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Double Bass Evah Pirazzi strings megathread part I

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#841
downneck said:
just picked up a set of EPs at http://www.bobshouseofbasses.com ... i don't normally shill for online retailers, but at $159 shipped they're 20 beans cheaper there than i've seen anywhere else

disclaimer: i'm in no way affiliated with that site, just sharing the wealth
Click to expand...


Gosh...that didn't last long!!! Check out the jacked up price on the site now.

I just ordered a set (not from bob's house of basses) to replace the UB blacks and Spiro Weichs I have on my Upton Hybrid. I'm hoping to get some better arco (I'm trying to learn) and have a nice dark clear tone.

I fell in love with Animas a couple of weeks ago on another dude's bass. I loved the feel. But I couldn't find them for sale at a reasonable price. Also I had to consider they may not sound or feel the same on my bass.

I figured I'd give the EPs a shot since they cost way less than the Animas. I'd still love to give them a go on my bass some day.
 
#843
OK, I put a set of Evahs on my Upton Hybrid today.

I had been using UB Blacks on the E and A along with Spiro Weichs on the D and G. I had put the spiros on to get more definition and a less finger noise. Of course, along with that came the twang. I use raw guts on my other bass for slapping. I had used Eurosonics and some Hillbilly slappers too. So you get an idea where I'm coming from on these strings.


The wrap is pretty nice. They feel really nice. The windings are solid. The tension is OK. Maybe a little softer than I expected. I also noticed that my fingers were getting some black from the strings. Didn't really bother me.

Pizz:
The EPs seem quiet compared to the Spiros/Blacks. I kept the felt washers on the ends under the bridge. Don't know if that has anything to do with it, but I've never used them before. They were there, so I assumed I was supposed to. But the notes are quiet so I felt myself really pulling hard. They responded very well to that. I didn't get any weird rattle and hum from the aggressive play. The note also has a shorter sustain. Not like raw guts, but I sure didn't get the a long ringing note. I like it. It cleans up the playing a little.

The note was quiet, but also my finger noise really dropped off. I really appreciate that aspect as I am pretty sloppy. I usually get all kinds of unwanted clicky, hissy, gracky noise. There was such little of this, I had to take notice.


Arco: (Upton workshop German bow with Jade rosin)
I payed less mind to my bowing than ever. I had been getting a troubling amount of scratchy overtones with the spiros and bowing the UB Black E and A was very tough. These seemed very easy to bow. I didn't get any odd noises, I could pay attention to my left hand a bit more, which made things nice.

Plugged in:
Very focused and round tone. Not hairy with unwanted squeeks and sizzles. Just a good bump of fundamental. It was a nice musical tone.

Overall:
Can't say really at this point, but I do like them. Not quite "inspiring" yet, but they need to stretch into tension still. I can say that these strings take away so much of the extra noise, I find myself concentrating more on the the note. I'm sure that will be good for me in the end.
 
#846
On my bass, the Oblis are by far the brightest; thinner sounding and less acoustic volume, and growlier. The Evahs are similar in their dark character to Olivs, but the Olivs may have a tad more complexity to the sound. Bear in mind I've only used Olivs on the D&G; the others have been full sets.
 
#847
Marcus Johnson said:
On my bass, the Oblis are by far the brightest; thinner sounding and less acoustic volume, and growlier. The Evahs are similar in their dark character to Olivs, but the Olivs may have a tad more complexity to the sound. Bear in mind I've only used Olivs on the D&G; the others have been full sets.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this, and in reverse order for the 'click' on the front of the note: nothin' much from the Oblis, fair from the Evas, awesome from the Olivs :)

Of course the Olive E&A aren't so great (I don't know anyone that likes them, but I'm sure some twisted individual will pipe up and prove me wrong :p ). Eva E&A and Oliv D&G are a superb match.

I saw Invalid Link Removed last week, he's a local heavy hitter, and the only other person I know in L.A. regularly using Oliv D&G. Great playing, great sound (no pick-up, just an RE20 mic through a WWoods).

Andy
 
#848
i really dig the darkness compared to the spiros. easier on the fingers too, they feel....softer somehow. darken up the bass pretty good (i've got a fairly bright 30 year old romanian affair), although i'd like to try some velvet animas or garbos i really dig the gut-like ping they have...anyone wanna trade a set of animas for a month-old set of EPs for a couple months? :)
 
#849
I use Obligatos, they sounds very growly. I played one concert abroad with a rental bass. It was a good old instrument equiped with Evah Pirazzi, i think EP sounds more old school than Oblis, very nice strings. The bass had mutch higher action than I use, after the concert I was very tried, my fingers was break down. So the EP strings are very tight at high action. Are they more comfortable at low action?
 
