Thomastik "Belcanto" Strings megathread

[NotACello]

Just to clarify, the jazzers are aware that these are ORCHESTRAL strings? I'm confused at all the jazz players reviews of these strings.
That is all.

[vier-personen]

Originally Posted by PaulCannon

I was told less than a month.

Oh, "Four People," "stiv1" appears to be in Knoxville, not Europe. He can buy as many bel canto strings as he likes.

yes "pavel top", I know.

what I was saying is that TI have a strange way of selling and marketing - TI are located in europe, but new strings can be bought in the States 6 months before europe and these strings don´t appear on the website.
based on these facts I think it is save to say "don´t hold your breath" for a long E or a solo set. it could be in a month as you say, but it could be autumn, too.

Originally Posted by NotACello

Just to clarify, the jazzers are aware that these are ORCHESTRAL strings? I'm confused at all the jazz players reviews of these strings.
That is all.

Yes, we "jazzers" are aware these strings are marketed as "orchestral" , so what? does this mean one can´t use a certain string for a certain style because of the marketing?
the spirocores were intended as an orchestral string as well, and are now considered the default jazz-string by many players, by the way.

If the info on pizz playability, the sustain, how the string amplifys,
the growl and the like is of no interest to you, just don´t read it.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by NotACello

Just to clarify, the jazzers are aware that these are ORCHESTRAL strings? I'm confused at all the jazz players reviews of these strings.
That is all.

What's up with this comment? Aren't Jazz players allowed to try strings that are orchestral strings?

Spirocores are a favored Jazz string as are Dominants. Both were originally designed as Arco strings. So are Flexocors but Jazzers don't like them so much.

They had to try them and find out.

When this thread started they hadn't even hit the market yet, nobody knew what they were like. Jazz players needed to try them and tell others about their experiences with them.

I find the D and G compelling for Jazz. Most Jazzers won't like these strings though and that's clear enough from the documentation.

[bassist14]

hallo vierpersonen
versuch es doch mal hier:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Neu-aus-den-USA-B...QQcmdZViewItem

[vier-personen]

Originally Posted by bassist14

hallo vierpersonen
versuch es doch mal hier:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Neu-aus-den-USA-B...QQcmdZViewItem

danke! aber ich habe ein set eh schon auf meinem bass ; )
thanks! but I already got a set on my bass anyway ; )

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by vier-personen

Yes, we "jazzers" are aware these strings are marketed as "orchestral" , so what? does this mean one can´t use a certain string for a certain style because of the marketing?
the spirocores were intended as an orchestral string as well, and are now considered the default jazz-string by many players, by the way.

If the info on pizz playability, the sustain, how the string amplifys,
the growl and the like is of no interest to you, just don´t read it.

Great minds think alike.

[bassist14]

Originally Posted by vier-personen

danke! aber ich habe ein set eh schon auf meinem bass ; )
thanks! but I already got a set on my bass anyway ; )

sorry, i didn´t read al 300+ posts.
but maybe the info will be useful for someone else, i hope...

[vier-personen]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Great minds think alike.

and at the same time.

Originally Posted by bassist14

sorry, i didn´t read al 300+ posts.
but maybe the info will be useful for someone else, i hope...

sure! I just say thank you if I get a direct reply ; )

[TroyK]

I know that thread is like 7 pages now. Are there any recorded pizz sound clips of this wondersting?

I haven't seen a set yet, but I'm hoping to try them on someone else's bass first.

[vier-personen]

ok, so I recorded a few seconds of Bel Canto pizz for you (fade out at the end to keep the file small).

the conditions of the recording:
small 3/4 old carved czech bass, 102cm string length, 9mm E & 7mm G height, player very tired.
I have these strings 2 or 3 weeks on my bass, the first few days they sounded quite different (not brighter as you might think, but less sustain, more honk).

neumann km184 condenser mic between the bridge legs (diaphragm facing the fingerboard from beneath, hence the finger/string noise) straight into rme fireface, no compression or whatever, just mp3-file compression.

you should be aware that this string will sound different on your own bass.... it would probably help if others could post some recordings as well, so there would be some comparison...

enjoy!

