Yes Obligatos bow well and blend well with Spiros, but to my ears on my bass they also sound like synthetic Spiros with a bright sound and maybe the loooongest sustain I´ve experienced. On my bass they don´t sound like gut although that´s how they´ve been advertised by Pirastro. You can easily compare their sound to other brands on Herve Jeanne´s great String matrix site! String Matrix - Hervé Jeanne
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Double Bass A good hybrid string: no such thing?
- Thread starter endorka
- Start date
There do seem to have been some tricks or techniques that old time gut players used, both arco and pizz. They had a way of starting the string that made the attack more pronounced(for lack of a better description). My old principal could play an explosive accent that steel strings just didn't seem to be able to duplicate. There were other factors, I'm sure, but it was definitely some sort of advantage. Those guys knew how to use those strings. They were what they had. We have so many more options for everything from instruments to rosin to strings to whatever else now that there seem to be almost too many choices.
Wound gut would also not sound like plain gut.
The best you can expect from metal wound synthetic string is something close to metal wound gut, not plain gut.
@Francois Blais:
For me the Presto Balance Hybrid Medium had a bit much tension (on a Stagg EUB) and the A had (intentionally as Jonas Lohse told me) even more tension. I replaced the A with the Light version in the medium set.
If you want you can get such a mixed set from Jonas directly.
They are nice with the bow and pizz well too. But they might sound dead much quicker than Spiros.
The best you can expect from metal wound synthetic string is something close to metal wound gut, not plain gut.
@Francois Blais:
For me the Presto Balance Hybrid Medium had a bit much tension (on a Stagg EUB) and the A had (intentionally as Jonas Lohse told me) even more tension. I replaced the A with the Light version in the medium set.
If you want you can get such a mixed set from Jonas directly.
They are nice with the bow and pizz well too. But they might sound dead much quicker than Spiros.
Thanks Elmer.
Yes, I had both mediums and lights years ago, whish I bought from Jonas Lohse, and they felt stiff even in light gauge.
Their Prestoflex string is much more flexible.
Yes, I had both mediums and lights years ago, whish I bought from Jonas Lohse, and they felt stiff even in light gauge.
Their Prestoflex string is much more flexible.
Hey Jeff, could you compare the tension of the solos tuned to orchestra to the standard perpetuals? Do they retain the suppleness of the standard set?
They have a nicer pop. In my experience, they sit more like gut in a blend of acoustic instruments. The acro is a little grittier on my bass. Volume is pretty similar.
Best I have ever tried, Tempera Hybrids. They didn't offer them online yet, but a friend of mine is using them on his Orchestra bass. They sound absolutely fantastic played with the bow and are really really great pizzicato too. I personally use the regular Bassos (Orchestra strings) of the Tempera brand which already sound very nice pizz. Even played a few pure Jazz gigs with them 
Tempera Hybrids?! What are these? Do you mean the updated version of Tempera Bassos? I have those and they really do sound great both arco and pizz!Best I have ever tried, Tempera Hybrids. They didn't offer them online yet, but a friend of mine is using them on his Orchestra bass. They sound absolutely fantastic played with the bow and are really really great pizzicato too. I personally use the regular Bassos (Orchestra strings) of the Tempera brand which already sound very nice pizz. Even played a few pure Jazz gigs with them
For this upcoming winter I changed my strings into a set that actually is decent for the hybrid thing.
I put on Flexocor Deluxe GD, BelCanto A, Spiro stark E. Works for bowing and pizz.
The Spiro stark E growls the best I have heard on this carved 7/8ths 42” sl bass.
Having heard good things about the Original Flexocor A, I’ll be replacing the BelCanto in a few weeks.
I put on Flexocor Deluxe GD, BelCanto A, Spiro stark E. Works for bowing and pizz.
The Spiro stark E growls the best I have heard on this carved 7/8ths 42” sl bass.
Having heard good things about the Original Flexocor A, I’ll be replacing the BelCanto in a few weeks.
As far as I know, Temperas are not marketed as hybrid, nor does that word appear in any naming. But I have two sets, and they are indeed wonderful hybrid strings.
Gerold and Jan-Ole have released a new Tempera Hybrid set, but as far as I know, they've only been offered to people that signed up to the Tempera Hybrid mailing list. I'm guessing that's what thomsen_bass was referring to.
I’m trying to put together a mixed set for mixed use and I recently went back to flexocor deluxe GD — still working on the bottom half (currently experimenting with different gauges of Spiros). I have enjoyed the pizz sound and response of the top 3 deluxe flexocores in the past and they are a wonderful bowing string of course.
Your set sounds like it would lean heavily towards the arco side of hybrid. How do you like it for pizz - can it make a jazz sound?
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Totally awesome for jazz.
The weak jazz string is the BelCanto A of course, but that will be changed to a Original Flex shortly. Actually, on my bass, the BelCanto A is decent pizz, it just does not have the growl of a Spiro. I did have a Spiro Stark A on to match the Spiro E but replaced that beast with the BelCanto. (My upcoming orchestral season has some very challenging bass parts and the Spiro was an arco pain)
The low E Spiro Stark is a walk in the park compared to the low B from the 5ths set it replaced. Two Spiro low starks on this set had me gritting my teeth bowing.
If I had only one bass this set could do it all. I am very pleased how nice the Flex Deluxe GD is for pizz, sparkly and warm. And the Spiro E stark is a growl monster.
I have a Dominant A (and E) I could put on if I wanted a mixed set more geared to jazz.
You might want to try the Evah Pirazzi light full set for a hybrid. Ken Smith uses it for classical and jazz. It does not like a heavy arco hand though.
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I’m very happy with the 2 FLexocore Deluxes on top of old Spiro mittels. I’ve tried 3/4 and 4/4 weichs, but the mittels are better balanced, tone and tension wise with the FDs and the total tension works real well for the bass they’re on.
I really like the FD G and D pizz, also. Your “sparkly and warm” description is a good one — and with a nice fundamental and supportive thump that gives each note a push.
Thanks for the suggestion — I’ve tried EP lights on this bass — more than once. I wanted them to work because I loved the nice things they did on my previous bass. But they are too dark and dull on my current bass (I only have one now).
I really like the FD G and D pizz, also. Your “sparkly and warm” description is a good one — and with a nice fundamental and supportive thump that gives each note a push.
Thanks for the suggestion — I’ve tried EP lights on this bass — more than once. I wanted them to work because I loved the nice things they did on my previous bass. But they are too dark and dull on my current bass (I only have one now).
Yes exactly. My friend asked for Tempera Strings that are more suitable for players who also do Jazz. Apparently the Hybrid model will be released later but you can already get them on direct request.
So guys, I want to give you an update on this. After some back and forth i finally decided to buy a set of the new hybrid model from Tempera and have already received it. For me the problem is solved. First I had the impression that they are a bit too bright for my instrument, but after a few weeks it has evolved into the opposite and the sound is now deep and soft. These strings are awesome!!! The bass sings again, is almost twice as loud as before. I love to play unamplified and with the Hybrids it's no problem at all anymore. Plus they are so easy to play and super fast.What do I want more?
The name Hybrid fits here just perfect, because even with the bow they are the best strings I've ever played (and I've already tried a lot.) Easy response, clear and warm. WOW.
The name Hybrid fits here just perfect, because even with the bow they are the best strings I've ever played (and I've already tried a lot.) Easy response, clear and warm. WOW.
