I know this topic has probably been raised before in one way or another, but what fiddle strings do you use and how long do you keep them on before changing. I know this depends on how often you play and for how long, but it would be interesting. I play most days for at least 45 mins a day and then once a week at our session and for barn dances at least once a month. I use D'addario (sp?) helicore medium strings and I am quite pleased with them. They are not as warm sounding as the dominants I have used previously but they don't stretch like the dominants and they fit the fine tuners. Dominants do not fit fine tuners very well, I once broke one of the fine tuners trying to prise a dominant string into it.
I just recently started using Zyex (sp?) and really like them a lot. Good response and don't seem to be stretching at all. I switched from the helicore strings just to see the difference. Dominant strings are a bit bright on my fiddle. I use them to play classical music but the tended to be too loud for fiddle music and double stops didn't sound right to me. I change my strings about once every 3 months or so.
I currently use Zyex strings on my 200-year old German fiddle. They give a strong, bright tone, and on my instrument the G and D are particularly sonorous. I’ve noticed over the months that once they’ve settled down – it doesn’t take long – they stay in tune for ages and aren’t apparently affected by weather conditions.
I know a solo concert violinist who is currently using Helicores on his 18c Italian violin. Interestingly, he doesn’t have adjusters (except for the E) and tunes the Helicores easily using the pegs. Shows how well his fiddle must be set up!
A very good trad fiddler I know uses Obligato strings, which have a rich brilliant tone. They have a polymer core and she is quite happy to tune them from the pegs. I use Obligato strings on my cello, and again they are best tuned from the pegs. I’m considering changing to Obligatos for my fiddle when the Zyex are due for a change.
Although strings can apparently last a long time they do start to lose their tone after a few months, especially if you do a lot of playing, but you may not be aware of the change of tone for some time. A busy amateur or semi-pro fiddler with public engagements would probably like to change strings every 6 months – and have the bow checked out at the same time; you do carry a spare bow don’t you
Every year a busy player may like to have the instrument checked out by a luthier: bridge, soundpost, fingerboard, tailpiece, pegs, and exterior damage, and the interior inspected for any unwanted resident life-forms. Any cracks or splits should be dealt with professionally immediately.
I’ve been thinking about why a string breaks and how its life span can be optimised. There are a number of factors involved.
1) The grooves on the bridge and fingerboard nut through which the strings pass should be smooth and contoured to the dimensions of the strings. The strings naturally try to move slightly in the grooves when they are being tuned and when there are changes of tension caused by playing or changes in temperature or humidity. If that movement is impeded by roughness in the groove then the string winding is likely to become damaged and the string may break. Although the contouring of the grooves is something best left to the luthier, the player can lubricate the grooves by applying graphite lead from a soft drawing pencil (6B or softer). Sharpen the pencil lead to a fine chisel edge first. This lubrication should be done when you change a string, and it’s a good idea to repeat it now and again. Slacken off the strings one at a time and always keep the other three up to pitch when you’re doing this.
2) When the strings are wound on to the pegs try to ensure that the last winding of a string isn’t jammed between the other windings of that string and the inside surface of the peg-box (there should be a space between the string and that surface), otherwise the peg will be difficult to turn and the string will become damaged. Also, try to angle the run of the string as it comes off the peg so that the resultant force tries to pull the peg into the peg-box. This may be a bit difficult with the G string. Try to ensure that a string in its route from the peg to the fingerboard nut doesn’t foul another peg or string – another source of tuning problems. If you can’t do this it may be because of poor positioning of one or more peg holes, and this problem can only be corrected by a luthier.
3) Make sure the pegs move smoothly in their holes. This is important if you’re using strings that can be tuned using the pegs. A badly sticking peg should be left to the attentions of the luthier but a slight sticking can be dealt with by the player by applying to the peg a minimal quantity of a proprietary wax sold by fiddle dealers for the purpose. Apply the stuff to one spot on the peg and rotate the peg in the hole to distribute it evenly. If you use too much the peg won’t hold and you’ll have a problem. If in doubt see a luthier about it.
