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Violin String Comparison Chart
A Violin String Chart From Fiddlershop
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (6 votes) 
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Gordon Shumway
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December 1, 2022 - 6:13 am
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My "theories" (self-parody) on strings have developed since this thread began.

Problem: hundreds of different strings, horribly confusing to a beginner.

I've been guilty in the past of sharing info on which pros use which strings. It's irrelevant - if they have a Strad, they chose strings to match it. If you don't have a Strad, you may well need different strings. There are no best strings. There are only strings suited to your instrument.

My Breton has a lot of "character", i.e. it sounds like a viola. Hence my view of strings has been developing.

It's not about the strings. It's about the instrument/string combination.

What everyone should do (imo) is buy the most MOR strings first (Fiddlerman/Dominant/Tonica) and then listen hard. You only need brighter strings if your sound is dull. And warmer strings if your sound is too bright.

https://fiddlershop.com/pages/.....comparison

I view these charts as having four quadrants:- SW (southwest) = warm and broad, NW = warm and focused, and so on.

With Dominants my Breton is in the SW quadrant. So I am now using strings in the - diametrically opposite - NE quadrant. I like Visions. I have bought myself some Evah Pirazzis with my Christmas money. Another contender would be Warchal Brilliants.

Zyexes (on the border of SW/NW) make my Breton sound like mud. You can probably work out why (but they sound good on my Gewa which borders on SE/NE - actually I confess, I'm not really sure what is meant by "broad" and "focused"). If you have a new Chinese instrument in the NE or SE quadrants, you may want to look at strings in the SW or NW quadrants, although SW tends to be gut. I haven't examined all of them yet to see if any are nylon (for my Stentor). Do you think cheap, new Chinese violins are probably SE? Bright and unfocussed?

There's also string tension. I find Dominants rather low tension (but that may be poor bowing technique). So I go for strings that have more tension on this tension chart, lowest tension at top, highest at bottom: -tension_set_201409.pngImage Enlarger

Vision Solos have slightly lower tension than Visions (and their position on the Fiddlershop and Shar charts varies, which is confusing), so I don't think I'll bother with them.

But beware - my theories are continually evolving!

Andrew

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ABitRusty
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December 1, 2022 - 10:32 am
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"I've been guilty in the past of sharing info on which pros use which strings. It's irrelevant - if they have a Strad, they chose strings to match it. If you don't have a Strad, you may well need different strings. There are no best strings. There are only strings suited to your instrument.

It's not about the strings. It's about the instrument/string combination"

The longer I play the more I appreciate and understand what youre saying.  Great points.  My problem, or my urge, is to try the next set I think may reveal something about my instrument that the previous string set wasnt able to.  With all the brands..types theres many sets to try.   

I like what youre saying about knowing your instruments and choosing strings to match to narrow down the possibilities.

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aston4

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December 21, 2023 - 7:00 am
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I would like a loudness chart. I need super LOUD strings sometimes.  Objective measurements with a dB meter on the same violin would be best of course.

 

I would guess EP perpetual are loudest, but no way to know for sure.

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Gordon Shumway
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aston4 said
I would like a loudness chart. I need super LOUD strings sometimes.  Objective measurements with a dB meter on the same violin would be best of course.

I would guess EP perpetual are loudest, but no way to know for sure. 

What is called "broad" in Fiddlershop's chart has recently become "subtle" in Shar's chart, which has changed my understanding of these charts a little bit - a factory Chinese violin is unlikely to be subtle and more likely simply to be in the NE quadrant meaning that gut strings (pretty much the only ones in the SW quadrant) ought to sound best, but Zyexes will be more playable.

The loudness of your playing will depend on your technique. If you have EPs, which I'm using at the moment, and which are absolutely the opposite of subtle, then there won't be any need for further "refinement". A dB meter would be useless if you don't have the technique to play each type of string to its fullest capability.

Since that was your first post, it would be nice if you could introduce yourself.

Andrew

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ELCBK
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December 21, 2023 - 3:30 pm
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Christmas-clip-art-free-images-graphics-2.png

Doesn't 'loudness' = 'projection'? 

