I own several German-made violas, including two Karl Joseph Schneider Premiers. The Schneider Premiers and all but one other German viola respond and sound best when strung with Pirastro Obligato viola strings. That one other German viola responds and sounds best with Eva Pirazzi strings (also made by Pirastro). Under normal wear, I change viola strings every three months. I am very pleased with the overall quality of Pirastro strings!

Obligato viola strings sound velvety, right out of the packaging. They have a warm, round timbre that makes the idea of a few hours of practicing delightful. So why two stars? Because they lack anything resembling projection (not loudness, projection). Looking to hide in the viola section, or be swallowed by your pianist during your recital? Then these are for you. If you want your nuance and subtlety audible, having spent countless hours honing these abilities, look elsewhere.

Obligato strings have a clarity and brilliance to them that other viola strings lack. I disagree with the previous reviewer about projection; these strings project very well and they respond more readily than Dominants or Zyex strings. They also stay in tune remarkably well, which of course isn't a necessity but is a nice bonus feature.

I have tried many strings over the years, but this is the first to be fully satisfactory. These strings play well throughout their long life, without deterioration of sound quality. The tone is warm, powerful, and rich in overtones. I use these on several different instruments with excellent results. The best thing is their stability in humid and changing weather conditions.

My Ming-Jiang Zhu AA viola came strung with Dominants. At the suggestion of my local luthier, who has made several beautiful violas, I restrung with Obligatos and I have noticed better responsiveness and a stronger, more balanced sound. I can't afford to experiment with every kind of viola string but for now I am quite satisfied with Obligatos. The strings didn't wow me, but they're a big improvement over Dominants.

I have found the strength and warmth of Obbligato strings to be superior on my Rudolph Deutsch viola, and no longer use other strings (have tried Vision, Zyex, and Dominant). If within one's budget, I highly recommend them.