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Best Violin Strings – Top 10 Ranked

Listening to the soothing music of a violin can take you away into a whole new world. If listening can give you so much joy, playing the instrument can be a great way to soothe your soul and mind. I have often wondered how the musician’s finger can create this magical sound. Modest professionals attribute it to the high-quality strings that perfectly complement their instruments.

best violin strings set 2021

10 Best Violin Strings (sets) for your Violin

  1. Best Overall – D’Addario Prelude Violin String Set 4/4 Scale, Medium Tension
  2. Low Budget Strings – Super Sensitive Steelcore 4/4 Violin Strings: Set
  3. For both 4/4 and 3/4 sets – Cecilio 4 Packs of Stainless Steel 4/4 – 3/4 Violin Strings Set
  4. For Synthetic Strings – D’Addario J56 4/4M Pro-Arte Nylon violin Strings, Medium
  5. For Color Coded String Set – Optum Violin String Set – 4/4 Medium Tension
  6. For Premium Strings – D’Addario Helicore 4/4 Size Violin Strings 4/4 Size Set with Steel E String
  7. For Medium Gauge Strings – Prim 4/4 Violin String Set – Medium Gauge with Ball-end E
  8. For Aluminum Steel Strings – Thomastik Dominant 3/4 Violin String Set – Medium Gauge – Aluminum/Steel Ball-End E
  9. Ideal for soloists – Pirastro Evah Pirazzi 4/4 Violin A String Medium Aluminum-Synthetic
  10. For Gold and Silver Strings – Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold Violin String Set – Gold Wound G – Ball E – Medium Gauge

1. D’Addario Prelude Violin String Set 4/4 Scale, Medium Tension

Preferred by the teachers, Prelude Violin strings are quite well-known for their warm tones, high durability, and affordability. The solid steel core gives your violin the warmest tones while also offering a longer life span to the strings. The strings come with sealed pouches that protect it from corrosion. These are ideal for all types of musicians, be it beginners or experienced. Designed for a 4/4 scale violin, it has a playing length of 13 inches. It is manufactured at the USA facility with strict adherence to the highest quality controls in the industry.

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  • Affordable and great value for money.
  • Advanced computer winding technology for more durability.
  • Highly experienced manufacturers.
  • Strings are resistant to humidity and temperature changes.
  • Available in full and fractional sizes.
  • Medium tensions strings meet the needs of any kind of player.
  • May not have the precision required for advanced playing.

Though we mentioned that it is excellent for both beginners and experienced violists, this all-rounder is the best option to start your initial violin lessons.

2. Super Sensitive Steelcore 4/4 Violin Strings: Set

With steel core strings, these budget-friendly strings are set to produce some of the warmest and less complicated sounds ideal for the beginners. However, the professionals might argue that the sounds are a bit thin. For beginners concentrating on getting the notes right, and not looking for high-level precision, this is the best choice. Solid Steel core comes with nickel winding gives players bright sounds and quick responses. It is one of the best strings that provide excellent tonal quality and reliability at surprisingly low prices.

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  • Popular choice among Suzuki method instructors and teachers.
  • Core steel gives protection against corrosion.
  • Comes as a single set or as standalone strings.
  • Steel-string sounds are clearer.
  • Manufactured in the USA.
  • String A does not sound very good.
  • D string tends to break easily.
  • May not be ideal for people with a nickel allergy.

Note: At the price this string set is available to the musicians, the defects relating to broken strings are immediately remedied by the company.

3. Cecilio 4 Packs of Stainless Steel 4/4 – 3/4 Violin Strings Set

Dual size compatible strings can be used in both 4/4 and 3/4 violins. Each pack consists of 4 strings. Pitches A, E, D, and G are supported by this set. Strings come with a steel core and nickel winding, which gives the players the flexibility of adjusting the tunes to suit their preference. These strings also come with a ball end to enable easy restring and tuning. You get to enjoy more expressive music with this set of 4 strings while paying comparatively less price.

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  • Clear and loud tones with minimum bow pressure.
  • Good quality strings for beginners.
  • Economy pack of 4 sets — 16 strings in total.
  • Steel nickel combination provides a better lifespan.
  • String breaking while tuning is very common.

It is a great buy to have 4 sets with 4 strings in each at a price less than $15—ideal for students who tend to break strings and need replacements more often.

4. D’Addario J56 4/4M Pro-Arte Nylon violin Strings, Medium

D’Addario has some of the best selection of strings in the synthetic material category. This set of strings are of nylon make and produces a more mellow sound compared to the metal strings. However, the tone is warm enough to create soothing music. What makes the nylon strings stand out is that they are more resistant to heat and humidity. Hence, they tend to last longer than their metal counterparts. Since it has a synthetic core, the nylon strings are also not prone to frequent breakage.

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  • Ideal for 4/4 scale violin and comes varying lengths.
  • Offers excellent versatility and precision for experienced professionals.
  • Good value product in the mid-price range.
  • Medium tension balls end for better tuning.
  • Slightly on the higher end when it comes to the price.

These are high-quality strings that are expensive and give you an excellent pitch and are a favorite among the professionals.

5. Optum Violin String Set — 4/4 Medium Tension

All the four strings E, A, D, and G are color-coded with purple, blue, green, and black, which helps players string their violin with ease. The color coding is present at both ends to avoid any confusion while fitting the strings. These medium tension strings come with a steel core wound with flat German silver, and ball ends. Optum strings give you the warm tone and tuning required to learn your initial lessons in Violin. These strings also fall into the low priced yet good quality to help students and families who have just started their musical journey.

