You're right choosing the right string for "your instruments" is a bit challenging at times. Me personally I find that my fiddles like Helicore strings with pirastro "gold" E. So far in my blue grass endeavors this works best for me. If I can afford the Zyex series or Kaplan series next I will go that route one but now I'm like most musicians and that is married......................and broke.
Hey - great overview of strings! I'm aiming to get a Wood violin Viper, tuned for "guitar tuning". They say it comes from their shop with Super Sensitive strings, yet, Wood doesnt sell the strings, and SS doesnt sell a custom set...maybe they sell individual strings to the public, but they didnt say. I looked into string prices...from $15 for Daddario, to $50 for ONE string from Thomastik. Jeez, for a 6 string, thats about $90 to $300. The gauges for the violin strings are as follows (from high to low): E-9g, A-15g, D-25g, G-27g, C-38g, F-49g E = 9g = For the high E string, take a violin D string and tune it up a whole step. B = 15g = For the B string, tune up a violin A string a whole step. G = 27g = For the G, you can use a regular violin G. D = 25g = For the D, use a viola C and tune it up a step. A = 38g = For the A, take a viola C and tune it down a minor 3rd to A. E = 49g = For the low E, use a violin F and tune it down a half step to E. [the G and D seem to be backward, in the sequence of tensions...] I would be a noobie to violin strings [I play guitar]. Could you elaborate on: -How long do strings last? -When to change them? Like when they wont tune, get rusty/squeaky, or break. -What is close to the SS brand? many thanks!
No opinion? Thanks for all you have done anyway. Your site has helped my family. For fractionals... I think Thomastik Vision (regular) helps the sound of most small violins out there. For full size... We like Vision Regular with the Warchal Amber E. This combo works great for orchestra, solos, and contest fiddling. Rich, loud, but still clean. The combo set ends up around $58. My kids and and their teachers like it equal or better than sets costing almost double.
***** Thank you! I tend to lean more towards lower tensioned synthetic strings for my students and work up from there. The store I teach out of has a few common strings that they use for student instruments so we go towards those first. For myself I like richer sounding strings and definitely found what works best on my violin through the spotlight reviews. My viola needs something with higher tension, but I don't have the time to try and build a viola portion onto the site....
If your a beginner that wants to drastically improve their violin, a set of Obligato's or Passione is one of the better choices then dominants which are considered the standard. Personal config for me is Oliv G 16 1/4, Passione D / A 14 and Oliv E medium gold.
95thRiflesOCI passione is better than most guts but still more troublesome to keep in tune - not really great for beginners. Obligato all the way... I think Larsen Tzigane might be an alternative too.
Thanks for this . May I ask a question? My wife has two violins , one is a nice French instrument which has a very sweet sound , ideal for the ‘classical’ style of playing but she also has a nice German instrument ( about 100 years old we think) which she would like to set up for more ‘traditional’ music , Celtic and old time fiddle tunes for which a more ‘ grainy , gritty sound is needed . So any advice re appropriate strings or set up would be appreciated. Thanks.
Thanks so nmuch for your sharing! I could like to have your recommendation. I have a USD650 violin. And using Dominant. I will have my gr. 8 exam on Oct and wanna change the strings. I will play 1 mov fm concerto in a min(bwv 1041), Brahms Allegretto grazioso: 3rd movt from Sonata in A, Op. 100 and Kreutzer Étude No. 10 in G (Allegro). Should I use Dominant in this situation?
+Wendy Lam That is completely up to you and the sound you like. It doesn't matter what you are playing since it depends on the sound you are trying to achieve which is more of a personal preference in this situation.
I need help: What are the warmest strings for violin? I have a cheap violin which sounds very metallic and I'm looking for some quiet and warm strings.
Only gonna mention synthetic core, as that's the most common: From more expensive to cheaper: Pirastro Obligato, D'addario Kaplan Amo, Larsen Tzigane, Warchal Amber, Thomastik Infeld Red, Pirastro Aricore, Pirastro Violino, Thomastik Spirit, D'addario Pro Arte, Warchal Karneol
Hello Sir I have violin which does not have a brighter sound. so can i choose either pirastro chrome or the prelude string? I am playing the violin for quite a long time and play them regular as well waiting for thyreply.
Please answer my question- I'm a beginner, having a cheap violin and bow (synthetic) (bought for just under $100. After playing for about a year, I'm really annoyed of the loud, screechy, nasal, steely sound (technique and all don't help much) and need a warm, soft sounding setup. Please guide me what I can do with replacing these parts, and what I should look for: 1) the bow (buying a horse hair bow) 2) strings (thicker, lower tension?) 3) bridge (maybe a thicker one?) Please note, all these would be bought as cheap as possible for me Thanks!
There is no set standard of what strings to get for a specific violin. You can try those and if you don't like something about them to adjust from there.
Violin Kid i suggest that you stay with your dominant cause its a really good string but if you do want to try another string i would recomend buying pirastro chrome core string its really good and have a very pact and smooth sound when playing , or helicore string which is powerful and deep
I thought I had done a full review but I currently cannot find that. Here is a link to the page that has a few reviews from other people on it. I'll try to do that in the future. :) www.violinstringreview.com/ametyst.html
