Hellicore Construction

[bassist1962]

When I started my string search, I found that several players prefer Spirocores. I also found Helicores to be and alternative. Bob Gollihur describes Helicore pizz to be an inexpensive Spirocore. I recently found The Bass Shop website that explains the construction. It says that the Hybrids are Spiral core, and the pizz are Stranded core. Is this accurate, or backwards? I can't find any information on the Helicore website. If anyone has information it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by bassist1962

When I started my string search, I found that several players prefer Spirocores. I also found Helicores to be and alternative. Bob Gollihur describes Helicore pizz to be an inexpensive Spirocore. I recently found The Bass Shop website that explains the construction. It says that the Hybrids are Spiral core, and the pizz are Stranded core. Is this accurate, or backwards? I can't find any information on the Helicore website. If anyone has information it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

As far as I know, both models use a standard rope core. (stranded steel if you will)
In my knowledge, only the Spirocore uses that special spiral core design. (very fine strands intertwined in a special pattern)
What Bob probably means, is that the Helicore Pizz sound similar to the Spirocores, but are less expensive, being made in the US instead of imported.
But if you want my advice; buy the real thing if you want that tone. The Spirocores will last over a decade but not the Helicores...

[bassist1962]

Originally Posted by francois

But if you want my advice; buy the real thing if you want that tone. The Spirocores will last over a decade but not the Helicores...

As is Bob's. I planned on getting the real deal anyway, I just thought this was interesting. Thanks, as always Francois.

[TroyK]

You know what's interesting? I've been a slave to string experimentation for several years now and as I wear things completely out, I sometimes disect them to see what's in there. I think that really gets to your question of what's on the inside. I've never cut apart Helicores, but I may have an old set of orchestrals down there and if I do, I'll put them on the operating table. That won't tell us anything, of course, about the Helicore Pizz or Hybrid models. but it sure is fun.

The most interesting thing I ever took apart was an Obligato. I wanted to figure out what was spinning and I did, but what i didn't expect to find is that the perlon core looked much more like a piant brush or a fiber optic line than a gut string. Just a bunch of little hairs, like...well I dont' think I can improve on "paintbrush". Maybe I'll get back to my evil experiments. I've got a box of pretty old strings down there.

[bassist1962]

Originally Posted by TroyK

You know what's interesting? I've been a slave to string experimentation for several years now and as I wear things completely out, I sometimes disect them to see what's in there. I think that really gets to your question of what's on the inside. I've never cut apart Helicores, but I may have an old set of orchestrals down there and if I do, I'll put them on the operating table. That won't tell us anything, of course, about the Helicore Pizz or Hybrid models. but it sure is fun.

The most interesting thing I ever took apart was an Obligato. I wanted to figure out what was spinning and I did, but what i didn't expect to find is that the perlon core looked much more like a piant brush or a fiber optic line than a gut string. Just a bunch of little hairs, like...well I dont' think I can improve on "paintbrush". Maybe I'll get back to my evil experiments. I've got a box of pretty old strings down there.

Kinda like bowing on steel covered...dare I say it...Bow hair?
The Bass Shop site states that the orchs are stranded core with wax damping; hybrids are spiral; and the pizz stranded without wax. I read here on TB and other places that rope/stranded core are more hybrid stings than spiros, hence my confusion.

[TroyK]

yeah, kinda like bow hair. A little stiffer but similar.

It is all very confusing. I have a scientific/academic side of me that likes to pick things apart (literally) but it still seems to come back to trying things and seeing what feels and sounds right to you.

But it is fun to cut things up. I also like burning things, but we'll save that for another post. :-)