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Double Bass Evah Pirazzi strings megathread part I

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#521
I'm honestly having trouble deciding about these strings. Sometimes I love them, some times I don't. I generally like the gauge. I go back and forth on the tension. I do have to play them harder, but I think that may be good for me. It forces me to get off my arse and play the bass, which might be a good kick in the pants for me, so to speak.

I like the arco response, but honestly, I've liked the arco response of a lot of strings. I'm pretty pedestrian with the bow and almost everything I've tried has met my basic needs.

Sometimes I love the pizz sound. Big, full, boomy, agressive. Sometimes I don't. I was having some articulation problems last ngiht. Could be a playing adjustment is called for, but I just haven't settled into them yet. I felt like I was getting a little bit of plastic click/buzz/rattle last night. Haven't noticed that in the practice room. Could be because I was amplified or pulling them harder or because I haven't had my bass set up for them, but everything seems seated properly. I don't really want to set up for them unless they're staying.

I'm getting busy, I'll put them thoroughly through the paces over the next month and then either leave them on or take them off and move on.

I am really getting tired of strings. It may be time to put some Spirocores on and filter TB at my firewall.

-tk
 
#522
TroyK said:
I felt like I was getting a little bit of plastic click/buzz/rattle last night. Haven't noticed that in the practice room. Could be because I was amplified or pulling them harder or because I haven't had my bass set up for them, but everything seems seated properly. -tk
Click to expand...

During the brief interval I had them on, I played a gig where I got to listen to them out front. We had a bass sit in and after listening to a couple of tunes, I thought they sounded a bit artificial through the amp. I didn't hate the sound but it was definitely not the joyous acoustic sound that these things made. I think Phil made a comment about Dominants once that he could hear the plastic core. I've used (and continue to use) Dominants without actually hearing anything artificial but I definitely heard something unnatural through the amp with Evahs.

I've gone back to Dom D,G, Mittel E, A and have never been happier. After a string of mediocre gigs with the Evahs, I've had a string of great gigs with the Thomastiks.

mark
 
#523
calivox said:
I didn't hate the sound but it was definitely not the joyous acoustic sound that these things made. I think Phil made a comment about Dominants once that he could hear the plastic core.
Click to expand...
That's why my experiments with synthetic core bass strings were never satisfactory with my (almost solid-body) EUB.
There's no resonance chamber (near to none on the Carruthers) to warm up the tone and give it more body.
You get almost only the artificial character of the core.
 
#526
I do really like the feel of gut or sythethic core strings, though, as opposed to all metal. I really enjoy the supple bounce. I've tried to get that with lighter gauge/lower tension, but it's not the same thing.

I'm not really seeking the holy grail any more, I just want a good string to meet my needs. I haven't given up on these yet.
 
#527
Troy, you mentioned feeling that you have to play them harder, and that's what I did at first as well. I gradually discovered that if I backed off a little bit, I actually got a better sound for walking sections, with a big fundamental and great attack on the front. Then I can dig in for the soloing, and they stand up really well to that on my bass.

They're really at their best unamped or with a mic, I think. I also believe that they blossom out in front of the bass more than they seem to be to the player. I've gotten lots of comments on the sound from audience members with these strings.
 
#528
Ben Rolston said:
I know the amped sound with a pickup isn't ideal, but what about with a mic?

Thanks,
Ben
Click to expand...

I'm quite pleased with their sound through a pickup. I've found that nothing really sounds very good through a pickup (although plain gut makes me very very happy when amplified), but these work just fine.

The version of "Misterioso" Link Removed is my bass with Pirazzis (Spirocore E) and a Realist. Meh, it's an amplified sound; I can live with it.
 
#529
Jeremy Allen said:
I'm quite pleased with their sound through a pickup. I've found that nothing really sounds very good through a pickup (although plain gut makes me very very happy when amplified), but these work just fine.

The version of "Misterioso" Link Removed is my bass with Pirazzis (Spirocore E) and a Realist. Meh, it's an amplified sound; I can live with it.
Click to expand...

That sounds good, for an amp sound. Good playing too! What's your pickup + setup?
 
#530
Jeremy, haven't had a chance to listen yet, but I will.

Marcus et al. I'm not unhappy, just adjusting and undecided. I'm definitely sticking with them for a while. I will say that my experience with these strings is more variable than pretty much anything else I've tried. I'm having a broad range of experiences. It may all settle into something nice.

-tk
 
#531
Marcus Johnson said:
I played them miked this past weekend, some kind of Sennheiser into the house, about a 1400-seat auditorium. Sounded great.
Click to expand...

Is that based on you having someone else play your axe while you go out in the house? Or monitors? Or just feedback from someone else listening? Really, I'm not asking in order to be a smart a**. I've not been in that situation so I'm curious how one would go about listening to your "sound" in an arrangement like that. Thanks!
 
#533
These strings are a quandry. I think I'm coming to the conclusion that they are great for acoustic and low amplified gigs and not as great for gigs where you need more volume. This past weekend I went from a lower vol. Jazz quartet gig where they felt and sounded pretty good for playin' time and soloing thru my Polytone. Then an all acoustic Klezmer wedding ceremony w/alot of arco where they felt great. Bowed so beautifully and easily and put out alot of sound. Then a amplified Klezmer and swingy Jazz dinner dance. For the Klez portion they sounded wonderful thru the Focus/ Wizzy M-line12, pumping out I's and V's piz and arco. Woody and natural w/ definition. For the swing stuff, pretty good, again, until we started too get louder. That's when they seem to get lost in the mix and you end up trying to eq a louder sound that all of a sudden isn't as good. Kinda fuzzier and duller than Spiros or Superflex would be at that vol. But you can work w/ the amplified sound especially w/ a more hi-fi amp like a Focus or WW. I tend to like them better w/ the WW because it's easier to dial in the more cutting low and mid mids. I'm also wondering how they will hold up taking them off and on a bass. I'm thinking about taking them off my German bass putting them on my Prescott for an all acoustic gig this weekend. BG
 
#534
I think these and most other strings are designed to make a Bass sound better acoustically. That includes spread and bottom. After all, it is a Bass, no? Thinner signals amplify and eq better. Remember when the Fender Bass came out? Same problem they had then making a Bass louder.

