Double Bass How do the Evahs compare to the Zyex strings?

[Mr Ralph]

I have the Zyex medium on my 1941 Kay O-100. I replaced Evah Mittels with the Zyex. When I first put them on I absolutely loved the D and G string and after 3 months I still do. I find them easy to play have good volume up the fingerboard have nice sustain and growl. They bow nicely not as dark sounding as the Evah's but I liked it. I am for sure not an accomplished arco player.
The A string was a bit bright for me at first but settled in nicely. If I only wanted to play pizzicato it would still be on but I found the sound on the A string a bit harsh under the bow. That could be my lack of skill with the bow (probably) or it could just be my bass. I actually did a little test and put a Helicore Hybrid Medium on with the Zyex D and G. The Hybrid A on my bass actually matched the tone, sustain and growl of the Zyex D & G better than the Zyex A but I still was not happy with the sound under the bow. I for now have the Evah A on because it sounds better with the bow and it is a compromise. With that said if I never used the bow or if I become more proficient with it I would put the Helicore Hybrid or Zyex A back on.
I was not Happy with the E string and have not yet found the right E string for my bass. Currently I am using a Helicore Solo tuned in regular pitch. It is easy on the hand and easy to bow and the funny thing is when amplified it cuts through the mix with a nice thump. The Zyex E did not sound like it blended with the rest of the set. That could once again be my lack of technique or my particular bass.
All in all I was and am very happy with the Zyex especially for the price. I know discussing strings is like going down an expensive rabbit hole, but coming from some cello background it was not unusual to have 4 different strings on at once. If anyone has any suggestions as to E strings I would be happy to hear from you.

 

[martinc]

I have the Zyex medium on my 1941 Kay O-100. I replaced Evah Mittels with the Zyex. When I first put them on I absolutely loved the D and G string and after 3 months I still do. I find them easy to play have good volume up the fingerboard have nice sustain and growl. They bow nicely not as dark sounding as the Evah's but I liked it. I am for sure not an accomplished arco player.
The A string was a bit bright for me at first but settled in nicely. If I only wanted to play pizzicato it would still be on but I found the sound on the A string a bit harsh under the bow. That could be my lack of skill with the bow (probably) or it could just be my bass. I actually did a little test and put a Helicore Hybrid Medium on with the Zyex D and G. The Hybrid A on my bass actually matched the tone, sustain and growl of the Zyex D & G better than the Zyex A but I still was not happy with the sound under the bow. I for now have the Evah A on because it sounds better with the bow and it is a compromise. With that said if I never used the bow or if I become more proficient with it I would put the Helicore Hybrid or Zyex A back on.
I was not Happy with the E string and have not yet found the right E string for my bass. Currently I am using a Helicore Solo tuned in regular pitch. It is easy on the hand and easy to bow and the funny thing is when amplified it cuts through the mix with a nice thump. The Zyex E did not sound like it blended with the rest of the set. That could once again be my lack of technique or my particular bass.
All in all I was and am very happy with the Zyex especially for the price. I know discussing strings is like going down an expensive rabbit hole, but coming from some cello background it was not unusual to have 4 different strings on at once. If anyone has any suggestions as to E strings I would be happy to hear from you.

Mr Ralph: Spirocore Medium!

 

[Sam Dingle]

Everything goes well with a spiro E. Get the spirocore medium E and if you find it has too much tension go for the Weich E

 

[groooooove]

I have tried the Evahs on my bass and the Zyex on a friends bass so take with a grain of salt. The Evahs have a darker pizz sound and a nicer (richer) arco sound.

i have Zyex on my carved german bass, and i am holding onto a friends bass for a few weeks. his bass is a shen 190, flatback with evahs. the shen is a hybrid- i think carved back and sides with a laminate top.

so, they're very different basses, but i do agree with the above. the pizz sound on the zyex sounds much more complex, where the arco sound is a little less interesting and quieter. the evahs sound much less exciting pizz, but much louder and more interesting arco. they're opposites in that way. obviously the zyex feel much softer on the hands.

i'm amazed at how loud a hybrid bass sounds, arco, with the evahs. its significantly louder than my german bass, and the strings are set super low "like butter", where as my german bass is set to a medium string height. i'd be curious to hear if these differences are true across other basses. i may swap the G strings on the basses just to compare results.

 

[Tom Lane]

I replaced the Evah Weichs on my upright with Zyex and put the Evahs on my Eminence and noticed some things that I thought might be useful for this thread.

In general, I was pretty happy with the Evahs except the amount of sustain in the 3rd octave pizz. I do about half arco and half pizz, mostly jazz. I'm not sure that I'll keep the Zyex but I'll play them for a month or so and give them a chance. First impressions are considerably louder, much more focused fundamental, a little less tension, easy on the hands. I had some trouble with scratchiness and squeaks arco, but that seems to be a matter of adjustment on my part, something I can learn to work with. Arco is noticeably louder and brighter than the Evahs. If I can work out the arco issues, I'll probably keep them.

