Anyone know of a nice E to suit the Zyex fiddle strings? My favourite is the Pirastro Olive gold E, but they tend to break when playing in hardcore sessions for any length of time. I can't afford to keep replacing them...
E strings, frankly, don't matter a whole bunch, and I'm just kind of amused by the concept of using an Oliv gold for traditional Irish music in general. These guys break a lot for two reasons - one, perhaps you're dealing with a huge range of humidity (and to a less degree) temperature changes.
The second reason, if you always find yourself to be the loudest fiddler at the session (or are continually trying to balance against accordians, etc.) it might be all right to not play so hard.
Have you tried Evah Pirazzis? They might have a sound closer to what you're looking for without being *quite* so freaking expensive.
I always liked the Pirastro Wondertone Gold E. Musician's Friend has them for under $6 USD. But like, benhall.1, I've drifted back to dominants (with the wound E).
I use the Oliv gold E and I've never had a problem with them breaking (except when trying to tune after too many beers). Are you sure you don't have a problem with your nut or fine tuner or something? Where do they break at? Do other E strings last longer on your fiddle?
I'm currently using Evah Pirazzis and I tried the E in the set, but I ditched and went back to the Oliv E. It's a very different sound.
I've kept Oliv Es on my fiddle for up to a year before replacing (far too long) and I've never had one just up and break for no reason. They do require a bit of care during tuning and will break if you take them up much past pitch, but they last just fine in my experience and I've been using them for many years.
For straight steel E's, I like the Lensner Goldbrokat Henk cites above, or a Helicore E. Helicore strings are also made by D'Addario. They last forever, holding their tone and tuning well.
(FWIW, Zyex made my fiddles sound like they were stuffed full of dried lentils. But I know a few good fiddlers who like Zyex on their instruments.)
Hmmm, two weeks?! No thanks--I'll stick with my Vision soloists. They settle in within hours, are focused yet warm, and last a long time. I use Helicores when I want a string that won't mush under pressure.
I never tried Visions, I'll give them a shot next time around.
I don't think it's a full two weeks, more like two days, but it feels long.
Everyone has their own tastes, I met a fiddler last night who said that red labels are her favorite & I was a fool to waste my money on anything else. Personally, I wouldn't use those things to seal a trash bag. But to each their own.
Brad, the Visions come in plain and two titanium versions, soloist and orchestral. I prefer the titanium soloists, and like Henk, I buy just the G, D, and A strings, and use a Helicore or Goldbrokat E. Keeps the price of a set reasonable, and almost anything's better than the titanium Es.
Marklar, it's interesting that you've never had a problem with Oliv Es: maybe it's my frenzied, high volume scratching that's to blame...
They are such nice strings though.
Yeah Will, it's funny that exactly the relative expensive titanium Es are to be avoided. Combining with Goldbrokat E makes a reasonable price for a set, and you avoid all the bad things dominants come with (long break in time, wear out quickly, go dead after a short while). And this set is much cheaper compared with the Evahs !
I should have said that my post concurs with Hauke's above - try the Thomastik Superflexible - I've used this E for 9 months now and after trying LOADS of E's (to avoid a whistling problem) I'll be sticking to the T.S. now
E to go with D'Addario Zyex
E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Anyone know of a nice E to suit the Zyex fiddle strings? My favourite is the Pirastro Olive gold E, but they tend to break when playing in hardcore sessions for any length of time. I can't afford to keep replacing them...
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Robert Ryan
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
I've just decided that I'm going to go back to Dominants and have done with it.
But I'd be ever so interested in what you think of those Zyex things - I know the person who owns the company but I've never tried the strings ...
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Lenzner Goldbrokat - cheap and good. I mix it with Thomastik Vsion Titanium Solo G, D and A.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Zyexs are great.
E strings, frankly, don't matter a whole bunch, and I'm just kind of amused by the concept of using an Oliv gold for traditional Irish music in general. These guys break a lot for two reasons - one, perhaps you're dealing with a huge range of humidity (and to a less degree) temperature changes.
