PIRASTRO String Manual

PIRASTRO strings represent the best of early materials and processes along with today’s most exciting and practical innovations, opening the door for musicians to explore endless technical and tonal possibilities through our full range of products. We keep up with emerging trends by gathering feedback from professional and amateur musicians, students, and luthiers.

Following increased interest in gut core strings, we created modern gut core strings using updated production methods to reflect the tuning stability and quick response desired by modern players, while maintaining richness of sound. Our traditional gut core strings remain unchanged in their time-tested formula, offering integrity to historical performance as well as the beautifully classic string instrument sound which has inspired centuries of musicians and composers. All our gut strings are made from high-quality sheep gut, with much time and care.

Our synthetic core strings include the original nylon core and polyester core strings as well as modern synthetic core strings that implement an exclusive new core material and manufacturing technique. These synthetic materials are carefully designed to match the sound of gut strings as closely as possible while also providing the widest variety of tone colors and remarkable resistance to changes in temperature and humidity, and are highly popular among musicians of all genres and playing styles.

Ever-present as violin E-strings and often of interest to violists, cellists, and bassists, our steel core strings are reliable and fast to break in, and our stranded steel core strings offer extra flexibility and excellent versatility of sound.

Whatever your inspiration is for playing our PIRASTRO strings, we recommend the following guidelines for their optimal performance:

Check for rough surfaces and consult with a luthier

Strings should be able to glide smoothly over contact points such as the bridge, nut, and pegs of your instrument. Any string can be damaged if mounted on insufficiently prepared surfaces. Contact with sharp edges can weaken and break strings, sometimes even causing the metal winding of a string to damage its own core. Therefore, please check that the bridge, the nut grooves, and the peg holes are smooth, and that the grooves in the bridge and the nut are not too deep or too tight for the gauge of your strings. Our general recommendation for groove depth is about 1/3 the diameter of the string. We recommend bringing your instrument to a luthier to make any necessary adjustments.

Use of graphite and peg compound

To further help the strings glide smoothly on these surfaces, use a soft graphite pencil to apply a thin layer of graphite to each groove of the bridge and nut before installing new strings.

For easier tuning, you can also coat the pegs with graphite or with our peg compound. Coat the surface of the pegs once or twice where they come into contact with the peg box. If it is still not possible to smoothly turn the pegs, please contact your luthier for further assistance.

Special considerations for E-strings

When using a loop fine tuner, ensure that there are no sharp edges which might come in contact with the loop of the string. To further increase the lifespan of the string, we offer a synthetic insert that sits as a soft barrier between the hook of the fine tuner and the thin metal loop of the string.

When using a ball-end E-string, it is important to choose a fine tuner which has a suitable design. This will look different than a loop fine tuner, as the ball of the string is meant to be held against the fine tuner in the same way it would be held directly against a tailpiece without a fine tuner. In other words, the ball should rest against the fine tuner from the point where it meets the end of the string and should NOT be held in place by hooking the tuner through the hole in the ball.

Special considerations for steel strings

If you notice exceptionally high tension with your steel strings, in that they feel too hard and stiff, it may be the result of a bridge which is too high. Steel strings need a slightly lower bridge than gut and synthetic strings. Please consult a luthier regarding bridge adjustments.

Violin E-String Bridge Protector

Our violin E-strings are provided with a bridge protector, a small plastic tube that protects the violin’s bridge from being damaged by the thin wire string. With proper installation, this bridge protector has no effect on the sound of the strings. While installing the string, place the plastic tube on top of the bridge, keeping a longer length of plastic tubing over the small amount of string that stretches between the bridge and the tailpiece. If the bridge already has a small piece of parchment installed over the E-string groove, then the plastic bridge protector is likely no longer necessary and you can remove it from the string before installation.

Only remove and replace one string at a time

To maintain tension across the instrument, keep all strings up to pitch except for the one being changed. The strings can be changed in any order, but it is important to completely change one string before changing another.

