Low tension bowable string and "opening up" the sound of a new bass

[crocau]

Hi everyone, this forum is great !

I have tried Corelli (too thin), Spirocore red (too much tension), and recently Eurosonics lights. I REALLY enjoyed the low tension of the Eurosonics, but forget about bowing them. But still, for pizz, they are great, except maybe a little too much clicks sounds for what I play (gotta change my technique).

Anyway, I need to bow a lot, for my personnal interest, and also to "open up" the sound of my new laminated bass, as a bass teacher advised me to do. By the way, can anyone confirm if that is true ? My bass is the UptonBass laminated.

I wish to find a string that would be bowable, and about the same tension as the Eurosonics light (maybe a little more). I play big band swing arrangements, the Real Book in a jazz trio, and Vance's Progressive repertoire stuff.

If the answer is Obligato, the standard ones or the solo tuned down ??

[Humberto]

I just switched to obligato orch. on a new bass and I love them. Makes me want to play all night. They're soft, flexible, and easy on the hands and pocketbook.

How do you like the Upton?

[Marcus Johnson]

+1

[crocau]

Thank for your reply. I feel like playing all night too with the Eurosonics lights, but only in pizzicato. And even if I raised my bridge ! But I feel like bowing ... Maybe I've listened too much Rabbath !

For your question regarding the Upton bass laminated, it is an excellent instrument. I realize its quality whenever I play another bass ! The sound is huge, just as the bass itself... which is a little bigger than a standard 3/4. However, the string scale is the same. The sound is very bassy, so I had trouble finding an appropriate pickup. The Realist was not good with it, but a wing slot pickup gives me great results. I am using it on the G string side. Enough said, I am not getting paid to praise Uptonbass ! Let's focus on strings.

Regarding my dark sounding bass, would the Obligato help the treble frequencies come out of my instrument ? I'm feeling the Eurosonics are doing that a little.

[AMJBASS]

The Obligatos are a fairly dark sounding string IMO. They mellow fairly quickly. Wonderful all around string. You may want to try getting a set of Thomastik Spirocore Weich. Since you are playing mainly Jazz/Swing they will probably suit you well. I don't have any problem bowing Weichs once they are played in. Another really good string to check out would be the Thomastik Superflexible. They are meant for a mix of arco and pizz playing. The tension is close to Weichs. They may suit your playing style nicely as well.

[abaguer]

Spirocore E and A and Obligato D and G have been working wonderfully for me so far. I know many players have said the Oblis die after six months or so, but I've been so happy with the sound, that I may just deal with it. We'll see, right now I'm enjoying the hell out of them.

[crocau]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'm going to buy a full set of Spiro weich with Obligato'S G and D. This way, i'll try both, and I will just have to change the g and d to the Weich one the Obligatos are dead. And since the spiro last so long, they will be fine.

So many people are praising the Obligatos, it kind of hard to not to be tempted to try them !

But if it wasn't for bowing, i'd stick with the Eurosonics ! Every pizz only bas player should seriously try them. I have lost very little colume by switching from the orchestra spiro to the Eurosonics lights.