Weichs-EP vs Spirocore

salcott · #1 06-30-2009, 10:15 PM

I'm in a situation where I have to be able to pull a lazy/tired drummer along w/ no amp. I play a Shen Rogeri strung with EP Weich and am looking for a little more oomph. The regular EPs are pretty stiff on this bass without an increase in output, or I'd go back to them. Anybody got tension stats on EPs yet?

drurb · #2 06-30-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salcott

I'm in a situation where I have to be able to pull a lazy/tired drummer along w/ no amp. I play a Shen Rogeri strung with EP Weich and am looking for a little more oomph. The regular EPs are pretty stiff on this bass without an increase in output, or I'd go back to them. Anybody got tension stats on EPs yet?

I'm confused by your title. I sure don't think Spiros will get you more "oomph" than EP weichs.

salcott · #3 06-30-2009, 11:08 PM

I was looking for opinions on differences/similarities tensionwise between the two sets of "Weich" strings. I'm gonna try Spiros; I'm trying to decide between Mittel and Weich.

salcott · #4 07-01-2009, 01:23 PM

Ordered Weichs; we'll see; they don't work, I'll try Mittels. The fun begins.

TroyK · #5 07-01-2009, 02:24 PM

Spriocore weichs on my bass are pumpin'. I played trio unamped last week and had no trouble (though I'd rather have an amp for support). You may find that tenion and especially gauge of Spriocore Mittels are closer to EP Weichs, but how your bass responds is a matter of experimentation. Let us know.

Gornick · #6 07-01-2009, 02:39 PM

Troy, you think the Spiro Mittels are closer to EP Weichs? Does that put the regular EP's in the Stark range? maybe somewhere in between? It always seemed like the EP regulars were stiffer than Spiro Mittels to me. maybe not more tense but stiffer yes.

I know my new EP Weichs are matching the Spiro Mittle E very well... I can't give up that E.

Salcott, My guess would be that Spiro Weichs wouldn't have as much volume as the EP weichs either, but I don't have much burn on Spiro Weichs.

salcott · #7 07-01-2009, 02:56 PM

Thanks, guys-whichever way it goes, there'll be a set of lightly-used Spiros for sale soon.

TroyK · #8 07-01-2009, 05:14 PM

I haven't touched EP Weichs yet, but I saw gauge published somewhere (probably the mega-thread) and they were closer to Mittels, but that doesn't speak to tension or that nebulus "feel". I have played Regular EPs and Spiro Mittels and Weichs.

They are different types of strings and I think they'll be tough to compare apples to apples.

As a rule, Spircores are tough to beat for clarity or volume. I'm told weichs can be twangy for a while, so be patient, but they weren't for me. Sounded pretty good right out of the pack, with a great setup to along. Sometimes I wish they were a little meatier, but they're great strings.

They immediately replaced EP Regulars on my bass and they are much more clear, distinct, loud and easier on my body. I've been tempted to try EP weiches, because there were a lot of things I liked about regulars, but I occasionally read "muffled" or "wooly" or "gets lost" and I don't miss any of that since going back to Spirocores.

clink · #9 07-01-2009, 11:04 PM

What to do? I pulled the Animas and went back to mittels since the EP weichs are temporarily out of stock at Quinn. Just couldn't deal with the scratchy arco. Truth? I wanted to try the mittels on this bass as a benchmark to judge. These mittels are pretty far gone, but are a bit bright on this bass, although they may settle in. They are very unforgiving of poor intonation and that's a good thing. This bass almost has too much sustain for my taste with mittels and I want more thump. They bow well though.
IF the EP weich set is similar in tension and has a darker tone, they will be a good string.

Edit: I got an email that they have shipped, so I'll know something in a few days.

drurb · #10 07-02-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

...This bass almost has too much sustain for my taste with mittels and I want more thump. They bow well though.

