Sugar Strings Set
Discover a bright, responsive, and exceptionally durable alternative to traditional gut strings with our premium sugar-cane strings, carefully selected and approved by the LUTHIEROS master luthiers and professional lyre players.
Produced for LUTHIEROS by the master string makers of Aquila Corde Armoniche in Italy, these strings have been developed for our lyres, as well as the barbitos, the phorminx, the pandura, the kithara, and other ancient-inspired instruments.
Made entirely from natural plant-based materials, they offer a remarkable alternative for musicians who prefer strings produced without animal-derived materials.
Why musicians choose LUTHIEROS sugar-cane strings:
- Bright, clear tone with excellent resonance
- Smooth and responsive playing surface
- Excellent durability and a long playing life
- Consistent performance for both fingerstyle and plectrum playing
- 100% plant-based materials
Their smooth surface and durability make them particularly well suited to musicians who play frequently, travel with their instruments, or perform regularly. Many experienced players favour them for their combination of clarity, resonance, reliability, and longevity.
Compared with our natural gut strings, sugar-cane strings offer a smoother feel and generally longer lifespan, while gut strings provide a more organic texture and distinctly traditional tactile character. Neither is simply “better;” each offers a different playing experience and musical personality.
Our LUTHIEROS-approved sugar-cane strings may also be suitable for compatible ancient and early musical instruments crafted by other professional luthiers.
Choosing the correct set
Each string set is specifically gauged for the instrument it is intended for. Please select the set that matches the number of strings on your instrument.
For example, a 14-string set is designed for a 14-string lyre and should not be purchased simply as a larger supply of spare strings for a 7-string instrument. Although some of the higher strings may be compatible, the lower strings are progressively thicker and may not fit the tuning pegs or string holes of smaller lyres.
If you need specific string gauges rather than a complete standard set, please contact our team at [email protected] before placing your order, or include a complete and detailed list of your preferred gauges in the Order Notes field during checkout.
For the best fit, balance, and playability, always choose the set that corresponds to your instrument.
* To calculate the "Length of vibrating string”, you have to measure the distance between the crossbar and the bridge of your instrument. We always add at least 15 cm to that length to make the process of changing the strings quite easy. ** If you are looking for a specific tuning for your ancient or early musical instrument, let us know and our master luthiers will prepare a custom string set just for you!
All you need to know about your lyre's strings in a quick video: WHEN it is time to change a string, WHICH strings you have to change, WHAT are the steps to do it properly, HOW you have to treat every new string you add to your lyre, and HOW you can tune your lyre's strings to perfection?
We acknowledge that every lyre, kithara, or other ancient/early musical instrument can be impressively improved in terms of sound and playability by using the right strings.
LUTHIEROS-approved strings are designed to meet the needs of every modern ancient and early music performer. We collaborate with top string manufacturers across Europe, and additionally, we run thorough tests using our complete range of ancient musical instruments to ensure premium quality and sound results.
Important notice: Our strings can be used on any low-to-medium tension stringed musical instrument (it is not recommended to be used with high-tension instruments such as modern harps, et cetera).
Endorsed by the Best
Great performers using LUTHIEROS strings
Thanasis Kleopas on a lyre with our strings, performing a traditional Greek song.
Yerko Lorca on a sambuca with our strings, during his visit with Kuan Yin at SEIKILO Museum.
Dr. Nikos Xanthoulis on his barbiton lyre with our strings, performing one of his own compositions.
Lina Palera performs “Asturias” on her lyre, strung with our premium strings — a concert piece renowned among master guitarists and a powerful showcase of fingerstyle technique.
Yannis Psimadas on his lyre with our strings, performing one of his own compositions during Olympics Torch Relay Ceremony (Tokyo 2020)!
Theodore Koumartzis on his lyre with our strings, improvising for the needs of Pausis Project latest album!
With Each Order You Will Receive
Lifetime support
Whatever you need about the strings, a luthier will be here to guide you.
Tuning guide
Delivery
Someone you can trust
We love what we do, and we truly care about every musician we serve.
"All of these beautiful lyres, lovingly hand-crafted by Luthieros are indeed, divine artifacts, reintroduced into the modern world… " - Michael Levy, a world-renowned lyre player. Read his extended review here.
"Electric guitars are very often provided with vibrato, tremolo or whammy bars. That concept was in fact invented by the ancient Greeks twenty four hundred years ago. Kithara was a musical instrument very popular during the Golden Age of Ancient Greece. This is a reproduction that was made by the Greek master luthier Anastasios Koumartizis of Luthieros Music Instruments." - Peter Pringle, a professional Canadian musician, and well-known ancient instruments player. Watch his extended video review here.
"Can't be happier with my lyre! Learning how to play this amazing piece of art! The lyre has amazing finishes and you can feel it's made with love and skilfull hands." - Jaume Gual Bennàssar, Balearic Islands, Spain (verified review through Etsy.com).
Our family is world-renowned for its dedication, love and care. Here are some amazing reviews concerning our whole product range!
"It’s handcrafted with such care and the materials are fine and well chosen. It arrived to us safely all the way from Greece and we were able to track it all the way so we always knew what was happening." - Rachel Loeb, Los Angeles, U.S.A. (verified review through Etsy.com).
"Amazing company! I was very skeptical about ordering an instrument online but it was packaged very safely and arrived in such a timely manner! Luthieros also has some of the best communication skills I've ever encountered with a company, I had many questions that were all answered with great detail shortly after I asked them." - Batherus Batherus, New York, U.S.A. (verified review through Etsy.com).
"The Koumartzis familia have been making replicas of ancient Greek instruments for many years, used by famous lyre players. They also contribute to their musical passions through research and collaborations." - Ancient History Encyclopedia. Read the extended tribute here.
"My ancient Kithara, handcrafted by Luthieros Music Instruments, is for me a very interesting challenge. As an instrument is both old and new. It carries a history of many centuries and at the same time_ it is a very modern challenge that requires a creative approach to musical archetypes. After many experiments […] I discover that this instrument has but many extensions and features that are not noticeable at first glance. The construction is both sturdy and thin, and made of quality woods, which are eclectic, stylish and durable." - Ross Daly, a professional world musician of Irish descent.
"Absolutely fantastic! A truly wonderfully crafted instrument. I can’t put it down. It feels wonderful to play and is transporting me back in time." - Sarah Tilsley, West Sussex, U.K. (verified review through Etsy.com).
Ready to Own
Something Truly Unique?
Sugar Strings Set
Price range: 28.00 € through 70.00 €
