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Double Bass Evah Pirazzi - Regular versus Weich (specific questions)

Fran Diaz

Fran Diaz

Mar 28, 2002
3,912
1,058
Santander, Spain
Disclosures
Bassist
#1
I just put a set of old Evah regulars on my bass. I like the tone for both pizz (Belcanto'ss pizz is not my thing) and arco.
I want to make sure that when I order a new set of EPs I get the best for my needs.

How do the EP Weich compare to the regulars on the following points?:
  • Volume
  • tension for pizz
  • ease of bowing / tension under the bow

How's the thickess on the EP Weichs compared to the Belcantos?

Last, my bass stays in tune for days, but I've put the Evahs a few days ago and I still need to retune several times on a practice session. I've read that they need to settle for a week or more. Do they keep in tune after this period or should I expect to retune too often?
 
#3
Those are great threads to read through, but they are so large,it might be as productive to search posts for the keywords. I wish I could give a definitive answer here but I haven't tried weich's yet. From what I read, and my experience with strings in general, I suspect it will come down to your particular bass.
If you like the regulars but feel the tension of the Evah regulars are choking the resonance of your bass at all, I would give a used set of Weich's a try.
I'm on the fence myself. My bass likes Evah regulars but I have a feeling it might not take quite as much tension to pull the best response and tone. When my strings wear out, I'll probably give the Weich's a try.
 
#4
Dave Irwin said:
Those are great threads to read through, but they are so large,it might be as productive to search posts for the keywords. I wish I could give a definitive answer here but I haven't tried weich's yet. From what I read, and my experience with strings in general, I suspect it will come down to your particular bass.
If you like the regulars but feel the tension of the Evah regulars are choking the resonance of your bass at all, I would give a used set of Weich's a try.
I'm on the fence myself. My bass likes Evah regulars but I have a feeling it might not take quite as much tension to pull the best response and tone. When my strings wear out, I'll probably give the Weich's a try.
Click to expand...

I've read through those threads and found some info, but, asyou said, they are 'Large' and didn't find the anwer to all my questions.

I'm going to keep the regulars on my bass and see if I keep liking them with theorchestra.
 
#5
Fran Diaz said:
How do the EP Weich compare to the regulars on the following points?:
  • Volume
  • tension for pizz
  • ease of bowing / tension under the bow


Last, my bass stays in tune for days, but I've put the Evahs a few days ago and I still need to retune several times on a practice session. I've read that they need to settle for a week or more. Do they keep in tune after this period or should I expect to retune too often?
Click to expand...

My bass was louder with the regs than the weichs. More power than with any other strings I've tried. The weichs have less tension which is why I switched to them. The regulars wore me out after 6 months. I adjusted to both for arco, but am not an orchestral bassist so can't really answer that question. After the initial break in period, they stay in tune well.
 
#7
I can live with a little less volume if they are easier to play, especially under the bow. The Belcantos are much quiter on my bass and I still had enough volume. What I don't want to lose is the character and tone that the Evahs have given me, the pizz is like night and day compared to the Belcantos.

Thanks a lot for your answers on this thread.
 
#8
I spend some time reading the Evah Megathread. I can't find any info about your question if the Weich bow better. Maybe someone with bowing experience can tell more about it.
I found some info from Pirastro in the thread:

The new development "Weich" is designed for those players who like the "Standard" orchestra set but would also like to have a reduced string tension and a very easy playability. This "Weich" set has a pronounced core sound and compared to the "Standard" orchestra set the sound is brighter and growlier with a little more sustain.
The construction/design is based on the "Standard" orchestra set.

String tension (for 106cm mensur) of the double bass Evah Pirazzi orchestra "Weich" set is about 10% lower compared to the double bass Evah Pirazzi orchestra "Standard" set.
 
#9
Fran Diaz said:
What I don't want to lose is the character and tone that the Evahs have given me, the pizz is like night and day compared to the Belcantos.
Click to expand...

The first set of strings I had was a set of Evah mittels, the second set was Evah weichs. I really liked the mittels but felt they were hard work to play and the E and A didn't have enough (for me) sustain played pizz. I was also concerned that the tension was too high for my bass because they seemed to be very abrupt-sounding, but actually that just turned out to be a quality of my bass... I have a better bass now!

