nice 'hybrid' string, or combination of strings

[guillermo]

Hi:

I have a new Strunal 50/4F, a 3/4 ply with Ebony fingerboard and tailpiece. Shortly after I bought it, I took it to a luthier for adjustments (he changed the bridge, worked the nut slots a bit, re-positioned the post). I also asked him to put on a 1 year old Tomastik SuperFlexibles I had.
The bass sounds way better now, but.....

The E and A are a bit weak, or may I say their attack is somehow slow and I do not get the growl I expect when I pizz them. Yes, I have had Spiros on my previous bass, but at that point I did not like the G, it sounded nasty when bowing.

There's a thread, here in TB/DB/Strings, about having a mix of SuperFlexibles's G,D,[A] and Spiros [A],E...

Do you think that this combination would work for me ?
Is there anything else, a full set or a mixed one you can
think of ?

HINTS:
- I play pizz -> jazz standards mostly + some bossa-nova
- I learn music/Double Bass by playing arco (a German one)
-> JS Bach mostly, some WA Mozart and LV Bethoven
simple bass parts. I.E. I also need a pleasant bowed sound.
- I like Ray Brown's sound a lot, specially on the records he
did with Oscar Peterson but I do not have a 20K $ bass.
- I'm not a professional

Thanks a lot
Guillermo

[hdiddy]

Ray Brown used Thomastik Spirocore Weichs in his later years. Apparently a good hybrid string. I haven't used weichs but alot of people like them and for hybrid purposes too.

I'm using a Spirocore Stark E and the other strings are all Pirastro Flatchrome and I love it! Good hybrid strings... nice and mellow on my Christopher Hybrid. I get a nice fat growly sound from the Stark E. Kinda reminiscent of RB too.

[bribass]

Guillermo,

yeah, I'm the one who started the thread about SF on top w/ Spiro Mittels on the bottom. Right now that combo is really working for me. I have the power and growl of the Spiro E and A and the more bowable, less twangy, and pleasant buttery feel and pure open tones of the SF D and G. i'm thinking of trying a Spiro Stark E w/this combo for extra big bottom w/o foppiness, but the Mittel is working pretty well. This is on my dark sounding Prescott bass mind you.
For years on my c.1920's German bass I've used my special blend:

Spiro Mittel E, Spiro Weich A and D, and a Pirastro Flexocore G. I've always liked this combo on that bass. The Flex is less whiny than a Spiro G and the Mittel E always seemed a better, a more well balanced match w/ the Weich A and D.

If interested see my classified For Sale ads.

BTW- I play mostly piz, but also do a good amount of arco work as well.

BG

Originally Posted by guillermo

Hi:

I have a new Strunal 50/4F, a 3/4 ply with Ebony fingerboard and tailpiece. Shortly after I bought it, I took it to a luthier for adjustments (he changed the bridge, worked the nut slots a bit, re-positioned the post). I also asked him to put on a 1 year old Tomastik SuperFlexibles I had.
The bass sounds way better now, but.....

The E and A are a bit weak, or may I say their attack is somehow slow and I do not get the growl I expect when I pizz them. Yes, I have had Spiros on my previous bass, but at that point I did not like the G, it sounded nasty when bowing.

There's a thread, here in TB/DB/Strings, about having a mix of SuperFlexibles's G,D,[A] and Spiros [A],E...

Do you think that this combination would work for me ?
Is there anything else, a full set or a mixed one you can
think of ?

HINTS:
- I play pizz -> jazz standards mostly + some bossa-nova
- I learn music/Double Bass by playing arco (a German one)
-> JS Bach mostly, some WA Mozart and LV Bethoven
simple bass parts. I.E. I also need a pleasant bowed sound.
- I like Ray Brown's sound a lot, specially on the records he
did with Oscar Peterson but I do not have a 20K $ bass.
- I'm not a professional

Thanks a lot
Guillermo

[glivanos]

I too have a Strunal 50/4 and had the same modifications done to it that you did.

I'm currently using Pirastro FlatChromeSteels on it which are similar to Spirocore Weichs and I'm very happy with the sound.

Great pizz sound and ok bow sound.

I get decent growl on the lower strings too.

Regards,
George

Originally Posted by guillermo

Hi:

I have a new Strunal 50/4F, a 3/4 ply with Ebony fingerboard and tailpiece. Shortly after I bought it, I took it to a luthier for adjustments (he changed the bridge, worked the nut slots a bit, re-positioned the post). I also asked him to put on a 1 year old Tomastik SuperFlexibles I had.
The bass sounds way better now, but.....

The E and A are a bit weak, or may I say their attack is somehow slow and I do not get the growl I expect when I pizz them. Yes, I have had Spiros on my previous bass, but at that point I did not like the G, it sounded nasty when bowing.

There's a thread, here in TB/DB/Strings, about having a mix of SuperFlexibles's G,D,[A] and Spiros [A],E...

Do you think that this combination would work for me ?
Is there anything else, a full set or a mixed one you can
think of ?

HINTS:
- I play pizz -> jazz standards mostly + some bossa-nova
- I learn music/Double Bass by playing arco (a German one)
-> JS Bach mostly, some WA Mozart and LV Bethoven
simple bass parts. I.E. I also need a pleasant bowed sound.
- I like Ray Brown's sound a lot, specially on the records he
did with Oscar Peterson but I do not have a 20K $ bass.
- I'm not a professional

Thanks a lot
Guillermo