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  • Easy to use and re-string.
  • Highly durable and reasonable quality.
  • German silver provides more protection against corrosion.
  • Affordably priced, especially for students.
  • Can break off easily while re-stringing.

The string set is excellent for beginners who are learning how to re-string the violin. It will surely not burn a hole in their pockets even if they break a few strings while learning.

6. D’Addario Helicore 4/4 Size Violin Strings 4/4 Size Set with Steel E String

The multi-stranded steel core offers excellent playability, a warm and clear tone. The high-quality materials and expert workmanship involved in these strings are sure to give excellent pitch stability and longevity. E string in the set is made of plain steel (tin plated high carbon steel), which comes without the winding. Helicore strings come with uncompromised protection from elements that cause corrosion as they are packages in sealed pouches. This is probably the most popular string to play both traditional and alternative styles.

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  • Small string diameter for quick bow response.
  • Comes in three different tensions — medium, light, and heavy.
  • Ideal for students and advanced players.
  • Fits all genres of music.
  • Path-breaking core technology from D’Addario.
  • It is a premium version and is quite expensive compared to the other variants.

These strings pair well with a wide range of instruments. It is fast and responsive to give you those outstanding stage performances.

7. Prim 4/4 Violin String Set — Medium Gauge with Ball-end E

These high-performance strings come with chrome steel winding over the steel core. Medium gauge strings have ball ends and are sure to give you some warm and lively tones. You will not get those noisy metallic sounds while playing. Prims strings may surprise you with its quality and durability, which seems unbelievable at the price it is available. They are easy to maintain and also allow for easy and quick tuning. These strings are great for bringing out the natural tone and character of the instrument. Highly sensitive strings provide for easy playing with light bow pressure.

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  • Ideal for professional use.
  • Has a very pleasing tone.
  • Smooth sounding and highly responsive strings.
  • Great for playing drones and double stops.
  • E string produces a brighter tone than the others.
  • A bit pricey.

It is slightly on the higher end. However, it produces excellent tones that are perfect for playing all genres.

8. Thomastik Dominant 3/4 Violin String Set — Medium Gauge — Aluminum/Steel Ball-End E

All the four strings come with four different combinations, such as Aluminum — Perlon A, Aluminum — Perlon B, Silver — Perlon G, and Aluminum — Steel E. The four strings also come with ball ends. You will see the attention to detail in all of their make from the highly regarded Dominant family of violin strings. If you love the sound of a gut string but do not the hassles that come with it, these strings are the closest. This set of 4 strings comes with a multi-stranded nylon core that gives you natural tones of the violin.

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  • Provides great flexibility and room for improvisations.
  • Ideal for any level of players.
  • Produces smooth and warm tones.
  • High quality and sturdy strings.
  • String E needs special attention while setting up.
  • Gives out a whistling sound that is not strung correctly.
  • Is an expensive option.

It is an expensive option. However, the high price is justified by the enhanced playability and flexibility it gives the instrument.

9. Pirastro Evah Pirazzi 4/4 Violin A String Medium Aluminum-Synthetic

This is yet another affordably priced violin string set from one of the biggest names in the violin industry — the Pirastro. It comes with synthetic core strings with aluminum winding. The strings give amazing abilities to reach out to the audience through energetic and warm tones. For this reason, these strings are considered perfect for your solo concert performances. These are ideal for playing a symphony, mariachi music, and even orchestra. It also seems to double the harmonic resonance of the instrument.

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  • Classical sounding string capable of playing both sweet and mellow tones.
  • Highly responsive string.
  • Reduces the whiney noise while playing.professionals.
  • Aluminum Synthetic combination for complex sound.
  • Can tend to wear out easily.
  • Sound quality tends to deteriorate after heavy use.

It might seem to be a bit pricey considering the durability aspect. However, it seems to be a more reliable and good-quality ball-end string for even the most demanding violinist.

10. Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold Violin String Set — Gold Wound G — Ball E — Medium Gauge

This set of strings comes with four different metals with synthetic cores to give you an unmatched sound experience. The E string is a stainless-steel ball end string, while the A string comes with a synthetic core wound by Aluminum. D string is a silver wound synthetic core ball end string, and the G-string comes with a synthetic core with gold winding. Considering you can use Pianoteq 6 on its own, it doesn’t take up a lot of RAM space. Since it does all the work in real-time, it will draw power from your CPU instead of sitting stagnant on your hard drive. This medium gauge string is for a 4/4 regular violin and gives you full-bodied sounds right from the very low notes. Each of the strings is matched to the other carefully to offer a smooth transition between them.

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  • G-strings give you more bright tones.
  • E string offers excellent response and smooth sounds.
  • E strings are available with both loop and ball ends.
  • Worth the extra price for serious playing.
  • Expensive option

Professionals looking for branded Pirastro choices will not be surprised by the high prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of things to consider before choosing any of the options we have reviewed above.

Is a steel core better than a synthetic core?

Both materials are capable of giving you warm and pleasant tones. However, it is up to your personal preference and playing style that determine which one might be suitable for you.

How to choose the ideal string set for my violin?

This again depends on your expectations from the instrument, your budget, and the level of playing. Choose one that suits your budget as some fantastic options are low priced yet deliver excellent sound experience.

What is the price range of a good quality string set?

You will find string sets that offer a reasonably good quality of sound starting from $60 and upwards. You will still find low-priced ones, especially if you are a novice and learning to get your notes.

Final Thoughts

We have reviewed the best of the options in the market considering the brands, affordability, performance, and durability. Now you are at liberty to choose the best one that suits your preferences. However, we have a clear winner of this session, and the first is undoubtedly for — D’Addario Prelude Violin String. It not only stands out in terms of budget-friendly strings, but it also gives some fantastic sound quality.

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