Looking for suggestions from experienced musicians on budget friendly, lower tensio strings compatible for pizz on a well used King Mortone... thanks!
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Double Bass budget friendly db strings?
- Thread starter BigSkyBassist
- Start date
One thing to consider is used strings. Check the TB Classified's. Lots of bargains on strings.
Bass strings last a long, long time. The players who report wearing them out tend to have a pro level practice and performance regimen.
Bass strings last a long, long time. The players who report wearing them out tend to have a pro level practice and performance regimen.
How budget friendly are you talking about?
Are you wanting modern sound or old school sound?
What type of strings is your King Mortone currently setup for?
These and lots of other questions should be considered as you start processing your options. A string change can involve a lot of other changes.
Are you wanting modern sound or old school sound?
What type of strings is your King Mortone currently setup for?
These and lots of other questions should be considered as you start processing your options. A string change can involve a lot of other changes.
- Jan 12, 2004
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- Owner, Stand Up Guy Basses (Repair/Sell/Buy upright basses)
Yep, Superflexibles, IIRC, have a rope core and are easier on the hands than Spiros. And the solo gauge, tuned down to concert pitch, are going to feel really "bendy". Superflexibles are also a step down from Spiros in terms of cost (but still, made in Austria and imported, so subject to taxes, etc.....).
Wouldn't Dirty Guts be about the lowest cost low tension option for pizz on a ply?
Yes, Superior Bassworks Deluxe "Dirty Guts" could work for someone wanting a decent inexpensive (~$85US) plain gut string simulation for pizz and arco. However it could require setup -- wider nut and bridge slots and fingerboard dressing -- for a double bass not already setup for fat low tension strings. I use them and love them, but they aren't for everyone.
I do notice that SBW currently marks these Deluxe strings in both "Dirty Guts" and "Blood Red" colors as "out of stock". Not sure what that means in the long term. Their standard, not-spiral-cut strings are apparently not out of stock.
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Both SF and Spiros have a steel rope-core.
The differences are in the rest of the construction, the SF having a more traditional design.
Spiros are more flexibles and indeed more expensive. (and have more variants in gauges and lenghts)
You can spend $3000 trying out every set available, but in the end nothing will sound like your old King with a 4 year old set of secondhand Spirocores.
Another one to throw in the mix Innovation 140B Braided. They're cheap, low tension and on the warm side, and they pizz really nicely on a plywood like your King. Easy on the hands too and they settle in pretty fast.
If you want to keep it even cheaper, the regular Innovation Polychromes are solid as well. And like fdeck said, keep an eye on the classifieds Innovations and Zyex turn up used fairly often and they've usually got plenty of life left in them.
A few hundred bucks amortized over 10 years or so is pennies a day. How cheap do you want?
I haven’t seen this mentioned before, but is your scale length the traditional 43” for this particular model, or has someone modified it for a shorter string length? It could make a difference.
You can measure where the bridge is
supposed to be (at the notches in the F hole) to the nut.
You can measure where the bridge is
supposed to be (at the notches in the F hole) to the nut.
this would be the first full set of strings on this since I purchased it as the 3 old gut strings were totally shotvfrom lack of care and age.
I'll be replacing the bridge as well so yes there will be some experimentation to assess what sound the bass best produces under a range of adjustments.
thanks for the feedback
Yeah to Spiros. Probably in your case Wiech. The initial cost might be a little bit higher than some others, but they should be good for years and years which brings the cost way down. Check the classifieds for used sets which you can buy without fear unless they are really old and beat.
Last year I found a set of properly broken in spiros on the classifieds here for about $60. I put them on a bass I was selling and I still think about that set of strings.
@BigSkyBassist Since you're already swapping the bridge get that cut and the action set first then pick strings. King plys love low tension for pizz.
Spiro Weich are the safe bet pricey up front but they last for years so they end up cheap. The Innovation 140B braided are warmer and a lot cheaper and they pizz great on a ply. Either way check the classifieds first. used Spiros and Innovations turn up all the time with plenty of life left.
Just don't buy a bunch of sets to test before the new bridge is on. The feel changes once it's set up so judge the strings on the finished bass.
Spiro Weich are the safe bet pricey up front but they last for years so they end up cheap. The Innovation 140B braided are warmer and a lot cheaper and they pizz great on a ply. Either way check the classifieds first. used Spiros and Innovations turn up all the time with plenty of life left.
Just don't buy a bunch of sets to test before the new bridge is on. The feel changes once it's set up so judge the strings on the finished bass.
