QuiteFrankly Posted November 14, 2015 Report Share Posted November 14, 2015 Hi, I wanted to ask around what is the best choice for an "A" string for my cello? I want the most brightest and most powerful sound I can get. Could somebody recommend something to me? Thank you very much, QuiteFrankly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Victor Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 One would need to know more about your specific instrument to give you a good answer, and even then one' can't be sure until the strings are actually installed and "broken in." Be that as it may, my experience is that 1. different cellos respond their best to different strings. 2. all the strings affect each other so a string will sound different if you change the other strings Right now I am having good results with 2 Strad model cellos with a full set of Pirastro Permanent brand of strings. My Ruggieri model cello does well with Pirastro Flexocor A, D, and G and a Spirocore Tungsten C, it does not do well with the Permanenet strings and the Strad model cellos do not do well with the Flexocors. My strad model cellos are "brighter" than my Ruggieri model, but the Ruggieri is more audible to me in ensemble playing. I have found the Pirastro Obligato A string to be bright, but fragile I broke 2 Obligato A strings installing them, the only A strings I broke during installation in 66 years. The Pirastro Evah Pirazzi strings are also bright. Higher tension strings are often bright, but not every instrument can tolerate them. A "standard set" for a cello often involves Larsen A and D and Spirocore G and C. Some cellos respond better to Jargar A and D. A dark sounding cello will not necessarily be improved or brightened by using a "bright" string, the instrument itself must have the resonances to support the string. A different bow or even a different rosin can change the tone, projection, and balance of overtones. The soundpost must be properly located for the particular instrument and a professionally carved bridge are critical to getting the best out of any instrument. I've been playing cello since 1949 and have spent thousands of dollars on strings over the years. So I will not ask you to necessarily trust me, but I do. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asovcl Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 Thomastik Spirocore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR. S Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 The only answer is: The one that sounds best to you on your cello. How to find out? Spend lots of time and money trying many different strings. That really is the only anwer. Otherwise, just deal with what you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 I think you need to have a decent good quality reference point. I use Dominants for mine. Then if I try another brand I ask myself do I prefer it to the Dominants? If so, why? Every instrument is different. Every environment is different. Budget and personal preference ...all different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asovcl Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 From the Thomastik website re Dominants: "The sound is soft, clear, and with stable intonation." The gentleman asked for "brightest and most powerful sound". Forgive me, but Dominants are not going to get him there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 No...and I said I use Dominants as my reference point...I didn't recommend he use Dominants as his bright strings. My point was he won't know until he has something to compare to... Who knows what he thinks will sound bright and powerful on his cello...compared to what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asovcl Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 Who knows what he thinks will sound bright and powerful on his cello...compared to what? The purpose of Dominants is to sound like gut, but with stable intonation. If you're looking for a bright string, it doesn't make any sense to compare apples to oranges. At least start with something in the same ballpark you're looking for, like a steel string! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Stross Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 Hi, I wanted to ask around what is the best choice for an "A" string for my cello? I want the most brightest and most powerful sound I can get. Could somebody recommend something to me? The purpose of Dominants is to sound like gut, but with stable intonation. If you're looking for a bright string, it doesn't make any sense to compare apples to oranges. At least start with something in the same ballpark you're looking for, like a steel string! You are killing the thread - we could've done 17 pages of going in circles until figuring out that steel strings are bright and loud and synthetics are ...much less so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Goldsmith Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 Larsen soloist Medium.If This does not work get a good luthier to sort your cello....I work with some of the best out there.A string is really important. I never had a request for a Spiricore A but have had experience of top player rejecting them.Generally my feel re the string that top cellists in Europe want for the A....an Eva A or Pirastro Permanant A or Jargar will work....Never a spirocore A or D but G and C are still standing the test of time. Larsen A is best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Victor Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 I gotta say this: I don't think I have heard a cellist recommend Dominant strings for at least 30 - 35 years - certainly not in the past 16 years that I have been tracking Cello Chat on line. I think I started using cello Dominants in the 1970s, after I quit using gut-core strings, but there are so many other choices now. I think the Larsen/Spirocore or Larsen/Spirocore combos I suggested above are now better benchmarks and while they have always been good for me, I have more recently found what I consider to be better choices for my own instruments. Admittedly, Dominants still seem to be the benchmark for violins (according to a VSA panel a few yeas ago) - and they certainly are fine for several of the strings on my viola, althoough I have found Pirastro Permanent viola strings to be better for me. I have never heard of a full set of Spirocores recommended for cello, but I had a viola that was fabulous with a full set of Spirocores, but they sucked on my current viola. Cellos are strange beasts, the sound that comes out the front is not at all what the player hears, but the sound the player hears is very important to creating proper phrasing and for playing in ensemble. When I have heard others play my cellos they sounded completely different than when my ears are next to the scroll - really amazing sound, totally different than what I heard when playing. I test the sound of my chin instruments by playing them in cello position where I CAN get my ears close-ish to the f-holes, but not as unbalanced as when in chin position. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omobono Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 1. different cellos respond their best to different strings. 2. all the strings affect each other so a string will sound different if you change the other strings A different bow ... can change the tone, projection, and balance of overtones. Andy Andrew's advice is sound for all members of the fiddle family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asovcl Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I have never heard of a full set of Spirocores recommended for cello... David Finkel, cellist of the Emerson Quartet. One of the "top cellists"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Goldsmith Posted November 22, 2015 Report Share Posted November 22, 2015 Firstt thing to say is that Larry asovcl is a very fine cellist and knows his stuff...on theother hand I did to offer Siorocore A an D...last time I did it was 20 years ago to Kirshbaum ....he played the A and D and looked at me as if I was an idiot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asovcl Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 .... I did to offer Siorocore A an D...last time I did it was 20 years ago to Kirshbaum ....he played the A and D and looked at me as if I was an idiot I played with Ralph about 20 years ago, and of course he's world class. That said, if you're a soloist playing on a great instrument, I'd think you'd want to gravitate towards beauty, and not necessarily "most brightest and most powerful", which is what the OP asked for. Up until recently I played Evahs, but because I play in an orchestra I decided to try Spirocores on top to match the ones I've (recently) had on the bottom. Evahs are pretty. Spirocores are, indeed, bright and powerful, but perhaps at the expense of ultimate beauty. ( ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmaplecello Posted March 13, 2021 Report Share Posted March 13, 2021 Regarding a full set of Spirocores for the cello, these were Rostropovich's string of choice. This can be seen with the red silk at the tailpiece as well as in the windings on the pegs. I love the D, G, C with Jargar forte A. Awesome combo for my professional instrument. And as for Kirshbaum, he uses Prims for his A and D. Different strokes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cellopera Posted March 13, 2021 Report Share Posted March 13, 2021 The best cello set on the market at this point is Thomastik Rondo. I have it on both my cellos, an old French and a modern Italian. Those strings are perfectly balanced, have great projection and at the same time feel very comfortable under the hands. My problem with Larsen strings, having playing them over the years, is the lifespan. They loose the resonance and response after only one month of playing. I thought it was impossible to achieve a great sound without having to combine strings, because cellists, unlike violinists, have always combined different brands for the upper and lower strings (eg. Larsen A/D and Spirocores G/C). Well, this problem was finally addressed by Thomastik with the new Rondos. Try them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumcello Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 As has already been said, all cellos behave differently. Some luthiers have a selection of trial strings and will let you assess a few different string combinations on the assumption that you will buy a new set from them at the end of this process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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