erikfriedlander.com
I've just recently went to Larsen Solo strings for the A & D string. I think their thickness is very much suited to my playing style and I like the sound too. For the lower two strings I use the Spirocore "wolfram" (tungsten) I also use the D'Addario Helicore, which is their tungsten string and is a bit cheaper. I love the sound of Olives, they are richer and more detailed but they don't pizz particularly well and the gut core demands a lot of maintenance. Slight temp changes cause them to go out of tune. Since I do a lot of alternative playing, where I will pizz a lot I need a little more resilient string. A Prim Orchestra "g" can work well, it's a cheap string, a little unpredictable quality wise, but a good match with a tungsten c.
Changing strings: I do it whenever I think the strings have gone over the hill. I will generally change before a record date, a tour, I will try to get a month out of my top strings. The bottoms can go for a while, at least 2-3 months, but I try not to think about the time passing and rather think about the sound and feel. I can't tell you how many times my intonation and overall playing ease jumped up after a string change. Always makes me wonder why I waited.......
I heard some talk of Flexocors and got a set. The strings are meant to be used as a set. At first, I did just that, I put them on as a set. The G and C are silver. When I had the set on, and would play at home by myself, I loved the set just as it was. But the minute I would join any ensemble (quartet, trio, orchestra), the G and especially the C did not have the power I needed to 'cut through'. So, I put my Spirocore Tungsten G and C back on. However, I noticed that while the C sounded great, the Spirocore Tungsten G was unduly harsh. My final arrangement was to put the Flexocor G back on, and now the combination is perfect for my cello: Flexocor, Flexocor, Flexocor, Spirocore Tungsten. I should add that every A string I had ever used sounded twangy on my cello. The Larsen was the least twangy, but happily the Flexocor is not twangy at all. Check out the prices and other info at the Pirastro web site.
Posted by Jennifer on July 18, 1998 at 9:23 pm
I use the Pirastro Chromcor Pluses on top, and I really like them. Very dark, warm, responsive -- although they don't last very long, only six months or so on my cello.
Posted by kristine on July 17, 1998 at 3:28 pm
I like the Permanent A, D, and G, but the tungsten Permanent C was not as clear and smooth-sounding as a Spirocore C. The Spirocore C also projects much better, in my opinion (or at least for my cello).
Posted by Steve Drake
I really like some pirastro strings. I've used Eudoxa G and C on my old cello for years. I recently got a new cello, and have tried dozens of different strings on it, and after pirastro sent me a set of the new Flexocores, I've settled on them for now. They are the perfect combination of the warmth and responsiveness of gut strings, but with the power and stability of steel strings. They are designed to be used as a set, and actually work that way, which is unusual. I've also tried Permanents, which were really nice for the D and C string, and Chromcor Plus, which sounded great for a few weeks, but got twangy quickly.
You should definitely try Flexocores. I use a whole set on my new cello, which is also a montagnana copy (pictures at http://members.aol.com/sddrake/vcgalry.htm). I found just about everything else to be too bright, or not responsive enough - the spirocore C sounded great, but just didn't speak easily enough for me.
...go to the Southwest Strings and Shar catalog sites and see what kinds of discounts are being offered (Southwest Strings seems to be a bit cheaper than Shar).
I generally replace the top 2 strings about every 4-6 months, depending on how hard I've been playing. It depends on the strings a lot. The Larsens and Jargars I've used previously seemed to need to be changed pretty quickly, with the Larsens lasting a bit longer than the Jargars. I change them when the tone changes, or the harmonics go out. New strings have a nice dark, pure sound, which diminishes with time. The bottom strings tend to last a bit longer. Dominants you can keep on for 8-12 months. The Eudoxas I use can last for almost 2 years, although I like to change them every year. I don't know about the longevity of Flexocores yet, although they still sound nice after about 4 months.
Posted by P.White on July 16, 1998 at 10:33 pm
Kent, the Flexocors are pretty new. I daresay you will get the same answer from Steve--I have my first set on, and have had them for only a month. So I cannot tell you just what their typical lifespan is. Strings last according to how heavy your playing schedule is. If you play hours and hours every day, you'll go through them much more quickly than most. I tend to change my strings every six to eight months. When they lose their life, they just don't have the same response as they did at first. You can recognize this fairly easily. If you really can't hear whether they are still good, then a good rule of thumb is to at least change strings once a year.