[jmpiwonka]

wow, those sound really nice.
making me think i might try a Belcanto G and D and maybe spiro A and E...

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by jmpiwonka

making me think i might try a Belcanto G and D and maybe spiro A and E...

I tried that and liked it quite a bit.

[vier-personen]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I tried that and liked it quite a bit.

I might try this, too, only the E though. I´m not so impressed with the E-string on my bass, and also on another bass I played the Belcanto E wasn´t impressive. too much damping IMO.
Perhaps TI listens and will improve the E?

I think another good match would be obligato E - I tried obligato D & G with Belcanto A & E and the tone-color matched good, I guess the other way around would be worth a try..

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by vier-personen

I might try this, too, only the E though. I´m not so impressed with the E-string on my bass, and also on another bass I played the Belcanto E wasn´t impressive. too much damping IMO.
Perhaps TI listens and will improve the E?

The Belcantos are meant for arco playing, remember?
I think those critics on the pizz results should be given with that in mind.

[rdwhit]

Can anyone compare these to flatchrome steels for me?
1) pizz sustain
3) pizz volume
4) tension on the left hand--fcs are easy on my left hand-please don't quote the specs, just go by how they feel(I'm just a cave man!) I have an injured left arm,fcs are a good tension for me
5)gage-compared to corelli, fcs, flexies, weighs(thickness)
6) if Arnold & Ellison & others like them for orch, I'll trust them, no questions on that
7) overall comparison to fcs as a crossover string--I like dominants but my bum arm can't play them.
Sorry if this has already been covered, this is a long thread.

Thanks---oh, I'm currently playing a La Scala hybrid

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by rdwhit

Can anyone compare these to flatchrome steels for me?

It is a long thread but worthy of an hours read if you are trying to decide to spend the money or not.

If you prefer the Flatchrome or the Corelli or the Dominant you probably won't like the Belcanto for pizz. The Flatchrome is a lot closer to a Spirocore than a Flexocor. The Belcanto is a lot closer to the Flexocor than the Spirocore.

It is not a crossover string or a hybrid string. It is an arco string for sure. It's pizz is really clear and pretty but not the reason to buy this string.

Dominants, Corellis and Flatchromes all have very little if any dampening materials in them. They bow well in spite of that. They make nice crossover strings because of that.

The Belcanto has quite a bit of dampening materials in them. It's pizz has a long sustain for an arco string but not like a Flatchrome or Corelli or Dominant. It has a very low tension, not far from a Flatchrome. Because of the dampening required for fantastic arco it's pizz is a chore. It's slower to respond than the Dominant, Corelli, or Flatchrome. It should be as it's primary purpose is an arco string not a crossover or pizz string.

This thread has examples of many pizz only players who have tried and abandoned these strings. There are a few who have used the D and G with other bottoms for mixed orchestra/jazz playing.

I have a set and used them for a short time. I have moved on but won't sell them because when it's time for arco woodshed I'm putting them back on.

[labravajazz]

I second all that you say here. The dampening stops them being free and open sounding but makesthem smooth as with the bow, but sluggish like flexocore (but not as bad) for pizz so it is a bit tiresome n that way. So though a good string for arco, not quite a hybrid string for most users I think.

[rdwhit]

Thanks. If I ever do get a second bass to keep strictly for arco work I'll try them.

[Yukon4]

The set of Belcantos we ordered just arrived in the mail today! One simple question - on the D string, it's got about 3/4 inch piece of plastic down at the end that goes through the tailpiece. None of the other strings have it. We left it on as we weren't sure if it had some particular purpose or not!? It's a fairly solid tubular piece of plastic that goes right around the string and lies right at the point where the string comes up through the hole in the tailpiece. Thanks!

[jmpiwonka]

i think that piece of plastic goes on the string in the pegbox and serves as a slide if your d string happens to rub on the g string tuner shaft when the strings are at tension.