E string search

[Dr Rod]

Hey Friends ! maybe you could help, I am searching for an E string.

I know that the perfect string doesn't exist and that I will have to compromise somewhere, but my ideal string would be like this:

-Animalistic tone, like the Spirocore Starks
-Stiff
-not dark but with lots of fundamental, a bit raw sounding

I used to be happy with my dominants but won't be able to use them anymore (I need to be able to take them on and off).

I am an orchestral player but I know how to deal with "scratchy" strings like spirocores (but they are too flexible).

I was thinking about Helicore pizzicato heavies or Helicore hybrid heavies, but I have never had one. I read that they were stiff (??).
Is the dampening material the only difference between the orch, hybrid and pizz lines?

[Francois Blais]

Do you still use the Chromcors for the A, D & G?

AFAIK, the orchestrals are the stiffest in the Helicore line.

Beware that a very stiff string will always give you the problem you noticed with the Chromcor E. (the louder you play the string, the stronger the pitch will move from its center frequency.

[Dr Rod]

Originally Posted by francois

Do you still use the Chromcors for the A, D & G?

Yes

Originally Posted by francois

AFAIK, the orchestrals are the stiffest in the Helicore line.

Are they very dark? My bass has a very dark E so I need something on the bright side.

Originally Posted by francois

Beware that a very stiff string will always give you the problem you noticed with the Chromcor E. (the louder you play the string, the stronger the pitch will move from its center frequency.

Good to know, is that a steel string problem?
I didn't notice it in the Dominants, which doesn't mean the problem wasn't there.

I know you're no fan of the Helicores, but have you tried the Helicore Pizzicatos and Hybrids in their heavy gauge version?


Tu est bien gentil !

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by Dr Rod

Are they very dark? My bass has a very dark E so I need something on the bright side.

The orchestral Helicore E is relatively dark.
I don't think that's what you're looking for.

Good to know, is that a steel string problem?
I didn't notice it in the Dominants, which doesn't mean the problem wasn't there.

The problem is more obvious with steel full-core, because the core is not very elastic.

I know you're no fan of the Helicores, but have you tried the Helicore Pizzicatos and Hybrids in their heavy gauge version?
Tu est bien gentil !

I never tried the Pizzicatos, but the Hybrids yes, but it was several years ago, and only a few minutes...
They were very loud and growly, but I don't remember about the flexibility of the E, sorry!

[Francois Blais]

Just had another idea.
Maybe you could try the Thomastik Precision E.
The tone is probably what you're looking for, and it's using a steel full-core. Pretty stiff string.
The Chromcors may sound quite dark in comparison though!

[Dr Rod]

Originally Posted by francois

Just had another idea.
Maybe you could try the Thomastik Precision E.
The tone is probably what you're looking for, and it's using a steel full-core. Pretty stiff string.
The Chromcors may sound quite dark in comparison though!

You read my mind !

I just bought one two days ago and tried it on, it was pretty good but the intonation problem was there even worse than with the Chromcors. When I played a fortissimo I was getting an F natural !!, no exaggeration.
I could really feel that after breaking it in, that string could have been what I needed....alas. Does the intonation problem improve with time? (do you ever keep a string on that long? LOL)

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by Dr Rod

You read my mind !

I just bought one two days ago and tried it on, it was pretty good but the intonation problem was there even worse than with the Chromcors. When I played a fortissimo I was getting an F natural !!, no exaggeration.
I could really feel that after breaking it in, that string could have been what I needed....alas. Does the intonation problem improve with time? (do you ever keep a string on that long? LOL)

The lower the pitch, the greater the ears catch the pitch change.
(A one hertz change for a 41Hz note is more obvious for the ears than for a 98Hz note)

I'm afraid your quest is an impossible task.

The Spirocore is in my experience the string with the most stable pitch, as it's very elastic, but elasticity doesn't match with stiffness!

Good luck in your quest!

[Dr Rod]

thanks for your advice and patience with my unreasonable expectations.

Cheers,

Rod