Jargar vs. Eudoxa (gut core)

svenbass · #1 12-31-2006, 09:49 AM

Hello,

Does anyone have experience with both of these strings? Any comments would be helpful!!!

FYI I have used Eudoxas for the past few years exclusively and love the tone, size, tension/flexibility and they are wonderful when it comes to arco.
I'm ready for a change, and am thinking a steel string might get a little more punch and articulation when playing some of the funk and heavily rhythmic pizz stuff I am into. My bass is very bright, and hates the Spirocore/Corelli thing, plus I really dig the gut sound. I'm thinking Mediums might be a good place to start.
thanks!!! - Sven

**Francois Blais** · #2 01-01-2007, 10:50 AM

Jargars will give you a very warm, velvety tone, but I think they speak much slower than Eudoxas, and don't expect any sustain, unless you go with the Forte gauge.
But the lower strings in Forte gauge maybe quite muddy too since they're big and rigid.
Mediums would indeed be a good place to start to get a taste of these unique steel strings.

Didn't you think of trying Pirastro Flexocors? (the '92s)
The E may be replaced with something else, but the others are more interesting than Jargars, IMHO.
For the D, I get a better match with an Original Flexocor though.

svenbass · #3 01-02-2007, 04:45 PM

Thanks Francois,

I may consider a mixed set of Jargars - Forte D&G, Medium E&A. I certainly want to avoid muddiness, but at the same time can't stand twang...that's what Fender bass is for!

Regarding the 'speaking slow' comment, could you elaborate a bit? Do you refer to the attack, or the 'bloom' of the note.

My only issue with the Eudoxas is delivering/articulating the attack when playing funk lines where the bass needs to push and be very deliberate and defined in it's rhythmic place. Faster melodic passages tend to suffer as well, but that's probably just me!

....

Thanks again for your thoughts and Happy New Year!

**Francois Blais** · #4 01-02-2007, 07:03 PM

You may get worst results with the Jargar than with the Eudoxas then!
The Jargars are loaded with some kind of plastic which dampens them a lot, but slows down the response as well.
Attack is slower, and since the material kills the sustain, you get a thumpy tone.
If you really want to try the Jargars, I suggest you get two strings first; not a whole set.
I still suggest you get a look at Flexocors too.

Mudfuzz · #5 01-02-2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francois

don't expect any sustain, unless you go with the Forte gauge.But the lower strings in Forte gauge maybe quite muddy too since they're big and rigid.

I don't find this to be the case at all with them on my bass, the sustain is as good as permanents on my bass but much more open [big] sounding. I have no problems with muddiness at all in pizz. Tone for me on my bass with the Fortes is big'n'warm with lots of punch and volume, arco is smoove.

**Francois Blais** · #6 01-03-2007, 08:13 AM

Well, another proof that the instrument itself is an important part of the equation!
Thanks for the comment, Aaron.

svenbass · #7 01-03-2007, 09:21 AM

Thank you both for the responses, I know these string chats are very difficult due to the individual nature of our instrument and personalities. What we need is a string/pickup/bow/amp library down the street, open 24 hours of course!
Francois, I'm checking out the Flexocore threads, and am pretty sure I can find a bass here in Boston with those strings to test. The Jargars don't seem to be nearly as popular or known by my bass buddies so I think a small investment to check out the D&G is a good start though I have a weird mental thing about mixed sets.

On a side note, the bass in the Upton Bass advertisement on the left with the young guy appears to have a couple of Red-O-Rays on it!!! Could it be ... are they back? Or will I have to kidnap the whippersnapper?

Happy New Year fellas, I'll drop a line when I make the changes and let you know how it all pans out.

kwd · #8 01-03-2007, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Noguer

I don't find this to be the case at all with them on my bass, the sustain is as good as permanents on my bass but much more open [big] sounding. I have no problems with muddiness at all in pizz. Tone for me on my bass with the Fortes is big'n'warm with lots of punch and volume, arco is smoove.

I've also had good luck with Jargar Fortes. Over the last year of my perpetual string experiments I kept putting the Jargars back on. It's one of the only sets I've had that I've played until they had no life. I tend to be in Francois' camp on the A and E though. Comparing them to Corelli 370TX I find that I can discern the pitches a lot easier when playing a walking line with the Corellis. It's a matter of preference and the instrument they're on. I'm thinking of trying the dolces at my next string event in March. I'm interested in any feedback on those.

greitzer · #9 01-17-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svenbass

...The Jargars don't seem to be nearly as popular or known by my bass buddies so I think a small investment to check out the D&G is a good start though I have a weird mental thing about mixed sets.

Svenbass -- good choice. I recently had a set of Jargars and loved the sound and the feel. The D and G bow extremely well, but the A and the E not so well. They were harder to start than the two upper strings, so I'd say you're going at it from the right direction.

Regarding sustain, I thought the Jargars were just right. They did have some, but not a whole lot. And overall a very nice smooth sound.

Aside from the benefits mentioned above, I did note a couple of downsides with the Jargars. They don't project as much volume as other strings I've used, and they came out of tune more easily than most of the steel strings like Sprios, Superflexibles and Flat Chromesteels, all of which didn't seem to ever go out of tune on my bass. I guess the marketing descriptions you sometimes read, that Jargars are "gut like", have some truth to them.

They are worth a try. If you go for 'em, I hope you enjoy 'em.

greitzer · #10 01-17-2007, 09:32 PM

referring to my previous post, my Jargars were the mediums, not the fortes.

MatthewS · #11 01-30-2007, 06:01 PM

Not sure if you bought these strings yet. I used them, for pizz and slap. I like the tone myself.
But they fall apart fast, the winding comes loose from the core. Just a heads up.
they didnt go out of tune on me.

mrpc · #12 01-30-2007, 07:03 PM

If your current bass is settled in with a good sound and set up, I'd say it might be better to search out another bass to play funk on. Why mess with a good thing?

Maybe an EUB, or Musima Plywood, old Kay, ect., It shouldn't have to cost alot of money.