Double Bass 2022 Spirocore Challenge

[TroyK]

I'm not enjoying the 3885 Weich G string right now. It's FAR BETTER than the S42 Weich G string, but I prefer the S42 Mittel G by a large margin. When the weather changed it didn't feel right and I swapped it back, which helped, but it may be time to put it back on there now that we've settled into winter. I have a gig Saturday and may wait to do it after.

 

[lrhbass]

I am out, changed to Perpetual,but went back to Spiro Weich after a couple of months...on an all acoustic gig my fellow players couldn't hear me as well and wanted me to use an amp. quick change back to the Weich, and wow back in the saddle again, Spiros's to the rescue once again.

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

Are you saying you changed the strings at the gig?

 

[Don Hergert]

Did I miss any other changes???

In:
@TroyK
@Scott Lynch
@oliebrice
@Matt Ides
@ablumley
@PaperbackRyder
@ericsmith
@lrhbass <<OUT
@Reiska
@jlmorgan84
@Ryan in PDX
@strigidae
@JLubinsky-Mast
@Levin S
@abaguer

Out:
@Aragorn35016
@Selim
@Sean Riddle
@Brad_Pearson
@Rama Temmink
@Doug Harrison
@what the pluck

I think we have a split judge's decision on:
@TroyK << OUT

 

[lrhbass]

Are you saying you changed the strings at the gig?

No, during the week before the next gig..

 

[TroyK]

No, during the week before the next gig..

I've swapped strings in a set break, back when my addiction was strong.

I'm tempted to put Perpetuals on Jan 1, but there is no doubt that I'm getting something out of Spirocores that I won't from the Perps. The feel and the tone, tough are beautiful on the Perps.

 

[DaveAceofBass]

I've swapped strings in a set break, back when my addiction was strong.

I'm tempted to put Perpetuals on Jan 1, but there is no doubt that I'm getting something out of Spirocores that I won't from the Perps. The feel and the tone, tough are beautiful on the Perps.

Join the mixed set club.

 

[TroyK]

You know, I didn't think Perps and Spirocores played nicely with one another when I tried that in 2021. I have a storied history of string mixing, but that combination wasn't my jam.

 

[Selim]

Curious wh

You know, I didn't think Perps and Spirocores played nicely with one another when I tried that in 2021. I have a storied history of string mixing, but that combination wasn't my jam.

I thought the Perp G worked fine with Spiro weichs - in the same way various other rope core strings do. Not seamlessly tho.

 

[Scott Lynch]

You know, I didn't think Perps and Spirocores played nicely with one another when I tried that in 2021. I have a storied history of string mixing, but that combination wasn't my jam.

This is an interesting observation, and not what I was expecting. Pirastro actually markets the Perp Stark G and D on their website as a string that blends "beautifully with the Perpetual A and E „Mittel“ or any other string combination where thicker G and D strings are desired."

I tried the Perpetuals before the Stark G or D came along, and have been interested in trying them again. Like Spiro Weichs, I loved them at first, then found that they were just too weak once my bass settled in. I am starting to appreciate the feel of slightly higher action on DB and the way it pumps up the potential energy of the string to create a more percussive attack to the note. I wonder if the lighter gauge may feel better this time around relative to the Spiro mediums. Maybe I just need to start lifting weights again.

 

[TroyK]

I don't remember if I tried this, but I think you put a Perp D/G with a Jazzer E/A and have a pretty good set. One thing that I recall liking about Perps, though is how balanced the set is, though, so I'm not sure if the Jazzers would make it better or not. It might give it a little more bite, but you'd have to try.

This is an interesting observation, and not what I was expecting. Pirastro actually markets the Perp Stark G and D on their website as a string that blends "beautifully with the Perpetual A and E „Mittel“ or any other string combination where thicker G and D strings are desired."

I tried the Perpetuals before the Stark G or D came along, and have been interested in trying them again. Like Spiro Weichs, I loved them at first, then found that they were just too weak once my bass settled in. I am starting to appreciate the feel of slightly higher action on DB and the way it pumps up the potential energy of the string to create a more percussive attack to the note. I wonder if the lighter gauge may feel better this time around relative to the Spiro mediums. Maybe I just need to start lifting weights again.

