I owe this to everyone:

My luthier is the one who got me to try Obligato. Pirastro had been asking him to get someone to try them, and I was the happy guinea pig. Today, while I was at his shop, he made a sarcastic remark, which I questioned. He reports many instances of the Obligatos breaking. Now, "many" is a relative term; but since I have never known a steel string to break, even a few cases is too many.

I used my set on the orchestra bass for about 10 months. Then I put them on my jazz bass as an experiment, where they got a good 40 hours of hard pizz work. No problems whatsoever. The only thing that happened was that under heavy pizz in a big room, the outside winding seemed to be loosened from the core and it spun a little. I figured the strings were just beat, and I replaced them.

Bottom line:
1. They sound great.
2. There are reports of premature breakage that I have not heard regarding other strings.

I will continue to buy them, but I have to report what I heard.

I've had my set on for about one year, and it does not show any obvious sign of wear (1-2 hr practice per day, 2/3 bow 1/3 pizz). As you may recall, that set was sent by Adrian Müller from Pirazzi&Co to help in my quest for a hybrid set of strings.
As François said in the previous thread (where can I find Obligatos ?), the surface of those strings is not as smooth as for other Pirastro sets, but I think this is due to the fact that they stretch considerably when brought to pitch, and it is probably difficult for the winding to accomodate such a stretchable core...
Anyway, I would appreciate the opinion of Obligato users with laminated bass (Engle/Kay or Musima type).

Ciao

Olivier was asking about Obligato's on a Kay or Englehardt etc.

Pirastro sent me a set to try about a year and a half ago. I used them for a few weeks ( pizz only) and found them to have lots of volume across all the strings....unlike nylon, perlon etc. Very stable after a day or so. At the time I was experimenting with several different strings. Since then I have been using Corelli 380 TX's with a Spirocore Weich on the E. I like this combination much better.....more resonance and tone....a bit less tension....and a bit more "sing" to the strings without any thin or trebly overtones.
I went back to the Obligato's again recently and found them to be a bit too "plastic" sounding compared to the Corelli/Weich combination.
I have read several comments about how good the Obligato's are under the bow so I would imagine they would be a pretty good all round string for some people.
Now a question: Has anyone played (pizz) the Obigato's and the solid core Picato Innovations? If so how do the two compare in tone and volume?
Thanks
Martin.

I have no scientific basis for this, so call it a neurosis if you wish, but I'm reluctant mix strings with differing cores. Who knows? I may be missing something.

Most violin players I know use mixed strings.
I think everyone has a sound they are looking for and manufacturers have different ideas about how the tension of their string sets should balance out between the G and E.
To me the problem with Spirocores is that the G is too thin sounding....the A,D and E have much more body. I personally hate thin, tinny sounding G's but others may be able to live with that. I have tried using an Oliv G and D with the Spirocore Weich A and E and its not a bad combination....if you like the solid, round, fat sound.
The only drawback is that wrapped guts can unravel easily and the climate I live in (Northern Ontario, Canada) is not kind to wound gut strings or carved basses. Thank goodness for my Kay plywood.
I have mentioned in other posts how much I like Corelli 38TX's for pizz. The G is a little ringy at first but not bad once it settles down.
The main thing is to find compatible sounding strings which can be an expensive process.
I use a Weich for an E with the Corelli's because it rings and sustains better than the 380TX E..and matches the sound of the other Corelli's. But the E is the only Weich string that I like on my bass.
I sure as shootin' would rather find a complete set of strings that I like but until that happens I am content to use a combination.

Also: Thanks for the great pictures of the basses Don. You are fortunate to be able to play so many fine instruments.

Thanks, Martin. Small, but important point: I said I don't like to mix cores - perlon, steel, gut etc. I am aware of the mixing of strings in the arco world, and did it for years until my recent choice of Obligato.

After finding a combination of strings that gives me a sound I like, you would think I would have learned enough to just enjoy. Not so. I found an old King bass that I am having refurbished so it looks like the string nightmare will begin again.

Martin.

Okay, it happened. My long "E" string (Pirastro Obligato) snapped in the peg box. I waited for several weeks for them to come off backorder from Lemur, and when they finally arrived......bang. The strings were on 13 days when the aforementioned disaster occurred.

Lemur has, as usual, been very accomodating and are crediting me for the string.

The worst part of this story.......I love the strings. They truly sound great. When I was looking for a new bass, I played one at Cincinnati Bass Cellar that was a little out of my price range, but just sounded great. What I didn't realize at the time, was the bass had Obligatos.

Anyway, I hope Pirastro gets this problem rectified. It really is a great string.

Just to make things clear: it was an extra long E string, which you use with a C extension?
Where did it break on the string?
In the metal wound part?
At the junction of the metal wrap and silk?

Thanks.

Francois:

You are correct, long "E" for a "C" extension. The string broke on the metal, just below the silk.

Just ordered a set - a good friend sent me a rave review, and combined with all the others, I just have to try them.

He tells me they stretch quite a bit over the first few days. Any other comments/caveats/etc. about them??

He's right. They took about a week to finally reach the point where they stayed tuned. Certainly, a minor inconvenience.

Originally posted by Tim Ludlam
He's right. They took about a week to finally reach the point where they stayed tuned. Certainly, a minor inconvenience.

Ok., here's my story...I ordered my Obligatos about a month ago, from Quinn Violins, and Like Lemur, they were back ordered forevever (Three weeks)
I got them a week ago, but after reading some of the Caveat posts, I was almost afraid to put them on my Bass. But,Tonight I figured what the hell, and
slapped 'em on, and...
Omigod, have you ever tried out a piece of equipment that just hit you in the gut that this was what you've been looking for all your life?That has happened to me maybe 3 or 4 times, and this was one of them. I cannot believe the Arco tone and smooth response from these strings.
Of course they are still stretching out even as I write this, but like Tim, this is a minor inconvenience that I will gladly sacrifice for that tone! I have used Corellis for years, and have been satisfied for the most part with them as an all-around string. But these Obligatos are, to put it bluntly, Da Bomb! One thing, Bob, they are Darker sounding than the Corellis, and may not have the same Pizz sound that you are used to, but volume wise and sound wise (IMO) You will say "What Corellis?" when you try them out.I just had to write this while I was still excited, I have to go practice now...:)

Savor it. Moments like that are rare in life.

Congratulations.

Thanks for the positive review -- a bassist friend of mine in VT. emailed me with a similar rave, which caused me to order a set. They are destined for the Kay; at least for now I think the Corellis will stay on the Juzek... but who knows?

Remeasure your string length before you put them on. They stretch enough that the bridge will tilt significantly as you keep bringing them up to pitch. I had to pull the bridge down so that a gap opened under the bridge feet on the top side. The gap closed when the string finally settled in at pitch.

Already done, thanks. I also put a bit of graphite in the slots so it won't pull on the bridge so much as I bring it up to pitch.

In order to have an E string that would speak more easily, I have replaced the E Obligato by a Dominant. It works. I don't think I would get the other Dominant strings though: very scratchy compared to Obligato's.

Hi all -

I've got Pirastro Obligato's on my bass, and I love em. Except that the windings on the fingerboard side of the bridge on the D string are coming undone and creating an annoying buzzing sound - most noticeably when the D is played. Is there anything I can do about this or should I just replace the string? What can be done to avoid this?

Thanks!

Originally posted by AlexFeldman
I've got Pirastro Obligato's on my bass, and I love em. Except that the windings on the fingerboard side of the bridge on the D string are coming undone and creating an annoying buzzing sound - most noticeably when the D is played. Is there anything I can do about this or should I just replace the string?

We had a discussion on this before. Do a search for Don Hignon's Obligato Alert. I believe for a short time there was a "bad Batch" or something like that,
and some people were having some problems with breakage and windings. I really don't think you can do anything to fix the windings, the string will have to be replaced. Maybe if you write to them, they will send you a new one free. It's worth a try, all
they can say is "No", right?

Alex:
Just double checking -
When you restring, make sure to rub soft pencil lead in the grooves of the bridge and the nut. This especially neccessary with the Obligato. Since it stretches so much, you're pulling an unusual amount of string over the bridge at full tension. Look closely at the bridge groove to be sure it's big enough that the string doesn't wedge into groove. It''s a delicate balance; the groove shouldn't be too wide, either.
I still use the Obligato on my jazz bass. But I'm hearing more reports of the lack of durability of the Obligato. I keep an old set in the Jeep at all times for emergencies.

Pirastro has a web site and e-mail address. You should tell them what happened. Most string makers have e-mail; all bassists should e-mail their experiences and opinions. It's the only way the makers will learn what's needed.

Thanks to both of you! Don, I did use a lot of graphite after reading your posts on the subject. I guess the slot on the bridge wasn't quite wide enough for the D string.

I'll get in touch with Pirastro - maybe I'll try mixing strings. I'm going for the 'old school' upright sound (Blanton, PC, Mingus)... I think I'll tell them that when I email them. :)

If you go to gut, you will have to widen the nut and bridge grooves.

P.S.

I temporarily solved the buzzing D by using wall putty (the stuff that you stick up posters with) to push the winding back up away from the bridge where it had come undone. It mutes the string a bit, but the way I usually play no one is able to tell the difference. Still haven't heard from Pirastro, but I'll give em at least a week before I start hunting for another set of strings.

Just had to come on board guys and sing the praises of "Obligatos".
I,ve had my first set on just 3 weeks now and, at first was not that greatly impressed with them infact, nearly put the old Corelli's back on ...
however, on the advice from these pages I was told by all that.... you have to give these suckers time to bed in ! and YES you're right. I've just got home from a gig and got to say ....THEY SOUNDED GREAT TONIGHT.

Sustain , Tone , Ease of playing... It's all there!

Hail "Pirastro"

:p

I found that they sounded pretty much the way they sound right out of the package, although they did stretch like crazy for a couple of days. Your hands probably just figured out how to give your ears what they want with these wires :)

Yeah, I agree with Ray, they sounded great on my bass right out of the package, I spent a whole day tuning and playing these strings very hard 'cause I had a gig,I prefer to let them settle in more naturally but theyr sound didn't change. I my opinion they are a very good overall string, but I still have a bass with the helicores Orchestral 'cause after bowing for a while the Obligatos still make me a little nervous.
BTW a week ago I recorded a demo with a pianist friend of mine and the Obligatos sound absolute beautiful on recording, on my bass and my set up they definetely have that old school gut vibe, but if you lower the action they can also sound like modern steel core strings.

I have 'em on now too, but the "C" string (long E) needs to go. It really wobbles under my fingers and just won't stop growling (I sometimes like that for jazz, but not all the time.)

L M Bass,

I reckon the C string must be as about as thick as your arm.... Going by the E string in Ob's.
When I put it along side the E string Corelli I removed ...The "E" Corelli look like the "D" String on the OB's. It took a little adjusting to the thickness of the suckers! And I still have a little bit of a Growl from MY "E" Obligato. It's almost like Fret Rattle on a Guitar.... Maybe I'm right on the border of a height problem with the neck???? I can live with it anyway....Anyway don't they sound nice!;)

Sorry I didn't make that very clear. . .
Long "E" or C-string, meaning I have a fingered C extension.

Sorry, LM ...my mistake .The penny has dropped!
Yes ,I still say the "E" Ob is a thick Sucker!

Cheers,
Mick:p

I have been using spiro weich for a few years now and am thinking about changing to obligatos. I have heard good things about them but wonder what they are like in direct comparison.

