Double Bass EUB Strings Thread

[coyoteboy]

Both DB and BG have string forums, but we dont, so here one is.

Ill add more content in a bit, but heres a start.

I play an NS Omnibass 5 and NS Cello.

Strings used list:

Stock NS D’Addario
GHS Brite Flats
GHS Omni Crossovers prototypes

Incoming to try:
Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats

Cello currently sporting GHS Precision Flats for bass and guitar. Pretty happy there.

Post!

 

[Cheez]

I use Corellis on my Azola/ampeg baby bass. No complaints.

 

[John Chambliss]

Spiro Solo's detuned to E and A, along with Obligato D and G. Probably will continue to experiment to get a good arco/piz combination on my BSX Allegro.

 

[hensonbass]

Both DB and BG have string forums, but we dont, so here one is.

Ill add more content in a bit, but heres a start.

I play an NS Omnibass 5 and NS Cello.

Strings used list:

Stock NS D’Addario
GHS Brite Flats
GHS Omni Crossovers prototypes

Incoming to try:
Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats

Cello currently sporting GHS Precision Flats for bass and guitar. Pretty happy there.

Post!

What are the GHS Omni Crossovers prototypes like?

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You might want to separate into three threads, one for Cello, one for bass guitar string length EUBs (shorter scale, typically used with bass guitar strings) and finally one for double bass string length EUBs (which might be most of them).
If you keep all in one forum there will be a lot of misunderstandings which strings would be useable for a certain instrument and which cannot work (because they are too short or too long).

It might be helpful to list instruments in at the beginning and add in which thread to look for the right strings. Might be the same listing for all three, just with a pointer for those that have a different thread (and a link to it) and with the instruments for this thread on top.

 

[coyoteboy]

What are the GHS Omni Crossovers prototypes like?

Like their full-scale counterparts, but for 34” scale. Essentially round-core Brite Flats in a really light gauge. They speak well under the bow and fingers, though they are on the floppy side. These dont seem ground as flat as reg Brite Flats, which I had on before, a bit more like quarter rounds than half rounds. Im about even liking these vs the BF’s on before, with a nod to the better bowing voice of the BF’s.

 

[BarfanyShart]

I bought some spirocore Red Mitchells for my old Palatino EUB recently, but haven't put them on yet. Will report.

 

[Inky13]

Threw some Red Labels on my Palatino. Still hanging in there thirteen years later. I don’t change strings very often.

 

[Francois Blais]

I bought some spirocore Red Mitchells for my old Palatino EUB recently, but haven't put them on yet. Will report.

You’re playing in fifth tuning?

 

[BarfanyShart]

You’re playing in fifth tuning?

Yes, when I came back to BG, I relearned in fifths, so now I'm gonna try it on upright.

 

[Zbysek]

I have been using NS Electric Traditionals on my NS Design NXT EUB lately...

String Sets: NS Electric Traditional for NS Design Electric Upright Basses NS610 at Gollihur Music - Double Bass, Upright Bass, String Bass Specialists

 

[equill]

NS WAV4: GHS Crossovers
Biarnel Stico: Spirocore

 

[jthisdell]

I play a NS Designs NXT4, started with the terrible Contemporaries, switched to the noticeably better Traditionals (even my banjo player immediately noticed the difference) and then took the plunge to Obligatos. They are pricey and I had to upgrade the tuners. But as Mark Gollihur has noted, the synthetic core strings take a lot of the excessive vibration out of a solid body instrument. While DB players may think they are too dead, their deadness really works in a good way on solid body basses. I think I have had them on 4+ years and as others have noticed, while they start pretty dead they do not seem to get deader so they last a very long time.

 

[Deltatim]

My homemade Palatino-like with P pups has had Helicore Hibrids Orch. for 4 years....not the acoustic but very pleasant tone. Used every Sunday and the church people love it.
Flatish board so no bowing. Church is thru PA, otherwise thru an Acoustisonic 30 with a light reverb on.

 

[Francois Blais]

My homemade Palatino-like with P pups has had Helicore Hibrids Orch. for 4 years.

Your helicores are either Hybrids *or* Orchestrals, they can't be the same type.
If the silks at the tailpiece are green, they are Hybrids.
Blue, they are Orchestrals.

 

[coyoteboy]

So, despite my excitement, the Cobalt Flats are a thumbs down on the omni. Gaps too wide on the lower strings, bow hair gets caught. Too bad too, the sound I get on upper strings and intermittently on the lower strings is Yuge. It does sound like youre bowing on roundwounds in a good way. Also the skinny silks are great for the smaller tuning posts on the omni. Going to try the EB Group Flats in a smaller gauge.

 

[BarfanyShart]

I bought some spirocore Red Mitchells for my old Palatino EUB recently, but haven't put them on yet. Will report.

I put the Spirocore Red Mitchells on my old Palatino, and they are really good. I had to file the nut a little bit for the low string to sit exactly right, but no other modifications other than that. The bowed sound is the most remarkable thing, I always had an issue with bowed sound being very thin and low in volume with this pickup, and was never really able to make it sound good amplified. I put these strings on and it was like magic, I plugged straight into the amp (Rumble 40 Studio with Acoustisonic model running) and it sounded great. No difference in volume between pizz and arco, and if anything the arco sound is more natural and resonant than the pizz sound.

I'm kind of amazed. I never had a lot of problems with the Palatino that others report, and always gigged with it stock, but these strings turned it into a totally different instrument.

 

[coyoteboy]

Quick NS Omnibass update: just threw on EB Group flats and now were talking. Very smooth and brighter than I expected. A bit uneven in the brightness, but im sure theyll settle in and balance. So far they are easy to bow, but a more comprehensive eval will be forthcoming after some plugged-in time.

 

[bodollar]

Thanks for starting the forum coyoteboy, interested in seeing what strings folks are using on their Omni
bass.

 

[whatsgood]

So on an nxt4 how did things change when you went from ns traditionals to obligatos? Tone, sustain, tension, spiritual well being?