Looking for a durable E string

[Trent_Hill]

I use unwound E strings on my violin, either tinned or chromed. Lately I've been noticing that they only last a week or so before the tinning starts wearing off at those points where I finger notes, resulting in the string either going false or squealing uncontrollably. This seems to happen regardless of the specific brand of string I'm using--so far I've tried Westminster, Pirastro Gold Label, and Goldbrokat. The same thing happens with gold-plated strings, but faster, and wound Es (at least the medium Pirastro Eudoxa E I tried) make the violin sound insipid and wispy.

Doea anybody here have any suggestions or recommendations for an unwound, non-gold-plated E string that can take the punishment I'm administering to it? I s'pose I could just break down and put a new E on every week, but that seems a little excessive (or obsessive--take your pick.

Thanks,

Trent

[Ciaccona]

Well, I've been using Kaplans. Cheap and cheerful - the sound seems to last just fine, but my fiddle doesn't seem to mind how old the strings are and still sounds great.

Actually, I just remembered that I break my E strings so often that I can't quite say how long they last. But the times when they haven't broken for a few weeks, the sound has definitely stayed true.

[Jascha]

Infeld Blues have been good, from my experience.

[Bernd Muesing]

From your description I conclude your finger's chemistry might kill the strings rather than mechanical stress.

Stainless steel E strings should solve that issue best and give you some fair durability. One example for it is the Dominant, but there is not too many people and violins that really like their tonal qualities

I am not 100% sure, but I think the Infeld Red, which has a relativ thin gold plating, is made from stainless steel.

But maybe you just give some other good strings a try, like the Infeld Blue, Eva Pirazzi or Hill, and see how they go?

[toasty]

I don't know if it would help but try this -

deliberately try not to bottom out as you finger - try to press down only with the finger tip. I often go from full heavy to light depending on what I am trying to achieve, and yes it does damage stings to be too heavy all the time. A shure sign is the A

loosing it's windings.

Hope that Helps

[M Rankin]

Trent: you could try a Thomastik Spirocore E. They are wound, but in my experience have quite a bright sound and last very well.

Max