Light tension Strings

bdengler · #1 03-08-2004, 07:07 PM

Because of an arthritic condition, I'm thinking of putting light tension strings on my upright. The primary use of the strings would be for arco, although I'll need to do some pizz for church. I'm thinking about either Pirastro Permanents or Corelli Tungsten 370-TX's. Does anyone have any other recommendations? Thank you.

masmasbasso · #2 03-08-2004, 07:14 PM

I got the new Velvet 180s. They are low tension and sound great IMO. A little pricey and a pain to put on. You have to tie the strings at the tailpiece instead of having a ball or loop end.

anonymous0726 · #3 03-08-2004, 11:55 PM

Spirocore Solos at orchestra tuning or Obligatos.

olivier · #4 03-09-2004, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenglerABD

Because of an arthritic condition, I'm thinking of putting light tension strings on my upright. The primary use of the strings would be for arco, although I'll need to do some pizz for church. I'm thinking about either Pirastro Permanents or Corelli Tungsten 370-TX's. Does anyone have any other recommendations? Thank you.

Hi Deng (long time...). Permanent are not low tension, FWIW.

**Francois Blais** · #5 03-09-2004, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olivier

Hi Deng (long time...). Permanent are not low tension, FWIW.

True.
But solo Permanents tuned at orchestra pitch are!

Monte · #6 03-09-2004, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masmasbasso

I got the new Velvet 180s. They are low tension and sound great IMO. A little pricey and a pain to put on. You have to tie the strings at the tailpiece instead of having a ball or loop end.

Gotta agree with this. I'm playing Beethoven's 5th tonight, and these are the only low tension strings I've ever seen that can do a decent spicatto, ala 3rd Mvmt. stuff. As a bonus they can be played in solo or orchestral tuning.

It takes them a week or 2 to settle in if you are coming from higher tension strings. My Klotz copy was a little quieter when I first put them on, but then it adjusted and it rattles walls. At first I thought the pizz might be a little tubby for jazz, but after they settles I really like them for jazz.

If you buy them, make sure whoever sells them has the NEW 180's. If they have gold loop ends, send them back; they are the old formulation and completely different.
Lou Roten Music has the best price on them @ $240, as far as I know.

Monte

masmasbasso · #7 03-09-2004, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte

It takes them a week or 2 to settle in if you are coming from higher tension strings. My Klotz copy was a little quieter when I first put them on, but then it adjusted and it rattles walls. At first I thought the pizz might be a little tubby for jazz, but after they settles I really like them for jazz.
Monte

Yea, I really like the 180s. I'm not sure if they are over a $100 better than obligatos, but they sure feel nice and bow well. It does take them a while to settle in. I was doubting that I put them on right because the G and the D are so incredibly close in size. The G seemed like it had alot more tension that the other strings. Now they have all settled in and are a good matched tension. My hundred year old bass is much happier than when I had Hellicore Hybrids.

Monte · #8 03-09-2004, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masmasbasso

Yea, I really like the 180s. I'm not sure if they are over a $100 better than obligatos, but they sure feel nice and bow well.

I'll go out on a limb and say they are worth $100 more than the Obligatos if they last a year, which every other Vevlet string I've used did. The Obligatos really pissed me off by getting bad by about 4 months and being pretty much worthless at 6 months.

Monte

masmasbasso · #9 03-09-2004, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte

The Obligatos really pissed me off by getting bad by about 4 months and being pretty much worthless at 6 months.

Monte

That's true. I hope the 180s hold up well.

Aaron J · #10 03-09-2004, 03:16 PM

I'll have to throw in some support for the Corelli 370 TX. As mentioned earlier, give your bass about a week with these strings before you draw the conclusion if you are going from a much higher tension string. After trying a ton of different strings (velvet animas, spirocores, innovations, and helicores), I found what I was looking for in the TXs. They have a good fundamental and a nice top end. You won't get as much growl from them as you would from spirocores...the frequency emphasis is more in the low mids. I personaly think that they have the best hybrid sound that I have found, although the low strings will take about a week or so to mellow a bit.

u2mark · #11 04-07-2004, 02:48 AM

I just bought a 10-20 year old meisel ply with a good fundamental and thick tone. It presently has spirocore weich G D A and a red tape E. The strings are shot. I've always used spiro's but never got over the pain cuz I play much more electric... I was thinking trying corellis but I don't want to give up too much volume - I play jazz, blues and other roots music as well as drum&bass etc... what is the difference in volume between weich's and corelli 370's? What else should I be considering. Thanks

Aroneng · #12 05-09-2004, 03:51 PM

For those of you who have tried the 180's, would you consider the strings in general to be bright sounding or dark sounding?

masmasbasso · #13 05-09-2004, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aroneng

For those of you who have tried the 180's, would you consider the strings in general to be bright sounding or dark sounding?

