Interesting and Important

Tips on maintenance and recommendations

     1. If you put strings on a instrument which is smaller than the one which the string is designed for, there will be a considerable loss of tension and sound quality. Apart from this, the thicker playing length of the string will end up being wound around the tuning peg, which - especially with thicker strings - will result in damage to the core, loss of tonal quality and strings breaking. This is one of the most common mistakes. We refer you to the listing of strings for smaller instruments in our catalogue.

    2. If you put strings on an instrument which is larger than the one the strings are designed for, e.g. on a large viola, it will have the same effect as tuning the string to too high a pitch, or starting tuning from the highest string to lowest instead of the other way around. Doing this even once can severely fatigue the string or break it.

   3. Sharp edges on the bridge, the nut or the tailpiece will damage the string, and can lead to breakage. The same can happen if the channels in the nut are too narrow, so these should be of sufficient width and prepared with a little graphite from a soft pencil. Another mistake to avoid when re-stringing the instrument is improperly winding the string around the tuning peg. The correct number of windings is between four and five, without any bending of the string between nut and tuning peg and without jamming it against the peg box.

Mistakes to avoid when re-stringing an instrument

1. If you are taking a break from playing

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When not using the instrument for some time, you are strongly advised not to lower tension on the strings and instrument by tuning down any or all of your strings. This is not only superfluous, but is also detrimental both to the instrument and the strings themselves.

 

2. Pro and cons of different materials

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The type of material used to manufacture strings influences the sound of the string as well as its diameter. When designed to be strung at the same tension, silver and tungsten result in thinner strings, aluminum and nylon in thicker ones. Strings wound with silver have a warm and powerful tone color, which is preferable for the lower strings in the set. Tungsten is used in the form of round wire built in under the flat wound surface of a low string. Apart from its positive influence on sound, tungsten allows a narrower low string, something which considerably eases fingering and string response. Aluminum winding lends brightness to the string, so to achieve a good compromise between the right sound and the right diameter, this material is used predominantly for the upper strings of a set.

 

3. Corrosion

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Environmental factors and usage can lead to changes in the quality and color of the string's surface, for example:

Silver and silver-plated copper tend to react chemically with traces of sulfur in the air, resulting in a brownish discoloration of the string;

Bringing aluminum into contact with other metals under humid conditions (whether caused by air humidity or perspiration) will cause an aluminum wound string to corrode.

High humidity and condensation can tarnish various metals. This normally happens when the instrument is not stored under proper conditions and is subject to variations in temperature, high humidity, maritime climates or air pollution. Unfortunately it is not possible to manufacture strings which are safeguarded from these influences without sacrificing their tonal and playing qualities.

Our Range of Strings

Best  strings  for violin viola  cello

String qualities differ according to the nature of the core into categories  Our standard catalogue contains strings for full sized violin and 'cello as well as 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8-sized violins. Our viola strings are produced in lengths to fit the full gamut of viola sizes. Manufactured separately for solo and orchestral playing, Thomastik-Infeld and Pirastro double bass strings are available in a variety of lengths. In the majority of cases, our strings are supplied in three categories; low tension, medium tension, and high tension.

Our string qualities differ according to the nature of the core into the following categories:

* DOMINANT,  TONIKA, VIOLINO string with nylon core

* SPIROCORE   string with spiral steel core

* SUPERFLEXIBLE, EVAH PIRAZZI CELLO,  PERMANET CELLO string with braided steel core

* PRECISION, CHROMKOR,  FLEXOCOR  string with solid steel core

* BELDANTO, EVAH PIRAZZI GOLD, OBLIGATO, SPIROCORE , PASSIONE, PERMANENT string for cello

* INFELD, EVAH PIRAZZI, OBLIGATO,  EVAH PIRAZZI GOLD,  DOMINANT, PERPETUAL,THOMASTIK VISION SOLO,

EVAH PIRAZZI GOLD string for violin buy

 

Strings -Sound Experience

   The bow glides elegantly over the strings. The sound is resonant and expressive. The music reaches out to the audience, captivating it with purest string tone.

   When music becomes an experience like this everything has happened as it should, right down to the last detail. The quality and choice of the correct strings are an integral part of that experience. Even the best instrument will only sound average if it is incorrectly strung, while an average instrument can transcend its own limitations if it has optimum strings.

   Making quality strings depends on first class manufacturing standards. Choosing quality strings depends on the artist's style of playing and the music itself. Thomastik-Infeld offers a spectrum of products which satisfy the most discriminating musician. With our blend of modern know-how and decades of experience, we are able bring out the best in each stringed instrument, revealing and enhancing its tone color and quality. All the soloist, the professional player or the music lover has to do is to select the correct string for his or her level of musicianship and technique.

