mensur

English

Noun

mensur (plural mensurs)

1. (lutherie) The measurement of the length of the vibrating string from the nut to the bridge.
   • 2005, Daniel Larson, “A Set of Vihuelas: Matching Tone for Polyphonic Music”, in Lute Society of America Quarterly, volume 40, number 2, Lexington, Virginia: Lute Society of America, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 14:

     This is a slightly odd mensur for instruments tuned to a modern pitch of A-440 as it is slightly short for an instrument in F, which would be more comfortable at 65 cm or 66 cm, and it is too long for an instrument in G, which is more comfortable at 60cm or 61cm.

   • 2000 December 28, Dan O'Mara [username], “Gut vs Nylon string tension”, in rec.music.makers.bowed-strings‎^[1] (Usenet):

     In general gut tensions run toward the high end for a given mensur at a diameter equal to an equivalent nylon string, which would seem consistent with the 20% or so higher density of gut.

   • 2002, Roberto Codazzi, Cinzia Manfredini, editors, La liuteria lombarda del '900, Twentieth century Lombard violin making, Cinisello Balsamo, Milano: Silvana Editoriale, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 150:

     His works show reasonably accurate workmanship, but at times his violin-making production is characterised by models that are too personal, leading to the size of the mensur being too long.

Translations

length of the vibrating string

• French: diapason (fr) m

Anagrams

• Nurmes, Rumsen, Sumner, rumens, sumner