Another String Newsflash

Introduction:  When I was growing up, and until not so long ago, there was something unusual about Jargar strings -- they were only seasonally available, with long periods of time when they could not be tracked down anywhere.  Rumor had it that the company consisted of two old men -- brothers -- who would shut down their headquarters and go fishing, for months at a time.  I have no idea if there was any truth in this story, or where it even came from, but I liked it as an example of how some people valued having a life over having money.
  Jargar strings have remained pretty much unchanged since my childhood --even the packaging -- so it was a welcome surprise that recently, they came out with a better-grade string, the "Superior".

About the "Superior":  As far as I am aware, the "Superior" Jargar brand is limited, so far, to the A string.  It is priced to compete with the  Larsen Soloist A, and is a higher-tension string than the regular Jargar.

Fit&Finish: In keeping with their general air of mystique, Jargar doesn't really tell us anything much about what their strings are made of, unlike other companies who supply comparative charts and graphs with string lengths, gauges, weights, materials ... I tried the "Superior" on a cello I was setting up this week.  As is often the case, when you add  a better A string (or, in the case of a violin, E string), it "lifts" the sonority of the entire instrument -- the improved range of overtones bolsters overall sound.  I didn't feel the sound had quite the lustrous quality you can achieve with a Larsen string, but that might have been a function of the particular instrument, too -- I will revisit the issue and do more comparative study.

Price:  At House of Note, where I work, the Jargar "Superior" retails for $78.00, while the regular Jargar A is priced at $51.00.  The Larsen Soloist and regular go for $78.75 and $68.00, respectively.

Conclusion:  If you like the warm and velvety sound of Jargars, but have been yearning for more projection, the "Superior" definitely represents a vast improvement over the regular Jargar A -- I personally applaud Jargar for branching out, after all these years, and  trying something new!

 

String news

  Introduction:  As my coworker Jeff Anderson says, "it is a good time to be a small cellist!"  Both Larsen and Piastro have recently come out with fractional-size cello strings, which is an exciting development in the string scene.

  About:  Until recently, the market for fractional cello strings was dominated by Helicore.  They offered reasonably-priced strings that sounded good, but didn't tend to age well.  Also, for my taste, they were a little floppy, particularly the C and G strings.  (In all fairness, there was also a higher-tension version available, which I quite like, except for the above-mentioned Helicore propensity to start buzzing after just a few months of play).

  Fit & Finish:  Most string players have come to associate both Larsen and Evah Pirazzi with quality, and these small-sized strings are no exception.  In very general terms, I would say the Larsens have a somewhat warmer tone, while the Evahs, with their higher tension,  project strongly; choosing between them is largely a matter of personal preference, as well as the needs of the individual instrument.

  Cost:  In terms of price, both Evahs and Larsens compare well to the Helicore fractionals.  At House of Note, where I work, a set of fractional Helicores retails at $233.50, while the Evahs run at $225; the Larsens seem like a real steal at $184.00.

  Conclusion:  Since, in every string instrument, there is an infinity of variables (not including the player's idiosyncrasies, strengths, and weaknesses), having a wealth of string choices to balance out the needs and limitations, as well as the potential, of player and instrument, is definitely a good thing.  So next time you are out shopping for strings, give the Larsens or the Evahs a try -- they might kick your child's playing up into the next dimension!

No 6 -- the "Spring"

Introduction:  The "Spring" wolf eliminator is the latest model to arrive on the scene, and will thus conclude my series on wolf eliminators.  If any new inventions hit the marketplace, I will be sure to let you know.

About the "Spring":  This is another offering from Dictum, and came out around the same time they were issuing the "Button".  The "Spring" consists of a small weight, suspended between two rather powerful springs, which are affixed to the A and C strings of the cello.

Fit & Finish:  This one is definitely conceived for functional purposes rather than aesthetics.  It is fiddly to attach -- first, one spring is suspended from the A string (attention must be paid to getting the wolf eliminator right-side up, which is why it is marked with the blue tag); then you have to stretch the springs by means of a piece of twine, in order to be able to extend the little apparatus far enough so it reaches all the way across to the C string.  Once successfully installed, it pulls the strings into a rather severe, uncomfortable-looking angle.

Price:  The $48.00 retail price reflects the complexity of the construction of this wolf eliminator -- however, given the equal complexity of the installation, and the variety of other choices available, I am not sure it is money well spent.

Conclusion:  I tried this model as a last resort  on a cello that had not one, but two wolf tones.  It worked -- the wolf notes were gone, but so was most of the resonance of the instrument.  The tone was deadened considerably.  As a disclaimer, I have to add that I have tried this wolf eliminator only once; I am personally disinclined to put a two- or three-hundred-dollar set of string through the extreme bending necessary to sustain the "Spring", if I have other alternatives.  However, sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures!   For a cello with a particularly challenging set of wolves, this could be a good tool to have up your sleeve.