My bass sounds bright and the g string sound rather thin. Other than that I am happy with the weich strings. I just like the idea of a little more gut sound while maintaining a jazz type growl

Are the obligatos the right choice?

What about mixing G & D obligato and E & A spiro?

What type of bass do you have? All basses react differently with different strings. I had Obligatos on my Strunal Hybrid and went over to Spiro weichs I felt the Obli's just didn't have the punch on my bass that the weichs have. That's just me and my bass though.

Hi heymrbassman
I just did the mixed Pirastro (Obligato G, D with Jazzer E, A).
It seemed to be a nice set for Jazz. For about 2 weeks later, I realized that the set did not have a well balance. I took them off. (Now, I have innovation 140h on my bass.)

How about Obligato G, D, A and Spirocore weich E? Someone , may be DON, in this forum mentioned that Micheal Moore has used this mixed set too.

Hope this help

I just tried a few different basses today that all had helicore strings (yellow & blue at the tailpeice and different colours at the head) they sounded really good / thicker / deeper compared to the one bass in the shop that had spiros on it.

there are so many choices and it all costs so much. I tried a set of 140h strings and disliked them the more I played on them. They seemed to start well and get more tension as time went on.

I am going to buy a string at a time to see what suits my bass possibly an obligato G as my weich G is a little thin sounding.

My bass is about 50 years old, carved and has a sticker in it that says menges. Slovenija.

My fingers were protesting against my combination of long sets unamplified, high action, and superflexibles- The superflexibles sounded great, but at high action were causing my pizz finger joint problems- Taping my index and middle finger into one big joint (a fatty;) ) helped, but who wants to be tape dependent? I ordered a D and G Obligato at this formum's suggestion for a jazz combo audition where I knew the higher tension strings would do me in- Anyway, they finally came in only 2 HOURS before the audition! So I'm here to say, YES YOU CAN break in synthetic guts with only 1 1/2 hours to work with! How? Get them on there, and even if it's not your style, SLAP them until your forearm freezes, put some tiger balm on your arm, then continue to slap/tune up until you stop going flat- I had to tune up again once I got to the audition, but they held their pitch, were kind to my fingers, sounded fabulous, and got me some good $ gigs!:) Thanks for the string recommendation!!

Wow! Trial by fire. Congrats on getting the gig, but I hope i NEVER have to do what you described!

Now that everything is "broke-in," how do you like the Obli/Flexo combination? Pretty even-sounding? I've been thinking of going that route myself.

They do sound good together- The superflexible E is perfect- I've tried lower tension E's and can't get good response- The A is a little thumpy, but fine- I'll probably put an Obligato on the A as well- (with shipping I'll end up spending more on 3 strings than a whole set:rolleyes: )- I'd recommend buying a full Obligato set and if you don't love the E, order a single superflexible- Of course every bass responds differently...

Yeah, I'm playing a full Obligato set right now, and the E is pretty dang flabby. How do the Superflexibles do the the bow?

Better than the supernils! Ha ha- You'll miss the obligatos for bowing- The superflexibles are OK but a wee bit scratchy- Although, the superflex E string is easier to grab and hold with the bow than their G and D- Then again, my bow technique isn't that great... If you already have Obligatos, why not just get a single E superflexible to see if it's what you're looking for? Do you like your Obligato A?

Do you like your Obligato A?

I feel like I could use a little more tension on the "A" as well. My only concern is that the Superflexibles are going to sound way brighter than the Oblis.

They're cheap enough; I'll pick up a Superflex A and E and hear for my own self.

Thanks.

[My only concern is that the Superflexibles are going to sound way brighter than the Oblis. ]

Don't worry, the superflexibles are a "darker" sounding steel and go well with the oblis- In my opinion at least...

Hi Folks,

I know there has been a lot said on this board about Obligatos. I've never tried them (I only have $300 of strings in the drawer). I'll probably get a set since my strings need changing. Time for another string experiment I suppose.

When I cruised by the Lemure site, I noticed that Obligatos are available in solo tuning. Has anyone ever tried the Obligato Solo strings tuned down to orchestra tuning? How is the tension? Any advantage to putting these on compared to the orchestra gauge? I believe I tried Spirocore solos (tuned down) some time ago.

I play mostly bluegrass and jazz. I currently have Pirastro Jazzers on the carved bass and Rotosounds on the plywood bass. I'm leaning towards a new set of Innovation Rockabilly for the plywood bass too.

Thanks,

Touch

I have obligato orchestra tuning in my basse and the tension seems very low. I thinks that the solo tuning will be to low for me.

Obligatos are already low tension. My guess is tuned-down solos would be so flabby as to be useless. What's the point, anyway? What are you after?

What am I after? I'm on a quest for the perfect string! Seriously though, I guess I'm after something that combines the best of the Pirastro Jazzers and the Rotosounds if such a beast exists. I am only playing pizzicato these days.

I really like the Rotosounds (G and D are nylon on nylon, A and E are metal wrap on nylon) for slapping. Their low tension works great for the roots music in the current combo I play with.

However, I have the action on the Kay rather high (to get under them) and I find that they take a long time to "get going". Fast pizzicato tunes (like Orange Blossom Special) are tough since the string isn't really going and then it's time to play the next note. I do find that they have a fast decay which also seems to work with this style of music.

Having said that, I really do like the Jazzers (thanks Chris Fitzgerald!) for their articulation. When I was playing in a full-time jazz trio last fall, they worked perfectly. The sustain on the slow ballads and their growl (on this ol' turn-of-the-century carved bass) was super. However for this type of music, the sustain may be a bit too long. And the tension is way too high for slapping. Ideally, I would like to set up both basses (carved and the '42 Kay) with the same string and action.

Based on the comments on the board, I am tempted to try the Obligatos. I wonder how their diameter and tension compare to the Jazzers? The thought of using the Solo set at Orchestra pitch was to get the tension a bit lower while preserving their articulation.

The Innovation Rockabilly seem pretty popular based on the comments on the rockabilly.com message board. The Velvet Garbos seem like a good bet too.

String fever has struck once again. I guess the only remedy is to to buy a set of everything.

Cheers,

Touch

Originally posted by Touch
Having said that, I really do like the Jazzers (thanks Chris Fitzgerald!) for their articulation. When I was playing in a full-time jazz trio last fall, they worked perfectly. The sustain on the slow ballads and their growl (on this ol' turn-of-the-century carved bass) was super. However for this type of music, the sustain may be a bit too long. And the tension is way too high for slapping. Ideally, I would like to set up both basses (carved and the '42 Kay) with the same string and action.

I'm thinking about Jargar strings in Dolce gauge (thin).
These strings are thin enough for solo tuning, so they're easy to play.
I know some slappers use them.
They have a warm, gut-like tone.
They're more durable and stable than synthetic core strings.
They'd be equally good for pizz work, and even bowing.

Hope this helps! :)

Obligatos by a MILE!
Have had mine on 6 months now, after a week on (to bed in) they have sounded Great ever since.

And, I have only had to sharpen the D string ONCE by a Fart of turn.... otherwise, they have not Lost or Gained tuning in the past 5 and a half months.And of course they sound like a million dollar string!:D

Thanks for the input Francois.

I'll give the Jargar Dolce a try.

Touch

I got a set of the solo obligatos from pirastro for free to try out. Has any one else tried these out yet? Tuned down to orchestra pitch? They sound really good so far. they are kind of flabby, but the thickness kind of makes up for it. They seem even more "gut-like" to me than the regular obligatos did on my bass.

The weird thing is that my magnetic pickup works a lot better with these than it did with the regular obligatos. Is there is more metal in the solos?

Let me know if any of you guys have tryed these yet.

Hey JAS,
Can you give some more input on their diameter? I'm not implying anything as lovely and gracious and supremely informative as a micrometer reading, but just a comparison to other popular strings. I'm particulary interested in that G string. The usual super thin construction is what keeps me away from using steel solo sets.

Thanks.

The G string is as thick as the regular set of obligatos' G string. That is...thicker than spirocore's weich G and reg. spiro's G too. It really isn't too thick though, it feels very nice. The thing that I have not liked about other solo strings even tuned down is that the G string sounds, feels, and is too thin. The solo obligatos' G is not like this at all.

Hey guys-
I've been recommending Oblis for a while as I think they really are the best all around string. But anyone who has used them notice that the windings start to separate over the bridge on the E and sometimes the A. It's a nuisance but so far none of my peeps have broken them. I guess what I am asking is for anyone who has broken these strings to chime in and get a feel for what the actual risk is.
thanksinadvance
jb

Hi Jeff,
I've broken two obligatos since I bought my bass. Well, actually I broke one (E) and a luthier broke another (G). However, both breaks have happened during restringing. As in, I reduced the tension either to install a Realist, or adjust the bridge (Luthier). I haven't broken one while fully tensioned. I do however, notice that my G is unwinding slightly down by the bridge. It makes me a little nervous as I'm playing alot these days and I don't have a backup bass. I need to order backup strings (I have a backup set of Helicores, but I don't really like them, and I've already used the G from the set), but I can't decide whether to get more obligatos because I like the sound, or try something else that my be more reliable, since I haven't used that many different kinds of strings.

Jason

I've had mine on for a year and a half with no breakage, but recently a noticeable loss of tone.

Obligatos don't last a year. I found that out too. I'd say more like 8-10 months.

Jason

Jeff;
I've had Obligatos on my bass for about 6 months and from day one they had a noticable separation over the bridge. So far, no breakage. They did however loose some volume and punch when they were detuned for a bridge change. I'll keep ypo posted.

Keith

My A-string started spinning at the bridge after some 9-10 months. But short time after I had installed them I did some bridge work, so I tuned them up and down several times during that process.
If I remember correctly this is not recommended - I saw a warning somewhere (afterwards, of course...).

Hi!
I'm having a strange problem with a month old set of Obligatos. I love how the strings sound and feel for both arco and pizz gigs, but when I bow the octave harmonic on the A string, or play any note in thumb position on the A, the string has a REALLY uneven sound. It seems like it is not vibrating at a constant speed....sort of starting and stopping during the bow stroke even though the bow speed and arm weight stay the same. Its definately not my technique as this never happened with my spiros or on any of the other obligatos. The A sounds wonderful up until the harmonic. Anyone experience anything similar with these strings? Could it be too much rosin or too wide a bridge slot, or just a defective string?

At first I was going to offer that you're running into a wolftone. For my bass it's on Bb rather than A, and it seems to appear just about everywhere I play a Bb and not just on one particular string or position.

Try playing A on the other strings and see what happens. If you have the same experience then my guess is you've got a wolftone to have fun with.

sounds like a wolftone to me too. Doesn it sort of warble and feel like the bow hair is only hooking up intermitently? I had the same problem with my bass, only not with those strings; a bit of fiddling with the soundpost and the addition of a wolftone killer (one of those little weights that clamps on the afterlength of the sting) fixed mine up pretty well.

Yes, I guess it was a wolftone. I just had a new endpin and tailpiece wire installed along with a soundpost adjustment, and it stopped. I may invest in a wolftone eliminator in case it comes back. Thanks for the info.

Originally posted by delbass
I may invest in a wolftone eliminator in case it comes back. Thanks for the info.
There's a right way to install these. Arnold Schnitzer laughed when I said this, but he acknowledges my method works. E-mail me when you're ready.

If I understand Delbass correctly, he didn't have any wolftones before he put on the new strings (Obligatos). It wasn't until after he installed the new strings that he got the wolftone. Is this correct, and therefore it's the sring, and not the bass, that causes the wolftone? I'm curious becuase I'm having a problem that sounds similar, so I want to make sure I understand this correctly.

