V.com weekend vote: Do you use matching string sets?
Strings come in a set, but many of us don't always string our instruments with the same brand on all four strings.
For example, when I was growing up, I always used Dominants on everything except for the E, which was a Pirastro Gold. More recently, I've used sets more often - Pirastro Obligato has been a go-to, but I have also tried other strings in sets: Pirastro Perpetual Cadenzas, Larsen il Cannones and Thomastik Dynamos. There are a lot of good choices out there, and preferences often come down to the quirks of your individual instrument and what winds up sounding best.
Heifetz famously mixed string types: he used a Goldbrokat Medium E, plain gut A and D, and a wound G. To this day, I still know people who use a Goldbrokat Medium E, primarily because Heifetz did!
Do you mix up the brands of strings that you use, or do you stick to one? Please participate in the vote - you can simply vote for what you currently have on your violin, viola or cello. And tell us about what you've tried in the past, and what you currently prefer!
You might also like:
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- 27 Sets of Violin Strings Compared
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Actually, I mostly use matched sets now, except for the E. Some brands I find they do work as well as the rest, but with a few (Rondo, for example) I prefer others.
I would be using Peter Infeld Pi strings as a matched set, along with the gold-plated Pi E string.
But after encountering several Pi "A" strings that were defective right out of the envelope, at my luthier's recommendation, I substitute in the Infeld Red "A" string. This "A" string works very well with the Pi "G", "D", and gold-plated "E" strings.
So, almost a matched set.
I've stuck to full set Tonicas on violin, and my viola currently has a full set of Evah Greens because that's what came with the viola when I got it recently. I usually just default to full set Tonica on viola as well, but if they don't do well on this viola, then I'll have to experiment a bit or else go back to Evah Greens, which are $$$.
For a long time, my previous cheap viola had Tonica CGD and an inexpensive steel A string which I don't know the brand of, but that was only because the Tonica A I originally put on broke down prematurely for some strange reason. I have another violin at home, which a different family member uses, that is also a recent acquisition. It came with all four Dominants, but we got the E swapped out for (I think) a gold label at the store before purchase because the Dominant E was causing the upper register to sound a bit muted and unresponsive. Once the strings need to be replaced, we'll put on a full set of Tonicas, and I see no reason that'll cause any problems.
I mix them up on my 1883 and 1921 fiddles. On the 1883, I currently have Obligato A-D-G + Goldbrokat medium E. On the 1921, I have Xyex A-D-G + Goldbrokat heavy E. The Xyex G is also heavy gauge. I prefer a high-tension G, because I get better response in the high positions above 5th.
Previously, I had installed an Optima/Thomastik split setup on the 1921 instrument: Westminster heavy E, Vision Solo A, Peter Infeld D-G. The E was too penetrating and hard-sounding for me on this instrument, and the G was too edgy for my taste; so I later modified this setup, substituting Goldbrokat medium E and Infeld Red G for their Westminster and PI counterparts. The new G blended especially well with the D on this instrument. I plan to go back to this setup at next string change. But the Xyex combo also pleases me greatly on this instrument. I will no doubt use this setup again, too.
My 1869 instrument, which I’ve had since halfway through my degree program, now has a full set of Warchal Ambers. For me, the combo is a real winner on this fiddle - clarity in the high tones and a viola-esque sound in the contralto range.
I use Thomastik-Infeld's Vision Solo strings for the G, D, and A. I used to use Dominants, but I eventually realized the brightness of my instrument. The Vision Solos are powerful but a few shades darker than Dominant, so those are my strings. For the E, I've switched back and forth between the plain steel Goldbrokat medium and Pirastro Gold Label, also medium. The price of Goldbrokats is hard-to-beat, but I prefer the slightly-more-robust tone of the Pirastro.
I have always used whole sets, including the E. I don't see how I can match strings better than the folks at the manufacturers who have the resources to experiment properly which I don't have (or at least I can't offered them).
I was a faithful customer of Pirastro for decades, played on Olives for decades, also occasionally on Eudoxas, tried Passiones when they appeared on the market (nice but not as responsive as the pure guts and very loud). Until I recently tried and switched to Tricolore. They sound good on my instrument plus they hold their pitch far better than the Pirastros, even the Passiones.