The second reason, if you always find yourself to be the loudest fiddler at the session (or are continually trying to balance against accordians, etc.) it might be all right to not play so hard.
Have you tried Evah Pirazzis? They might have a sound closer to what you're looking for without being *quite* so freaking expensive.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by reenactor
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
I always liked the Pirastro Wondertone Gold E. Musician's Friend has them for under $6 USD. But like, benhall.1, I've drifted back to dominants (with the wound E).
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by nofrets
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
I use the Oliv gold E and I've never had a problem with them breaking (except when trying to tune after too many beers). Are you sure you don't have a problem with your nut or fine tuner or something? Where do they break at? Do other E strings last longer on your fiddle?
I'm currently using Evah Pirazzis and I tried the E in the set, but I ditched and went back to the Oliv E. It's a very different sound.
I've kept Oliv Es on my fiddle for up to a year before replacing (far too long) and I've never had one just up and break for no reason. They do require a bit of care during tuning and will break if you take them up much past pitch, but they last just fine in my experience and I've been using them for many years.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Marklar
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
For straight steel E's, I like the Lensner Goldbrokat Henk cites above, or a Helicore E. Helicore strings are also made by D'Addario. They last forever, holding their tone and tuning well.
(FWIW, Zyex made my fiddles sound like they were stuffed full of dried lentils. But I know a few good fiddlers who like Zyex on their instruments.)
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
For what it's worth, Zyex strings take about two weeks or so to 'play in'.
I have some Eva Pirazzi's on mine now, they sound great, but are an extraordinary, unparalleled pain in the ass to keep in tune.
Dollars for donuts I'll stick w/ Helicores (last forever decent tone & volume) or Zyex (loudest strings I've ever used, but a little 'slow')
Since the dollar is 'on sale' right now, us yanks are better off sticking with US strings than European imports.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Mad Baloney
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Hmmm, two weeks?! No thanks--I'll stick with my Vision soloists. They settle in within hours, are focused yet warm, and last a long time. I use Helicores when I want a string that won't mush under pressure.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
I never tried Visions, I'll give them a shot next time around.
I don't think it's a full two weeks, more like two days, but it feels long.
Everyone has their own tastes, I met a fiddler last night who said that red labels are her favorite & I was a fool to waste my money on anything else. Personally, I wouldn't use those things to seal a trash bag. But to each their own.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Mad Baloney
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Brad, the Visions come in plain and two titanium versions, soloist and orchestral. I prefer the titanium soloists, and like Henk, I buy just the G, D, and A strings, and use a Helicore or Goldbrokat E. Keeps the price of a set reasonable, and almost anything's better than the titanium Es.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Marklar, it's interesting that you've never had a problem with Oliv Es: maybe it's my frenzied, high volume scratching that's to blame...
They are such nice strings though.
# Posted on August 7th 2008 by Robert Ryan
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Yeah Will, it's funny that exactly the relative expensive titanium Es are to be avoided. Combining with Goldbrokat E makes a reasonable price for a set, and you avoid all the bad things dominants come with (long break in time, wear out quickly, go dead after a short while). And this set is much cheaper compared with the Evahs !
# Posted on August 8th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Tried the Hill E, or the new Thomastic Superflexible yet ???
# Posted on August 10th 2008 by hauke
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
Not me; and I'll stick with the set I described for a good while, that's sure.
Try to do a search in earlier discussions and see if they'll come up. Good luck.
# Posted on August 10th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/18340
# Posted on August 12th 2008 by domnull
Re: E to go with D'Addario Zyex
I should have said that my post concurs with Hauke's above - try the Thomastik Superflexible - I've used this E for 9 months now and after trying LOADS of E's (to avoid a whistling problem) I'll be sticking to the T.S. now
# Posted on August 12th 2008 by domnull