D'Addarios are that bad?

justinmj · #1 07-29-2001, 01:50 PM

I'm a long-time pro electric player, occasional URB player just now getting my first bass. I've decided it's time to own one and stop borrowing my friend's for sessions, so that I can actually get into some lessons and practice time.I've been able to get some amazing advice from Bob Gollihur along with the new bass I'm buying from him. I just wanted to see if anyone else here could supply me with some opinions on strings, specific to my situation:

I play pizz 98% of the time, doing mostly folk, blues, country, and latin. I like good pizz sustain, a rich and deep fundamental, and would like to have a good deal of volume because of competing with loud musicians I work with. I would also like to have strings that are relatively low tension for my weak-ass hands. I happen to endorse D'Addario strings in the electric world, so they offered me whatever I want in terms of their double bass line. However, after scouring this forum, there doesn't seem to be too much love for their stuff.

Based on my info, which do you guys think I should try out from the D'Addario world, since I can get 'em free? Bob suggested Orchestral to me, because of the darkness of their sound, though I don't want the bass to sound TOO old school. D'Addario themselves suggested Hybrid mediums to me, but people seem to be overall not too down with those. Which tension do you think?

And lastly, once I try the D'Addarios, where should I go from there?

Thank you VERY much for your help.

Don Higdon · #2 07-29-2001, 07:16 PM

Personally, I can't get too worked up over this or that tension. I've played all kinds of strings, finding tension virtually irrelevant. When you get the sound you like, you'll learn to live with the tension. I use both pizz and arco from D'Addario. I would not use the arco string if you play 90% pizz. The word on the hybrid is that it's not really so - it's OK pizz, and a bit scratchy arco, but not as bad as a Spirocore. With a really good bow and bass, I'd buy the pizz and be done with it. If you endorse for D'Addario, I can't see why they wouldn't spot you one set of each.

justinmj · #3 07-30-2001, 11:35 AM

Thanks, Don. I appreciate the advice. I really do want the best pizz sound, so I'll just try those to start off with, in medium I suppose.

Don Higdon · #4 07-30-2001, 03:05 PM

Just be aware that Helicore pizz strings and Tomastik Spirocores (the most known pizz string) are both very metalic and brassy sounding when new. They have to be played in. This takes 2 to 4 weeks.

**Francois Blais** · #5 07-30-2001, 04:11 PM

Pirastro Jazzers are a very good alternative to those mentioned, and less metallic in my opinion.
Someone had a barely used set for sale on Acousticbass.com.
Please read http://www.acousticbass.com/webboard...ges3/3202.html
I don't know if they're sold though.

HTH.

Rob W · #6 08-01-2001, 02:57 PM

I've been using the Hybrids for the past several months and I really like them. I tried the Orchestra strings years ago and I didn't like the pizz tone very much - not enough sustain.

I haven't actually tried the Pizz strings though so they may be okay too. I do play mostly arco but I appreciate a good amount of sustain in the strings. I personally don't have any complaints with the Hybrids - they work really well for me.