Comparison: If you've used Vision Solo …

August 25, 2012 at 07:25 AM · Over the years, I have progresed from Dominant, Infeld, Vision (titanium solo/regular).

I remember liking the brilliance of Vision Titanium Solo, especially on the A and E string. Downside is the string feels very thin under the fingers. (Try playing fingered perfect 5th...there is not much mass to press down)

Give it a try. Every so often, I put on a different set of string to see how it goes.

My current combo has Violino G&D (for its warmth and sturdiness), Dominant A (for its brilliance and elasticty) and Pirastro Universal E (it does not rust and does not sound that bad for a wound E string).

August 25, 2012 at 01:18 PM · I've gone from mainly using Dominants, to Evah Pirazzi, to Oliv, to Passione, back to Dominants, back to Oliv, back to Dominants, back to Evah Pirazzi, then I changed from a relatively inexpensive violin (which I had tried nearly every major string brand on - the brands I listed are only those that I used for at least a few months running) to a very fine violin, which I've also done a lot of experimenting on, but the only two string I've been able to keep on have been Dominants and PIs, with my favorite still being Dominants, which I have no complaints about besides their lack of longevity.

I talked to a representative at Thomastik and he told me that Vision Titanium Solo/Orchestra are nicknamed "gutbusters" by them, and were meant to replicate the feel and response of wound gut strings. As for Vision Solo, they were meant to compete with Evah Pirazzi, but without the high tension; also, they last much longer, being made of the same materials as the long-lasting PI string, which are meant to offer a broader, deeper tonal spectrum.

Personally, when I use PI strings, I usually just use the G and aluminum D with a Vision solo A, along with either a Jargar forte or Westminster heavy E string. The PI A is usually a bit too thin sounding for me (whereas the Vision Solo A, being stronger sounding, works better for me), but its sound is thickened if you use a PI platinum E string - a string that, on its own, I'm not too fond of; the only top professional using the platinum E (who I know of) is Jaime Laredo, who uses it with a set of Dominants.

One of my teachers uses the PI G with a Dominant A and aluminum D; he says he considers the PI D and A to be too pale sounding on his violin. My other teacher always switches what G and D strings he uses - sometimes he uses Olivs, sometimes he uses PI, sometimes he uses Vision Titanium Orchestra, but he always uses the Prim heavy A.

As always, the string you prefer depends on you and your instrument (more on you than on your instrument, according to my luthier) and on the quality of setup on your instrument. What I find with my friends is that before they have their instruments really brought to their full potential through adjustment, they tend to prefer strings such as Evah Pirazzi or Passione or Vision Titanium, that greatly modify the sounds of their instrument, whereas when they've had their instrument brought to its full potential via adjustment, they tend to then switch to Dominants or PI strings or Vision Solo (and then have their violins adjusted accordingly).

Of course, that's just my personal experience.

August 25, 2012 at 03:30 PM · I've always used Dominants for all strings. With my violin they produce a great warm sound, I think sometimes the sound of the strings can depend on the violin itself, you've got to try some out and see what works best. Funkyviolins

August 26, 2012 at 10:55 PM · Thank you all for your input. I've decided to try one of Brian's combos:

G - PI

D - PI - Aluminum

A - Vision Solo

E - Westminster - Heavy

They will go on the fiddle that now has Reds for A-D-G and Goldbrokat E. I'll let you know -- within 2 weeks, I hope -- how the tryout goes.

August 26, 2012 at 11:15 PM · I feel that the visions are very responsive and bright on the right violin. I've tried many different variations of the visions and have decided they don't work well with my violin, especially not the A. In fact, the dominant A is much more responsive to my already very bright violin than the visions ever were. The break-in time for visions was nice, they didn't take long to decide on the tone they were to take on. I am sticking with the classic dominant G D A and Wondertone E. I've tried Oliv E, which was $30 btw, and have never had a E string that squeeled so much.

My suggestion for you is to try Dominant G and D, Vision A, and Wondertone E if you know you like the Vision A, though evah pirazzi's can be so nice on the low end as well!

August 27, 2012 at 02:18 AM · The Oliv E is about eleven dollars.

I don't suggest mixing Dominants and Visions - they tend not to blend well, and a few luthiers have told me that violins need to be adjusted quite differently to accommodate changing between Dominant strings and Vision family strings.

You can't go wrong with that combo that Brian suggested - Sarah Chang uses something similar: Jargar E, Vision Solo A, and PI aluminum D and G. The shops of Matthias Lehner and David Segal also recommend that string combination highly (although they tend to start by trying a Goldbrokat E before changing to a more expensive Jargar or Westminster, as needed).