Identify a string by its color

Violin, viola or cello: click on the silk colors at both ends of the string, and the list narrows down to matching models. For the harp, the tool is elsewhere.

Harp strings
Silk at the peg
Silk at the tailpiece
Refine: string, end, brand
Instrument
String
End
Brand

124 models listed

Pirastro Synthetic

Evah Pirazzi

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
The peg codes the pitch, the green tailpiece silk is the model's signature. An extra band at the peg codes the tension (pink = soft, olive = strong). E variants: Goldsteel 0.26 light green, Goldsteel 0.27 black; platinum light green.
Pirastro Synthetic

Evah Pirazzi Gold

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Yellow-orange tailpiece silk. Gold G: brown peg; silver G: yellow-orange peg.
Pirastro Synthetic

Evah Pirazzi Neo

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Deep cyan blue tailpiece silk. Recent model.
Pirastro Synthetic

Obligato

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
E: plain black tailpiece silk. Aluminium D: red peg; silver D: pink peg.
Pirastro Synthetic

Tonica

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Band at the peg = tension (pink = soft, olive = strong); small sizes = yellow/blue/purple bands.
Pirastro Synthetic

Violino

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Fractional sizes carry size bands at the peg.
Pirastro Gut

Passione

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Gut core (steel E).
Pirastro Synthetic

Perpetual

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
White tailpiece silk with a cranberry red spiral. Silver-wound D: pink peg (Pirastro convention). The Cadenza/Edition versions probably carry a distinct burgundy marking at the peg, to be checked.
Pirastro Steel

Chromcor

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Fractional sizes coded by a band at the peg: yellow 3/4-1/2, blue 1/4-1/8, purple 1/16-1/32.
Pirastro Steel

Piranito

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Tailpiece silk from blue to lavender blue-grey depending on the production run. Fractional sizes carry size bands as on Chromcor.
Pirastro Gut

Gold Label (Wondertone)

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
The steel E sold on its own is very common.
Pirastro Gut

Eudoxa

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Brilliant D (silver): pink peg; Brilliant G: orange. Stiff versions: an extra dark band at the peg.
Pirastro Gut

Oliv

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Olive green; E: olive silk on a gold string. Silver D: pink peg. Stiff versions: an extra band.
Pirastro Gut

Chorda

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Plain gut (E/A/D unwound), pale yellow/natural tailpiece silk.
Pirastro Steel

Flexocor-Permanent

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
E: dark red/garnet tailpiece silk; the A/D/G spiral leans towards orange.
Pirastro Synthetic

Synoxa

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Band at the peg = tension (pink = soft, olive green = strong).
Pirastro Synthetic

Aricore

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Chromesteel A/D: grey / pink peg.
Pirastro Steel

Universal No.1 (Mi)

  • E
E string sold on its own.
Pirastro Steel

Wondertone Solo (Mi)

  • E
E string sold on its own.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Dominant

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
The tailpiece silk codes the pitch; the peg codes the tension: yellow = soft, purple = medium, green = strong.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Dominant Pro

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Black tailpiece silk is the signature. E: steel blue peg.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Alphayue

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
E and A: blue tailpiece silk on both (E possibly purple according to the Dominant code, unconfirmed).
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Vision

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Green tailpiece silk marks the Vision family; the peg codes the pitch, and no band means standard Vision.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Vision Solo

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Peg = Vision pitch colour plus a brown band.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Vision Titanium Solo

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Peg = Vision pitch colour plus a black band.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Vision Titanium Orchestra

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Peg = Vision pitch colour plus a green band; D: green band on a green ground.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Peter Infeld (PI)

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Purple tailpiece silk is the PI signature; the peg codes the pitch. E variants: tin green, gold purple, platinum orange.
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Rondo

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Orange peg = Rondo; the tailpiece silk codes the pitch (Dominant code, E red).
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Rondo Gold

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
E: red tailpiece silk (tin version) or blue (gold version).
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Infeld Blue

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Infeld Red

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Red peg except on E (blue peg, red tailpiece silk).
Thomastik-Infeld Synthetic

Spirit!