I figure I'll stay with Tricolor for the rest of my life as a violin player; this "historic" set seems a nice match to my instrument from 1918.
Not sure about now, but until recently if you used dominants (a good choice) you had to ‘mix them up’ because the e string was so awful. I did indeed use the gold brokat medium with them for years. Now I am working on the Warchal strings to see what works best I cannot really mix things up at the moment. Not sure I want to either. Too much experimentation with strings can be a real double edged sword.
Cheers,
Buri
I normally use matched sets except for the E, which these days is Warchal Amber.
In his day, string choices were very limited. If Heifetz were around today what strings do you think he would be using?
Good question, John!
John: Still cheese wire E with a matched set of sausage casings for the rest.
And he would sound better than any of us :P
Re ~ Mixing up String Sets or each individual String on one's Instrument ~ {#13}
As 1 of 7 Artist Pupils in Jascha Heifetz's Original International Violin Master Class at USC's Institute for Special Music Studies + Chamber Music w/JH, Primrose & Piatigorsky, I can authentically verify very few people ever knew Which Strings Mr. Heifetz used and on which Violin he was playing at various times!! As to the Question posed by John Alexander above: 'If Heifetz were around today what strings do you think he would be using?" I don't know
the answer nor think Mr. Heifetz, himself, would reveal the answer for his artistry and personal choice/s in Strings paralleled with his specific Editions of varied Concert Violin Works and Mr. Heifetz to
my memory, was never clear unless one was having a Private and by invitation of Mr. 'H' Lesson with him and with one's own Pianist, which I was blessed to be invited to do while On Tour of the entire Western United States, bringing my British Pianist from London, to the private Beverly Hills home of Jascha Heifetz, and who had the 'bloody' nerve to question Mr. Heifetz's criticism of a particular F# in a 3rd Movement of Prokofiev's Violin & Piano Sonata No. 2 in D Major when we were playing the full Sonata for him in his Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built Studio for Jascha Heifetz, and off his private home Patio JH Music Studio!! Shocked beyond, I witnessed a British Pianist actually having 'cheek' to argue with Jascha Heifetz, and after some back & forth, JH excused himself to leave the main part of his Studio to find his Edition of the Prokofiev Violin/Piano Sonata used and learned in his St. Petersburg Leopold Auer fabled Class with fellow Auer pupil's, Elman, Zimbalist, Toscha Seidel, Sascha Lasserson and later pupil's Nathan Milstein + Kathleen Parlow & Cecilia Hansen! Mr. Heifetz by that time one could see was a bit peeved and did point out the correct note in what he, JH, mentioned Auer insisted upon in his very worn Edition from Paris!!! My British Pianist, may at that point realised his attitude was far out of bounds to be then arguing with The GOAT Violinist, Jascha Heifetz, and I quietly poked his back when Mr. Heifetz was closely viewing his own
oft used Piano & Violin Score to the Prokofiev, which was my signal for Peter to shut the heck up!! Never having mentioned this rare incident in any of my writings prior, it's deliberately now being mentioned here to illustrate the point that Jascha Heifetz ~ Genius and Master of Violin playing and musical insight plus rare coloured intonation and innuendi, did Not reveal much about any nor all he relied upon whether it be Strings used or Editions of Music he had learned when a boy and studying with Professor Leopold Auer!!! To even presume which Strings Mr. Heifetz used when still here
and concertizing is In My Opinion, not to be taken as Gospel, but a 'something' Someone told another Someone and made a Talk Line amongst many Someone's in the World of Violin yet hadn't any real verification by Any Person who worked on the Violins of Jascha Heifetz!!! The Only Person to have 'inside' knowledge would've been the Trusted Luthier of Mr. Heifetz's Guarneri del Gesu Violin,
which he used in All Major Concert Touring, in the name of Benny Koodlach, and whom Mr. Heifetz trusted with his Life!!! My having been a loyal client of Mr. Koodlach, I did hear much from him and
once I began studying with Jascha Heifetz in his Original JH Violin Master Class, trading a few of Heifetz's 'Rules of the Road' with Benny Koodlach!!! I know One Thing: Heifetz Only used Strings
perfectly suited to his del Gesu; Tononi & Berger Violin used in our Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class films, now on You Tube globally and lately on 'Heifetz Official' on YouTube by the Estate of Jascha Heifetz ... Yet none of my fellow other 6 JH Classmates, & including the only private pupil of Jascha Heifetz, Erick Friedman, were privy to which Strings Mr. Heifetz used & may never have known everything about this???
