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Congratulations on being so dedicated Dennis. What kind of strings are you using for now on those instruments?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@cdennyb
I don't know what strings @cdennyb is using.. I think different ones.
I hope to see some Larsen Virtuoso's in my life soon. I haven't ordered them yet.
🙂
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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On the older ones (the 100+ yr old acoustics) I have a set of Tonicas and a set of semi-used Gut strings I got from Mr Jim (World Fiddler) he had for testing.
On my acoustic/electric chinese I think I still have a set of Helicores and the 5 string has the original ones from Yinfente. I don't know what they are.
On my other acoustic (from Toni) is a full set of older Zyex.
On my personally hand made acoustic I have a combo of Heli-core G and D string, a Prelude on the A string and an old take-off from one of the other ones which I think is a silver E string.
LOL, I know, quite a combo of strings right there.
I think it's about time to order a set for the 5 string since I play it the most and it's way overdue for a fresh string set. Being electric I think I'll get a set of 5 made for the electrics by either Helicore or NS violins.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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Last night I took a previously used zyex string (G string)... it was from my last string change, kept as a spare. I swapped out my current G string 7-8 months (a lot of hours)... OMG.. what a difference .. I didn't know how flat that old string was.
I am ordering new strings tomorrow. 🙂
Not sure what yet...
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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anything should be an improvement! Ha.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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@cdennyb how very insightful.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Hmmmmm! I won't say anything yet.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Ha ha.. I actually mean to replace the strings on the Soloist because it is due for new strings. ha ha
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
On Tuesday, I was going to change the A string on my violin because the string sounded dead, so I went into my stash of used strings and found a String in a pack marked, Zyex A.
I put it on and began tightening it, I couldn't figure out why it was so dark and rich andI couldn't get it up to 440hz, then all of a sudden, }}} SNAP{{{ It was a D string I had mistakenly put in the A pack sleeve.
Sooooo........ be careful.
Ken.
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That could happen. Hope you recover quickly. How did you hurt yourself?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
The string snapped and I guess the recoil got me.
No big deal,,, stopped bleeding almost immediately. No ill effects on playing.
Thanks, Pierre.
Ken
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The bleeding added a nice effect to the post. 🙂
Glad you are OK.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Sorry, I wasn't trying to gross anyone out, just and example of what can happen if a string snaps and that very well could be an eye.
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Fiddlestix said
Sorry, I wasn't trying to gross anyone out, just and example of what can happen if a string snaps and that very well could be an eye.
For once I'm glad I wear glasses!
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@fiddlestix - wounded in action - man - I'm uncertain about which badge you deserve for that - Red Badge of Courage, or the Purple Heart !
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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@fiddlestix Ouch
I had a similar cut on my thumb the first few weeks of playing violin. It was a good early reminder to me about how sharp and surprising a broken string can be. Yes.. I thought about how that could have been my eye. Glad all is well.
As far as Strings go. I just ordered Larsen Violin All regular strings for my Soloist. I read a good review on them.
Thanks Michael at Fiddlershop for getting back to my question so quickly. 
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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I don't know who is worse - wine aficionados or fiddlers and their strings. They both suffer from product-related persnickety-ness, shopaholic tendencies, and a propensity to spend waaaayyy too much on "just trying it out." Oh - and give up on other conversational topics if you get two in a room together LOL
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Hummmm I've only bought 4, now five sets in strings in four years... Two proarte.... Two Zyex and a special e string... (Now Larsen).... I have a specific reason for the latest purchase... It is . Not just a whim or trying it out. Lol. I am not able to afford the kind of luxury...
I never spend too much but I wish I did!!!! As far as wine goes I like that as much as strings... And as with strings... The more you spend .. The better it gets. .. (Not always... There a cap on it.... Good wine.. House wine... Work horse strings .. (What I can afford and still pay my utility bill) Oh I can only dream...
..... And I surely dream to be in the room with those kinds of experts.... Violinist and Sommeliers... Oh that would be a good day for me!!! And most likely everyone would know twenty times more than me! I love my friends that know their wine.. Especially when they share!
I love to learn and experience all things wine and strings...
persnickery .... Not I....
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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well...wine can make old strings sound new again, so...yeah
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
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LMAO @dionysia and @coolpinkone - too much ! LOL
Seriously though - before I head for bed ( 11:15pm or so here - need an early start tomorrow ) - let me talk to you ( Toni ) about the Larsens on my FM Concert.....
This is "spooky" - I have a sufficient "feel" to understand that different strings, rosin, bow hair etc can sound and - worse - BEHAVE differently until you are used to them.
Right - the story - I obtained a set of "used" ( and I know their pedigree ) Larsen Vitruosos - they had not seen more than 30 hours of playing time - I know that for a fact.
I fitted them to my Concert - and I could not play it. Well, I *could* but it behaved SO differently from - well three different string types I've tried over the last year
Now - don't get me wrong for a minute here - I am NOT saying they are "bad" in any way whatsoever = in fact, when I get them to react "properly" - the tonality is great. It probably comes down to my "ham fisted fiddler-style-playing" - I am quite used to "beating the heck out of the strings" - and part of that comes from using the EV - I find the Larsens to be SUPER responsive - I just need to "calm down" a bit - LOL ) what, ME, calm down - NOPE ! )
Again, as a beginner - OK - sure - I've tried a few different strings over the last year or so - but I have NEVER experienced such a dramatic difference.... whatever the underlying reason is I do not completely know - all I can say is that they ARE special - and because I "found them difficult to play with my bowing action" I have hardly played more than 10 hours on them - I had other pieces I wanted to publish and practice etc... so I used my EV and viola instead, and the Larsen-strung Concert has sat in the corner for the last few weeks.
But, I just KNOW it is MY fault - there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with the strings - I just don't have the skill to adapt - right now, these strings "have the better of me" = BUT = tomorrow, yes, tomorrow, is another day, and I am going to control the beast that is my Larsen-strung FM Concert - trust me on this ! LOL
Out of interest - the strings I've played on the Concert have been - let me double check this - yup - the originals ( Overture Ultra ), Dominants, Zyex and there was another set I didn't like at all ...what were they ...hmm no matter for now... anyways - the Larsen strings which are now fitted are, or behave "quite differently" on my particular instrument, with my particular bow, my rosin and my playing style - very interesting....
I shall get to grips with this - my inability to play "properly" on the Larsens was quite surprising... but I have already discovered that the Larsen string tensions are quite a bit less than the other strings I've tried ( not measured by me, just from the spooks on the web ) - which has given me a significant clue - so look forward to a demo of the FM Concert with Larsens - "sometime very soon" LOL
What a fantastic journey of discovery.... I just love every moment of it, even the "WTF is happening NOW" moments... LOL All good...
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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