Thats a good point; I have noticed that a wolftone will be worse with some strings than others though. For example, my wolf wasn't bad when I was using spiros. When I switched to helicore orchestras, it became a lot worse, and that's when I had to add a wolftone killer and mess with the soundpost. These things didn't even fix it completely, but at least made it playable; now when I go back to spiros or some other strings it's not nearly as bad. Maybe it has something to do with the mix of frequencies some strings produce; they just don't work well with a certain wolftone.

Well, after reading through countless threads here I decided to do some experimentation with some different string choices, and have found that, at least on my Shen plywood bass, the Obligatos give a much richer tone than the Spirocore Weichs did, with only a slight decrease in sustain and volume, and much easier arco. Pretty consistent with what I've read here.

I started out ordering a Spiro Orchestra E to see if I could improve the string balance with the Weichs on this bass, and decided to try an Obligato A while I was at it. The Spiro Orchestra helped bring out the E string a little, but I was so pleased with the sound of the Obligato A that I bought the other 3 strings, and am delighted with the difference. I like having a little lighter action and better arco sound, don't miss the slight loss in sustain, and the overall tone makes my bass sound like a better instrument.

I've read some accounts of poor results with Obligatos on a plywood bass, but in my case the results are great. My bass sounds much more resonant and full, but without any loss of clarity. I didn't realize it until I changed strings, but in comparison the Spiros made this bass sound kinda boxy.

Many thanks to you all for all the help I've found here.

I did the same thing last week, mostly to get away from struggling with arco on Spirocores, and I completely agree. Big difference! I wasn't certain I'd be happy with "hybrids" (the "one size fits all" approach never worked for me with anything). These strings are really fabulous!

I have Flexocores on my other laminate bass and they tend to be quiter and a bit on the tubby side, which is OK for some tunes, I guess. But they seem to bow even better than Obligatos, IMO.

I can only agree with both you gentleman, I have just only three weeks ago fitted my 2 plywoods once again with Obligatos.This is my sixth set. One more thing,if you ever get a problem with any of their strings as I did on my second set.... no questions asked they simply replaced the faulty string.Offenbach Germany to Australia... landed on my doorstep in 5 days.....Not Bad.
I can only have the highest regard for
"PIRASTRO":D

I'd been thinking about the Obligatos, too, thinking they might be a little fuller and a hair less twangy than the Spiros on my carved Romanian bass.

Ric phoned me to tell me about his experience with the Obligato A, and he was so positive about it I asked him to let me know how the whole set worked as soon as he got them on. He did, and I immediately ordered a set. Even paid extra for the 2-day UPS so I could get them sooner.

The difference isn't massive, but it's still significant. There's more fundamental and less mid. Ric described the Oblagatos as having less punch on his bass; my experience on mine was that they were fuller, and more gut like.

One big diffference- I studied classical guitar during my college years, and installing synthetic core strings certainly brings back those memories ;-)

I recently tried a set of obligatos on my bass...theyre amazing...much better than the dominants i used to have . theyre the sound ive been looking for orchestrally...they feel like a million buxx in my left hand...and they give me a nice soft thump for jazz stuff..everyone should try these strings.....

Prankster,
What kind of bass do you have the Obligatos on, plywood, hybrid or carved?

Meaningless side note: I visited the town of Offenbach where Obligatos are made many times back in the 80's. I had some very nice German friends there back in my Air Force days. I'd love to pick up a set from the factory . . .

Nice to see all of the good comments on the Obligato's.
I tested a set for Pirastro a few years ago before they were put on the market. My impressions on both my Kay and my King were the same as most of the comments here.....full sound, easy to play on.

The only problem with Obligato's is that, for pizz, they seem to last about 6 months and then go dead. Arco users find they last longer than that. I also found that if you remove them and then use them again, some of the life seems to go out of them.

I will be checking out a set of the new Kolstein pizz strings which have perlon cores to see how they stack up against the Obligato's. I am trying to wean myself of the Oliv's ( G and D) for financial and weather reasons. Nothing compares to the Oliv's for a full sound unfortunately.

you know...im not positive...its not fully carved...im pretty sure its a lam.

i would like to add on to what i said about obligatos....After much use...my general opinion has changed slightly...While these strings are basically soft Dominants , and they are amazing for a large bass section to all use , they are very bottomy (?is bottomy a word?) anyway , they are mostly fundamental pitch . they work awesome for a thumpy jazz sound , and are very loud on pizz...I however after trying a set belonging to my bass teacher shall return them and get a mixture of Corellis and Kolsteins , Obligatos wont give me the bright solo sound ive been looking for ....(and the corelli G and D are like 15 $ each!!!)

I am very happy with the Obligatos on my new Shen. I agree that they are very similar to Dominants.

I am starting to get a little worried about them though. They have been stretching for almost a month, which is no big deal, but I am worried about something else. The strings are starting to develop little "bumps" along them. They are very noticable under your fingers. They are so small it is hard to tell for sure, but it looks almost as if the winding has buckled up in some spots.

If I had dropped the tension, or removed and reinstalled them, I would almost think that they twisted and buckled the winding. But I didn't.

I have another set of Obligatos that are brand new. Never installed. If these fail fairly soon, I am certain that I will get rid of the unopened set and try something else.

I would like to try some Corellis 370s. I also have never actually heard Jargar strings, but the descriptions I hear of them make me think that I would like them as well.

I tried mixing obligatos with a dominant E..i didnt like the results..

I tried mixing obligatos with a dominant E..i didnt like the results..

I've tried several E's (spiro, corelli, jargar, Oliv) but I'm back with Dominant. If you have any suggestion, please proceed.

I have a great deal of trouble starting the E string on my bass. (Shen 180 with all four Obligatos) I thought it was mostly likely me, as I am very new to arco or my cheap bow. But even my new teacher, who played the bass last night with a $6K stick, had the problem. (To a much lesser degree of course)

He thinks it may open up a bit as the strings are better played in. If not, I may try something else for an E.

Otherwise I am happy with the sound of the Obligatos. Although, I am very likely to try something else in the future.

I've used two sets of Obligatos in the short time I've been playing. On the last set, I switched to a Dominant E. After that I switch to all Dominants. I play most pizz. For me, the Obligatos were better for arco with the exception of the E. I thought all of the strings sounded really good, but were too "roll-ly" if that makes any sense. I think it makes them slow to respond to the fingers and the bow. That being said, on the bow, the OBs played right out of the package, and the Dominants have been breaking in.

Of course, my opinion may not be that useful, since my next set of strings is probably going to Spiro Mediums (assuming the extra tension won't send my sound post shooting out the top of my bass).

Thump, Thump (ouch), Thump,
Jason

My issue with the obligato/dominant E combination is that The obligatos have such a smooth bow tone and the dominants are very stiff and scratchy....I didnt like such an extreme difference in bow-tone quality...i dont as of now have a better recommendation for the E since im flat broke and cant afford new strings :crying: but as soon as i find something better ill tell you.

The G string is as thick as the regular set of obligatos' G string. That is...thicker than spirocore's weich G and reg. spiro's G too. It really isn't too thick though, it feels very nice. The thing that I have not liked about other solo strings even tuned down is that the G string sounds, feels, and is too thin. The solo obligatos' G is not like this at all.
i see you've already tried the solo obligatos tuned down. what did you think of the arco? how about the pizz?

I used to mix Jazzer E,A with Obligatos D,G on my old 7/8 Hofner plywood bass.
That would be fine for Pizz but I did not like for Arco.

I'd rather come back to Original Flatchorm A, D, G and 92 Flexocore (Thick) E.---Good recommandation from Francois
That is sound good to my ear, IMO.

Pongsak
Bangkok, Thailand

snip... Original Flatchorm A, D, G and 92 Flexocore (Thick) E.---Good recommandation from Francois...snip

Prez61, could you please elaborate a bit on this string combination: pizz, arco, and comparison to Obli's ?

Thanks, have a good day.

Prez61, could you please elaborate a bit on this string combination: pizz, arco, and comparison to Obli's ?

Thanks, have a good day.

This is the exact combination that my teacher uses. He is a symphony player, so obviously, most of the work he does is arco.

His bass is a ancient Italian that sounds amazing, but it is on the small side for a 3/4 bass.

This bass with these strings is LOUD!!!!!! Like flap your pants loud. It is also very brilliant without being piercing. Tons of color in the tone. The higher notes are so sweet you can almost get a tooth ache.

This all comes at no expense to the fundamental. It is very strong as well. The bottom is not super fat, but I expect this is due to the size of the bass's body. It is very nearly a 5/8 bass.

I personally really like the way the bass sounds pizzicato. Again, it is brilliant without being abrasive. He seems to have no problems at all walking jazz lines on it.

I don't know how much of this is the bass and how much is the strings, (nor how much is the player. He's an outstanding player) but the overall combination is about as sweet as I have heard.

Compared the Obligato, it is much more brilliant.

As much as I like it, I am hesitant to try this combination on my bass. It being a newer hybrid, it is certainly MUCH stiffer than his 100-year-old plus bass. I don't think I would get the bottom end that he gets and it would end up being too top heavy. His brilliant would be my bright.

I think I have just about settled on sticking with the Obligatos for at least six months to see where they stand when the bass and strings are played in a bit.

As of now, I am in love with the G, the D sounds very good, the A is acceptable and the E blows chunks.

I don't know if that will change at all. We'll see.

I also need to get a better bow. That may help more than anything.


Charles

Jargars would be nice , but the Corellis are a very pure cello-like sound...Go with either the 370F or the 380 series....

I also meant to say 1) the jargars are very gut-like in sound.
2)the corelli 370's are tungsten and that
allows them to be extremely thin and flexible.

and by the way , I tried an old set of obligatos ,after 2 years of use on a jazz-setup bass! I can only imagine the results from a new set!

I think the reason they work so well with your teachers bass , is because of his smaller bass. They work well with shorter scale lengths.

I think the reason they work so well with your teachers bass , is because of his smaller bass. They work well with shorter scale lengths.


The string length on his is the same as my Shen, around 41.5" or so.

The body is much smaller.

Ohhh......shoots down my theory.....

This bass with these strings is LOUD!!!!!! Like flap your pants loud.
Charles

wish my bass were THAT loud... usually the only time my pants flap on a gig is following the pre-gig dinner. :D

I have been doing two different local school shows...
tried to do guys and dolls with obligatos....didnt quite work.
Then , as a present my bass teacher gave me a set of varicors to try. When i first had them on they were horrible. The next night it blew my mind. They were the most amazing string i have ever heard. And i was starting to loose faith in the hybrid string idea.

(so i went with Ob. E+A , and Varicor G+D)

I finally got on the Obligato bandwagon. I'm not the least bit disappointed with these strings and there is a lot of hype to live up to. I've had my Christopher for 16 months and this is the first time I've heard what the instrument can do.

You know, one's choice of strings is certainly a very personal thing. I tried the Obligatos a couple of years ago and loved them at first. After a very short time I thought the E and A became very dead when bowed. I also hated the way they "twisted" under my finger tips. Anybody else experience that? It was very annoying.

Anyway, I thought I would add a slight dissent to go along with all the kudos.

Unless the the character of my bass changes a great deal over the next few years, I can't imagine using Obligatos again.

I too liked them at first, but they were also on new bass with which I was quite enamored. Once I really started finding a sound on my bass, a new hybrid, I found them fairly thin and nasal in character when bowed. Pizz, they sound very, very good. All the midtone color of the spirocore with less abrasiveness.

