Helicore break in period?

FidgetStone · #1 01-23-2004, 10:13 PM

The good news is that I just picked up my new Christopher hybrid 3/4 Busetto and it is beautiful. The Helicore hybrid strings, however, sound very "plingy" and thin for pizz. Frighteningly thin with a lack of depth. I have only about 3 or 3 hours of playing time on the bass so I know that there is a breaking in period. My question is about how long does it take for helicore hybids to break in?

Thanks . . .

toman · #2 01-24-2004, 09:48 PM

I had helicore orchestras for a while, and they never did seem to break in. The sounded like poop from day one until I threw them away... they had no depth at all, and made my bass sound like a big cardboard box strung up with twine.

FidgetStone · #3 01-24-2004, 10:44 PM

Toman,
I am curious what strings you are using now. Also, is your bass an all laminated, hybrid or carved?

Thanks . . .

toman · #4 01-25-2004, 01:28 AM

My bass is a carved 7/8 Shen that is about five or six years old. I've found the holy grail of strings in my Eudoxa G and D, but I'm still experimenting with A and E strings. Right now I'm playing a spiro orchestra E and a superflexible A. The superflexible is not very great, and I'm thinking about going to a spiro for that too... For what it's worth, I play mostly classical and solo type stuff with a bit of jazzy stuff here and there so I'm mostly concerned with the arco performance, but i must say that the strings I have on now sound good pizz...

Chasarms · #5 01-26-2004, 11:34 AM

You have to keep in mind that it is not only the strings that are new but the bass as well. The top is still going to be stiff. At this point, the bass is going to sound a little thin with almost any string on it.

If you play arco, spend as much time as possible rehearsing with the bow. The bow produces far more energy than playing pizz and will accelerate the process of opening up the top.

If you don't have a bow and have no interest in playing arco, pick up a cheap $50 Glasser and a cake of rosin from a local shop or ebay.

Teach yourself how it get a decent bowed sound and spend 20-30 minutes a day doing nothing but bowing long strokes on the open strings. This advice was shared to me a while back and in just a few weeks the difference in the bass was noticeable.

Of course, if you are already an arco player, use your own bow. Or if you have ambitions of being one, you may want to forgo the $50 Glasser for something better, as they are otherwise mostly nasty sounding bows.

FidgetStone · #6 01-26-2004, 10:22 PM

Chasarms,
Thanks for the bowing tip. I will have to get a cheap bow. I think that bowing will improve my technique as well as the bass. I don't know if there is any hope for the 'A' string. The other strings are starting to calm down at least a little bit.

I played in church Sunday and the amplified sound was better than the all plywood bass that I had been renting. The bass max may be better fit in the bridge. I don't know. It was certainly less prone to feedback. I could actually hear myself on the first song, then the guitar players decided they had to crank it up and that was the last I heard myself. (I looked great holding the bass though!)

MerryPrankster · #7 02-08-2004, 07:23 PM

Try Obligatos...They make any bass sound fat....round...etc.,.
Bow nicely...Loud ass pizz!

Bob Branstetter · #8 02-08-2004, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MerryPrankster

Try Obligatos...They make any bass sound fat....round...etc.,.
Bow nicely...Loud ass pizz!

ANY BASS? You've got to be kidding (or at least I hope you are).

MerryPrankster · #9 02-09-2004, 05:21 AM

(every bass i have heard with them)(phrased that incorrectly)

FidgetStone · #10 02-29-2004, 05:28 PM

Hey Folks,
I'll answer my own question on the Helicore Hybrid break-in period. The answer for my bass is somewhere between 5 weeks and never. They have calmed down to a degree but still have the same basic plingy, metallic qualities that made we want try something else from the start.

Surely there is a bass somewhere that these strings would sound good on but it's not mine. I ordered a set of Obligatos from Upton that should arrive any day now, and I will report on them after a week or so of having them on.

MerryPrankster · #11 03-01-2004, 01:55 PM

A friend of mine got an old kay with weird strings that no one new what they were (other than plain gut G) So my bass teacher gave him hybrids (He's awesome like that) and they sound great (what he said , I havent heard it)

Who knows?