4) Height of strings above the fingerboard. If a string is too high unnecessary pressure is required to press it down. This increases the string tension and will tend to shorten its life, and will make the string go sharp. In addition, it requires that much more effort on the part of the player and may cause increased tension in the playing hand and arm. The strings should be brought down fairly close to the fingerboard. The luthier will advise and should be left to cut the bridge to the right size and re-groove it. The better (but more expensive) course, if you’re really after tone quality, is to raise the fingerboard up to the strings, but again this is a job for the luthier.
5) It’s often not realised among string players that it’s not always necessary that the finger should press the string down into contact with the fingerboard – guitarists and other fretted instrument players have long known this. You can experiment and see that although the finger may be in contact with the fingerboard there may be a small gap of a fraction of a millimetre between the string itself and the fingerboard. Closing that gap requires unnecessary extra effort and the change in tone is unnoticeable in most circumstances. If the string is always coming into actual contact with the fingerboard then there is likely to be extra wear on the string and the fingerboard.
6) A common cause of string wear and breakage is the long finger nail, so keep ‘em short! A long nail not only damages the winding of the string and may ultimately break the string, but causes wear on the fingerboard.
7) Clean rosin and other gunge off the strings after playing. Surplus rosin doesn’t enhance the string and alters the tone. See the discussion “basic fiddle maintenance” http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/967 for further details.
I used to use (don't play much anymore) Pirastro steel strings and a Dominant on the E and found that my fiddle sounded fine. The Pirastros are slightly cheaper than the Dominant but dound good (except on the E).
Hi
I think I have tried almost every string known and although the dominants have a lovely earthy tone I have succumbed to D'addario Zyex. Other fiddlers I know use helicore or obligato. The Zyex are reasonably priced and last a good while. As for changing strings I have found it depends on how often you play but I find I have to change my E string before I change a set because it loses its tone and brightness much quicker than the otehr strings.
fiddle strings
fiddle strings
I know this topic has probably been raised before in one way or another, but what fiddle strings do you use and how long do you keep them on before changing. I know this depends on how often you play and for how long, but it would be interesting. I play most days for at least 45 mins a day and then once a week at our session and for barn dances at least once a month. I use D'addario (sp?) helicore medium strings and I am quite pleased with them. They are not as warm sounding as the dominants I have used previously but they don't stretch like the dominants and they fit the fine tuners. Dominants do not fit fine tuners very well, I once broke one of the fine tuners trying to prise a dominant string into it.
# Posted on April 7th 2003 by Daver
Re: fiddle strings
I just recently started using Zyex (sp?) and really like them a lot. Good response and don't seem to be stretching at all. I switched from the helicore strings just to see the difference. Dominant strings are a bit bright on my fiddle. I use them to play classical music but the tended to be too loud for fiddle music and double stops didn't sound right to me. I change my strings about once every 3 months or so.
# Posted on April 8th 2003 by KP
Re: fiddle strings
Try these past threads, one of which is exactly on changing string time:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/1194
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/347
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/919
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/212 (you started that one, Daver)
# Posted on April 8th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: fiddle strings
I currently use Zyex strings on my 200-year old German fiddle. They give a strong, bright tone, and on my instrument the G and D are particularly sonorous. I’ve noticed over the months that once they’ve settled down – it doesn’t take long – they stay in tune for ages and aren’t apparently affected by weather conditions.
I know a solo concert violinist who is currently using Helicores on his 18c Italian violin. Interestingly, he doesn’t have adjusters (except for the E) and tunes the Helicores easily using the pegs. Shows how well his fiddle must be set up!
A very good trad fiddler I know uses Obligato strings, which have a rich brilliant tone. They have a polymer core and she is quite happy to tune them from the pegs. I use Obligato strings on my cello, and again they are best tuned from the pegs. I’m considering changing to Obligatos for my fiddle when the Zyex are due for a change.
For a useful summary of strings currently on the market and a discussion of their pros and cons have a look at http://www.ifshinviolins.com/strings.html
Although strings can apparently last a long time they do start to lose their tone after a few months, especially if you do a lot of playing, but you may not be aware of the change of tone for some time. A busy amateur or semi-pro fiddler with public engagements would probably like to change strings every 6 months – and have the bow checked out at the same time; you do carry a spare bow don’t you
Every year a busy player may like to have the instrument checked out by a luthier: bridge, soundpost, fingerboard, tailpiece, pegs, and exterior damage, and the interior inspected for any unwanted resident life-forms. Any cracks or splits should be dealt with professionally immediately.
