> Greg wrote: Voss iron has a mysterious coating with a dark grey color.
This coating must be removed before it can be used. If it is not removed,
the coating will pool around bridge and nut pins, effectively cutting off
the contact between strings and pins, resulting in the muted sound you
describe. 

Again, this was not the case with my Voss iron strings. At no point there
was any removable coating, neither anything pooling near the pins.

> Greg wrote: I talk from experience. You can test this yourself. Lower the
tension on one of the strings, and polish the string and the pins with a
soft cloth or a bit of cotton around the pin. Then bring the string back up
to pitch. You will hear the difference.

Actually this was the very first thing I tried and there was no difference
at all, sorry! I blame this on the instrument having been these years in
both Ireland and Tuscany, places with a very wet weather all year around.
The removed strings show a significant change in how the material feels:
"weaker" than red brass actually, in sharp contrast with spares of the same
wire stored away.

Best

CDV


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