I wrote almost a novel here on friday, but ended up deleting it all ( it got a little too friday romantic
) Anyway, I was organizing my string stash last week and couldn`t resist trying the 3,45mm Lenzner plain A again ( I`m about to sell all the extra strings ). It wasn`t that bad for some reason anymore, the rattling had settled down to buzzing. Now I`ve had the string on for lots of noodling around in my living room, 1 rehearsal with el.guitar / voice, and a mostly arco gig today with a 5-piece impro group. Other strings are unknown plain gut 2,5mm G and 2,8mm D + downtuned 4/4 Spiro solo E.
It`s very nice in many ways. Traditional pizz tone is huge ( in a mix, amplified rehearsals in a small basement room and todays gig unamplified in a small movie theatre ), and I love how this setup makes me play when there`s no sonic difference in 3 upper strings, I play more melodically. Feel is outstanding, both pizz and arco. It`s not a easy playing set, like E.P slaps are, by any means, but I can make a ton of sound effortlessly, without the tension or feel of steels. It`s so weird, my bass is not loud, but it`s extremely audible. I can play for hours as loud as I can, and my hands aren`t strained at all afterwards.
This buzzing thing is mostly a problem, if at all, in my living room, not in a mix. On the other hand there`s something cool in it too. The A string reminds me of some western-african traditional instrument with a huge organic tone and gentle buzz integrated. It exists on the same notes on the D string too, but is a lot less audible there. It`s really sensitive to the technique of both hands, stopping and plucking. I`ve managed to play the string without the buzz too, in the living room. In the mix it`s only audible at loudest, and then it reminds of sort of plain gut growl, and happens accidentally, the normal is inaudible in a mix. The Lenzner has a lot rougher surface than rest of my guts, and I wonder if that buzz diminishes when the string is played in, and maintained more.
Interesting to see how this develops. I have plenty of stuff coming in the near future, a 10min solo gig in a spring concert of a improvisation collective I`m attending ( that`s acoustic and arco only ), gigs with my bass / el guitar duo, gigs with the band I play in. Places like galleries or outdoor gigs, acoustic and amplified. Amplified gig in a trio with el.guitar and drums in a small impro festival, all kinds of stuff and surroundings. I`m definently going to stick with this setup for this early summer season. I`m waiting for the rehearsals with the band I`m in, el.guit, ten.sax, banjo, me amplified, drums, as it`s a great reality check for a setup, and the rehearsals are recorded. I might ask my luthier if it would be possible to do a less radical planing to my fingerboard than go all gut ski jump track on it, if there`s a need after some time. I have my strings at same height, 9mm - 12mm, that I had with solo Spiros / plain guts -combo, and don`t see a reason to raise them, as the tone, feel and intonation is great like this. The A is on kinda on the edge perceived tension? -vice at this height, but that`s really not the only thing to get used to here. If I go higher the G starts to feel too tense, and I really wouldn`t like to sacrifice the overall balanced feel of this set. Spiro E matches really well in both tension and tone, it can be thumpy, or growly as hell, and it gives the plain guts some clarity, and some reference of intonation. Stays in tune too, in any surroundings.
I`m hooked, so to speak
