The violins, violas, cellos and double-basses are strung with gut or wire-wound gut, as they were in England until the late 1920s. The NQHO is also reviving the use of portamento (sliding between two notes along the string) and the use of less vibrato than has become the norm.

Gut Strings.

Gut strings were standard equipment well into the 20th century and there is something about gut that is inimitable and that's why the NQHO uses them. Gut strings have a rich, warm and full bodied sound with complex overtones, and for this reason they are still the preferred choice of many classical musicians.  Gut can be temperamental in inexperienced hands, are expensive and have a shorter life span and more easily go out of tune, especially in hot, humid weather, BUT, it has a sweet, punchy sound and an irresistible feel for pizzicato. In addition, they are very low tension, thereby reducing stress on the top plate and fingers. They are also less responsive to the bow and therefore resistant to 'attack', the sound rather being coaxed from them in a more delicate, and some might say musical, manner. The warmth and expressiveness of the gut string section is one of the joys of the NQHO sound.

Portamento

A smooth uninterrupted glide in passing from one tone to another, especially with the voice or a bowed stringed instrument.

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