Thomastik "Belcanto" Strings megathread - Page 4

bribass · #61 09-09-2006, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blurtbass

I have had the Belcantos on me Eminence for 2 shows now. They are working out very well for me, darker than the spiros, a nice clear attack and tone and a more old school sound. They play well, i had to raise the action a bit and am getting a much more accoustic sound out of the Eminence which is exactly what i wanted. The soundman is happy, he says it sounds much more like a full size bass now. They have plenty of punch and enough sustain for me.

They didn't seem to take very long to get in tune and they hold pitch extreamly well. Bowing is also much easier. On the whole i can't find much wrong with them, they seem to suit the Eminence well, i have tried Corelli (too thin and didn't last long enough for me as well as being a bit too much like a Chello when amplified ), Helicores ( warm, a bit artificial, but not bad for the price) and Spiros (good strong tone, build and playability but not so great to bow and a little bright for my taste). The Belcantos seem to be warm, not too stiff and built to last. I was told that Dominants would not be strong enough for my RN bass. I am still interested in Velvet Garbos, but they are too expensive to try on a whim for me.

I can recomend them. I would be interested if any else has any experience of them on the Eminence.

Hmmm.. Sounds like what I'm looking for for the eminence. I'll have to try a set.

Francois, I know about Lemur, but Phil must of had those ready to go, cause he had them on his bass by the next day after posting the night before.

Uncletoad · #62 09-09-2006, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bribass

Thanks for the post.
Gee.. how'd you get them so fast? I geuss you repair shop boys have your resources.

I guess a caveat is required, I am a TI dealer.....and they are pretty quick to ship what they have in stock and not all that far away.

fcleff · #63 09-09-2006, 09:12 AM

Has anybody done any bowing on these. They may be what I am looking for, too. Right now I have an old set of Correllis on. I might like the darker sound of the Bel Cantos. It also sounds like they have the same feel of Corellis. I do more bow than pizz.

demon666 · #64 09-09-2006, 11:02 AM

Does any one know if they have a solo set or are planning a solo set?

Uncletoad · #65 09-09-2006, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fcleff

Has anybody done any bowing on these.

I was bowing on them this morning and my wife walked by and said "you must have been practicing, your sounding better with that thing".

Nuff said.

Paul Warburton · #66 09-09-2006, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I was bowing on them this morning and my wife walked by and said "you must have been practicing, your sounding better with that thing".

Nuff said.

Well, Whopee Phil! Please tell your wife that we were all sitting around waiting for a statement like this from somebody's old lady!

Paul Warburton · #67 09-09-2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bribass

Sounds like they'd be too dark for my Prescott. Possibly good for the German and/or Eminence. I've been looking for a low tension, less whinny alternative (G) than Spiros or Corellis for those axes.
BG

At the risk of sounding like Kenny Boy...you guys with dark basses like bri probably don't wanna waste your bread. My Bohmann is a very dark sounding bass as well, so I don't think i'll jump right now. My Thomastik Orchestras are just perfect for my jazz playing and what bowing I do is on another bass that is less dark, so I might try them on that.
I do love a bit of resistance and the ability to dig in when the time comes.

bassdogEmer · #68 09-09-2006, 03:11 PM

Very Interesting thread. I love thomastik's various strings and have been using them for years. I have been settled on the weichs for quite sometime - but these strings are very enticing. According to Phil's post and also the string tension chart sticky;these new strings are LESS tension then weich's and Obligatos and even light gauge Heliacores...that sounds great for me as I love low tension strings and so does my Juzek. Is this correct??? Are they really that much lower tension?? also - Phil you mentioned the gauge of the strings being small??? do you mean to say they are thin??? how would these compare to weichs or the thicker gauged orchestras???

jsbarber · #69 09-09-2006, 08:30 PM

The equation describing the vibration of a string is:

f = (1/L)*SQRT(T/D)

where:
f = frequency of vibration,
T = string tension
D = mass per unit length of the string

so for a given bass string like the E-string, (i.e. fixed L, fixed f), if you decrease the tension you need to decrease the mass per unit length proportionately. If you use the same materials you'd expect the string to be thinner.

