Synthetic core
Professional
16
out of
17
found the following review helpful
Pros: The immediate sound is fantastic. The gut feel and sound is brilliant for Baroque music and also for playing in the higher register, it is very versatile. I like the fact that because it is so pliable, the string settles closer to the fingerboard so that minimum effort is required to press it down. The transformation in the tone and ease of playing is astounding. Many people could not believe the difference, they thought that I had a new cello! I am recommending the strings to my cellist friends.
Cons: I have had absolutely no problems with the A string, but I have heard three accounts from players that their A strings snapped. One person advised not to unwind the string or take it off because it broke when they put it on again. Others said it was a sharp edge on the fingerboard/bridge or pulling up to pitch, so be careful, it has a reputation for being fragile!
Other: I am writing a second follow-up review after having them for four weeks, as I thought that it would be helpful. After four days the strings held their tuning without any further stretching and I no longer have to tune from the pegs. They stay in tune the whole time. I am very pleased and I will be using Warchals from now on.
Professional
12
out of
13
found the following review helpful
Pros: This string has a fantastic sweet sound and is soft and flexible, the sound is clear and ringing . It went well with Evah set but the Evah response is slower, this string is instantly responsive more than any string that I have used and more like playing on gut. I instantly fell in love. The D is even more pliant and goes really well with A.
Cons: A string is fantastic. No cons. Took longer to hold tuning though when first put on, but pretty stable after a day or two. Infact all the set are amazing. Only the G is taking longer to lose the slight metallic edge.
Other: This cello A string is absolutely fantastic, the best on my cello so far in terms of tone, sweetness and pliability. I love my Evahs' but this string blew me away! I just wanted to try a different A with my Evah DGC to get more tone, but I ended up buying an entire Warchal set. D is even more pliant than A. WOW!
Professional
4
out of
4
found the following review helpful
Pros: This string speaks easily and as soon as it's on the cello. It hold pitch well and allows really good, free resonance, especially between first and fourth positions. This is by far the best non-gut string that tries to be one - it actually sounds like one.
Cons: It is pretty monochrome. It lacked dynamic range and the ability to convey different colours of sound, and it lost brilliance in the upper register.
Other: This is definitely worth the experiment and would be great for 'normal' baroque orchestral repertoire, but it lacks the flexibility and punch needed for nuanced playing in earlier music and is not strong enough for later and modern musical demands.
Beginner
3
out of
3
found the following review helpful
Pros: Lovely textured, expressive and powerful sound, and stable tuning after a short break-in time.
Cons: None
Other: I tried this as an alternative to Eudoxa, which has been more staple A String for years. My first impression was that the basic sound is leaner and not as rich, but I soon realised that it allows more freedom of expression and variety of colours through vibrato and bowing. It is also more clean and singing, particularly in the high register. For me, this makes it a much more useful string (not to mention the far superior tuning stability), so I am converted. A lovely string
Keen Amateur
3
out of
3
found the following review helpful
Pros: This string is responsive and powerful, but so are many steel strings. The difference is that this string sounds warm and organic. There is no hint of a metallic or tinny sound, indeed the sound is close to gut. You can get away with the odd open string without it being too obvious. It holds pitch well, is soft and yielding under the fingers, though a little thicker than most steel strings, and is by far the best synthetic A in my opinion, much much better than Dominant.
Cons: Is durable enough, but might not last as long as a steel A. Can cave in a little if played hard, especially in the upper positions.
Other: A great string and well worth a try, especially if you have reservations about the A on your cello.
Professional
2
out of
2
found the following review helpful
Pros: Warchals just bring my cello to life! I wouldn't use any other top strings , but I blend them with Obligato G and C now, having tried the whole Warchal set, but I had to reject the G string due to inflexibility. Warchal A is an absolute gem of a string and along with with the Warchal D string, it is very sweet and has a lot of richness and texture
Cons: Nothing
Teacher
1
out of
1
found the following review helpful
Pros: Very responsive string. Soft under the left hand with a strong sweet sound.
Cons: Doesn’t last as long as other strings , but wouldn’t change it for anything else!
Other: I use it with the Warchal D string. They complement each other brilliantly.
Teacher
An interesting experiment
Pros: The reason for the purchase was to find a string (or strings) with lower tension than my usual Larsen Originals. In principle this string meets this aim and for the veryshort time I played it it made a very good sound, immediately on strnging up, BUT ...
Cons: The core is a composite and tends to stretch. In this case it stretched at the nut such that a winding caught in the groove and damaged the string beyond use, something that has not happened with this cello in over 30 years use..
Other: The String Zone provided perfect service, and the manufacturer has agreed to a replacement, though they think that the design is okay and I did not ask for one. Good!. I will of coourse accept it. I recommend paying great ettention to the nut during the stringing up process. In the meatime I have a Helicore which has a multistrand steel core (no stretching!) with a titanium winding and a super sound - exactly what I wanted - and easy response. With care eith of these makes a good playing item all the way to the highest register - your choice!