The weichs were an improvement in both tension and sustain but still had that powerful pizz attack and mature arco sound. They're a really great set IMHO.
 
#11
Actually, much of this is in those older threads. I found the EP regulars to be like playing on bridge cables and I have strong hands. The weichs had slightly less power but were far more comfortable to play. Both bowed quite well. Even the weichs strained my right hand after two to three hours of continuous play. I found, as others did, that the weichs seemed to feel stiffer with age.
 
#12
How do the EP Weich compare to the regulars on the following points?:
  • Volume
  • tension for pizz
  • ease of bowing / tension under the bow

I found that the Weich set had a little less volume, a little less tension for pizz,
and quite a lot less tension under the bow.
I have no problem with either string as far as ease of playing goes

When I first put on the regular set I was coming from Obligatos, which I found were kind of wimpy(IMO). I loved the regular EP's, they were easy to bow and they made my bass sound a lot more powerful.
I found that in the Orchestra I could push them as hard as I wanted to and they just gave me more. At first the jazz pizz sound was great, lots of power, good sound, but I found that they went dead and lost their "jazz" sound and sustain rather quickly, 6 months and they were done for the jazz gigs.

Then I tried the Weich set and found that they had a much better jazz sound and more sustain, although a little more delicate that the regulars.
I also found that I had to back off a bit playing them in the Orchestra as they were relatively easy to overpower.
They have been great all around strings.
The vast majority of my work is in the jazz/commercial side.
If I were only playing in the orchestra I could see going back to the regular set as they produce more sound.
I've had the Weichs on for 14 months now - a new record.
I seem to wear out strings at an alarming rate, even Spiros go dead on me in a year. I suspect that the fact that I have rather caustic sweat may have something to do with it.
 
#13
Don C said:
...even Spiros go dead on me in a year. I suspect that the fact that I have rather caustic sweat may have something to do with it.
Click to expand...

Spiros go dead in a year? I submit, then, that you are an abberation of nature and we cannot generalize at all from your experience. :D
Seriously, though, I think one's experience with the comfort if Evahs might depend greatly on string height.
 
#14
I'll agree to that. I've got my strings set at a nice comfortable height for me, ranging from 7 mm under the G, to 10 mm under the E, so they're not exceptionally high (or low).
I'm out playing 4 or 5 times a week - just haven't had any problem with them with either hand.

The only string that I've found difficult to play are Dominants. Gave them a good 6 month trial.
They seemed very high tension, but it was probably because they're a very stiff and hard string. I experienced left hand fatigue playing them and I didn't much like their sound on my Bass either.

Spiros sound great on my Bass but I really don't like them in the orchestra. If I were only playing Jazz gigs I'd go back to them in a heartbeat.
I've found the EPs to be an excellent compromise, they're the only string I've tried that work well for me in all playing situations.
And I've found that the EP Weichs sound better and last longer then the regulars for pizz playing.
 
#15
I recorded some string arrangements yesterday and the studio guy loved the tone of my bass (I did too :smug:).
The Evahs had been on my bass for a week, but I had been experimenting with G strings (is there a joke in here?) and I had put the Evah G back just the night before; in spite of this, it hold the tuning pretty well.

Final test for the Evahs is going to be when I go back to the conservatory and orchestra in two weeks, but it seems like I've found the perfect string for my needs...and my next string order will be for a set of Weichs.

Thanks a lot for all the very useful info. you guys :bassist: (when are we having a DB player emoticon?)
 
#17
Both EPs gauges sound great on my Basses.
Prefer the reg. gauge, although the EP Weichs sound great on my American Standard lately.
Your bridge must be in the straight- lined up & in the correct place to allow your strings to vibrate without tension-very important!
I found that the slightest adjustment (right, left, up, down...) of the bridge feet was critical to sound & tone quality.
Try using a Yard Stick to tap the bridge feet in place. (saw Bass repairmen using a yardstick over the years.)
 
#18
I play the weich and love it.
About regular gauge I've never played, but the concern I commonly hear is that they are louder and great for arco, but the left hand has to be strong because it is too stiff. Also it has less growl and sustain, what can be great thing or not, depending on your repertoire.
 

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