,
tension, and mass. You can raise the pitch of a string by shortening
it, increasing the tension or decreasing the mass. You avoid a
floppy string by adjusting the factor that is variable. Your scale
length is 14", your tension should be about 10 lbs. Your only
variable is the mass of the string. The last time I put a low F
string on a viola I had it custom made by D'Addario (it might have
been an 1/8 size cello G or something). Now there are Sensicore
Octave strings available from Super-Sensitive. An Octave G string
(one octave below a violin G) would be pretty close to the F you
need. I have that string in stock, for $19.00. These are nylon
core so they would balance best with D'addario Zyex, Thomastic
Dominant, etc. or, obviously, with Sensicore.
Steve Mason
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