Need to change one of my uprights to steel

[lucas vigor]

I have been using weedwackers for a while now, and intend to keep them on one of my basses. Thing is, I got kind of spoiled by how soft and easy to play they are, so I put them on my Gig bass, AND my practice bass, because I loved them so much. Recently, I am considering a jazz gig so I need to go back to steels on at least one bass.

I have read a lot of these threads, but am kind of confused (again!) about what will really work for me.

What I am looking for is a steel string that plays light and easy, one you don't have to muscle too much. Should I be going down the solo guage tuned to regular route? Or light guage regular strings? Any suggestions?

Right now, I am blown away by the ease of play with my weedwhackers. Although they are huge, they are very soft. It requires almost no callous buildup to play these things all night.

Both my basses are always amplified, so I am willing to forgo volume for ease of play. I would like to mention that I only play finger style, and will not be doing any slapping on this steel-strung bass, therefore, a gut-like thickness and flexibility won't be needed (Like Eurosonic lights).Any good suggestions?

[TroyK]

I don't have any experience with weedwhackers, but you sound like someone who should consider one of the strings in the Velvet line. You can read about the differences. They are a bit expensive and players used to ropecore strings sometimes find them a little akward at first because they're pretty loose and supple. Most people like the way they sound to some degree.

Solos tuned down is a good way to go if you like lower tension and darker sound. I'd like to see gauge info on various brands of solo strings. I don't know which ones to recommend, I've only used Spirocores and I played someone elses Helicore solos once. Liked both. There are many choices.

Definitley stay away from anything "Stark" or heavy. You could go with lighter gauge strings. Lot's of Corelli fans here, read all about it.

Hope something in there helps.

Troy

[lucas vigor]

Well, the weedwhackers are basically like the high strings of a nylon acoustic guitar, only bigger. They have a real plastic feel, but very soft. Very low tension. Basically, they are very good for slapping. Very gut-like but with a smooth surface.

As far as the Velvets, and other strings like them, are they not metal wrapped gut or gut like sythetic material?

What I am looking for are real low tension, thin, metal strings, similar to electric bass flatwounds like thomastik-infelt jazz flats. In other words, easy to play without hard tension.

Someone had turned me on to Euronsonics, so I bought a set. They are wide, clear material wrapped metal. Very bright, but with low sustain. They are not suitable for modern jazz, however. I do use the low E with my weedwhackers, though, because they provide more volume and clarity. I am looking for the bright, traditional sound (where vibrato is easier to do) so something with a large diameter won't do.

I might check out the corellis at this point, but would like more info first.

[TroyK]

Yeah, the Velvets, Obligatos, Dominants, Heritage, etc. are all a mixture of metal and something else; Perlon, silk, gut, something.

If you're looking for thin, electric bass like strings.

Spirocore Weichs or Solos tuned to standard pitch. I like the solos better, but I wasn't going for an electric bass sound. People who don't like weichs usually feel that way because they are too fretless electric bass sounding. If that's what you're going for...

I haven't tried the Corellis, but someone will jump on here and start talking about them. Lots of fans and they're pretty cheap. The people who don't like them, say that they are too thin and wimpy. Sounds like it won't be a problem for you.

If "thin" is O.K., any solo gauge string tuned down could be a good option, but you'll have trouble finding a lot of info on all your choices tuned to orchestra pitch. They will likely almost all be thumpier, warmer, darker sounding than a thin pizzicato string designed to be tuned to orchestra pitch. Solo strings at orchestra pitch tend to be a little too loose on the bottom, so you may end up tweeking your setup.

It sounds like you're going for bright, thin, cut through the mix, pizz only. weiches or maybe corellis.

That's the best I can do.

[lucas vigor]

Thanks, that is a lot of good info you just gave me. While you were responding, I was reading more, and I came to more or less the same conclusions. Narrowing it down to three choices: Corelli mediums (thier lightest guage?) Thomastik weich, or Thomastik solo guage tuned down.

I watched the guy in disneyland (new Orleans square jazz trio) playing the other day, and he had very thin, loose, light, steel strings. I should have asked him what they are. Darn.

I probably want the world, but can't get it. I want the opposite sound from the big, thumpy old-school sound I get with the weedwackers (almost identical to all guts) but I want that same ease of play. "All hail Bob" seems to like the corellis, saying he has some hand problems that makes him want an easy to play string.

[TroyK]

I haven't played Corellis yet, but they sound like what you're looking for to me.

With Spirocores, for what you're describing, I suggest weichs over solos. I have used both of them. The solos sound more (resist the urge to say gut-like)...how about... "wholesome" to me. Rounder, warmer, less agressive, bowable.

Weichs would make you happy. Corellis might make you less or more happy. There's no way to tell without trying both.

Hey, I have a weich E and A for sale in the classifieds if that tips your hand. Sorry I don't have a full set, but it could save you a little money. Then again, the Corellis are a bit cheaper per set.

You're not going to go wrong with the choices you've narrowed down to.

Bop on!

Troy

[Randy Ward]

how about Corelli's solo mediums I think it is 360m.
The G is like the C on a six string electric bass! They would worked tuned to concert for jazz and they are even lighter than the spiro solos. the volume would be like the weed wackers but with some growl and sustain

[Aaron Saunders]

I love my Flatchromesteel strings and find them very pliable. Much nicer to play than the Spiro Mittels I was using.

[JimmyM]

If using solo tuning strings don't get it for you, you could always buy a high C and bump them over. Some of the rockabilly guys do this. Bowing goes completely out the window, and you do sacrifice a little tone, but not as much as you would think. I've tried bumping over and don't like it, but it does work.

[lucas vigor]

It's a shame I can't just stick completely with the strings I now use. We had a gig at Malibu this weekend, outdoors, and I did what I don't normally do, which is to have our steel guitar player play my bass while I stood about 50 feet away. Damn! That thing was punchy and clear sounding as all hell! I have been using the fretboard sensor lately (didn't use to use it too much) and you could hear the clicks very well. (I slap only on our instrumental up-tempo songs). It sounded great! Three weedwackers and one eurosonic E. I think I will keep that bass like that for ever, as weedwackers last pretty much forever. Don't know how long the Euro will last, though. Seems like it might also be years, because it is so thick.

As far as bumping over, Jimmy, I think that might be too low tension. Probably even downtuning a solo set might be too much, though I would like to try it, of course. Since changing sets takes so much time for me, I think I am narrowing my choice to the corellis or the Wiechs. Once I do it, I will post the results. Like I said, I won't be slapping on this thing, and I won't be bowing either. Just bop fingerstyle. Therefore, the tension does not have to be too outrageously low.

I have heard of people even bumping the weedwackers over. I can't imagine what that would feel like!

[Clay_Bass]

edit: you wanted straight steel. Unfortunatley I dont have much experience with that as Im a hybrid guy.