When to Replace Strings on a Violin

Video Transcript

Hi I'm David Kaynor for expertvillage.com. When does a fiddler or a violinist replace a string and why? Well the simplest answer is that a string is generally replaced when it is no longer is working up to the violinist or fiddlers standards or preferences. Now that can actually happen in several forms, even when the stringer rings aren't broken. But the most obvious thing is if a string breaks, it has to be replaced, cause it won't work at all. If a string breaks down between the tail piece and the bridge, or up between the nut and the peg, I've sometimes managed to tie a knot in the string and save it in a emergency, but is generally not a very very reliable fix, and often if a string is broken its never going to have the same vibrational characteristics again anyway. So a broken spring is a reason to change. Another reason to change is that the wrapping of the string... and the G D and A strings are almost always wrapped. There is a core, and the core can be a different material, but the string itself is often wrapped. The wrappings can become frayed, can deteriorate and actually disappear. And at that point it becomes really hard to move the fingers on the string, and in addition the string's ability to vibrate as a unit is disrupted... and arguably a loss of tone quality and volume can take place. Another reason to change strings is a perception that the string has become fatigued. Now that is a subjective perception, and people have varying degrees of tolerance of a old string. Some people say a old string generates a false tone, so that if you were to pluck the A, you might here both the A itself and secondary tone that is slightly out of tune, and then people say this string has gone false. I hate to admit it, but I'm not often not able to hear a false note to the same degree that some of my more sensitive colleagues are, but it is said that a very old string, a worn string, will generate a false tone. Then there is just a perception that the string is simply not producing as much tone and as much dynamics as it use to.

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