Then, the used Evahs on the Eminence replaced well-worn Obligatos. I really, really like the Evahs on the Eminence because their darker tone with slightly less sustain sounded much better to me than the Obs which I thought had too much mid-range and tended towards boominess.

 

[Don C]

Which gauge Zyex are you using ?

 

[Sam Dingle]

I personally found the evah mediums sounded great up in thumb position, and the weich left something to be desired. The weich had a good wahh in the low end that the mediums didn't give me. It's a trade off.

 

[Tom Lane]

Which gauge Zyex are you using ?

Mediums.

 

[travshorts]

I just installed a set of Zyex mediums a couple of days ago. String heights E-A-D-G are 8.5, 8, 7, 6. This is a new bass that was originally strung with my usual choice of Spiro Mitts. I threw on a used set of Evah weich to check them out and they did what I remembered about them and so I decided to try the Zyex as I have never played them before and I'm suffering from "string sweats" these days.


Pizz - is nice. Big fat full note, lots of growl if need be. They seem to have a lot of the dynamic capabilities of spiros, less some of the whine and metallic clatter. A more dynamic envelope of sound compared to Evahs. The open D is stupid boingy right now but I'm sure that will calm down. The G string, to me, is slightly stiffer in feel than the rest and the E is the softest. The way the strings snap back after being plucked in fast succession gets a little more sluggish playing from G to E. It's sort of backwards from what I am used to but its pretty subtle and I think I can adjust. I'll probably tweak the bridge so the A and E string heights are higher. (but not until I decide if I'm really loving them) They have a unique sound, something I haven't really heard in other strings. To me, they have more character than Evahs. I'm going to work with them for sure for awhile.

Arco - G is awesome. Easy to start, easy to grab, plays nice off the string, and sings nice all the way up. D to a slightly lesser extent. A and E are really fussy so far. They require a lot of arm weight and slow bow. They are really tricky to grab with the bow but once going they have this interesting combination of steel and gut sound to me. When they don't start, they are harsh and metallic. Off the string is hopeless at the moment. Technique adjustments and time... I'm really hoping they will grab easier as they settle. I don't want to have to shellac my bow hair with pops. Volume on my bass is huge.

Have some gigs this week. We'll see how they do in the real world

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

I recently switched from Evah Pirazzi weich to Zyex Lights on my carved bass. Now that they've been on a few weeks and I've played a few gigs on them I thought I'd offer my thoughts.

• In some ways the two sets are similar. Neither feel like the Spirocore mediums that are on my other bass which offer a feel and response that's quite different from a synthetic core string.
• I agree with many of the reviews posted so far about the sound. The pizz is nice and punchy with more sustain and character that the Evah's. The arco on the lower two strings tends to be a bit scratchy. In this area the Evah's are superior, although I feel that the improved pizz sound is a fair trade off.
• I also agree that these strings take a while to settle in. I find I am liking them more after playing them a bit. At first, I felt the E was a bit weak and while it's not as clear as a Spiro E, it's well matched to the rest of the set.
• The distinctive character and improved sustain of the pizzicato sound comes through when amplified. The pianist on my semi-regular jazz gig noticed the difference in my sound.
• Most reviews describe these strings as low tension, but I have not found this to be the case. The Zyex lights feel tighter than the Evah weichs and I think this is a good thing as I can dig in a little more on the lower strings and I get less fingerboard rattle. I actually lowered my bridge adjusters a full turn shortly after installing these strings, although the need for this may also be due to the change in seasons and the fact that I now store my instruments in a different room in my house.
• I posted a short video of me playing these strings in this thread. Nothing fancy, just me playing into my iPhone.

- Steve

 

[Tom Lane]

I recently switched from Evah Pirazzi weich to Zyex Lights on my carved bass. Now that they've been on a few weeks and I've played a few gigs on them I thought I'd offer my thoughts.

• In some ways the two sets are similar. Neither feel like the Spirocore mediums that are on my other bass which offer a feel and response that's quite different from a synthetic core string.
• I agree with many of the reviews posted so far about the sound. The pizz is nice and punchy with more sustain and character that the Evah's. The arco on the lower two strings tends to be a bit scratchy. In this area the Evah's are superior, although I feel that the improved pizz sound is a fair trade off.
• I also agree that these strings take a while to settle in. I find I am liking them more after playing them a bit. At first, I felt the E was a bit weak and while it's not as clear as a Spiro E, it's well matched to the rest of the set.
• The distinctive character and improved sustain of the pizzicato sound comes through when amplified. The pianist on my semi-regular jazz gig noticed the difference in my sound.
• Most reviews describe these strings as low tension, but I have not found this to be the case. The Zyex lights feel tighter than the Evah weichs and I think this is a good thing as I can dig in a little more on the lower strings and I get less fingerboard rattle. I actually lowered my bridge adjusters a full turn shortly after installing these strings, although the need for this may also be due to the change in seasons and the fact that I now store my instruments in a different room in my house.
• I posted a short video of me playing these strings in this thread. Nothing fancy, just me playing into my iPhone.

- Steve

Thanks for posting the recording, it sounds good and, very nice playing, btw.

