Chrome wound A strings

Edited: July 3, 2023, 8:34 PM · Hello all,

I recently had an unfortunate experience at an outdoor gig where the intense summer humidity led to chunks of aluminum falling away from my A string in droves. That was a Passione A! Youch.

Does anyone know of a chrome wound synthetic-core A string? From what I've found so far, the only option is steel. Never tried steel... but maybe that's not so bad? If anyone's ever tried Spirocores or Chromcors, do share as well.

Replies (4)

Christian Harvey

July 3, 2023, 10:45 PM · None that I'm aware of. However, David Oistrakh had been known to use Prim steel A strings as well as Spirocore A strings along with Gut G and D and a Prim E string. There's also a Eudoxa-Chromcor A string that Pirastro claims to be warmer sounding than the normal Chromcor A string.

Andrew Holland

July 4, 2023, 12:42 AM · Pirastro makes chrome-wound Obligato and Aricore (synthetic) A strings.

Gordon Shumway

Edited: July 4, 2023, 4:43 AM · By coincidence yesterday before reading this thread I ordered a couple of Prim A strings (medium and high tension) out of curiosity.

Adalberto Valle-Rivera

July 4, 2023, 8:45 AM · I have used all of these, but haven't in years. As long as you do not expect a gut like response or tone, they may fit your violin or musical taste well.

Disadvantages are an obviously more stiff string, usually way heavier per diameter than synthetics, and even more distant from gut's pliable feel. Even Warchal's Avant-garde isn't a very light A! If the mire "steely" tone fits your violin and taste, then of course there are advantages as well-a near eternal A, impervious to humidity, resistant to bow weight, generally-speaking, excellent clarity, and hyper fast response, for better or worse (harder for highly dynamic playing, but good for other obvious reasons.)

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Chrome wound A strings

Replies (4)

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