Substitute for Pirastro Oliv G?

Tha Ridla · #1 07-22-2010, 05:25 PM

Hi folks,

It's time for me to do some more experimenting.

A while back I experimented with using a pirastro oliv G on a set of Helicore Hybrids (a la larry grenadier-of course it made me sound just like him) and it worked pretty fine. Shoddy bow response, but for jazz it was great!

I'm now going to try a set of Spiros with gut G and maybe D just for the hell of it.

Problem is Pirastro are SO EXPENSIVE!!!! My god it stung to spend £80 on one string. Even worse I lost it when I took it off to see how I felt with a full set of Helicore.

So, my gripes with Pirastro:

Expensive

Went out of tune quite a lot

Very thick (but not as bad as velvet garbo)

So does anyone know of a cheaper, more reliable, thinner alternative that sounds like gut?

Any help much appreciated.

Matt

Nathan Parker · #2 07-22-2010, 05:58 PM

I don't think the string you're looking for exists, sadly. This is just one man's opinion, but I've tried a lot of strings and haven't found any like you want. Except for maybe a really old spirocore. That might be the ticket.

Marcus Johnson · #3 07-22-2010, 07:03 PM

An Evah might be close... (I've used Oliv & Evah Regular and Weich G).... but not really the same. Oliv G is a great string.

Uncletoad · #4 07-22-2010, 08:35 PM

Nothing sounds like gut.

Bass strings aren't cheap.

Evah Weich G is very nice and the closest to an Olive G. Also try an Original Flat Chrom G and a Permanent G.

Or get a set of spirocores and play them until they sound like what you want.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #5 07-22-2010, 10:57 PM

Personally I love the thing. Nothing I have tried feels or sounds as good as that string.
IMO, it's worth the $$. Try it with a set of mittels.

Tha Ridla · #6 07-23-2010, 03:49 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been checking out the strings Uncletoad suggested-they look a good deal cheaper but do they sound like gut?

M

Uncletoad · #7 07-23-2010, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha Ridla

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been checking out the strings Uncletoad suggested-they look a good deal cheaper but do they sound like gut?

M

No.

I'll say this again cause you missed it.

NOTHING SOUNDS LIKE GUT, BUT GUT.

Spend the money or look at the "alternatives" I mentioned, but don't expect them to sound the same. They don't.

David Kaczorowski · #8 07-23-2010, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha Ridla

So does anyone know of a cheaper, more reliable, thinner alternative that sounds like gut?

Riddle me this, riddle me that, you describe that which has been sought unsuccessfully for nearly a century.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #9 07-23-2010, 06:31 AM

Isn't it interesting that we spend thousands, sometimes tens of thousands on our instruments and scoff on spending more than a couple hundred bucks on strings?

Bobby King · #10 07-23-2010, 07:02 AM

An Evah Pirazzi G might be your best bet. Also Obligato, Sensicore or Innovation 140.

I'm surprised you didn't like the bow response of the Olive, I always thought they bowed very well.

Wound gut definitely is tuning-sensitive. Some synthetics can come close, but gut is gut.

Michael Glynn · #11 07-23-2010, 08:46 AM

I was looking for a G string to match my spiro solos, and I tried Evah Pirazzi (regular and weich), dominant solo, and several others. Then I put the Oliv G back on--night and day, there was no comparison. The other strings are nice strings, but the Oliv not only sounded better on its own, but it brought the whole bass to life. The only downside is that arco is a little tough up in thumb position. I think it sounds great in lower positions, though.

If I were to try another string (unlikely, but I am getting tired of the Olivs falling apart) I would probably try out a Velvet 180. In the meantime, just occasionally take a crappy gig you normally wouldn't and put the money towards new Olivs.

eerbrev · #12 07-23-2010, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

Isn't it interesting that we spend thousands, sometimes tens of thousands on our instruments and scoff on spending more than a couple hundred bucks on strings?

The problem is that the several thousand dollar investment lasts for a long time, decades even, whereas often strings do not last for that long. In fact they often last only a year or two. as a result, it hurts. Especially when you need to dig into your student loan for new strings. not a pleasant experience.

I draw the line at strings that are more than 1 1/2 times my monthly rent.

Alex

Greg Clinkingbeard · #13 07-23-2010, 11:40 AM

I hear you. My mittel E, A and D were a year old when I put them on the bass a year ago. At two years old they still sound great. If the Olive G lasts a year and the mittels two to three, my strings will cost me about $150 a year.

FWIW, I was given a one year old Olive and used it a few months before buying a new one. The friend that gave it to me gigs several nights a week and buys a new one every year or so.
I gave the old one to a friend who has used it five nights a week for several weeks now with no problems. I hear about them breaking, but will have to see it for myself.

Tha Ridla · #14 07-24-2010, 08:23 AM

Interesting you guys seem to change strings much less often that I would. I always think they start sounding a bit crappy after 6-8 months! I like the one/two week old sound.

Anyway, I was about to bite the bullet and order Oliv G and D, then I heard of someone who is selling some very old (possibly 40-50 years) gut strings. They are unused, (the make is 'Handmade'?!?) so they might be interesting to try out. Unless strings this old are likely to break as soon as I put them on?

Any wisdom on old gut strings?

M

David Kaczorowski · #15 07-26-2010, 08:19 AM

I can't imagine what cats do to make olivs fall apart. I've been using them for more than 10 years and they've never fallen apart or broken.

Uncletoad · #16 07-26-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kaczorowski

I can't imagine what cats do to make olivs fall apart. I've been using them for more than 10 years and they've never fallen apart or broken.

Taking them on and off kills them pretty quick.

stefaniw80401 · #17 12-06-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Nothing sounds like gut.
Evah Weich G is very nice and the closest to an Olive G. Also try an Original Flat Chrom G and a Permanent G.

I too have thought this to be true UNTIL (whilst digging through my string box for a suitable G-string) I came across my 15 year old set of Obligatos -- from another bass I used to have no less.

The Olive is the holy grail G-string for pizz and it sings in the upper register with bow. By contrast, the EP sounds great pizz all over, but it gets picky with the bow placement for solo work.

That said, the Obligato G pizzes well, and is surprisingly better than EP up high with the bow (try it for yourself if you don't believe me).

Therefore, with the "on my bass" disclaimer, Obligato is better than the EP as an Olive G string substitute.