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Double Bass Evah Pirazzi strings megathread part II
- Thread starter bonaventura
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I just put on a new set of EP Weichs about 2 weeks ago, and changed the G for an Oliv. On my gig tonight I noticed the D was week next the Oliv G, amplified, not so much at home. Any suggestions? Thnx in advance. John
I spent a long time this afternoon trying to determine if there was a way to change my bowing to fix the problem, but haven't figured it out yet. I can't head out to a shop in the next few days, so I'm just going to have to keep tinkering. If I can't make it work, I can always put back my Flex 92 G and D, or maybe see if Pirastro will send me a replacement D.
mjt0229. If it's a dud you might ask for a replacement. Never heard of EPs rolling like that... Yours sounds like a string-specific problem, doesn't sound like it's a setup issue.
John, I had EP Regulars on for a time, and the D stayed on the longest, for a year. I loved that EP D string! It resounded well on my bass, next to the Oliv G. Btw i always used a mic and not a pickup.
I know it sounds like a stock answer, but string response really is bass-specific. If you are lacking volume on the EP D, I'd suggest looking at set up issues, e.g., does the D cross a peg in the peg box? nut and bridge grooves could affect sound. what about your sound post?
Also, there were those here on TB who had trouble getting an amplified sound out of EPs, particularly if using a pickup (no issue with a mic).
Thnx William
The EP Weich D sounded fine till I put on the Oliv G. And it sounded ok at home with the Oliv, just amped that it sounded weak. I think its more a pickup issue. John
The EP Weich D sounded fine till I put on the Oliv G. And it sounded ok at home with the Oliv, just amped that it sounded weak. I think its more a pickup issue. John
John
that's exactly what various TBers described back when the Evah Regs first came out. great acoustically, but some said difficult to amp with a pickup. i never had that problem with a mic, but it sounded to me like that was your issue. you might want to check out the earlier posts.
Bill
that's exactly what various TBers described back when the Evah Regs first came out. great acoustically, but some said difficult to amp with a pickup. i never had that problem with a mic, but it sounded to me like that was your issue. you might want to check out the earlier posts.
Bill
It's an interesting suggestion, but the problem is physically related to the roll. I can see the string roll as I begin to draw the bow, rather than displace laterally. This makes it difficult to produce a clean attack, and sometimes the string 'flubs' rather than resonates. Once the string is vibrating, it sounds great. I don't see anything obviously physically wrong in the pegbox, at the nut, or at the bridge, and after tugging and prodding the strings in various places, I don't see any evidence that anything else is going on with the D that's different from any of the other strings.
I'm a strictly classical player, so I've got no electronics in the mix.
Well, I broke ranks. I had my bass in for a popped seam and I thought maybe it was time to treat old girl to some new strings. The Spiros that were on it were probably of the 2004 vintage and were starting to lose some volume. Usually my luthier has some Mittels in stock but not this time.
So I bit the bullet and went for Evah orchestra gauge.
This was actually last week Wed. I had a busy weekend of gigs and I wanted to put them through the paces before I posted. My gig Thursday was teaching a master class in a high school auditorium and then sitting in with their big band, Fri was a guitar trio hit in a pretty live listening room, Sat was a hotel wedding cocktail reception, and Sun was a casino.
There have been so many informative posts here I'm not going to review per se. I have just been such a staunch supporter of the string setup I had (Stark E, Mittel A, D, G) and still think it is a winner. That said there are things that I really like about these strings. So I'll give one pro and one con.
Pro - these strings are loud and have a big sound. Specifically the hotel gig I did I felt at one point that I wasn't loud enough on a funky tune we were playing but I didn't have time to tweak my amp so I decided to dig in. And they got louder. So I dig in even harder. And they again rose to the occasion. I ended up no turning up and just playing harder the rest of the night. It was intoxicating. So much so that I got a little blister from pulling the **** out of the strings all night. The big band too. I feel like big band is such that, even though the band is loud, the bass sits a little differently in the mix. It is more 'felt'. Being able to really dig in and not let the amp have to do the work helping swing the band IME.
Con - Tuning stability. Spiros spoiled me. Granted they have only been on for 5 days but my bass is still at least a 1/2 flat when I pull it out of the case. Hopefully that improves.
Overall I'm very happy.
So I bit the bullet and went for Evah orchestra gauge.
This was actually last week Wed. I had a busy weekend of gigs and I wanted to put them through the paces before I posted. My gig Thursday was teaching a master class in a high school auditorium and then sitting in with their big band, Fri was a guitar trio hit in a pretty live listening room, Sat was a hotel wedding cocktail reception, and Sun was a casino.
