How do you decide when strings need replacement?

[Bernie R]

The question says it all.

[gowan]

The question says it all.

Primarily by the sound. When it deteriorates it's time for new strings. I also go by time, changing the strings every six months whether they need it or not. I sometimes find that they needed it and I didn't realize it

[Bernie R]

What changes when the sound deteriorates Gowan?

[Brad Dorsey]

"How do you decide when strings need replacement?"

I replace mine (Dominants) when they break or when the windings wear through and start unraveling. The A always goes first.

[Bernie R]

"How do you decide when strings need replacement?"

I replace mine (Dominants) when they break or when the windings wear through and start unraveling. The A always goes first.

Hi Brad,

Mine (often Dominants, currently Karneols) never seem to unravel. Does the sound of your strings not deteriorate before the windings wear through? How long do you think it takes you to wear out an A string?

[robertdo]

It depends how much you play each day. I once kept a dominant set until the bow would not really grab the string...

That was really not something to do but I was beginning. I heard that with some strings (like dominant) you can spot they need changed when the open string still sounds in tune while fingering gives out of tune notes (that is you realise that you have to change your finger placement).

I guess it also depends in some part of how much money you can spend on string, and if you are just playing for yourself or as part of an orchestra!

[scordatura]

I would describe the sound of strings that need to be replaced as dull and less reponsive than they need to be. When you put dominants on they are buzzy and metallic. Dependiing on how much playing you are doing, you need a minimum of four days and as much as a week for them to settle in. If the instrument is not being played it may take more time. This is provided that the instrument is not very dark to start with.

After strings have been played out they lose the overtones and the small amount of sizzle that is desirable. It feels like you have to be more aggressive to get the sound you want vs the sound being there.

[lyndon]

how long do strings, dominants last, on strung up instruments only rarely played, if its 6 months ive got 20 instruments to string and over 800 to spend on strings!!

[robertdo]

If I had to string up 20 instruments rarely used I would go for Pirastro Tonica. They are very good and cheap, plus I would be surprised if you were not to get a good rebate if you buy 20 sets of them!

Or even those Maestro strings which I heard are good enough and even cheaper. Although I am not sure you can find them outside China for the moment.

[lyndon]

i run a violin shop robert, i use mostly dominants for good reasons

[scordatura]

how long do strings, dominants last, on strung up instruments only rarely played, if its 6 months ive got 20 instruments to string and over 800 to spend on strings!!

Strings that are not being played would have a longer life than those that are being constantly played. Strings under tension will very slowly degrade over time.

[scordatura]

i run a violin shop robert, i use mostly dominants for good reasons

I have tried most if not all of the available strings. With certain exceptions I stick with dominants. Tonicas are good but not quite as good as dominants...in my opinion. I might be picky though. Cello A and D and viola A are a different story.

[stephen maloney]

The question says it all.

It does...but it implies so much more.

I have for years used Dominants but recently was

dissatisfied with the A string in particular, which seems to unravel annoyingly often (I practice a lot).

Does anyone have experience with VISION strings? I wonder how they compare to DOMINANTs.

Lastly, I wonder what changing from MITTEL to WEICH (thin) gauge does - increase speed of response but lessen volume?

.01 for your thoughts

[Brad Dorsey]

...Does the sound of your strings not deteriorate before the windings wear through?

The sound probably does deteriorate, but gradually enough that I don't notice it.

...How long do you think it takes you to wear out an A string?

That obviously depends on how much I play. I'd guess that I play an average of about 4-5 hours a week, and I wear out about 3-5 A strings a year.

[scordatura]

Lastly, I wonder what changing from MITTEL to WEICH (thin) gauge does - increase speed of response but lessen volume?

.01 for your thoughts

Your assessment is correct.

[James Ansara]

How long do new strings last in thier original package if not used?I have a couple of sets of Dominant and Passione strings waiting for violins to be made.

[scordatura]

How long do new strings last in thier original package if not used?I have a couple of sets of Dominant and Passione strings waiting for violins to be made.

Any synthetic core string should be fine. The silver wound strings will tarnish if stored for a long time. No biggy though.

[James Ansara]

Any synthetic core string should be fine. The silver wound strings will tarnish if stored for a long time. No biggy though.

Thanks for the info.How about the gut core strings?

[scordatura]

I used to use unwound gut strings (Heifetz influence pre Baroque Renaissance). I found that they did not last too long in general. I didd not want to store them very long. Hydroscopic and prone to oxidation perhaps.

[baroquecello]

I think there is quite a difference between how long cello strings and violin strings last, but I think they are subject to the same myths. String makers would like you to believe they deteriorate faster than they do, so you buy new ones faster. The sound of the new string is, ofcourse, different from the old string because it is new. Its gone after a couple of weeks.

I think durability has to do with what kind of strings you are talking about, not the brand, but the material. Steel strings usually have a solid or stranded core, around which there is a layer of resins or somthing that dampens, around which there are one or more windings. The things that are most likely to deteriorate are the outer winding, at the nut and the bridge, the core, at the bridge and, I think, the resin, caused by playing: penetrating sweat, dirt and grease. A good string has equal distribution of weight, stiffness and diametre over the whole vibrating length. As soon as one of those factors gets distorted, the string goes ever so slighly out of tune. If you take care that your string doesn't damage at the nut and the bridge, and you whipe your strings properly after every time you play (also take off all rosin deposit!), your strings will last a lot longer. That said, I can believe that certain synthetic strings may be more prone to absorbing sweat, for instance. Maybe synthetic cores also react to stretching over a longer period in a negative way (the first few days stretching will benefit them). But I'm not sure about that, I play too intensively, so it never comes to that.

How do you notice wether a string is bad? pluck it. If it doesn't vibrate evenly and doesn't give one clear pitch anymore, then it is ready for replacement. (well trained ears might notice this sooner..)

I don't think strings that are not used deteriorate much at all. Which of the materials would be deteriorating? Perhaps the dampening resins, but definately not the steel or synthetic material. Aquila strings even had on their website (producer of bare gut strings!) that bare gut doesn't deteriorate as much and fast as often assumed, when stored well (that is, dry and cool ofcourse) since it is essentially a mummified material. Wound gut strings, the lower two for cello, last you years before they go bad, even when in use!

So lyndon, I wouldn't worry about those dominants. You could, if you believe in them deteriorating because of stretching, tune them to a lower pitch when stored, so they are not stretched with the same force.

But this is just a cellists 2 cents.

[Michael Richwine]

how long do strings, dominants last, on strung up instruments only rarely played, if its 6 months ive got 20 instruments to string and over 800 to spend on strings!!

They last a long time if they're not getting played much. We seldom replace strings on the 500 or so instruments we have on display in the violin store. Might hurt the sound a little bit, but if someone is "close" on an expensive instrument, we'll work with them on string choice, adjustment, etc. Tastes vary so much that you can really only set up for the mythical "average" customer. IME, an occasional instrument sort of demands to be set up with a certain voice, but most better instruments give you considerable amount of latitude.

If you are a dealer, you might want to consider buying in bulk, direct from the importer. Why pay for retail packaging if the strings are going straight onto an instrument? The savings aren't huge, but they are significant, IMHO. Plus, you can buy a decent E string somewhere else, and improve the overall sound of your instruments.

I used to wear out aluminum wound A strings and E strings pretty quickly, but I lightened up my left hand technique, which improved my intonation and speed, and now my strings never wear out. They go absolutely dead, impossible to tune and nasty sounding, before they ever unravel or break.

[James Ansara]

Thanks for sharing everyone!