string choice for small acoustic group

[Ludwig]

I would like some help deciding what strings to put on my chinese plywood bass (107 cm open string length). I play in a small accoustic group, about 12 people playing mandolines, mandolas and guitars and one double bass (me). The usage is about half pizzicato and half bowing, about 4-6 hours playing time per week, only indoor. Just plain bass play up to D on the G string, nothing higher. I play cello, too, at home, but in the group just bass.

I had Pyramid Gold on the bass: very metallic, hard to bow, and Thomastic Präzision: metallic sounding, the open G is just horrible.

I have read a lot in the forum and narrowed my choices down to this selection:
1. Lenzner Supersolo: an inexpensive gut string, but I am very unsure about tuning stability and handling. I was planning on plain gut G and D, wound A and E strings. How long do gut strings last ?
2. Thomastik Dominant: should I pick solo or orchestra tuning? I didn't like what I heard about breakage. I like that string very much on a cello.
3. Pirastro Obligato: good on cello, but maybe a little to bright sounding for the bass role. In the old messages I didn't like the description of "rolling" and of not enough loudness (no problem in both departments with the cello Obligatos).
4. Presto Nylonwound: Description sounds good, didn't find much about how they play in the old messages. How about bowing them ?
5. Thomastik Spirocore: the standard. I played them on an other carved bass and had no problems (even bowing), but I would prefer somewhat less metalic sounding. Main disadvantage was the long play in time, but can be used about 5 years with my type of playing (very inexpensive).

The numbering shows my current state of decision, but I need more knowledge before buying.
The strings should last at least a year with my type of usage.
Please help me decide.

[Andy Allen]

Originally Posted by Ludwig

5. Thomastik Spirocore: the standard. I played them on an other carved bass and had no problems (even bowing), but I would prefer somewhat less metalic sounding. Main disadvantage was the long play in time, but can be used about 5 years with my type of playing (very inexpensive).

Definitely the Dominants - they have the good characteristics of Spiros, but with a fatter sound, much more volume and better bowing. You lose a little tone and volume with the solo set compared to the orchestra set, but not as much as you'd expect. If you can take the tension (just a fraction less than Spiro mediums in my experience) then the orchestra set's the way to go. They only take a week or two to play in, and you should get good life out of them - maybe not five years, but at least one I would hope.

Andy

[Bobby King]

You might consider the combination of Pirastro Oliv for the G&D and Pirastro Eudoxa on the E&A. These are flatwound metal strings with a gut core. They have the dark, warm tone of gut and perform well for arco too. Fairly expensive though. You could also use Obligato or Dominant for the E&A. I would avoid plain gut or nylonwound for arco.

Other steel strings to consider are Corelli 370 (I have them on a plywood and love them) or Pirastro Flatcromsteel.

Good luck!

[dfp]

if you could find a really old set of Spiros that were already broken in and beat, that'd fit your bill and maybe never have to worry about breakage (like with Dominants). plus my experience of the 2 strings is that Spiro is the louder of the 2, contrasting with airbass's experience it seems.

actually, now that i think about it, Thomastik Superflexible seems perfect for what you want... no breakage, bowable, loud pizz, not as bright as Spiros, cheaper than just about everything else, nice medium tension strings, worth looking into, good luck!

[Bobby King]

+1 on Superflex for a steel string, better arco and not as bright as Spiro

[Jake deVilliers]

+1 on the Superflex and on the FCS.

The FCS are a little lighter, a little darker-sounding and a lot less sustainy. They have a really nice 'front' to the note and seem to have more air in the tone than the Supers or the Spiros.

YMMV

[Ludwig]

After the first replies it seems, that I should avoid the gut strings and the nylonwounds because they are not good for bowing. The wound gut (olive or eudoxa) is just to expensive.
And I should replace the possible metal string choice (would like something not sounding metallic) with the superflexibles.
So may list is now:
1. Thomastic Dominant
2. Pirastro Obligato (not mentioned yet)
3. Thomastic Superflexible

Or are there other voices that tell me, that bowing is possible with good results on plain gut and nylon on the double bass, to keep the Lenzner Supersolo and the Presto Nylonwound (should be nearly identical to Eurosonics) in the race ? I have played plain gut Pirastro Chorda on my cello with the bow without any problems. But the pricing for double bass is outside my scope.

[Ludwig]

I just ordered a set of Pirastro Obligato. I hope, that was a good choice. The deciding factor between Dominant and Obligato was the reported breakage issue with the Dominants and the cheaper price of the Obligatos. Superflexibles or Jagar are even less expensive, but I prefer trying a non metalic core string.
I hope to remember reporting my experience with the strings in a few weeks.

[Ludwig]

The Obligatos sound very good, almost no break in time. The strings are very easy to bow and easy on the left hand. The only problem is loudness: it is very easy to play pianissimo, but hard work and difficult to play fortissimo.
I will stay with the strings because of their beautiful sound.

Or does anyone know of a string with as good a sound and as easily bowable, that has more volume for my next string change ?