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08-18-2006, 09:21 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | Lycons...Att. ThomastikMike
Michael, I have a question that maybe only you can answer. Do you know what happened to Lycon strings?
For youse guys that don't know, Lycons were THE best jazz string to come along, ever! This is IMHO!, and these strings were great, but only for those of us who like a whole buch of sustain. Red Mitchell turned me on to them in about 1959. Suddenly, they disappeared from the market.
Do you know what happened? The last time I saw, and played on them was around 1969. They had light blue silks on each end. And souded and felt similar to your Thomastik Orchestra line.
Thanks and i've been wanting to thank you for your time and expertise!
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
08-19-2006, 06:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Morganton, NC | | | Hi Paul, I saw your question... I know nothing about Lycons, are they Thomastik strings? I'm sort of curious to hear what others have to say, because I was wondering about the fact that Superflexibles have light blue silks, and wondering if they have some relationship to Lycons from years past. |
08-20-2006, 05:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jimclark68 Hi Paul, I saw your question... I know nothing about Lycons, are they Thomastik strings? I'm sort of curious to hear what others have to say, because I was wondering about the fact that Superflexibles have light blue silks, and wondering if they have some relationship to Lycons from years past. | Jim, as far as I know they didn't even have strings for the other members of the string family. Thay had nothing to do with Thomastik. I wish I had more inf. They came out with a Ray Brown endorsed package with his autographed picture...nicley package in plastic. If Ray were still around, i'd call him...his specials were a bit lighter than the regular ones.
I loved these strings. You can see them on that Red Mitchell/Harold Land Quintet record--Hear Ye, Hear Ye.
By the way Ray's specials had red silks and were packaged in red.
I guess you gotta be over 60 to remember these strings.
I know we got some old people here besides me....c'mon!
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
08-20-2006, 10:46 AM
| | I'm absent from Talkbass for an indefinite period | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Québec, Canada | | | Check this ad:
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08-20-2006, 04:19 PM
| | | | Lycons on ebay
A set came up on Ebay UK a while back - generated a LOT of interest! |
08-20-2006, 06:56 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2001 Location: Nashville TN | | | Oldster Alert!
I'm not over 60 but sneaking up on it around the corner. Lycons were the first upright string I ever bought - around '75 or so - for my little Juzek ply. A great string, still the sound I'd love to have. I'd be interested to see a revival - happened to Oak Rosin didn't it?
Ike |
08-20-2006, 08:16 PM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | | The Glorious Lycons
I loved the Lycons! They were wonderful for arco as well. In fact, back in the 70's, when I playing classical almost exclusively, they were my string of choice. I am attaching some pics of an original package I still have. As you can see, they were made in Denmark and were an all-steel string with a core of "several strands of special steel spun in definite angles." They were a true joy to play. The descriptions on the package are quite true! What I always found amazing about them was that when they were off the bass, they felt like limp pieces of rope. You could wrap them all around. They were not stiff at all. To the best of my knowledge, the company folded.
It sure would be nice to have them back again! Maybe you can never go home-- I wonder if I'd prefer them over my Dominants.
By the way, I guess I'm one of the younger Lycon lovers-- I'm only pushing 50. Click for full-size:  
Last edited by drurb : 08-20-2006 at 08:18 PM.
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08-20-2006, 08:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brooklyn | | | That Lycon image should be your new Talkbass avatar Paul!
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Take me to the bathroom now Jesus!!!!! | http://alexidavid.com |
08-21-2006, 04:27 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | THANKS
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Alexi David That Lycon image should be your new Talkbass avatar Paul! | I'll never give up my Bowed B****, Alexi. It would be fun to do just to see who the first jerk would be to steal her!
Thanks to all youse guys, 'specially DRUB and Francois for the attachments. Francois, I was of course, going to go to you first, being the string slut you are, but I thought went through all this before and didn't come up with much. Thanks Ike and jayd as well for your 2cents. Ike, I didn't know about the Oak Rosin though.
At least you cats will know that i'm not as bizzarre as I seem! The Ray Brown pack was a thing to behold....bright, shiny red plastic with clear plasic in front, so we could see Rays autographed image, complete with a snap button to close it all up!!! 
PS...and by the way, thanks to DRUB, we know that they were made in Denmark. I'm more than sure that NHOP used these when he was a young'un! I remember a Dexter Gordon side that Nils did where he had to have been playing Lycons....Ray, Red, and NHOP....quite a group i'd say! Damn, i'd love to have a set! Then we could say: Ray, Red, NHOP and PW..... doesn't quite work does it?
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz:
Last edited by Paul Warburton : 08-21-2006 at 04:36 AM.
