Double Bass Evah Pirazzi strings megathread part II

[drurb]

sorry, it's just my opinion could have something to do with the set up of the bass... but really don't like the G-string... the other ones i like very much, just not that one....

can you tell by this picture which type they are?

en hey, i'm a very fresh newbie, so don't shoot me for not liking this string

Please, no apology and no one will shoot you. If the string sounds bright to you, then no one can argue with that, least of all me. I was just pointing out that that's an unusual evaluation and that it likely results from what we non-newbies know to be huge interactions among strings, basses, and players. Strings that sound great on one bass can sound like dog**** on another, even when evaluated by the same player. As I've said many times before, it's a wonder that generalizations can be made at all.

Given it's only the G that doesn't sound right to you, I suspect it's either in the setup o you have a goofy G. IIRC, someone else complained about an Evah G. I never had any issue with the orch. or weich G.

I can't tell what kind you have. A picture of the silks in the pegbox would do it.

 

[Francois Blais]

can you tell by this picture which type they are?

The weichs have a pink silk ring (about an inch long) between the steel part and the (tone-colored) silk end.

You may want to give them a few days to settle in.
Synthetic core strings will stretch a lot over a few days, and the tone will settle in.

Another alternative is to try a Flexocor G (the regular Flexocor, or so-called '92s).
It's one of the warmest steel G.

 

[PsychoScout]

The weichs have a pink silk ring (about an inch long) between the steel part and the (tone-colored) silk end.

You may want to give them a few days to settle in.
Synthetic core strings will stretch a lot over a few days, and the tone will settle in.

Another alternative is to try a Flexocor G (the regular Flexocor, or so-called '92s).
It's one of the warmest steel G.

they've been on the bass for 6 months, though i'm sure the former owner didn't play that much, as he has an amazing other bass....

i guess it must be the set-up, as all the others sound great on that bass....

 

[Marc Piane]

Sounds great Marc! Gee thanks, just when I was warming up to the Spiros again! For me, on my bass, my playing, and my preferences (even if I hadn't injured my hand), I'd never go back to the orchestras-- the weichs seemed to have the advantages of the orchestras and were more playable. I can't recall from all these threads-- have you tried the weichs, Marc? Again, great sound-- thanks!

Thanks Les. I have not tried the Weichs. I was not intending to try Evahs at all and was pretty set on old Spiros but I had my bass in for a popped seam and I felt like the 3+ year old Spiros I had on there were starting to lose volume. My luthier didn't have any Spiros Mittels in stock but had Evah Orchs. He had them on one of the basses in the shop and I dug them so I thought I see what's up. I have not been disappointed.

It is interesting that you bring up playability. I feel like one of the things I really like about the Evahs is how I can pull a big sound out of the bass without having to work. I actually find them easier on the arms than Spiro Mittels.

 

[drurb]

It is interesting that you bring up playability. I feel like one of the things I really like about the Evahs is how I can pull a big sound out of the bass without having to work. I actually find them easier on the arms than Spiro Mittels.

The first few days I had the Evah orchs, The joints in my right index finger ached. Eventually, that went away. For me anyway, the weichs were much nicer. Hey, whatever works and with a sound like you posted, they sure work for you!

 

[bassface747]

Hey everyone,

It's finally time for new strings...

Right now I have on a mixed set - Obligato Solos on G and D, and D'Addario Orchestrals on E and A. It's a fairly new bass of medium to heavy construction, which was originally strung with Jargars. I split my time between arco and pizz, and I didn't like the pizz sound on those, so I put on the orchestrals (why, I know not). Couldn't get a sound I liked out of those either, it always sounded stifled to me under the bow and pizz. When I got the Obligatos, it was like I had a whole new bass, the sound opened up like crazy and it was way louder than before. Tried to put the whole set on, but the E and A had a lot of roll so I kept the D'Addarios I'm thinking my bass likes a lower tension string - I certainly do! Most of my gigs are jazz and I love the feel and sound of those Obligatos in jazz, but they are a few years old and have lost a lot of their sound.

