Due to the very limited availability of lamb guts able to withstand the strong traction to which the first strings are subjected, Cordedrago had to compromise to use also the bovine gut.
The Ritorte di Salle are in fact strings of remarkable acoustic quality, but above all of exceptional resistance, being able to withstand the instrument even for months without breaking; they are made of natural gut cut into strips and twisted, therefore with substantially modern and not "philological" criteria and materials.
In reality it is a production inspired by the last evolution of historical corderia occurred in the 1900s, when lamb and mutton are replaced by bovine gut and traditional tanning with clavate ashes are replaced by Solvay soda, as well as by the bleaching uses peroxide instead of sulfurization (see: Daniela Gaidano, Splendore e decadenza dell'arte cordaia in Italia, ed.Lulu 2011).
It is perhaps thanks to this change in raw materials that the art of the traditional stringmaker, while adapting to new requirements such as the production of catgut, or gut surgical suture thread, has survived the spread of the use of nylon and others synthetic fibers, and this happened in particular in Salle, which together with Bolognano and Musellaro in Abruzzo, in the province of Pescara, is the home of historical string making art, since they moved first to Rome and Naples, then to France and world, the families of the most famous string-makers.
In particular, we want to dedicate this production to one of the last heirs of the ancient string tradition of Salle, Mr. Fernando Nativo, who gave us valuable technical suggestions and encouraged us to undertake this difficult art.
Salle twists are gut strings of excellent quality, both in terms of acoustics and extraordinary tensile strength, which make it a valid alternative to lamb, especially for first strings and for instruments with strong stress for all strings such as harps.
They are available only for thin and medium gauges (max 82), and have the advantage of an excellent quality / price ratio.
They are particularly suitable for Three-order harp, Baroque violin, Viola da gamba family, Lute, archlute, chitarrone or theorbo and baroque guitar, Romantic guitar and Medieval and ethnic instruments.
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