Strings for Violoncello da Spalla update - part 1

Comparison between Thomastick and Aquila strings

Mar 04, 2022

Following from last year:

Are there specially designed strings for Violoncello da Spalla?

First of all, how is usually a Violoncello da Spalla tuned? It’s C2, G2, D3, A3, E4. Which is same as a “normal” Cello with a top E added, or, more correctly, like a Tenor Violin with a low C added. That's it: Making strings for an instrument this short (vibrating string length between 39 and 45, being the most common 42,5, the Badiarov small model) and t…

4 years ago · 2 likes · 9 comments · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini

I decided to try and compare the set offered by Thomastick with those offered now by Aquila Corde Armoniche.

I did that on my new Violoncello da Spalla. I gave each set one night to settle, installing them late in the afternoon, and recording my little video demonstration on the following morning. This is little time for a string to settle down, but we need strings to be ready soon, possibly immediately. It is also little time for my hands to adapt, but again, a string must be easy. Keep in mind that this review is my experience and my taste, so try and judge yourself when you have the possibility!

Thomastick SPA501

It was not immediat to get to the right person in the company and get them. Mentioning the code would help. Having solved the contact issue, strings arrived in three days, no minimum order (and this was a great news!! There was a minimum order of three sets last year!) but no spare strings, only full sets. The price, after taxes and shipping is still around 500€ per set, like last year.

These strings are all that you can expect from modern strings. Well balanced, even in sound, no peaks. The first two are steel, the other are synthetic core. So they are all wound with flat wire, like almost every modern string. The gauge of the C is quite big, but it is more frightening for the eye than for the fingers. They feel comfortable. They need some time to settle (some of them were one tone lower on the next morning). They have a noble sound, round and warm, even throughout the instrument. No surprises, for the good and the bad.

Even under a baroque bow like mine, they were easy. I heard rumors that they upgraded them recently, but they denied. They also said it was the same production of last year. So it could be just me that I became more flexible 🙄🤭, but yes, I would recommend them now, if you like modern strings.

Aquila synthetics 01FS

I was totally not interested in these strings, because I didn’t like so many of the ideas behind this set:

a solid synthetic core instead of the synthetic multifilament that all the others use
a “all double wound” (or, more correctly, as much as we can) set
I don’t like thin strings
I didn’t trust the binomuim modern strings/round wire winding
They have complicated instructions to install them

My expectations seemed to become true when installing them: when the Thomastick are plucked they respond with a POFF, when these Aquila modern are plucked they give a SDENG. “Hard to choose!” I said myself.

On top, I cut them at the wrong measure (too short!!) because I normally do not use the loop to fix them at the tailpiece. Having our tailpiece a saddle, the loop brings down the string at an unnatural and unnecessary angle, which increases the angle at the bridge. But if you don’t use the loop, the knot will come out of the tailpiece hole, so you have to use it. This means a couple of centimeters of string more!

I was pleasantly surprised though, when they easily reached the tuning and they were almost ready. On the next morning they were still at note.

They are easy, all of them. And they do have a balance of sound, even if very open and a bit wild. Not noble as the Thomastick, very different. But not unpleasant. Because they have many colors, so you can manage them. They suggest dynamics. With the Thomastick, to play into the string I was playing all the same, colors didn’t come naturally even if the sound was always good. With these, they are so easy that you can allow yourself to play, to enjoy more experimentation with sound and phrasing. And they are very stable.

The price is convenient, it is around 200€ plus taxes and shipping.

I highly recommend them!

Aquila red trebles (with synthetic basses)

I approached this strings with curiosity. Actually, they were dismissed for the Violoncello da Spalla, but I told them that as I saw some positive comments I was curious, so I got them anyway, and I think that they anyone can regularly order them now.

However, I didn’t like them. They are a synthetic solid core, wound with a synthetic multifilament. Under the finger they feel like gut. You must be very careful to lift them from the bridge from time to time when tuning, and to check they are not stuck in the groove of the nut, because they don’t slide and the tension between the different section of the string can vary considerably (and they could break just for this!). They are stable. They reach note fast and don’t move. But they are as difficult to tune as steel strings (they don’t stretch), and you cannot use a fine tuner because they would easily break against the metal parts.

The sound: to me, they seemed like low quality gut. Maneagable, but not what one wished for a concert: sometimes unexpected harsh sound, not fully and freely resonant, like a stiff and slightly false gut.

I am sure they are a great solution for vegans. Much closer to gut than any other vegan string. But I couldn’t find with them the richness of colors and the percussive response of gut.

Aquila gut basses with red trebles

I have many friends regularly using these strings, and Aquila is a gut strings company, so I decided to try what standard basses are (up to now I always had customs). I tried them with the red trebles, as they are the substitutes for gut strings for many vegan or vegetarian players (or for that players that are tired of the inconveniences of gut).

To me, they simply feel low of tension. At least one and half tone low of tension. I couldn’t play them, they were too slack and noisy. So, I cannot give an opinion on them, sorry.

You can hear my comparison in this video, and I’d love to read your comments below!

Updates from our workshop

We are visiting my parents this week, while Alessandro’s cello is drying at home. Oil varnish needs a bit more time between coats when you don’t use lamps.

My Violoncello da Spalla (the one with the flower inlayed tailpiece) is up playing, as you’ve seen in the video above.

Featured video of the week

Speaking of modern strings, here is some fresh music, written no more than two months ago for Violoncello da Spalla. Read the notes of the video for some interesting insights!