Pi Viola Strings

June 23, 2016 at 04:55 PM · I've put them on a dozen or so instruments. Don't care for the A, other strings sound good, C isn't flabby even on small violas (15.5"). Seem to last well.

June 23, 2016 at 10:21 PM · Interesting. What don't you like about the A?

June 23, 2016 at 10:43 PM · mettalic and edgy. The other strings have a "thickness" to the sound that I like, or perhaps density is the term to use.

I would rather use a different A than move a soundpost for just the A.

June 24, 2016 at 12:46 AM · I like Larsen A.

June 24, 2016 at 06:01 AM · PI's are great on (my) violin, but the viola is a very different beast. I always used Dominants.

June 24, 2016 at 09:54 PM · I use an Aricore-Eudoxa A: aluminium-wound polyester.

June 27, 2016 at 01:50 PM · Interesting observation on the viola A. I may have come to that conclusion on the violin A as well. I've used a full set on one of my new fiddles for a while, and while I love the clarity and power and coherence of the overtones, it lacks some of the woody warmth I would like. Just last week I decided to experiment by trying to heavy-gauge Passiones-- just changing the A made a huge difference. We'll see if adding the D this week makes the same sort of improvement.

July 1, 2016 at 04:51 PM · Thank you all for the feedback. I will try a set of PI viola strings minus the A. I will continue using a Larsen A.

Thanks!

July 4, 2016 at 11:40 AM · Experiment: Before changing worn D & A viola strings, I swapped them over. The A acquired the sweet clarity of a violin A, and the D woke up with a start! (Fingerings were mind-boggling, though..)

The violin E's position in line with the sound-post gives it brilliance and quick response. The viola A in this position becomes strident.

I have the string spacing on my viola bridge the same as on a violin bridge, so the A is not quite so directly in line with the soundpost.

July 4, 2016 at 01:33 PM · Just a quick note. If you are going to use an abbreviation, such as PI, in a discussion, it is helpful to readers to make clear at the outset what the abbreviation stands for. It took me a while for Peter Infeld to click in, largely because I do not see that abbreviation very often (and maybe also because I am not as young as I used to be). Mostly folks talk about Infeld strings. Anyhow, just a recommendation.

July 5, 2016 at 01:21 PM · Tom, the packaging is marked PI, with the Greek letter!

Not to be confused with Infeld Red & Blue (less "silky".)

July 5, 2016 at 01:28 PM · ... or you can read "Life of Pi".

July 5, 2016 at 11:34 PM · Adrian - how cool! Since I have never had an interest in those strings, I have never noticed the packaging.

Rocky - I hope the "life of PI" is longer than that of most strings.