bj - Posted - 09/02/2010:  18:49:02

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I broke the Helicore wound E on my french fiddle today . . . day before Lake Genero! Good news is it happened the day before, not at the event.

Anyway, I went to the Classical Weenie Violin Shop locally to snag an E string, and of course they didn't have what I wished to buy, which was either a ball-end wondertone gold (they only had loop-end), or maybe a dominant wound E ball end (they only had these in loop-end, sheesh.) I was gonna just try a couple others, then, right before I got into a conversation with the shop owner about what he has and doesn't have, I spotted a package that said "Meisel Violin Strings, size 4/4, Flat Wound Chrome Steel E." I've never heard of this one. Never seen it on any of the string sites. and the dang thing cost a whopping $2.45. Felt the package, and there was the ball end. Good.

Though I don't really need a wound E the way I used to, I still can get screetchy on the E when I'm tired and playing a lot, and Lake Genero definitely will test me that way.

So I bought this E (as well as a couple others to try out in case this one isn't to my liking. A Super Sensitive Octava flat wound E and didn't know they made wound Es in that brand, and a Dogal E, which isn't wound.)

Just put on the Meisel. So far-- WOW. It doesn't seem to have as much of a deadening effect as most wound E strings. It's got a lot of punch along with a nice sweetness. It's definitely worlds better than the Helicore wound E I just took off, that went dead rather quickly, though it was nice at first. This Meisel also has more volume on this fiddle than the Helicore E ever did. And it's very quick and responsive, easy to get moving.

Has anyone else seen or tried this E?

I'll report back in awhile after I've seen how this one holds up.

WoodshopFiddler - Posted - 09/02/2010:  18:53:59

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I have never tried that particular E string but I have removed the ball from an old E and twisted it into a looped string.

tiquose - Posted - 09/02/2010:  19:39:12

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quote:

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Originally posted by WoodshopFiddler

I have never tried that particular E string but I have removed the ball from an old E and twisted it into a looped string.

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I have, too, and it works.
Poking around in Google, I get the impression that Meisel strings were made for Meisel violins. I haven't found them for sale on their own.

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Edited by - tiquose on 09/02/2010 19:51:23

jamieholmes - Posted - 09/03/2010:  01:22:46

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Nope can't say I have but I am always on the look out for a good E-string. I use a Piratso golden E and the rest is Thomastik Dominant and that gives a really nice soft tone I find.

RobBob - Posted - 09/03/2010:  06:09:29

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There are lots of new strings out there that come from a nebulous source, like China. But hey if it works you are set.

bj - Posted - 09/03/2010:  06:19:49

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We'll see. I like it so far. But a few that I've liked haven't held up well at all. And that's the other criteria, though at the price it's not as big a deal.

fiddler george - Posted - 09/07/2010:  09:59:58

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Greetings from Hot Springs Ar. can anyone tell me where I can buy one of the Meisel strings to try. thanks George

bj - Posted - 09/07/2010:  10:07:22

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I bought it locally, from Twin Rivers Music in Easton, PA. I've never seen it in any of the online shops, though I didn't specifically look for it.

Update-- It did me proud at Lake Genero fiddle camp, and I played the snot outta it. I'll let you all know how it holds up over the next couple few months.