I have been using Zyex heavy gauge strings for years and absolutely love them. They break in quickly and give me a warm, powerful sound. Unfortunately, every third or fourth G string I've ordered has arrived with nicks in the winding. (This is an improvement over several years ago when almost every other string had a defect.) Other players have shared similar experiences with me. I continue to use Zyex despite the frustration because I haven't found another brand that sounds as good on my violin.