Hey folks, I know this is a regular but I'd appreciate your combined expertise or at least opinions

I'd really like to try out a different E string on my violin. I have Dominants on there at the moment, and they're fine but I really struggle to get a sweet tone on the E... I know this is to do with my technique, but I could use all the help I can get from my E string, and the Dominant isn't giving me much! Realistically, I don't have masses of time to devote to violin practice, so a helpful E string would be great.

I would love to get a few recommendations... and I also wondered, does anyone know where I might order them online or just by mail order? I have no transport... I know there is a specialist shop not far from me, (I forget the name though... it's one of the well-known specialist string music places & is in Gloucestershire...) but I have no way of getting there at the moment.

I need something reliable (ie although I know gut core strings can sound fab, I believe they don't stay in tune that well?) and hopefully reasonably long-lived - don't want to be replacing it every week! I'm willing to pay for something that's really good... not £20 per string I don't think, but I'm not being miserly and saying I'll only spend a fiver and no more either... I have no idea how much they cost these days. haven't bought one for AGES!

Any help appreciated!

I use dominants too I also hate their E, I find it very harsh-sounding. However, when my last dominant snapped, I was in France and managed to pick up an awesome match. It's a red one, but I can't remember the name Not Pirastro. I can't even find the pack since it's in France, which is a pain because I really want a replacement, as they work perfectly with dominants. The A is very nice too.
Someone else might know?

Try a Tonica E. I am very much a convert now, having been a Dominant follower for years.

The French string brand I know is Corelli, http://www.savarez.fr/anglais/corde-vivace_pubeng.html . I tried a cello-D from them, and it was pretty powerful, but not exactly what I was after. They are readily available in the UK, e.g. from J.P. Guivier.

I use titanium E strings I find that because the E string is the highest it needs to be sharper in sound and the titanium gives it that extra sharpness. I know many people don't like the sound but I do!

Pirastro Gold Steel E strings are give a nice clear and rich sound, or you might like to try a Hill 'Special' E. Rather than a medium gauge try a soft. Since the tension won't be so high the tone of the string will blend better with the others.

Thanks Amanda... sound like two that would be well worth trying!

I use Dominants on ADG, and Pirastro Eudoxa on E - I find it gives a much sweeter tone than the dominant E's - there's another one you could try!

I'm trying to avoid the gut core strings as I know they have a reputation for being temperamental, and as my poor fiddle gets so neglected often... If I can't find a synthetic string that suits, I'll be back to scan all the gut cored suggestions!

I have ordered a Hill special E s I've heard good things about them, and also an Evah Pirazzi (I think I spelled that right??!) to have a go with. I've heard varying reports of the EPs but decided that for a few quid it was worth seeing if it suits me and my violin. I'll let you know how I get on!

I had forgotten how relatively cheap E strings are... makes it more possible to give a couple a try, whereas upgrading a whole set would be a little beyond my budget!

Has anyone tried the Obligato E? I'm a bit "eeeek!" as it costs £6.40 just for an E string, but I wonder if they are worth it?

Unfortunately these aren't the ones. Oistrakh used them if that rings a bell? I tried doing a google but to no avail. The pack they were in was white/cream, with intricate red writing and design. I don't remember much more. Oh, there was a little plastic thing which is meant to sit on the bridge with the E string. It was green. Oh how I want a spare. Maybe I should try out some Pirastros instead and just get over it!

I use the Hill E, I find it goodon my violin.



Good enough for VFV!!


And Obligatos on the rest of my strings but not the E

A lot of people seem to like them, so I'm hoping I'll find the same. And as it's a metal string I'm *hoping* that it will be fairly robust!


lol! I didn't know that! Well, then, I'll have no excuse....!


How do you find they compare with say Dominants?

The Obligato strings do look interesting...

I'm quite intrigued generally by the Infeld Red, which are described as "warm and dark" sounding.... maybe one day when I am feeling rich

Yes, me too, because I am really looking for a string to counter my violin's harsh E string tone. In fact, I think a full set of Infield Reds would be really good on my violin because my G and D are extremely dark and rich...Dominants set it off quite well but their Es are rubbish! They break so quickly too.
Does anyone know if Thomastick make strings other than Dominants?

