Double Bass Floppy E/C Spirocore Weich

[Oscar Yanez]

Hi all,

I am currently using Belcanto's G D and Spirocore Weich A E/C. However the E/C string is too floppy for my liking. It bottoms out really easily.

Does anyone have experience with the medium extension string? I also see that permanent E is a good option as well.

I also heard of this setup and it seems interesting to me:

Flexocor G D, Flex Original A, Permanent E.

Thanks!

 

[Francois Blais]

Arco or pizz?
Action too low on the E string maybe?

 

[Lee Moses]

I am currently using Spiro's medium e/c string over Flexocor GDA. It is just okay, but I wouldn't say that it bottoms out. It is kind of boring compared to the Flexocors.

 

[Oscar Yanez]

Arco or pizz?
Action too low on the E string maybe?

Arco

It could be but I’m not sure what height to raise it to

 

[Francois Blais]

What's the clearance under the E string at the end of the fingerboard?

 

[Oscar Yanez]

What's the clearance under the E string at the end of the fingerboard?

It looks like it is about 7mm

 

[the_Ryan]

I’d probably raise the bridge. I’m primarily an orchestral player and use a very similar string setup (Belcanto DG, Spirocore S42 A, and S42W E/C) and I think most E strings would bottom out when set that low. My E string height is about 10 mm at the end of the fingerboard right now, and I don’t have many issues with bottoming out. It’s not the stiffest string, but on my bass it feels relatively in line with the other strings.

 

[Oscar Yanez]

I'd probably raise the bridge. I'm primarily an orchestral player and use a very similar string setup (Belcanto DG, Spirocore S42 A, and S42W E/C) and I think most E strings would bottom out when set that low. My E string height is about 10 mm at the end of the fingerboard right now, and I don't have many issues with bottoming out. It's not the stiffest string, but on my bass it feels relatively in line with the other strings.

I will raise the strings. I have a rehearsal today so I will be able to share how that feels once I am done

 

[Oscar Yanez]

I'd probably raise the bridge. I'm primarily an orchestral player and use a very similar string setup (Belcanto DG, Spirocore S42 A, and S42W E/C) and I think most E strings would bottom out when set that low. My E string height is about 10 mm at the end of the fingerboard right now, and I don't have many issues with bottoming out. It's not the stiffest string, but on my bass it feels relatively in line with the other strings.

I raised the strings but that made my G string start buzzing like crazy when played fortissimo. Just open G. First position notes also get some buzz.

I lowered it back down and now the buzz is still there. Everything is the exact same include bridge position and angle. Not sure what happened.

Bottoming out wasn't a problem with the higher position though

edit: Thinking about it, I never have to play a fortissimo open G ever, so I will still try it

 

[Mark_T]

The Permanent E/C is not my favorite. I could probably send you one to try, cheap.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Something moved while you were adjusting. It’s totally fine to mark the correct positions of your bridge feet in pencil. And 7mm on the E is very low unless you’re Brian Bromberg.

 

[stefaniw80401]

Make sure to move your bridge adjusters both evenly up or down. You cannot just raise the E string side. Also shoot your eye down the fingerboard from the scroll to make sure the bridge is centered under the fingerboard.

 

[Mark_T]

My bass is currently set up with Bel Canto G, D, A with a stark Flexocor 92 E/C. I usually use a Spiro Weich E/C but we were doing La Mer and the third movement opening really wanted something I could push harder against. The stark F92 was a nice compromise between F92 and Spiro mittel in terms of tension. I'm not sure it's my long-term E/C, but it blends pretty well and sounds good.

 

[james condino]

Starks rule; they're not delicate or easy on the hands, but they aren't supposed to be.

They will solve your floppy problem, plus they pull so hard that the neck will move 1/4 inch, solving your low action problem.

 

[Don Kasper]

They will solve your floppy problem

Spiragra (Stark) will solve your floppy problem.
...so I've heard.
Thx.

 

[Oscar Yanez]

Something moved while you were adjusting. It's totally fine to mark the correct positions of your bridge feet in pencil. And 7mm on the E is very low unless you're Brian Bromberg.

Yes I have it marked on the feet so it was even. I also have a stick that my luthier gave me so I can check the bridge angle. It went away after some playing so I think it fixed itself.

I might have measured it wrong; I was using a tape measurer and it wasn't very easy to get it to be accurate. Maybe I will remeasure using a regular ruler in the morning

 

[Oscar Yanez]

The Permanent E/C is not my favorite. I could probably send you one to try, cheap.

I remember trying a permanent E/C from my teacher, but it was pretty old. I went for a mittel evah pirazzi C for my first extension string. I assume from the name that they last a good while though. Thanks for the offer

 

[Oscar Yanez]

Make sure to move your bridge adjusters both evenly up or down. You cannot just raise the E string side. Also shoot your eye down the fingerboard from the scroll to make sure the bridge is centered under the fingerboard.

Looks good, thank you for the tip!

 

[Oscar Yanez]

Spiragra (Stark) will solve your floppy problem.
...so I've heard.
Thx.

Spiragra! I heard it all now.

Just read about it on string emporium. They have an entire page/warning about stark spirocores.

 

[Oscar Yanez]

Just finished a gig with the raised strings (I still need to measure it out properly). My pizz. was louder and so was my arco at the beginning. I think the main issue is that I am having a hard time grabbing the string with my bow. Because of this, I try to overcompensate by applying more vertical pressure. My pop's rosin is pretty fresh too.

Maybe it's because my hair is about two years old now... rehair time soon!