I have found that strings can make a profound difference in the voice of the violin. Exploring the different types of strings can be expensive but worth while. When I hear a fiddler playing and like his sound, I ask him about the string brand. Shar music explains in their catalog the differences in the string brands. I used Dominant for years but was never really happy with the sound until I tried the Obligato line. I wasn't happy with the Obligato E Sting so I tried an Olive E string.The strings have the warmth of gut. It takes 2 days for the stings to set in and be stable, they hold up well in temperature changes. I play everything from Early music, renaissance, celtic music to Jazz on these strings. With hit and miss I finally found out what stings work for me and my fiddle.