Thank you for choosing Il Cannone Silver

We’re excited you’ve selected this bold, shining voice for your violin. Designed for players seeking silvery brilliance, increased overtone resonance and superior projection.
The D and G strings are wound with high-grade 99.85% pure silver flat wire, ensuring exceptional brightness and purity of sound, while enhancing the richness and colours in the lower range. These premium materials not only add a distinctive tonal shine but also contribute to lasting stability and performance durability.

Your set includes five strings, with two distinct E strings to match your sound:

• Silver E – powerful, bold and silvery. Made using a unique carbon steel and with a 0.27 gauge
• Caprice E – sparkling, focused and with higher tension. Made using a unique carbon steel and with a 0.275 gauge

We’ve created this Strings Expertise page to help you get the most out of your strings. Explore below to discover how to set up your instrument, find our guide to mounting the strings – and how to make them last longer!

Larsen Set Up

Getting the best start

Correct installation is essential for achieving the full sound and lifespan of your Larsen strings. Follow these steps to prepare your instrument and mount the strings safely.

Preparing the instrument

Before fitting new strings, ensure your instrument is in good condition to protect the strings from damage.

• Check string length – Measure from the tailpiece hole to the peg. The string length from ball to silk should be shorter than this distance.
• Inspect bridge & nut grooves – Grooves should be smooth, rounded, and no deeper than half the string’s diameter. They should be only slightly wider than the string itself, with no sharp edges.
• Bridge alignment matters – The bridge should stand perfectly perpendicular to the top plate of your violin – i.e., form a 90‑degree angle – as any leaning can lead to warping or weakening over time. Gently straighten it as needed.
• Protect your bridge from your E-string – Our E-strings are fitted with a protection tube, to prevent the string from digging into the bridge. If the protective tube is missing or damaged, use a thin leather or plastic insert at the bridge.
• Ensure peg diameter – To prevent stress on the strings, and to avoid it breaking, the peg – on which you wind the string – should be at least 6 mm in diameter. If the diameter is less, or the peg end of the string is very stiff, we recommend massaging and gently bending that part of the string before winding it on the peg.

Identifying the strings

Our strings in the Il Cannone family are marked at the peg end, so you can easily distinguish them: 1 line for E-strings, 2 lines for A-strings, 3 lines for D-strings and 4 lines for G-strings.

Another way to determine the string number for the rest of our violin strings, is to look at the ball colour:

• E: Brass
• A: Chrome
• D: Copper
• G: Black

If you have no idea what Larsen string you’re looking at, please refer to our Larsen Silk Colour page.

Mounting the strings

Unpack the strings carefully. Remove them as you go progress from their moisture-proof bags and uncoil gently without twisting.

• Change 1 string at the time – beginning with the lowest string. This way, your bridge is kept in place and you maintain tension across your instrument.
• Apply graphite – Use a soft pencil (the softer, the better – we recommend 2B or 3B) to add graphite into both bridge and nut grooves. This will act as a dry lubricant and allow your strings to move freely when tuning and playing.
• Avoid damage – Keep the string lifted slightly away from the bridge and nut grooves while fitting.
• Only cross once – Do not cross the string more than once on the peg.
• Winding direction – Wind towards the peg head without jamming against the peg box sides.
• Check bridge – when you’ve mounted all strings, to ensure that it’s perpendicular to the top plate of your violin, that it’s straight and sits centrally between the f-holes.
• Tune gradually – Bring each string to final pitch. Play and retune. Always tune up to the note, never over the pitch.

Want to see how?

Larsen Optimise

We hope your Il Cannone Silver set is the perfect match for you and your instrument.
If you feel a little fine-tuning could make it even better, here are some simple ways to optimise your sound:

Choosing your E-string:

• Silver E – powerful, bold, and silvery. Perfect for an assertive tonal presence.

• Caprice E – sparkling, focused, and brilliant. Ideal for instruments that benefit from added brilliance.

Looking for more warmth?
For the same power but with added warmth, try the Il Cannone Gold E in 0.28 gauge.

For a deeper dive into our full range of violin strings, check out our Violin String Guide:

Larsen Maintain

Maintain Your Strings

Keeping your Larsen strings in top condition is simple — but regular care makes all the difference to sound and longevity. With just a few minutes of regular care, your strings will stay vibrant, responsive and full of overtones for longer

Daily care

After each session, gently wipe away rosin dust and residue with a dry microfibre cloth.

Thorough clean

When the sound starts to lose brilliance or feel muffled, it’s time for a deeper clean:

G & D strings – Loosen one at a time, shield the instrument’s body and clean from nut to tailpiece with a cloth lightly moistened in isopropyl alcohol. Finish with a dry cloth and apply a little soft pencil to the bridge and nut grooves before re-tensioning.

A & E strings – Keep under tension, clean as above, one string at a time, always in one direction.

Important: Always protect your instrument’s varnish from alcohol contact and work with care.

Watch how it’s done:

Larsen Recycle

Recycle Responsibly

Recycling rules vary around the world, but here’s how to give your Larsen packaging and strings the best possible second life.

Paper & Card

Our outer string envelopes and product cartons are made from FSC®-certified paper and card. Simply place them in your local paper/card recycling bin.

Plastic

The inner protective bag is a composite plastic material to make sure that your strings won’t deteriorate in the many climates the strings are stored, sold and played. Recycling options differ by country – in some regions, composite plastics are collected with general plastic recycling, while in others they may need to go in residual waste. Check your local guidelines.

Strings

When your strings have played their last note, they still have value. Place them in your local scrap metal or metal recycling bin. The steel, aluminium and silver will be separated at the recycling plant and repurposed, beginning a new chapter in their life cycle.

By recycling correctly, you’re helping us close the loop – reducing waste, conserving resources and giving valuable materials a new life.

Larsen Explore

Explore More

Every instrument – and every musician – has its own voice.
Your perfect match depends on what your violin needs, how you play and the sound you love.

From the warmth of Tzigane to the brilliance of Il Cannone Silver, our violin family offers strings for every character, style, and stage. Check out our Sound Map and Violin String Selector Tool to discover the full range and find the set that speaks for you.

Explore all Larsen violin strings on https://larsenstrings.com/larsen-strings-violin/ 

Larsen Specification

Il Cannone Silver Technical Information

String tension as kg/lbs, string core material, string winding material(s) and silk colors illustrated as ball and silk winding at the tailpiece end then silk color combinations, per string, at the peg end.

Sound & Characteristics

Please note that the illustrated values are intended for guidance purposes only.

Larsen Feedback

Larsen Contact

We hope this String Expertise area has been helpful. If you have further questions, or if there’s something more we can do to support your playing, please feel free to get in touch.

Larsen Strings
Ingolf Nielsens Vej 14A
DK–6400 Sønderborg
Denmark

📞 Telephone: +45 7443 1760
✉️ mail@larsenstrings.com