Review: 'The Beast' Violin Strings by Warchal

September 19, 2025, 6:42 PM · In mid-August I strung my violin with The Beast violin strings by Warchal - and I would like to offer you my impressions.

Full disclosure: These strings were sent to my by Bohdan Warchal (the company's founder and CEO, and a longtime Violinist.com member) so that I could try them out and review them for everyone. Currently the price runs about $130-140 for the set.

Some background: These strings came out in spring 2025 and in April Warchal wrote on Violinist.com that "We developed this string set with soloists who need the widest possible dynamic range while still wanting to keep their instrument's rich, colourful timbre." Of course, there are a number of strings on the market aimed at the soloist, but the selling point for Warchal is the idea that these strings will sound "natural" on any instrument: "We try to create a string with a sound that does not alter the natural character and voice of your instrument."

When I opened the strings to put them on my violin, I noticed the very nice packaging - elegantly designed and environmentally responsible (biodegradable cardboard) - each string in its own envelope, all housed in an easy-to-open outer envelope.

I also appreciated the no-nonsense message written on the inside of the envelope as well: "It isn't easy to describe the character of a sound. When each of us hears a sound, we use different words to describe it." They don't have a chart for Warchal, they are just trying to make them all broad and playable. Strings will respond differently to different instruments, players, etc.

The first thing I noticed was Warchal's unique patented spiral-design E string (perhaps this is what the coils pictured on the packaging reference)...

The Beast E - just out of the package, and then on my violin, before being tightened.

Warchal first introduced its New Generation E string in its Amber line of strings and also has it in the Timbre line. The idea of this is to eliminate the whistling E, as well as "irritating overtones," warm up the sound, tune easier, and feel a bit softer. It was kind of fun to put this string on, so here is a little video of me tightening up the coiled string:

On my violin, "The Beast" strings were pitch-stable in about a day and a half.

These are high-tension strings, designed for projection and power, and indeed they have put my instrument into maximum-projection mode. They are loud and ringy and have pretty much stayed that way over the last month. I found the G string to be a little slippery at first, needing more rosin to speak. Occasionally when playing very high on the G I am still getting that phenomenon, where the sound breaks in a way I don't expect. This might be something that I would adjust to over time.

The D string has been my favorite sounding "Beast" string on my violin, it's warm and speaks nicely.

About the E string: it has not whistled once, it is true! I actually tried to get it to whistle, played those

Before I read that the E string was supposed to feel softer under the finger, I had actually made a note that the E string wasn't feeling great under my fingers - especially when playing extreme high positions (like higher than fifth position). I think it is due to the high tension. Granted, it never feels great up there. But this week I'm playing some very-high first-violin stuff and it just aggravates me a little more with this string.

All that said, I do feel like my violin has remained "my violin" in its voice (a voice I very much like) with "The Beast" strings - just a louder version thereof. The sound is very clear and the pitch is very true. They are bright and clean-sounding strings.

That said, I find them a little edgy for orchestra playing, which is more about blending than penetrating - and I am mostly an orchestral player! However, I can see how this higher level of penetration would be ideal if I were using my violin for solo work or for a recital - or even for quartet-playing.

As with all violin strings, you have to find the ones that suit your violin, your purposes, your taste and maybe even your physiology. It's wonderful that there are so many excellent options these days - Warchal's "The Beast" is certainly among them, at the high end.

Here are a few places where you can find "The Beast" strings: Fiddlershop and Kennedy Violins.

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Review: 'The Beast' Violin Strings by Warchal

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