So, 'loudness' seems limited by how well a violin is made - bridge & soundpost set up, too (besides bowing technique).  

I'd look at strings meant for 'soloists' & in the 'Brilliant/Focused' quadrant of a chart - but there's never going to be a set of strings that will sound the same on all instruments. 

Higher tension might be something to look at - try tuning your strings up a half or whole step (you can get used to playing that way).

Traditionally, fiddlers used steel or steel-core strings to help cut through a noisy Dance Hall. 

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ABitRusty
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December 21, 2023 - 5:43 pm
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Rondos seem to project well.   Maybe Dominant pros too?   i have a box of those when time comes.   I think the driving thing with alot of people on the helicores or steel strings is cost and responsiveness too.   After being away from helicores for a way and revisting them i feel/hear things that made me second guess original...early on perceptions.   Granted I still prefer synthetic but I like helicores now too.  As far as projection.. Its amazing how quiet a fiddle can be when surrounded by a banjo, flute(s), accordian..and even pipes.  So steels may project more in general but not sure its a deciding factor for them in a band/group.  For a pro in a fiddle style band it may be cost since theyre more likely to change strings often.. thoughts not based on facts..just blabbing.

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Strabo
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December 26, 2023 - 7:46 am
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It’s a mystery to me. I understand the general characteristics of the different types of strings: gut vs synthetic vs steel, etc. And I understand that even within one type there are differences among the various available strings, but I do not understand the details of those differences. Perhaps, if I took time to study the specific composition and construction of each brand and model, it would make sense to me. But every hour that I could spend digging into these intricacies would be an hour lost from becoming a better fiddler.

It seems obvious that it is the combination of instrument and strings that makes for different performance. Strings that sound wonderful on one fiddle don’t sound so good on another instrument. That leads us into the dense forest of variability among violins: design, quality and age of wood, cutouts on the bridge etc etc. -- another avenue not worth pursuing. 

The sheer number of available string types is astonishing. The charts from both Fiddlershop and Shar show around 40 available string varieties. I cannot find similar charts for guitar or mandolin strings, but I would be surprised if either instrument had so many string choices available. 

And then there’s the issue of cost: violin strings are vastly more expensive than guitar or mandolin strings. I have no idea what justifies or explains that, but the high cost for violin strings does make it difficult to try different strings on a fiddle. 

I guess it’s all just another aspect of that ultimately mysterious instrument that we all seem to love so much!

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AndrewH
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December 26, 2023 - 10:07 pm
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There's been a massive proliferation of string brands in recent years. Looking at the Fiddlerman violin string chart, I notice that about half of the brands on it were introduced between 2010 and present!

I keep tabs on what strings I see being used around me, mostly out of curiosity, and I currently know all the string sets currently being used in my orchestra's viola section. I don't normally do anything with the info, but it can be helpful in suggesting strings I might want to try some time, with the caveat that everyone's instrument is different. It's definitely a different perspective from what I see online, but that's probably to be expected because online string discussions tend to attract people who are looking to try something new.

Not surprisingly, people rarely jump long distances across the chart, and that includes the ones who like to try different strings relatively often. Everyone in the orchestra is an experienced player, and I believe only one current member of the viola section has bought a new instrument within the last 10 years, so almost everyone has had plenty of time to figure out what characteristics they want in strings on their particular instrument.

The other overall pattern I see is that people tend not to try a new string brand until it's been on the market for several years and there's a critical mass of reviews. The earliest I've ever seen a new string brand appear in my orchestra's viola section after its introduction was 3 years. (That was Peter Infeld, introduced in 2015 and first appearing in the section in 2018.) But sometimes a new string catches on quite rapidly after a long initial wait: for example, Evah Pirazzi Gold viola strings were introduced in 2012 and took until fall 2018 to first appear in my orchestra at all, but from spring 2019 through spring 2023 there always seemed to be at least three sets of them in the section at any given time even as personnel changed.

In any case, the caution with newly-introduced string brands means the pool of string brands that people in the section have tried is still quite a bit smaller than what's available.