In spite of our many strings and sizes, we consciously do not include gut in our range. The reason is simply that gut has too many disadvantages - its limited durability, its undependable tuning of the open fifths, its hypersensitivity to temperature and humidity.

  Instead, we have risen to the challenge of producing strings sounding as rounded and warm as gut, yet with a tone in keeping with our own musical age. The worldwide success of our products proves that with Thomastik-Infeld under his or her bow, the string player is assured that each musical nuance is projected to the audience as it was intended.

How to solve the problem with the E-String

    The central problem is that some violins react very sensitively to various thicknesses of E string.

   For optimal response after putting on a set, all the strings should be cleaned before playing with a dry cloth. A microfibre cloth is especially recommended.

   To enhance stability and readiness for concert use, each string should be slightly warmed after being changed and tuned up by sliding your thumb up and down the string about five times, applying light pressure.

   The instrument should then be re-tuned and this process repeated three times. Bowing near the bridge with considerable pressure (up bow and down bow about five times each) will make the strings ready for concert use in the shortest time possible. Experience has shown that strings prepared in this way can be made concert-ready in as little as two to three hours. However it should be noted that these preparatory measures can shorten the sonic life span of the strings and should only be used if circumstances demand the shortest possible preparatory time. The strings put on first should be the ones whose tonal characteristics (mellow or brilliant) the player considers more important for his or her instrument. It should be noted that on particular instruments a given string may respond differently than one would expect.

   For example, the brilliant G string (Infeld Blue) can produce a brilliant or dark sound depending on the instrument, since sometimes the frequency characteristics of the violin itself do not match those of the string.

   The problem can usually be solved by changing a string within the Infeld Violin system, the desired tonal balance being achieved in almost all cases.If one or more strings turn out to be tonally inappropriate for a given instrument, the following procedure has proven very successful:

   The central problem is that some violins react very sensitively to various thicknesses of E string. Our recommendation when changing strings is to start with the E string. The E string provided with the set represents a good choice for the majority of instruments. (Incidentally, the E string's ball end can be removed by finger pressure, so that the string can be used with a ball end or loop end as required). E strings with different diameters are available per request as CUSTOM ORDER STRINGS. Now the G string should be changed, then the D string and finally the A string.

How to order standard strings

How to order standard strings

To avoid any misunderstandings please quote the following points when ordering new strings

1. The catalogue number of the strings

2. The number of strings required

3. The exact measurement of the instrument from nut to bridge

4. The string tension required - low, middle, high

5. The quality and finish of the string required

changing of strings

Even with a new set of strings, your instrument may need adjustments to produce a good string tone.

We recommend to change the entire set of strings frequently for best sound and tone balance of the instrument. Even with a new set of strings, your instrument may need adjustments to produce a good string tone. Especially if you are trying strings of a lighter gauge for the first time, you may find some adjustments to the bridge, neck and nut may be necessary to prevent string buzz.

 

If you take a break from playing ...

 

When the instrument is not in use, do not release the tension of any of the strings as this is harmful for the instrument and the strings.

The string makes the music..

The diversity and beauty of the musical timbre depend upon, on the one hand, the type of material used for the core and, on the other hand, the material spun around the core.

 

Tone perfection is achieved primarily by the delicate touch of fingers of the highly qualified women in the workshops

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For the perfect sound, Thomastik-Infeld has consistently chosen steel and nylon as the stringcore material for bowed and plucked instruments.

The company, in collaboration with many stars of classic, jazz and pop music, is steadily improving its products. Music strings of incredible variety are manufactured. Besides the standard strings, there is not an instrument so exotic that the proper strings canīt be manufactured.

Ongoing research into the fundamentals of string production taking place at its own research labroratory, as well as a team of highly specialized technicians guarantee the highest standards. But, itīs the mill girlsīdelicate finger touch that decides the tone perfection. Every string at Thomastik-Infeld is wound and checked by hand.

Research combined with tradition Thomastik-Infeld

Our strings are manufactured by trained specialists according to strictest quality control standards

Company Thomastik-Infeld  Headquarters Vienna, capital of classical music History Founded in 1919, Thomastik-Infeld is one of the world's most renowned manufacturers of strings for musical instruments.

Research and technology

Our strings are manufactured by trained specialists according to strictest quality control standards. We implement the most modern technology and carry out extensive laboratory testing. New manufacturing methods are combined with our age-old tradition of string-making. In close consultation with leading artists we follow the changing needs of the profession and, by drawing upon the latest research, are able to directly input those needs into the development of new products.

Our tradition and experience help give musicians the tools they need for creative performance. Thomastik-Infeld has been serving professionals and amateurs alike since 1919. Worldwide.