Description
This is one of the most unique guitar string sets ever
made. It has been developed by THOMASTlK-lNFELD for american folk
legend John Pearse, some twenty years ago, as a solution to two quite
different fingerstyle guitarists’ problems.
To this day, no other manufacturer has produced a string which solves either of the problems in such an innovative manner. The problems were,
a) to find a string that couldbe put on a nylon-strung classical guitar that would brighten up the
tone, approximating that of a steel string — but with none of the added tension of a steel string;
b) to find a string that could be put on an an-
tique «parlor» guitar (i. e. a pre World War One Martin, Maurer, Washburn, Bay State etc.) that would give the volume and projection of a
steel string but would not exert any more tension on the guitar than a set of the gut strings, for which it had been made.
When you take the strings from their packets — one at a time, and very
carefully — you will notice that each string is wound, even the first
string! Because of this unusual construction, the strings are very deli-
cate when they are in an unsupported state, i. e. when they are not on
the instrument and tuned up to pitch. For this reason you should unroll
each string as you need it, taking great care not to kink it or damage
the winding – which is made from a high tensile extruded tape. When
the string is installed on your guitar it is as robust as a normal classical
string. So, unroll the string and feed it, in the case of a classical guitar,
from the back of the bridge through the string «tunnel» and across the
bridge saddle. Carefully lead it along the guitar to the peg head and
feed the string end through the tuner capstan (in case of a treble string,
this string end will be whipped around with a protective thread). Do not
yank on the string to get excessive stretch out.
The treble strings do not need it as they have minimal stretch – and the
bass strings will settle down within a few minutes of playing. For a
pinned bridge parlor guitar, remove the bridge-pin, insert the ball end
of the string, replace the pin and proceed as above.
Just follow these simple steps and your THOMASTlK-lNFELD JOHN PEARSE string set
should give you many happy hours of playing.