There's probably a healthy balance somewhere between sticking with what works, and occasionally trying something new, especially in the current market. I've tended to stick with the same brand until I get the sense that there's something that could still be improved with different strings.

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David

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February 24, 2024 - 2:01 pm
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This string chart from Fiddlershop has some strings that are really out of place.

The first is that Vision Solo and Vision Titanium Solo are switched around. The Solos are very warm and even dark while the Titanium Solo are bright. Michael O'Gieblyn himself said it on the "Michael Explains it All!" video. So it's surprising to see the two sets inverted on the chart.

Tonica New Formula are clearly out of place, they are more open and brighter than Dominants. The current chart puts Tonicas as if they were still the original formula.

Evah Pirazzi Gold are not that close to Obligato.

The Schar Music chart is currently more accurate than Fiddlershop's, but it still has some of the same problems with the same strings.

Very interestingly enough, an old versionof the Shar Music chart has everything right: https://blog.sharmusic.com/blo.....ings-redux

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Mouse
February 24, 2024 - 9:29 pm
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Hi, Dvid, Welcome to the Forum. I just sent you a Welcome Email with forum information.

I think that the instrument, bow, and instrumentalist make a difference. But, I don't worry about where the string lands on a chart, I am not that clear when I play, but I do look at the Fiddlershop chart for a starting point. 

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The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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ELCBK
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February 24, 2024 - 10:50 pm
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@David -

Welcome! 🤗 

Fiddlerman mentioned (in post #6) that the folks at Fiddlershop did not look at other charts when making up theirs. 

Have you tried all the strings you mentioned?  

Can you tell us a little about the qualities of your violin? 

Can you tell us a little about the style of music you play? 

The info you provide may help others looking for strings. 😊 

 

- Emily

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David

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February 25, 2024 - 7:26 am
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Thank you both 😊

ELCBK said
@David -

Welcome! 🤗 

Fiddlerman mentioned (in post #6) that the folks at Fiddlershop did not look at other charts when making up theirs. 

Have you tried all the strings you mentioned?  

Can you tell us a little about the qualities of your violin? 

Can you tell us a little about the style of music you play? 

The info you provide may help others looking for strings. 😊 

 

- Emily

  

Yes, I've tried all the strings mentioned.

I have 3 violins, one old french dark, one old french balanced and a more modern bright violin from an eastern Europe maker.

Regarding the Vision Solo, one of my students put a new set, her violin is dark and soft. The Vision Solo made her violin sound even darker. Replacing them with Dominants opened up the sound. I've then tried the same Vision Solo on my overly bright violin, they did a great job at warming it up and give it the needed darkness. The box of the Vision Solo does say the strings are very on the warm side. While the Titanium Solo box has the slider on the brilliant side. Like I said before, Michael O'Gieblyn also had this opinion on his video. So everything checks out. Vision Solo are warm, Titanium solo are bright.

I've played Tonica new Formula on my dark violin, the really open the sound and make it sound featherly light. The make the violin sound brighter compared to Dominants and even Evah Pirazzi. I've also played with Tonica and Dominant on different student violins, Dominants are warmer.

I've played with Obligato and Evah Pirazzi Gold on all my three violins. I think they have similarities but they just shouldn't as close to the Obligatos, they should be a little more to the middle. many people report that they are even closer to the original Evahs than the to the Obligato, but I actually find that they are closer to the Obligato, just not as close, they have a bit more brilliance.

I have 3 bows, one of them changes the tone, but in a very slight way, not comparable to changing strings.

I play baroque, classic and romantic and XX century music, mostly chamber and solo.

David

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Mouse
February 25, 2024 - 8:28 am
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David, why not introduce yourself in the new members section so members can learn a little about you? 

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The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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ELCBK
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@David -

Thank you! 

Really appreciated hearing about your experience with these strings!  It explains a lot that should help folks looking at string qualities! 

We've discussed strings in so many threads here & with prices climbing... makes it hard for folks to jump in & experiment. 

With your background I hope you'll share more of your thoughts & opinions around the forum!  Many of us are only beginning our journey playing bowed string instruments here. 

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