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Regulars
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Just started noticing my violin sounding more nasally. Not sure if it is my bow or strings. I would say strings, been about 8 months since I got my violin and it still has the Tonica that came with it. Upgrading soon...curious how you often you change your strings.
How often do you change your strings?
- Whenever sound quality declines
- Once a year
- Twice a year
- Three times a year
- Don't know
Regulars
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I change mine maybe every 8 months or so, with it in mind that if I end up with spare cash I'd do it sooner, but haven't yet.
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Regulars
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so now I have some strings on hand, but I still can't bring myself to change my strings yet, haha.
That is funny. I picked up a set of strings, but I can't bring myself to change it either.
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ryonass said
That is funny. I picked up a set of strings, but I can't bring myself to change it either.
If you use them, then you have to worry about having to buy more down the road, haha.
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I just changed my strings in September, and I don’t play enough to warrant changing them often. I use Fiddlerman strings and so far I have had no issues. I keep a Fiddlerman E string on hand just in case I pop one but so far they have been very dependable.
"Reality is an illusion, albeit a persistent one".- Albert Einstein
Regulars
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Whenever sound quality declines, which depends on both the strings and how often I've been playing. Typically this is anywhere from 6 to 12 months. I use Dominant C-G-D strings on my viola, and Larsen A, all of which last longer than average. I tend to replace the Dominants a little more frequently than the Larsen. I keep the strings I most recently removed from my viola as backups, because they're still playable when I take them off.
I delay replacing strings if I have a performance coming up; I try to avoid performing on strings that have been on my viola for less than two weeks. I've been meaning to replace my three lower strings since October, and will probably finally get around to it this week, now that my December concert commitments are over.
Regulars
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Let's see, I put these strings on in 1997 and just replaced them (dominants) with Fiddlerman strings (very similar at half the price). But, I hadn't played for 20 years and since retiring decided to start practicing again (with a great help from the folks on this forum).
I would think once a year, unless they start becoming unresponsive as Andrew said, would be a good choice.
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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I used to change my strings every 6 weeks, but back then, the orchestra paid for them. 
I think for professionals, 3 months depending on how much you play, though I knew pros who hardly ever changed their strings. Musicians are also cheap, lol. For non-professional players, from 3 months to a year. If the sound becomes dull you should consider changing but if you're happy with the sound and action of the strings, you could just hold off.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Well, I haven't changed the strings on my violin yet, but I plan on doing what I do for guitar and change them when the quality of the sound starts to degrade.
Speaking of which, that is starting to happen to my violin now. I have the Fiddlerman Artist and it still has the original strings. I'm not sure what strings came with it, but I'm looking for suggestions for replacements. Hoping to find strings that will favor a warm sound. Anyone have any suggestions?
Cyndie 
Cyndie
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Regulars
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I just changed my strings which came with my violin which I bought a year ago Sept. I changed them because the A string unraveled in one spot
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CyndieZ said
Well, I haven't changed the strings on my violin yet, but I plan on doing what I do for guitar and change them when the quality of the sound starts to degrade.Speaking of which, that is starting to happen to my violin now. I have the Fiddlerman Artist and it still has the original strings. I'm not sure what strings came with it, but I'm looking for suggestions for replacements. Hoping to find strings that will favor a warm sound. Anyone have any suggestions?
Cyndie
The Artist Violin usually comes with Kaplan Amp strings. They are however quite expensive. If you try the Fiddlerman Strings and are not happy with them, I'll credit you that cost towards the strings of your choice.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I took my violin and my strings to a local shop today and they changed my strings for me...for free (how nice). I got the Thomastik Dominant with Pirastro Gold Label E. WOW! what a difference it makes. I love how easy it is to play and I am in love with my E string. I hated the sound of my old E, I used to have Tonica that came with the violin.
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@ryonass, isn't it great when things change for the BETTER 
I bought the Fiddlerman strings and replaced the Dominants and it turned in to my favorite violin. So it seems if you get the right strings for your particular instrument, life can be good
BTW you're really progressing since you first posted a video. Sounding great. Let's hear the new setup soon.
