New Strings, New Life!

Changing the strings on your violin gives it new energy and life. But you don’t want to change them too often, or too little. It is recommended that every 250-300 hours of playing your violin strings should be changed before they break.

This can be challenging to determine, but if you can feel your strings are starting to lose their sound, fray, or seem worn, it’s probably a good idea to change them. Obviously, if one or more of the strings break, then they definitely need to be replaced. If you take private violin lessons & training, it’s a good idea to check with your teacher before changing your strings.

If you have never attempted this task before, this might be challenging and intimidating to try on your own. Changing the strings does not have to be daunting though; it can be fairly simple. Below are some very helpful tips and steps on how to change your violin strings.

1. Purchase New Strings

Violin strings typically come in sets that are matched to the size of the instrument. This ensures the string length will match the violin’s scale length. Strings also come in a wide range of quality. For new violinists, the best violin strings for a beginner should be a well recognized brand. As you progress as a musician, your tastes will become more refined and allow you to be more selective about your string choices.

Some fine violin string choices:

Vizcaya 2 Packs Full Sets Violin String (G-D-A-E)...

D'Addario Prelude Violin String Set, 4/4 Scale,...

Fiddlerman Violin String Set, Synthetic Core...

2. Loosen the Strings, One at a Time

To begin, first, loosen the peg. If your string is broken, you will have to remove any remnants on the peg first, which will allow it to unwind. Carefully take or unwind the string out from the peg.

Be sure that you’re holding the other strings firmly in your hand while you loosen each string out individually. The end of the string should fall out on its own easily after you’ve loosened the string enough on the top. There is an easy tutorial you can follow if you need a visual.

The bridge will fall off if you try taking the strings out all at once. It can also create a problem with the sound post on the inside of the violin if you take them all off at the same time, which can render your violin essentially useless. So the important tip to take away from this is to only remove one string at a time.

Once you take out your first string, you are ready to replace it. Make sure you know whether you need to have a ball end or loop end to your strings before you buy, so you’re replacing the correct strings. Some violins will accept either type of string end, so it may not matter the type of strings you buy to replace. But it’s important to note, as some violins may not be able to take both types of string ends.

Please take your time while doing this. It should take you approximately 20 minutes to change strings, maybe more if it’s your first few times attempting it yourself. You do not need to rush. Once you have done it enough times and have figured out the process, it becomes easier and can be done much more quickly.

3. Put in the New Strings

First, put your ball or loop end into the bottom of your violin and pull it tightly up and across the bridge. You can lubricate the nut and the bridge areas where the string will be laying against, usually with a lead pencil. The lead creates lubrication for your strings to lay easily.

Using your free hand, control the string slack by keeping tension on the string over the bridge the entire time you do this. If you don’t hold it tight enough, the end that is loose will fall out continuously, so the ball or loop will fall out, and it will become frustrating and difficult to replace your strings.

Putting the string in the hole where the peg goes is the next step. Then place the ball end in the arm of the fine tuner or tailpiece. When you adjust the peg to see the hole, then you can thread or feed the string through, and start to wind it in.

Keep the strings organized. You do not want the string to be going over the top of or underneath the other strings in your peg box. The easiest way to avoid this is when you put the peg in, make sure the hole is next to the inside of the box where you can easily see it to place the string in the space. This will help avoid having the strings mingle together so each string has its own spot.

(To help you with this, take a picture of the inside of your peg box before removing strings to see exactly where the strings need to go.) Visuals are helpful as you become more acquainted with the changing process, you can see how to change your strings like a professional.

4. Wind the Strings into Place

Wind the string in towards the peg head, while making sure that the string is wound up as close to the side of the peg box that it is on while you’re winding it.

If you’re working with the strings on the right of the middle, you want it close to the right side of the peg box, and vice versa – for strings on the left it should be close to the left side. An easy way to do this is to push the slack from the string with your free hand towards the peg that you are turning while you wind it, and push the peg in gently while you turn it.

This will wind the string against the sides of the scroll box, which prevents the peg from unwinding at all once you get it tightly wound. The harder you push the peg in as you wind it, the tighter it becomes. It takes some practice to figure out just how much you need to push your peg as you go, so be patient and go slowly your first attempts.

Make sure you have a little bit of a “tail” of the string hanging out when you wind it as well, as this will allow you to tune your string easily after you wind it in. Don’t forget to continue to keep tension on the string the entire time you are putting it back into the peg and winding it.

Guide the string in as you wind, making sure it is on the nut and the board laying across the bridge in the right place. With E strings, most of the time they have a little plastic sleeve on the bottom of the string, so you need to make sure you push that into the part of the string that goes on the bridge so that it doesn’t bite or dig into the bridge.

Make sure you don’t wind the string too tightly, leave some room so that you can tune it once you’ve replaced all your strings.Repeat this process with each string, starting with loosening and unwinding.