PS - I found my E string!! Made by Thomastik, called Prazision Anyone heard of them?

Glad you found your E!

Thomastick make LOTS of strings!

Stringmail stock 6 varieties of theirs, there are probably more as well

I take that back, 9 varieties, at least! They're spread out over various pages.

Additional query: is it really worrying that I'm very excited about getting my E strings tomorrow?? ...










I guess it could be worse, could be G strings...

lolz. But it is pretty worrying, do you have a temperature?

My poor, innocent mind is ruined... .

Actually, hellokitty, I am ill, so I can use that as my excuse.

(so, I wasn't ill when I ordered them, but that just isn't the point!)

YAP: what on *earth* can you mean, what is rude about violin strings?

Try the Obligato E it works really well with Dominants on my Violin and it tends to say in tune and doesn't have the same metallic tone when you first put it on like other strings.

I have Dominants for ADG and a Pirastro Gold for E on one of my violins, and Pirastroi Evahs for ADG and again a Pirastro Gold for E on the other one (I have ended up with two violins because I inherited one from my grandfather).

I used to use Pirastro Gold for every string but have found this combination much much better - the Dominants have made an amazing difference to quality of the sound that the first violin produces.

I have just been trying out the Hill E string, and wow, what a difference it makes! So much smoother and easier to play, no harsh screechy ness even though it's brand new on (in comparison with a some-months-old Dominant)... really nice and I am very impressed!

the other thing I meant to say.... playing with an E string I know isn't going to automatically sound scratchy also makes me play with more confidence so I sound better anyway. Twice the improvement for one small change!

I should have tried out some different ones years ago!

Excellent! I'm glad you're pleased with it. I know how much difference it makes to have an E string you're not frightened of digging in to. The soft Hill E seems to suit anything too; whatever the violin, whatever the rest of the strings and whatever the music, it always blends really well.

As for the rest,...hmm...well, I've tried most strings and it's more about what suits the violin than anything else - although I sometimes change them depending on what I'm playing, or what sort of sound I want to create. The Evah Pirazzi are lovely, but can make an ensemble violin sound considerably louder than everyone else in the section - so I decided they are really only suited to solo use or something where you want a really BIG sound. For most purposes I now use Obligato for the old English fiddle and Eudoxa for the Kloz. A soft Hill E string fits in perfectly with both.

Ahh the Hill sounds pretty ideal too.
Now I have a decision to make, please can some of you wise 'uns help me out? I am looking for an E string which...

I can play at any volume, including very loud, and accented
Projects like no-one's business
Is thin
Is not harsh at all (this is because of my violin)
Works well for harmonics/ridiculously high notes
Think that's all.

Cost and durability, even tuning are not so important.

What should I buy?

Yes, Amanda, I'm REALLY pleased! I have a couple of others to try out when this one finally gives up, but I can see myself coming back to it unless anything else happens to suit my violin *exceptionally* well. And yes, having an E string I am not afraid of is a big bonus, especially when I'm playing the Bach D minor in 2 weeks with Jane: a few high (for me ) entries in there that sounded horrible before due to nasty E string plus me being awfully aware that my E string was nasty!!

I knew it would make a difference, but I'm very very pleased indeed to find out how much!

I'll do my little plug for Tonica again!

Hmmm, I think in this case a Pirastro Goldsteel E would be a good bet. The sound is smooth, it feels thin under the fingers and it is certainly a string that projects. High notes and harmonics will be really crystal clear.

(If this turns out to be successful advice, I think I might start up a small business offering "advice for cash" )

Why are you not playing them on the "A" string????

That would make one of them about 7th position... I don't think the concert-goers deserve such torture!

Happy to report that my E string is still in tune... I'm becoming more and more impressed!