#850
just got top three evahs.

I don't know if I love them, but sure don't hate em.

I was borrowing a bass that had flexocore strings and I loved how they were so tense.

The Evas are SOO loose compared to those. Much more like the old oblis or oliv that I use.

I've got an old pirastro pizzacatto string on the E and it sounds good. Actually matches well. Thanks to my teacher for the 3 free strings.


I've yet to play through an amp yet or use the bow, but will do soon.

Also, this is a brand new bass to me (old german bass). I love the bas.
 
#851
thesneakyjesus said:
just got top three evahs.

I don't know if I love them, but sure don't hate em.

I was borrowing a bass that had flexocore strings and I loved how they were so tense.

The Evas are SOO loose compared to those. Much more like the old oblis or oliv that I use.

I've got an old pirastro pizzacatto string on the E and it sounds good. Actually matches well. Thanks to my teacher for the 3 free strings.


I've yet to play through an amp yet or use the bow, but will do soon.

Also, this is a brand new bass to me (old german bass). I love the bas.
Click to expand...

Thats weird, all things being equal I would expect Evahs to be much more high tension than any of those other strings you listed.
 
#852
I had the pleasure this past weekend of going over to Shank's to get my bass restrung with EP's. Previously, I had 4 year old Spirocore Mittels on the bass.

So far I really like the feel of the EP's, but am unsure about the E string. It seems a bit week and it is to easy to make it rattle compared to my old Spirocore E.

Mike Shank said that a lot of people he spoke with were having problems with the balance of the E against the other three strings and to compensate for this they have been restringing the E with the ball end on the top of the tail piece.

The E-string is still kind of weak so I hope that it will really open up. Other than that, amplified everything sounds nice and even.
 
#853
Melvin7822 said:
I had the pleasure this past weekend of going over to Shank's to get my bass restrung with EP's. Previously, I had 4 year old Spirocore Mittels on the bass.

So far I really like the feel of the EP's, but am unsure about the E string. It seems a bit week and it is to easy to make it rattle compared to my old Spirocore E.

Mike Shank said that a lot of people he spoke with were having problems with the balance of the E against the other three strings and to compensate for this they have been restringing the E with the ball end on the top of the tail piece.

The E-string is still kind of weak so I hope that it will really open up. Other than that, amplified everything sounds nice and even.
Click to expand...

The E string WILL open up, but that's an interesting trick w/ the ball end.

BG
 
#855
Went to a rehearsal yesterday with three Evahs (E, A & G) for the first time.
I was kind of disappointed though.
I shall say I'm playing an EUB.

The G was very nasal and plastic-y sounding.
The E was kind of dull. Pitch was somewhat ambiguous.

Back to steels for me...
(a whole set of D'Addario Preludes for the moment)
 
#856
Francois Blais said:
Went to a rehearsal yesterday with three Evahs (E, A & G) for the first time.
I was kind of disappointed though.
I shall say I'm playing an EUB.

The G was very nasal and plastic-y sounding.
The E was kind of dull. Pitch was somewhat ambiguous.

Back to steels for me...
(a whole set of D'Addario Preludes for the moment)
Click to expand...
This is what happens on my DB when I get loud using a pickup and no mic. On the bass they do some nice magic. As an amplified string they aren't so nice.
 
#858
I've been very happy with bowing and pizz on my Evah Pirazzi's over the last year. Coming from Obligatos, they are an improvement in every way.

But can someone please compare EP's to Animas when used for pizz only? Volume, fundamental, punch, sustain, general sound? Forum searches didn't turn up much direct comparison for me.

Thanks....Lyle
 
#859
For me, the pizz sound of the Evahs is a little more focused, with a more fundamental sound. It's kind of a level sonic playing field that's very even all over the whole range. The Animas have a very open, organic, grainy sound that's wonderful as well. I agree with Arnold Schnitzer when he says that Animas are not remotely "gutlike" at all. They have their own sound.

The front of the note with the Evah is slightly punchier on my bass. Because of that characteristic, they're a better choice for me, because I sometimes have to have that whack on the front of the note when I'm trying to push a bigger band around a little bit. The Animas are lovely in smaller groups, duos and trios.

I guess the Evah's sustain may be slightly shorter, but they're pretty close in that department. The Animas are a bit growlier on my bass. No string has been as loud as Animas on my bass, but the Evahs are close.

These are two of my favorite pizzicato strings. The Evahs win out for me because of the arco response, but in the pizz department, I'm happy with either string.
 
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