5. Tune the Violin

Once you have replaced the strings then you can tune your violin, using either a tuner, pitch fork, piano, or anything that can help you match the pitch to get the right notes. You are now ready to play!

When it comes to playing the violin, learning what the different notes and finger placements are is important. It’s also important to understand what the different violin parts are and what they do.

We will go through the different parts of the violin in this post. Follow along on your violin or a violin parts diagram.

What Are the Parts of A Violin?

• Scroll: This is the easiest of the violin parts names to remember because it is the uppermost tip of the violin. The piece that is curved like a scroll.
• Pegbox and Tuning Pegs: Right next door to the scroll is the pegbox with the tuning pegs. This is where you will tighten or loosen the strings when they are out of tune.
• The Nut: This connects the fingerboard to the pegbox. It is grooved so that the strings are evenly spaced.
• The Strings: These are tuned from the lowest note to the highest. It is worth investing in good quality strings as this makes a huge difference to the sound produced.
• The Neck: This is the section of the violin that takes the most strain from the strings. It is the piece of wood that is glued to the back of the fingerboard.
• The Fingerboard: This is the black area that is glued to the front of the neck. It is where you will place your fingers when playing.
• The Body: This is the main part of the violin and is primarily hollow. The hollow spaces help to improve the sound quality and make it louder.
• The Sound Post: This is a post that is in the body of the violin, and that joins the front and back piece. This helps to improve the sound and also helps to improve the structural integrity of the violin.
• The F-Holes: These are the holes that look similar to scrolls on the body of the violin. They help to direct sound when you are playing.
• The Violin Bridge: This is located near the bottom of the violin. It is the piece of wood that holds the strings up and away from the body of the violin. The shape of the bridge influences how easily notes can be played.
• Fine Tuners: You may have one tuner on each string or just a tuner on your E string. For beginners, the former is easier to use. These help tighten the strings in smaller increments.
• The Endpin/ Tailpiece: The strings are attached to the bottom of your violin by the tailpiece.
• The Chin Rest: This gives you somewhere to rest your chin when playing and makes it easier to get the violin into the right position.

Violin Bow Parts

• The Hair: This is what creates the sound when it is scraped across the strings. You will need to use rosin on it so that it can get some grip on the strings and thus produce a sound. Even the best violin bows need to be repaired, and this is what is replaced.
• The Frog: This is the part at the bottom of the bow that attaches the bow and the stick.
• The Screw: This is used to alter the tightness of the hair in the bow.
• The Stick: This provides some structural support for the hair.
• The Pad: This gives you a surface to grip when playing.

Where Can I Buy Replacement Violin Parts?

If you have a music supply store in the town that you live in, you might be able to get the parts that you are looking for there. It does, however, pay to look online because you can normally get better deals that way.

What’s the Difference Between Parts and Accessories?

Violin parts are best described as essential to the violin. i.e., you will not be able to play the violin without them. So, things that are integral parts of the violin, like the strings, the fine tuners, etc.

Accessories, on the other hand, are useful additions. They are not essential, but they do enhance the experience of using the violin. This would include things like a shoulder rest or rosin for the strings.

Fiddlerman Wood Violin Shoulder Rest for 4/4 and...

Jade L'Opera JADE Rosin for Violin, Viola, and...

D'Addario Prelude Violin String Set, 4/4 Scale,...

Which Parts of the Violin Wear Out Quickly?

The strings are bound to wear out the most quickly, and so it is essential to always have spare strings on hand. The bow of the violin needs to be properly cared for so that it lasts longer, but it will also wear out more often than most other parts.

Once you become more experienced with using your violin, you will understand what an important role each of these parts plays. Don’t get too caught up by the names though. Over time, your violin starts to feel like an extension of yourself. You’ll know what each part does, and have a great sense of when it needs attention of any kind.

Which Brand Makes the Best Violin Strings for Students and Beginners?

Student Violin String Choices at a Glance:

Product	Feature Image	Rating	Relative Price
#1 Overall Best Value! D’Addario Prelude Violin String Set		4.4	$$$
#2 Best Pro Pick Fiddlerman Violin String Set		4.5	$$$$
#3 Best Multi-Pack Vizcaya 2 Full Sets Violin Strings		4.6	$$
#4 Best Budget Set Stravilio Full Set High Quality Violin Strings		4.5	$$
#5 Best Mellow Tone Artisan’s Violin Strings		3.3	$$$

Whether you’re a new violinist or have been playing for years, your violin strings will wear out. Therefor it’s good to know where you can get a good set of strings to replace them.

Compared to traditional gut strings, modern violin strings are much much stable. They hold their tuning much better by being less susceptible to fluctuations in heat, humidity and environment.

This article is here to help you get a good feel for five different popular brands of strings available for your violin. They come in a range of prices so you can find what works best and fits your budget.

We certainly hope you benefit from the information we provide in this article! Just so you know, we may receive compensation if you use the links on this page. If you do, thank you so much!