I also hated the way they "twisted" under my finger tips. Anybody else experience that? It was very annoying.

Yeah, that's one of my main gripes with Oblis. They're the only strings I've had on my 2-year-old bass, and I think its time to move on.

I'm leaning toward Kolstein Varicor Excels and I'll probably end up with those unless I hear a compelling argument to the contrary.

You know, one's choice of strings is certainly a very personal thing. I tried the Obligatos a couple of years ago and loved them at first. After a very short time I thought the E and A became very dead when bowed. I also hated the way they "twisted" under my finger tips. Anybody else experience that? It was very annoying.

Anyway, I thought I would add a slight dissent to go along with all the kudos.

Yep, I did. Shortest lasting strings I've ever used, quite a statement considering I'm a gut fan. Windings were fragile and they got really hard to start with the bow and harmonics were bad after a few months.

You're not alone. They aren't cheap if you need to buy 2-3 sets a year.

I've been using Pirastro "Pizzicato" since the beginning of January on my little Dolling bass,which has a very high tension, and is the main bass I use. I play jazz and commercial(musicals etc) not straight classical at all, and have been working with mainly singers in trios and quartets recently. These gut strings sound fantastic, feel fantastic, bow well , but are really hard to keep in tune(I haven't much used gut before this) . I've been having to retune after every number, which pisses the singers off, but they are more pissed off if I am out of tune.Sometimes the strings go down in pitch sometines they go up, and one string will do one thing while anothere string does the other,all in the space of one number. I thought they would stretch out in a coulple of weeks but they haven't .
Anyway, I just had enough, and put a set of obligatos on. They sound really good, feel great , pizz is good ,bow is good, tension is lower than Spiros, AND THEY ARE IN TUNE.
Maybe I'll post on this again in a couple of months, to see how they last.

snip...Anyway, I just had enough, and put a set of obligatos on. They sound really good, feel great , pizz is good ,bow is good, tension is lower than Spiros, AND THEY ARE IN TUNE....snip.

That's exactly why I'm back with Obli's after trying an Oliv/Eudoxa mixed set: wonderful tone, never in tune.

Yeah, that's one of my main gripes with Oblis. They're the only strings I've had on my 2-year-old bass, and I think its time to move on.

I'm leaning toward Kolstein Varicor Excels and I'll probably end up with those unless I hear a compelling argument to the contrary.
I was just told by Barrie Kolstein that his new "Heritage" perlon core strings will be released very soon.
More info soon...

Cool! I sent an e-mail to Kolstein addressing this very issue a few days ago, but I haven't heard a reply yet.

Thanks.

The early 2xbasslist reviews on the Kolstein strings are pretty good...

Obligatos sound better than Helicore Hybrids on my bass (new carved top Christopher) for both pizz at arco. I've had them on for about 3 weeks now. They did stretch like crazy for 2 or 3 days then continued stretching at a much slower pace thereafter. They now stay in tune for days at a time.

The thin metallic sound of the helicores is gone. The G-string does sound a little thin under my $50 German bow and beginner technique, but is nice and round sounding for pizz. The bass is also a little louder with the Obligatos, especially the E-string relative to the helicores. The helicore E was not as loud as the other strings. The Obligatos are much more balanced in volume.

Only time will tell how long they last. Wish me luck . . .

I am new to the TB area and was hoping for a little help. I have checked the newbie section and seen alot of things about the Obligatos, being a great crossover string. But, I have also seen alot of things about the windings. I may have over looked this, but is this still a problem or has it been fixed.

The reason I inquire is that I am looking for a good crossover string. The last set I tried was D'Addario Hybrid and before that was the Pirastro Flexocor '92. I used these throughout school (not ther same set of course). But, that was about 5 years ago and there have been alot of new strings to come out. I know all basses sound different with different strings. I am just hoping to find a string that will serve both arco and pizz equally.

I am new to the TB area and was hoping for a little help. I have checked the newbie section and seen alot of things about the Obligatos, being a great crossover string. But, I have also seen alot of things about the windings. I may have over looked this, but is this still a problem or has it been fixed.

The reason I inquire is that I am looking for a good crossover string. The last set I tried was D'Addario Hybrid and before that was the Pirastro Flexocor '92. I used these throughout school (not ther same set of course). But, that was about 5 years ago and there have been alot of new strings to come out. I know all basses sound different with different strings. I am just hoping to find a string that will serve both arco and pizz equally.

Hi Thom, Welcome to TBDB. I don't think that "crossover" is the proper word, but we understand what you say. It's true that a set of Obligatos won't last as much as Spiro's but they last... An important thing is to make sure the string slots on the bridge are smooth and lubricated with pencil graphite: it's usually at the bridge that Obli's show some weakness.

Thom,
I replaced Helicore Hybrids with Obligatos on my new carved-top bass and the sound quality is much better. Less tinny and metalic sounding with more warmth.

I just put them on a month ago so I can't comment on the life span issue.

Per Oliver's comments, I did use a #2 pencil to lubricate the bridge and nut when I put them on. They do streatch like crazy for two or three days then settle down.

I couldn't stand the helicores on my bass but another guy posted that the helicores "brought my bass to life". On my bass the Obligatos are far superior for both pizz (90%) and arco (just learning).

My bass was set up with them from the luthier. My $.02:

Obligatos sound really good played pizz. I like them even over some of the popular steel ropecore pizz strings. (Spiros, etc.)

They are fairly easy to bow in that they start easily enough, but they do exagerate bow noise, IME, and they are fairly bright. If you have a newer ply or hybrid bass, I am not sure how happy you will be with the arco sound. If you have a darker sounding bass, you may be very happy.

I removed a pretty new set of Obligatos and went with the Flexocors. They are MUCH richer and smoother under the bow at the sacrifice of the pizz tone.

I wasn't disapointed with Obligato, but I won't try them again until this bass is much older and seasoned.

Hi Thom, Welcome to TBDB. I don't think that "crossover" is the proper word, but we understand what you say. It's true that a set of Obligatos won't last as much as Spiro's but they last... An important thing is to make sure the string slots on the bridge are smooth and lubricated with pencil graphite: it's usually at the bridge that Obli's show some weakness.

Thanks, Olivier. So, by your post I assume that the winding problem was a result of stretching and not enough lubrication of the nut and bridge and not a defect in the string.

Also, Chasarms are you using the Flexocor '92 or the original. I used the '92s on my German bass in college and loved the sound. Unfortunately, I do not have an old set around to try on my new bass. It is a fully carved Guarneri copy. The builder has it strung up with D'Addario Orchs. It sounds great arco, just does not have the sound I dig for pizz (jazz).

Thanks, Olivier. So, by your post I assume that the winding problem was a result of stretching and not enough lubrication of the nut and bridge and not a defect in the string.

Also, Chasarms are you using the Flexocor '92 or the original. I used the '92s on my German bass in college and loved the sound. Unfortunately, I do not have an old set around to try on my new bass. It is a fully carved Guarneri copy. The builder has it strung up with D'Addario Orchs. It sounds great arco, just does not have the sound I dig for pizz (jazz).


92s

hi folks

now i´m posting here instead of opening a new thread...
i´m also thinking of replacing my pirastro jazzers with obligatos...to "achive" ähm "get" maybe a better bowing "sound" and feel and to keep some of the pizz issues...
i´ve never tried other strings than my jazzers (yeah they are my first strings -ok my thomastik copies that were on the bass as i bought it dont count :spit: )
what do think (ok every bass responds in its own way to strings) will it help?
yeah my bass sound awesome with the jazzers, but as far by know i´m playing more and more bowed pieces in a band, and i don´t want to stand there on stage with the growling all overhelming scratching from my jazzers... :crying:

gruesze sebastian

hi folks

now i´m posting here instead of opening a new thread...
i´m also thinking of replacing my pirastro jazzers with obligatos...to "achive" ähm "get" maybe a better bowing "sound" and feel and to keep some of the pizz issues...
i´ve never tried other strings than my jazzers (yeah they are my first strings -ok my thomastik copies that were on the bass as i bought it dont count :spit: )
what do think (ok every bass responds in its own way to strings) will it help?
yeah my bass sound awesome with the jazzers, but as far by know i´m playing more and more bowed pieces in a band, and i don´t want to stand there on stage with the growling all overhelming scratching from my jazzers... :crying:

gruesze sebastian

I suggest you try a G obligato and from there you decide...

Just buy 'em. You've already picked an unfortunately expensive instrument, and sometimes you just have to shell out the cash to set it up properly. Obs are resonably priced, and are by no means a "bad" string. You'll like them. You may not use them forever, but you'll like them.

Just buy 'em. And no, money does not grow on trees for me either. But you'll never know what you like til you buy them and put them on your bass.

If you're already playing the Double Bass, there's little chance a $100 set of strings will send you to the Poor House:)

Buy 'em. You'll like 'em.

Jason

Just buy 'em.

Buy 'em. You'll like 'em.

Jason

I bought Obligatos after Jason said "buy em". I like them. They bow as good as the Helicore Hybrids I replace, maybe better. Pizz was certainly better, and easier on the fingers. They Hybrids had too much sustain and some strange overtones.

Everyone in my band said the bass sounds better now with the new strings. (Swing/Blues band).

I just ordered a set of Obligatos after reading what folks on this forum said about them. As my name here indicates, I'm a bluegrass player. Some of the arco players seemed to have problems with the Obligatos lasting, so I'm wondering if any bluegrass players had negative experiences with the life of the strings. I'm hoping they'll be better than my Helicores. A weekend of jamming at Merlefest left my fingers in pretty rough shape!

...so I'm wondering if any bluegrass players had negative experiences with the life of the strings

They will die after a while but the effect is not necessarily negative. The ones I used got darker and more "thumpy." I tend to prefer a clearer sound though so I switched them.

ok thks for the replies...
they would maybe help with the sound...but i asked my double bass teacher...
yeah his cool coment: i would work on your sound, record, control.
the sound will come from your fingers and your technique...the strings...yeah they wont help, your strings are as godd as some orchestra strings...and yeah you can use them perfectly for pizz!

:D :D :D

lol ...yeah he teaches jazz...

so by now i will invest the money in lessons instead of buying new strings...

gruesze sebastian

ps i saw that comming....believ me!

I've got three Obligatos (obligati?) on a really nice bass I'm trying out, and I'm surprised at how much I like them for pizz (I know they're nice for arco). However, the "D" string on the set on this bass - which has been on and off more than a few times - seems a bit duller than the G and A strings, and I was wondering if this is normal for Obli's, or whether it's more likely due to the way they've been used. I actually like the brightness on the G and A (coming from Spiros, it feels like home).

I have always found the Obligatos to be a very balanced set. They feel great, and sound wonderful. I prefer them over Spirocores for pizz.

I've got three Obligatos (obligati?) on a really nice bass I'm trying out, and I'm surprised at how much I like them for pizz (I know they're nice for arco). However, the "D" string on the set on this bass - which has been on and off more than a few times - seems a bit duller than the G and A strings, and I was wondering if this is normal for Obli's, or whether it's more likely due to the way they've been used. I actually like the brightness on the G and A (coming from Spiros, it feels like home).

I would wager that this has a lot to do with being taken on and off. Non-steel core strings don't always do well with being taken off the bass and put back on, or so I've heard. I know I experienced this with some Eudoxas.

Monte

I think you have to be particularly careful with synthetic core strings when removing and replacing them. They weaken, and can break more easily. I have broken an Obligato E before(I did take it off a few times while experimenting). I have also broken a Eudoxa A which breaks the heart and the wallet!

