Pipa Strings

On the pipa the first string is the thinnest and the highest, the fourth is the thickest and the lowest, and the first is the one that breaks. The Beijing Xinghai Heya first string comes as plain steel in 0.25 and 0.26 millimetres or as a wound string: the thicker gauge sits at slightly higher tension and sounds firmer, but it also presses harder under the left hand, so choose by your own hand rather than by a friend's instrument. Steel-rope strings are loud and stay in condition, which is why they carry most daily playing, while Marusan silk is softer with a short tail and needs changing more often, and tends to stay with traditional repertoire. Sets and single strings are both listed here; keep a spare first string in the case and a break costs you nothing but a minute.