Played in, played out...

[twodinners]

Hi,

First off, apologies if this is a well worn subject (as are my strings).

I've been playing upright for three years, a 1920's German swell back strung with Spirocores.

As my technique and (I hope) the sound of the bass has developed the strings are still those that were new at the time of purchase.

Thing is I've put at least 3000 hours on these strings and I feel they've lost 'something'.

Now this is fine for gigs, as I'm still struggling to find an amplified sound, but I've got my first recording session coming up.

Should I change them?

I have a feeling that this is going to solicit all sorts of replies and I suspect that the answer is am I happy with the sound.

Well yes and no.

Is it practicable to have a set for 'studio' and a set for gigging?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Aaron Cohn]

If you're going to replace them with new Spirocores, I'd say don't unless you can do it a good few weeks before the recording session. You might try giving the strings a good cleaning before the session then deciding what to do after.

[twodinners]

Originally Posted by Aaron Cohn

If you're going to replace them with new Spirocores, I'd say don't unless you can do it a good few weeks before the recording session. You might try giving the strings a good cleaning before the session then deciding what to do after.

Aaron,

Well, I cleaned 'em and went in and did this little lot...

So if anyone is interested this is what three year old and well played spirocores sound like, recorded with a pair of condenser mikes.

And with the back coming away too...

www.myspace.com/charlesdunford
www.myspace.com/jmchatterton

Cheers,

Kevin

[TroyK]

What gauge are they? What color at the peghead?

-tk

[twodinners]

Originally Posted by TroyK

What gauge are they? What color at the peghead?

-tk

Hi, these are reds.

[Aaron Cohn]

Nice sound. Nice playing too.

I confess I was a tiny bit worried before I clicked on the link--I hoped I hadn't given you the wrong advice.

Anyway, I recorded with two or three week-old Spirocores a few months ago. The results weren't bad, but I found that recording made what was left of the new-string brightness a bit more apparent than in a live situation.

[twodinners]

Originally Posted by Aaron Cohn

Nice sound. Nice playing too.

I confess I was a tiny bit worried before I clicked on the link--I hoped I hadn't given you the wrong advice.

Aaron,

Very touching that you were concerned, I decided to go with the old strings based on this reasoning.

a) They're not going to change my note choice/time/feel
b) I know how they play/sound
c) Saves me $200
d) Brilliant excuse for it sounding less than expected

All in all I was quite chuffed, and to be honest wouldn't have mentioned/posted if I thought it was horrible.

Got to say that knowing it was just a voice/piano/bass combination thing and it would be pretty exposed I was apprehensive, but when they said 'Ok, let's start with 'Don't Blame Me'' (on the www.myspace.com/jmchatterton site) and I had an unaccompanied intro and two verses to do with just the voice, well...

Thanks for the nice comment.

Regards,

Kevin

[Marcus Johnson]

Hey Two... I personally would rather play on "dead" Spiros than new ones, or a lot of other strings for that matter. The set I have on now is at least two years old, and has been on and off the bass 5-6 times, and they still are terrific. They don't make the gates of heaven open up for me like Olivs or whatever, but they're paid for, and they still sound fat and accurate in the pitch department.

New Spiros, that's tough... I wouldn't go there if I knew I had a recording session inside of at least a month of steady gigging.

[twodinners]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Hey Two... I personally would rather play on "dead" Spiros than new ones, or a lot of other strings for that matter. The set I have on now is at least two years old, and has been on and off the bass 5-6 times, and they still are terrific. They don't make the gates of heaven open up for me like Olivs or whatever, but they're paid for, and they still sound fat and accurate in the pitch department.

New Spiros, that's tough... I wouldn't go there if I knew I had a recording session inside of at least a month of steady gigging.

Marcus,

Fine words, as I said above I went with the suckers I know and was very pleased I did.

It's very fair comment to mention that if a set of strings are allowing you to still speak with your voice then they are the guys. It's very easy as I know from my electric playing, to fall in love with a new string sound, to love the note, and ignore the notes and all the other major stuff.

Well played in strings mean it's only you that are responsible for the tone. Or something like that.

Actually, how do you establish that strings on the upright have lost their intonation?

It's generally my fingers that cover that job.

Cheers,

Kevin

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by twodinners

Well played in strings mean it's only you that are responsible for the tone. Or something like that.

Actually, how do you establish that strings on the upright have lost their intonation?

It's generally my fingers that cover that job.

No matter where you put your fingers, no matter how you tune, everything seems out of whack all the time.

Thats the sign of a toasted set of strings to me.

[Michael Case]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

No matter where you put your fingers, no matter how you tune, everything seems out of whack all the time.

Thats the sign of a toasted set of strings to me.

You just described my playing with the newest of strings.