I received my new Cremona SV-130 4/4 student violin and it seems to me that the strings feel a little "flimsy".  I am a beginner so naturally I wasn't sure what to expect but I can't help but wonder if I should buy a new set of better quality strings for it.  Any suggestions ???

Are you comparing them to some other stringed instrument e.g guitar? I was astounded at how "non-flimsy" other strings are by comparison to fiddle strings. If they sound ok and you can tune them then I'd keep them till you get a bit of playing under your belt and know what you might like to replace them with.

I agree with Withnall. Most student violins have sturdy steel strings on them, and they'll hold up quite well while you're learning. As long as they hold tune, you should be fine. They're definitely thinner than other stringed instruments like guitars and such, so that may account for the seemingly 'flimsy' part. 

If you really want to upgrade, you might want to start with some fairly inexpensive synthetic core strings like D'Addario Pro Arte strings. I think they can be had for just over $20 a set in some places and they don't sound as tinny as some of the cheap strings that come on student violins. 

Edited by - S_Heriger on 07/08/2012 18:37:23

there are many brands of strings there are cheaper strings for beginer red lable this string is use in the schools its ok there are better brands like Dominant brand they cost 52 dollors the red lable 1 2 to 22 dollar this is what i have used the reds are a little brigth the Dominants mello in both brands i use size med. 4/4 there are many brands take your choise

It's hard to say without knowing what brand and type is on it. Can you contact the seller and see if those are the strings Cremona shipped with it? They might have upgraded them if they were really bad, and if so, you could find out to what.
And if those are the strings Cremona shipped it with to the seller, you could find out from Cremona what they are.
Very often the strings shipped with violins from China are also Chinese made, and frankly, I have a higher opinion of Chinese violins than of Chinese strings, at least based on the sample I've tried so far.... but maybe I was unlucky.

IF the strings already on it are steel, going to synthetics is going to increase the "flimsy" feel.

It's not unusual for beginning violin students to use steel strings or steel core strings for a while until they get used to playing and learn not to bear down so hard on the bow. Usually, if the bow is properly rosined (and that can be hard to do with the low quality and often old rosin shipped with new violins) bowing should require very little pressure- the weight of the bow does nearly all of it. Anyway, with too much pressure strings tend to squawk, and synthetic strings tend to squawk even more.

Common student strings used by both beginning violin students AND fiddle student AND even some advanced fiddlers include D'Addario Preludes and Super Sensitive Red Labels. My personal preference for steel strings are Prims which are a bit more expensive, but sound good and last a long time.

My wife has a Cremona, we now use dominants on it and it sounds pretty good.

I recommend that you have somebody experienced access the playability of your strings. Failing that, get some new ones to be sure. I started with a Palatino student fiddle with original strings. After a few months I was in a shop and the owner recommeded a new set of d'addario preludes ($14). The difference was night and day, like getting a new fiddle.  It wasn't that the old strings were worn out, they always sounded that way.

Edited by - SamY on 07/09/2012 10:03:55

Thanx a bunch guys,  I ordered the fiddle kit new with bow & rosin so the strings are new.  I believe I'm having trouble getting the bow rosined up.  I'm going to start shopping for a better quality rosin.  I have a good friend who plays and he is going to play mine and tell me what he thinks.  He also loaned me one of his bows, which is already rosined up a bit and it sounded better.  The fiddle is inexpensive and I got stressed that maybe I should have waited until I could afford a better quality one.  Withnall, I play electric bass and am also learning to play dobro, so yes sir, I am used to thicker, heavier strings.  I have small fingers but getting used to these tiny fiddle strings is going to be a real challenge.  Thanx for the input, I'm not ready to throw in the towel.  Taking reccommendations for "good rosin".   

Edited by - Denise on 07/09/2012 17:47:58

If I had to keep just one rosin around, I suppose it might be Salchow, but I am really fickle about rosin, grabbing whatever is handiest. There are lots of good kinds, including RDM dark and Hill dark, to name just two. You don't need to spend an arm and a leg; I am happy with the wood-block rosin that costs a buck and a half or two bucks.

I recommend anything but Dominants - try one of the D'Daddario brands - go to Nashville Violins in Nashville, TN and ask the owner. He is a long time fiddle player and he will get you set up perfectly!

It looks as if I'll be buying some sort, because I broke my G string while tuning.

Edited by - Denise on 07/11/2012 06:16:25

I've been buying the Super Sensitive Mini Dark Rosin, for +- $2.50 at my local shop. I still can't wear one out before it starts to get old and stop working well. I replace the rosin when I replace the strings on my main player. I know some people are using ten year old rosin, but I've found that there is a big difference in grabbiness between fresher rosin and an old block. The new rosin I put a few swipes on once every few days, and the old rosin I put a few swipes on once every 20 minutes.

New bowhair is really hard to get rosin on. You sometimes have to run an emory board or the edge of a dime or quarter across the block to rough it up a bit, and then have at it for 10-15 minutes. Once it finally starts to take it, you'll be good to go.

Edited by - bj on 07/13/2012 12:18:00