Spirocore (Thomastik-Infeld)
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Reviews
H. Jansberg (5/27/15)
I have been using the Spirocores for about a year now.
They are very responsive under the bow, with a quick attack and loud voice. The strings lack a little in dynamic qualities, going from piano to forte without any nuances in between.
Under the fingers this is a very smooth string, making shifting very easy. They have quick response and very precise intonation (sometimes almost too precise)
In the set G, D, A feels very balanced both in volume and tone. The E is a little off, but that could be explained through the tone of my fiddle, which has a bright edge.
I think the Spirocores are a little under rated because of the very high quality finish and long lasting both in regards to tone and stability.
They are very responsive under the bow, with a quick attack and loud voice. The strings lack a little in dynamic qualities, going from piano to forte without any nuances in between.
Under the fingers this is a very smooth string, making shifting very easy. They have quick response and very precise intonation (sometimes almost too precise)
In the set G, D, A feels very balanced both in volume and tone. The E is a little off, but that could be explained through the tone of my fiddle, which has a bright edge.
I think the Spirocores are a little under rated because of the very high quality finish and long lasting both in regards to tone and stability.
D. Baskin (4/23/14)
I give these 5 stars not because they are for everyone and every occasion, but because they fill their niche well. I use them (minus the E) on my practice instrument for several reasons:
-The intonation is very precise, quick, and stable
-They never die (almost)--less money spent on strings over time
-They amplify flaws and encourage nuance in technique
The G, D, and A project as good or better than any other string on the market (I perform on this violin when projection is needed). I don't have experience with the E, though, from my experience with the other strings, and seeing the tension so low for the E in comparison to the others, this set feels meant more for a section principal than a soloist; the set doesn't project above the mix so much as it barges to the front.
Robust clarity is how I would summarize the lower three strings' character.
Final note--I use a tungsten-wound G instead of the standard chrome on this violin and also the one I have synthetic core D and A strings on). Few merchants carry this variation, but Amazon and JustStrings do. I'm addicted to the authority, clarity, and bassiness of the tungsten G. The tungsten winding does the same thing for violin G as it is famous for doing for the cello C. If you do nothing else, try this string in particular.
-The intonation is very precise, quick, and stable
-They never die (almost)--less money spent on strings over time
-They amplify flaws and encourage nuance in technique
The G, D, and A project as good or better than any other string on the market (I perform on this violin when projection is needed). I don't have experience with the E, though, from my experience with the other strings, and seeing the tension so low for the E in comparison to the others, this set feels meant more for a section principal than a soloist; the set doesn't project above the mix so much as it barges to the front.
Robust clarity is how I would summarize the lower three strings' character.
Final note--I use a tungsten-wound G instead of the standard chrome on this violin and also the one I have synthetic core D and A strings on). Few merchants carry this variation, but Amazon and JustStrings do. I'm addicted to the authority, clarity, and bassiness of the tungsten G. The tungsten winding does the same thing for violin G as it is famous for doing for the cello C. If you do nothing else, try this string in particular.
F. Rupert (1/15/14)
I have used the medium gauge steel A with both gut (Eudoxa) and synthetic D and G. The steel A and E with a gut (later synthetic) D and G was used by a number of Russian virtuosos--David Oistrakh, Leonid Kogan, Viktor Pikaisen, Gidon Kremer.
Oistrakh reportedly used this specific string later in his career. I can see why. For a steel string the tone is reasonably complex, is not terribly bright, and blends rather well with a darker D/G. It's also fairly loud and projecting without being harsh. Its greatest virtue is that it has an extremely quick response. Complex passagework is often just easier to play on this string than on almost any synthetic--and I've tried most of them.
While the tension charts say that its tension is on a par with the medium Evah Pirazzi, it doesn't feel tight the way the Evah does.
It's a really good string.
Oistrakh reportedly used this specific string later in his career. I can see why. For a steel string the tone is reasonably complex, is not terribly bright, and blends rather well with a darker D/G. It's also fairly loud and projecting without being harsh. Its greatest virtue is that it has an extremely quick response. Complex passagework is often just easier to play on this string than on almost any synthetic--and I've tried most of them.
While the tension charts say that its tension is on a par with the medium Evah Pirazzi, it doesn't feel tight the way the Evah does.
It's a really good string.