Complete Guide To Strings For Electric Violin (or Viola or Cello)

As a general rule, instruments using piezo-electric pickups (which most electric violins do) can use any normal strings you would use on an acoustic violin. So which strings should you pick? Below we'll cover string selection, including special cases that require a more specific kind of string, as well as tips for changing and maintaining strings.

Which strings are best for your instrument?

Unless your instrument model is listed as an exception below, you should choose strings whose sound and response you like, because it will greatly affect tone, even on--especially on--an electric.

You can also consider whether strings complement the sound of your instrument/pickup. For example, a bright sounding electric violin might benefit from darker sounding strings, and vice versa. A somewhat neutral electric violin tone may perk up with a set of brilliant strings, and a very hot sounding pickup might benefit from strings with more complexity.

You should try the strings that came on your instrument first to see how you like their sound. It's important to understand that, while you can sculpt your tone using EQ, you can't add in frequencies that aren't present. So, if you have a darker sounding instrument you want to brighten, it's better to try using a set of more brilliant sounding strings than it is to overcompensate with EQ.

You can find helpful (albeit subjective) string characteristics charts with a web search. For reference, here are some generally agreed-upon tone characteristics of a small selection of string brands...

>> Shop all strings

Common manufacturer setups:

• Yamaha violins: D'Addario Zyex
• NS Design: D'Addario NS Electric
• ZETA: D'Addario Helicore

*Exceptions:

These are four exceptions to the general rule that you can use *any* type of strings with an electric instrument. In these cases, specific strings or a certain type of strings may be required (or optimal).

• Magnetic pickups

  If your instrument uses a magnetic pickup, you'll need ferrous strings capable of interacting with a magnetic field. Most standard strings, which typically have a nylon, perlon, or other synthetic core, won't create enough disturbance in the pickup's field to create a useful signal. Also, many strings come wound with aluminum, silver, nickel, or titanium, which aren't magnetic.

  The major manufacturer of magnetic pickup instruments is Cantini Electric Instruments, with their ISSP2 bridge.

  The best strings for magnetic violin pickups are Dogal Electrosound.

  
  
  
• ZETA Pickups

  Although non-magnetic, ZETA's wiring schematic uses the strings themselves to pass the ground (coming from the tailpiece) to the pickup elements in the bridge. Therefore, it is recommended to use a conductive string, such as the wound steel core D'Addario Helicores.

  
  
  
• NS Design geared violin/viola tuners

  The NS Design Polar pickup system is piezoelectric and therefore will work with any strings, however, we do not recommend nylon or perlon core strings, which have a great deal of stretch, and must be pulled firmly through tuner to pre-tension the string before tuning. While it's possible to pre-tension them enough, they may be prone to breakage or a shorter lifespan due to the initial stretching and tension required to bring them up to pitch with the NS tuning system. Instead, we recommend D'Addario NS Electric strings, or any other brand of solid or stranded core strings.

  *NS Design cellos and upright basses use a guitar-style machine tuner system and can therefore use any kind of string, including nylon or perlon core.

  
  
  
• Fretted instruments

  Raised metal frets tend to cause early wear and failure to strings. This can be mitigated by choosing strings with titanium winding for the higher tension D and A strings, while it is best to choose an unwound E string.

How to change strings

The method for changing strings depends on the tuners used on your instrument. A majority of electric instruments use either traditional friction pegs or geared lookalike pegs (e.g Wittner FineTune or Knilling Perfection Pegs).

With friction pegs, you will change strings the same way as you would on an acoustic violin. One difference is that with acoustic (or acoustic-electric) instruments, you would change only one string at a time to maintiain tension on the top to keep the sound post in place, whereas solid-body electric instruments don't have a sound post, so there's no harm in removing all the strings at once.

