Ascenté: A Quality Synthetic Core Violin String Set

Using quality strings can help create a healthy and mature sound on a student instrument and improve the tone quality and tuning of your orchestra. For many years there were few options — either you chose inexpensive steel strings that sounded loud and harsh or you opted for a set of expensive synthetic core strings.  In the last few years things have really changed and companies have finally come developed a plethora of options for string players.

One void in the string offerings were high-quality synthetic core strings that had an affordable price tag.  D’Addario has seemed to fill this void with their new Ascenté violin strings.  The Ascenté strings were developed to provide students and advancing players with a high-quality synthetic core string at an affordable price. I was sent two sample sets of the new Ascenté violin strings and installed them on my professional violin and my school violin.  The results were very positive!  Read more…

Installation

As always, D’Addario uses attractive packaging and the strings are sealed in a stay-fresh plastic wrapper within the cardboard container.

The Ascenté strings are just a bit thicker than a set of standard steel strings, but are still thin enough that they can be used easily with prong-style fine tuners.  Some synthetic core strings are very thick and require modification of prong-style fine tunes. (I’ve broken some fine tuners over the years because I’ve had to widen the prongs.)

The colored top silks fall in line with the rest of the D’Addario strings.  They are color coded to designate their pitch: Red is G, Yellow is D, Black is A, and Green is E. The strings have attractive gold silks at the bottom of the strings where they connect to the tailpiece.

Performance

After installing, I found that the strings broke in quickly and didn’t take long to retain their pitch.  The initial tone was strong and responsive, yet warm.

The strings have a nice feel and a smooth finish.  Some budget synthetic core strings I have tried feel rough, almost like you can feel the winding protruding from the surface. Having a smooth string finish is especially important when shifting and with children’s delicate fingers.

I was very impressed with the Ascenté strings because they provide a much wider tonal range and excellent pitch stability versus standard steel strings or other cheap synthetic core offerings. They lacked some of the complexities that you would find in higher end strings such as Kaplan Amo/Vivo, Zyex, or Thomastik Dominant, but again, the Ascenté are much less expensive!

Finally, as with all D’Addario strings, the Ascenté strings were developed and are manufactured in the Farmington New York, USA.  Purchasing products that are American made is always a plus in my book!

Longevity

As of this writing, I’ve had the Ascenté strings on both of my violins for about 11 weeks.  After playing on them daily in class, they are still strong and have not shown signs of wear or breakage. They still sound great!  I will continue to monitor how long they last.

The MSRP of the Ascenté violin strings is $39.99, but they can be purchased from online retailers for an average street price of around $22-$26.  The strings are available in 1/2, 3/4, and 4/4 sizes.

Ascenté violin strings are a tremendous value and have set a new standard for beginning-level strings at a budget-friendly price. They offer the quality and craftsmanship that can help your students begin to produce a more sophisticated tone and make your young orchestras sounds mature. I believe that Ascenté will soon become the new standard for teachers when selecting strings for beginning and intermediate level violinists.

Read more about the D’Addario Ascenté.

For a limited time (ends 10/20/17), D’Addario is offering sample sets of Ascenté strings by signing up at http://ddar.io/AscenteSample

If you try the new Ascenté violin set, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!  Feel free to comment below…