I just tried my first set of Obligatos (switching from Helicore Hybrid Med.). There is a little piece of paper in the package that says that removing them and putting them back on will hurt the sound.

Not sure how much I like them yet. They seem lower tension than the Helicores, which has created a few buzzes that were not there before (slight ones, not a huge deal). They do seem to bow much better, which is huge because I thought the Helicores bowed nice. Pizz is "thumpier", which is what I was looking for, but it's not as dramatic as I had hoped. We'll see how they fare for this weekend's gigs.

I would wager that this has a lot to do with being taken on and off. Non-steel core strings don't always do well with being taken off the bass and put back on, or so I've heard. I know I experienced this with some Eudoxas.

Monte

After playing three gigs on the new bass with the Obligatos, I'm just going to go ahead and bite the bullet and order a set or two. Clearly, I'm in love with the new bass, but I also want to see how they Obli's fare on my old bass as well. It's funny, but this may be my opening into the world of "gutlike" sound after all of those years with the spiros... I can start to see the appeal, at least, even if these aren't "real" gut strings. I've been digging like crazy these last three gigs, and if I'd been pulling that hard with the Starks, I'd be in a cast by now. I'm also curious to try the Helicores as well.

I am picking up a set of Obligatos tomorrow. For me they are the perfect strings. Easy to play, good volume, great tone, and they bow really well. They are MUCH better than Helicores IMO. The D'Addarios are really bright sounding. If you like that modern steel sound, these definitely are it.

Mine are on the way from AllHailBobG. Quite a switch for me, I guess, after all these years of Weichs. Probably not as much as switching from STARKS :smug: . I used Weichs because someone I respect told me to get them. Well, the same is true here regarding Obligatos (that would be in reference to y'all). I'm hanging on to the Weichs nevertheless. Just wanting to hear my bass with a fresh ear.

Mine are on the way from AllHailBobG. Quite a switch for me, I guess, after all these years of Weichs. Probably not as much as switching from STARKS :smug: . Just wanting to hear my bass with a fresh ear.

Truth be told, I was starting to get a bit of numbness in my right hand after two consecutive weeks in the studio with the Starks. Now that I've got the Obligatos (Obligati???) and the new bass, I'm pain-free. They feel like rubber bands after the Starks. I hear that they're maybe a little bit more tense than the Weichs, but also darker and a bit more "organic". I'm betting you'll dig 'em.

After having the same set of Oblis on my bass for the last two years (they'd passed away long ago), I picked up a set of (ever so slightly) used set of Varicors on the cheap and slapped 'em on.

Indeed, a good, powerful string for arco (the G is really honking right now, though it may settle down), but I don't think they're going to be my cup o' tea for jazz. The A and E are just too thumpy for me. I'll mess around with them for a couple more weeks, but right now I'm not optimistic.

Next, I'll try the new synthetic-core Kolstein Heritage strings, which seems like their answer to the Obligatos. Maybe they'll be a bit more jazz-friendly, though I'll miss the Varicors' excellent arco properties.

I think the real answer is to have two basses. Maybe three.

I recently was able to try out a prototype of the Kolsteins in Mike Shank's shop. I think you'll find they are really nice for jazz. They weren't bad for arco imo, but that's not my main bag. I'm looking forward to trying out a set on my bass.

I would be interested to know if anyone knows about the tension of the new Kolsteins vs the Obligatos. I have my first set of Obligatos on and I dig the sound (compared to Helicores), but the lower tension is causing some buzzes that have not been there before. My fingerboard was recently dressed and was in good shape, I hate to mess with it more. Anyone else suddenly get buzzing after switching to Obligatos (or Kolsteins) or does my finger board need more work?

Mike, I'd be interested to hear your impressions of the Kolsteins when you get them on there.

"He likes it...Hey, Mikey"...

"Mike, I'd be interested to hear your impressions of the Kolsteins when you get them on there.

Will do, bruh.




"He likes it...Hey, Mikey"...

Gee, I've never heard THAT one before. :rolleyes:

does anyone know a string that has similar characteristics as the obligatos, but last longer?

Obligatos loose a lot of life, and quality of sound if you remove them and then put them back on. They do last a decent amount of time if you keep them on however. As it stands, I think Obligatos are the best all around string. They do both Pizz and Arco well.

I've had Obligatos on one of my basses for about 2 years, and on the other bass for about 18 months, and have recently changed the ones on the first bass for a set of La Bellas. The Obligatos have been on and off (like the proverbial "whore's drawers") through things like fitting Fishman Full Circles to each bass, and on one bass I had a tail-piece-wire let go - but here's the trick, running a pencil (2B usually is good) in the slots in the bridge where the strings pass will lubricate the slots, and help to prevent the string-windings (esp. Obligatos) separating. I've had no problems using Obligatos - I love them! - I tried the La Bellas by way of an experiment - I think they sound great after losing their initial brightness, but they are awful when played arco - I might eventually go back to the Obligatos. BTW I recently played on a bass which had strings which were completely dead - I was surprised to find that they were Obligatos - I've no idea how old they were - perhaps their life is dependent on how hard they're played…

Hope this helps -

- Wil

Wil,
Which LaBellas are you using? I love my Obligatos and did the pencil lubrication thing when I put them on. I've had them for about five months with no problems at all. I'm curious about the LaBells because my teacher uses the 7720s on a 70 year old Czech bass and they sound great. He is a great player though.

7710s (lousy for arco) - I have a set of 7720Ls waiting to be tried out when I get the chance, although I must say I'm warming to the sound of the 7710s now they don't "shriek" so much…

- Wil

Obligatos loose a lot of life, and quality of sound if you remove them and then put them back on. They do last a decent amount of time if you keep them on however. As it stands, I think Obligatos are the best all around string. They do both Pizz and Arco well.
I agree. After 3 sets of Obligatos, I've had my first occurence of windings coming undone, and that's after swapping bridges 3 times with a set that's served for almost a year, and heavily.

The time a set of uninstalled Obligatos spends "idle" before being restrung seems crucial- they'll weather a quick swap once or twice, but lose a lot of life once they're back in the drawer.

I consider this a reasonable trade-off for a superb allround string, especially at the price. Oh, and the famous "roll" under the fingers: I was long mystified by such claims but found out about it after raising the action considerably- heavy pizz indeed generates some weird torque, more so when the strings get older.

Then again, the Obligato pricing allows swapping strings at least twice as often as potential competitors.

greets

ALexander

Funny you should bring up this topic Jeff......My Obligato D broke on me yesterday. I noticed a few weeks ago the winding was separating a bit at the bridge but the string sounded OK. Thats where it broke.

I agree with all of the comments (good and bad) about Obligato's that have been posted here. I have used them for a few years and was a tester for them.

MartinC.

Okay, they're on, and I really like them a lot. I've only done some piano duos with them so far. Really buttery feeling. The best part is the bass still sounds like a bass on the G, all the way up and down. Arco is lovely. It took some getting used to, as I was accustomed to the characteristics of the Spiros with the bow. Some people feel that they're high tension, I'm not feeling that at all. Very balanced.

It remains to be seen how long I like them. If they crap out in ten minutes, Dono can laugh, point, and say I told you so. If they hang in for a few months at least, I might be a convert. At least until I try the Kolsteins.

Signed, The Absolute Last Human To Install Obligatos.

While Obligatos last they are one of the best strings around. I like pretty much everything about them. They have a warm deep sound, with pretty good sustain. They feel great under the left hand, and they arco well. It really depends on how you play wether they will last or not. My teacher always plays with an amplifier, and a lighter touch. He has had his set on for just over a year, and they still sound good. I play mostly acoustic with a strong right hand, and the most I get out of the Obligatos is about 5-6 months. Still, for that period of time they sound wonderful.

Pirastro ain't bad to deal with either. I got a new set of Obs about a month ago and the D string was DOA. I emailed Pirastro and within a week I had a replacement directly from Germany. Hard to beat that service.

Okay, they're on, and I really like them a lot. ...
It remains to be seen how long I like them. If they crap out in ten minutes, Dono can laugh, point, and say I told you so. ...

Signed, The Absolute Last Human To Install Obligatos.
Me? Laugh at you?
Actually, I was the first to post about Obligatos at TB several years ago. Highly positive.
Then there were so many complaints about the outer winding coming loose, and the string being wrecked if you took it off and put it back on, I was ready to issue a major mea culpa. I stopped using them and went to Spiro on my pizz bass and Oliv on my orchestra bass.
All this recent praise has me wondering if I should try them again.

Me? Laugh at you?
All this recent praise has me wondering if I should try them again.

I love the Oblis acoustically and for recording, but I'm back to the Starks for my new bass because I can't get the Oblis to cut live, or to cut when amplifying. They sound great to me until I start playing with someone else...

Signed, The Absolute Last Human To Install Obligatos.

I think I'm now in possession of that dubious title.

I put the D and G Obligatos on and kept the A and E steel, pretty much for the reasons Chris stated. So far so good; there's a nice balance from string to string.

I haven't had any trouble cutting through the mix on live work with the Oblis so far.

The iAMP probably helps in that regard ;) .

"I put the D and G Obligatos on and kept the A and E steel, pretty much for the reasons Chris stated. So far so good; there's a nice balance from string to string."

As you say...."so far so good." The next step likely will be 6 months from now when you find that the sound of the Obligato's begins to deteriorate. Its that short lifespan that is so frustrating about these strings. After that you will probably start looking around for some other strings that have the same qualities but will last longer.
Perhaps the new Kolstein Heritage strings might last longer and sound good. Maybe the new Eurosonic Ultra Lights will be OK too. Sooner or later there should be a synthetic gut string that has a reasonable life (over a year) and a good, full sound. I have been using Obligato's or a mix of guts and steel (Weichs) strings for the last couple of years but am still looking for a complete set that gives me a sound that comes close to guts and will last longer than 6-8 months.

If I get six months out of them, I'm fine with that. I doubt that I will, from what I've heard here. I pull fairly hard, and I play several hours a night most nights of the year. Maybe they'll surprise me. I don't mind putting them on 2x/year if I get the sound I'm getting now for a few months. So far, I love 'em. So far....

I am looking forward to hearing more about the Kolsteins.

Well, it was worth a shot. I read the good and bad reviews about Obligato's. They've been talked about a lot here. I like the sound, but now they are rolling like crazy and are on the way out.

Whats next on the list?

Not sure. I've heard of a new set from Kolstein; same principle of construction I believe as the Obligato's.

The current bass, '39 Kay C-1, needs a neck reset to allow for a taller bridge/better bow playability. I should probably hold off until that's done. On the other hand, I've got a broken down 100 year old carve Czech bass in the basement that's worth restoring. Either way, maybe the wise course of action would be the get one or both of the basses just right before blowing more money on strings.

If I go with the strings, I'll probably give my teachers choice a shot: Flexocore D and G, Spirocore E and A.

How long were they on, Bill?

Hi Marcus.

They were on for about 4 months. About one hour a day of practice, and not much gig time (mostly chamber music at church, and some studio stuff). The rolling sensation came on a bit suddenly.

Well, it was worth a shot. I read the good and bad reviews about Obligato's. They've been talked about a lot here. I like the sound, but now they are rolling like crazy and are on the way out.
The rolling is just an annoying characteristic. Why not keep them on for as long as you like the sound? Not to brag, but when you have several basses, you simply stop letting differences in string length, string height, shoulder height/width, round or beveled fingerboard, etc. etc. bother you. The rolling is not that big a deal to get used to. I've used rolling Obli's for many months.

