A friend & I are recording a rather goth sounding original & in the shower today I added some cello licks to it in my head. However, it’s time for new strings (& possibly a rehair, although I’m praying not because I don’t know any of the luthiers in town any more) & there are way more brands & styles available than I remember. It’s proof that wisdom doesn’t always come with age. I’m a noob all over again.
Certain brands sound familiar to me, like Pirastro &… ok, just Pirastro. I recall I only ever used gut strings, but that was when I played constantly. Being on a bit of a budget I’m not sure it would be worth it to drop $250 on a set of gut strings just to add some parts to a recording.
Or is it?
I’m thinking I’ll give the synthetic strings a try. They’re affordable & supposedly last longer than gut strings. As far as gauge… it’s probably safe to go with medium, although I’m tempted to try out thin since I won’t exactly be bouncing off the walls of a concert hall. I’m still suffering from pitch issues using light gauge guitar strings so I’m a little scarred there.
Anyway, for those wondering where I finally figured out how to start, I found a great explanatory article at Zaret & Sons. Frankly I was so grateful for their clear & generous information that I was ready to buy strings from them regardless of the price but apparently they do not sell strings, only instruments & bows. Oh well. If you are in the market for an instrument please check these guys out. They care enough to educate you on a product they don’t even sell.
Update: I ordered a $112 set of Pirastro Aricores from Quinn Violins; shipping is free! The same set was $118 at Musician’s Friend & the cheapest shipping option would have been $21. I’ve ordered rosin from Quinn Violins in the past & been happy with their service.
Excited! =)