I want to order some Evah Pirazzis, having heard fabulous things about them, but has anyone compared the solo Evahs and Weich Evahs? Should I order a mixed set? How big is the difference in feel/sound between them?

Thanks!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

There's a ton of info here on the evah weichs as I'm sure you're aware. The solos I found to be a bit brighter and clearer sounding, more like the regulars to my ear. The evah weichs are darker sounding than obligatos. If you like your obligatos, get some new ones. If you don't like the obli E and A, try a spirocore weich E and A with Obligato D and G.

 

[bassface747]

Good to know, I liked the sound of the regular Evahs on a friend's bass but they felt too thick under the finger to me.

Is there much of a difference in tension between the weichs and solos?

 

[Eric Hochberg]

The solos tuned down feel looser than weichs to me.

Oops, I didn't notice you were using solo Oblis. I have no experience with them, but if you like that feel, maybe the Evah Solo full set would be good for you. I can't imagine that the helicores mixed well with those obli solos, such a difference in tension. I tried the Evah Solo D & G with Spiro Mittel A & E and the tension difference was very pronounced and annoying to play on.

 

[FPM]

I've used spirocore orch. medium gage forever & I'm going to try a set of EP's and I'm wondering which gage of the EP's (orch or wiech) would be close to tthe spirocore mediums for feel & sound
Thanks
Frank

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Neither, the weichs are probably closer in gauge, but that is about it. Don't change to these if you're not looking for something different.

 

[TroyK]

Neither will be similar to the Spirocores in sound. Better or worse is a matter of opinion, but not similar.

 

[Feral Feline]

Disclaimer first: I'm a newB

Bass: Carved in Hong Kong by a local luthier whose name I know not, but will find out some day when I'm not lazy. Can't be that great of a bass if the luthier didn't bother to put his name inside. Bought it second-hand.

Objectives: I wanted gut-like tone without the humidity-induced tuning hassles of gut. Knowing there would be compromises, I still wanted strings that could do it all: bow, pizz and slap.

Strings: After doing much research, the crusty rusty steel cables were swapped out for Obligato solos, tuned down to orchestral pitch -- EADG. At the time, Evah Pirazzi's weren't even a gleam in Pirastro's eye.

Obs probs: Broke the E at the Bridge, replaced it with same. Later, the D started to unravel at the bridge. Learned what "string roll" was.

So...
Overall, I was happy with the Obs, but read about the newly introduced Evahs and decided to wait to try them when a solo set was offered.

Obs vs Evahs:

Strung up the Evahs the night before leaving for Kirstmeis Hols, so they stretched/settled while I was away. Two weeks later I came back and...

TONE
Sound is much better on the Evahs than the 1-2 year old Obs; Evah better than I remember the Obs when new. Can't stop playing, inspired to play new lines and get out of RUT5.

NO ROLL!
- Bowing: Evahs the note initiates quickly and sounds good most of the time, the rest of the time poor sound is definitely due to operator error. Obs rolling created great difficulty in starting the string.
- Pizzing: the lack of roll helps the tone and definition of the note.
- Slapping: here, too, the lack of roll seems to promote better technique.

Tension:
Obs low, easy pizz and slap, not so good for bowing.
Evahs are a bit tighter, and that perception is possibly reinforced by the lack of roll. The hint of extra tension forces me to concentrate on good technique (bow, pizz or slap, particularly drag triplets).

Harmonics:
Obs harmonics were "seek and ye shall find";
Evahs harmonics are "YO! Right here, reach out and touch some, one" and they make tuning easier.

Slap clickity clack:
Obs clack for me;
Evahs click with me.

GRRR:
Obs, it was there I suppose, never really noticed.
Evahs! MWAH Mwah mwah! The Evahs' Mwah Mojo makes my gamba growl like a doublebass should.