Jim

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassdogEmer

Very Interesting thread. ... According to Phil's post and also the string tension chart sticky;these new strings are LESS tension then weich's and Obligatos and even light gauge Heliacores...that sounds great for me as I love low tension strings and so does my Juzek. Is this correct??? Are they really that much lower tension?? also - Phil you mentioned the gauge of the strings being small??? do you mean to say they are thin??? how would these compare to weichs or the thicker gauged orchestras???

Uncletoad · #70 09-09-2006, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassdogEmer

According to Phil's post and also the string tension chart sticky;these new strings are LESS tension then weich's and Obligatos and even light gauge Heliacores...that sounds great for me as I love low tension strings and so does my Juzek. Is this correct??? Are they really that much lower tension?? also - Phil you mentioned the gauge of the strings being small??? do you mean to say they are thin??? how would these compare to weichs or the thicker gauged orchestras???

From a post on dominants a year or so ago...

EDIT:

Jake says he can do this better so I'll kill this chart and let him post his.......

They are very thin. I'm ok with that although I prefer a thicker string. Tension wise they feel like Weichs or Animas.

I'm still giving them some time to settle in and have some gigs under my belt before I say to much on them one way or another.

...and nobody gigs in cowlumbus when OSU plays Texas. At least not until midnight...

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmBuns

At the risk of sounding like Kenny Boy...you guys with dark basses like bri probably don't wanna waste your bread.

For pitz that is way true. These will give Flexocors, Helicores, and Dominants some competition under the bow though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulyWauly

Well, Whopee Phil! Please tell your wife that we were all sitting around waiting for a statement like this from somebody's old lady!

She is flattered that an old bastard from the mountains gives a sh-t.

fcleff · #71 09-09-2006, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I was bowing on them this morning and my wife walked by and said "you must have been practicing, your sounding better with that thing".

Nuff said.

I'm sold. I've been waiting for years for my wife to compliment my playing. If she doesn't, can I send a recording to your wife?

Uncletoad · #72 09-10-2006, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fcleff

I'm sold. I've been waiting for years for my wife to compliment my playing. If she doesn't, can I send a recording to your wife?

I'm sure I could arrange pimping her out for compliments.

bribass · #73 09-10-2006, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I'm sure I could arrange pimping her out for compliments.

LOL!

bassdogEmer · #74 09-10-2006, 05:39 PM

Okm- so they are darker and much drier than the weichs and better to bow? if so that sounds great - I am looking for a string with tension like weichs or Animas but with much more quick decay on the notes...nice and dry and woody. not bright but not just a total thud either...sound like these strings?

Uncletoad · #75 09-10-2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassdogEmer

Okm- so they are darker and much drier than the weichs and better to bow? if so that sounds great - I am looking for a string with tension like weichs or Animas but with much more quick decay on the notes...nice and dry and woody. not bright but not just a total thud either...sound like these strings?

I'm not sure yet.

I need to spend more time with them.

Paul Warburton · #76 09-11-2006, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

:

She is flattered that an old bastard from the mountains gives a sh-t.

Marcus Johnson · #77 09-11-2006, 04:01 PM

Guess I'll hold off on the Belcantos for awhile. My ear's been pointing me back to the future... so I took off the Animas and put on Spiros (Orch E, Weich ADG) over the weekend, for a variety of reasons. So a darker string isn't on the menu at the moment.

I have a hard time finding a string that sounds bad on my bass, try as I might.

**Adrian Cho** · #78 09-11-2006, 05:31 PM

These were sounding good to me until I found out how thin they are.

Andy Allen · #79 09-11-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Guess I'll hold off on the Belcantos for awhile. My ear's been pointing me back to the future... so I took off the Animas and put on Spiros (Orch E, Weich ADG) over the weekend, for a variety of reasons. So a darker string isn't on the menu at the moment.

I have a hard time finding a string that sounds bad on my bass, try as I might.

I just put weichs on my EUB and new DB, so I think I'm safe from BAS (Belcanto Aquisition Syndrome) for a while. On the other hand, once the rattle has been fixed on my old bass...

Andy

Jake deVilliers · #80 09-11-2006, 07:06 PM

Hey Phil.

Thanks for posting those gauges; it makes an educated string choice much more possible.

Are you sure about the size of the Stark "D"? It seems to run counter to the trend, and is suspiciously the same as the Dominant "D" in the column beside it.

Respectfully, Jake who has made at least one mistake.