Selected Cello String Tensions Chart 1922-2021
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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. We would like to thank Professor Jim Woodhouse of Cambridge University’s Engineering Department for confirming that 3% is the correction to apply to make Pirastro’s data comparable to other manufacturers. We have stated the adjusted figure in brackets after Pirastro’s published data.
String name and date | String | Medium tension (lb) | Windings | Core materials | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pirastro Eudoxa 1922 | G | 27.3 (28.1)* | Silver | Natural gut | |||||
C | 26.8 (27.6)* | ||||||||
Thomastik-Infeld Spirocore 1949 | G | 30.8 | Tungsten ¤ | Steel rope | |||||
C | 29.7 | ||||||||
Jargar 1956 | A | 37.4 | Alloys | Solid steel filament | |||||
D | 31.7 | ||||||||
Thomastik-Infeld Dominant 1970 | A | 30.8 | Chrome | Multi-strand nylon | |||||
D | 24.9 | ||||||||
G | 22.9 | ||||||||
C | 22.5 | ||||||||
Larsen Strings Standard 1991 | A | 39.3 | SF/ Iron alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.7 | Al/Iron alloy | |||||||
G | 27.6 | Tungsten | |||||||
C | 30.1 | ||||||||
Larsen Strings Soloist 1993 | A | 40.7 | SF/Iron alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.7 | Al/Iron alloy | |||||||
G | 32.2 | Tungsten | |||||||
D’Addario Helicore 1994 | G | 29.4 | T & S | Steel rope | |||||
C | 28.8 | ||||||||
Pirastro Permanent 1996 | A | 37.1 (38.2)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 31.4 (32.3)* | ||||||||
G | 30.1 (31.0)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 29.4 (30.3)* | ||||||||
Pirastro Permanent Soloist 1996/7 | A | 36.7 (37.8)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 31.0 (31.9)* | ||||||||
G | 29.2 (30.1)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 28.1 (28.9)* | ||||||||
Pirastro Obligato 2000 | A | 36.9 (38.0)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.9 (30.8)* | SF | |||||||
G | 30.8 (31.7)* | Tungsten | SF | ||||||
C | 28.1 (28.9)* | SF | |||||||
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi 2004 | A | 38.9 (40.1)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 30.8 (31.7)* | ||||||||
G | 27.7 (28.5)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 28.1 (28.9)* | ||||||||
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Soloist 2005 | A | 38.9 (40.1)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 28.6 (29.5)* | ||||||||
G | 28.1 (28.9)* | Tungsten | Steel rope | ||||||
C | 29.2 (30.1)* | ||||||||
D’Addario Kaplan Solutions 2005/2009 | A | 39 | Titanium | Solid steel | |||||
D | 31 | Nickel | |||||||
G | 30.9 | Tungsten | Stranded stl | ||||||
C | 30 | ||||||||
Pirastro Passione 2008/2009 | A | 39.1 (40.3)* | Chrome steel | Solid steel | |||||
D | 29.2 (30.1)* | ||||||||
G | 26.8 (27.6)* | Natural gut | |||||||
C | 27.7 (28.5)* | Tungsten | |||||||
Warchal Brilliant 2010 | A | 35.77 | H/SS | Advanced Synthetic | |||||
D | 29.41 | H/S | |||||||
G | 30.12 | T/S | |||||||
C | 29.29 | ||||||||
Jargar Special | A | unavailable | Chrome alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | |||||||||
Jargar Superior A & D 2011-12 G & C 2016 | A | 40.8 | Chrome alloy | Solid steel | |||||
D | 32.4 | ||||||||
G | 31.1 | T & C alloy | Rope core | ||||||
C | 31.9 | ||||||||
Larsen Magnacore 2013 A&D; 2014 G&C | A | 40.4 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | |||||
D | 31.6 | ||||||||
G | 30.8 | ||||||||
C | 30.2 | ||||||||
Warchal Prototype A 2012 | A | 38.91 | SS Alloy | SS Alloy | |||||
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold 2014 | A | 40.1 (41.3)* | Chrome steel | Steel | |||||
D | 30.4 (31.3)* | ||||||||
G | 30.6 (31.5)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 29.9 (30.8)* | ||||||||
Thomastik Versum 2015 | A | 38.8 | Multialloy | Steel | |||||
D | 31.5 | ||||||||
G | 31.5 | T & C | Spiral | ||||||
C | 30.2 | ||||||||
Pirastro Perpetual Medium 2016 | A | 39.6 (40.8)* | Chrome steel | Steel | |||||
D | 30.4 (31.3)* | ||||||||
G | 30.8 (31.7)* | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 29.7 (30.6)* | ||||||||
Pirastro Perpetual Soloist 2016 | G | 30.6 (31.5)* | Tungsten | Rope core | |||||
C | 29.5 (30.38)* | ||||||||
Larsen Magnacore Arioso 2016 | A | 41.5 | Tungsten | Solid steel | |||||
D | 32 | ||||||||
G | 30.2 | Tungsten | Stranded steel | ||||||
C | 28.2 | ||||||||
Warchal Amber 2016 | A | 37.43 | SS | Metal helix | |||||
A | 36.37 | H/SS | Advanced Synthetic | ||||||
D | 30.28 | H/S | |||||||
G | 30.66 | T/S | |||||||
C | 30.24 | T/SS/S | |||||||
Thomastik Versum Solo 2017 | A | 40.1 | Multialloy | Steel | |||||
D | 31.5 | ||||||||
Pirastro Perpetual Edition 2019 | A | 38.1 | Chrome steel | Steel | |||||
D | 30.2 | ||||||||
G | 30 | Tungsten | Rope core | ||||||
C | 29.1 | ||||||||
Thomastik Rondo 2020 | A | 41.4 | Multialloy | Carbon steel | |||||
D | 31.5 | ||||||||
G | 31.5 | Tungsten/Chrome | Spiral | ||||||
C | 30.4 |