 

[what the pluck]

@what the pluck why did the Bel canto only last 5 minutes on your bass? I probably would have left something on easily longer than 5 minutes...say, a half an hour or so anyway.

hey there… the feel under the bow was vastly different to what I have become accustomed to, it just didn’t seem to blend correctly. I think I’ve grown into the weich’s.. seemed to make more sense just to stick with the spiros…

 

[what the pluck]

I've got no oversight of the judiciary. You guys work it out!

I am out… I broke the rules and that’s ok… will the challenge continue into 2 years and beyond? Maybe with a no mixed sets caveat? Whatever people have landed on at the end of the 12 months (mixed spiro sets) to stay on for 12 months?

 

[Sam Reese]

I knew my limitations from the get-go. The string challenge is a helluva a commitment. I think I've had strings on my bass longer than a year in the past, but the formality of commiting was too much. I've only made one commitment in my life (and I'm still married). Nonetheless, for whatever reasons I have Spiros on both DBs and TI Jazz Flats on my fretless EB (these have been on longer than a year). I'm no fanboy. The strings have earned their place on my basses.

 

[Deltatim]

My mid 20th century Germanic hybrid has had Spiro lights for abt 3 years. To soften the "new twang" tied a rubber band around D and G at the bridge.
After a year or so it rotted away and now runs naked and mellow. My BGs wear D Darrio Chromes which seem to be lasting like Spiros

 

[Reiska]

I broke the rules somewhere around the beginning of challenge for a very short while but have stuck with Spiros ever since and thruout the year. I`ve grown into them, but have been having a tad of a problem with the seasonal changes of my bass with fixed bridge. The weichs are now too low for pizz and slap, but arco feels fantastic. I am going to get a slice of thin wood ply from a luthier buddy and fix the issue, but it`s been good as I developed a bit of a left arm problem during past summer, and it`s been a relief focusing to arco practise with easy playing bass. Upright gigs didn`t happen this christmas season, and so I`ve been just somehow messing thru the band rehearsals with low action and the weichs. It`s good as all of this has been forcing me to learn to somewhat live with low action, as I have been a bit of a tension junkie with my bass.

 

[Sean Riddle]

While I’ve been out for a while, I figured I’d mention I’m back to a full set of Spirocore mediums after about 8-9 months with an Oliv G. Some drunk idiot knocked my bass over on a gig, causing a massive dent in the Oliv G on the bridge slot on a gig after Thanksgiving. My bass is fine though! I decided to be pragmatic and put back on my Spiro G so I’m not spending my holiday gigs tuning up after every tune.

I’m definitely feeling torn between keeping the full set or getting another Oliv G in the new year. It’s very nice to be back to a full set of Spiros though. The pizz sound is a lot more punchy. It’s taking a second to readjust to the thinness of the Spiro G, but that punch is nice and makes the sound and feel a lot more even in my hands. And it’s making me want to play less due to the extra sustain my bass now has again, which is a nice thing. Clarity of notes and ideas are great!
I’ve found the arco sound and response to be a lot better with the full of Spiros. I’m not having to do weight adjustments with the bow when string crossing between the G and D. That was the one thing that was bothering me with the Oliv G. I had to be very cautious about how much weight I put into that string.

So overall I’m gonna stick with the full set again for a bit. The sound is still amazing and it’s overall a lot more pragmatic. Still, the pizz sound I got with just the Oliv G was epic and what I’d been hearing in my head all along. So I might go back to that in time. Spirocores will always reign supreme for my lower strings though.

 

[Selim]

The Oliv G is a wonderful string on its own. I’ve used it to good effect with various Spiros but in my book, a full set of any quality set is pretty hard to beat — you get SO much from a full set, but the biggest thing? Synergy.

In the end tho, it’s mostly up to the bass. I’m blessed where a full set of Spiros of any stripe just works. Bowing weichs is a pleasure.

 

[Levin Hannaford]

I’m still holding strong!

 

[Sam Dingle]

Final stretch everyone. Was thinking of jumping back on the spiro train but seeing as my strings aren't TOTALLY dead yet, i have a backup set of perpetuals and at the moment my upright playing is diminished to just practice with one or two gigs a year....i'll hold off for now.