# Strings



## MaestroViolinist

What type/brand of strings do you use?

I started off using Pirastro, which are pretty good. Then I started using Dominant and, well, they fall apart after hardly any time. My Music teacher has suggested using a set called Eva Pirazzo. Have any of you used these before?


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## Abracadabra

MaestroViolinist said:


> My Music teacher has suggested using a set called Eva Pirazzo.


I'm just a hobbyist and play solely for my own pleasure. But that's precisely the strings I use.

Although I'm pretty sure you meant to type Evah Pirazzi manufactured by Pirastro.

I don't have a lot of experience to compare them with anything else. All I can say is that they work fine for me, I'll definitely buy more when these break. In fact, I already have a second set of them as back-ups. I just haven't broken a string yet.

I've had them on the violin for about 6 years now. I don't play violin all the time, so I have no clue how long they might last under heavy playing. I have played some pretty crazy fiddle music though and they've held up under that.

I don't plan on replacing them until they break. Although I've heard some people recommend replacing violin strings yearly or even more often. I personally don't see the point to that for my purposes. The violin sounds great to me after 6 years, so why bother changing them? If I were a professional performer making lots of money I might consider changing strings more often.

So without having anything to compare them with, and without being a really good violinist, I highly recommend them.

If that means anything. :lol:

By the way, Pirastro also makes Evah Pirazzi rosin specifically for these strings which I also use.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

On guitar I use D'Addario hard tension strings. I can't find the packet of viola strings right now but I know it's Helicore.


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## MaestroViolinist

Abracadabra said:


> Although I'm pretty sure you meant to type Evah Pirazzi manufactured by Pirastro.


Whoops, yes actually! :lol:



Abracadabra said:


> I don't plan on replacing them until they break. Although I've heard some people recommend replacing violin strings yearly or even more often. I personally don't see the point to that for my purposes. The violin sounds great to me after 6 years, so why bother changing them? If I were a professional performer making lots of money I might consider changing strings more often.


Yeah, I always thought those people who said that were a bit over the top. Though as I said, Dominant is useless, you end up changing those strings TWICE A YEAR!!! And I had one break in my face once. 



Abracadabra said:


> By the way, Pirastro also makes Evah Pirazzi rosin specifically for these strings which I also use.


Really? I must get that also then.


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## Abracadabra

Abracadabra said:


> By the way, Pirastro also makes Evah Pirazzi rosin specifically for these strings which I also use.
> 
> 
> 
> MaestroViolinist said:
> 
> 
> 
> Whoops, yes actually! :lol:
> 
> Really? I must get that also then.
Click to expand...

They claim that it's "specially designed" for their Evah Pirazzi strings. But I don't think they suggest that it has to be used. I think any rosin will do.

I just like to have stuff that's designed to go together. Even if it's just a sale's gimmick. :lol:

I did buy a new bow though so I could start it out from scratch with Evah Pirazzi rosin.

But don't get too carried away. I was buying a new bow anyway, so I didn't really do that just for the sake of the rosin.


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## MaestroViolinist

@Abracadabra: You bought a new bow for the rosin??? Why not just get it re-haired? That would be cheaper surely?

And also, I don't know, sometimes it is best to buy something it they say it suits the strings, and besides, I'm not using a very good rosin at the moment.


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## Abracadabra

MaestroViolinist said:


> @Abracadabra: You bought a new bow for the rosin??? Why not just get it re-haired? That would be cheaper surely?


Not to worry. It was an inexpensive bow, probably less than what it would cost to have a good bow re-haired. And I didn't really buy it just for the rosin. It just happened to work out that I wanted a new bow at the same time I got the new rosin. So things just coincidentally worked out very well.



MaestroViolinist said:


> And also, I don't know, sometimes it is best to buy something it they say it suits the strings, and besides, I'm not using a very good rosin at the moment.


I agree. Actually I trust that their engineers have indeed designed a rosin that they feel will work best with the Evah Pirazzi string. They actually offer rosins designed specifically for different strings they make. I never worked with rosins, but I have worked in a lab formulating different lubricants that are specifically designed to have certain frictional characteristics. So I can certainly understand the chemical concept behind designing such types of products.

So yes, I would recommend using their rosin designed for these strings too. I'm sure there's more to it than just a sale's gimmick.


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## Jaws

Just to make life a bit more interesting, I always understood that you used the strings that go with your violin. This means that some people actually have different makes of strings on different notes, because that suits their violin better. I don't think most violinists think in terms of durability.


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## MaestroViolinist

Jaws said:


> Just to make life a bit more interesting, I always understood that you used the strings that go with your violin. This means that some people actually have different makes of strings on different notes, because that suits their violin better. I don't think most violinists think in terms of durability.


Oh no, it's bad for the violin I believe if you use strings from several different sets. And yes, we think of durability and sound. Well I do, but I'm not professional... Yet.


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## Jaws

MaestroViolinist said:


> Oh no, it's bad for the violin I believe if you use strings from several different sets. And yes, we think of durability and sound. Well I do, but I'm not professional... Yet.


I am told that people quite often have a different make of string for the E string. I also get the impression that they change strings at regular intervals, n ot just when they feel that they are about to break. Perhaps if you are a very good player, you can detect a difference in the way the strings sound after a period of time. I am not this good and hopefully never will be.


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## MaestroViolinist

Jaws said:


> I am told that people quite often have a different make of string for the E string. I also get the impression that they change strings at regular intervals, n ot just when they feel that they are about to break. Perhaps if you are a very good player, you can detect a difference in the way the strings sound after a period of time. I am not this good and hopefully never will be.


Hm, yes, maybe for the E string, I'm not sure now...


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

MaestroViolinist said:


> Hm, yes, maybe for the E string, I'm not sure now...


I never really understood the point of having a E string when you can have a C string below the G...but maybe that's just me.


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## MaestroViolinist

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I never really understood the point of having a E string when you can have a C string below the G...but maybe that's just me.


Phbhpb. Prejudice, you're a violist.


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## Lenfer

MaestroViolinist said:


> What type/brand of strings do you use?
> 
> I started off using Pirastro, which are pretty good. Then I started using Dominant and, well, they fall apart after hardly any time. My Music teacher has suggested using a set called Eva Pirazzo. Have any of you used these before?


In my experience *Pirastro* are good but *Goldbrokat* and *Thomastik* are better. It really depends on your on preference and budget though and you will have different issues with most brands of strings.


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