They are a slightly darker than most, at least on my bass which is already a little dark. I've had them on for a couple of months and I do like them, but I am thinking about moving back to a metal core string.

I wish I had two really good basses instead of one good carved one and one Kay that I don't really like anymore. That way I could have a true gut set up and a Spirocore or Corelli set up. It is hard to find one string that can do both sounds.

John

**Adrian Cho** · #14 05-09-2004, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masmasbasso

I got the new Velvet 180s. They are low tension and sound great IMO. A little pricey and a pain to put on. You have to tie the strings at the tailpiece instead of having a ball or loop end.

My new 180s are arriving tomorrow. Is this true about having to tie them at the tailpiece instead of the loop ends they used to have? If so, is there a recommended knot to use? I'm not very good with knots and when it comes to securing a string a bass, I want to make sure it is 100% secure.

Monte · #15 05-09-2004, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aroneng

For those of you who have tried the 180's, would you consider the strings in general to be bright sounding or dark sounding?

Definitely a dark string. Very similar to Eudoxa gut in tone, although easier to bow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

My new 180s are arriving tomorrow. Is this true about having to tie them at the tailpiece instead of the loop ends they used to have? If so, is there a recommended knot to use? I'm not very good with knots and when it comes to securing a string a bass, I want to make sure it is 100% secure.

Tis true. I can't help you with the loop; I'm horrid with knots so my luthier did mine when he was making a new saddle for my bass. There are instructions and a pic of the knot on the lit that comes with the strings.

Monte

masmasbasso · #16 05-09-2004, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

My new 180s are arriving tomorrow. Is this true about having to tie them at the tailpiece instead of the loop ends they used to have? If so, is there a recommended knot to use? I'm not very good with knots and when it comes to securing a string a bass, I want to make sure it is 100% secure.

The hardest part about the knots is getting the length (slack) right at the tail piece so just the end ribbons are wound up in the tuning machine and none of the actual string. They can break if that happens. This will make more sense when you get the instructions. My luthier did it and he was getting really frustrated at some points. He was excited to about checking out a new string, but quickly lost his enthusiasm once we started to installing the 180s. I probably won't buy another set, but I am glad I tried them out.

Aroneng · #17 05-09-2004, 08:39 PM

Monte,

How would you compare the 180's vs the Obligatos? The Obligatos that came with the new R.S. Klotz just last week feel like they are starting to "roll" on the finger already. I like the sound, but believe they will need to be changed before the coming year.

Aron

masmasbasso · #18 05-09-2004, 09:52 PM

I feel they are pretty similar in most ways. I am even getting a similar flabby E string roll on my 180s. My biggest problem with the 180s is that the tuning still hasn't stabilized even after two months. My bass is pretty old, but it stays in tune for weeks with steel strings. The D string is always slipping, not drastically, but enough to cause me to tune every couple of songs. I love the sound of them and they do bow really well, but I am probably switching to Obligatos or something else that is less money and less hassle. I have too many mixed feelings about the new 180s.

**Adrian Cho** · #19 05-10-2004, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masmasbasso

I feel they are pretty similar in most ways. I am even getting a similar flabby E string roll on my 180s. My biggest problem with the 180s is that the tuning still hasn't stabilized even after two months. My bass is pretty old, but it stays in tune for weeks with steel strings. The D string is always slipping, not drastically, but enough to cause me to tune every couple of songs.

That does NOT sound good at all. If it's the case, then that's worse than gut. Monte hasn't described anything like this. If it is only just your D string then perhaps the knot is slipping?

Thanks for the heads up on the knots. I think I will tie them myself even though my bass is at the luthier's right now. He's never used the tailpiece cords before and wasn't at all thrilled about the prospect of tying the knot for that. The strings sound like they could be a pain for him. My assumption would be that if you tie it so that there is not much excess string after the knot that the length SHOULD end up correctly. If not then anything else would be guesswork...

Monte · #20 05-10-2004, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

That does NOT sound good at all. If it's the case, then that's worse than gut. Monte hasn't described anything like this. If it is only just your D string then perhaps the knot is slipping?

Thanks for the heads up on the knots. I think I will tie them myself even though my bass is at the luthier's right now. He's never used the tailpiece cords before and wasn't at all thrilled about the prospect of tying the knot for that. The strings sound like they could be a pain for him. My assumption would be that if you tie it so that there is not much excess string after the knot that the length SHOULD end up correctly. If not then anything else would be guesswork...

I wouldn't describe them at all like Obligato. I do wonder if the tuning is an issue of the knots. My tuning stabilized within a week.

Also should point out that John and I have very different set-ups. My teacher Don Munday played John's bass recently and said it felt completely different because John had very low string height. I consider mine more medium height. Too me, low action would be too floppy with these strings.

I've had the Velvet's on almost as long as I did the Obligatos, and I found signifigant degrading of the sound and feel of the Obligatos at 6 months. After 5 with the Velvet's, no such issue.

Monte