 

[travshorts]

Well my experiment with Zyex mediums is over. For now.

What I liked: The G string was my favourite thing about these strings. Great for both pizz and arco. The whole set, to me, had the closest "I'm playing steel strings that sound like gut" that I have heard.

Why they are gone: 1) The E and A would not settle down with the bow. I found that they could only be started with one kind of bow speed and pressure otherwise they would scratch out or false start. 2) The volume difference between arco and pizz was just too drastic on my bass. Really loud strings with the bow. 3) They just didn't cut it amplified. I have a realist lifeline and GK MB150. For some reason they just didn't have the punch they did in the practice room. Maybe if I had more pickups to A-B I could have found a better combination. 4) The right hand tension just never felt right. They felt floppier going down from G to E string. Evah weich are more balanced to me in this regard.

I will say that they were one of the most interesting strings I have tried. They really have their own character sound and I understand why a lot of people really like them.

 

[martinc]

I recently switched from Evah Pirazzi weich to Zyex Lights on my carved bass. Now that they've been on a few weeks and I've played a few gigs on them I thought I'd offer my thoughts.

• In some ways the two sets are similar. Neither feel like the Spirocore mediums that are on my other bass which offer a feel and response that's quite different from a synthetic core string.
• I agree with many of the reviews posted so far about the sound. The pizz is nice and punchy with more sustain and character that the Evah's. The arco on the lower two strings tends to be a bit scratchy. In this area the Evah's are superior, although I feel that the improved pizz sound is a fair trade off.
• I also agree that these strings take a while to settle in. I find I am liking them more after playing them a bit. At first, I felt the E was a bit weak and while it's not as clear as a Spiro E, it's well matched to the rest of the set.
• The distinctive character and improved sustain of the pizzicato sound comes through when amplified. The pianist on my semi-regular jazz gig noticed the difference in my sound.
• Most reviews describe these strings as low tension, but I have not found this to be the case. The Zyex lights feel tighter than the Evah weichs and I think this is a good thing as I can dig in a little more on the lower strings and I get less fingerboard rattle. I actually lowered my bridge adjusters a full turn shortly after installing these strings, although the need for this may also be due to the change in seasons and the fact that I now store my instruments in a different room in my house.
• I posted a short video of me playing these strings in this thread. Nothing fancy, just me playing into my iPhone.

- Steve

Thanks for the review. Fascinating how different reviews can be. Mine applies to pizz. I have a solid touch.

A while back I tried Evah Weichs and found they were way too tight (too much tension) for me. Also the G sometimes disappeared in the PA. I tried Zyex lights and they were way too loose. Zyex mediums are the closest to Spiro Weichs in feel and diameter. SpiroE Mittel/WeichA/WeichD/Zyex medium G or Oliv G. Very comfortable to play, perfect tension and a full, even sound. Great in the PA with pickups or mics.

Zyex Light tension: G - 58.0 D - 59.5 A - 62.5 E - 64.0

Evah Weich tension: Not published. But the consensus of many posters is that EP Weichs have 10 per cent less tension than EP Regulars. And the EP regulars have the same or slightly higher tension than Spiro Mittels. So that would put the EP Weichs a bit lower tension than Spiro 3/4 Mediums (67.2 68.3 70.5 72.8 ) but more than Spiro Weichs (60.6 61.7 63.9 66.1 ). So I think we can assume aprox 2-3 lb per string difference in tension between the Zyex lights and EP Weichs. based on my experience though would say the difference is even more than that.

I have no explanation as to why my results were the opposite of yours. String angles? String height? Beats me.
Regardless...there is no substitution for actually using the strings.

 

[funkythumb]

Aside from any tonal preferences, the main trouble with both of these string choices is that they are a weak synthetic core with an even weaker outside wrapping that will fail much too soon and leave you and your bank account depressed!

Not true. I've had my Evahs for years.

 

[WayneDupuis]

I've been playing on Zyex mediums for about a year and switched out to Evah Weichs a few nights ago.
The difference is in how the note blooms off the string with Zyex and seems to be a percussive ping on Evahs. E and A don't sustain quite as long as the D and G (Evahs); where the Zyex would bloom up front and sustain across all strings evenly.
The Evahs have a bit more stiffness to them than the Zyex. I like the tone of both, but am really digging the Evahs right now because they are new to me.
Anything to make me play more.

 

[Sam Dingle]

Those E and A evah weich should break in in about a week.

 

[thegladman]

I changed from belcantos to zyex (med) on a '20's carved German bass. From what I'm reading here, it depends on the bass. I do not like the sound of the zyex very much. Pizz sounds better than arco. On my bass, the arco sound sucks the big green weenie. Hard to get a good sound from the start of the bow stroke; kind of like a bad harmonic, scratchy. I've seen/heard videos where they "sing" nicely, and sometimes they do, but on certain strings or certain areas of the neck. I've had them on a month with daily practice and a few gigs. Still not feeling it. I opted for the zyex due to price figuring it was a more "affordable" gamble. Evahs are going to me my next string change which will be soon if these strings don't start to behave.