Strings for a five string violin

The problems when choosing strings for a five string violin is to get good balance from string to string and to get the same kind of response all over the instrument.

There are special five string fiddle sets: D'Addario Helicore, Super-Sensitive Sensicore, Pinnacle, Red Label, Old Fiddler and Thomastik Infeld Vision all come in a sets with a violin length C-string.

String Choices

There are a lot of choices in violin and viola strings.

Usually string types are divided into 3 groups: steel, synthetic and gut strings.
The different materials give the strings different properties: Playing in time, longevity, durability, response,  and of course sound characteristics.

The first and maybe most important thing is to realize that a good set of strings cannot make a lousy instrument sound like an expensive instrument.
Strings are more a tool for bringing out the tone that is in the instrument they are put on and help balancing out slight issues regarding volume, egality or sound.

SD Systems LCM110c

This microphone is a cardioid version of the LCM110.

It mounts on the tailpiece in the G-string hole.

I have modified the microphone slightly with a windjammer to block out breathing noise.

It comes with battery box.

Visit SD Systems.com

L. R. Baggs Radius

The Radius pickup was originally made for mandolin but there is a version for violins.

It is attached with adhesive putty and comes with a carpenter jack.

Autolycus pickup

The Autolycus is an Australian made pickup.

It consists of a wired piezo element and a small clip for mounting.

DPA 4099v microphone

The DPA 4099v is a super-cardioid instrument microphone.

It has a specially designed mount for violins, violas and can be mounted on mandolins as well.

There are different versions with mounts for a variety of instruments.

Visit the DPA website

Schertler Basik

The Schertler Basik is an electrostatic stick on pickup made by a Swiss company, who specializes in making pickups and amplification for acoustic instruments.

The Basik is as the name implies Schertlers most basic and cheapest pickup system.

There are three versions of Schertler Basik - the Basik Set, the Basik pro and the Basik Road.
The Set comes with a battery box and a non invasive putty for the application of the pickup to the instrument (this is the tested version).
The Pro adds a 48v adaptor for phantom powering.
The Road provides both the battery box and 48v adaptor.