Pirastro Obligato VS. Flexocor

[shadowhywind]

Just a quick question, During a lession, my teacher and i started talking about strings, she recommended that next time i change my strings i should try the Flexocor (original or normal). She said that the Flexocor are a softer feeling string, compared to the Obligato which are harder. Any one ever notice this before? or any ideas?

[CPike]

Kinda depends on what you teacher means exactly by "hard" and "soft". If it's a matter of texture on the surface of the string - how they feel as you run your hand along them shifting, then I agree the Flexos are "softer" and smoother. The Obligatos (I always was tempted to call them plural Obligati, ha ha) felt rougher to my skin because the winding started to separate slightly when under full tension.

Now, if by "soft" you mean tension, then I would disagree - the Obligati are lower tension than Flexo. The Flexo has a steel core and Obligato has a synthetic gut core - so the Flexo also felt "harder" under my fingers than the synthetic Obligati.

I'm a longtime Original Flexo user, and I tried Obligati for one season a couple of years ago - so I can speak from experience.

Chris

[TomB]

Originally Posted by CPike

Now, if by "soft" you mean tension, then I would disagree - the Obligati are lower tension than Flexo. The Flexo has a steel core and Obligato has a synthetic gut core - so the Flexo also felt "harder" under my fingers than the synthetic Obligati.

+1

Obligatos have more "give" to them.

[JoeyNaeger]

If you're looking for a soft feeling string that bows well, then I would recommend the belcantos. They're very easy on the hand, and definitely one of the best arco strings available.

[Reuben]

My stand partner is using the Belcantos and he sounds totally killing. I played a little on them and they feel really nice too. I'm pretty jaded on the whole string thing, but I must say they seem like a really nice choice if you're primarily doing arco work. The pizz is good enough for a lot of jazzy stuff too, but don't expec them to sproing like spirocores.

[shadowhywind]

I should probably start a new topic for this question. But if i wanted to test out strings, Would say buying one string and testing it be better then going and buy the set?

[CPike]

Testing with one string would give you somewhat of an idea, perhaps it might be better to find someone with a used full set to try...

[TomB]

Originally Posted by shadowhywind

I should probably start a new topic for this question. But if i wanted to test out strings, Would say buying one string and testing it be better then going and buy the set?

As long as you realize that different strings from various sets have varying qualities to most peoples' ears, of course. But look through some of the string threads here and see how many people mix-n-match different strings to get what they like. It appears to be an endless quest. Tom

[rdwhit]

Originally Posted by shadowhywind

Just a quick question, During a lession, my teacher and i started talking about strings, she recommended that next time i change my strings i should try the Flexocor (original or normal). She said that the Flexocor are a softer feeling string, compared to the Obligato which are harder. Any one ever notice this before? or any ideas?

All of that aside, flexies are a better arco string. Obligatos are smooth under the bow but don't push back enough for proper orch articulations . If Your teacher sugjests flexies I assume You want them more for orch than jazz. ?

[shadowhywind]

Yah this would be mostly for orchestra and for solo work. There would be no jazz at all on these strings, since i don't do jazz. If that helps any.

[rdwhit]

Originally Posted by shadowhywind

Yah this would be mostly for orchestra and for solo work. There would be no jazz at all on these strings, since i don't do jazz. If that helps any.

That helps. Most people like Obligatos as a crossover jazz/orch string. I don't know anyone using them strictly for arco. Flexies are good standard orch strings, You won't go wrong there. I havn't tried the belcantos (sp?), but check out the megethread on them at the 1st of this section. Also , I'd avoid light gage flexies. I know 1 orch pro who likes them, but I can't get much responce from them.

[Francois Blais]

Someone using Flexocor ('92) G & D with Oblis A & E?

Just curious about this mix.

[Barcza]

I used Flexocor when I studied, played more classical music ( for that I think the best is the Flat Original). Now I use ( 99% jazz) the Obligatos. They are tottaly different strings. The Flex is more "standard" steel strings like Thomastik Spirocore or D'addario strings. It's good quality but do the best with bow, the Spirocore has more sustain and better E string for piccicato. The Obligato is a Synthetic Core string is more dense under your fingers, it has warm sound, a little closer to some gut like of sound. For bow a bit more difficult to play, since its slower bow response, but for picc has very nice warm tone with characteristic overtones. I like the bowed sound too, if you have new bass it make a bit more "old" like sound with a little "baroque" like color, but you need better bowing technik for that strings.

[shwashwa]

i had belcantos on for a while and liked them, but i dont think they're really a good "solo" string. they strike me more for orchestral / bass section stuff that occurs mostly in the middle to lower registers. they can pass for solo stuff if you want to do both, but for me, i dont play in a section, my only arco work is solo type stuff, so i needed a different string. i'm still looking, but for now i'm back to corelli.

[Barcza]

For classical solo playing I think the best are Pirastro Flat Original strings.