Flexocores for jazz?

emilio g · #1 04-21-2010, 02:35 PM

I currently have a spiro mittel E(low C)/A and Permanent D/G on my bass. The perms work great for solo stuff, but I'm hearing a darker sound latley, so I'm going to shoot for that. Also, the Spirocore extension string feels a whisker too heavy for me as I've been playing a lot latley.

I was thinking of doing a Spiro Weich Extension string, Spiro weich A, and flexocore light gauge D/G. Is a flexocore pizz entirely too short and thumpy for jazz playing or is it the kind of string that can worked around using good amps and technique?

JoeyNaeger · #2 04-21-2010, 02:39 PM

I'm not a jazz player so take this with a grain of salt. I found that the flexocores have this sort of delay in the sound when pizzed. For my money, I think the belcanto G and D would be better suited to what you're doing. They are still warm and dark, but they don't have that weird delay and they sustain more.

TroyK · #3 04-21-2010, 03:15 PM

I get confused when we talk about Flexicores because there are the 2 versions. The ones that we call "Flex '92s" (which are actually not called that by Pirastro) have ruby silks at the tail piece, I can comment on:

I LOVE THEM FOR PIZZ. But I can't hear them as I'm playing in a venue with a band (sound great at home). I can't seem to fix it with eq and I've learned by having friends sit in and going out into the room, that the sound projects beautifully. It's just too dark to make it up to my ears. Breaks my heart, because I really liked the feel of them and I like the sound in isolated circumstances.

Somebody here a few years back was using the stark gauge for jazz and happy. I can't imagine that the character would be all that different.

I'm a Spirocore convert and recently sold or traded off all of my strings in my massive collection that weren't spirocores, superflexibles or jazzers, but I kept my Flex '92s because I'm holding onto the idea. Or maybe I'll want a arco string some day. The tension is really nice for me and they have a great bounce to them under the right hand. Sound beautiful, but for me, not that useful.

Hope that helps.

adarvas · #4 04-21-2010, 05:46 PM

Emilio, I sent you a PM

emilio g · #5 04-21-2010, 06:55 PM

I was indeed referring to the 92's. They seem to be the default steel arco string, but I have no idea how they sound amplified, in a jazz setting.

What I really need is one bass set up for jazz and another for orchestral music...but for now I've got to make my bass do it all.

Some other ideas I was tossing around in my head were:

Spiro Weich E/A with flex 92 D/G

Spiro solos tuned down to orchestra pitch (this would be convenient)

Evah weichs with a superflexible extension string

Its also probably worth mentioning that my bass has that funky marvin wire tailpiece on it...so most strings tend to be a hair brighter and more sustained than advertised..

**Francois Blais** · #6 04-21-2010, 07:02 PM

What Joey means is that the Flexocores ('92s) are slow.
There's a lot of damping material in them.
Furthermore, the light ones may be even worse, and I don't think they'd match well with Spiros.
If you want to get only the D&G, I suggest you look at Original Flexocores instead. (the silk is purple)
They're much more lively than the '92s.

Other than that, did you try Evahs?

AMJBASS · #7 04-21-2010, 07:28 PM

I like them, but I would also agree that they tend to get lost a bit in a louder volume situation. They do however sound great for an old school type of sound. Pitch is also more accurate which can be rather revealing...

TroyK · #8 04-22-2010, 12:25 AM

If you can pick a set up via classifieds, give them a try. There's a lot to like about them.

I'm not on the Evah bandwagon and I have tried both gauges, but that is a possible answer for you. The weichs were better for me than the regulars, but on the gig, I thought "If I was okay with not hearing myself, I'd be using Flex '92s!"

Spirocore Weichs, I'm telling you, can be a very nice arco string and once they mellow and you adjust your attack a bit, they don't sound whiny as advertised.

I haven't played with Corellis, but they also come to mind as this type of string. Maybe not as dark as you like.

I've wondered before if a monitor of some kind could be a game changer for things like Flexocores for jazz. As I said, the sound gets out in front of the stage just fine (same with Evah Pirazzis), it's getting it quickly to your ears over the ride symbol that they fall short on. I've moved my amp around and tried hanging my head down near the finger board and things like that and then realized that I should be listening to my bandmates and focusing on my time rather than trying to make my gear of choice fit the situation, but would a little monitor with an 8" speaker pointing right up at you solve this problem?

Bobby King · #9 04-23-2010, 09:05 PM

I like the Original Flexocore G string and am currently using it with Spiro Weich E,A and D. I found the Original Flex D to be a bit too dark on my bass. (I have one I'll sell cheap if anyone's interested. PM me)

shwashwa · #10 04-24-2010, 05:13 AM

im using a flex 92 on my G string for jazz pizz. it works great and sounds great. the particular bass is a super bright bass and really needs this string in order to be useable. i got the darkest string i could think of, and the bass is so bright that it sounds just a shade darker than a spirocore on it. so what's my point? i guess it depends on the bass...

AMJBASS · #11 04-24-2010, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyK

If you can pick a set up via classifieds, give them a try. There's a lot to like about them.

I'm not on the Evah bandwagon and I have tried both gauges, but that is a possible answer for you. The weichs were better for me than the regulars, but on the gig, I thought "If I was okay with not hearing myself, I'd be using Flex '92s!"

Spirocore Weichs, I'm telling you, can be a very nice arco string and once they mellow and you adjust your attack a bit, they don't sound whiny as advertised.

I haven't played with Corellis, but they also come to mind as this type of string. Maybe not as dark as you like.

I've wondered before if a monitor of some kind could be a game changer for things like Flexocores for jazz. As I said, the sound gets out in front of the stage just fine (same with Evah Pirazzis), it's getting it quickly to your ears over the ride symbol that they fall short on. I've moved my amp around and tried hanging my head down near the finger board and things like that and then realized that I should be listening to my bandmates and focusing on my time rather than trying to make my gear of choice fit the situation, but would a little monitor with an 8" speaker pointing right up at you solve this problem?

I'm not sure that would be the ideal solution unless you really want that sound. The '92s have such a short sustain(on the bottom at any rate) that they might not work for everything. I do like the G mixed in with other sets though.

FMartin · #12 04-25-2010, 12:25 PM

I used to use Spiro Mittels E, A and D and a regular Flexocor G, and I was very happy with that set, once the Spiros "calmed down". Although the Flexocor G got too dark before the Spiros, it was good while it lasted, as I enjoyed arco playing a lot more on that G string.