Played a gig tonight outside and before I thought "I wonder if there's any truth to that statement". All night I noticed it. Damn you.
I will not go back to spiros, I will not go back to spiros....
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Played a gig tonight outside and before I thought "I wonder if there's any truth to that statement". All night I noticed it. Damn you.
I will not go back to spiros, I will not go back to spiros....
I think so, yes. One of the things I like best about FDs is the variety in tonal color depending on how you play them (that goes for arco and pizz) -- something I haven't been able to get from EPs, which to me is a "one" kind of a sound (but it's a sound I happen to like).
The other thing I like about them (also in relation to EPs) is their high dynamic range, as was pointed out:
EPs Weichs have of a ping attack and FDs have a little more of a plunk attack. But their basic tone is very similar, so if you like the tone of one, you might like the other.
You know, I tried EPs four times in two or three years and NEVER got that 'ping' people describe...
I went back to FDs after using EP weichs for more than a year precisely for this reason. They are a superior arco string with lots of tonal variation.
And while we're on the subject of tightness/stiffness, it's as kungfusheriff says above, they are no more tight/stiff than EP weichs. In fact, on my bass, the FDs are slightly less stiff/more pliable. This with a medium string height (certainly not low).
So far, this thread compares FD's to EP weich. I have not tried FD. For me, EP weich are too floppy pizz and arco. Currently I put my old set of EP regulars back on after some 4 years of them resting in my box-o-strings. Tension-wise, the EP reg feel better than EP weich, but are a bit boring arco up in the thumb register for me.
How do the FD's compare with EP reg in terms of tension, bowing up in thumb, and the dynamic ceiling we're referring to here?
How do the FD's compare with EP reg in terms of tension, bowing up in thumb, and the dynamic ceiling we're referring to here?
This thread might have gravitated towards comparing FDs with EP weich because a lot of folks say that EP weichs feel like other string's mittels. (BTW, I don't know the numbers, but the FDs feel thinner than EP weichs, which would make the EP regulars way fatter strings than FDs.)
Anyway, to answer your questions:
Tension -- on my bass, FDs and EP weichs are pretty close in terms of stiffness/tightness. So the regular EPs should feel stiffer. (I also have a regular set of EPs lying in my drawer for some years now - they've been in there ever since Pirastro rolled out the weich gauge ).
Arco in thumb position -- I think the jury has come back on this one: FDs are an EXCELLENT arco string all across the fingerboard. When you talk about the EPs (both gauges) being "boring" in thumb position, I know just what you're talking about. It's the main reason I went back to FDs.
Dynamics: as been pointed out, FDs won't crap out on you. If you want to play loud (arco), they'll play loud. If you want be sweet & subtle, they'll do that too.
Pizzicato, they are slightly less loud than EP's (even the weichs are the loudest strings I've had on my bass). But again, because of FD's superior arco performance, I'll adjust.
Anyway, to answer your questions:
Tension -- on my bass, FDs and EP weichs are pretty close in terms of stiffness/tightness. So the regular EPs should feel stiffer. (I also have a regular set of EPs lying in my drawer for some years now - they've been in there ever since Pirastro rolled out the weich gauge ).
Arco in thumb position -- I think the jury has come back on this one: FDs are an EXCELLENT arco string all across the fingerboard. When you talk about the EPs (both gauges) being "boring" in thumb position, I know just what you're talking about. It's the main reason I went back to FDs.
Dynamics: as been pointed out, FDs won't crap out on you. If you want to play loud (arco), they'll play loud. If you want be sweet & subtle, they'll do that too.
Pizzicato, they are slightly less loud than EP's (even the weichs are the loudest strings I've had on my bass). But again, because of FD's superior arco performance, I'll adjust.
I tried 4/4 Spiro mittels on my bass (now 107,5cm mensur). I got much more volume arco and pizz and more flexible pizz feel - but - I didn´t get that great arco tone of Flexocore dlx. The colour of the arco tone has really captivated me. On my bass they somehow manage to sound dark, deep and bright and clear at the same time! That´s a fascinating combination. I also like the slight bow sizzle they give.
The stifness of FD doesn´t in fact bother me when played arco. I´m lucky to have another bass for jazz
I also tried Zyex lights (with Spiro E) which have a great bouncy pizz feel, are also significantly louder than FD and are pleasure to bow. If I would only have one bass for all kinds of music (and not professional arco) I think Zyex light (w. Spiro E) would be my setup.
But I chose the colourful warmness over raw volume and put the Deluxes back on
The stifness of FD doesn´t in fact bother me when played arco. I´m lucky to have another bass for jazz
I also tried Zyex lights (with Spiro E) which have a great bouncy pizz feel, are also significantly louder than FD and are pleasure to bow. If I would only have one bass for all kinds of music (and not professional arco) I think Zyex light (w. Spiro E) would be my setup.
But I chose the colourful warmness over raw volume and put the Deluxes back on
Yes...I too loved a similar combination: Zyex medium G/D and Helicore hybrid med A/C extension. This combo pizz and arco was great. Currently running full set of FD's. Will probably go back to Zyex on top but will try Spirocore on bottom.
Arco only: all flex Deluxe or 3 flex Deluxe with medium Spiro E. tension is fine.
Pizz & arco: still experimenting, but so far, 2 x 2 Flex Deluxe on top of Spiro mediums or 3885 3/4 weichs. Arco, the weichs combo win out, pizz is still very nice and more playable than mediums. Pizz tone of the weichs matches well with the flex Deluxe "plunk". But the combo with mediums have more depth of course.
Pizz & arco: still experimenting, but so far, 2 x 2 Flex Deluxe on top of Spiro mediums or 3885 3/4 weichs. Arco, the weichs combo win out, pizz is still very nice and more playable than mediums. Pizz tone of the weichs matches well with the flex Deluxe "plunk". But the combo with mediums have more depth of course.
Somebody said it before on talkbass:
EPs are slightly louder and subjectively better than FDs pizzed.
FDs are slightly louder and subjectively better than EPs arco.
EPs are slightly louder and subjectively better than FDs pizzed.
FDs are slightly louder and subjectively better than EPs arco.
In my quest to find a string that does what the FD's do (according to everyone here) and one that feels softer under the left hand, I have concluded that this may be the tradeoff that I will have to deal with. If Pirastro changes the formula to develop a light version, I imagine there could be potential tradeoffs. Is the FD set already thin in diameter? My concern is that my desire to have a more compliant string for my LH might mean a string that doesn't respond as well or have the same sonic qualities.
It would be interesting to have a discussion with a string R&D person about how these tradeoffs are managed when they are developing a new set.
It would be interesting to have a discussion with a string R&D person about how these tradeoffs are managed when they are developing a new set.
Yeah, they are kinda thin already. I wonder if it's even possible to make a light version that lessens the tension without too many tradeoffs.
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Going to downtuned Solos (23 kp vs. 28 kp for the G) is possible, but might be a bit too less tension?
Pirastro doesn't seem too keen on light versions of their various Flexocors - is it because a light version goes against some basic characteristics that they share in common?
I've only had experience with the Deluxes.
