D’Addario Helicore 4/4 Size Violin String Set with Aluminum Wound E String - H310W 4/4M - Stranded Steel Core for a Clear, Warm Tone - Medium Tension

Helicores are favorites for fiddle players. I've tried Helicores, Dominants, and Pirastro Tonicas. On my fiddle, the Dominants (the most expensive of the three) were simple, LOUD, one-dimensional, boring-sounding, and unraveled at the ball four weeks in. Comparatively, the Helicores when new had a wonderful, complex tone/sound (as well as having plenty of volume), perfect for my instrument. I feel like I have a lot of range from soft/quiet playing to loud, and a range of clear to gritty sounds depending on how I bow. What is that called - more dynamic? - when compared to the Dominants. Very responsive for fast playing. With bowed triplets I can get that nice chop-a-kah sound whenever I want to. And, they stay in tune wonderfully. I haven't had to touch the tuning pegs since putting them in - I've just moved the fine tuners a few turns. Now that my Helicores are 3 months old, though, they are getting a little muddy. Time to replace them! Of course, your milage on any set of strings will depend very strongly on your instrument and your playing style. Note that there are two sets of Helicore mediums, and this particular set has a wrapped E string (as opposed to a solid steel E string). When this wrapped E is brand new, it is fantastic. It is bright enough, but not as much as the solid varieties. This would be an excellent choice if you have a fiddle where a solid steel E string is too harsh. It also is nice for avoiding squeaking (read: easier to play for beginners). After a few months of heavy playing, however, the wrapped E gets a bit quiet and muddy. And then the wrapping breaks and unwinds under your fingers. That is perfectly normal and will happen with any wrapped string eventually. Just note that it happens more quickly with wrapped E strings because they are smaller and more delicate. I have since gone back to the set with the solid steel E string. Mine lasted 3 months with an average of 2-3 hours per day of playing. Also note that, at jams, I will often strum my fiddle like a mandolin, which will wear on your strings more quickly than just bowing. Note that all the Helicore strings are much thinner than nylon-core strings, which can be a small adjustment for your fingers to get used to, but it does not have any disadvantages. Other than possible issues with the strings sinking into your bridge, if you have a cheap bridge or if you get it wet (rain). This can be avoided with a drop of super glue where the A and E strings sit on the bridge.

I'm an intermediate fiddle player. Very happy with these new strings: warm, rich sound and the medium tension was a good choice.

I play folk fiddle but I'm also trained as a classical player. These strings are perfect on my fiddle. I can play old timey fiddle tune and blues as well as sensitive and gentle back-ups with vibrato, and they work for either style. I've been buying these for years and they are perfect for me. Fiddles can be picky and fickle. What works on one doesn't always sing well on another. Keep on trying until you find the right one for your particular instrument. It's out there. If you're still not satisfied, try different kinds of rosin or have your instrument professionally adjusted. IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! for folk players as well as classical! Wipe the rosin off those strings and the wood under them with a soft rag after every use. Strings caked up with rosin can't sing out. If you can't get the rosin off the strings, use a little alcohol on a rag, but be sure to protect the finish of your instrument. It will dissolve the rosin, but it will eat off the varnish on your fiddle if you're not VERY careful. I buy those little alcohol pads people use to clean their skin if they have to use an injection needle -- but put a rag under your strings to protect the fiddle and the fingerboard!!

I am very pleased with the improvement in sound of my father's old student violin (about 85 years old) after I put on the Helicore strings. They are also much easier on the fingers and much more responsive than the student grade strings that were on it (fairly new strings - not 85 years old!). I am looking forward to seeing how well these strings last, since a lot of my playing is outdoors. These strings have a slightly different sound than the Dominant strings I have on another student violin I have. Both sets of strings make the student violins sound much better. I don't really favor one set over the other - they are both pleasing, but do have slightly different tones. (I'm not certain how much difference is in the strings and how much is the difference in the violins. The next time I change strings, I plan to reverse which violin has which kind of strings to check this out.)

Between two daughters in advanced strings level in Chamber Orchestra, I have four violins to maintain and these Helicore are my choice. I have tried the usual strings from Red brand to Dominants. The Helicore just responds smoother with a sound production that is just a joy to both the player and the audience. For your reference, I am using them on Yamaha AV5 and AV7 full size violins in their standard factory setup using Hindersine violin rosin and Pernambuco bows. My experience over time is that the E string doesn't last as long as the others. With about an hour of daily practice, 7 days a week, the E string seems to last just under a year. So, I typically add H311W to the order just to have an extra E string available. The A string goes next, but at a more tolerable frequency of breakage than the E string. Strongly recommended.

This is a definite step up from super-cheap strings, but I've gotten rather spoiled by my Pirastro Obligato strings. These are fast, but slightly harsh. More for fiddling than classical playing. I do a bit of both, but these are a bit more brash sounding than I really enjoy. UPDATE March 2015 A Luthier friend and I have been experimenting with strings, and have found several violins that like these Helicore's. I will say that, so far, those same violins as well as others sound even better with the D'Addario Zyex strings. Haven't been using the Zyex' long enough to give a longevity review, but so far I'm recommending the Zyex as D'Addario's best middle-class general purpose string in my experience.

While it may be true that an instrument will choose the strings that make it sound best, and while it is true that string choice can also reflect playability and personal preference, the hardest question to answer is sometimes, "Where do I start?" The helicore will provide you with a really nice baseline if you plan on comparing a variety of string types. It's a really nice, high quality, all-purpose string and the set already includes an aluminum wound E string, which is also sold separately for those who have issues with whistling. If you find that your instrument needs more of this or that, then you can choose a different string set accordingly. Chances are pretty good that you'll be really happy with these strings.

Good strings definitely will buy again!

Excellent strings, they play in very quickly with a lovely silky smooth feel, great for sliding up to 2nd and 3rd positions. They have a warm tone but with plenty of volume. Have tried other strings but always come back to these.

Très bonne

Son increíbles, mejoran muchísimo la calidad de sonido, las uso para mi violín eléctrico.

Have always used tomastic strings but decided to try these instead very satisified

Cuerdas de gran calidad pasa músicos intermedios, una buena opción si no tienes un presupuesto alto ni un instrumento profesional, muy recomendables.