I understand. I know there are many VERY fine bassists throughout history and currently who have far more challenging issues with their instruments than I do.

I wish I could get the current bass set up better, and the other bass restored, but I am tapped out. It's been a bad couple of years, and being that I don't make a living with music anymore it's hard to sink funds into all of things I'd like to do.

For at least a while, I imagine they'll stay on there.

I appreciate your perspective.

Hi Bill,
I'm still getting some use out of that bow you sold me a while back. Glad to hear you're playing enough to be killing strings on a regular basis! I don't mean to side track this thread, so you can PM me if you'd like, but you mentioned a teacher and I was wondering if you would tell me who that is? We live close to each other, and I am looking for a good teacher.

Jason

PM sent.

I have never tried any kind of string that sounded good to me after six to nine months. I used Spirocores for many years, with occasional forays into other brands, but the spiros sounded dead to me after 4-6 months. I tried Olive and Eudoxa on D & G, but by the time gut strings are broken in, you have about a month before they start to go. Also, the up and down with the pitch was making me crazy. So I tried Helicore and for a while was fairly happy. I have never liked the sound of steel G (or even D) though. I finally tried an Obligato D & G and was pretty happy with that. One day, I sat in on a guy's bass who was using a full set and I thought "yes!" I bit the bullet and after 2 months, I have to say that I have never been happier with a string. They are great both pizz and arco and feel wonderful. If I get six months out of them I will be ecstatic.

Jazz bass guy wrote:

"I have never tried any kind of string that sounded good to me after six to nine months. I used Spirocores for many years, with occasional forays into other brands, but the spiros sounded dead to me after 4-6 months. "

If I only got 4 to 6 months out of the Spirocores I would demand a replacement set from Thomastik! Good grief.....it takes that long to get the "zing" out of them. How much playing do you do?

I used Spirocores for many years, with occasional forays into other brands, but the spiros sounded dead to me after 4-6 months.

Hell, to me, Spirocores don't start sounding GOOD until they're at least a couple of years old....

Hell, to me, Spirocores don't start sounding GOOD until they're at least a couple of years old....
What he said.
Also, my Olivs sound better with age, and they also stabilize and hold pitch as they age.

Wow, that's a bit disorienting. I guess we are listening for different things. Maybe I'm a brute, but I don' t think so... I wonder if it has anything to do with skin oils and such.:eyebrow:

The "zing" in the Spiros is exactly what I don't like about them. I suppose it is exactly what some others may love.

Don't you guys find that strings get foggy after a few months? I mean every brand does that to varying degrees. I do know lots of other guys who play with old strings, but to me, it often sounds like their basses need new strings.

Anyway, it keeps my students happy (they get the "old" ones).

Don't get me wrong. I'm still a big Obligato fan. But I've noticed that the Obligatos get a little froggy under the bow as you play in the higher positions. I removed my endpin and pickup to eliminate the possibility of those contributing to the unwanted vibrations . It's not a wolf tone as it seemed to get progessively worse. That is, the problem was becoming noticeable in the lower positions with time.

I've had mine on for 8 and 1/2 months -past the normal life expectancy. Most Obligato users in this forum are pizz players. I'm wondering if there are any principally arco players out there who've experienced the same.

ps: So far, this problem is on the D string only.

Just passed three months on my first ever set of Oblis. No unwinding or objectionable rolling yet. They are still very nicely balanced, and the bass still sounds huge. I have a Gypsy Pacific CD recording next month, I think I'll stick with 'em for that, although I have a lotta gigs between now and then. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and put on a fresh set for that springtime freshness. Depends on how many solos the guys force me to take. Still like them a lot.

Yeah, I've have Kolstein Heritages on for a few months, and I'm sorry to say that the strings and I have not found our love connection as I had hoped. I might flirt with some Superflexibles next, but if that doesn't pan out, it's back to the warm, fat, somewhat flabby bosom of my Oblis.

Hey Mike,
What is it about the Heritages that doesn't measure up to the Obligatos? I have Obligatos on my 3/4 Christopher hybrid and like them. I may, however, be experiencing the wolf tone-like phenomenon like KWD. My bowing is so poor though, it's hard to tell. Oddly enough, I had been thinking about the Heritages and Super Flexibles specifically.

Thanks . . .

Me? Laugh at you?
I stopped using them and went to Spiro on my pizz bass and Oliv on my orchestra bass.
All this recent praise has me wondering if I should try them again.

Don, I found a set of Oliv's in the house (a G, D and A...I think the E blew up a few years ago). What are your thoughts of the Oliv as an orchestra string compared to the new synthetic core strings? I was thinking of putting them on the bass just for the heck of it. Currently, I'm using Flexocor 92's.

Thanks, Brian

What are your thoughts of the Oliv as an orchestra string compared to the new synthetic core strings? I was thinking of putting them on the bass just for the heck of it. Currently, I'm using Flexocor 92's.

Thanks, Brian
For arco, I've used Obli's, Flexocors, Original Flexocors, Flatchromes. After Oliv, I prefer Originals, then Obligato. The Originals play huge, but with no sustain. I see them as a great section string. But every time I hear the Olivs, they just blow away the others.

That's what I need; an Obligato endorsers' deal. Then I could change 'em like underwear....every four months. :eyebrow:

Then I could change 'em like underwear....every four months. :eyebrow:
So there's underwear under that grass skirt?

I think you should be able to get more than just 4-6 months out of any string. I play with an extremely heavy right hand, and Obligatos hold up at least 6 months for me. I find that if I wipe down the strings every few tunes or so, it greatly extends the life of them.

So there's underwear under that grass skirt?

A big kahuna like myself never tells.

I think you should be able to get more than just 4-6 months out of any string. I play with an extremely heavy right hand, and Obligatos hold up at least 6 months for me. I find that if I wipe down the strings every few tunes or so, it greatly extends the life of them.
I'm a notorious non-string wiper. I have to start doing that. I'm putting on fresh Obligatos for some sessions in December, just because there will probably be a fair amount of soloing on this project. But six months seem reasonable with the current set; they still sound good live.

Sorry but i am a dummy when it comes to strings?? any way what is the difference between the 2? i want to play bluegrass or our out on a limb here (pizz style) .. only!!! which of these is best suited for me? thanks

Solo strings are designed for traditional orchestra solos written for the bass to be tuned (F#,B,E,A), a step higher than orchestra tuning. (E,A,D,G).

Although players will often tune solo strings down to Orch. pitches because it makes for a softer feel and lower tension. Slappers love it.

In the case of Obligatos, they are pretty soft anyway, so a solo will be really soft, depending on the string length of your bass. You may have to play the strings really high to keep Obligato solos from rattling on the FB.

I'd guess you'll end up with a particularly puny E string using solos and maybe the A. The D and G might be OK.

Standard Obligatos play easily enough. I'd recommend giving them a try.

You'll probably want to use the Orchestra gauge. It will give you more of a full sound than the Solos. I'm trying out some solos BTW on my stick bass, due to no forgiveness in tension in those beasts. The jury's out so far, as these things take time to break in, but they seem to be a little less big sounding. Just curious, what bass are you putting them on? Not every string works on every bass, but these seem to work on quite a few. If you're using a plywood, I like Innovations for a big dark sound and loose feel.

Ike

Ike I have a german plywood bass(schmidt)... so you think the innovations would be better than the obligato's .. are they easy to play? i also have a low action on this bass. and are they expensive? where to do you get them? thanks

Ike I have a german plywood bass(schmidt)... so you think the innovations would be better than the obligato's .. are they easy to play? i also have a low action on this bass. and are they expensive? where to do you get them? thanks

According to Lemurmusic.com the Innovations are 20 dollars less than the Obligatos. The difference is, Innovations are darker and punchier, and lose their sustain a couple of months after installation. The Obligatos have more sustain, which lasts longer, are still pretty punchy and dark but not as much as the Innovations. Both have a pretty loose easy feel to them. It just depends on what kind of sound you're looking for. I've put Innovations on Kays before and it seems to really accentuate that certain punchiness and quick decay they tend to have.

Ike, it'd be interesting that you tell him which set you use.
They have the H (Honey) which is solid core, the B (Braided) which is braided core, and the Rockabilly set (black nylon).

Ike, it'd be interesting that you tell him which set you use.
They have the H (Honey) which is solid core, the B (Braided) which is braided core, and the Rockabilly set (black nylon).

That would be the H set.

I have had a brand new set of obligatos on for about a week now.One rehearsal,a little practice and the E and A string is constantly rolling under my fingers.I know that people are aware of this problem but it has been happening right away.I like the D and G strings but the rolling with the E and A is tough to deal with.Any suggestions on what to do?

Weich E and A are a good match to the Ebola-gato D and G.

My experience is that Obligatos are rolling as soon as they come out of the womb. It was something I just got used to feeling.

I actually kind of like it now, God help me! I wouldn't call it rolling, they just have a sort of "Gummybearishness" :hmm: that I don't mind at all. Dono mentioned awhile back that it shouldn't be a big deal, you just adjust to the different feel and go with it. I agree.

Some guy came up to me on a break awhile back and said, "I can't believe how much your strings move!", referring to the sideways deflection of Obligatos. They really do get shakin' sometimes.

Has anyone tried to use obligato's with a magnetic pick up system yet? I was thinking about a set because a friend of mine just got a set and i really liked them but i wanted to know if they'll work with my pick up i've got a kingbass/emg pick up system on my bass.

Won't work. Obligatos are non-magnetic.

Ok. I've been looking for an answer to this question in the other posts but I can't seem to find one. I'm new to DB and I put on a set of Obligatos (replacing Spirocores) because I thought they might be a little easier on my left hand (I'm not even sure if they are). The problem I'm having is that when I try to dig in w/ my right hand on the E and A string it feels like it just slides off the string. I understand that the strings roll but is that somthing I'll have to just get used to or adjust to? I put the Spiro E and A back on and there seems to be a huge difference. I'd like to have a nice sound come out of the bass but I also want it to be user friendly as well. Any advice? Thanks, Joe

Maybe you're action's too high or something because from what I've heard, Obligato's are some of the easiest of any strings to play.

Ive used obligatos on my bass going on 2 years. the first thing i noticed is that there was more growl on all four strings. there a nice feeling and playing string that project well acoustically. and now that its time for a new set im ready to try somthing more refined with more sustain and over all tone than the obs but a simaliar string. so trough my research ive decided to try the kolstein heritage strings. im presently waiting there arrivial. the obs are definetly worth trying out totally different string than the spiros feeling and sound they really opened up my sound . im hoping that my kolstein heritage strings will open my sound up even more.
i just pull the hell out of my obs you do get use to them.

The problem I'm having is that when I try to dig in w/ my right hand on the E and A string it feels like it just slides off the string. I understand that the strings roll but is that somthing I'll have to just get used to or adjust to?

Welcome to Obligato roll. Your experience is exactly mine, based on what you wrote. I loved the strings for a few weeks or maybe a month until that roll really got pronounced, then it was something I had to figure out how to componsate for in my playing, but only on the low strings.

I went back to steel strings which a lot of people do. While they don't have all of the qualities that I was looking for when I went to Obligatos, they hold up to digging in night after night.

There is a group of people who stick with the Obligatos. It's preference, but the experience you're having is normal.

Thanks for the info. I'm working on trying to just get used to them. Has anyone out there just replaced the E and A? If so what kind? I don't really want mix up the strings but there's the $ issue. I was looking at the Thomastik Superflex posts and it seemed like it might be a good choice but what do I know. 2 of them would only be about $60.

