Cello String Guide
Which strings are on your cello?
Match the coloured silk at the tailpiece and in the pegbox to find possible string makes and ranges. This chart covers 42 cello string ranges and variants, with patterns, colour names and notes to help you distinguish similar strings.
Showing all 42 ranges.
No matching ranges. Try clearing a colour filter or checking whether the winding has a spiral or an extra band. Some strings and variants are outside this chart.
| Maker & range | A string | D string | G string | C string | Variants & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D’AddarioHelicore | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxpurple | Manufacturer chart Published manufacturer chart. Light adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Alternate windings can have extra green or blue markings. Older cello charts may differ. View source for D’Addario Helicore |
| D’AddarioKaplan | Tailpiecewhite/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/black spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecewhite/black spiral Pegboxred | Tailpiecewhite/black spiral Pegboxpurple | Manufacturer chart Published manufacturer chart. Light adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Alternate windings can have extra green or blue markings. Older cello charts may differ. View source for D’Addario Kaplan |
| D’AddarioPrelude | Tailpieceblue Pegboxblack | Tailpieceblue Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceblue Pegboxred | Tailpieceblue Pegboxpurple | Manufacturer chart Published manufacturer chart. Light adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Alternate windings can have extra green or blue markings. Older cello charts may differ. View source for D’Addario Prelude |
| D’AddarioPrelude — older cello chart | Tailpiecered Pegboxblack | Tailpiecered Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecered Pegboxred | Tailpiecered Pegboxblack | Historical code Historical chart: red tailpiece and black C pegbox; differs from the published manufacturer chart above. View source for D’Addario Prelude — older cello chart |
| D’AddarioPro-Arté | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxpurple | Manufacturer chart Published manufacturer chart. Light adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Alternate windings can have extra green or blue markings. Older cello charts may differ. View source for D’Addario Pro-Arté |
| D’AddarioPro-Arté — older cello chart | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxblue | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceblue/red spiral Pegboxlight violet | Historical code Historical chart lists blue D and light-violet C pegbox silk. Check packaging and production era. View source for D’Addario Pro-Arté — older cello chart |
| JargarClassic — medium | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Reference chart Secondary reference lists light blue at both ends. Silk alone cannot establish pitch; check gauge and packaging. View source for Jargar Classic — medium |
| LarsenAurora | Tailpieceyellow-orange Pegboxyellow-orange | Tailpiecered Pegboxyellow-orange | Tailpiecemagenta Pegboxyellow-orange | Tailpiecepurple Pegboxyellow-orange | Manufacturer chart Full-size medium; strong adds black. Fractional pegbox: 3/4 red, 1/2 magenta, 1/4 purple, 1/8 yellow-orange, 1/16 red. View source for Larsen Aurora |
| LarsenIl Cannone — Direct & Focused | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + 1 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + 2 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + 3 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + 4 black bands | Manufacturer chart Count black bands A/D/G/C: 1/2/3/4. View source for Larsen Il Cannone — Direct & Focused |
| LarsenIl Cannone — Warm & Broad | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + red band + 1 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + red band + 2 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + red band + 3 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + red band + 4 black bands | Manufacturer chart Red marker plus 1/2/3/4 black bands. View source for Larsen Il Cannone — Warm & Broad |
| LarsenMagnacore | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + black band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + black band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + black band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + black band | Manufacturer chart Medium shown. Strong yellow + black band. View source for Larsen Magnacore |
| LarsenMagnacore Arioso | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxblue + black band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxblue + black band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxblue + black band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxblue + black band | Manufacturer chart Arioso pegbox silk is blue with black marking. View source for Larsen Magnacore Arioso |
| LarsenOriginal | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred | Manufacturer chart Medium; soft blue, strong yellow. Balls A brass, D chrome, G copper, C black. View source for Larsen Original |
| LarsenSoloist | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + green band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + green band | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxred + green band | TailpieceNot applicable PegboxNot applicable | Manufacturer chart A/D/G only; medium shown. Soft blue + green; strong yellow + green. C not listed. View source for Larsen Soloist |
| LarsenSovereign | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + yellow band + 1 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + yellow band + 2 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + yellow band + 3 black bands | Tailpieceyellow/blue spiral Pegboxgreen + yellow band + 4 black bands | Manufacturer chart Yellow marker plus 1/2/3/4 black bands. Bands shown schematically. View source for Larsen Sovereign |
| PirastroChromcor | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxblack | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxviolet | Manufacturer chart Full-size medium. Fractional 3/4–1/2 adds golden yellow; 1/4–1/8 adds blue at pegbox. View source for Pirastro Chromcor |
| PirastroEudoxa | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxviolet | Manufacturer chart Gut: A ball end; D/G/C knot ends. Gauge is not established by colour. View source for Pirastro Eudoxa |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxviolet | Manufacturer chart Medium full-size shown. Soft adds pink; strong olive. Fractional 3/4–1/2 adds golden-yellow pegbox markings. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi Gold | Tailpiecegold/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecegold/black spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecegold/black spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecegold/black spiral Pegboxviolet | Manufacturer chart Cello steel/rope-core set; use the cello-specific codes. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi Soloist | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxblack + blue band | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxrust red + blue band | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxbrown + blue band | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxviolet + blue band | Manufacturer chart Blue pegbox marker separates Soloist from standard Evah Pirazzi. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Soloist |
| PirastroFlexocor Deluxe | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxviolet | Manufacturer chart Medium standard set. Compare Perpetual: red versus ruby tailpiece spiral. View source for Pirastro Flexocor Deluxe |
| PirastroObligato | Tailpiecerust red/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecerust red/black spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecerust red/black spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecerust red/black spiral Pegboxviolet | Manufacturer chart Steel A with synthetic D/G/C; medium. View source for Pirastro Obligato |
| PirastroOliv | Tailpiecewhite/olive spiral
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