Thomastik-Infeld PI100 Peter Infeld Violin Strings 4/4 Full Set with Platinum E - Synthetic Core 4/4 Violin Strings Including Platinum Plated E, Aluminum Wound A, Silver Wound D and G - Made in Vienna

I rate these 5* because so many folks think 4* is terrible, but that's probably what I'd rate them. They're good sounding strings, not life changing by any stretch--and I'm not sure at the moment if I'll replace these strings with another set of PIs. They have a clean, bright sound, the action is quick. I've had them now for less than a week and they're still stretching. I probably wouldn't put them on a kid's instrument.And because the seller didn't label it, mine came with a ball E.

I bought a fine professional violin several months ago that was set up with Thomastik-Infeld Dominants when I picked it up for the first time. It’s lovely, modern violin based on the Guarneri del Gesù pattern, made back in 2014 and comes from the workshop of Ming-Jiang Zhu; it is made up entirely of European tone woods, save for the fittings. I’d really loved the tone and playability of this violin to begin with, and so the Dominants, being a fairly neutral string and being neither too bright, nor too dark, weren’t seemingly trying to “play up” the instrument’s inherent & immense power and depth, so that’s saying something about my violin’s tonal character; therefore, I’m certain I made the right choice with this instrument and it has every quality I’ve ever looked for in a violin in terms of sound quality and responsiveness. I figured I would wear those strings out before long, anyway, with as much as I practice(2-4 hours per day) and would tailor the sound to my own preferences whenever it was time to replace them. Now, I have lots of experience with Dominants and have played them on-and-off and on numerous violins of mine over the years, so I know how fuzzy they can sound as they age. It was time to replace my strings after they began to go false a month prior to the time of this review. I don’t really care for many of the latest synthetic offerings from Pirastro(yes, I’ve tried them all) partly because none of them have seemed to last very long for me and quickly lost their tone/brilliance, and also because of their rigidity under the left hand relative to that of anything I’ve tried before from Thomastik-Infeld. My experience with all of Larsen’s offerings has been very similar, although the Larsens do seem to have a bit more complexity than most other brands. I have always especially liked the flexibility of Dominants in going all the way up the fingerboard without putting the sound into a crunchy choke-hold(I’m looking at you, @Pirastro). I also figured that since other string lines from Thomastik-Infeld would feel similar in sound and playability, I would do some research on the Peter Infeld set- having never tried them before and yet, always wanting to do so- which brings me full-circle to now with these new strings. They arrived rather quickly and I’ve played them nonstop since installing them, so they’re pretty well settled and broken in by now(less than 2 days). In short: WOW. I’ve played for well over 14 years now and have tried literally every popular synthetic string on the market, and so coming from Dominants to Peter Infeld strings was the best decision I’ve made musically for my playing in a very long time. They are so powerful, responsive, clear and yet rich, and all of the strings seem to augment the natural vibrations of one another no matter where I play on the fingerboard of any one of them. The platinum E string actually sounds brilliant and full, and I personally haven’t noticed any whistling when transitioning from the A string. No need to substitute a different E string for this set, as it matches well on my violin. These strings are everything I like about Dominants and so much more! There’s also familiarity about these strings that reminds me of the core sound of the original Dominants, though, if anything, they’re FAR more refined and nuanced than the latter. I can really dig in with the bow and get a nice attack without the sound breaking or crunching. I can’t even tell that they’re higher tension, either; because of this, I am able to play in the highest reaches up the fingerboard on any of the strings, and the G string in particular doesn’t sound choked in the highest positions in any way, whatsoever. It only sounds gutsier. My violin sounds even more vibrant than it did when I fell in love with it, and I think I just found my new favorite strings. I realize that every violin’s string preference is as different as that of its owner’s, but I do hope others will feel the same way about these wonderful strings once they’ve tried them for themselves! I know I don’t regret it.

Lovely strings, a joy to play, rich, warm, balanced tone (at least on my instrument!).

Update 6 months later***I AM NEVER LEAVING THESE STRINGS. I now use an aluminum wound D with the set instead of silver, it's insanely different and I recommend trying both to see what your fit it. I still use only a Stark E from melange set. I have no interest in even trying anything ekse at this point. My old French violin loves these and so do I. They last, they are rich, colorful, anything you want them to be really! Carbon vs. Wood bow is a difference on my violin, but that isnt quite a string thing. Anyway, I highly recommend trying these. I was a Pirastro gal for a decade... these have forever turned me.*UPDATE 4 MONTHS LATER**The Perpetual's were horrible on my violin, I have stuck with the PI setup and stark E and still love them. The perpetual's came off within 5 minutes of playing, great strings, but not on this violin. Nope.Though I am curious about Dominants now, actually.I love these PI strings; and they last! My Stark E from the melange set finally seems to be dying a little. With daily playing.The rest of the set (All PI) have seemed to actually get better with time. Maybe it's in my head? But they seem to age very well! Really.Every time I think I don't like them, or they sound too steely? to me, I suddenly hear the richness and character even more and I fall in love with them all over again. They are very colorful and can reach a sweet sound if needed, they hide a richness I adore. They would be perfect for a soloist. Can work in a group if you play just right, can remain quiet, but really shine, and I mean shine, in solo work. I feel they would be great if you are into fiddle music, but I love them with everything classical. They are powerful (but my violin is in general). A part of me wants to try Dominants, for a maybe, more mellow? tone? But, I also think a bow change could change that, as I use a Coda GX, yet a good wood bow brought a whole different sound. So I will be trying some good wood bows now. The process is all a science!I refuse to leave my Stark E from the Thomastik melange set, so I have been hesitant to buy dominants because I want this E to stay, but I think I will try them, now... only because I haven't used dominants in overc a decade and am just curious how they will sound on my powerful violin.I also think... know... I will buy a backup set of these... I have a feeling I will miss them and always want them back.*original review*I must say, these make up for everything vision solo is missing (for me, the visions didn't do well in the lower registers). These are great (though I use a stark high tension Thomastik E, from the melange set, and haven't tried this E and likely won't). I really do like them on my over hundred year old French violin. I've always used mostly pirastro strings and really wanted to explore much more of the string world. I am very eager to use Perpetuals on this violin (they are the best strings I feel I have ever used, though I know every violin and bow is so different... ). Overall, I would definitely buy these again regardless and they last much longer than Evahs, obligatos, gut, and hold tune more than visions, and are sweeter sounding. They seem to me, to be the best Thomastik has to offer, albeit, dominants are always a good work horse for any level player. I feel these are great for solo, projection AND ensembles & orchestra too. They keep my violin's power, but I have total control of volume otherwise as well and they blend just fine in orchestra. They would be great fiddle strings as well, though I am classically trained and they are wonderful there too. I will update after trying perpetuals on (which I have a feeling will be my number one here, but we shall see!). Overall, I do not regret the buy and would buy again. If it isn't perpetuals, it will be these for me!!!

These strings are incredible! Compared to the Dominants that I have played for decades, they have a beautiful shimmer of overtones that is glorious to explore, and they project powerfully and with clarity. They are slightly higher tension, and the e-string in particular has less margin for sloppy technique. These strings demand to be played well and with precision. The reward reaches to the back of the hall and the heavens beyond.