I’ve been thinking about why a string breaks and how its life span can be optimised. There are a number of factors involved.
1) The grooves on the bridge and fingerboard nut through which the strings pass should be smooth and contoured to the dimensions of the strings. The strings naturally try to move slightly in the grooves when they are being tuned and when there are changes of tension caused by playing or changes in temperature or humidity. If that movement is impeded by roughness in the groove then the string winding is likely to become damaged and the string may break. Although the contouring of the grooves is something best left to the luthier, the player can lubricate the grooves by applying graphite lead from a soft drawing pencil (6B or softer). Sharpen the pencil lead to a fine chisel edge first. This lubrication should be done when you change a string, and it’s a good idea to repeat it now and again. Slacken off the strings one at a time and always keep the other three up to pitch when you’re doing this.
2) When the strings are wound on to the pegs try to ensure that the last winding of a string isn’t jammed between the other windings of that string and the inside surface of the peg-box (there should be a space between the string and that surface), otherwise the peg will be difficult to turn and the string will become damaged. Also, try to angle the run of the string as it comes off the peg so that the resultant force tries to pull the peg into the peg-box. This may be a bit difficult with the G string. Try to ensure that a string in its route from the peg to the fingerboard nut doesn’t foul another peg or string – another source of tuning problems. If you can’t do this it may be because of poor positioning of one or more peg holes, and this problem can only be corrected by a luthier.
3) Make sure the pegs move smoothly in their holes. This is important if you’re using strings that can be tuned using the pegs. A badly sticking peg should be left to the attentions of the luthier but a slight sticking can be dealt with by the player by applying to the peg a minimal quantity of a proprietary wax sold by fiddle dealers for the purpose. Apply the stuff to one spot on the peg and rotate the peg in the hole to distribute it evenly. If you use too much the peg won’t hold and you’ll have a problem. If in doubt see a luthier about it.
4) Height of strings above the fingerboard. If a string is too high unnecessary pressure is required to press it down. This increases the string tension and will tend to shorten its life, and will make the string go sharp. In addition, it requires that much more effort on the part of the player and may cause increased tension in the playing hand and arm. The strings should be brought down fairly close to the fingerboard. The luthier will advise and should be left to cut the bridge to the right size and re-groove it. The better (but more expensive) course, if you’re really after tone quality, is to raise the fingerboard up to the strings, but again this is a job for the luthier.
5) It’s often not realised among string players that it’s not always necessary that the finger should press the string down into contact with the fingerboard – guitarists and other fretted instrument players have long known this. You can experiment and see that although the finger may be in contact with the fingerboard there may be a small gap of a fraction of a millimetre between the string itself and the fingerboard. Closing that gap requires unnecessary extra effort and the change in tone is unnoticeable in most circumstances. If the string is always coming into actual contact with the fingerboard then there is likely to be extra wear on the string and the fingerboard.
6) A common cause of string wear and breakage is the long finger nail, so keep ‘em short! A long nail not only damages the winding of the string and may ultimately break the string, but causes wear on the fingerboard.
7) Clean rosin and other gunge off the strings after playing. Surplus rosin doesn’t enhance the string and alters the tone. See the discussion “basic fiddle maintenance” http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/967 for further details.
Trevor
# Posted on April 8th 2003 by lazyhound
Re: fiddle strings
I used to use (don't play much anymore) Pirastro steel strings and a Dominant on the E and found that my fiddle sounded fine. The Pirastros are slightly cheaper than the Dominant but dound good (except on the E).
FMF
# Posted on April 8th 2003 by folkmasterflex
....sound good
# Posted on April 8th 2003 by folkmasterflex
Re: fiddle strings
Hi
I think I have tried almost every string known and although the dominants have a lovely earthy tone I have succumbed to D'addario Zyex. Other fiddlers I know use helicore or obligato. The Zyex are reasonably priced and last a good while. As for changing strings I have found it depends on how often you play but I find I have to change my E string before I change a set because it loses its tone and brightness much quicker than the otehr strings.
Cheers!
Terri
# Posted on April 13th 2003 by terri