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A R T I C L E S
Set-up - an introduction
Guide to cello measurements
Review of A and D strings
Review of G and C strings
Survey
of string design
Bridge design
Taming wolf notes
Tailpieces and tailcords
The challenge of trying cellos
Left hand comfort for cellists
Right hand comfort for cellists
What is a full-sized cello?
G.B. Guadagnini's cellos
Study of 1729 Guarneri cello
Bow testing techniques
The appeal of
bows
Players test bows
Saving
the Pernambuco
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
B O W E X H I B I T I O N
Take a Bow 2008
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
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Review of G
and C strings
Pirastro Eudoxa:
A beautiful, smooth gut sound;
for many players, nothing else can compare. They lack the clarity and
power of the best metal strings and there is inevitably some pitch
instability and variation in the natural gut core.
Thomastik
Spirocore:
The tungsten wound (Wolfram) version is
one of the most popular lower strings of all time and is widely used by
soloists. Valued for their powerful, gravelly tone, speed of response
and longevity, they take at least a week to play in and always retain a
gritty edge to the sound which lends clarity to the dark bottom end of
the cello.
Thomastik Dominant: These strings are helpful on cellos with
a high bridge or wolf note problems. They are preferred by teachers who
want their students to develop fast bow strokes, as Dominants behave in
a similar way to gut strings. Allow 1-2 weeks to play in; initially
they have a very harsh sound.
Larsen (standard):
A big-sounding tungsten wound string. It
is difficult to pinpoint why these G and C strings are not more widely
used.
D’Addario Helicore: The ultra-flexible core gives excellent speed of response. The sound
is smoother than Spirocore and the strings are excellent value and
therefore very popular.
Pirastro Permanent:
A popular tungsten wound string with good
tonal qualities. Less gravelly than a Spirocore but with a slightly
lower speed of response.
Pirastro
Evah Pirazzi:
Very powerful and tonally rich strings which were designed for
longevity. Allow 2 weeks to play in. The C string is reluctant to
speak when first fitted, but improves with playing.
Larsen Wire Core:
A new pair of lower strings from Larsen
producing a powerful, smooth and focussed sound.
The core construction is an
important feature of a string as it determines playing tension,
flexibility, longevity, speed of response and tonal characteristics.
Windings
also affect the sound quality: tungsten has a particularly clear tone
and is a popular if costly choice for cello lower strings. Silver is a
heavier metal with a darker, smoother sound.
The elasticity of a string
determines its feel under the left hand (how easy or difficult it is to
press the string down onto the fingerboard).
The tension of a string
affects the balance of the cello’s set up. Higher tension strings,
paradoxically, can either choke or free a cello’s response and generally
exacerbate wolf notes. |
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