When I put these strings on my Gilkes, a master grade 200 year old English Bass, (well, 193 years if you're counting) they made it sound louder, deeper, played easier, felt softer under my fingers and bows as good as Flexocors. That to me people, is a darn good string. How do they amplify, I have no clue nor do I care. A tighter sounding string will probably amplify better I guess.

I judge strings the same way I just Basses, acoustically like they were intended to be used.

Brian, do you think Prescott was worried how well his Basses might amplify 100 years after he died? Maybe we should be looking at zero gravity sound travel now so when the time comes and we work out of town, or rather out of this world we wont be let down with primitive gear..lol

Here's a good tip, maybe.. On my amped gigs whenever possible I offer the sound people to put a cable to my direct-out so they can put me in the mix. That way, my amp just becomes a stage monitor. My Amp is an EBS Drome 15. Nothing too fancy but has the line-out feature.. :cool:

On my Orchestra gigs, I just play louder when I need to and these string really help me get the job done.
 
#535
Excellent observations, as usual, Mr. Smith.

For those who are wondering-

I bought an Evah G and D, and had those on the bass for a couple of months. I got a full set of Evahs off of my buddy Calivox that were on TWO basses. I put on the E and A from his set. They sounded great. Especially the A. I then took off all of the Evahs (in a moment of frustration) and put on Spiros for about a day. I then put the Evahs BACK on that I had on. They still sounded great, except for the D (that had only been on my bass). I put on the used D from Mark (that had been on 2 basses). My set still sounds fabulous. No loss of sound, except for that D.
 
#536
christ andronis said:
Is that based on you having someone else play your axe while you go out in the house? Or monitors? Or just feedback from someone else listening? Really, I'm not asking in order to be a smart a**. I've not been in that situation so I'm curious how one would go about listening to your "sound" in an arrangement like that. Thanks!
Click to expand...

2 & 3. Sounded really natural and warm, and the sound crew in the house said it was good. Piano quartet with saxophonist. This is a hall I've played a few times on various strings, so given that context, they fared very well.

PS... they're still startling me sometimes when playing acoustically. The bass is just really live and loud at the moment. I hope it lasts for awhile... that and durability are the only questions that remain for me.
 
#537
Marcus Johnson said:
2 & 3. Sounded really natural and warm, and the sound crew in the house said it was good. Piano quartet with saxophonist. This is a hall I've played a few times on various strings, so given that context, they fared very well.

PS... they're still startling me sometimes when playing acoustically. The bass is just really live and loud at the moment. I hope it lasts for awhile... that and durability are the only questions that remain for me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just put some Animas on and I'm really digging them. I play a gig this weekend where I thnk they're going to mic it for the house and I was curious. The Evah's are next on my list so I'll be interested in how you think they last/sound/play, etc., etc..
 
#538
The Animas are another favorite of mine... if I'd been able to bow them better, they might still be on the bass. Great acoustically as well, but different character than the Evahs... more grainy and "wider" sounding to me.

The Evahs are big and punchy in comparison, with a more distinct attack, and very even all over the bass. I think that they may cut through a band mix a bit better than the Animas for me... but we're talking about two really great strings here.
 
#539
KSB - Ken Smith said:
Brian, do you think Prescott was worried how well his Basses might amplify 100 years after he died? Maybe we should be looking at zero gravity sound travel now so when the time comes and we work out of town, or rather out of this world we wont be let down with primitive gear..lol

Here's a good tip, maybe.. On my amped gigs whenever possible I offer the sound people to put a cable to my direct-out so they can put me in the mix. That way, my amp just becomes a stage monitor. My Amp is an EBS Drome 15. Nothing too fancy but has the line-out feature.. :cool:
Click to expand...

...a.. yeah, Ken. That's far out! :cool: But seriously, we do have to function in the real world today no matter how old our bass is and that world requires amplifying our sound for most of us at one time or another. I have given the front of the house my direct sound w/ the EP's and the sound man made a point in telling how good and clear the bass sound was. But I do not always have that luxury w/ all my work. Many PA's have no channels left for bass or the leader doesn't want to put the bass in for fear of damaging his 'not so big speakers' of a smaller system. Many times I'm left to my own devices to throw my sound into a pretty big space ...so far still w/ air and gravity;)
 
#540
I hear you Brian. Of my most recent 3 Jazz gigs only one of them was amped. The first was a Vibes/Bass duo and use my organ sounding Cornerless Bass strung with Flexocors. Of course I pulled harder then I should to hear my pitch. Got a huge blister that I broke after the 2nd set before finishing up for the day.

The next was an Amped gig, 5 pc band at a Jazz festival and played about 3 or 4 sets. I used my Bisiach that I had just put the new Velvet Orchestra strings on. Again, with the Amp beside me, I pulled to hard to hear myself, re-opened the blister and another one under it.. ouch..

Last was a Piano/Bass duo, 3 sets using my Gilkes with these new EPs on. This was a pleasure to play but my blisters had not all healed yet and I had some skin ripping off my finger after the first set... ouch..

All in all, the more fundamental the string gives you the better it amplifies and the easier it is to hear yourself. You just have to match the string to the Bass regardless of the brand or desired gauge.
 
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