Hi,
I am a bass player that mainly plays New Orleans Jazz but occasionally also play other forms. I try to play somewhat in the style of Braud/Foster/Garland and that's why I use the slap bass technique a lot. A little over ten years ago, I think, I started using Rotosounds and found (and still find) them excellent for slap bass. Over the past 17 odd years I have developed my own technique and style so I don't slap exactly how most rockabilly cats would do and therefore steel strings would also do for me, where it not that I find the sound a bit "plonky" or whatever you would call it. I would like a bit more traditional round sound. I have played gut in the past but found the volume and tension dissapointing. Since I often play accoustically and there are loud brass players involved I would like to be in balance with the rest. My instrument is loud enough and set up with the Rotosounds it is exactly right. The basis for me is the accoustic sound and when I am amplified, I simply use a microphone and put it in front of the f-hole (threw out the underwood years ago)
My problem is that my playing has evolved and also the styles I play have become more varied again, therefore I need to alter between slap, regular pizzicato and arco nowadays. The Rotosounds, in my opinion, rather suck at the last two. So I began gathering information on strings and found that there have been serious developments since I last looked. Pirastro Obligato's look promising and since I have had the opportinity to try them on someone else's bass I am seriously considering buying them and giving them a go. Velvet's may be interesting but I don't know anyone who actually plays them. Most bassist I know play with a pickup and amplified all the time and they generally use steel and do not slap. So basically I am looking for other people's experiences and/or expert advice: should I simply get these Obligato's or is there anything else I should be considering? Also, should I have any new type of strings set up by my luthier the first time so that he can adjust things like the bridge action etc. or simply put them on myself and try them?
Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks in advance.
Mark
I am a bass player that mainly plays New Orleans Jazz but occasionally also play other forms. I try to play somewhat in the style of Braud/Foster/Garland and that's why I use the slap bass technique a lot. A little over ten years ago, I think, I started using Rotosounds and found (and still find) them excellent for slap bass. Over the past 17 odd years I have developed my own technique and style so I don't slap exactly how most rockabilly cats would do and therefore steel strings would also do for me, where it not that I find the sound a bit "plonky" or whatever you would call it. I would like a bit more traditional round sound. I have played gut in the past but found the volume and tension dissapointing. Since I often play accoustically and there are loud brass players involved I would like to be in balance with the rest. My instrument is loud enough and set up with the Rotosounds it is exactly right. The basis for me is the accoustic sound and when I am amplified, I simply use a microphone and put it in front of the f-hole (threw out the underwood years ago)
My problem is that my playing has evolved and also the styles I play have become more varied again, therefore I need to alter between slap, regular pizzicato and arco nowadays. The Rotosounds, in my opinion, rather suck at the last two. So I began gathering information on strings and found that there have been serious developments since I last looked. Pirastro Obligato's look promising and since I have had the opportinity to try them on someone else's bass I am seriously considering buying them and giving them a go. Velvet's may be interesting but I don't know anyone who actually plays them. Most bassist I know play with a pickup and amplified all the time and they generally use steel and do not slap. So basically I am looking for other people's experiences and/or expert advice: should I simply get these Obligato's or is there anything else I should be considering? Also, should I have any new type of strings set up by my luthier the first time so that he can adjust things like the bridge action etc. or simply put them on myself and try them?
Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks in advance.
Mark
and I was wondering how thick are wound gut strings, say Oliv's. Would it be Ok to put on just the E alone or would it be better to put A and E wound?
Also the variance in accoustic properties of those different rooms make that I always will need some sort of "general purpose" type of strings. Since I am a "weekend warrior" with a day job it takes a bit longer before I have had every type of gig, hence the roughly six months.
