New bass, I need new strings.

[Jonyak]

So after 10+ years of not playing an upright, I went and bought a menzel upright last night.

I bought it used and the guy had what he called "weed whacker" strings on it. I'm not going to lie... they are horrible.

so I need some advice on what to buy for a new set.

I intend to play mostly jazz on it, but will also be playing some bluegrass and even some bowing.

what would be a good set of metal strings for this bass?

[drurb]

Join the love-fest:

Evah Pirazzi weichs.

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by drurb

Join the love-fest:

Evah Pirazzi weichs.

I am looking at a mixed set, that has a spirocore E and A and a evah pirazzi d and G...

they are billed as a good all around set. would a full set of the evahs make a huge difference?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Jonyak

I am looking at a mixed set, that has a spirocore E and A and a evah pirazzi d and G...

they are billed as a good all around set. would a full set of the evahs make a huge difference?

I wouldn't find that mix satisfactory at all. For me, the character of the Spiro E and A would not match well the Evah D and G. The Evahs are a very balanced set. I recommend getting all four. Some here have used Evah E, A, D, and Oliv G. I have no personal experience with that mix but many seem to like it. I will say that the Evah G does not leave me wanting. Such is my opinion, YMMV

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by drurb

I wouldn't find that mix satisfactory at all. For me, the character of the Spiro E and A would not match well the Evah D and G. The Evahs are a very balanced set. I recommend getting all four. Some here have used Evah E, A, D, and Oliv G. I have no personal experience with that mix but many seem to like it. I will say that the Evah G does not leave me wanting. Such is my opinion, YMMV

Great thanks for the info.. I will look for a set of evahs then.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by drurb

Join the love-fest:

Evah Pirazzi weichs.

I wonder how long the fest will last... only because it seems to cycle here on TB. I remember when there was a fair amount of love for Obligatos.... that seems to have passed.

The Evah Weichs are another thing entirely, I think.

I try to play devil's advocate sometimes, after having played EPs for quite awhile.... "are they really that good?". Well, yeah, they're great, actually. They have replaced Spiros as my home base string. I would endorse them if Pirastro wanted me to.

[Doghouse_Oli]

I own a Menzel bass set with spirocore solo on E&A and plain gut on D&G. And it give me a nice balance tone between steel and plain gut....

For the D&G I really dont know. Super Sensitive make a great and cheap perlon core string called Supreme. But there is alot of choice in this kind of strings....

Good luck in your quest for the perfect string.....

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

I wonder how long the fest will last... only because it seems to cycle here on TB. I remember when there was a fair amount of love for Obligatos.... that seems to have passed.

The Evah Weichs are another thing entirely, I think.

I agree. The love-fests change, perhaps not because folks get tired, but because new offerings are better! Yup, I used to use Oblis-- then went to Doms (which I still love but for the breakage issues). Then the EPs came along, and then the EP weichs. Yeah, I think I'm gonna be here a while too!

That is, unless Lycons come back...

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by drurb

That is, unless Lycons come back...

Hah! I know... in a little over a week (after "The Gig"), I'll be removing my beloved EP Weichs, and installing my full freebie set of guts from Calivox and Kevin Hseih. It makes no sense; the bass has never sounded better. But it's something I have to try on this bass. It's a sickness....

Anyway, the EPs will be in the speed rack, ready to go back on if things don't work out in Gutville.

[MR PC]

Guts are built for comfort, not speed.

The EP Weichs have indeed recently arrived, but it still remains to be seen how they fare over time.

[clink]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

I wonder how long the fest will last... only because it seems to cycle here on TB. I remember when there was a fair amount of love for Obligatos.... that seems to have passed.

The Evah Weichs are another thing entirely, I think.

I try to play devil's advocate sometimes, after having played EPs for quite awhile.... "are they really that good?". Well, yeah, they're great, actually. They have replaced Spiros as my home base string. I would endorse them if Pirastro wanted me to.

Sure, been there and done that. EPs were on my bass for three weeks. They took a few days to hold their tune and then sounded really good for a few days. I left town for a week and upon return, immediately played a trio and then a duo gig. They sounded so dark and lifeless that I put the Spirocore mittels back on and knew instantly that they would stay on probably until they either broke or rusted. I had the Animas mixed with a gut G on the plywood and put mittels on that one Saturday and went right out and played a loud jump blues gig and an outdoor quartet gig Sunday, enjoying every minute the feel and sound of my bass. Spirocores do it for me on these basses.

