Classical Strings

[Michael Binder]

Hello.

At the beginning of next year I want to buy some new sets of db strings for classical bassplaying only.
I was thinking in
Obligatos/Orch. or Solotuning
and
Original Flatchrome or Flatchrome/Orch. or Solotuning

What are you thinking?

Thanks,Mike

[Eric Swanson]

Flexocor 92's, Flexocor Originals, Eurosonic Ochestras, Bel Cantos, Helicore Orchestras, Flatchromes

If you haven't seen and read through these, they could be your friend:

http://www.smithbassforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=39

Also, search the threads here for the above products...

Finally, here's a recent one here that provides better perspective than mine:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f17/great-principals-string-choice-359241/#post4963782

The only sad note in the above thread is that none of Levinson's students here have told us what he is using yet...

[Bobby King]

For purely arco, I think that Flexicore (92) can't be beat.

[JoeyNaeger]

I would stay away from obligatos for arco. The strings roll a lot under the bow. The Flex 92's and the belcantos are both excellent arco strings and will work well for orchestral work. The flexicore originals might be better if you have a heavy bow hand however.

[Andrew Chilcote]

I would look into Bel Canto's as well. They've become a hit on the east coast, and have switched to them from D'Darrio and will never turn back.

[jmnbass]

The belcantos are great. The bottom two strings sounded kind of choked to me. My teacher recomended spirocore solo tuned to e and a, which is working pretty well. Once the strings are played in they sound great.

[dchan]

I hear Jargar strings are pretty good also. I've never tried them out, but I hear that they're a bit sweeter than Flexocor 92's. They come in three gages: Dolce, Mittel, and Forte.

Besides Jargars and the strings mentioned above this post, I hear Original Flexocores are pretty good, but expensive. Also, the Corelli 370 aren't bad, but they're thin and may lack volume. Evah Pirazzi's have been getting good reviews as well. Almost all of these strings are guaranteed to last longer than the Obligatos except for maybe the Evah Pirazzi's, whose lifetime is unknown at this point.

[Michael Binder]

Thanks.
But what are the Flexocor '92???
I think we don´t use this term in Germany.
Greetings.

[conte2music]

flexocor '92 are just plain old flexocor. in '92 the formula was changed and this is the string we've know as the flexocor since.

[Bobby King]

Yes, Pirastro doesn't call them "Flexocor 92", it's simply "Flexocor". This is as opposed to "Original Flexocor" which is also a good, but different string.

[reedo35]

I don't live in germany anymore, but a lot of the cats I knew there swore by the Jargar Dolce strings. Very smooth arco sound but a little dark for me. I think the Flexocores are your best bet.