By Erica Garcia

At the Long Island Violin Shop, we pride ourselves on providing the best experience possible to our customers. We are a Thomastik-Infeld dealer, and provide our customers a grand selection of strings for violin, viola, and cello. In recent years, counterfeit strings have become increasingly common among online retailers. Counterfeit strings may seem like a great deal at first, but perform incredibly subpar to the true product. When you purchase counterfeit strings, you are purchasing an item that will only disappoint and frustrate.

How Can Strings Be Counterfeit?

The concept may sound a bit silly, after all strings are just strands of metal, right? Although it may sound hard to believe, strings contain a core material, and are then meticulously wound with metal in order to produce the sound you adore so much. The materials utilized are often metals such as gold, silver, tungsten, specialty alloys, or even synthetic materials generated by careful research and experimentation. If a string is not wound properly, it cannot vibrate properly, producing a sound that is muted, metallic, or simply not up to standard. 

Counterfeit strings are strings manufactured by a third party, then sold under a company name. These strings may at first seem like a great financial deal. Your favorite set, at a fraction of the usual cost! However, these strings are most likely fake, made of incorrect materials and subpar craftsmanship. What first sounded like a great deal soon morphs into a sound that is incredibly underwhelming, which is something that we never want our customers to experience. We can respect the search for a bargain, but if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

How Do I Know if My Strings are Counterfeit?

The best way to protect yourself and your instrument from counterfeit strings is to always buy your strings from a reputable seller. At the Long Island Violin Shop, we are registered dealers of fine strings and are always ready to answer any question you may have related to your fine string instrument. Give us a call, or come by our Huntington, Smithtown, or Setauket location to learn more!