There have been so many informative posts here I'm not going to review per se. I have just been such a staunch supporter of the string setup I had (Stark E, Mittel A, D, G) and still think it is a winner. That said there are things that I really like about these strings. So I'll give one pro and one con.
Pro - these strings are loud and have a big sound. Specifically the hotel gig I did I felt at one point that I wasn't loud enough on a funky tune we were playing but I didn't have time to tweak my amp so I decided to dig in. And they got louder. So I dig in even harder. And they again rose to the occasion. I ended up no turning up and just playing harder the rest of the night. It was intoxicating. So much so that I got a little blister from pulling the **** out of the strings all night. The big band too. I feel like big band is such that, even though the band is loud, the bass sits a little differently in the mix. It is more 'felt'. Being able to really dig in and not let the amp have to do the work helping swing the band IME.
Con - Tuning stability. Spiros spoiled me. Granted they have only been on for 5 days but my bass is still at least a 1/2 flat when I pull it out of the case. Hopefully that improves.
Overall I'm very happy.
fingers, i believe this will improve. i have the weinch's on my bass now but prior to that i had the regulars. with the weinch and regular i rarely need to tune my bass and if i do its usually just a bit flat. this is with pulling it in and out of my car and playing gigs in the outdoor humidity of south georgia.
Yeah, the strings will settle. I got the Weichs on my new Upton and they're just now staying in tune.
Spiros do the same thing, but nobody I know changes them that often so it's easy to forget
Spiros do the same thing, but nobody I know changes them that often so it's easy to forget
my comments about set up issues were more addressed to the second poster, John.
what i think the consensus of responses to your isse shows is that Evahs usually don't roll at all. that was my experience. Oblis can do that, but not Evahs. if i had an Evah that rolled, i would take it back or contact Pirastro. good luck
Ah, sorry for the confusion. I've contacted Pirastro over email and in the meantime, ordered a replacement D. I have 2 concerts next weekend and need to give the strings some time to settle, so I can't wait for Pirastro to get back to me. With luck, I can return or be refunded the cost of the replacement D.
Pirastro sent me a set of Evah Pirazzi weichs in the mail a few weeks ago, and I just put them on my bass a few days ago. At first I wasn't impressed - they seemed stiff, difficult to control, and didn't produce the same volume as the Obligatos or even Spirocores. Then I played this afternoon and... WHAM!!!! I think they're starting to warm up! They've got all the best characteristics of the Obligatos (bounce, punch) but with an added growl in the lower register, and none of the 'roll' everybody's talking about. I think I've been converted. I'll keep updating as things progress.
BTW - this is my first post. Hi everybody!
BTW - this is my first post. Hi everybody!
I read some posts last week and put on Evah Pirazzi weichs - looking for loudness on my Upton Hawkes. Very disappointing for me. I have taken off year old Obligatos which had lost their loudness. I play bluegrass, mostly not plugged in and I need volume. These seem like I have to pull so hard to get any volume and the return to position is so much slower than the Obligs or the Tom. Spiros I have used. I want to sell off these 4 day old strings for best offer. Arco is seldom used - I just need loud. What something with the loudness of Tom Spiros and easier on the hands. If someone needs these Evah Pirazzi weichs - call 207-680-0073
Hey gypsyjim,
before getting rid of the strings, you may want to wait about a week. My EP's took about 8 hours of playing and about 48 hours of just being on the instrument to *start* opening up. When they're broken in they are loud, and I'd say they produce just as much volume as the obligatos. I was ready to take mine off of my bass and sell them as well, and then they sort of 'opened up'.
Anyway, hope that helps.
before getting rid of the strings, you may want to wait about a week. My EP's took about 8 hours of playing and about 48 hours of just being on the instrument to *start* opening up. When they're broken in they are loud, and I'd say they produce just as much volume as the obligatos. I was ready to take mine off of my bass and sell them as well, and then they sort of 'opened up'.
Anyway, hope that helps.
Another example of inter-individual differences across basses, preferences, styles of play, etc. Reading the above made we wonder if we live in alternate universes!
The Evah weichs, in my experience, completely bury Obligatos in terms of punch and power. Not even comparable.
gypsyjim-- I agree you should give the Evahs a longer trial but perhaps you need your setup tweaked. Also, please don't advertise your sale in this forum. We have classifieds for that.
Hmm. Granted I am using the orchestra gauge but I think they are much louder than the Spiro Mittels I've had on this bass for the past 4 years. I've used them for 6 gigs in the past week and a half and I'm really digging them. I have found a few things. They taken a while to 'break in' and continue to change. I'm especially digging these things through a mic. I did a gig the other night with just my little GK on stage and a SM-58 shoved in the afterlengths though the pa. HUGE.
Give em time.
Give em time.
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