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PrairieFiddler - Posted - 03/05/2018: 22:31:04
As seems to be so often the case, I have a very bright and powerful fiddle, currently strung with Violinos as they seem to mellow it enough to be very enjoyable. My problem is that I wanna try more alternate tunings and don't wanna deal with those rubber-bands that are Violino strings. I'm afraid helicores will be so powerful as to be unplayable but I'm willing to risk the thirty bucks on it. My question is, having never really tried anything but medium strings and seeing as how the super low tension Violinos are very mellow, would light Helicores be a better choice perhaps? Especially considering I'll being doing a lot of higher tensions tunings such as cross A and ADAE? If they're bearable to play, I might get one of those $5 tourte mutes until I can get a luthier to check the soundpost/bridge set up.
Thanks all
DougD - Posted - 03/06/2018: 03:22:05
Helicores are thinner than most strings, so lights may feel odd under your fingers. A lot of people use heavies, but my luthier thinks that eliminates the nice flexibility that's one of the attractive things about those strings (I've only used mediums),
You could try Jargar - they're one of the darkest steel strings. Last time I tried them to tame a rough sounding fiddle it was like putting a mute on it, but that set had been sitting around for a long time.
Edited by - DougD on 03/06/2018 03:23:00
UsuallyPickin - Posted - 03/06/2018: 06:48:25
Hmmm ..... sounds like you are on the right track. If Helicore doesn't suit you check out Prim....... R/
illinoisfiddler - Posted - 03/06/2018: 20:36:45
I found Helicore mediums to be less loud than Thomastik Vision mediums on my main fiddle. The sound was decent enough with the Helicores, but I didn't like the lack of output and slightly thinner tone. Jargars can work great on certain fiddles. But I am certainly a synthetic string guy, but could understand maybe not wanting to use them for cross tuning. I do use Vision on a fiddle tuned 1/2 step down, but I rarely change the tuning on that one.
PrairieFiddler - Posted - 03/10/2018: 17:47:27
I went ahead and got mediums after reading quite a few reviews of Light Helicore D's and A's snapping. Just got them. Very happy with them. Aren't nearly as bright or loud as I expected. I'd say they're far more mellow than the synthetics that are designed to be loud and powerful. Can't wait to try all these alternate tunings :)
illinoisfiddler - Posted - 03/10/2018: 19:24:02
You could also try Helicore heavy, which given the thin size anyway, would probably feel more like synthetic mediums. That is the only Helicore strings I haven't tried, and I have heard Mark O'Connor prefers them.
'Bergonzi' 2 days
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