In closing, I must add Jascha Heifetz was a very private person and very distant yet a kind to me Grand Artist, who when 'class' was over, became personally friendly asking How Things were
going of not only myself, but of all our other 6 JH Class-mates, Varoujan Kodjian; Robert Witte; Adam han Gorski; Claire Hodgkins; Carol Sindell and Erick Friedman, each of whom loved & revered him and over time Mr. Heifetz came to embrace all 7 of us as his sort of JH Original Violin Master Class Family even inviting us to his private Beverly Hills home for a glorious Easter Party upon 'wrapping' up our 7 individual Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class films and JH pleased with the Final Product!!!
A Word: I do know when selecting Strings for my Enrico Ceruti Violin, I learned from Poppa Matesky, to always choose a specific string which complimented the structural dimensions of the Violin and of the tone production which a String would afford producing which didn't conflict with the uniqueness of my Violin. Additionally I learned from a brilliant Juilliard father- pupil of Ysaye "Apostle" at
Juilliard teaching my father, Eduoard Dethier, to only select very specific Strings or a Set of Strings if they benefited an inner sound of the violin one was suited to and playing daily plus In Concert performance and that acoustics in varied Concert Venue's were subject to changes due all kinds of weather and the like which meant being capable of changing specific Strings selected for California weather yet in East Coast Winter weather which was far different from the usual fair & sunny weather in So. California and when having moved to London, a far differing climate from that of Los Angeles, I really had to adapt my violin strings going into W.E. Hill & Sons on Bond Street, London W.1, and asking their premier luthier which Strings to use on an old violin which had an eloquent history to say the least and similarly with my Enrico Ceruti Violin but in dampened London dewy weather! I actually came to deeply appreciate the dewy weather which suited the older instruments I was privileged to play and at one point vowed to never leave beloved London for this reason! My Violin's Health was far more important to me, by then concertizing throughout the UK and Europe, than anything else! Living in London was also deeply important and inspiring with All 'Big Five' Major London Orchestras to choose from when attending the many concerts available on the South Bank of The Royal Festival Hall & in Summer's at The Royal Albert Hall, just across Prince Consort Road, SW7, from the Royal College of Music, my Fulbright host Music Conservatory 'home' for Two Glorious Years prior to one's Wigmore Hall Debut and professional signing by Concert Artist Management in London ~
In often global travels I've encountered numerous Heifetz Lover's/ Admirers and Artists worshipping JH, yet none of whom ever having implied knowing or asking which Strings Mr. Heifetz used when offering Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto or any other Violin Masterwork, yet praising the JH Artistry to beyond the Skies and Further!!! Some 'Secrets' of Heifetz, may be left to History decades and Centuries from now, but it might be wise 'not tempting The God's' too much . . . Violin Talk is a Pleasure for Violinists & Luthier's yet I don't believe anyone and alive today could or would be authentically able to answer John Alexander's Question posed Above! And if I can invite one more moment of time by anyone reading this, I do not think too many may ask John Alexander's
sincere curiosity Question for a while after being on This Violinist.com Sunday, November 26, 2023 online Edition ~
Sending All here warm Holiday Greetings in advance of our looked forward to Holiday Season, I reman,
~ ~ ~ Yours musically from Chicago, Elisabeth Matesky ~ ~ ~
Ref: Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class - Khachaturian, JH-7, Elisabeth Matesky {Rus Vers. Library of Master Performers} YT; https://www.billi.billi.com/Khachaturian *Asian script/Orig English
Fwd ~ dmg
I use Thomastik Infeld Red sets. For some time I tried Warchal Amber E, very good for me, but using the full let is more practical.
I use all the same on violin, on viola I usually use a jaeger a which is much louder, any suggestions?
I will sometimes use a gut G-string along with synthetic D & A.
The violin does not care what the strings are made out of. It is a wooden box that amplifies and modifies the signal that it receives from the string, through the bridge.