Beginner Violin and Fiddle Strings Reviewed

1. Best value Violin Strings: D’Addario Prelude Violin String Set

D'Addario Prelude Violin String Set, 4/4 Scale, Medium Tension –...

D’Addario Prelude Violin Strings Specs

D’Addario Prelude Strings are available in ½ scale, ¼ scale, 1/8 scale, 1/16 scale, ¾ scale and full size.

This gives them a wider range of string variety than many other brands. They also have the option of coming in light, medium or heavy tension depending on the sound you’re going for.

They are built with a solid steel core made to create the warmest sounding strings available. Because of their combination of warm tone, low price and durability they are often highly sought after by violin educators.

D’Addario Prelude Violin Strings in Review

Read What D’Addario Prelude Users Have Said >>

2. Best Professional Level Violin Strings: Fiddlerman Violin String Set

Fiddlerman Violin String Set, Synthetic Core w/Ball-End for both 4/4...

Full String Set Includes: G, D, A, E; Synthetic Core (Perlon Core) String Set - No cheap Steel strings here!

Fiddlerman Violin Strings Specs

Fiddlerman Violin Violin Strings have a synthetic core, which has allowed them to stand apart from other violin string brands.

These strings are made to fit ¾ scale and full size violins. The full set comes in at just under $30.00 on Amazon, making them a little more expensive than other string sets, but these high quality strings are sure to more than make up for the price.

Fiddlerman Violin Strings in Review

Read the Latest Fiddlerman String Reviews Here >>

3. Best Multi-Pack: Vizcaya 2 Full Sets Violin Strings

Vizcaya 2 Packs Full Sets Violin String (G-D-A-E) for 4/4-3/4 Size...

High quality solid steel core for nice warm tone and longevity.; Steel core composite aluminum-magnesium alloy wound with ball end.

Vizcaya Violin Strings Specs

These Vizcaya Violin Strings present a low cost option for those who don’t want to spend a lot on replacement strings. They work for both ¾ scale and full size violins. Like many other brands, they are made with a solid steel core in order to allow for durability and a nice, warm sound.

These strings are flexible and soft to the touch, making them easy for players of any experience level to use.

Each package comes with 4 E strings, 4 A strings, 2 D strings and 2 G strings. With that many extra strings, it’s likely you won’t have to worry about buying new strings again for quite a while.

They come in at under $10.00, making them the budget pick for this article.

Vizcaya 2 Full Violin String Sets in Review

Click Here to Check Vizcaya Strings Availability >>

4. Best Economy Violin Strings: Stravilio Full Set High Quality Violin Strings

Top Race 4/4 & 3/4 Violin Strings Replacement - Bronze Violin Strings...

Stravilio Violin Strings Specs

This is a set of four high quality violin strings, including one of each different note.

They work on both ¾ scale violins as well as full sized ones. These Stravilio Strings come in at just slightly more than the Vizcaya ones, which still makes them very budget friendly.

They have a steel core, similar to other brands. While these don’t come in a huge pack, each string is likely to have a little higher quality which ultimately makes it less likely to break.

Stravilio Violin Strings in Review

Read What Stravilio String Customers are Saying >>

5. Best Mellow Tone: Artisan’s Violin Strings

Artisan Violin Strings Premium Quality - For 4 4 or 3 4 Size. 4 String...

Artisan’s Violin Strings Specs

The Artisan’s Violin Strings strings create warm, clear tones that will make even those with a minimal amount of violin experience sound like pros.

They are made with a stainless steel core that allows them to have a lot of strength and durability. It also means they keep their pitch easier and require less tuning.

They work well for those of any experience level and come in both full size and ¾ scale.

Artisan Strings have been known to be one of the most popular brands for violin strings on Amazon, which goes to show they already get a lot of attention.

These strings also come with a no risk, 30 day 100% money back guarantee so you can feel safe in trying them out.

Artisan’s Violin Strings in Review

Read What Artisan’s String Customers are Saying

Compare Featured Violin Strings:

Best Overall Value

D'Addario Prelude Violin String Set, 4/4 Scale,...

Best Pro Pick

Top Race 4/4 & 3/4 Violin Strings Replacement -...

Best Multi-Pack

Fiddlerman Violin String Set, Synthetic Core...

Conclusion: Who Makes the Best Entry Level Violin Strings?

If you’re okay spending a little more money, a lot of customers really enjoy the D’Addario Violin Strings over other brands. Largely it’s going to be up to you to decide which ones are going to work best. Luckily, there are articles like this one to help you with getting through that process.

If you’re extremely budget-minded then the Vizcaya strings are an excellent option. They are inexpensive and include 2 or 4 extra strings, so if any of them do happen to break you will still have backups.

Overall, a lot of people find a brand of string they prefer through trial and error. Unless you want to spend a lot on new violin strings and make sure they are put on by a professional, it’s going to be tough to tell what kind of issues you may or may not come across.

Editor’s Pick!

D’Addario Prelude Violin String Set

What are D'Addario Prelude Violin Strings Users Saying? >>