How's this (wild, crazy, brilliant?) combination sound?

[Captain_joe6]

So I was sitting around today toying with various string combo ideas and came up with this one.

Pirastro Chorda G
Pirastro Eudoxa D
European (Efrano) Plain gut A
Pirastro Flexocor Thick E (gotta love those Pirastros )
My tried and true 1944 Kay M1 played mostly big band-style pizz with a little arco for dramatic effect.

Granted, its pretty wild and a bit scattered, but I think it will achieve what I'm going for, which happens to be this: volume (not too much, but enough to hold its own against an acoustic guitar and congas), definition (enough to tell what note it is, but it doesn't have to sing. In fact, I'd rather it didn't), percussiveness (I want the lower 2 strings to be more of an intonated thud with a hint of sustain, the D and G need to be more defined but with a good dark quality to them). I think thats about it. Sort of sounds like I'm after the ultimate all-around set, doesn't it? Tell me what you all think.

[Brent Norton]

A plain A will certainly give you more of a dull thud than singing note... Check. But I think you might get frustrated when you go from the D & G to the A and continually notice just how different it really is... You'd notice less of a difference going the other way, that is, a plain D going to an Oliv or Eudoxa A...

Just a suggestion, take ot or leave it: Plain gut G, Oliv or Eudoxa D & A, Oliv being the darker of the two (sorry, I haven't tried the Chordas), and the E - well, that's up to you. E's are such a fiercely personal thing it's always seemed to me.

[Tbeers]

Originally Posted by Brent Norton

the E - well, that's up to you. E's are such a fiercely personal thing it's always seemed to me.

Yeah, I can't even make a suggestion on an E string. But I will say my favorite E's are made by Thomastik.

I played a bass that had Chordas on it once. The volume was what surprised me most... a very big sound.

edit: Oh, and the one thing about your choices that I question most is the plain gut A. Against a steel E string that will sound... very undefined.

[Captain_joe6]

I'm liking the feedback I'm getting here. What if I were to swap out that plain gut A for a Eudoxa A? How do you think that would go over? And we probably should just forget that the E is under consideration.

[Captain_joe6]

And I think I'll take this opportunity to ask a second question: what are the loudest strings you've ever played on? How were their other qualities besides volume?

[KSB - Ken Smith]

I have Flexicor Starks on my English Dodd Bass. They are thick, loud and kinda thuddy with Pizz. A plywood Bass has less Growl than an old Carved usually. I could only imagine that they would give you what you are looking for without mixing String Sets or Styles.

Whay you hear when you are playing is not what you hear 5, 10 20 or 50 feet away. The Edge you hear while playing is gone after about 3 feet. The 'boom' is what carries thru the house.