I'm guessing the EP weichs will be what you want. Mre thump, less bright, less sustain than Spiro mittels. As you say, time will tell. We're all waiting to hear...

salcott · #11 07-03-2009, 01:04 PM

Well, the Mittels are on. G is twangy as expected, E not as exaggeratedly sustainy as I remember it being. Wife (good ears) says they're louder. Gig with Mr Tired on Monday, so that'll be the test. Arco is not as horrendous as I remember-either they've gotten easier to bow, or my meagre chops have improved. Hmmmm.....

clink · #12 07-03-2009, 02:46 PM

The mittels sound very good and feel great on this bass. I have a gig tonight with a quintet so we'll see how well they amplify. So far, at home the Animas had much more clarity and punch and the mittels sound like they might be choking the bass. It seems closer to feedback now. However, had I put them on sooner I doubt I would have bought the EPs. And yes, the arco is nice.

clink · #13 07-04-2009, 04:17 PM

Last nite's gig canceled at the last minute, and I ended up doing a duo with a guitar. Decent.
Surprisingly, the EP's were in the mailbox, so I put them on today and really like them. They feel similar to the mittels, but the bass resonates more and doesn't seem choked at all. This is something I liked about Animas. Great under the bow.

Will know more in a few weeks, but I think they will still be on this time next year.

salcott · #14 07-08-2009, 04:16 PM

After one gig with Mittels and Mr Tired I've ended up with Spiro Weichs-they just feel right and I don't think I've lost any volume or oomph. Still like the regular EPs on my Vertical Bass, though. Onward and whereverward.

salcott · #15 07-21-2009, 02:22 PM

Played a noamp gig w/Spiro Weichs-sax player remarked that it was the best the bass has sounded. I'll stick with them for a while, I think.

TroyK · #16 07-21-2009, 03:51 PM

I've had mine on for 13 months now (Spirocore Weichs). I don't think my bass has ever been louder or more clear, though some of that can be attributed to my Dr. Jake setup. I generally really like the tone of the strings, except now and again for some reason, I get a little twangy on the g string. Other times, it's just not twangy, I don't know why. For practice, I like the feel/gauge/tension fine. Sometimes on a gig, I overplay them. I would be great to have a string that I couldn't overplay or at least not easily, that wasn't torture for me when I was playing lightly. I'm studying with a classical teacher now and using the Spirocores under the bow without any real issues. She has EP Regulars on and they do sound more lush and lovely under the bow (even when I play them), but the Spirocores are fine for either arco or pizz.

They are great workhorse strings. I have no idea when they would actually wear out, they seem like they will go on forever. On a noisy gig/room, I'm very glad to have them. There is a complexity to their tone that I have never heard with any other string. To say "spirocore and twangy or scratchy" is perhaps an accurate description of one little corner of their pallatte, but it's a broad spectrum. I think that learning to deal with that and coax the sound that you want out of them as the situation dictates would make them the perfect strings.

That being said...I like the feel of meatier, yet more supple strings, like OLIVs, for example. If I had to replace my strings now (which I don't), I think I would give EP Weichs a try based on what I've heard and what I'd like to feel for a while. I might try them anyway, but I continue to hold out for now.

Based on your original description of what you were looking for, however good EPs are, nothing beats Spirocores for cutting through in a live jazz setting. Maybe Dominants, but (see dominant megathread for issues).

clink · #17 07-27-2009, 01:20 PM

After three weeks with the Evah weichs I'm back to spirocores. They sounded great the first week and into the second, but as they darkened I was working too hard to get them to speak. The treble knob crept higher, the bass knob lower and my right hand felt the effort. Gonna run the mittels for a bit and possibly go back to weichs.
I don't think the combination of darkish bass, Realist, Acoustic Image and EP's is a good one.
FWIW, mittels bow pretty well and don't feel much stiffer on this bass. In the growl and life department they are slightly too much, but will be great in a gig setting.

TroyK · #18 07-27-2009, 01:33 PM

Just for clarification. You think the tension of the Spirocore Mittels and EP Weichs are about the same?

Marcus Johnson · #19 07-27-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

I don't think the combination of darkish bass, Realist, Acoustic Image and EP's is a good one.

Boy, I would have to agree.... I can't see the EPs working very well with the rest of those variables. I wasn't able to get the Realist and the AI to play nicely together, no matter what strings I was using (except for arco).

clink · #20 07-27-2009, 02:23 PM

The mittels feel a bit tighter under my left hand, but I don't have to pull them as hard to get the sound I want. The difference is slight.