stringadvice to a newbe

trocadero · #1 08-17-2005, 12:17 PM

I got hold of a bass that basicly had been laying around in a basement for 20 years. I took it to a luthier who fixed a couple of things up.

If anyone is interested, its this bass:
identify a bass

My bass now has Thomastic Precision on G, D and A and Thomastic Dominant for an E-string.
I've had them on for about a month and the G, D and A sounds very metallic still after being played for a while now. The stringchoice was made by my luthier who I think put the cheapest strings he had on my bass as he said the once on there before where completly "dead" soundwise.
The E by the way is not metalic it just goes "thump" when I pluck it and has basicly no 41 Hz tone at all as I can hear it but that maybe because of my bass, I dont know.

But my main concern is the other strings that just sound so awful metalic banjo-like. Should I keep playing it to hope they settle down or should I change them? If I should change, I'm in the market for a good affordable jazz-pizz-string.
Recomendations?

**Francois Blais** · #2 08-17-2005, 01:20 PM

Thomastik Precision are full-core steel strings.
A very old technology, and they indeed sound very bright and are stiff to play.
Maybe your E string works correctly, but beside the other very bright strings, you may not hear it correctly. (just a guess)
Maybe you could change the Precisions with Thomastik Superflexibles.
They're quite affordable and darker sounding.
They will take a few weeks to settle in though, as any other string.

trocadero · #3 08-17-2005, 01:44 PM

ok, so I guess I'll change strings to something else.

I want a dark tone, with good funadmentals. I hear spirocores delivers THE sound for jazz-pizz. Is it a big change to flexibles? Are they much weaker sound-wise?

**Francois Blais** · #4 08-18-2005, 06:04 AM

I don't think you'll get a dark tone with Spirocores.
Superflexibles are a bit darker.
They are also somewhat thinner and have less tension.
The volume will depend on your bass.
I once had an hungarian ply that had more volume with Superflexibles than Spiros.
Do you want sustain?
Orchestral strings are usually darker but you'll loose sustain.

trocadero · #5 08-18-2005, 07:59 AM

Do I want sustain? I want it all!!!

Seriosly, I'm a beginner so I havn't tried so many basses and strings to know what I'm after.

I like Patituccis sound on Footprints Live! and I like Grenadiers sound on the villige vanguard-discs with Mehldau. But I also like Jack De Johnettes übersustain that he have on the Keith Jarrett-albums sometimes. So I dont really know.

I think I will go for the superflexibles, seems like a good middle way to go. And then I can use a bow if I ever get one, right?. Is superflexibles an orchestra-type string? If not, give me examples of orchestra-type strings

**Francois Blais** · #6 08-18-2005, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trocadero

I think I will go for the superflexibles, seems like a good middle way to go. And then I can use a bow if I ever get one, right?. Is superflexibles an orchestra-type string?

It's an hybrid string, meaning it can be used for both pizz and arco.

Quote:

If not, give me examples of orchestra-type strings

A few examples:
Pirastro Flexocors, Original Flexocors, Original FlatChromesteel.
D'Addario Helicore Orchestrals.
Jargar strings.
Innovation 140B strings.
Many other strings may be considered hybrid, like Corellis, Superflexibles, Pirastro Permanents and FlatChromesteels, etc.

Justin K-ski · #7 08-18-2005, 11:59 AM

If you're lookinf for a good hybrid sting I highly reccomend the helicore hybrids.

They have a great sound bowed of pizz. I actually use them on my orchestra bass (E and A). They basically sound like the orch helicores except they are lighter tension and a little brighter.

Phil Rowan · #8 09-05-2005, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trocadero

Do I want sustain? I want it all!!!

Seriosly, I'm a beginner so I havn't tried so many basses and strings to know what I'm after.

I like Patituccis sound on Footprints Live! and I like Grenadiers sound on the villige vanguard-discs with Mehldau. But I also like Jack De Johnettes übersustain that he have on the Keith Jarrett-albums sometimes. So I dont really know.

I think I will go for the superflexibles, seems like a good middle way to go. And then I can use a bow if I ever get one, right?. Is superflexibles an orchestra-type string? If not, give me examples of orchestra-type strings

You mean Garry Peacock. I like his sound too, though at first I wasn't crazy about it. I just switched to Dominants from Animas a couple weeks ago...still getting used to them, but they are dark enough for me so I like them for that...they don't project as much as the Animas, that's for sure, but they have a rounder sound than the Animas, I'm guessing this is due to them being flatwound as opposed to roundwound.