String choices/mixing for slap

[stz]

I'm sure that I've figured out the reply already. I'm just wondering if anyone else is doing this kind of thing and what is considered a stock setup.

TL;DR. I need to get some Innovation silver slaps. ANYWAY.

I play mostly slap and pizz. No bow. I ditched the stock steel strings and a couple of different brands because they shredded my fingers. I started using the Barefoot Larry weedwhackers and have for a year or so. I'm getting sick of just how low tensioned they are. The E in particular is pig disgusting.

I've been playing more acoustic gigs and on songs without slap I'm just not getting heard because of this.

I swapped it out for a lighter gauge steel E and gigged with this for a few months. It is just too imbalanced. You can hear it sounding like a whoofing box. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWkrOtQR1yQ)

So anyway. I've tried a bunch of things ranging from different E strings. Using a steel A as an E. Using steel E and A. Tuning the weedwhackers to A,D,G,C (closest to the sound I want). It looks like I really need to drop money on the recommended Innovation Silver Slaps. I guess they fit the bill.

Smooth surface. Lower but not so low tension. Slightly more balanced. Ah well. Best save those pennies! Anyone else have any thoughts?

[Francois Blais]

Moved the thread to the Rockabilly forum, which seemed better suited to me.

[Gearhead43]

Yeah the Slaps are great for slap/pizz if you like a relatively low-tension setup for slap.

There are also medium tension strings like the Inno Rockabillys and the Super Silvers which are even better for pizz and still very slappable.

There are lots of other pizz strings with slappers in mind out there too. Here are some popular slap/pizz strings:

Eurosonics/ Prestos, which are nylon-wound over a metal/silk core. They sound like a steel string but with a more thumpy mellow sound. Twangy for slap. These come in 3 gauges.

Solo guage steels, like Thomastic Superflexible Solos and Flexocore Solos - tuned down to EADG (regular tuning)

Rotosounds, low tension nylon core strings that are not bad pizz strings. Pretty low tension though.

Velvet Garbo / Garbo Lights

Wound E&A, plain D&G guts.

There's more I can't recall right now.........

[kurt]

Innovation rockabillys. sound good for pizz, low tension but not extreme, great for slap and still bowable. best hybrid slap string i've found.

[jschall84]

i have some super silvers that are just a tiny bit too high tension for me. id sell em for $80. pm me if interested.