Suggestions For Eurosonic

[JAS]

It seems that the Eurosonics were originally made for rockabilly bass players but now many jazz bassists also use them. I offer the pros and cons of these strings and some things that I think Eurosonic should do to make them (or a seperate line of strings) better suited for the jazz/classical bassist.

Here are the best things about the Eurosonic Ultra Lights...

-The G string is a very nice thickness and feels and sounds very good.
-They feel more like gut strings but still work with a magnetic pickup.
-They have a decent sustain and a punchy fundamental sound (which is a combination that seems to be hard to find).
-The Ultra Lights have a nice even feeling tension across the set.


Here is what I think would make them the nicest strings on the market...

-Make them bowable. Somehow there must be a way for Eurosonic to come up with a way to smooth out the bow sound.
-Make the D, A, and E strings a bit thinner. The G is nice but the other strings get a bit "tubby" sounding.

Maybe the answer is in the wrapping they use. Maybe they could find some other similar material to use to wrap the strings in that would make them more bowable and have a more organic sound that jazz and classical bassists will enjoy more.

I know there are some J&R people or Eurosonic people that are on Talkbass, so maybe they will check this out.

[crocau]

Hi Jas, let's start a Europhile club...

You made some good critics. IMHO :
-I don't really care about magnetic pickups on UB, I once had a Godin A5 that sounded more like a UB than an UB with a magnetic pickup. With all the good piezos on the market, I don't believe this is a big preoccupation.
-Making them bowable would be a major improvement for sure.
-I love their fatness


You make me wanna change my Lights for Ultra-Lights, but I have doubts about their performance for non-slap stuff, like walking bass lines. Do the UL growl and have as much fundamental as the L ??

[JAS]

The UL do have enough growl, I think. I have been mixing a string charger with a full circle and the magnetic picup helps give them a little more growl and sustain than they would normally have on their own. I like their thickness too but, I think they can get a little boomy at times-this probably has a lot to do with the bass and sound post also though. I think they have pleanty of fundamental.

When I use these strings with the full circle alone - in most rooms they sound very unfocused and boomy unless I really pull them and that is not really how I like to play. So I use the string charger and I can play with a lighter touch and still get a clear sound.

I have been searching hard for a string that is similar to these but works with the bow and has a little more organinc of a sound. It seems like there is nothing but these out there. Most other strings just seem so thin especially the G sting.

[Randy Ward]

For my bass (German hybrid) the E&A didn't have enough growl. Right now I am using the EURO UL D&G with Heli Pizz Lights E&A. This is for PIZZ only-no slap. I REALLY love the gut-like sound of the Eurosonic G&D but when soloing sometimes I feel like I am not getting the needed volume from them. Granted it Could be my set up. Don't know what, but I am going to try something different (>>heavier<<) eventually. But I do recommend EUROs for a E-Z gut approximation without all the tuning/stability problems of gut.

[Chef]

I really like the e/s u/l's, and am a big fan of fat chunky strings, so I would not want them slimmed down. I started on guts, so I'm biased towards a warm round sound, and big fat strings. I really like the extra sustain the e/s u/l's provide, and I'm a huge fan of the tuning stability they add.
I don't care about the stick-o-pain, so that's not a factor for me...