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What kind of strings do violins use?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous [BG]' started by ThePaste, Oct 18, 2001.

  1. Oct 18, 2001 #1
    ThePaste

    ThePaste

    Dec 23, 2000
    West Virginia USA
    Do they use metal or gut strings?
     
  2. Oct 18, 2001 #2
    JMX

    JMX Vorsprung durch Technik

    Sep 4, 2000
    Cologne, Germany
    Violin strings are either steel, silver-plated or chrome-plated steel or aluminium wound on nylon or gut.

    Gut strings are supposed to sound better, but are more expensive and break more easily. If I remember correctly the top G string is a plain steel string anyway.

    Nylon string sets are mostly used by beginners.

    But I'm really not sure, it's been more than 6 years that I touched my violin, or even looked at it. :oops:
     
  3. Oct 18, 2001 #3
    John Davis

    John Davis Guest

    Mar 27, 2001
    Houston, Texas
    Gut? Oh my God..my Orchestra teacher wasn't kidding. I feel odd now.
     
  4. Oct 18, 2001 #4
    Aaron

    Aaron

    Jun 2, 2001
    Seattle, WA
    JMX, wouldn't the E string be plain steel? Since it is the lowest gauge string?
     
  5. Oct 18, 2001 #5
    JMX

    JMX Vorsprung durch Technik

    Sep 4, 2000
    Cologne, Germany
    Oops, yeah!

    It's the top string alright, now I typed G instead of E, sorry. Well, that shows I'm a bass player in my mind now ;)

    violin tuning is of course G D A E (in 5th).
     
  6. Oct 19, 2001 #6
    Thomguy

    Thomguy

    Oct 15, 2001
    New York, USA
    Most violin players use our strings and the options for the E string (among the T-I's) are plain steel, aluminum wound on steel core, chrome wound on steel core, chrome steel, tin-plated steel, chrome steel with gold plating and carbon steel with tin plating. Gut strings are still used by some but they are subject to climate changes and break easier. I lost a link to a site that shows how gut strings are made. It's a tad unsavory so for the faint of heart perhaps I should stop looking.