They weren't a good match on the new carved bass with a 43" string length that I used for a year. That bass always felt tight and a little bright. It sung with Animas and probably would have liked EP weich as well.

I've tried Obligatos, EPs, Animas, Garbos, gut, Superflexibles, Helicore Orchestra and Hybrid, (edit:just remembered Corelli) Spiro Mittels and Weich. Across the different basses, Mittels consistently worked the best and never really sounded bad. There's a reason they have been a top string for forty some years.

I wouldn't recommend them for a new, bright bass. YMMV, YMWCB etc.

[MR PC]

Originally Posted by clink

Across the different basses, Mittels consistently worked the best and never really sounded bad. There's a reason they have been a top string for forty some years.

I wouldn't recommend them for a new, bright bass. YMMV, YMWCB etc.

Well said! I would add the the Spiro Weichs seem to work quite well on many ply basses.

As far as the brightness goes, finding a used set of Spiro Mittels or Spiro Weichs in the TB classifieds is an easier road than living through breaking in a new set.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by MR PC

Guts are built for comfort, not speed.

Just like me!

But... tell that to Scotty, PC, and Pettiford, just to name a few. That's fast enough for me.

Anyway... this ain't the thread for that. My usual recommendation to people looking for their first string is Spiros... because they last forever, and provide a benchmark sound and response for most players. Then, they can veer off that path down the many tangled string byroads. My string drawer is eloquent testament to that...

[clink]

Sadly, they don't last forever. I broke the E at the scroll end putting it on. In fairness, it came to me used and cut to within maybe 6 inches of the nut. The guy I got it from also got it used probably from a guy who got it used....... The Helicore Hybrid E is OK, but I could use another E.
I had it on and off maybe five times, so that ain't too bad. A friend has a set of Mittels he put on sometime in the 70's and they still look and feel new.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by clink

A friend has a set of Mittels he put on sometime in the 70's and they still look and feel new.

That's the bottom line right there. Spiros are the Checker Cab of the string world.

[Square Bear]

i haven't owned a set of EP's, but i've played on them quite a bit. a student of mine had them on his bass for several months. it was ok for him because of how they darken and he had a new chinese carved bass (may have been too bright with other strings, who knows). so i've played them enough to have an opinion at this point, and it's really not favorable. they took a while to break in (as others here have said as well) got pretty dead quickly to my ear... they sounded pretty good a couple weeks after he put them on and for maybe a month. i played on them while i was shopping for a bass a couple months ago and had the same reaction. they either seemed too new or too old. see, the thing about EP's is that i think they may be so balanced that they sacrifice the character of the bass... i want the growl and pop on the note-front and the mid-rangy nasally highs. that's how i really think a bass sounds.

i'm pretty much exclusively a classical player at this point, so my string preference won't be much help to you. for a good all-around string, oblis work great on some basses. for jazz playing, spiros get the job done, and after you've played them in they're pretty good arco as well. i use permanents and really really love them. they're the most consistent under the bow and are very responsive and colorful. honestly, in the very seldom event that i do play jazz on them i think they're great, but it took me a very long time to figure out how to make that work, and wouldn't recommend them for jazz unless you're doing a lot more orchestral playing and only have one set up.

sorry to throw a wrench in the works here if you were sold on the EP's, but keep in mind that my opinion maybe isn't so valid for what you want because we do totally different things. good luck and congrats on your new bass!

[MR PC]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

But... tell that to Scotty, PC, and Pettiford, just to name a few. That's fast enough for me.

Anyway... this ain't the thread for that.

No kidding! If ya wanna play fast, get a saxaphone......

[Jonyak]

I think I am going to go with the spiro's... they seem like the best all around...

I will maybe buy the evah's later to ry them out, but to begin with I Think I am going to go with the tried and true...

thanks for all the help... the DB world is a little overwhelming at first.

[clink]

You may want to go with the lighter set, Weich. They are a little easier to bow and due to the lower tension, easier to play. Ultimately, you just have to try them and see.
Get a used set if you can because they are pretty bright for the first few weeks.

[drurb]

Well, if you're going with Spiros and you want tried and true, I'd suggest starting with the mittels. Just my $0.02.