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Double Bass Flexocore Deluxe!

Jesse Dietschi

Jesse Dietschi

Jul 22, 2014
131
50
Toronto, Ontario
www.jessedietschi.com
#1
Last year I received a free set of Flexocore Deluxe strings through an endorsement with the orchestra I play principal in. I haven't come across many reviews/posts online regarding these strings (lots on the other variations of Flexocores though), so I thought I'd post my response.

Holy cow!

Excellent bowed response, very complex arco sound, and plenty of projection. I was also quite amazed at how good the pizz tone is, and found I was able to get both a great "orchestra pizz" tone and a pretty good "jazz pizz" tone out of them. I wouldn't say they're as good a hybrid string as Obligatos or Evahs, but they were way closer to this than I was expecting (compared to say Passiones, which don't work for jazz at all). I think these strings are expensive, but I would say they're worth it!

I've combined them with a Spirocore E (and am contemplating a Spiro A), and I can almost single-handedly drown out the entire cello section :)
 
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#3
Jesse:

I have been using (pizz only) the Flexcore Deluxe G and D with Spiro Weich on the E and A. Great tension match and strong,full sound. The Flexocores seem to bring out the best from the Weichs, which I have used with several other G and D combinations.
Nothing else on my Eberle ply has given me such a solid sound without high tension.
 
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#8
Interesting. I have just installed 2 Passiones (D and G) on my bass replacing Evah Pirazzi (I keep E and A). I normally play jazz, but lately I am more involved in classical music, thus I am looking to some strings that works better with arco, but they can still at least work in jazz. The passione has a decent pizz and they are very easy to bow. However I find them a little quiet and they don't change much even if more energy is applied to the bow. I am a bit disappointed. The EP are excellent jazz strings (the best IMO). With the bow E and A are quite good, I like their reaction and the volume. The D and G however are not that nice, in particular D string. Sometimes they are scratchy, and more speed or energy is required on certain notes in thumb position. I have replaced them with Eudoxa D and G, the volume is impressive, pizz great , but bowing it's even harder. The response is not quick and more energy is required. In the low registers they are fine, but in thumb position more effort and care is required. They are not easy going strings, but the sound is really great. They detune easily and that's a real pain.
The playability of the Passione is great, I need to get used to the small diameter, The sound is great but the volume is really disappointing.
From this post in infer that the Flexocore have a great projection. I am only looking for D and G, I am pretty happy with my EP , E and A.
Any additional info is very welcome. (diameter, tension, feeling )
Thanks



Jesse Dietschi said:
Last year I received a free set of Flexocore Deluxe strings through an endorsement with the orchestra I play principal in. I haven't come across many reviews/posts online regarding these strings (lots on the other variations of Flexocores though), so I thought I'd post my response.

Holy cow!

Excellent bowed response, very complex arco sound, and plenty of projection. I was also quite amazed at how good the pizz tone is, and found I was able to get both a great "orchestra pizz" tone and a pretty good "jazz pizz" tone out of them. I wouldn't say they're as good a hybrid string as Obligatos or Evahs, but they were way closer to this than I was expecting (compared to say Passiones, which don't work for jazz at all). I think these strings are expensive, but I would say they're worth it!

I've combined them with a Spirocore E (and am contemplating a Spiro A), and I can almost single-handedly drown out the entire cello section :)
Click to expand...
 
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#12
diwa130 said:
Interesting. I have just installed 2 Passiones (D and G) on my bass replacing Evah Pirazzi (I keep E and A). I normally play jazz, but lately I am more involved in classical music, thus I am looking to some strings that works better with arco, but they can still at least work in jazz. The passione has a decent pizz and they are very easy to bow. However I find them a little quiet and they don't change much even if more energy is applied to the bow. I am a bit disappointed. The EP are excellent jazz strings (the best IMO). With the bow E and A are quite good, I like their reaction and the volume. The D and G however are not that nice, in particular D string. Sometimes they are scratchy, and more speed or energy is required on certain notes in thumb position. I have replaced them with Eudoxa D and G, the volume is impressive, pizz great , but bowing it's even harder. The response is not quick and more energy is required. In the low registers they are fine, but in thumb position more effort and care is required. They are not easy going strings, but the sound is really great. They detune easily and that's a real pain.
The playability of the Passione is great, I need to get used to the small diameter, The sound is great but the volume is really disappointing.
From this post in infer that the Flexocore have a great projection. I am only looking for D and G, I am pretty happy with my EP , E and A.
Any additional info is very welcome. (diameter, tension, feeling )
Thanks
Click to expand...

I too have not been crazy about the upper EP's. I think you'll really like Flex. Deluxe G & D. They have more pizz sustain than the Passiones do (they have a much more orchestra-oriented pizz tone IMO). I also found them to be louder, so there you go :)
 
#17
SAlcott said:
Anybody have thoughts on tension difference between EPs and Flexo Deluxes? I'm on my first day with a new set of FDs, and they seem pretty tight under the left hand.
Click to expand...


salcott: The G and D Flex De Luxe's have the same tension: 64.15 lbs. The E and A have the same tension: 71.4 lbs. These numbers were converted from the metric measurements given to me by Pirastro.

If you can find the EP (or is it EP Weich you want?) tension you can compare. But I don't think Pirastro puts out that info. The Flex DeLuxe G and D are between Spiro Weich and Spiro Mittel tension. They also feel a bit lighter than the G and D EP Weichs.

The E and A Flex De Luxe are close to Spiro Mittel: approx 70 lb for the 3/4 size A and 72 lbs for the 3/4 size E....and EP Weichs. Hard to say definitively because of the lack of tension info for all EP's.

I would say if you can handle the tension of E and A Spiro Mittels you would have no problems with the DeLuxe's.
 
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