obligatos w/out the "roll"

[flint]

Howdy Folks

I have a question for the string experts out there. What string(s) would I be looking for if I liked the sound of an obligato, but didnt like the roll on the E?

Flint

[Francois Blais]

Other similar synthetic core strings:

Thomastik Dominants
Super-Sensitive Sensicores
Kolstein Heritages
Innovation 140Bs

[nicklloyd]

On some basses, Flatchromesteels (Pirastro) have an Obligato sound, but not the feel.

[FidgetStone]

I have had Obligatos, Velvet Compas 180s and now, the Pirastro Flat Chromesteels that Nick mentioned. Here is my take . . .

I really liked the Obligatos for both pizz and arco until they lost their liveliness and punch after about 8 or 9 months.

The more expensive Compass 180s were very similar in overall sound but a little more towards a gut sound with a little less growl on the A and E strings. Very nice stings indeed. I have very limited arco chops and my impression is the 180s bow just a bit easier than Obligatos. They still had plenty of life after 14 months but I just had the itch to try a string that might cut through the mix a little better in my church pop band.

The FCSs are an all metal string and sound similar to the Obligatos but just a little more towards the Spirocore "modern steel" sound. The A and E have about the same growl as the Obligatos. The D is remarkably similar to the Obligato overall, and the G is just a tad less organic sounding than the Obligato but a little more pure and fundamental. The FCS bow very well . . . as well as the 180s.

Good luck . . .

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by francois

Other similar synthetic core strings:

Thomastik Dominants
Super-Sensitive Sensicores
Kolstein Heritages
Innovation 140Bs

Is it fair to say, though that there are some construction/durability issues with each of these strings, with the possible exception of Heritage?

I know each string has it's defenders, but so do Obligatos. Stats are:

The windings on Obligatos E and A seperate and spin around the perlon core for at least most people. However, some people love them and swear by them. I don't know if this means that somehow theirs don't roll or if it just doesn't bother them.

Dominants report more breakages than steel strings, although some people swear they have never had a breakage. Stats say there's an issue.

I think that the same is true for Innovations.

I don't know about SuperSensestives or Heritages.

I posted once and asked: Are there any metal wound strings with a non-metal core that don't have durability issues, including Exudas and OLIVs? My interpretation of that answer was "no", but I had to weed through the Obligato fans saying it was no big deal and the Dominatrixes saying they didn't believe what they read about breakages.

Am I wrong?

I will say that I have read various reports on the Heritage strings, but have not specifically read about durability issues. I'm also excluding Velvet products from this generalization.

It is a question, not a statement. Checking my attitude and beliefs.

I loved Obligatos briefly, but have limited my string lusting to all steel strings based on my experiences and what I've read. I'd love to find out that I'm misinformed about something that there isn't a lot of info out on, like Innovations.

EDIT- By the way, I went from Obligatos to Permanents. You definitely wouldn't mistake one for the other, but they share certain some common Pirastroness and have no durability issues. I've never been ga ga over them, but have tried a bunch of other strings and keep putting them back on my bass, except for the G string, which doesn't work for me at all. For what that's worth.

[nicklloyd]

FCS on the new Paesold basses are killer. Dead guy sound, and longer life than Obligatos.

[Marcus Johnson]

dead guy sound...God, I love that.