OK, so I have a new bass.
Well, not really, but I spent 4 or 5 hours today and tonight going through the Shen and working on a few things.
My flamed claro walnut compensated TP from Dr. Mike showed up today. Wow. It is really nice. I also got the nylon string. And, just as I was about to get started, the man in Brown showed up with the Revolution Solo PU that I am to review.
So, once I had everything down, I got the TP in order and strung the bass up with a new set of Supremes that I had been sitting on for more than a month.
So, once everything is in order and the bass is up to tension, it was a big challenge to figure exactly what was what, but in just a few minutes, I was playing without issues.
So, a review of the Supremes:
The thing that strikes you as unusual right off the bat is how playable they are right out of the package. Once, I got the TP cable stretched out decently as well as the strings, I was pretty much getting a really decent tone right away.
SS describes these strings as mellow, and I certainly see where they are coming from. The tone is very round. Obligatos came off the bass, so that's what my ears where accustomed to. The pizz tone of these strings is VERY similar. There is plenty of sustain, but no middy growl, like with spiro.
They are thinner strings, but under the fingers, the stiffness is also pretty much right on with the Obligato.
Then out came the stick. This is where these strings shine. They bow MUCH sweeter than Obligato, especially in the higher register. They have just enough absence of clarity under the stick to add a little warmth.
The G string is pretty much exactly what I am looking for. The arco tone is near that of flexocor, but the pizz sustain far superior.
The D and A are amazingly similar in tone and feel to the Obligato. Which is great, since those have always been the best two in the pack, IMO, as far as Obligatos go. The E is soft and a touch muddy, but not out of character with the other strings. I don't see me subbing the E any time soon. It responds to the bow much better than Obligato E and seems to push back a little better. It is certainly easier to start.
The pizzed E of the Supremes is better than Obligato, but then again, it doesn't take much for that.
Overall, I am very happy with these strings. IME, they are a better hybrid string than Obligato.
The only issue I have with them is that they are pretty quiet. My bass is obviously louder with the Obligatos. With my natural bow pressure, the difference in the volume was pretty noticeable. Although they will get louder with added bow pressure, I couldn't play very long with that approach.
This is especially troublesome, since I also just added the compensated TP and ultralight tailgut. Isn't the bass supposed to be louder?
I think the strings are just quieter. I had the same experience with Flexocors on my bass.
One other oddity was the lack of distinction between my two bows. With Obligatos, the Meinel bow was MUCH darker and softer than the new Tom Owens bow I just purchased. With these strings, the differences are there, but far more subtle.
I am a little concerned that the strings are nickel rather than steel. Based on my guitar and EBG experiences, nickel strings are loose the life much faster than stainless. We'll see. If they die, I also have a brand new Flat chromesteel G, D and A that I am itching to try with a spirocore stark E.
If you are an Olligato lover, you might want to try these. It isn't too much of a risk, they are pretty cheap. You can get a sey online for less than $100.