Spirocore Weich gauge is a much better match to the Obligatos IMO. The tension/tone matches up better. This is a common setup(Obligato G and D with Spirocore A and E).

Spirocore Weich gauge is a much better match to the Obligatos IMO. The tension/tone matches up better. This is a common setup(Obligato G and D with Spirocore A and E).
John Geggie was using this setup when he was on faculty at jazzcamp in August. Sounded great.


EDIT: Considering I'm in my own search for strings, I just looked this up and this setup is EXTREMELY affordable. A set with Obli D and G and a Weich E and A is $124.71 before taxes and shipping from quinnviolins.com -- only $3 more than a full set of Oblis, and $2 cheaper than a full set of Weichs.

Also, anyone know if Bob Gollihur sells singles?

Just curious... Is this setup mainly for jazz pizzicato playing?

:eyebrow:

I had Superflexibles E and A with Obligatos D and G and it worked pretty well. jazz pizz and arco to the degree that I'm qualified to judge arco (limited). Weiches are tougher to bow, but it's not impossible. I may have had Obligatos mixed with Permanents at some point too, but I won't swear to it.

I loved the Obligatos for a while and then got over them pretty thoroughly. I couldn't get used to the rolling, but now that I've played some lower tension strings, it's not all that different. I like lower tension, but it's easy to over play them if you really dig in. I'm sure it depends on how you like to play.

Just my experiences, preferences and observations, of course.

Troy

It's absotutly set up for jazz. Any bowing I do (for now) is just for practice. Thanks for the info on the Weichs. That was the other string I was looking at. I'm going to try and give these a week before I start going nuts ordering different strings. Try being the key word. Troy, I'm interested in what you had to say about other low tension strings having similar problems. Is that anyone elses experience? That makes sense to me that it might be the case.

Troy, I'm interested in what you had to say about other low tension strings having similar problems. Is that anyone elses experience?My experience with Obligatos was the same as Troy's, but for what it's worth, I got a set of Animas a month ago. They are low tension, but they have none of the problems you guys are talking about. They have a very open sound, they don't roll, and when you dig in they scream. Pricey but well worth it IMHO.

I raised the brigde up a half a turn or so and it seems to have helped the situation. I can get ahold of the strings alittle better. The bass also sounds a little nicer as well with the raised action. To be expected I guess.

Hi all,
I've looked through the past posts a little and didn't see this info, so here goes.
I've read here how the Obligato strings sound so good, but don't last as long as most brands. I have decided to try a set to see how they do on my bass.
I wrote to Pirastro and asked what recommendations they have for maximum string life, here is what they sent me. It might be of interest to others.

Dear Mr McCartney,
Thank you for your mail and interest in our Obligato double bass strings.

The following lines give some ideas and informations how to handle these strings:

The development of the new OBLIGATO double bass strings is based on an exclusive new core material, along with advances in manufacturing technique. The result is an ideal blend: the proven sound characteristics of PIRASTRO® gut strings along with the advantages of synthetic based strings (stability in tone and quick playability).

The following guidelines are proposed to achieve the full performance of OBLIGATO.

1 While stringing the instrument, avoid tightening strings above normal pitch. Within the first 3 to 5 minutes, you may expect these strings to stretch more than normal synthetic core strings. However, within 60 minutes OBLIGATO strings become almost completely stable, and are thoroughly so after just 1 or 2 days.

2 Take care that the bridge and nut grooves are not overly deep, and that they match the string gauge. Sharp edges on the bridge will damage fine strings. Graphite or soft pencil marking is recommended for the grooves of the bridge and nut, to help strings slide smoothly.

3 The position of the bridge is important for the sound characteristics of your instrument. The top of the bridge may pull toward the scroll as you put on new strings. This should be checked and corrected so the back of the bridge is perpendicular to the top (or very slightly tilted towards the tailpiece). Properly positioned, the bridge feet should rest on the top without gaps.

4 Strings which have been played and then removed may be used again if they are in good condition. However, some loss of sound quality may be expected.

5 To preserve the excellent quality of volume and response, we recommend PIRASTRO® string cleaner to remove excess rosin from the strings on a daily basis. However, as it contains alcohol, please take care that the cleaner does not come in contact with the varnish of your instrument.


Best regards
Pirastro GmbH
Adrian Mueller
Technical Director

Dwight

My experience with many synthetic and certain gut core strings is: The more you take then off and put them back on a bass, or detune and retune, the sooner they wear out, become dull, or develop breaks in the windings. With strings like Obligato, you'll have the best luck and longest life if you put them on, tune them up and leave them alone. Also, make sure bridge and nut slots are lubricated with graphite or candle wax.

While the above may be true for all strings, I've removed and restrung sets of steel core strings like Flexicor or Superflexible several times without much deterioration in sound or response.
Plain gut doesn't seem to mind some off-and-on either, but Obligato, Innovation, Olive and Eudoxa all can go to sh*t with much restringing.

A good post, but I would take issue with the last sentence of paragraph (1):

"However, within 60 minutes OBLIGATO strings become almost completely stable, and are thoroughly so after just 1 or 2 days."

I've had Obligatos on each of my basses over the last five years, and would say that Herr Mueller is out by a factor of about 30.

- Wil

My OBLIGATOs had broken the windings on the top of the bridge short after the instalation by luthier, A and E string. Strings G,D, were O.K. Also the bridge was almost flipping over whenever I have retuned the strings. Now I play Pirastro Jazzer, no problem.

I have put on, removed and put on again the same set of Obligatos on 2 or 3 different Bass a total of 4 times over a 2 year period. The only loss I noticed was some bowing on the E but that was after the 3rd or 4th time and almost 2 years in. For bowing I mean FULL Bowing in a Symphony Orchestra and not just a Whole Note (O) at the end of a song. For that, they are fine. A good Bow helps that as well more than most imagine.

Knowing how to treat and care for a String as well as installation and changing is important. I take extra care with stringing a Bass and keep my pencil handy for all the grooves everytime. I am also very good with grove diameters and angles so that helps. These strings may be more sensitive that others but are no where near as delicate as some claim. It is still my favorite Jazz/Hybrid string.

A good post, but I would take issue with the last sentence of paragraph (1):

"However, within 60 minutes OBLIGATO strings become almost completely stable, and are thoroughly so after just 1 or 2 days."

I've had Obligatos on each of my basses over the last five years, and would say that Herr Mueller is out by a factor of about 30.

- Wil

My experience is completely different. I've found my obligatos to be the best (period) strings for staying in tune. The only times I need to tune are during large climate changes. I took my bass from Virginia to North Carolina (was about a 4 hour drive) in a hot car to the cold outside, brought it in to a dry house, played the bass the next day and it was only off by about 2 cents.

Chad

…snip
I've found my obligatos to be the best (period) strings for staying in tune.
snip…
Chad

I agree with you entirely - once they've settled down. I'm just saying that in my case, having put Obligatos on both of my two basses at various times over the past five years, it took them at least a month or so to settle down, and that the Pirastro blurb is optimistic to say the least. (BTW not only my experience, but that of my luthier also…)

YMMV ;)

- Wil

Having studied classical guitar many years ago, I treated the Obligatos like classical strings: You have to pull on them a little at first as you wind them on the tuning pegs. There's a significant bit of friction in the wraps, and the wrapped bit will slooowly slip and stretch over a long period if you don't do this. Same applies to guts, I imagine.

I remember listening to Joe Fava, about 35 years ago, telling me about he and Andres Segovia stretching new gut guitar strings by tying them to a pipe stuck in the broken pavement and leaning on them. We really have it easy these days ;-)

I found Obligatos to settle down after a few hours and pretty stable by the second day.

Your Bass swells and contracts which is why it usually goes out of tune. Take a bass from your house, put it in your car and drive an hour, take it out and go to where you play. Three different tempertures and humidities.

I think wood moves and swells more than steel or plastic.

I always like to be at my Gig/rehearsal no less than 30 minutes before but usually an hour to set-up and warm up. This lets the Bass acclimate and tune better.

i'm thinking of ordering a set of obligato solo strings. i'm going to keep them in orchestral tunning but i just want to try less string tension. i was just wondering about the volume of the bass. the bass i have now is a nice laminate with a desent amout of wolume but not a lot. the section that i play in has five basses so volume isn't very nesisary with that many of us, but i don't want the bass to drown either. i've read a little through the forums but i couldn't find anything certain. thanks for any help.

I never tried the solos but I had the normal orcestral Obligatos. They are low tension as is. I would imagine that solos tuned to orcestral pitch might be pretty flabby.

I would get several opinions before pulling the trigger either way.

Good Luck . . .

I never tried the solos but I had the normal orcestral Obligatos. They are low tension as is. I would imagine that solos tuned to orcestral pitch might be pretty flabby.



I could not agree more. You might end up with so little tension you might not be able to play your bass properly.

thats good to know. i was under the impression that they were a higher tension string. they come recomened by another player in the orchestra that i'm in and my helicores are getting old so i was just going to try them out. thanks for the help.

The charts say they're very close to the Helicore mediums in tension, and to me, they have a little softer feel.

I use orchestral Obligatos. I tune the E string down a tone to Low D (I also have a semi-extention to get the Low C but that's another story soon to be in the setup section). I find the tension a bit low but it still sounds fine and reacts to the bow just find. When I pizz, I have to be careful so it doesn't flap against the fingerboard, though.

So it's worth a try. If it doesn't work out you then have a set of excellent solo strings.

i play on Obligatos solos tuned down to orchestra find them very nice ! they"re not "flabby" at all. they"re of course lower than regular obligatos, and a llittle thinner in diameter...
but defintively not "spaghetti-like" !

There seems to be a lot of talk about Obligatos around, so I am sorry if I missed something about this.

I have my bass strung with flexocore 92's G,D,A, and a Permanent Low C. This is a great set-up for orchestra, but I am really starting to be bothered by the dead pizz sound and need a change. I need my bass to work for both orch and jazz right now. The simple solution would be to buy another bass, but that is out of the question. I have played a bass strung with all Obligatos recently, and think I could make them work with both and they should improve my sustain greatly. My biggest question is how do you think a low C obligato is going to sound? There has been a lot of talk about the E string being flabby (I didn't find this to be a problem when I tried them), but has anyone ever tried the low C? There is a chance I will just keep the Permanent if it doesn't work out, but any recommendations would be great. Thanks!

Adam.

I used them for awhile on this Bass until I sold it;

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/DoubleBasses/MorelliBass/images/694.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/DoubleBasses/MorelliBass/images/695.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/DoubleBasses/MorelliBass/images/679.jpg

I did Beethoven's 5th with this Bass and as you know it has quite a bit of extension playing in it. The string worked fine for me. I also tried a set of Perms on that same Bass but took them off within an hour. They didn't play well at all on that Bass. I liked how that Bass sounded with the Obligatos and the Pizz was killer.

Thanks, Ken.

I think I'm going to give them a try...at the very worst I will just put the permanent C back on it, but have a feeling I won't have to do that. I'm looking forward to having some pizz sustain.

Thanks, Ken.

I think I'm going to give them a try...at the very worst I will just put the permanent C back on it, but have a feeling I won't have to do that. I'm looking forward to having some pizz sustain.

The 'E' string is somewhat delicate at times but not always and not for everyone. It does turn when bowed but grabs well. In the 5th, there is no room for missing the string!. My low notes were heard loud and clear over the section as the others didn't have an extension and my Bass had plenty of power as well.