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08-21-2006, 08:26 AM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | | Avatar
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Alexi David That Lycon image should be your new Talkbass avatar Paul! |
Fantastic idea! I think I will adopt the Lycon image as my avatar! |
08-30-2006, 12:04 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: East Northport, NY | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Jim, as far as I know they didn't even have strings for the other members of the string family. Thay had nothing to do with Thomastik. I wish I had more inf. They came out with a Ray Brown endorsed package with his autographed picture...nicley package in plastic. If Ray were still around, i'd call him...his specials were a bit lighter than the regular ones.
I loved these strings. You can see them on that Red Mitchell/Harold Land Quintet record--Hear Ye, Hear Ye.
By the way Ray's specials had red silks and were packaged in red.
I guess you gotta be over 60 to remember these strings.
I know we got some old people here besides me....c'mon! | No relationship as far as I know. Honestly, I've never heard of them. |
08-30-2006, 01:55 PM
| | | | Patent
If the formula is that old, maybe the patent is already public. |
08-30-2006, 02:30 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | |  Made in Denmark?
Quote: |
Originally Posted by DRURB I loved the Lycons! They were wonderful for arco as well. In fact, back in the 70's, when I playing classical almost exclusively, they were my string of choice. I am attaching some pics of an original package I still have. As you can see, they were made in Denmark and were an all-steel string with a core of "several strands of special steel spun in definite angles." They were a true joy to play. The descriptions on the package are quite true! What I always found amazing about them was that when they were off the bass, they felt like limp pieces of rope. You could wrap them all around. They were not stiff at all. To the best of my knowledge, the company folded.
It sure would be nice to have them back again! Maybe you can never go home-- I wonder if I'd prefer them over my Dominants.
By the way, I guess I'm one of the younger Lycon lovers-- I'm only pushing 50. Click for full-size: Attachment 40368Attachment 40369 |
Jargar are also made in Denmark? Any relation you think? Maybe the Jargar people might know.? |
08-31-2006, 12:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ann Arbor, MI, USA | | | Am I wrong in thinking that these were the first steel string. I am fairly confident that they were the first steel string that jazz players liked. might be wrong
EDIT: Nevermind about being the first steel string (the package reveals that)
Also If someone were real interested in finding out the real deal about these strings I bet that could look up and track down information concerning the patent #s listed on the packaging.
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Last edited by Ben Rolston : 08-31-2006 at 12:15 AM.
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08-31-2006, 04:31 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | The first steel strings I used were Super Sensitive...that may just be the line, not the actual brand. Lycons came out many years later.
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
09-01-2006, 02:26 PM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | | U.S Patent 2641949
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Dr Rod If the formula is that old, maybe the patent is already public. | ...and here you go:    |
09-01-2006, 02:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | DRUB...you're something else!!!
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
09-01-2006, 07:42 PM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton DRUB...you're something else!!! | Thanks! Like you, I LOVED those strings! |
09-18-2006, 04:38 AM
| | | | old lycons
Having just started checking out TB lately, Paul's note re Lycons got me interested in trying them. Back in the 80s the great English bass player Danny Thompson borrowed a bass from me on his Australian tour and he gave me a couple of NOS Lycons to try. I can't remember trying them maybe because there was only a D and A string but after this reminder about Lycons I found them in a box last week and I put them on an old bass which has always worked best with gut strings. Wow they feel looser and more flexible than any metal string and lovely arco sound too. By pure chance next day i saw a box of old strings on ebay here in Australia and bought them as i saw a Lycon packet on the pics. I recieved them and what luck amongst the dross was a Lycon E and G! Quite used but I put them on and bingo they sound great. best arco and pizz hybrid of all. Why can't someone discover their secret and reissue them? Also received the same day a set of Belcantos to try. Put them on my other bass and they are very nice but not as free and open as the Lycons - more like Flexocors with more life for pizz, but thats another thread i guess..... |
09-18-2006, 04:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by labravajazz Having just started checking out TB lately, Paul's note re Lycons got me interested in trying them. Back in the 80s the great English bass player Danny Thompson borrowed a bass from me on his Australian tour and he gave me a couple of NOS Lycons to try. I can't remember trying them maybe because there was only a D and A string but after this reminder about Lycons I found them in a box last week and I put them on an old bass which has always worked best with gut strings. Wow they feel looser and more flexible than any metal string and lovely arco sound too. By pure chance next day i saw a box of old strings on ebay here in Australia and bought them as i saw a Lycon packet on the pics. I recieved them and what luck amongst the dross was a Lycon E and G! Quite used but I put them on and bingo they sound great. best arco and pizz hybrid of all. Why can't someone discover their secret and reissue them? Also received the same day a set of Belcantos to try. Put them on my other bass and they are very nice but not as free and open as the Lycons - more like Flexocors with more life for pizz, but thats another thread i guess..... | Welcome to the Lycon Fan Club! I swear i'd pay anhthing for a set of those Mothers!
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