In the age of the Bach concerto, it's unlikely players would have shifted beyond fourth position anyway. Remember that the violin neck was shorter, the fingerboard was shorter (both were at a lot flatter angle than today) and they played on plain gut strings. The minimal amount of shifting was one reason why a chin or shoulder rest hadn't even been considered, let alone invented.

Excellent!! I'm so pleased to have made someone else really happy.

Yes, I am still really happy, and my E string is still holding its tuning remarkably well!

I borrowed the sheet music from a friend, and it has notes by Andrew Manze about Baroque violins, and the way they shifted. One of the parts that comes with it has the shifts marked in to suit that style with lots of bits in 2nd and moving up and down by step. I actually find it a lot harder and some of them I just play in 1st or 3rd, but it's good practice for me for 2nd position and a couple of bits really make sense in 2nd.

I played through the slow movement with my piano teacher playing the continuo this morning. It was OK! I don't think I'm going to completely embarass myself at the concert...!

Hi there,

I'm in France, if you can tell me what colour the windings are on the string, I'll pop in to my luthier tomorrow and find out what string it is for you. He'll let me take a pic of the packet and I can email to see if it's the same one.

Once you've found a string you like - it's worth holding on to it!

Allan

Being cheaper than the other 3 strings, I think it is great fun to get a few and see what you like best. When I did that my favourite by miles was the Pirastro Oliv Gold E. I thought the Evah Pirazzi sounded shrill by comparison. But then one person who tried the Oliv thought it sounded "nasal" - no taste if you ask me

Allan - thanks for the offer but I found the packet! I can't remember the name (still) offhand, but I know at last I'm going to order a bunch of E strings this week and try em all out, but I'm happy to be able to get a spare of my fave too. Need to make a list of what I want to try that could take a while...

I'm a huge fan of Oliv. I started using their gold E and then changed to a whole set of Oliv a month or so ago, I love them!



No problem, glad you've found it!

I haven't had to change my strings since I got my violin, and the E string seems to be ok. In fact all the strings seem to be fine. Do you think this is normal? Or should they be changed more reguarly anyway?

J

Renew that E string, if nothing else. E strings lose their tone faster than any of the others.

Strings should be changed once a year (the E string more regularly), even if the instrument isn't being flogged to death. Because the changes and slackening in the string tension (as they age) happens slowly you won't notice it day on day, but renew the strings after a long period and it will really lift the tone of the instrument. Be prepared for new synthetic core strings (especially Dominant) to sound a little bit metallic for the first few days.

Yeah, I recently played my friend's brand new violin and it has that 'tinny' sound to it, it needs to mellow a bit. Not sure what strings to go for though, as I am on a tight budget! I shall have to wait and see ...

J

joyjoy, just a word of caution:
Old strings will give false tuning. ie. the strings may appear to be a fifth apart when you tune them as open strings, but when crossing the strings playing an A on the E string, a D on the A string and a G on the D string you will find that the position of each note is slightly different - you have to move up or down the string a little to get the tuning right. On good condition strings the notes will follow across in exactly the same position on each string. As a result, false tuning can become the root of serious intonation problems.

Hmmm, I didn't see that to be a problem at the moment to be honest. Perhaps I have been lucky. They are in the same place on each string, as far as I know. I'll have to check it out.

Thanks for the advice, just expense that's all.

J

Hay everyone

I don't know if any of you still need help on choosing E strings, but here's some ideas anyway!

I used the Dominant strings when I first started but found them to have a sharp, harsh sound. I used Obligato for quite a while (the Gold variety) but they wear out very quickly if you play them like 3-4 hours a day!

At the moment I am trying some different types: the Larsen Gold E Medium is good, it has a beautiful tone; the Vision and Vision Titanium strings are good, though they have a much brighter sound; and at the moment I am using a Czechoslovakian type of string called 'Warchal'!

Hope that's some ideas for someone!

It's easy to get used to slightly wonky tuning, if you change the strings you'll probably be pleasantly surprised. Depends how long they have been on.... If something is consistently slightly out, one's ears can tend to adjust so that it sounds right, even if it isn't really.