Looking to surprise a friend with some new strings...
Hi r/cello, I'd like to get some new strings for a friend who hasn't touched his cello in the last 9 years and is looking to get back into it.
He'll be taking it in to be reset up, get a new bridge, etc. But i was thinking of getting him some strings to go with it. From what i can tell, he currently has a Larsen on the C, Larsen Soloists on the G and D, and a Unicore on the A.
Is it normal to mix strings like that? I've noticed that the Unicore has been discontinued, can I replace with the Kaplans? Should I even bother trying to replace his strings like-for-like? Have there been improvements in strings in the last 9 years that would be better?
If it's any help, I think he was an amazing player during his childhood. He never finished high school because he was accepted into the con at 15. Graduated at 18. But due to certain life issues, gave up the cello.
Posted May 21, 2012, 3:40 AM UTC
It's difficult to say what strings will work well on a cello without hearing it, but I'll try to give you some recommendations.
Larsen soloists work very well for the A and D on every cello I've heard. They have no trouble playing soft and they have a great, brilliant forte.
The G string is the most difficult to figure out. The standard is usually Spirocore tungsten for the G and C, but I've found that the G is too bright for this setup. I've started using a Belcanto gold G and it sounds much more balanced without losing projection.
The Spirocore tungsten C is a great string, but it's also one of the most expensive. I think it's around $107 for the C string alone. If money isn't an issue, I'd say it's the string to get.
Thanks. :)
Based on your comment and the various bits and pieces I've read online, sounds like the larsen/belcanto/spirocore combination would be a great set to start him back off again. And good news for me, they're all available at a music store not too far from me.