Cello Strings

Cello Strings usually cost between $100-350 a set, so it is always best to know more about what you are buying and what options in brands and pricing you might have.  While it's rare that a busy professional symphony player buy a cheap ($100) set of strings, they usually buy strings in the $250-300 range, there many kinds and brands of cello strings out on the market to know and familiarize yourself with.  After you have learned a little about the pros and cons of the various brands, you can get a better educated, better informed idea of what the best quality strings will suit your needs and hopefully for those with limited funds, get a good quality cello strings set and at the same time, same some money. 

First, what kinds of cello strings do they make now and what are their pros and cons?
Fortunately, with the latest technologies and innovations in string manufacturing, there's really great strings.  Improvements with metal alloys, synthetic core technology and international competition amongst makers, can also help with giving more cello players, alternative choices that were simply not available until just recently.

Steel Cello Strings

While most all cello strings use some kind of metal in its make, not all are created equal. Here, the most affordable (let's go ahead and say it...."cheap" sets) are steel core and steel winding.  They tend to last the longest because steel just holds up better (and longer) than any other metal or material.  The most common and popular brand of steel cello strings, are Helicore, by the D'Addario company.  While Helicore comes in every size (even smaller fractional sizes), they usually run right around the $100-120 range.  With the Helicores, they come in light, mediuma nd heavy gauges and even have smaller fractional sizes.  As one might expect, these more affordable strings are favored by students (junior and high school) and you will often see this brand on entry level cellos as well.  (There are even cheaper cello strings by D'Addario called Preludes (these are the strings of choice for school rental cellos.)

What about the other brands (still affordably cheap), can cello players buy?
Cello players from all sorts of backgrounds usually learn early on that it is ok to mix and match sets.  There can be some real bargains on 'combining' sets of all sorts of price levels together that can be better than the two (or three) sets the strings came from and cheaper yet!  The best one that comes to mind?  A medium set of Spirocore medium CHROME (think steel here!), and "Classic" Jargar A/D strings.  These players will find are easier to play, more responsive, more complexity and response, and they will be around the same price as a standard set, Helicore.
Some professional cellists like Helicore C/G strings and then like to change the A/D to a softer, more expressive string: Larson (kind of pricey, but only the A and D here will keep that down), or some Pirastro A/D (noteably taken from an Evah Pirazzi set (medium).

Synthetic cello strings

Nowadays, it is all about synthetic strings, especially cello and violin strings.  Wtih the newest innovations and technological advances, there is an almost infinite possibility of combining and changing the smallest features of a string. While they all look steel, (they always have metal flat wound wrapping) it is almost always the core where some of the sound and response qualities and advances are made.  The synthetic cores first started on Dominant violin strings by Thomastik, employing "Perlon" cores.  They are lighter, more flexible and have less tension on them.  That translates to a string that will NOT push down or add to much tension to cello top, thereby freeing the top to rock and vibrate more and with more variations which give more complexity to the overall tone and response.

What are the most popular cello strings sets that are made from the snythetic technology?
Evah Pirazzi (mediums), which come as Solos, Orchestra gauges and now Evah Pirazzi Gold (again, more 'know how' later on added to their brand and products.  Thomastik makes Versum, Pirastro also makes Perpetuals as well as the Evah Pirazzi line.  Larsen makes great cello strings, "Magnacore".

The most popular #1, BEST selling cello combinations.

For the past 30-40 years, still, the number #1 selling and most popular cello string sets for professional and serious students and amateurs alike, are the Spirocore TUNGSTEN C and G strings, combined with the world's most popular A and D strings....by Larsen.  Just a medium set of the Spirocore CG with combining Larsen AD, or Solo AD, Magnacore AD or even Evah Pirazzi.  It seems though still, the King of cello strings remains this favorite combine set. 

Where to buy your cello strings and save money?  For the best prices (do shop and compare) are always at http://www.cello-strings.com

For combining sets, that are already expertly made up to complement each other, see their "Combined Cello Sets" page at http://www.cello-strings.com/combined-cello-sets.php

There's also much to read about on this website.  A good family run business that beats them all with the best quality, cheaper combined sets and fast service.

For their Evah Pirazzi strings: http://www.cello-strings.com/pirastro-cello-strings.php

Also, for Cello Cases, look at String Emporium, https://stringemporium.com/cello-cases.htm