Pop goes the Pizzle:
Obs, thnk thnk.
Evahs, Rice Crispies!

Volume:
Obs go to 10
Evahs go to 12

Intonation:
Obs, okay to begin with, but lost their definition and clarity over time. "G on the E string is right about here, good enough";
Evahs, clarity is king. I can no longer get away with sloppy fingers on the ebony; Intonation -- there's no where to hide... bowing of course, pizz certainly and even while slapping, Evahs tell me right away if the note is a tad sharp or flat. So... I've got a LOT of work to do in this department.


On my bass, to my ears, Evah Pirazzi solos easily beat the Obligato solos. I hope the windings last.

 

[bassface747]

Dear Feral Feline,

You are my hero. Thanks for posting that.

Time to go buy some Evahs....

 

[drurb]

Dear Feral Feline,

You are my hero. Thanks for posting that.

Time to go buy some Evahs....

I suggest that you buy the Evah weichs. Also, keep in mind that the Evahs tend to actually stiffen over time. That has been my experience and that of others as well. They are great strings. Of course, no string does it all. I recently switched back to Spiros and while I miss the punch, power, and darkness of the Evahs, I sure am enjoying the growl, "whine," and pitch stability of the venerable Spiros.

Oh, BTW, I'm not a newB.

 

[Steve Freides]

Just got my first EP string, a six-months-used G. The rest of my set is D'Addario Heliocore Hybrid mediums. My bass is a carved Erberle 3/4 size.

I liked my Heliocore strings less as they got higher - I think the low E sounds pretty good, the A and D were/are OK, and the G was just too bright for my taste.

The EP string solves that problem, and it seems a pretty good match for the other three strings still on the bass. So I'm contemplating buying a D or even D and A strings and leaving the low E.

Thoughts? The obvious one is to just put on a set of EP's and be done with it. Not sure if that's necessary or best, though ...

Anyone with a used set of these, or used individual D, A, or E strings, give a shout and we'll work something out.

-S-

 

[Feral Feline]

... Also, keep in mind that the Evahs tend to actually stiffen over time. That has been my experience and that of others as well.

Drurb, How much does tuning down solos alter their tone?

Interesting that the Evahs stiffen up over time. Seems to defy logic. I guess I shall not-so-soon see.

Too much out there for me and my ears to learn, but I continue to strive to find a way forward...

 

[moles]

So after following a few different threads on both 'boards, I still haven't figured out how much of a tension difference there would be between the weichs and (downtuned) solos.
Anyone got any ideas? I've wound up putting on some Presto lights on the D/G to lighten up the overall tension. Actually, it's not a bad mix on my bass at all, but I'm missing the Evah G.

 

[drurb]

Drurb, How much does tuning down solos alter their tone?

Interesting that the Evahs stiffen up over time. Seems to defy logic. I guess I shall not-so-soon see.

Too much out there for me and my ears to learn, but I continue to strive to find a way forward...

I've never used the solos, so I can't answer that one. Indeed, the increased stiffening seems to defy logic but there it is. It really does seem to happen. I'd really like to throw the Evahs back on but I won't be doing that (if ever) until my hand has many more months of healing.

 

[PsychoScout]

Please, no apology and no one will shoot you. If the string sounds bright to you, then no one can argue with that, least of all me. I was just pointing out that that's an unusual evaluation and that it likely results from what we non-newbies know to be huge interactions among strings, basses, and players. Strings that sound great on one bass can sound like dog**** on another, even when evaluated by the same player. As I've said many times before, it's a wonder that generalizations can be made at all.

Given it's only the G that doesn't sound right to you, I suspect it's either in the setup o you have a goofy G. IIRC, someone else complained about an Evah G. I never had any issue with the orch. or weich G.

I can't tell what kind you have. A picture of the silks in the pegbox would do it.

For some bizarre reason the G sounds great in the meantime (has been off and back when i put my realist from my old bass to the new one)