dbc224 - Posted - 07/31/2023:  20:31:39

Anyone able to recommend strings that do not have any nickel or cobalt, ideally throughout but at least not in the wrapping? And since I’m a brand new player, not particularly ready to buy the gold strings yet.

Earworm - Posted - 08/01/2023:  09:36:32

Hey dbc224, you're singin' my song! I have a nickel allergy, and have am aware that cobalt & chromium allergies sometimes go along with it. I only have a nickel allergy, to date, but is this what you're dealing with? Do you use steel strings or synthetic, or open to trying either?



Shar music, and Fiddlerman (online) do a great job of identifying the materials and wraps for each string. There are probably some others too - Johnson String Instruments is another one. It's worth looking at the details though.



I use Pirastro Chromcor's with no problem (is chrome is also a problem for you?) These are Chrome wrapped steel strings, though I experimenting with using the Pirastro Gold E lately, which is tin-plated steel. I'm not really sure the sound is different, but it's nice to have options.

I dabbled with trying to find steel strings with a different wrap, but decided to come back to Chromcor's which for me are home base. I also was surprised to learn that a plain steel E-string is standard on almost every brand of strings, including synthetics, so hopefully steel won't bother you.

Good luck!

Edited by - Earworm on 08/01/2023 09:52:14

Earworm - Posted - 08/01/2023:  09:59:01

I might add though, that I have never heard of cobalt wound fiddle strings, and nickel windings are not that common. -certainly not like guitar strings!

DougD - Posted - 08/01/2023:  10:10:59

I've wondered about this, although I don't have any metallic allergies that I know of.
Pirastro says chromcors are wound with "chrome steel," which seems to be more a European term, but I've never been able to find out exactly what it is. I think most "high chrome" stainless type steels also contain nickel, (and sometimes cobalt) but I'm no metallurgist.
Most synthetic core strings are wound with silver, aluminum, sometimes titanium. A steel core string made this way is the D'Addario Helicore. If you use an aluminum wound E string, you could avoid contact with nickel, although I think music wire is "non alloy" steel.
As Earworm said, some online sellers do a good job of identifying the materials in their strings. Another good one is Quinn violins, and Southwest strings is pretty good too.

Edited by - DougD on 08/01/2023 10:17:20

DougD - Posted - 08/01/2023:  10:30:55

Supersensitive Red Label strings are nickel wound, as is the D'Addario Prelude G string (the D and A are siver wound). Prim (\which I use) are wound with "chrome steel."

Earworm - Posted - 08/01/2023:  12:11:20

This description of Chrome Steel is from a ball bearings company, but I think the same principals apply.

"Chrome steel encompasses any standard steel core that has been plated in a thin layer of pure chromium."

So if you're allergic to chrome or to steel, you may have to get creative. Steel also contains some nickel, but has strong chemical bonds that are supposed to keep most of the nickel where it won't get loose. It's considered hypoallergenic as a generic category, but some people with nickel allergies do get reactions to it.  If that's not a problem for you, you'll have a lot of choices. I'm curious if any of these ideas so far are helpful to you?

Edited by - Earworm on 08/01/2023 12:25:16