Suggestions for Cello Low F String

My first thought is you can maybe use a solo bass F# string and tune it down a step. maybe a spirocore. I think i have an old one lying around.

 

He plays a cello, Sam.
Scale is around 27,4 inches (70cm).
You’d need to cut a regular bass string quite short, and to find which one to use to get proper pitch with appropriate tension.
Maybe @DoubleMIDI could help with formulas?

That said, maybe fractional bass strings would be better.
Like:
FRACTIONAL DOUBLE BASS TUNGSTEN NL350D

Helicore orch. 1/10 size:
D'Addario Helicore Orchestra 1/8 and 1/10 Scale Upright Bass Strings at Gollihur Music - Double Bass, Upright Bass, String Bass Specialists

 

An E String of 74.16 cm has the same tension as an F string on 70 cm vibrating string length.
So an E string for that longer mensure might be a better fit if it matches the tension of your other strings.
If not my collection of (self calculating) formulas in my file formulas.html might help. Tuning an E string to F results in a higher tension of 12%.

Get formulas.html from my Dropbox (link in signature and string sticky) and load it into a browser with javascript enabled. Don’t forget to finish your input with enter to get the result of the calculation.

 

Just a heads up. There are 2 other options other than D’Addario, granted... more than likely meh

Super Sensitive makes a synthetic core string Super Sensitive Sensicore Cello Strings

Wood Violins Cobra Cello F String Wood Violins Cobra Cello F String I might get one of these maybe for my NS electric cello.. maybe.

Also maybe you could ask gamut if they had something that could work or maybe they could make you something..

 

I find the ns cello f too low tension, in compairison to the other strings in thier set, you can't really dig in when you need to... I really hope as 5 string cellos catch on one of the other makers will make a lof f that has more power. Please post you findings on the fractional bass string.

 

I would call Labella, they could make you a string, I have had good luck in the past.

 

Maybe this would interest you:
For Sale - D'Addario Helicore Medium Tension Cello strings tuned in Fourths
They're still listed on D'Addario's website, but out of stock.
Helicore Fourths-Tuning Cello | Orchestral | D'Addario
The seller here didn't come back on Talkbass since january 2019 though.

 

If you want an F string a fifth below the Cello C, it is only a halftone above he double bass E, not an octave above.
I'm not familiar with typical Cello string tension, but I'm rather sure that it is lower than the typical bass string tension.
I think that 1/10 Bass E string might have too much tension, even if tuned to E. If you try to tune it up to F (or even on intended pitch to E) it might break your Cello in pieces.

Could you tell us the tension and mensure from the manufacturer of your or similar Cello strings? Don't risk breaking your instrument!

 

Don’t calculate by gauge. The material of the windings can have different density, depending on the material used.

Use the scale and tension data from the manufacturer and recalculate them to the cello scale and then to the rised pitch with the formulas of my formulas.html which you find in my Dropbox. (Open in Webbrowser with JavaScript enabled.) Link in my signature and String Sticky.
No need to calculate the formulas yourself, just enter the data and do not forget to press enter when finished.

The carbon Cello might be able to hold the tension, but better do the calculation first. Good luck.

 

Only the core holds the tension, so for the peg you might fix the silk one or two inches below the top end with some glue and remove the windings between glue and end from the string to fit the core to the peg hole.
For the tailpiece it would be better to file the tailpiece slot wider to fit the string. You can fiddle the string through the tailpiece hole from below if the ball end is too thick.
But some years ago I read in a German DB forum that a cello player used a low F cello string for his cello, just cannot remember the manufacturer.

 

Just a few questions on this.
Even though you are playing a carbon fiber cello, you cello is a normal acoustic cello right? it's not like the glassier one?
So it has normal pegs and a tailpiece?

So.. what you could do is either you of a trusted luthier is get an extra tuning peg and make the hole bigger.. and get an extra tailpiece to be modded or made to have a string hole further down the tailpiece to hold a bass string ball further up the tailpiece so that the where the silk ends on a bass string is roughly even with where they do on cello strings. that was you could use any bass string you want..

or a tailpiece like this