Top 10 Violin Strings And Sets

Buying violin strings may seem like a routine that you have to go through every six months or a year, but it doesn’t have to be. With the cost of violin string sets rising every year, it’s important to make sure you spend money on the best violin strings at the best price so you don’t spend nearly a hundred dollars on failure. We’ve got you covered in that department.

No violin string sounds good on all violins, as each violin is unique. We recommend trying out several different violin strings to understand which strings make your violin sing. Our list below includes the violin strings that players rate the highest, but you should find the best violin strings for your violin from this list.

Popular Violin String Combinations

Violinists sometimes mix and match different brands of violin strings to get the best sound. Instead of buying complete sets of strings, you can find individual strings on Amazon, to save money and not waste strings.

1. Thomastik-Infeld Dominant

Recommended for: Intermediate

Thomastik-Infeld dominant strings are one of the most popular violin strings due to their flexibility and stable tone. Many virtuoso violinists use or have used Dominants as their main string. Dominants have a very long life, which makes them worth every penny. Dominants come in different lengths and gauges, so you’re sure to find a size that fits your violin.

Dominant was the first strings made with a synthetic perlon or nylon core and have become a yardstick by which most synthetic violin strings are measured.

2. Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold/regular

Recommended for: Intermediate/Expert

Evah Pirazzi’s are used by several virtuoso musicians, including Joshua Bell (violin) and Kristina Fialov (viola). Although they have a high price, the sound is unmatched. Pirazzi offers a warm, complex tone with dynamic responsiveness and excellent projection. These are excellent violin strings for soloists or concert halls.

Evah Pirazzi violin strings come in three different styles: Regular and Gold. For the beginning or intermediate students, we recommend the Regular style as these are the most cost-effective. The Evah Pirazzi Gold Violin String Set is designed for intermediate to advanced players who want a complex sound for solo or concert performances.

3. Jargar

Recommended for: Beginner/Intermediate

Jargar strings are the most interchangeable strings. Although they sound perfectly set, most violinists combine Jargar strings with other strings. A common combination used with Jargar violin strings is a Jargar E combined with Dominant A, D and G. Jargars are available in a variety of calibers.

4. Thomastik-Infeld Vision

Recommended for: Intermediate

Thomastik-Infeld Visions is the softer, richer cousin of the Dominants. Slightly more expensive than Dominants, Visions are excellent for the intermediate to advanced player looking for a nice complement to their finer instrument. They are ideal for both solo and orchestral players, but should only be used for solo playing, as Dominants are a more affordable orchestral string.

These strings are brighter than most and sound great on more expensive violins, but may not be heard on lower-end student models. We strongly recommend that you only get them once you are no longer a student violin model.

5. Prelude

Recommended for: Beginner

Prelude strings are the ideal strings for beginners, costing less than $20 and providing a stable sound that is enough for any new student. These are good enough for at least the first year or two of playing, but after that, you’ll want to upgrade to a better set of strings.

6. Pirastro Gold

Recommended for: Intermediate/Expert

Another brand of violin string that is a favorite among virtuosos, the Pirastro Gold series is popular with soloists, especially when the Gold E string is paired with dominants. The strings are gut strings made from modified synthetic fiber which gives them a quick response and break-in period.

Because these are gut strings, playing them is different from playing normal strings. You will need to use the correct bow speed to achieve the correct noise. Otherwise, we noticed a slight buzz when the speed and pressure weren’t right.

7. Helicore

Recommended for: Beginner

Helicore strings are excellent for beginners and students because they have a clear tone and fast response. Because of their high quality, they are at the higher end of the budget string sets featured on this list. In recent years, they have earned a reputation in pop music. Although the tone and quality are not as high as with other string brands, Helicore strings provide a great foundation for beginners and perform much better than Preludes.

8. Forced

Recommended for: Intermediate/Expert

Obligato violin strings offer a slightly brighter sound than Evah Pirazzis. Obligatos are made from the same core material as Pirazzi, but cost slightly less. If you can’t afford Pirazzis, Obligatos is a great alternative.

