I play a violin with an installed Realist pick-up for rock gigs. These strings last a long time, are super bright, and with hardly any break-in period. They really compliment my rather inexpensive violin from the Reuter shop in Chicago. My luthier adjusted the violin neck and soundpost for better playability. I love these strings. I will continue to play on them for a while. I'm actually an orchestral violist, and have heard good things about the viola strings as well.