Matched set (Warchal Brilliant Vintage) except for the E (Westminster) on my 2015 Gaybaryan violin, and matched set (Spirocore with Tungsten C) except for the A (Larson) on my 2001 Cison viola. Both of these mixed sets were arrived at after quite a bit of experimenting.
I'm like Parker and stick to Amber E. My Luthier recommended Evah Pirazzi for the others, so that's what I have, but if I were performing Brahms D minor slow movement again, I think i would go for a gut G, probably Eudoxa.
I wish the poll had included the option for a different E, as the bulk of players have their instruments set up that way. I wouldn’t call it a mixed set if the E is exchanged, but I would not call it a full set either. Therefore, I felt I could not answer the question as it was posed.
Milstein and Menuhin also used the Goldbrokat E. Great string and very affordable!
Returning to Reply One More Time! Re: Mixed Strings or Specific Sets of ???? {#21}
Reading a few more Replies I've seen one which does astonish!!! It says and I quote, "the violin doesn't know the difference in strings & is a wooden box that amplifies & modifies the signal it receives from the string through the bridge." WHAT???!! I did know one person who may have written this or someone may have signed the name for I'm truly shocked! Violins are not just 'Boxes' unlike dummkopf's, and will respond to the handling of via very sensitive hands & fingers traveling on 'the board' who know well the particular strings on a known instrument and respond or not to finger pressure or lack thereof depending on the called for inflection/s in the score sounds plus innuendi of any specific composition ... What in name of I don't know what is the Replier Thinking? The Quote is so shocking to me that I am now wondering if said individual has lost something from prior days? To call a Violin a 'Box,' I know Nathan Milstein, for one, would Never term a Violin 'a Box' and certainly not his 1716 Stradivarius and an Instrument for whom his Love knew No Bounds and for those here not knowing about my relationship to Nathan Milstein, I was his Quote NM: '1st Private Guinea Pig Heifetz Pupil' and for 3.5 years a minimum of twice weekly {when Mr. Milstein was not On Tour but home in London} for a minimum of 3.5 - 4 hrs each 'Tutorial' in his home, cum Studio in Chester Square SW1, and later on Mr. Milstein's 'Assist-Help' for his Zurich Nathan Milstein International Violin Master Course/s Debut, 1970-'72 & on "Standby" throughout the 1970s due to one's return from London to the US teaching all 22 Louis Krasner, Prof of Violin, Syracuse University, students & LK, the US Violinist who premiered Alban Berg's Violin Concerto to great acclaim in NYC with 'me-self', newly engaged Soloist/Leader of the Syracuse Symphony {now Symforia} then invited by Sir Georg Solti to join Maestro Solti's fabled Chicago Symphony Orchestra under a Carte Blanch contract to allow my Violin Soloist European Engagements to be honoured whilst in Sir Georg Solti's CSO!! {Visit FB under my first time signed name, or here on V.com Ref under EM in Chicago.}
No more time, but this is to me, 'gobble de gook' and I think it insulting yet perhaps not meant to be? However, try telling this to Antonio Stradivari and the Guarneri Family; also to Guadganini, and to Enrico Ceruti and try it out on Carlo Bergonzi, and J.B. Vuillaume? I do feel none would be interested in speaking with any violin lovers being so far removed from Violin Art they might never entertain speaking to a musician with no idea or seeming interest in How a Violin is Gifted with Life ~
Not signing off happily I remain an 'Apostle' of both Jascha Heifetz & Nathan Milstein for Years not a Violin Master Class of One Day ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Elisabeth {Anne} Matesky ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Fwd ~ dmg
@--E.M.,-- Criticism accepted. I was being a bit facetious, literal-minded, and emails don't convey tone-of-voice. -J.Q.,- third rate fiddler who has never touched a quality instrument.
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November 26, 2023 at 06:58 AM · I currently use a full Kaplan Amo set on my viola. I used all Dominants for the first 9 years or so that I played viola, then started using a Larsen A and kept the Larsen A while I changed the other strings to Vision and then Vision Solo over the next decade or so. (I tried a full set of Visions at one point and went back to the Larsen A.) Eventually, in 2020, I tried a Kaplan Amo set and found that I liked the A string better than the Larsen, and continued using the full set.