String question - Corelli or Helicore Hybrid?

[Meddle771]

i bought my upright in October 09. When i bought it, it had really light gauge Corelli 370 tungsten strings on it as that's what the luthier who was very familiar with my bass recommended, he said they just work well with this model. The tone i got with them (arco and pizz) was more than satisfactory, i actually never realized how much i liked them until i got new strings (labella RC610 i think is the model) and started playing other people's basses with different strings on them.

The labella's E and A i have on now sound really good to my ears for arco, but the D and G could sound better (i liked the corelli's tone better). They have the ability to sound really good for pizz, but i have to dig in a lot harder (compared to spiros ive played on someone elses bass and my old Corelli's) before the note "blooms" and sustains well. i got them for 40$ unopened, and despite what other people say about them i like them and their definitely worth 40$. These strings are HUGE compared to the Corelli's, the labella's A is bigger than the Corelli's E haha. if i end up buying the Corellis again im definitely going to get a heavier gauge as i now have the strength to use them.

My problem: i've been looking around for a good hybrid string but can't decide on whether i should try out a new brand or go back to what i know will sound good, the Corelli's. i would really like to get the Evah Pirazzi's (i played them on my teachers bass) but i can't really justify the price, so im stuck between going for the D'addario helicore hybrids which ive heard a lot of good things about or back to the Corelli's, except a heavier gauge this time.

ill be playing in two symphonies this school year, a jazz combo with friends, an acoustic indie trio, and hopefully a jazz big band and another jazz combo sponsored by a local music center and jazz club (Auditions are coming up). i practice 2-3 hours arco, and 1-1.5 hours pizz each day. Oh yeah, my bass is a Sam Eastman plywood.

Edit: Just read the sticky "before asking what string" haha.

The tension isn't that important to me. The labella's murdered my hand for the first couple of weeks, but after that any discomfort has gone away. im definitely looking for a medium-heavy gauge string though. i havent played enough different brands to know what i want my string to sound like, but i LOVE the way medium spirocores sound for pizz.

i really like Christian McBrides tone, if that helps at all. i know he plays the hybrids (i think), but im fully aware of the whole "your not going to sound like (insert famous player) if you use (insert brand) string/amp/pedal etc etc." Also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVFh2...layer_embedded really catches my ear for a pizz tone.

[quenoil]

Obviously string choice is a really personal thing determined by a number of things. I personally do not think the Helicore hybrids are a good arco string, at all. I would go for the Corellis if I were you since it sounds like you'll be playing a lot of arco - maybe try the forte gauge this time instead of the mediums that I assume came on your bass...

[Francois Blais]

The thickest Corelli gauge is the TX.
However, they're not that much heavy.
They have less tension than Mittel Spirocores.

You may want to try Superflexibles (almost made by Thomatik-Infeld).
Good pizz tone, and supposed to bow better than Spiros.
They're also a bit less expensive.

[Meddle771]

i think i might just save up for another couple of weeks and get the Evah's. The corelli's low tension makes pizz super easy, but it kind of makes the bow slower to start. i noticed that when i was a true beginner, and now going back to that i think it would bother me even more considering that im a little more advanced now.

Yeah ive heard that from a few different people, that the helicores aren't very good for arco, so those are probably a no.

So it's between the Evah's and Corelli's. My teachers super old nice ass italian bass has Evah's on it, ill play it tomorrow again and see what happens.

[drurb]

I'm assuming that you're talking about the Evah weichs. Check out the Evah megathreads here. Also, keep in mind that a string that sounds great on one bass can sound like **** on another. Evah weichs do tend to "wake up" some ply basses that need a bit of help. That may apply to yours, given your other post in the Basses section.

[Eric Hochberg]

Evah Weichs sound very nice, arco and pizz, on my students Shen ply.

[Meddle771]

i checked through the megathread, and learned a lot about them.

My teacher said to go with the standard size, not the weich's. i like a beefier string tone/feel and have found they work a lottttt better with my pickup (realist) and rig, then a smaller string. i practice almost always acoustically, but all rehearsals and gigs are amplified.

Why do you recommend weich?

[Eric Hochberg]

Originally Posted by Meddle771

Why do you recommend weich?

Evah Weichs are great strings. So are the Regulars. I worked harder than I want to
with the regulars and got tired of it.

Try both if you can and then use what works for you.