Gunther_az - Posted - 06/02/2022:  14:24:01

Yes, another string topic. Most discussions on string life seem to focus on life spans in months as opposed to actual playing hours. Of course, I understand strings will still age from other factors, ie. if the fiddle is not played, humidity, etc. But that withstanding, I'm curious about what other's experiences are with respect to actual playing hours on a set of strings.



I've been using Prim strings for years and typically ~150-190 hrs actual playing hours (6 to 9 months). Based on my experience, these are about the longest lasting string. Lately, I've been playing a lot more frequently and also been crossed-tuned more than half the time. My latest set (from Shar) has only about 120 hrs in about 4 months and are starting to sound a little haggard.

Edited by - Gunther_az on 06/02/2022 14:24:52

Swing - Posted - 06/02/2022:  16:14:25

I generally don't keep track of the total on hours that I play...I am not quite that nerdy.... the length of time that strings last is somewhat subjective...how well do you clean your strings, do you use a lot of rosin, are you a heavy handed bower, etc... I use synthetics and the time that they last can vary... I have three good fiddles, but my favorite one, the strings usually last five or six months and that is playing anywhere from an hour to two hours a day. I know from a friend of mine who is a professional, he switched all of his fiddles to Helicores so that he didn't have to changes strings often... he figured that length of time was better than tone. I have my favorite place to purchase strings and I wait until they have a 20% sale off their regular low prices and buy several sets...

Play Happy

Swing

Brian Wood - Posted - 06/02/2022:  16:15:15

I use Prims. They're stainless steel. I like the tone and they last forever. I play on a set for over a year probably. Maybe a couple hours a day, at least I used to play that much.

wilford - Posted - 06/02/2022:  16:24:20

Helicore Mediums and Zyex Mediums. A set of either will last 8-9 months, but on occasion I will get a set of Helicore's that the "A" string will unravel about where the C# is. Drives me crazy! :)

Lonesome Fiddler - Posted - 06/02/2022:  16:49:27

When the steel string acoustic guitar was my major instrument I religiously changed strings every four weeks. When I fell for fiddling about twenty years ago, I started off following my guitar model and changed fiddle strings every month or so. For the past ten years, though, I don't change my fiddle strings until they start losing their windings. In other words, every couple years. As long as I get good tone and they don't make my fingers suffer, I just don't think about it. All this laziness seemed to come to pass when I went from Chromcors & similar metal strings to synthetic strings like Dominants and Pirastros. BTW, I absolutely hated my one experience with Prims. Under my ear they sounded blunt and harsh. "Diff'rent strokes..."

DougBrock - Posted - 06/02/2022:  17:51:13

One sure fire way to make your violin strings last longer is to buy more violins. If you play a bunch of different violins your strings will last a loooooong time. :)

farmerjones - Posted - 06/02/2022:  20:58:33

I've had a set of medium Prim strings last 6 years. In those years I may have played 18 hours a week.
Preludes seem to have a similar construction tho they don't seem as bright. I have used them on occasion because for price at some point. I'm down to less than 8 hours a week now. I'm so lax, I couldn't tell you if the current strings are Prim or Preludes. I'm sure the wraps are different but don't care.

kjb - Posted - 06/03/2022:  05:20:27

i use pi and get about 8 months, 10 to 15 hours a week more or less

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 06/03/2022:  06:23:39

Depending on how much I am sweating, new strings have a fresh tone that lasts four to six months. When I pick my fiddle up and it is in tune after playing an hour or two for me it's time to change strings. I usually play an hour and a half at a sitting five or six days a week. So rough in between four and five hundred hours. I usually use Prim medium gauge. I just tried out a set of Helicore heavy gauge. We shall see, one if I like them... so far so good and two how long they last. R/

pmiller510 - Posted - 06/03/2022:  07:32:18

Average playing time would be an hour+ each day, so a minimum of 365 hours per year.

Prims have lasted up to 2 years. Wouldn't say they every actually wore out or needed changing. Just decided it was time for something different.

Helicore mediums have easily lasted 6-9 months. The new set of strings did sound better. Only once had the A string come unwound up at the 1st finger position.

Helicore heavy strings have lasted one year without any problems. Again a new set of strings sounded better when put on. Felt like these could have gone longer.

Have not had much experience with synthetic strings. Either seemed dull to begin with or got that way very fast. Never kept a set on longer than a month. That applied to Dominants, which I tried at least 3 times, and another a cheaper D'Addario set that I can't remember the name of.

For what it's worth; I play old-time music on one fiddle and cross tune a lot, changing tunings every time I play..