Still on my same set from the first challenge...
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Double Bass 2024 Spirocore challenge
- Thread starter Jmilitsc
- Start date
I’ll join if there’s a 2026 challenge.
I’m about 2 months in on a set of Spirocore Solos at orchestra pitch.
I’m about 2 months in on a set of Spirocore Solos at orchestra pitch.
Due to the change of seasons I swapped back from the S42 3/4 to the 3885 3/4 set. Wow. What a difference in tone … and tension!
Me too! Haven't had a single sting on my bass that wasn't a Spiricore since this started. It's nice not to think about it.
I’m thinking about doing this on my carved bass, but only after I get my Kay worked on. I need slap friendly strings right now for a rock-a-country project I’m working with and the carved bass is the only good sounding bass I have to use right now.
One of my old teachers is a prolific slap player and he used to use detuned Spiro Solos.
I’ve thought about trying that out. Adam Booker used that setup for years and he’s amazing with slap.
I don’t slap but for jazz and 1 classical gig I’ve been using a set for about 4 months now and I’m pretty happy with them! Both my bass and my hands seem to prefer less tension.
My Spiro B, E, and A have stayed consistently on for 5 years now. However I went to a plain gut D and G last year and have no plans of ever going back to a full set of Spiros.
I love the acoustic tone of the detuned Spiro solos, but they do sound “softer.” I have a 5 year old set of Mittels that have probably been on my bass a total of maybe 3. Tempting to put them back on, if for no reason to compare.
Only thing really stopping me is my bass seems to like lower tension.
Only thing really stopping me is my bass seems to like lower tension.
I’m thinking about doing that. Would you care to expand on what the benefits are for you, and what guidelines you followed for choosing the gut strings?
I made the switch because during the last semester of my masters I played in an early music ensemble and thus had to at least get a gut D and G on. I went with the Aquila plain gut pair Gollihur music sells because it was relatively affordable (I think like $190 for both strings). Also, my teacher in undergrad was Darek Oles, who was a protege of Charlie Haden, and he is a devotee to a Spiro and gut mixed set. So I’ve heard that sound for years, but never embraced that set because I was worried the arco wouldn’t respond well and sound bad.
Playing in an early music group quickly made me realize that that worry was really unfounded. If you have good technique with the bow, gut strings can sound heavenly and personally I think are far more expressive than a full set of steels. And the transition from the Spiro to gut isn’t that weird once you get used to it. Both strings provide a lot of sonic information, so I’ve found that the only change you have to do is lighten your right arm when you get to the gut D and G. I don’t play as much in orchestras as I used to, but use the bow quite a bit so even though the sound isn’t conventional to modern classical tastes, I much prefer it for what I do.
For pizzicato, it is simply the sound I have always heard in my head due to studying with Darek Oles. So this really feels like I’ve come home. Plus, I think the Spiros and guts enrich each other in unique ways. The lessening of tension by not having a full set of Spiros make the bottom strings feel lighter to the touch and thus have more bottom end to the sound, but the tension brought on by the Spiros makes the guts on top have a bit more sustain. For me personally, it’s really just the sound I like.