9. The Fiddler

Recommended for: Beginner/Intermediate

Fiddlerman strings resemble gut strings and boast that they are indistinguishable from the mainstream by professionals. Costing less than $40, these strings are great substitutes for Dominant strings that cost almost triple. Go ahead, try them!

10. Super Sensitive

Recommended for: Beginner

Super Sensitive violin strings are ideal for beginners who just want to get their feet wet playing the violin. They are extremely cheap (less than $15 at the time of this writing) and quite durable. Made with a nickel-wrapped steel core, these strings will get the job done, but definitely shouldn’t be used by intermediate players.

What Should You Look For In Violin Strings?

The same brand of violin strings can sound different on different violins. The inherent uniqueness of each violin makes even the relatively stable sound of the Dominants sound different. Therefore, you should try many different violin strings before settling on the ones that make your violin sound the best.

Another great alternative is to mix and match different sets of violin strings to get the best possible sound. In our Popular Violin String Combinations section below, you can see how people tend to mix violin string sets to get the sounds that work best for their violin.

While we recommend trying out different brands of violin strings, experimenting can be quite expensive, so we recommend evaluating your budget for violin strings and adjusting accordingly. Still, if you’re a serious musician, you’ll want to find the right instrument for your instrument and playing style. One possible solution to finding the right string is to buy a different brand each time you need to replace strings and, in the years to come, discover which ones work for your violin.

As with violins and bows, violin strings vary based on several main factors:

Gauge/thickness

Gauge is the diameter of the violin string and can have a tremendous effect on the sound. You may want to try several strings to see what gauge and thickness sound best on your violin.

Material

The materials used to make the rope also have a big impact. Whether you choose gut or steel core, the string will sound and vibrate differently. Modern strings are generally made of synthetic material wrapped in metal or solid metal coils.

Price

Usually needing to be replaced at least once a year and costing over $60 on average for a complete set, violin strings are not easy to budget for. Strings are expensive, there is no way around it. It is important to find a balance between sound and price when searching for the perfect violin strings.

While there are many options for strings and you may be stumped at this point, this guide will help you select some starting varieties that will allow you to experiment with the sound of your violin.

How Much Do Violin Strings Cost?

Violin strings typically need to be replaced at least once a year and can cost upwards of $200 on average for a complete set of strings. You can find some beginner strings for under $100 for a complete set, but these strings won’t last long and don’t sound very good. For example, the Merano strings on this list are only $17. Price usually reflects the sound quality of violin strings, so more expensive violin strings generally sound better regardless of the violin.

Violin strings are expensive, there is no way around it. It is important to find a balance between sound and price when searching for the perfect violin strings.

What Are Violin Strings Made Of?

Historically, violin strings were made from gut, typically dried sheep or goat intestines. Modern strings are wound with metallic materials such as aluminum, titanium, and chrome with synthetic (nylon) or steel cores. Most violin strings are machine wound, but some, like the Passione strings below, are hand wound.

How To Change The Strings Of Your Violin?

If this is your first time changing strings on the violin, we recommend that you ask your teacher for help, as it can be challenging to do until you get the hang of it. If you are sure you can handle it, follow YouTube clips to extend your techniques.

Which Strings Do Famous Violinists Prefer?

Famous violinists, of course, also tend to prefer our recommended violin strings. Below you can see what some virtuosos prefer.

Itzhak Perlman used Eudoxa early in his career and then switched to the traditional Dominants combo with Gold Label E. This is also Anne-Sophie Mutter’s favorite combo. This is one of our recommended violin string combinations above. Pinchas Zukerman also used Eudoxa and then transitioned to Dominants. Joshua Bell and Ilya Gringolts use Evah Pirazzi violin strings. Yascha Heifetz preferred Goldbrokat Medium E, Plain Gut A&D, with a G wound.

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