Can a certain set of strings make such a huge difference by itself???

[Kimi]

Yesterday I installed a new set of Animas on my brand new bass. It's the first real set of strings I've ever used (the ones which came with the bass were "factory cheapies", as someone called them - very stiff, unbelievably high tension, terrible tuning problems, etc.). I still can't believe the difference. Apart from the drastic improvement in sound and overall balance (it's still a tad bright, but I gather it's the norm with new basses, no matter how dark the strings are), my stance is now completely effortless and natural (I stand; with the other strings I couldn't find a truly comfortable position at all), my intonation is now pretty good up and down the neck (been playing piano for 20 years and tuning the thing myself for the past 5, and I also dabble in the viola realm, so intonation is something I often think about), and it almost plays itself.

This is all very nice, but I'm wondering if it's the fabled Animas that are responsible for this minor miracle, or if something else is involved. Let me add that during the long wait for the Animas I didn't touch the bass due to LH injury caused by those nasty cheapie strings, so my experience with the DB spans a grand total of 3 weeks and I have no idea where the intonation improvement comes from, nor the stance. I'm also asking because gut strings are becoming really tempting lately - might have to buy another bass for those, as I'm completely addicted to these Animas!

Hope to hear from you all!

Miki

[Chasarms]

Maybe I should get some Animas!

I don't think strings can improve intonation, but they certainly can make the bass more comfortable to play and no doubt improve tone.

Those things can certainly drive the player play more, which is the only real solution to good intonation, comfort, etc.

[Kimi]

Hi, thanks for your input. I don't know enough about strings to recommend them to anybody, but if you have the money to spare, why not give them a try? So far, I've only bought one set of strings, so I haven't developed a repertoire of excuses for buying new strings yet, but I'm working on it, and I'm sure you have a few good ones already! The Animas I got are very smooth and the G is almost uniformly copper-colored (someone posted some photos of a set where the G looked violently striped, and there have been complaints that the strings are rough and eat the fingerboard, so I guess the newer generation is more in line with other brands).

As for your suggestion that good strings make you want to play more and do your best, I thought that might be it too, but then the change became clear within the first few minutes of playing the Animas. Have you ever worked on an unusually refractory piece all day, given up and gone to bed, and played it without problems the next morning? It was a bit like that with the Animas - but this usually happens when one is already proficient, and I'm nowhere near there, so this is why I though it might be the strings somehow.

Miki

[Michael Case]

The low tension of the Anima strings make them feel easier to play. They also have a clearer fundamental, so if your intonation is good to begin with these strings may bring that more into focus. Strings are a huge difference, but the the person playing on the strings is more important.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

Maybe I should get some Animas!

I don't think strings can improve intonation, but they certainly can make the bass more comfortable to play and no doubt improve tone.

Those things can certainly drive the player play more, which is the only real solution to good intonation, comfort, etc.

A string with a really strong fundamental and less overtones will allow you to play more in tune because you can hear the pitch so much more clearly. I experienced this when I got my own bass -- before, I'd been playing the school's bass (chinese factory bass) with factory cheapie strings on it. My bass is a 50's german and at the time had Spiro Orchs -- my intonation became much better because I could finally HEAR the pitch.

[Rob Sleeper]

I know the feeling. I kind of had the same "miracle" to. My bass is only about 5-6 years old and I put on some helicore hybrids when I first but the bass. But for a couples years I didn't really do anything about it. They just sounded way to bright for my taste. But last year I tried Pirastro Permanents and I just couldn't stop playing! They are everything I had ever wanted. My bass sounds absolutely awesome. Also my intonation is has also improved and I can get more a thump out of the Permanents as well.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Yes, someone once gave me a set of the Compas 360s to try and I put it on my newly purchase English Gilkes. This Bass;

At first is was an eye sore with one silver and three copper colored strings. I tried them until I deciede I hated my Bass so much I was willing to sell it and play only my Italian Bass. I took the strings off the Bass and put some Pirastros back on and I decieded to keep the Bass after all. Now it's my main Bass...

On occassion you get a string that either 'makes or breaks' the sound you are looking for. One another occassion a Bassist on the stand next to me had the same strings (360s) on his German Bass. They sounded pretty good for what the Bass was but when I tried his Bass out to see if I missed something with the strings last time around, it was YUCK, and handed his Bass back to him.

Each string has its own sound and tension. You just have to find what's best for both your playing as well as your Bass which matching both up is another story as well.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Each string has its own sound and tension. You just have to find what's best for both your playing as well as your Bass which matching both up is another story as well.

Thats it exactly. Its a match between the player the bass and the string. No formulas or rules can apply. Trial and error is the method.

Remember half the time it's called a "string bass". That's not an accident.

[TroyK]

I reluctantly welcome you to the world of the string junkie. Yes, strings make that much difference for some of us, not just in how the instruments sounds, but in how we play and how it makes us feel.

Unfortunately, most of us are never quite satisfied and it's an expensive habit. I'm grateful for the swapping opportunities through TB.

Glad you like the Animas. Stick with um for as long as you are happy with them. They work well for a lot of people. Some of the brightness will likely fade as they break in.

Troy

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Trial and error is the method.

That's one of the reasons we value your presence here in TBDB strings so much, Phil.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

That's one of the reasons we value your presence here in TBDB strings so much, Phil.

Aw shucks.....

I've had more error than anything else.

I still hate strings.

[JimmyM]

Me too. That's why I play Superflexibles now. Cheapest set of strings out there that don't suck.

[Kimi]

Posted by Aaron Saunders: "...really strong fundamental and less overtones..."

Posted by mike da mook: "...clearer fundamental..."

Aaah! Makes sense - I was hearing way too much clutter from the other strings.

Posted by Uncletoad: "Remember half the time it's called a "string bass". That's not an accident."

Yeah, but I'm rather partial to the expression "bull fiddle". It's a bit incongruous, like my cheap bass and expensive strings. I wonder how that expression translates into this discussion.

Posted by TroyK: "I reluctantly welcome you to the world of the string junkie."

Thank you very much!

Thanks everyone.

Miki