Selected Cello String Tensions Chart 1922-2022
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String tension has a significant effect on the response of instruments and we decided to put together this string tension chart to show the tensions of all major cello string types, in order to help players to make comparisons between different brands more easily
*Please note that most manufacturers publish string tensions for A-440Hz tuning and a vibrating string length of 700mm. However, Pirastro’s published. data is based on a 690mm string length. Professor Jim Woodhouse of Cambridge University’s Engineering Department confirmed that 3% is the correction to apply to make Pirastro’s data comparable to other manufacturers, so we offer the adjusted figure first followed by Pirastro’s published data in brackets
String name and date | String | Medium tension (lb) | Windings | Core materials | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pirastro Eudoxa 1922 | G | 28.1 (27.3)* | Silver | Natural gut | |||||
C | 27.6 (26.8) * | Silver | Natural gut | ||||||
Thomastik-Infeld Spirocore 1949 | G | 30.8 | Tungsten ¤ | Steel rope | |||||
C | 29.7 | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
Jargar 1956 | A | 37.4 | Alloys | Solid steel filament | |||||
D | 31.7 | Alloys | Solid steel filament | ||||||
Thomastik-Infeld Dominant 1970 | A | 30.8 | Chrome | Multi-strand nylon | |||||
D | 24.9 | Chrome | Multi-strand nylon | ||||||
G | 22.9 | Chrome | Multi-strand nylon | ||||||
C | 22.5 | Chrome | Multi-strand nylon | ||||||
Larsen Strings Standard 1991 | A | 39.3 | SF/ Iron alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.7 | Al/Iron alloy | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 27.6 | Tungsten | Solid steel | ||||||
C | 30.1 | Tungsten | Solid steel | ||||||
Larsen Strings Soloist 1993 | A | 40.7 | SF/Iron alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.7 | Al/Iron alloy | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 32.2 | Tungsten | Solid steel | ||||||
D’Addario Helicore 1994 | G | 29.4 | T & S | Steel rope | |||||
C | 28.8 | T & S | Steel rope | ||||||
Pirastro Permanent 1996 | A | 38,2 (37.1)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 32.3 (31.4)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 31.0 (30.1)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 30.3 (29.4)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
Pirastro Permanent Soloist 1996/7 | A | 37.8 (36.7)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 31.9 (31.0)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 30.1 (29.2)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 28.9 (28.1)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
Pirastro Obligato 2000 | A | 38.0 (36.9)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 30.8 (29.9)* | Chrome steel | SF | ||||||
G | 31.7 (30.8)* | Tungsten | SF | ||||||
C | 29.9 (28.1)* | Tungsten | SF | ||||||
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi 2004 | A | 40.1 (38.9)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 31.7 (30.8)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 28.5 (27.7)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 28.9 (28.1)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Soloist 2005 | A | 40.1 (38.9)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.5 (29.5)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 28.9 (28.1)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 30.1 (29.2)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
D’Addario Kaplan Solutions 2005/2009 | A | 39 | Titanium | Solid steel | |||||
D | 31 | Nickel | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 30.9 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
C | 30 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
Pirastro Passione 2008/2009 | A | 40.3 (39.1)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 30.1 (29.2)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 27.8 (26.8)* | Chrome steel | Natural gut | ||||||
C | 28.5 (27.7)* | Tungsten | Natural gut | ||||||
Warchal Brilliant 2010 | A | 35.77 | H/SS | Advanced Synthetic | |||||
D | 29.41 | H/S | Advanced Synthetic | ||||||
G | 30.12 | T/S | Advanced Synthetic | ||||||
C | 29.29 | T/S | Advanced Synthetic | ||||||
Jargar Special | A | unavailable | Chrome alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | Chrome alloy | Solid steel | |||||||
Jargar Superior A & D 2011-12 G & C 2016 | A | 40.8 | Chrome alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | 32.4 | Chrome alloy | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 31.1 | T & C alloy | Rope core | ||||||
C | 31.9 | T & C alloy | Rope core | ||||||
Larsen Magnacore 2014 A&D; 2013 G&C | A | 40.4 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | |||||
D | 31.6 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
G | 30.8 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
C | 30.2 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
Warchal Prototype A 2012 | A | 38.91 | SS Alloy | SS Alloy | |||||
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold 2014 | A | 41.3 (40.1)* | Chrome steel | Steel | |||||
D | 31.3 (30.4)* | Chrome steel | Steel | ||||||
G | 31.5 (30.6)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 30.8 (29.9)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
Thomastik Versum 2015 | A | 38.8 | Multialloy | Steel | |||||
D | 31.5 | Multialloy | Steel | ||||||
G | 31.5 | Tungsten and chrome | Spiral | ||||||
C | 30.2 | Tungsten and chrome | Spiral | ||||||
Pirastro Perpetual Medium 2016 | A | 40.8 (39.6)* | Chrome steel | Steel | |||||
D | 31.3 (30.4)* | Chrome steel | Steel | ||||||
G | 31.7 (30.8)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 30.6 (29.7)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
Pirastro Perpetual Soloist 2016 | A | 39.9 (38.7)* | Steel | Chrome Steel | |||||
D | 31.7 (30.8)* | Steel | Chrome Steel | ||||||
G | 31.5 (30.6)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 30.1 (29.5)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
Larsen Magnacore Arioso 2016 | A | 41.5 | Tungsten | Solid steel | |||||
D | 32 | Tungsten | Solid steel | ||||||
G | 30.2 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
C | 28.2 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
Warchal Amber 2016 | A | 37.43 | SS | Metal helix | |||||
A | 36.37 | H/SS | Advanced synthetic | ||||||
D | 30.28 | H/S | Advanced synthetic | ||||||
G | 30.66 | T/S | Advanced synthetic | ||||||
C | 30.24 | T/SS/S | Advanced synthetic | ||||||
Thomastik Versum Solo 2017 | A | 40.1 | Multialloy | Steel | |||||
D | 31.5 | Multialloy | Sttel | ||||||
G | 31.5 | Tungsten/chrome | Spiral | ||||||
C | 30.2 | Tungsten/chrome | Spiral | ||||||
Pirastro Perpetual Edition 2019 | A | 39.2 (38.1)* | Chrome steel | Steel | |||||
D | 31.1 (30.2)* | Chrome steel | Steel | ||||||
G | 30.9 (30.0)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 30.0 (29.1)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
Thomastik Rondo 2020 | A | 41.4 | Multialloy | Carbon steel | |||||
D | 31.5 | Multialloy | Carbon steel | ||||||
G | 31.5 | Tungsten/Chrome | Spiral | ||||||
C | 30.4 | Tungsten/Chrome | Spiral | ||||||
Larsen Il Cannone Direct and Focussed 2020 | A | 40.8 | Unique material being patented | Unique material being patented | |||||
D | 31.1 | Solid steel core | Stainless steel | ||||||
G | 30.6 | Steel rope core | Tungsten | ||||||
C | 29.8 | Steel rope core | Tungsten | ||||||
Larsen Il Cannone Warm and Broad 2020 | A | 40.8 | Solid steel core | Stainless steel | |||||
D | 31.1 | Solid steel core | Stainless steel | ||||||
G | 30.4 | Steel rope core | Tungsten | ||||||
C | 29.8 | Steel rope core | Tungsten | ||||||
Pirastro Cadenza 2021 | G | 30.4 (29.5)* | Rope core | Tungsten | |||||
C | 29.0 (28.2)* | Rope core | Tungsten |