Geared lookalike peg tuners are slightly different in that you don't want to crank on them or put too much pushing or pulling pressure, as you can damange the internal mechanisms. Also, they have gear ratios, meaning that one turn of the peg is equal to only a fraction of winding of the string. This is also true of any instruments that use guitar/bass/mandolin tuners. This means you'll need to turn the peg a lot more to bring it up to tension. A peg winder (available at any guitar shop or online guitar seller) can save a lot of effort allowing you to turn the peg much faster.

Some instruments string "backwards" as compared to an acoustic violin. The tuners will be on the same side of the bridge as you the player, and the ball end will be way out on the scroll or headstock.

NS Design violins and violas are "backwards" strung instruments with special proprietary tuning mechanisms. If you own an NS Design violin/viola, you'll need to learn to pull the string through and hold it with tension as you turn the gear to bring the string to pitch. This pre-tensioning of the string lets the gear engage closer to pitch so that you are left with enough play to tune up and down easily.

How often should you change your strings?

This depends on how much you play, how hard you bow, and the inherent longevity of the strings you are using. Unless a string has broken, you don't necessarily need to change your strings on a particular time table. Rather, listen for your strings to deaden (becoming noticeably less lively and responsive than when brand new) and/or go false. 'False' strings deflect pitch when bowed. You can test for this by drawing a long, loud bow across open strings. A small pitch deflection is normal, even for new strings, but if your pitch rises and falls significantly--more than is acceptable musically--it's time for new strings.

Will I break my strings if I change them myself?

Your strings are designed to sound the pitch written on their package under normal tension. Tuning your string up to that pitch won't result in the string breaking. Inexperienced players who change their strings without guidance or training have a tendency to overtension the strings, which can cause a break or early wear of the string. Use a tuner and your ear when tuning to avoid this problem. There are cheap digital tuners you can buy as well as many tuning apps available for smartphones.

The same string keeps breaking--what can I do?

If the same string breaks repeatedly, and in particular breaks in the same place, this is an indication that there may be something about your instrument causing it. A typical cause is pinching in the nut groove, or a barb in the nut groove that wears the string. If applying ample graphite to the bridge and nut grooves with a pencil doesn't solve the issue, take the instrument to a luthier for a diagnosis.

Tips for string maintenance

• Wipe the full length of your strings after each time you play. This means not just where there is rosin, but also where your fingers touch, to remove oils that can tarnish your strings and lead to poor tone, bad feel, and shortened string life.
• Each time you change strings, use a graphite pencil to color in the grooves on the bridge and nut. This lubricates the grooves and allows the string to slide effortlessly through when tuning. This will not only keep your strings from snagging and stretching unevenly, but will also keep them from pulling your bridge out of vertical alignment.
• Keep your friction pegs well maintained. With changes in temperature & humidity, and with the passage of time, your pegs may become sticky or difficult to turn. Applying peg compound where the peg touches the pegbox will allow them to turn smoothly and reduce the liklihood of accidently overtuning, which can stretch or break strings.

Extended Range Strings

Beyond 4-string instruments violins may have 5, 6, or 7-strings. Some violas are available in 5-strings, and cellos can have 5 or 6 strings (NS Design CR6).

Violins don't go above the high E; instead they decend below the G string in perfect 5ths with each added string. 5-string adds a C (viola pitch); 6-string adds an F; 7-string adds a B-flat (one whole tone below cello's low C). Some brands produce 5-string sets for violin, while others sell 4-string sets with a matching C-string avaialable separately.

5-string violas can go up or down, either adding a low F or a high E string.

Likewise, 5-string cellos can add a low F or a high E, while the 6-string cello adds both.

Here are some quick links to strings and sets for extended range instruments in our catalog:

• Violin 5-string sets
• Violin 6-string sets
• Violin 7-string sets
• Violin Octave sets (sounding 8vb)
• Violin C strings
• Violin F strings
• Violin B-flat strings
  
• Viola low F strings
• Viola high E string
• Cello low F strings
• Cello high E strings

See also: 'How To String A Violin Like A Guitar'