Bob
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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Bob said
@ryonass, isn't it great when things change for the BETTERI bought the Fiddlerman strings and replaced the Dominants and it turned in to my favorite violin. So it seems if you get the right strings for your particular instrument, life can be good
BTW you're really progressing since you first posted a video. Sounding great. Let's hear the new setup soon.
Bob
I find that interesting, because I tend to think of Dominant strings as having a darker-than-average sound.
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@Bob that’s weird I guess it depends on the violin? Thanks Bob, I will upload next week once I get “Musette” down. I will feature my new Fiddlerman bow as well
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Yes, that's interesting....
Just earlier today I was browsing some details on the nature of various styles of top-plates, and the differences in "thickness-ing" required on the underside (oh, and other internal structures like bass-bars and the use of cleats on the back-plate (not for strengthening in this case - just for altering the modal responses), resulting in different overall frequency responses. Not that I am EVER, EVER gonna do any luthiery at that level, but it gives a hint as to why even very similarly "looking" violins, even from the same stable, can sound quite different with different strings (which can / will have differing levels of overtone production)
It's a bit "esoteric" even for a geek like me, but, it's here if you're interested....
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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@AndrewH, I also found it strange. Another variable, though, was that the Dominants were put on that violin in 1997, but the violin was only played once or twice until I restarted my violin practice this year. It was very bright even when I tried it at the luthier in 1997. Maybe if I'd replaced the "old" strings with another set of Dominants, it would have "mellowed" itself out too, but FM strings are half price and seem to be good quality.
@ryonass, yes it apparently is very dependent on the violin. I've got an Anton Mueller student violin, that the FM strings didn't make much of a change to the sound (or lack of it) on that violin. I've toyed with the idea of playing around with that violin or having it planed a bit thinner to try to increase its voice. I've got to read the link that @BillyG added above first though
@BillyG as a fellow retired engineer I tend to be a bit "geeky" too, but seems like I'm always running out of time to do the "fun" things. For years, I've thought about trying to learn what to do to improve/change the response of the Mueller violin, but never got around to it. Right now I'm busy replacing capacitors in a 50" plasma display that went south (build using a batch of faulty caps originally).
Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid (belated), etc.
Bob
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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Fiddlerman said
The Artist Violin usually comes with Kaplan Amp strings. They are however quite expensive. If you try the Fiddlerman Strings and are not happy with them, I'll credit you that cost towards the strings of your choice.
Thanks @Fiddlerman - I'll probably call to order early in January. Life is just too crazy right now! LOL
Merry Christmas....Happy Holidays....etc
Cyndie
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Whenever you like CyndieZ, I know all about crazy!!!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
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There are maybe 5 or 6 threads on string changing, and @Mouse was experimenting with merging threads a while ago, so I was wondering if it was worth having a merged string-changing thread in the form of a communal blog?
The way to find most such threads is to do a forum search for "unravel".
So far I've replaced one set of Tonicas and three sets of Dominants (approx, from memory).
As far as I can tell they all die after about 9 months and all in the same way - the A string winding splits open where I fret the first position B (it will be different for everyone - our sweat will have a different pH value - mostly acidic - pH less than 7 - has anyone experimented with cleaning their strings after each use with bicarbonate of soda?). I've said before that every 6 months is probably best, but I waited 9 months because lockdown pressure and my girlfriend had hampered my practising slightly and the strings didn't give any indication of being moribund - I don't have tonal problems.
I think I last changed the Dominants on my Breton last July or August, and I've just replaced those with my first set of Zyexes. They are still settling in. I feel that the G and D strings give a weaker sound than Dominants, but I am happy with the A and E strings. It is much easier to play pianissimo sul tasto than it is with Dominants. On the other hand, I need to be careful not to confuse such things with a still-developing technique (and unnoticed slow deterioration of old strings). Conversely, playing pianissimo in 3rd position and higher on the G string is very difficult, as the bowing position is higher.
The last set of Dominants took a month to settle, and I was using Hill Light rosin to make them sound less brash, but that did nothing on the Zyexes, and I've been using Hill Dark from day one. I may get the Guillaume out again and see how I get on with that (never found it all that great on Dominants).
Andrew
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