Due to my contact allergy to nickel/chrome I was left with no option but to use Velvets, Eurosonics, old Super Sensitive Red Labels (they used to be stainless wound) and La Bella black nylons for past 9-10 years, ever since I developed this stupid allergy. The Velvets are fantastic and Animas are IMO one of the best strings ever made. The only problem is the "green fingers effect" since my hands sweat like crazy. I have more than a year old Animas on my hybrid and my fingers are still green after just one set. I cleaned them with everything possible including highly recommended toothpaste but Hulk's fingers are still there. I've been looking for high quality stainless steel strings with steel core to no avail. I tried D'addario Preludes but the tone and volume is just not there for me.
I love playing an upright but more and more often I would just pick up my BGs to gigs.

Does anybody know of any stainless steel strings currently available?
I am looking to get the volume, tone and zing of Spirocores or Jazzers. I play only pizz.
Your help is truly appreciated.

I'm sorry for you!
I know Jazzers are nickel wound.
(so are Preludes I think)
Spiros are probably chromesteels.

Corellis 370's use tungsten, but only for the E&A I think. The top ones are nickels too, AFAIK.

I think the Velvet Blues are copper wound. Would that be okay?

Hi Phil,

Yes, copper is ok and I've been using Animas for last three years but lots of problems with green fingers.

I think the Velvet Blues are copper wound. Would that be okay?

D'addario makes stainless steel strings

Thank you Francois. The preludes are stainless wound but, unfortunately, the sound is just not there.
I was hoping that new Belcantos will work since Belcanto Cello are nickel-free but Thomastic opted out for chromium winding for the bass. You are right for the Corellis, top two are nickel.
:bawl:I'm sorry for you!
I know Jazzers are nickel wound.
(so are Preludes I think)
Spiros are probably chromesteels.

Corellis 370's use tungsten, but only for the E&A I think. The top ones are nickels too, AFAIK.

What about gut strings? Not the Spirocore sound, but should work around your allergies and it is a great sound and feel once you get used to it.

Hi Phil,

Yes, copper is ok and I've been using Animas for last three years but lots of problems with green fingers.

Duh.. thanks for clearing that up. You'd probably end up w/ cyan colored fingers if you tried the Blues. Really though, I'm sorry people seem to have this problem w/ Velvets.

+1 on TroyK's suggestion of gut strings

I used to play guts 15-20 years ago and could never get used to them. I still have a couple of sets that I use only when required for recording but as soon as I get out of the studio I take them off. I double a lot and once I put a BG down (zingy roundwounds) and grab an upright with guts I feel completely lost. Sustain is something I just can't live without.
Even Eurosonics and La Bella black tape feel strange when doubling, La Bellas definitely better but sound is rather thin.

What about gut strings? Not the Spirocore sound, but should work around your allergies and it is a great sound and feel once you get used to it.

Only the student grade Preludes. I think I got the worst allergy when I tried Helicores.

D'addario makes stainless steel strings

Innovation has black nylon rockabilly strings, if that helps?

I was thinking about those but again, after playing Eurosonics and La Bella blacks I don't think it would be the best choice for me. My bass sounds killer with metal strings, it opens up with a huge volume and projection. Every time I tried synthetic/nylon wrapped strings my trusted luthier was doing miracles but the bass just sounded ok, very thuddy and choked and not enough volume.
Good ole Spiros, I miss them so much.
I was hoping there is still somebody out there who still makes stainless strings, somewhere in a small Italian village. Man, what a beautiful dream.....



Innovation has black nylon rockabilly strings, if that helps?

Could you wear some kind of sport gloves with the fingers cut off and put moleskin on your finger tips? Just a thought.

That's an interesting suggestion. I will definitelly give it shot. Maybe just to try moleskin with Velvets. Thank you Phil.

Sure thing. Hope it works out.

Thank you very much, you've been very helpful.

No prob. Not sure just how much sweat your palms produce, but this is from another thread about "very sweaty hands" syndrome:

Coincidentally I happened to read the other day that Botox has been used to solve perspiration problems. It might sound weird, but maybe you'll find some useful information here (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Botox+For+Sweaty+Hands&btnG=Search).

Good luck.

:eek: Now that's weird...
The problem with the contact allergy is that while your hands are totally dry it's not going to trigger the reaction. The smallest amount of skin perspiration (PH) dissolves nickel/chrome causing the allergy. I just can't picture myself injecting Botox.

Kurt Mangan Strings make stainless bass sets we have them here in Australia,I don't know about other parts of the globe.

Is this the one http://curtmangan.com?
I checked the website and couldn't find anything for an upright bass only BG.

:eek: Now that's weird...
The problem with the contact allergy is that while your hands are totally dry it's not going to trigger the reaction. The smallest amount of skin perspiration (PH) dissolves nickel/chrome causing the allergy. I just can't picture myself injecting Botox.

Yeah, I eeked out myself when I saw that article.
I guess I was thinking more about the whole anima/green fingers thing.. but yeah, moleskin (hopefully) to the rescue.

What about Velvet Compas 180s? I think those are stainless-wound, even if they're not the kind of metal-core string you're after.

I played only Garbos and Animas. If Compas 180s are stainless wound that would be fantastic, I love Velvet strings. I'll pm Nuno to confirm. Thank you very much.