Short version: I'm Philo Lee, a professional cellist and the founder of SoundBox Strings. On my 2005 Grubaugh Seifert, the Larsen Sovereign set pairs warm, sweet, singing A and D strings with powerful G and C strings that feel raw out of the packet but break in fast — and the whole cello rings with more resonance and color. If you want warmth on top with real authority underneath, these deserve a trial; if you mix sets, start with the G and C. Full first impressions below, from my first session with the set on September 25, 2026.

On September 25, I put on a set of the new Larsen Sovereign cello strings, and I want to talk about them while the first impression is still fresh — because that first hour with a new set tells you a lot.

Quick bit of context first: I got these through Andrew Glasser, who is not only an amazing person but genuinely one of the most knowledgeable people I've talked strings with. If you ever get the chance to pick his brain about setup, take it. His read on these, interestingly, is that most players fall in love with the G and C and pair them with a different A and D. I went in with the full set — and on my 2005 Grubaugh Seifert, the whole set works fantastically.

The A and D

The upper strings are the immediate win. They're warm and resonant with this sweet, singing quality that honestly makes the instrument sound more expensive than it is. There's an ease to the response — you don't have to work to get color out of them, it's just there. If you've ever played a set where the A and D feel like they're doing half the musical work for you, you know exactly what I mean.

The G and C

The lower strings are a different animal, and I mean that as a compliment. Out of the package, the G and C reminded me of putting on Spirocore tungsten for the first time — a little raw, a little blunt, a lot of power with not much polish. But here's the thing: they break in fast. Within a short playing session that rawness was already rounding off, and what's left underneath is serious power with real depth. Small wonder most players keep these and mix on top.

The whole instrument

The biggest surprise isn't any one string — it's what the set does to the cello as a whole. The entire instrument rings more. There's noticeably more resonance and more color across all four strings, like the set woke something up in the body of the instrument. That's the quality that's hardest to describe and easiest to hear in person.

Who these are for

It's early days and I'll report back once they're fully settled, but my first read: if you want warmth and sweetness on top with real authority on the bottom — and you don't mind a short break-in on the lower strings — the Sovereigns deserve a serious look. And if you're a mixer, do what most players are doing: start with the G and C.

If you'd like to try these strings on your own cello, you can start a trial here.