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Grey tailpiece silk is the signature.
Thomastik-Infeld Steel

Spirocore

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
The peg codes the tension: yellow = soft, red = medium, green = strong.
Thomastik-Infeld Steel

Superflexible

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Light blue/turquoise. The peg codes the tension: yellow = soft, light blue = medium, green = strong.
Thomastik-Infeld Steel

Precision

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Black/dark grey. The peg codes the tension: yellow = soft, black = medium, green = strong.
Larsen Synthetic

Original

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
The peg codes the tension: blue = soft, red = medium, yellow = strong. Silver D: an extra blue band. The metal ball codes the pitch: A chrome, D copper, G black.
Larsen Synthetic

Tzigane

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Signature = a turquoise band at the end of the peg silk; the ground colour is the tension (red = medium, yellow = strong).
Larsen Synthetic

Virtuoso

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Ivory/cream peg; strong = an extra black band. E: aqua/light blue tailpiece silk. The metal ball codes the pitch.
Larsen Synthetic

Il Cannone

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
Green peg with black stripes, their number rising from E (1) to G (4). Two A strings: Direct & Focused / Warm & Broad (different striping). E: aqua tailpiece silk.
Larsen Synthetic

Il Cannone Soloist

  • E ball/loop
  • A
  • D
  • G
As Il Cannone medium but on a yellow ground (black stripes 1 to 4 from E to G).
Larsen Synthetic

Aurora

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
To confirm Orange peg (Larsen 2025 chart); black band on strong, silver D: blue band. A/D tailpiece silks from Lashof, G undocumented, to be checked.
D'Addario Steel

Helicore

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Tension bands at the peg.
D'Addario Steel

Prelude

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Blue tailpiece silk (current production); older production runs may have been red.
D'Addario Synthetic

Pro-Arté

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
D'Addario Synthetic

Zyex

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Current version. Earlier generation: tailpiece silk coded by tension, soft turquoise, medium purple, strong light blue.
D'Addario Steel

Kaplan Solutions

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
The whistle-free E is the most common one. The line has been replaced by Kaplan Amo/Vivo, see the dedicated entry.
D'Addario Synthetic

Kaplan (Amo / Vivo)

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
White tailpiece silk with a black spiral is the Kaplan signature. Amo and Vivo share this code: tell them apart by the packaging, not by the silks.
D'Addario Synthetic

Ascente

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Warchal Synthetic

Brilliant

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
E: a black band (not a spiral) on a blue ground. Silver ball = Brilliant (black ball = Vintage).
Warchal Synthetic

Brilliant Vintage

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Same silks as Brilliant; told apart by the black ball.
Warchal Synthetic

Amber

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
White tailpiece silk with a brown spiral on every string. G: burgundy/dark brown peg. Helical whistle-free E.
Warchal Synthetic

Timbre

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
G: dark red peg. E not documented by the sources.
Warchal Synthetic

Karneol

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Burgundy tailpiece silk with a black band, bronze ball.
Corelli (Savarez) Synthetic

Crystal

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Corelli peg code: E blue, A black, D purple/burgundy, G yellow, plus a tension band (light green, medium blue, forte yellow).
Corelli (Savarez) Synthetic

Alliance

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Yellow tailpiece silk with a green spiral is the Alliance signature. Corelli peg code: E blue, A black, D purple, G yellow, plus a tension band (light green, medium blue, forte yellow).
Corelli (Savarez) Synthetic

Cantiga

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Blue spiralled tailpiece silk with a purple end is the Cantiga signature. Corelli peg code: E blue, A black, D purple, G yellow, plus a tension band.
Prim Steel

Prim

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
The tailpiece silk codes the tension (current production): soft blue, medium green (as listed), orchestra red. Older production runs: medium orange (Soundpost chart).
Jargar Steel

Classic

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Coded by tension at both ends: dolce = green, medium = light blue (as listed), forte = red. D: brown peg whatever the tension.
Jargar Steel

Superior

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Yellow peg plus a coloured band coding the pitch; light blue tailpiece silk.
Jargar Steel

Evoke

  • E
  • A
  • D
  • G
Light blue tailpiece silk (Jargar signature).
Lenzner Steel

Goldbrokat (Mi)

  • E ball/loop
E string sold on its own, the most widely used in the world.
Lenzner Steel

Goldbrokat Premium Gold (Mi)

  • E
Gold-plated E string.
W.E. Hill & Sons Steel

Hill (Mi)

  • E
Dark green at both ends (medium); heavy tension: purple.
Westminster Steel

Westminster (Mi)

  • E
The colour codes the tension and is the same at both ends: 0.25 yellow, 0.26 pink, 0.27 black.
Corelli (Savarez)

Corelli Alliance

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Corelli (Savarez)

Corelli Crystal

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
D'Addario

Helicore

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Peg confirmed by the official D'Addario chart (01/2026): A black, D yellow, G red, C purple. The tailpiece silk read here (purple and blue) differs from the chart, which gives yellow and blue for the whole Helicore line: to be confirmed on an actual string.
D'Addario

Kaplan Golden Spiral Solo

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Peg confirmed by the official D'Addario chart (01/2026): A black, D yellow, G red, C purple. The tailpiece silk cannot be cross-checked: the chart lists Kaplan Amo, Vivo and viola/cello, but not the Golden Spiral Solo reference.
D'Addario

