That's for the solo set?
If so, Fantastic, MERCI BEAUCOUP!
If not the solo set, it's still great and kind thanks.
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Double Bass Evah Pirazzi strings megathread part III
- Thread starter Chris Fitzgerald
- Start date
That's for the solo set?
If so, Fantastic, MERCI BEAUCOUP!
If not the solo set, it's still great and kind thanks.
Certainly so.
Was just double checking!
Thought maybe you missed "solo" as it wasn't mentioned in your post.
A lot of DB-string manufacturers seem to go with a subjective description of their products; while two strings of the same diameter might feel/sound/play completely differently, I'd sure still appreciate if the string-makers included hard data.
But subjective waffle-gab... One player's "Weich" is another player's "What the...?".
May as well call it "blue". Then the manufacturers can decide for themselves what shade... sky, indigo, navy, baby, turquoise...Anyway, having something tangible is very much appreciated.
Encore, Merci BEAUCOUP!
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
I started playing with a community orchestra and study with a teacher to help get my bow chops together. Also, I am in the bass business and I want to be sure I’m not missing any concerns of that segment of players.
After my first rehearsal, my big Rodier which is a dark sounding bass sounded out of place between the two Shens strung with Bel Cantos. Deep, chocolate goodness bookending some weird kind of scratchy……..something coming off the Spirocores.
However, Bel Cantos aren’t the best strings for pizz so I put the EP Weichs on and am going to see if I blend better.
I used the Evahs for years and am reminded why. They sound great pizz and bow very well, although they might respond slowly for some players.
After my first rehearsal, my big Rodier which is a dark sounding bass sounded out of place between the two Shens strung with Bel Cantos. Deep, chocolate goodness bookending some weird kind of scratchy……..something coming off the Spirocores.
However, Bel Cantos aren’t the best strings for pizz so I put the EP Weichs on and am going to see if I blend better.
I used the Evahs for years and am reminded why. They sound great pizz and bow very well, although they might respond slowly for some players.
Those two Shens probably have a pretty bright sound, so Bel Cantos would subdue. My Krutz 300 is a pretty dark-timbred bass, and Spiros do well on it (as do the Temperas on it now). EP weich should be great.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
I have a new Shen in the shop with BC over Spirocore Mittels and the bass sounds dark under That is a pretty good set and
On the contrary, these are SB200 flatbacks. Every one I’ve played or repaired has been fairly dark. The one in my shop with Spiro reds sounds dark under the bow.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
Went from the Weichs to Kaplan mediums and put EP Orchestra gauge on yesterday. These seem to have the deep tone under the bow like Kaplans but that EP pop at the front of pizz and a more resonant character. Kaplans are a good string, which bow well and pizz OK, for the money.
The EP Weich didn’t quite do it for me in the orchestra.
The EP Weich didn’t quite do it for me in the orchestra.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
Seems like I’m the only one here.
I’ve been a bit frustrated with the big Rodier bass’ response under the bow because it just hasn’t been delivering the volume one would expect from such a big bass. In the effort to get more low end I’ve tried all types of strings but nothing quite satisfied. Finding the right thing for jazz gigs, and doing my part and then blending with the section in orchestra is a tall order.
Following an orchestra concert last week I pulled the top and regraduated the top, better transitioning the belly patch and thinning it to a reasonable 11mm at the thickest point. I also did some shaping on the massive bass bar.
Back in one piece and after experimenting with strings, I think the EP mediums are best so I put a new set on. The bass is now louder and darker, although not quite there. Time and lots of playing will have to do the rest in opening it up.
I’ve been a bit frustrated with the big Rodier bass’ response under the bow because it just hasn’t been delivering the volume one would expect from such a big bass. In the effort to get more low end I’ve tried all types of strings but nothing quite satisfied. Finding the right thing for jazz gigs, and doing my part and then blending with the section in orchestra is a tall order.
Following an orchestra concert last week I pulled the top and regraduated the top, better transitioning the belly patch and thinning it to a reasonable 11mm at the thickest point. I also did some shaping on the massive bass bar.
Back in one piece and after experimenting with strings, I think the EP mediums are best so I put a new set on. The bass is now louder and darker, although not quite there. Time and lots of playing will have to do the rest in opening it up.
Well, it took me three days to get to the end of this thread. The last few pages, with comparisons of EP and Kaplan have been very interesting and apropos to me, since I have EPW on one and Kaplan light on the other of my carved basses.
I've been recording, pizz folk style music, with both basses. The kaplans sit great in the mix, whereas the EPW, with their higher freq content, do not sound near as good in the mix. That EP pop that we seem to love was not as compelling in my recordings as I thought it would/should have been.
Soloed, my ears prefer to hear EPW. By comparison, when soloed, the Kaplan are not as inspiring. Arco, however, Kaplan easily wins that battle.
Kaplan lights also feel great, and are slapable.
Goodbye Velvet Anima (werl, what was left of them)...
Hello Eva Pirazzi Weich!
Thanks to Matt Tucker getting it all setup my bass.
Hello Eva Pirazzi Weich!
Thanks to Matt Tucker getting it all setup my bass.
When Thomas Martin is praising Evah Pirazzi would he be talking medium or weich?
I think the solo set came out before the weich set, so given the last sentence, he must mean regulars. The last couple of times I saw him, in Japan before Covid, he was playing solos.
Ha ha! I’m getting myself really confused now.
The weichs have been around since 2009.
So Martin’s endorsement here must be ancient and possibly irrelevant now.
For orchestral playing, no solo or jazz, would medium be the choice?
I like a punchy deep sound with the bow.
The weichs have been around since 2009.
So Martin’s endorsement here must be ancient and possibly irrelevant now.
For orchestral playing, no solo or jazz, would medium be the choice?
I like a punchy deep sound with the bow.
I think he still uses them. And he sounded great on them. I sometimes have a hard time getting a pleasing tone in the upper register with my weich, but he had no such problem at all. I heard that weich were developed to address the problems some pizz players had with them, too much tension and too dark. I think that unless the tension is too much for you or your bass, the mediums are probably what you want. But really, you could contact him, he's very approachable. There are lots of videos too:
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As always, your bass may vary, but that's exactly how I'd describe the sound of them on the Eastman I was playing in college. Punchy, but deep and dark, and I never heard anything from them like when people talk about them "completely dying" after about a year—same set of Evah mediums from sophomore year until I graduated, used for everything I played in.
Reviving this thread. I’m considering switching from my current setup to EP Weichs over a regular EP E string.
Doesn’t seem like Evahs are getting talked about much these days. Any TB users out there still using them?
Doesn’t seem like Evahs are getting talked about much these days. Any TB users out there still using them?
Yes, IME they are great and can do everything. On my basses EP weichs are still my favourite hybrid strings with punchy pizz and deep arco and relaxed tension. And they are about half the price compared to my other hybrid favourite Temperas which require a bit lighter touch and can sound a little thinner in an amplified group setting. Depends on the bass of course.
Still using the Mittel set. Went back to them after years on CH Chordas and a couple years on Spiros. For me, I find them to be a perfect middle ground between those extremes in a jazz context. In recent years I have been studying classical and digging into the bow and they have been working great in that context as well (though I’m still early in that journey so I do not doubt that some rep may call for different qualities in a string).
I found it interesting that even though this thread has gone fairly quiet that so many pros in Discover Double Bass’s gear video from a couple years back are still using EPs.
I guess by Megathread III most of the questions have been addressed already.
