3 string tuning?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Scott Pope

Another variant on the English tuning was G-D-G.

This I have heard was on occasion when they needed to tune down a step. I think it came a bit later but seeing the visiting Orchestras from germany with 4 strings and later some with 5 changed England to 4s towards the end of the century. There were still 3s in England into the 20th century.

Northern England early on used 4 strings as my Tarr #8 from 1829 is a 4 with the original plates and gears. This was made for the Gentleman's Orchestra in Manchester which became the Halle around 1859. London was mainly 3-string around the same time. Later on they mixed 3s and 4s in the same Orchestras. The 3s were louder and the 4s played some passages lower.

I think Italy went both 3 and 4 in 4ths back then.