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Double Bass Spirocore + ??

Selim

Selim

Supporting Member
Jun 2, 2008
2,070
2,062
New York City
#1
Spirocores on the bottom + various "top" strings -- It's such a popular combination. I had made a sound clip for another thread (Pirastro Flat-chromesteel)

but rather than hijack that thread, I'd thought it might be useful to start a thread to discuss what top strings folks have found to mix well with Spirocores (of whatever gauge) on the bottom. Sound clips are helpful and encouraged!

Here's two:

Spirocore + Flex Deluxe:
Spirocore + Obligatos

Both the FDs and Obligatos had been on the bass for about 5 days. I don't know how old the Spirocores on the bottom are but they are well broken in (but not old/dead).

Rec. w/ Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina mic -> Neve preamp plugin -> Logic. EQ flat, no processing.
 

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#2
Sub'd. This is right were I'm at. Spiros went back on my Shen the other day - the E and A rock and I'm finding them easier to bow. The D and G, not so much. Nice pizz but metallic with the stick.

I'd love to hear a Spiro E + A - Dom D + G combo.

Dave, I tried the FD - Spiro thing and found the FDs too dark for my bass for pizz once they broke in. Arco was superb though.
 
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#4
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
At some point, when I get three seconds to myself, I'm going to put the rubber bridge mute on my Spiro bass and see if the extra mass calms down the scratchiness when you bow old Mittels. It would be funny if that was the answer all along.
Click to expand...

How much scratchiness is really heard out in the room? It may just all blend together into a really nice audible sound, depending on the bass and player, of course!
 
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#5
I've tried Obligatos a couple of times on different basses. They always sound great in the living room and crap out when they leave the house. FDs are it for me-they may sound dark from behind the bass, but the sound gets out there both pizz and arco. YMMV, of course.
 
#6
SAlcott said:
I've tried Obligatos a couple of times on different basses. They always sound great in the living room and crap out when they leave the house. FDs are it for me-they may sound dark from behind the bass, but the sound gets out there both pizz and arco. YMMV, of course.
Click to expand...
My experience as well. We'll see with the Obligatos. I like them at home but they somehow feel and sound different from how I remember them from 4-5 years ago. Perhaps because I only tried the D&G with Spirocores and not the whole set.
 
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#7
Eric Hochberg said:
How much scratchiness is really heard out in the room? It may just all blend together into a really nice audible sound, depending on the bass and player, of course!
Click to expand...
But it's not fun hearing that scratchiness from the player's position. For me, it's distracting.

Having said that, bowing Spirocores on this bass I acquired recently is pretty okay (or at least a lot better under the bow than I remember Spiros being).
 
#12
Sean Riddle said:
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I've been using Spiro Weich E and A and Innovation Braided D and G since the start of this year and it has been a pretty good pairing for my tastes and my bass. The recording I shared is from my schools recent recording project, so this what this string setup sounds like in the mix of a band.
Click to expand...
Lotta growl.
What kind of bass are you using?
p.s. enjoyed the music. Which school lets you play that?
 
#13
that spiro/obligato mix sounds like a full set of the same strings. I guess if you kill an e and a a little bit that'll work. Can you get a recording of that setup in a band?

The Dominant G sounded great with my year old spirocores and had a little more meat. I may try the D and G in the future.
 
#17
Selim said:
Lotta growl.
What kind of bass are you using?
p.s. enjoyed the music. Which school lets you play that?
Click to expand...
It's just a Shen SB180 hybrid. That bass really loves low tension strings and when I put the Innovations on, I feel my bass opened up a lot more sonically. While I do love the Innovation D and G strings, I think they would get the best results on a bass that likes low tension strings.
I'm a student at CalArts, and every year the faculty choose some original compositions by the students to record. The trombone player wrote the tune I shared.
 
#18
Sean Riddle said:
I've been using Spiro Weich E and A and Innovation Braided D and G since the start of this year and it has been a pretty good pairing for my tastes and my bass.
Click to expand...

That's what I used for a while too, Innovation Braided with S42W 4/4 Spiro Weich. Nice for pizz, but different with the bow. Which brought me to the whole set of Innovation Braided with some treatment for A and E to make them more flexible.
 
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#19
Sean Riddle said:
It's just a Shen SB180 hybrid. That bass really loves low tension strings and when I put the Innovations on, I feel my bass opened up a lot more sonically. While I do love the Innovation D and G strings, I think they would get the best results on a bass that likes low tension strings.
I'm a student at CalArts, and every year the faculty choose some original compositions by the students to record. The trombone player wrote the tune I shared.
Click to expand...
Well maybe "just a ..." but the bass sounds good.
 

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