Double Bass First spirocore, Weich or Mittel?

[bassically_eli]

There just are not enough variables for this to be accurate. I think some people MAKE them work.

Well "well" is completely subjective, and "some" could be any positive integer, so that seems like enough variables to me haha

Oh, and then there's the word "may"....

 

[LEUllman]

Weichs to start. If you don’t like ‘em, super easy to sell in the classifieds or trade for mittels. (I could use a set of Weichs right now, actually.)

 

[jmpiwonka]

I think i have some old worn S42 spiros which are the 4/4 mittel string. Seems on a shorter mensure, such as 105cm, they are almost the same tension as the 3/4 weichs (3885 i think).

Just mentioning this as not all spiro mittel and weich are the same. So confusing…

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I advise my students to start on Mittels. Very few ever change, and if they do they usually change back.

 

[bassically_eli]

I advise my students to start on Mittels. Very few ever change, and if they do they usually change back.

4/4 or 3/4 though?

 

[Sam Dingle]

4/4 mediums to start imo. Keep them low while you learn good technique and slowly raise them every 2-3 months.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

4/4 or 3/4 though?

4/4 S42, which seems to be the common “gold standard” jazz string for 3/4 basses here in the states. I wasn’t even aware of the 3885 set until recently. It seems most places sell the S42 as the default.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I have one student playing EP weichs, but he’s doing that because he got a free set donated by a generous TBer who wished to remain anonymous. Another student plays Perps, but only because they were what’s already on his bass. His brother played perps for a minute and loved the way they felt, but discovered he didn’t like how they spoke more slowly and got lost in the mix, so he switched back to the Mittels and is happy with them.

A new incoming student took me up on an offer to recommend a bass and setup to begin his studies next year after playing the basses in my office. I called the great guys at the Cellar in Cincy and recommended a Shen bass with Mittels and a Full circle and a bridge cut that is 1mm different from string to string. He is totally happy, and as mentioned above, he can use string height adjustments to mitigate tension until he gets his sea legs under him.

 

[BobDeRosa]

I advise my students to start on Mittels. Very few ever change, and if they do they usually change back.

Chris, please add one more sentence about why you recommend Mittels. Thanks.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Chris, please add one more sentence about why you recommend Mittels. Thanks.

I like them because they tend to have a fuller pizz sound than the lower gauges, and because they tend not to bottom out.

I personally use a slightly stiffer string set, but I can always find a workable sound on Spiro Mitts.

 

[Notaluthier]

Spiro solos.

 

[Ben Rose]

I'm playing with the same decision about Spiro Weichs or Mittels now.

For those of you who moved to mittels from something lighter, how long did it take to adjust to the mittels? I've been playing perpetuals on the Spada, and I'm trying out a Shen as a backup / cramped gig bass. I like the Shen, and I like the sound of the Spiro Mittels it has on it, but between the increased string height on this bass and the higher tension of the Mittels, my left hand is not happy with me after about an hour of playing. Granted it has only been 3 days, but I'm trying to sort it out while I have it on trial.

There's no room to lower the string height on the adjusters, so I'm thinking of putting on some strings with lower tension. Mostly wondering if I'm bailing too soon on the mittels.

 

[Matt Power]

I had the EXACT same thing happen THIS WEEK. I thought it might have been th strings, but...Nope! It was the tiniest adjustment of a bridge foot!! TINY! Now it is as loose as a goose!
Go spend 75 bucks and have a bass luthier that you trust evaluate it before you switch out the Spiros!

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You can take off some wood from the bridge crown yourself.

Do it the following way:

Put the bass down on its back I put it on a bed or soft carpet) or maybe better on the G-string side.
Take the tension off the strings and remove the bridge. Mark the bridge feet for bass and treble side and the bridge side facing the tailpiece with a pencil.

Now mark the bridge crown two millimeters below the current top.
Mark a line below each string groove, but do it in parallel to the ribs, NOT tangential to the bridge top!

Use a file to deepen all bridge slots by the same amount (!) with the diameter of the string for each slot so that the string sits in but is not clamped by the bridge slot. Leave the bridge crown as is for now!

Now you may temporarily try the bridge on the bass with tuned up strings.

If you are satisfied, take the bridge down again and file off the bridge crown until the string slots are 1/3 of the diameter deep. For the overall shape orient yourself by the line you have drawn below the bridge crown.
Mount the bridge, tune up and be happy.

If you are still not satisfied enough you can deepen the slots more (still by the same amount) and try that.

If you are satisfied now, look above what to do when you are satisfied.

I have done it myself and it works well.

The only reason why you may not want to do it is when there is too less wood on the top part of the bridge. A picture of your bridge would help to give you further advice if there is enough wood to get removed.

 

[Ben Rose]

@DoubleMIDI Thanks. I may give that a try if I keep the bass as luthier assistance is hard to come by locally.

 

[Matt Power]

@DoubleMIDI Thanks. I may give that a try if I keep the bass as luthier assistance is hard to come by locally.

Hi Ben! If you haven't tried Matt Bohn, he is about 50 minutes away or so from Oakland! He does great work, and you could have him take a look at your bass!
Matt Bohn

 

[Ben Rose]

Hi Ben! If you haven't tried Matt Bohn, he is about 50 minutes away or so from Oakland! He does great work, and you could have him take a look at your bass!
Matt Bohn

Thanks! -

Don't want to derail the thread further. I like the sound of the mittels, but they're a bit stiffer than what I'm used to.

 

[Paps]

Interesting thread!
3/4 strings vs 4/4 strings, is it the length that varies or are there other differences?

 

[Jeff Kissell]

I'm playing with the same decision about Spiro Weichs or Mittels now.

For those of you who moved to mittels from something lighter, how long did it take to adjust to the mittels? I've been playing perpetuals on the Spada, and I'm trying out a Shen as a backup / cramped gig bass. I like the Shen, and I like the sound of the Spiro Mittels it has on it, but between the increased string height on this bass and the higher tension of the Mittels, my left hand is not happy with me after about an hour of playing. Granted it has only been 3 days, but I'm trying to sort it out while I have it on trial.

There's no room to lower the string height on the adjusters, so I'm thinking of putting on some strings with lower tension. Mostly wondering if I'm bailing too soon on the mittels.

I came back to S42 mittel from gut… different in every way! It’s been a few weeks and I’m being very mindful of technique, especially the left hand. Cautiously optimistic with the results, I can get most everything I want/need with a lighter touch overall. Controlling sustain/mwah and bowing is where I’m putting in the most work currently.

…also plus one for Matt Bohn, he’s a thoughtful and knowledgeable guy!

 

[james condino]

Mitts as the starting point; NEVER anything lighter.

Several of my basses sport all mitts.

The old American Standard is fantastic with Stark E + AD mitts + Olive G.

My main gigging plugged in (The polished ALCOA) rig has Mitt EAD + Stark G for a bit more power with the Krivo.

And more mitts and more mitts and more mitts. I don't find any issues with arco, but plenty of rosin and a heavy hand help.

My old P bass has TI jazz flats that are basically electric mitts