During the changing process, the strings may lose tension unevenly. As often as possible, bring all strings back up to pitch except for the one being changed. Do not over-correct the pitch.

The positions of the bridge on top of your instrument and the sound post inside are vital to the instrument’s sound quality and structural integrity. These two wooden pieces are held in place due to the high tension of the strings stretched above them. Both will likely fall over or shift out of place if the tension is drastically released by removing more than one string at a time.

Prevent excess string from overlapping on the pegs

Ensure that each successive revolution of excess string around the peg is wrapped around parallel to the previously wrapped string material.

Tune to pitch, NOT higher than pitch

When tuning, avoid tightening strings above normal pitch. All strings are prone to breakage when over-tuned. Steel strings are especially sensitive to over-tuning, despite being highly robust while playing.

New strings will stretch significantly within the first 5-10 minutes after installation. Continue to retune each newly installed string to pitch during this time period. After 30 minutes, most of the stretching process is complete, and after 1 or 2 days, the strings will reach their maximum tuning stability. By then the tone quality and projection will have evolved as well.

Check the position of the bridge before, during, and after tuning

The top of the bridge may pull toward the scroll as you install new strings. This should be checked and corrected so that the back of the bridge is perpendicular to the top of the instrument, with a very slight tilt toward the tailpiece. When correctly crafted and properly positioned, the bridge should stand this way without gaps between the feet of the bridge and the surface of the instrument. This positioning of the bridge is important for the instrument’s sound characteristics and stability.

Already-used strings

It is possible to freshly install an already-used string if it is still in good condition. However, changing the same string multiple times increases the likelihood of damage to the string and loss of sound and playing quality.

Clean strings regularly

During long breaks in playing and before putting your instrument away, wipe off any remaining rosin from the strings with a soft, dry cloth. Doing so preserves the quality of sound, volume, and response, as well as the varnish of the instrument.

String cleaning liquid and string oil

Some retailers offer string cleaning liquid to remove excess rosin from the strings. This liquid may contain alcohol and should never come in contact with the varnish of your instrument. When necessary, it is alright to use this liquid sparingly (a small drop is enough on a soft cloth, separate from your regular cleaning cloth). To best protect your instrument while using a liquid of string cleaner, place a dry cloth between the strings and the fingerboard. After you have cleaned your strings, wash your hands before touching the instrument’s varnish.

You can also apply a small amount of string oil to the strings at the fingerboard area. Use the string oil sparingly.

Some musicians experience problems with the lifespan of aluminum wound strings, since the acid in hand perspiration can dissolve aluminum. In this case, daily cleaning of the string should increase its lifespan to an acceptable level. If the aluminum still deteriorates too quickly, then we recommend using strings with chrome steel winding instead (e.g. Violin No. 1 E-string, Violin Perpetual A Steel/Chrome Steel).

General

During travel, especially air travel, and also during long periods when the strings are not being used, we recommend to tune strings down to a ¼ tone lower than normal pitch.

Special considerations for gut strings

Gut strings should not be exposed to dramatic changes in temperature or humidity. To increase the life span of gut strings, store them in a controlled climate, ideally with 45% humidity. Take care especially when the instrument is transported in an airplane, where humidity drops dramatically and the strings can contract and, as a result, break. During air travel and also during long periods when the strings are not being used, we recommend especially to tune gut strings down to a ¼ tone lower. With proper use and storage, in comparison to a multifilament synthetic core string, the single filament of a gut core string is more robust and wears slower because of its ability to regain its elasticity.
 

The lifetime of strings varies considerably depending on the material used in the string itself, the manner in which it is played, the aggressiveness of the acids in the player’s hand-perspiration, and climatic conditions. Loss of sound quality itself usually happens very gradually; therefore, please contact us in the event you feel dissatisfied with the speed of sound quality degradation and wish to have the string reviewed. The analysis of returned strings is very important for us so that we can maintain a high level of quality.