Any volume with weedwackers?

Kax · #1 09-15-2007, 11:26 AM

I just recently bought a Engelhardt C1 and i lowerd the action to 9mm so it slaps great. i just orderd a set of red weedwackers and was wondering because i dont have my amp or my pickup yet... is there a big diffrence between the volume of steels and the wackers? i dont want to restring it and have just the click sound.... thanks guys.

**Francois Blais** · #2 09-15-2007, 02:56 PM

I thought this query would be more appropriate in the Rockabilly forum, so I moved it there.
Hope this is okay for you!

Best regards,
François
TB mod

lucas vigor · #3 09-15-2007, 03:38 PM

Acoustically, yes-and it is significant. With a pick up, there should be no problem. However, going from steels to whackers is going to be a really big change. They are very different. You will have to widen the nut and string slots to accomdate their girth. Like you would with guts. For rockabilly, I really love them for the ease they provide, the finger comfort. The tone is the same volume as the click, in my opinion. Keep in mind that you will have tuning problems, and tone problems for the first few months. As they settle in, they will sound, feel and tune excellent. They are all I have used on my King Double bass for a few years now. Same set, in fact. I never change them. Brightness and clarity is not what they provide. A beefy, full dub- like bass tone suited for all old fashioned types of music is where they excel.

Kax · #4 09-15-2007, 06:41 PM

what should i use to widen my nut?
i got the e string on and i can hardly even hear it... its in tune... but all i hear is the click... i think im going to hold off on the wackers till i get my mag 2 10 combo. thanks for the info lucas!

Kax · #5 09-16-2007, 01:03 PM

i got a file and graphite and got the weedwackers on and they play great. thanks for the help

lucas vigor · #6 09-16-2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kax

what should i use to widen my nut?
i got the e string on and i can hardly even hear it... its in tune... but all i hear is the click... i think im going to hold off on the wackers till i get my mag 2 10 combo. thanks for the info lucas!

You might want to swap out the E for a hybrid string, something like the innovation or something else that is artificial. I have the Eurosonic as the E, but I don't reccomend it as it sounds very throaty, midrange and metallic. There is a nasty "bark" while slapping on it. I am just too lazy to change it or experiment right now.

lucas vigor · #7 09-16-2007, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kax

i got a file and graphite and got the weedwackers on and they play great. thanks for the help

That's great! Keep them on for a couple of months and when they settle in, they should be even better!

lucas vigor · #8 09-16-2007, 02:25 PM

Here is the link to the weedwhacker FAQs:

http://www.traditionmusic.com/stringsfaq.html

oinils · #9 01-14-2008, 05:01 AM

i got now my weedwackers to but how you have to tune them without a amp because the tone is not verry loud and im afraid if im tuning them that they will brake

ricca · #10 12-24-2009, 09:22 AM

No way to have a good E sound out of weedwackers.
I also tryed FMI pro but they are bad.
Too big E and A, no sound, expensive and the religious book they sent with, weights more than the strings (and you pay shipping for it).
I use Eurosonics for EeA they have good definition and sound better the more you use it

lucas vigor · #11 12-30-2009, 08:30 PM

It's a common misconception that the "E" on whackers is in-audible. I am here to tell you, I actually took off my Eurosonic E.....as I re-read my posts above, I remembered why I did not like it and felt it did not match the same tone as the whackers. I use the whacker E and have for a while. The trick is, it needs to be on there at least a month to settle in and develope a tone. Mine has been on a few years now, and sounds great, absolutely the same clarity and volume as the top three whackers. Just be patient.

And, though it does not sound as good as steel, you can bow them, same as people did in the old days (before steel) with guts. You probably need to sand the wackers right where you would use the bow, to "score" them a little to help the bow "grab" them good.

I honestly do not think, after all these years, that whackers are as good as guts, but given the price difference and the fact that temperature/humidity does not effect them one bit, they make a great substitution.

All told, I have probably had the same set on for at least 5 years, and maybe more.

And, not to be a shameless shill for my bands, but check out the song clips on the second link in my signature (smokin' menehunes), because all of those were recorded with pure weedwhackers from Barefoot Larry, including the E string. Granted, they had already been on the bass a long time, but they will give you an idea what whackers can sound like.

Bass · #12 12-31-2009, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

And, not to be a shameless shill for my bands, but check out the song clips on the second link in my signature (smokin' menehunes), because all of those were recorded with pure weedwhackers from Barefoot Larry, including the E string....

Sounds pretty good! Have any CD's for sale?

lucas vigor · #13 12-31-2009, 09:32 AM

No, unfortunately not. We really are purely a working band , and only focus on luaus, weddings, corporate events...that kind of thing...

KrispyJones · #14 01-15-2010, 02:44 PM

with high actions (11-12mm) they will be as loud as guts!!!

greets

chris