For awhile I used the Obligatos on all my Basses but as I started trading up, most of the potentiol buyers from various Orchestras preferred Flexocors so I eventually switched myself.

Mingus Fingus;
Did you try the Low C Obligato yet?
It has a different construction than the synthetic core in the top three strings. it has a rope core.

strings are in the mail. i'll be sure to let you know when i try it out.

Mingus Fingus;
Did you try the Low C Obligato yet?
It has a different construction than the synthetic core in the top three strings. it has a rope core. I am sure this is why Ken got great results from it for both pizz and arco when he was using them.
The low C (extended E) which Ken was using is not the same thing as the low C (regular lenght) for fifth tuning available now.

Mingus Fingus;
Sorry I was misinformed, the Low C Obligato with rope core is for the fifth tuning set. But keep us up dated. I am using a spiro mittle for my low C/E and wiechs for the rest but I am interested in your impressions of the Low Obligato. At my lesson last night my teacher commented that he thought I should look into some other strings.:hmm:

I've had a set of regular Obligatos on since April 06 and I really like them. I've just wished from time to time that they were a tad lighter, with slightly less tension.

I noticed the solo set isn't all that much different in gauge and thought it might be nice to try.

I just got my Barbera bridge back -- so if I go through the hassle of setting up the bass all over again, I'd like to install a new set of strings in the process.

I'd love to hear if anyone has used this set for regular, jazz pizz play. I don't bow or do orchestral stuff...

hey guys,

i've had the obligato set (with low C) on for about 6 days now, and they have been a great improvment for the different types of playing I do. they are finally starting to settle so that they don't go flat every couple of minutes, and they have mellowed considerably since the first day. initially i found them too bright, but after a few days i think the sound is excellent. both of my teachers (mike formanek and jeff weisner) have commented on an improved sound for both jazz and orchestral playing...so i would say they are very good crossover string.

they are MUCH looser than the flex 92's i had on my bass, so i've had to adjust my playing slightly to deal with it. the low C is working for me now, but i wouldnt recommend it as a replacement string just for orchestra. the sound is nice and full, but it is a little bit loose compared to other orchestral strings i have tried. when playing hard i get some fingerboard noise around F#, G and G# and it doesnt have the pop of the permanent i had before. im going to keep the obligato on and experiment to try to solve the problem, but if you are looking for a C string to match with another set the obligato isnt the way to go. as for jazz strings i think they are great...finally some sustain compared to the flex's, and they are darker than spiro's. just out of curiosity, has anyone been pairing obligato G, D, and A with a different E/C string? I'd be interested in your impressions.

adam.

mpythk

A bass friend of mine does not like his obligato long-E very much -- too flabby and rolls like Ken said above.

Three months ago I too was looking to replace an old thuddy Pirastro Perm long-E to go with my TI Dominant AD&G strings. Being mostly an arco player, I took a chance on a spirocore mittel long-E. I have to tell you I really like it. It has a very clear tone center, bows better than I expected (from all the spiro arco bashing we hear), and the low-C is --- well --- just awesome. The pirastro perm was kind of gravely and rough sounding on the extension, but the spiro is much fuller, louder and has a smoother sound to my ear -- and it pizzes well of course. What's really surprising is how well the spiro long-E string bows all the way up to the "twelfth fret". And if you want that "pipe organ" sound on the extension, then this is it.

Check out some of the "do spiros arco well" threads. When it comes time to change out the doms, I think I'm going to go with at least a spiro A, maybe a full set of mittels. They are an arco string originally, and high-jacked by the jazz players.

I just dug up whhaat I think are an old set of Obligatos, but I can't remember--these are red or maroon with a gold winding at the ball end, and the E an A are black or dark green at the peg end while the D and G are yellow (A) and red (G). These could be an old set of helicores, but they don't feel like it. I can't remember!

Obligatos are red with a black twist.
What you have are Helicore Pizz.

Thank you!

I tried the string lookup at quinn violins and didn't find them--Thanks again

Does anyone know how long the Obligato string is? ("total length from ballend to the pegbox-wrapping (upper yarn wrapping just behind the nut").

I have an obligato e string right beside me.

total length (ball end to the very end of the wrapped section): a bit under 66 inches

pegbox silk: 10 inches
tail silk to ball: 4.5 inches

I don't know whether all the strings in the set share the same dimensions

sorry, I didn't clock you are a metric user.

multiply inches by 2.54 to get CM

Thank you! Then I guess the number I'm looking for is 56 - that'll be 142 cm approx. I've been wanting to try the Presto Nylonwound strings (Eurosonic), but I was unsure about the string length. I have a 4/4 bass with a string length of 110 cm/43,3 inches. I have the Obligatos on right now, and wondered if I would be able to use the Presto strings. Do you think I still would get a low tension string if I put that on my bass? And could I use those strings with that length? Seems they are about 5 cm/2 inches shorter than the Obligatos, which I think are made for 3/4-4/4.

Can anyone tell me what color are obligato's at the tail piece? Thanks

Obligatos have a red silk wrap. The red is detailed with a black twist and finished with a black wrap of silk at the top [closest to the bridge].

Exactly; brick red with a black twist and the scroll ends are Pirastro's standard green, black, burnt orange and brown, E - G.

First off I have to say I am very happy with these strings overall. I've tried Dominants, Spirocore solo (tuned to standard tuning), Spirocore 5th set, Correlli, and Helicore Hybrids and I like the Obligato's tone for arco and pizz much more than any of these. It's nice to finally have something close to the sound I have been looking for.

Now here's the thing, this is a 5th set (C G D A). Suprisingly I really like the low C, they did very well with that. D and A are great as expected. The G though (this is a low G, like the low G normally played on the E string on standard tuning) rolls between my fingers when I pinch them.

I've read up on Obligatos and that is apparently something that has happened to some of you when the string dies? But this is happening out of the pack... I find no problem with the tone with pizz, but with the bow the string is softer than the others (fixable with a little more pressure) and a little slower to respond. Besides that it still is a better sound than the Spirocores I had on (I actually thought that was the only string with a 5th tuning...shows how long it's been sice I have changed strings!). I guess what I'm wondering is have any of you who have used Obligatos found this to happen ever with new strings? Just wondering if this might be a defect and if it is what to do.

I think it's their normal behaviour.
The Evah Pirazzi set is the new, higher grade, synthetic core string from Pirastro, and they don't have this roll thing.
They don't growl as much as Obligatos though.
They feel tighter too.

But the Evah Pirazzi aren't made in 5ths...are they?

Not yet, indeed!

Hey folks,

I have a carved Chinese bass that really loves Obligatos. And I really love the feel and tone of the Obligatos. I don't have any negative experience with them at all (the rolling some complain about, if it's happening with my bass, doesn't bother me). I have no real desire to switch ... except that at some point, when I can get the money together, I'm going to add a low C extension. While I love Obligatos right now, I wonder if the extended E/C string might just be too loose.

This bass really does seem to sing with the lower tension of the Obligatos, as opposed to my Strunal hybrid, which demanded high tension. I'm wondering about what to do when I get the extension. I can try the Obligato string, or maybe try other extended E strings with the top three Obligatos. Or I could try whole other sets. Eva Pirazzis maybe? Or Spirocore Weichs, maybe with a Mittel extended E if the Weich E is too loose??

I do mostly pizz, a bit of arco and a bit of slap. Mostly blues and country, with some rock, bluegrass, and jazz mixed in here and there. My main band plays a lot of delta blues-influenced stuff for which a low D is very nice to have, which is one of the main reasons I'm looking into an extension.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Go for it! I've used the obli extended E and it worked great. I've since switched to a spiro weich (we all get there eventually) but I have nothing but nice to say about the Obligato.

Go for it! I've used the obli extended E and it worked great. I've since switched to a spiro weich (we all get there eventually) but I have nothing but nice to say about the Obligato.

Hmmm ... are you using the Weich extended E with an Obligato top three, or did you just switch to Weichs all around?

Thanks *very* much for the input!

Cheers

Go for it! I've used the obli extended E and it worked great. I've since switched to a spiro weich (we all get there eventually) but I have nothing but nice to say about the Obligato.
+1. If you like Oblis, you'll like their long E. I'm surprised that you switched from Obli to Weich. That's quite a change!
Robobass

Liam;
Maybe best to start with an Obligato E/C and have it set up with one when you get the EXT. since you know you like 'em. I think it's Hard to say if it will be too loose until you get the extension. I haven't tried the Obligato E/C yet but it's on my list.

playing jazz here and I have had an extension since late 06. So far the long E's I have tried are both mittle & weich Spiros, Eva Pirazzis , a used flexocor medium and now currently a full set of Jazzers. The Jazzer long E is very nice for pizz and I can imagine it working well with Obligato ADG if for some reason the Obligato long E didn't work out for you.
however I find that I am always wishing for much more tension than any of the strings I've tried offered. Your case sounds different.

BTW I love having the ext Arnold made me and I know you'll enjoy having one.
Randy

Liam;
Maybe best to start with an Obligato E/C and have it set up with one when you get the EXT. since you know you like 'em. I think it's Hard to say if it will be too loose until you get the extension. I haven't tried the Obligato E/C yet but it's on my list.

playing jazz here and I have had an extension since late 06. So far the long E's I have tried are both mittle & weich Spiros, Eva Pirazzis , a used flexocor medium and now currently a full set of Jazzers. The Jazzer long E is very nice for pizz and I can imagine it working well with Obligato ADG if for some reason the Obligato long E didn't work out for you.
however I find that I am always wishing for much more tension than any of the strings I've tried offered. Your case sounds different.

BTW I love having the ext Arnold made me and I know you'll enjoy having one.
Randy

Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting the extension quite a bit. Right now I'm having to tune the E down to D for certain songs, which I hate doing. Plus it's hard on the windings where the string passes over the nut. Dustin Williams here in Nashville uses the extension from Kansas City Strings, although he wants to design his own when he gets the chance. Should be very cool.

I'll try the Obli extended E, as you and others suggest. We'll just see what happens then.

Thanks, everyone!

Cheers

Changing to a weich was more of a financial thing. The obli was going dead on me (I play 7 nights a week, so after a few months, synth-core strings start to die on me), and I also switched to belcantos (trend follower) for a while. Now I have Olivs on the top two, belcanto A and the weich (although I might switch to something more solid on the bottom). Thought about Evah's, but thats for another thread.

Changing to a weich was more of a financial thing. The obli was going dead on me
I hear ya. One thing I can recommend for Obli's. The winding gradually loosens, and makes a nasal noise. You can fix this by loosening the string and rotating the end about a full turn clockwise. I think I double the life of my Oblis by doing this.
Robobass

I have a set of Obligatos on my upright and i love them, but have heard complaints from stand mates regarding the strings such as it rolling under you hand when you play pizz. I have always been happy with the Obligatos because ive been playing with them from the start. I would love to hear what you have to say about the Obligatos, either good or bad, just to see what people have to say about them. Thanks

I've had Obligatos on my old German bass since January and I love them! I don't quite understand what some folks mean by the strings rolling under their hand while playing pizz. They seem fine to me and respond with a a warm gut-like sound. They are also a lot easier on the digits than steel strings. Just my two cents worth.

I've had Obligatos on my old German bass since January and I love them! I don't quite understand what some folks mean by the strings rolling under their hand while playing pizz. They seem fine to me and respond with a a warm gut-like sound. They are also a lot easier on the digits than steel strings. Just my two cents worth.

Thats exactly the way i feel. I was just writing what my stand mates say, but honestly i didn't understand what they meant either.