Buy Pirastro Passione 4/4 Violin String Set - Medium Gauge with Ball End EPirastro Passione 4/4 Violin String Set - Medium Gauge with Ball End E Product Description:
- Full Set includes Steel Medium Gauge Ball-end E, Aluminum Winding - Gut Core "Medium" Gauge Ball-end A
- Medium Gauge
- Silver Winding - Gut Core "Medium" Gauge Ball End D, and Silver Winding - Gut Core "Medium" Gauge Ball End G.
Product Description
Passione violin strings from Pirastro is being called the unique gut string for the future! For some time, a new trend evolved, especially amongst young classical violinists who search for a full and complex sound, to start experimenting with violin strings with a gut core. As the leading gut string manufacturer in the world, Pirastro has now picked up this trend and developed the Passione violin string line.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
overpriced
By SFC
Every time I come back to gut strings (mostly for nostalgia), I'm reminded of why I went to Dominants in the first place back in 1985: they're simply a superior string, and in my experience with 6 instruments, including older Italian and English, contemporary American, and modern Italian, nothing lasts longer, or plays cleaner.But when I was offered a slightly-used set of Passiones by a colleague for only $30, I jumped on them after reading all the glowing reviews. At almost $90 per set, I probably never would have tried them.After a couple of weeks, I've taken them off for....Dominants. There is one ring of truth to the hype: Passiones do stay in tune significantly better than any other gut string I've tried, and I've tried all of them over the years. That's not to say they stay in tune like synthetics; they'll still need tiny tweaks. (I can't speak to the break-in process because mine were fairly well broken in already.)As far as sound, I found exactly the same problems as all the other gut strings: lack of clarity, and a general woofiness, especially in the 3rd position of the D string. Part of this is the silver D winding, which I've never liked on any string, including Dominants. In comparison, my aluminum Dominant is crystal-clear. While many people seem to like the overtones generated by gut (not "undertones," by the way, as another reviewer has called them), too many of the wrong overtones make for a muddy sound, and this is what I have found with Passiones. In my opinion, it's the fiddle that should generate the overtones, and the string shouldn't get in the way. That thick gut sound interferes with vibrato, trills, and double stops. Some people call them "rich" but I just call them muddy. It's a fine line, and I may well be more hypersensitive to clarity than others.An unusual aspect of Passione strings is the high tension. Unlike Eudoxas, these strings don't sink under your fingers, but feel much stiffer, and stiffer than Dominants. Although I haven't seen any technical information, it almost feels as if they've added something besides gut, like kevlar. The closest comparison I can make for the elasticity is with Helicores, which give to a certain point, and then stop giving under your fingers. Passiones do not have the same super-quick response as Eudoxas.Passiones may be worth their high price if they last twice as long, but I've never found the windings of Pirastro strings to be as well-engineered as Dominants, which rarely show separation. Remember Synoxas? They'd start to come apart as soon as you strung them up. While I've had 6 violins to try gut on, I'll admit that it's entirely possible I haven't had the right one for gut. I have tried instruments that responded favorably to gut, but they tend to be superior instruments (in other words, mega-bucks old Italian). Gut, in other words, tends to bring out the weaknesses of an instrument, and therefore demand a very clear and responsive one to begin with. If you have wolfs on your D and G, expect them to be worse with gut. There is something about the uniform rigidity of synthetics that seem to help minimize wolfs.In conclusion, I'd say if you have the money, try them, but don't expect miracles. If you must have gut, I'd recommend trying Kaplan Golden Spirals first, which are probably the best value. If you need absolute pitch steadiness, then go for Vision. Personally, I'll save my money and stick with Dominants.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Steer clear of the Passione!
By Wolfgang Jaeger
I was very interested to try the Passione strings, as I had never used a gut string before, but was very familiar with the other strings by Pirastro. I've been using these strings on my Paul Claudot violin for a few months and am ready to get rid of the whole lot!The first problem is the break-in time. Pirastro does give you a heads-up that the gut strings take longer to settle down, but I found that the breakin time was excrutiatingly long. And even after a good week they still are not nearly as stable as Pirastro's other strings. I think that if you were in the middle of a long piece you would need to really worry about whether they are still in tune.My biggest problem is that they are not very responsive. They are extremely difficult to use. I can't describe it in anyother way besides saying that they seem "stiff". I've been working on a piece with a lot of multiple stops, and the strings just don't want to take it.And to be honest, I'm not overly crazy about the timbre of the strings, either. They aren't as bright and powerful as the Evah Pirazzis nor as warm and rich as the Obligatos.In the 15 years that I've played the violin, this is the first time that I've used a gut string, so I can't say how these compare to others. But I was very disappointed, and especially given the very high price.Pirastro is by far the best string company in the world, but I didn't find these to my liking. Pick up a set of Pirazzis or Obligatos. You'll save a few bucks and be much happier with the result.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
The Greatest String Ever Made So Far -- Amazing
By T. Carlsen
These strings have received rave reviews from violinist. Do a search and read for yourself. They are in a class of their own.Most gut strings are unstable but have more undertones. Synthetic strings are far more stable but do not have the full undertones of gut strings, although the better synthetic strings come close. The Pirasatro Passione strikes a compromise between the two. Passione strings are gut strings, but they are more stable than most gut strings. You get more undertones than synthetic stings without almost as good stability.Who should use these strings? Advanced violin players. Students probably should stick with the more affordable and time-tested Dominants (but with a different E string) or another synthetic string, such as Vision Solo or Larsen Tzigane. Evah Pirazzi strings are also excellent strings for advanced players, but their high tension make them unsuitable for most users and many violins. Ultimately, strings interact with the differing characteristics of violins, and different strings sound different on different violins. You have to experiment. If you are a student, maybe stick with Dominants (except the E) and then experiment once you advance.If you are looking for the best overall strings and are willing to pay more, because you are an advanced player, buy the Passione strings.
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