strings, length 'n stuff

Andy W · #1 10-25-2005, 01:39 PM

Greetings from the southern hemisphere. DB knowledge in my village is somewhat lacking and I am a novice DB player from the EB ranks, so thanks TB for a great site.
String 'choice' here is a misnomer: Thomastik / Stentor brand / Ddandario. Concensus on talkbass appears to be that Thomastik Spirocore are no good for Arco ... yet Thomastik specifically state 'equally effective when playing arco or pizzicato! I love Arco, especially deep n dark sounds on the E&A strings. With my current Stentor brand, the D&G strings are barely playable Arco! Even for an enthusiastic novice! (I dont like the nasal mids they produce).Thomastik is all that I can lay my hands upon locally! I was send a set of Spiro Orchestra S42 medium for my 3/4 bass. But I read that I should have 3885's instead cos the S42's are for 4/4? Reading on Bob Gollihurs site, he prefers Corelli's, but the gauge may not suit my 'darker' needs? Oh woe is me ... Someone mentioned Jurazek (think I got it right) are dark, but ha, this is Africa baby! My last resort is to buy via the net ... but what? Open for suggestions and info. Thanks, A.

**Francois Blais** · #2 10-25-2005, 06:45 PM

Hi Andy, and welcome aboard.
Can you please take a minute and fill out your profile, including location?
This will help us to help you.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/profil...do=editprofile

Are you playing arco only, a mixture of arco and pizz?
What kind of tone do you want?
Very dark, bright, long sustain, thumpy?

Regards,
François

**Francois Blais** · #3 10-25-2005, 06:47 PM

BTW, there's no problem using a 4/4 size set on a 3/4 bass.
You just loose a bit of tension.

The most known orchestral strings are Pirastro Flexocors.

Andy W · #4 10-26-2005, 05:58 AM

Hi Francois. I submitted a reply and it vanished??? here is the short version ...

Arco only for now. How dark is very dark? My EB is eq'd as : lows boosted, mids cut, raised treb. I like deep defined low end with audible attack. Some call it growl, my band call it cement! lol! I despise muddy bass sounds, got to be defined.
So ja, very dark if it = deep and defined, with growl and sustain.

I get shivers everytime I hear a pipe organ, sometimes you feel the bass before you realise that you are hearing it ... then it's inside you, whispering secrets... brrr!!!
DB does the same to me, it speaks a language I never thought existed! My EB will never know how to say the words, it rushes too much.

A.

**Francois Blais** · #5 10-26-2005, 06:18 AM

Don't see any deleted post or anything.

Growl and sustain is not really something you'll get with strings that bow well.
Good orchestral strings, like Flexocors for instance, are loaded with dampening stuff, to reduce brightness, but this also reduces the sustain and growl.

You'll need to look at hybrid strings.
Maybe Obligatos? (synthetic core)
Pirastro FlatChromes? (steel)
Pirastro Permanents? (steel)

Hope this helps!
François

Andy W · #6 10-26-2005, 07:07 AM

Dude, do you live on the site? That was A1 fast!

I hear you... sustain will come from the bow.

Obligatos ... is that the full name/model/reference#? I will need to be quite specific with my local fishmonger.

What I really want is depth, deep deep tone. Cant compromise there ...

btw... those Thoms I have on my desk ... ? toss em back?

Thanks a mill.
A

**Francois Blais** · #7 10-26-2005, 08:19 AM

I wish Ken Smith will jump in this thread.
For the deepest bottom, I think you could use Original Flexocors for the A & E. I don't know anything deeper and warmer.
For the D & G, I'd suggest Flexocor '92 D & G. (the regular Flexocors).
But I'm no arco specialist!

KSB - Ken Smith · #8 10-26-2005, 12:38 PM

I find the best results with regular Flexicor Stark Gauge. The regular gauge is ok but the E is too thin within the set. Also, I am using Jaegar Forte gauge on my Dodd Bass. These are both the current heavy gauge string for each company. Regular Flexocor is the best of the Flex Styles I have found and the best price too. The Jaegar have closer to a Gut soung but both Pizz well too. With heavier Strings, you can play the same with lower string height at both ends of the FB. I am using both the strings mentioned. Jagars on my Dodd and Flex on the Gilkes.

Andy W · #9 10-28-2005, 05:36 AM

Thank you both for the input. Flexocore regular Stark gauge are special import only. The SA distibutor will return to me...