Pro-Arte

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Peg confirmed by the official D'Addario chart (01/2026): A black, D yellow, G red, C purple. The chart gives a red and blue tailpiece silk, the reading here red and purple.
D'Addario

Zyex

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Peg confirmed by the official D'Addario chart (01/2026): A black, D yellow, G red, C purple. The tailpiece silk changes with the tension on this chart; the official chart gives orange and red for the whole Zyex line.
Jargar

Jargar

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Colours read at medium tension; a side band codes the tension (dolce, forte, medium).
Jargar

Jargar Silver Sound

  • G
  • C
Larsen

Larsen

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium red, soft blue, strong yellow. Cross-checked against the official Larsen chart (larsenstrings.com): peg, tension code and tailpiece silk all confirmed.
Pirastro

Aricore

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Chorda

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Chromcor

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Chromcor Plus

  • A
Pirastro

Eudoxa

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Eudoxa-Aricore

  • A
Pirastro

Eudoxa-Oliv

  • C
Pirastro

Evah Pirazzi

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Flexocor

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Gold

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Obligato

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Oliv

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Permanent

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Piranito

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Synoxa

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Tailpiece silk read off the printed chart.
Pirastro

Tonica

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Prim

Prim

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Prim

Prim Synthetic Core

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Thomastik-Infeld

Dominant

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium purple, soft yellow, strong green.
Thomastik-Infeld

Precision

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium black, soft yellow, strong green.
Thomastik-Infeld

Spirocore

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium red, soft yellow, strong green.
Thomastik-Infeld

Superflexible

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium blue, soft yellow, strong green.
Corelli (Savarez)

Corelli

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
D'Addario

Helicore

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
⚠ Unresolved discrepancy. The official D'Addario chart (01/2026) gives C in purple and a yellow and blue tailpiece silk; the chart read here gives C in black and a purple and blue tailpiece silk. The blue band at the peg is, however, documented by the maker (alternate Helicore strings).
D'Addario

Prelude

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
⚠ Unresolved discrepancy. The official D'Addario chart (01/2026) gives C in purple and a plain blue tailpiece silk; the chart read here gives C in black and a red tailpiece silk.
D'Addario

Pro-Arte

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
⚠ Unresolved discrepancy. The official D'Addario chart (01/2026) gives D in yellow and a red and blue tailpiece silk; the chart read here gives D in blue and a purple and blue tailpiece silk.
D'Addario

Unicore

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium blue, soft yellow, strong green. This string does not appear in the official D'Addario chart (01/2026), which covers only Prelude, Ascenté, Kaplan, Pro-Arté, Helicore and Zyex: no cross-check possible.
Jargar

Jargar

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: dolce teal, forte green, medium green.
Jargar

Jargar Silver Sound

  • G
  • C
Larsen

Larsen

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium red, soft blue, strong yellow. Cross-checked against the official Larsen chart (larsenstrings.com): peg, tension code and tailpiece silk all confirmed.
Larsen

Larsen Soloist

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium red, soft blue, strong yellow. Cross-checked against the official Larsen chart (larsenstrings.com): peg, tension code and tailpiece silk all confirmed.
Pirastro

Chorda

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Chromcor

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Chromcor Plus

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Eudoxa

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Evah Pirazzi

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Evah Pirazzi Soloist

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Flexocor

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Gold

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Obligato

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Oliv

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Tailpiece silk read off the printed chart.
Pirastro

Permanent

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Permanent Soloist

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Piranito

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Pirastro

Synoxa

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Tailpiece silk read off the printed chart.
Prim

Prim

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Thomastik-Infeld

Bel Canto

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Thomastik-Infeld

Bel Canto Gold

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
Thomastik-Infeld

Dominant

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium purple, soft yellow, strong green.
Thomastik-Infeld

Spirocore

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium red, soft yellow, strong green.
Thomastik-Infeld

Superflexible

  • A
  • D
  • G
  • C
The peg codes the TENSION, not the pitch: medium blue, soft yellow, strong green.

Not sure? Our luthiers identify your strings in-store

FAQ

Common questions about identifying strings

Are silk colors the same across all manufacturers?

No. Every manufacturer has its own code, and the colors also change from one instrument to another for the same model. That is why this tool works brand by brand and instrument by instrument, and never carries one over to another.

Where do I look for the color on the string?

At both ends. The silks are the colored threads wound at the pegbox end and at the tailpiece end. Both matter: two models can share the same color at one end and differ at the other.

What if the string has no silk left, or it has faded?

Colour identification no longer works. Bring the string to either of our two shops: our luthiers recognise it by gauge, material and winding.

Does the tool cover harp and guitar?

No: it covers violin, viola and cello, the three instruments for which manufacturers publish a color chart. For the harp we have a separate tool, based on the Savarez table.