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Acoustic Bass String Innovations: Aquila Flat Spirals and Round Spirals

SBassman

SBassman

Jun 8, 2003
9,789
3,352
Northeast, US
#1
I thought we had a thread named for these strings, and I am just noticing we are not.
We have one that's close, but not precisely the name of these strings.

Aquila has created an amazing new string innovation - copper wound Flat Spirals.

These are amazing new flatwounds that are lower tension and soft to the touch - while yielding beautiful warm tone. MO, they are far superior to the phosphor bronze strings shipped on so many acoustic basses.

The design of these is a special synthetic "sugar" core with a soft, thin copper flat wrap.

I thought I'd create a thread to consolidate dialog on these strings as people discover and try them.

For some previous initial dialog, see these threads:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/aq...opper-flats-on-bioplastic-sugar-core.1599920/

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/guitar-scale-acoustic-basses.1359676/

Happy playing.
 
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#4
mikeoso said:
Interested to hear how these are for volume, specifically compared to Rotosound TruBass 88 tapes.
Click to expand...

Same here! And thanks @SBassman for starting this thread. I totally missed the earlier discussion with @Karl Kaminski doing such great presentations and @Mimmo showing that he is not only a good engineer but also a good listener - a strong combination.

Looking forward to trying a set on my Tacoma.
 
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#8
So, regarding volume:

I have never paid much attention to unplugged volume of various basses and strings. I view acoustic basses not as something to conjure enough acoustic volume to keep up with other acoustic instruments, but rather, as a great option for living room practice as well as a unique alternate plugged in tone.

What I love about these strings is: the warmer tone, along with the feel. They feel softer, at less tension, to my fingers. I always hated what phosphor bronze strings felt and sounded like, and these strings are the answer for me.
 
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#10
It was pointed out to me that if I was going to do a thread with the formal name, to ensure everyone can find it over time, that I should have included the Rounds version of this innovation.

The thread name really should have been:

Acoustic Bass String Innovations: Aquila Flat Spirals and Round Spirals

I am unable to edit the post. Is there anyone here who can ask an admin to fix that, or, put me in touch with an admin who can fix that? Thank you.
 
#12
SBassman said:
So, regarding volume:

I have never paid much attention to unplugged volume of various basses and strings. I view acoustic basses not as something to conjure enough acoustic volume to keep up with other acoustic instruments, but rather, as a great option for living room practice as well as a unique alternate plugged in tone.

What I love about these strings is: the warmer tone, along with the feel. They feel softer, at less tension, to my fingers. I always hated what phosphor bronze strings felt and sounded like, and these strings are the answer for me.
Click to expand...
Of course your use case is far more common among ABG players...but there are a few of us who play strictly unplugged, and need volume. This requires careful selection of the instrument, obviously, and adjustments in technique. But It can be done. And if we can get great tone and feel as well, wonderful!
SC bass guitar(0).jpg
 
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#14
Thanks for compiling this info here! I play my old Guild Starfire and M85 basses 95% of the time, but I do have a Guild B30e as well for the occasional acoustic jam. Even though these Guilds have much bigger and deeper bodies than most standard acoustic bass guitars on the market (like Martin, Epiphone, Ibanez, Michael Kelly, Dean, etc.) and correspondingly the B30e does have impressive volume and projection, getting the right set of strings is still essential to get maximum acoustic volume out of it. I've tried all sorts of flats, tapes, and even TI acousticores, but the best (to my ear) that I found were the heavier gauge GHS Nickel Pressurewound (106 gauge E) and I do like the tone quite a bit as well -- they're LOUD and have powerful punch and fundamental like flatwounds, the highs are mellow not zingy, and fingernoise and winding texture is subtle and manageable, and finally they don't have that atrocious nasal/zingy tone of bronze rounds. That said, on my electrics I prefer flatwound and tapewound strings, so if these Aquilas could match (or come close) to the volume and projection of the GHS Pressurewounds, I would be very excited and they would likely win me over.

That said, the necessary scale-length for a B30e does not seem to be available? It is technically a short scale ~30.75" but due to the length past the saddle and nut, typically strings designed for Medium/32" scale fit best. Unfortunately, available sets seem to see a large gap between 26" scale and 34" scale. Maybe the 34" scale set would work okay? More flexible string sets seem to do okay even if the main outer winding starts to wrap around the peg (though others will break when this happens). Has anyone had success finding a set of these that worked on a 30-32" scale bass?
 
#19
mellowgerman said:
Thanks for compiling this info here! I play my old Guild Starfire and M85 basses 95% of the time, but I do have a Guild B30e as well for the occasional acoustic jam. Even though these Guilds have much bigger and deeper bodies than most standard acoustic bass guitars on the market (like Martin, Epiphone, Ibanez, Michael Kelly, Dean, etc.) and correspondingly the B30e does have impressive volume and projection, getting the right set of strings is still essential to get maximum acoustic volume out of it. I've tried all sorts of flats, tapes, and even TI acousticores, but the best (to my ear) that I found were the heavier gauge GHS Nickel Pressurewound (106 gauge E) and I do like the tone quite a bit as well -- they're LOUD and have powerful punch and fundamental like flatwounds, the highs are mellow not zingy, and fingernoise and winding texture is subtle and manageable, and finally they don't have that atrocious nasal/zingy tone of bronze rounds.
Click to expand...

Sorry for thread drift, but did you try GHS bronze pressure wounds? Kind of new string. Seems like should be good, more bass less twang vs. bronze rounds.

I was just in a shop looking at ABGs. Fender Kingman was loud but not much bottom end projection. A used Cort bass had a lot more bass. Acoustically. Body construction thing. I just use a Starfire amped, but a friend who plays acoustic guitar thinks I should get an ABG. I think it’d have to be plugged in anyways, so not much point to it.
 

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