using obligatos now?

[rob f johnson]

ive narrowed my choices down to corellis 370 f ?
kolstein heritage
piastro jazzers?
dominants solo or orc?
im using oblgatos and have had them on my bass for almost 2 years they still project well and sounddecent d string is starting to unwind at the bridge i guess its ime for new strings witch leads me to this.i want a higher quality sounding
string with more sound that still playes easy like the obs
any input on the strings i have chosen and any others would be much appriciated play on.

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by rob f johnson

ive narrowed my choices down to corellis 370 f ?
labella blacks (ron carter)?
piastro jazzers?
dominants solo or orc?
im using oblgatos and have had them on my bass for almost 2 years they still project well and sounddecent d string is starting to unwind at the bridge i guess its ime for new strings witch leads me to this.i want a higher quality sounding
string with more sound that still playes easy like the obs
any input on the strings i have chosen and any others would be much appriciated play on.

I don't mean to be this way, but if Obligatos lasted you 2 years, you're way beyond the normal experience with them and you might think about a new pair of them. Depending on how you play, they tend to wear out much faster than other strings, but 2 years is long life for any strings...exceptions, I'm sure. For reasons that I don't think we've figured out fully yet, they work for some people, but not for others. You appear to be in the "work for" group, so why tinker with success. The other strings you listed all have different qualities than Obligatos, you will either like them more or not as much, but they'll be different.

-tk

[rob f johnson]

thanks tk yeah im suprised theyve lasted this long and still sound fine i play weekly venues 3 nights a week just looking for somthing different ive read so much on all kinds of strings on this site.

[TroyK]

Can I ask about your playing style? How high is your action? How "hot" is your pickup? How much do you amplify? Do you dig in heavy with a giant right pizz finger or play more 2 finger style with a lighter touch?

I'm just facinated at why these strings last for some people and not others. From local observation, my theory is that it has to do with the above factors.

When I first put them on my bass, I thought I was done with trying strings. I loved the sound and feel, but they were a spinny-floppy mess for me with weeks.

Where I went next, which might be an idea for you in Pirastro Permanents. Same manufacturer, similar feel, but all steal. They bow well, good pizz tone for my taste, although not nearly as much sustain as Spirocores if that's what you want. Very durable. I mixed a Pirastro Flatchrome on the G sting, which sounded much better on my bass.

To sing the praises of Pirastro as a company, when my Obligatos self destructed, I wrote them a polite email and they send me a box of strings as replacements, including the Permanents, which I liked. Great company who stands behind their products.

-tk

[rob f johnson]

my action is pretty high i guess 1/4" pick up is a realist, thursday night is a duo i play acoustic and dig in 3 one hour sets,fri and sat i use my poly tone on low 3 as im playing with a grand piano and guitar, i use different combos of fingers depending on song 1,2,3 fingers now im getting stoked on kolstein hertage good price and the reveiws sound pretty good ! i dont under stand why so many people like spiros i find then stiff and record scratchy ? any hoot talk soon
rj

[AMJBASS]

Different strings sound different on different basses. Spirocores sound absolutely wonderful on my little 5/8ths solo bass. Sounds GREAT recorded.

[bluegreenturtle]

Troy, when Pirastro responded to you, did they write back and have a discussion or did they just send you the strings? I wrote them an email a while ago about a set of obligatos that unwound on the first installation but haven't heard back from them. They do have my mailing address though. I sort of expected an email back though because I asked them about the strings and some alternatives because I thought the construction and life of obligatos seemed a little random in quality.

[Don Higdon]

Originally Posted by keykendrick

if Obligatos lasted you 2 years, you're way beyond the normal experience with them and you might think about a new pair of them. -tk

And if he played a 4 string bass, they might last twice as long.