Some weeks ago I wrote a version of a "Dodecats"- duo (viola & cello) for an uncommon string quartet: violin, viola, baritone violin, cello.
My baritone violin is a normal traditional violin strung with octave strings. Normally I'm playing it electrically, because the small body doesn't transport the deep frequencies well.
But the student quartet decided to play acoustically on our school concert. What should I do?
I googled a bit and found the viola profonda:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Profonda
I own a viola not in use these days, so I looked for strings and found them at "Super Sensitive", where I bought a nickel wound viola F-string, which I tuned up to G.
The next string is a "Dominant" C tuned up to D, then a "Dominant" G tuned up to A and a Pirastro "Flexocor" D tuned up to E.
Now the sound is much stronger and fuller - my viola is a small 38cm, surely a bigger viola would do even better.
All strings have magnetic properties, so they work fine with the installed magnetic "REBO" pickup. The string tension ist higher, but my luthier says there won't be a problem.