4strings Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 I've tried Vision Titanium in both solo and orchestral "strengths". I liked them both. I think the "orchestral" are easier to get started - easier to move, and perhaps easier for my neighbors in the orchestra to put up with ;-), since my violin is powerful in itself. I can blend better, but project just fine when it's necessary. If I only ever played solos, I would use the Vision Ti Solos. However, with both string sets there is a gradual decline in quality of the sound, and after about four months, there is a sudden drop down to absolute deadness, manifested in a reluctance to start producing sound, and complete lack of color and depth. I even thought maybe I had a seam open, the first time this happened, but here it is again, after a similar interval. I tried Evahs on this violin a while back, and they don't do as well as these Ti's. On the other hand, on my former violin, the Evahs were absolutely perfect, and the Ti's were absolutely gross. I'm going to get another set of Titaniums, probably the orchestra ones, for the time being. After all, they won't last but 4 months, tops, so I'm not committing for six months or a year. But does anyone know of a similar string that has a longer lifespan, and keeps all the color and power? Not maybe for a year, but for more than four months? This is getting pricey.... Thanks, Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
con_ritmo Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 depending on how much you play every day...4 months is a LONNNNGGG time. if strings were free, i'd change mine once a month....even more than that depending on the situation. yes, strings are pricey....switching back and forth between different brands...that's even pricier. if visions work for you, stick with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thom Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 My luthier's rule of thumb, which I follow, is to change strings after 120 hours. If you play one hour per day, four months would be the point at which you would change. This does not necessarily mean that the strings no longer sound o.k., but you avoid the gradual decline which I have trouble hearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4strings Posted November 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2007 Well, this is interesting. Here I thought those who changed strings after three or four months generally did so because they like that "new string" sound, not because the old strings were actually shot. Thanks for this feedback -- J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Victor Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 ???? The violinist in my piano trio (I'm the cellist in that one and we've been playing in this group for 7 years) has been talking about putting a new set of strings on his valuable, 100-year old Italian violin for the past 2 years, but the Eva Pirazzi (mediums) he has had on there for 3 years keep sounding better and better to him. He is a member of a number of groups so if he averages 20 hours of playing each week, these strings would have about 3,000 hours on them. They sound better to me also. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violon Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 That makes sense to me since we're talking about Eva Pirazzi's. When they're new, at least on my violin they were very harsh and strident. The longer they're played, the mellower they become. That said, I only left them on until the pocketbook could stand another hit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Holmes Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 quote: Originally posted by: 4strings But does anyone know of a similar string that has a longer lifespan, and keeps all the color and power? Not maybe for a year, but for more than four months? This is getting pricey.... Nope. I don't know of similar strings that last longer. How long any set of strings lasts really depends on the player, their environment, and to some extent, the instrument itself. I know some very active players who rarely change strings... or need bow rehairs for that matter. That said, I do find that the Visions seem to fail slightly faster than some other strings... but that perception may have something to do with how they fail. One day they're fine, the next they're terrible.... with little to no warning. Still, if you're getting 4 months out of them, that's not too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technique_doc Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Some of my students are using Vision, and we have had to change quite a few strings of late. As for strings not lasting generally, I am surprised at the short life some players are claiming. I get 3 months out of an E, a little more for the A and ages for the other 2! It depends on the make of course..... I'm still using Dominant and hating the first 2 weeks as ever. I am trying an obligato E just now....hopeless, still whistling after 3 weeks.... I've been away (playing mostly), but got a great review for my solo in a concert recently.....I'd spent half the rehearsal pulling faces at the tone of my new E and A....so most of these things are in the head. T_D (back, whilst on temporary christmas shutdown!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Burgess Posted December 6, 2007 Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 quote: Originally posted by: Andrew Victor The violinist in my piano trio (I'm the cellist in that one and we've been playing in this group for 7 years) has been talking about putting a new set of strings on his valuable, 100-year old Italian violin for the past 2 years, but the Eva Pirazzi (mediums) he has had on there for 3 years keep sounding better and better to him. He is a member of a number of groups so if he averages 20 hours of playing each week, these strings would have about 3,000 hours on them. How does he know what to attribute to strings, and what to other factors unless he changes the strings? A violin (independent of strings) can change a great deal in 3 years. Dominants are the most stable sounding string, over the longest period of time, that I know of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Molnar Posted December 6, 2007 Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 I'm not getting great reviews from players up here about visions. They are saying that the sound drops out sooner than they think it should. Which seems to define most of the newer strings on the market. But is it just me, or is this whole vision line one of the most confusing marketing decisions any where? Vision ti, vision solo, vision orchestra, vision titanium solo, and on,,,,,,,and on. Aren't there about five different strings, all under the name of vision? Who can keep track of this? And why should a consumer have to? When I ask a player which vision they didn't like, most weren’t aware that there are different ones! Which means that if a player is not happy with one, they accuse the entire line of strings. The packages even look the same, FHS. Tried a set of Ziganes (sp?) this summer, same story, 4-strings. They sounded wonderful for a couple months, now they sound flat. I was starting to think it was the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violon Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 Try some Obligatos ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Fine Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Andy, How are the strings not falling apart on your friend's violin? What I wouldn't give to have sweat like him. I'm not particularly acidic (or whatever quality it is that damages varnish and makes the strings fall apart), but my strings always start to unravel after a couple of months. 3 years is strange and nothing short of miraculous in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutherford Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 The orchestra Visions are my favorite strings (having tried Dominants, Tonicas, Obligatos, helicores) on my main fiddle. I play mostly folk music. They do wear out sort of 'overnight' at around 4 months but have a sound with more 'bite' than most but without a shrill steel quality. I am interested in how humidity affects string life. I feel like strings for less time in our new place - very high humidity near salt water - but don't really know if that is true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob A Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 My granddaughter has a violin strung with titanium vision solos. When they were brand new they were somewhat brash and scary loud, but after a few months they've mellowed. She likes them quite a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yucki8aby Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 are helicores good for violins? or are the synthetic core strings better. i currently use a set of dominants and i'm trying to save up for some larson Es. i can't decide = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcarufe Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Helicores can last for a long time on a violin. For steel strings, they have a warm sound and are an aquired taste. Also, I find they have a different feel in the left hand as they vibrate. They do have a considerable dynamic range in amplitude contrary to urban legends that steel string only play at one speed. i.e. loud Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfgard90 Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 I've tried Pirastro Flexocor and after 4 weeks the D is always out of tune and the G and A loses their power and brilliance after a month, i didn't bought the E because i always use Eudoxa E. I only play an hour or more a day. Then i tried Vision Titanium Solo and they lasted 5 months withe me, but after that period the sound turned dark and i changed them with some Evahs. They're really the best on my violin and i'm really satisfied with them, i'l never buy anything else. My advise to every violinist is to at least try once Evah Pirazzi, they give the best sound on much fiddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutherford Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 for my kind of music, helicores sound great. They tear up my fingertips a little.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSGNOTES Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 My daughter has been using a set of Warchal Brilliant strings for at least 4 months.They still sound beautiful to me. They are our top choice after trying Dominants, and Evahs. Bohdan Warchal a Maestronet member, is interested in what we think of his products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutherford Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 I would love to say what I think of his products ...but they are very difficult to order.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSGNOTES Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Rutherford, Here's the url. I had no trouble getting them in NY. http://www.warchal.com/ Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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