Double Bass I like Weichs!

[Uncletoad]

Naw, I already had more than my share. Had to quit drinking altogether...

Nothing like fitting a lifetime of drinking into a few short years.

I got that merit badge myself.

 

[Carl Johnson]

I think weichs get a little dryer and somewhat less flexible as they age. Sort of like me….

 

[jtlownds]

Hey Toad,

I suspect that you change strings often enough to qualify for psyciatric counseling. I think it might be a good idea if you bought a bunch of old strings, and started a new thread entitled "The joy of ancient strings".

 

[Uncletoad]

Hey Toad,

I suspect that you change strings often enough to qualify for psyciatric counseling. I think it might be a good idea if you bought a bunch of old strings, and started a new thread entitled "The joy of ancient strings".

I'll consider that.

But back on topic. I think Weichs suck.

 

[pmckee]

Hey all you Shen owners out there? Do you think Spiro mittels would sound good on a carved willow? I have played this bass a lot and it has really opened up, but the weich d and g just are not cutting it for me in the feel and volume department.

 

[damonsmith]

I think Weichs suck.

I think they are a very clear string with a lot of variables to control. If you want a string that has a specific character they my not be the best for you.

 

[Uncletoad]

I think they are a very clear string with a lot of variables to control. If you want a string that has a specific character they my not be the best for you.

I'm just goofing, they are a fantastic string, just not enough tension for me.

 

[damonsmith]

I'm just goofing, they are a fantastic string, just not enough tension for me.

I would prefer use Spiro reds, but my bass stays together best with Weichs, and they give enough that it is not a compromise.

 

[Steve Swan]

I always put Spirocore orchestra (red) on the 3/4 willow Shens now. Most people seeem to like them right away. I usually put Spirocore weich on the Shen Willow 7/8, but as often as not, players that buy them want to get the tone and volume that comes with the heavier tension.

 

[Marc Piane]

I have a Stark E and a Mittel A, D, G on my Shen Willow. I had Eudoxas on the D and G for a while but got sick of the weaknesses of that string.

That said I miss the strengths. I find the Mittels to be a little harsh compared to wrapped gut. The good thing about this is I felt way more comfortable soloing last might because every note spoke clear as day. The thing that lacks is the warmth. It is always a trade off.

I find the Willow to be on the bright side. Mittels sound great once you get past the break-in stage which can take months (for me). Right now they are, as Phil puts it, in the "buzzsaw" phase.

I used Weichs on my ply bass and they were great but they sound harsh and wimpy on my Shen to my ears. I played the ply at a rehearsal recently with Weichs on it and I couldn't play it. I was pulling too hard. I guess I am a tension and thick string junkie now so I had to change the strings on my ply. It has even taken a little getting used to adjust from the Eudoxas, which are a pretty thick string, back to Mittels on my Shen.

 

[Eric Swanson]

Regrettably, I must step down from my second-place spot on the Weich string life longevity podium.

I have had my antique Weichs back on for a couple of weeks. While I welcome the piercing upper end under the bow and endless pizz sustain (just the way I remember), there is a bizarre metallic ringing thing going on the lower strings now (arco) that I have never heard before, coupled with a pizz sound like an old transistor radio when heard from across the room...argh. Perhaps this set is finally dead (!?) (say it isn't so).

Another issue is that my new bass' afterlength is different than these strings' previous home, so the old bridge "dent" and winding smurfling is about 3/4" into the bowing area (this can't be good). I am thinking that this may be the coup de grace for these rascals...some deep damage to the strings ability to generate good old wholesome sound...(?)

I play both jazz pizz and various styles of arco and I am considering Permanents. Any experience A/B'ing Weichs and Permananents, for pizz sound, sustain, arco response, and left hand tension?

Or should I just break down, take my own dang advice, and spring for a fresh set of Weichs? I surely love the effortless left hand pressure with the Weichs...almost like playing the bass with no strings at all. I do hate to give that up...

 

[martinc]

I went back to Weichs on the A and D recently (after some Soloflex quality problems)....I have had the Weichs in my string drawer for a couple of years or more.
I dunno...maybe its me....but the D just sounds too thin with some metallic ring. The fundamental on the A is fine but along with that goes overtones or "buzzsaw" sounds.
After a month or nothing changed so I replaced them with Jazzers. These strings are at least 8 years old and were on an old Kay....then my King.
On my Eberle....great pizz fundamental on both strings, no irritating overtones or metallic sound. The Jazzers have a bit more tension that the Weichs (but not as much as the Mittels) and are slighty thicker in diameter. Beautifully finished and easy under the left hand.
What the hell have I been doing these past few years? I could have saved a ton of money. Maybe they did not sound as good on the previous two basses. Maybe I have been reading too many string posts here on TB. I think its called "Toad's disease". Its more widespread than I thought.
Whatever.....I am keeping my fingers crossed and hope they still sound this good a month from now. I have actually been learning some new stuff this past week instead of ordering/waiting/installing/ removing strings.

 

[Bobby King]

I regularly do this Elvis show called "A Tribute To The King" at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville. It's pretty good as Elvis shows go, the band is decent, the "Elvis" isn't some psycho, and we cover the full musical range of Elvis' career. The whole first hour is on upright doing the Sun and RCA stuff, it's kind of fun -- "Heartbreak Hotel", "Don't Be Cruel", "Return To Sender" etc. This is a typical situation where I use my gut bass, medium rock and roll volume, definitely amplified.

Since I've been enjoying my new Shen bass with Weichs, I finally took a chance and used it on the gig tonight. Bad idea. At home the bass sounds punchy, not whiney, I have a Rev Solo pickup on it and it sounds nice through an amp at low volumes. But on the gig it was the same old reasons why I never seem to be able to use steel strings live.
I can't feel and hear a solid note; there seems to always be these ringing, slightly feeding back overtones, the G string is a disaster -- the notes either disappear or create feedback. I was pretty miserable from the get-go.

It's disappointing because I love playing on these strings. I really feel that playing through an amp with a pickup, especially at somewhat higher volumes, is a different ballgame. The string, and more specifically the core of the string is a big factor. Nothing has ever worked as well as gut for me. The attack and decay that gut produces just seems to make a sound that I can really hear and feel and I can't seem to duplicate it with steel strings. Tonight I managed to mess with the EQ on the amp and got through the upright portion, but I was not a happy camper!

 

[Uncletoad]

Welcome to my world.

I must admit some perverted glee in your pain.

I know the feeling of getting on a gig and partway through a song or a set realizing the choice that I just made before the gig has screwed me for the whole gig. So I'm forced to spend the rest of the gig fighting with some stupid thing that could have been easily avoided if I wasn't such a weirdo.

You have my condolences on a huge pita gig. Been there for sure...

You have explained way better than I the dilemma I've been working with for some time. How do I get an excellent loud gig sound and still have something I can play in tune, in all conditions, small or large venues across many styles?

I swear it's in there somewhere in some mix of steel and gut. I haven't found it yet though.

 

[ctxbass]

The louder it gets, the more of a pain it is trying to get the "sound in my head" vs. "this will work". Sometimes my Acoustic Baby Bass is a good compromise but at a certain point I am much happier with the sound of my old Fender P with flats. What I lose in upright sound I make up for in tone and volume.

 

[damonsmith]

I wonder if it has anything to do with using newer and/or plywood basses? I use Weichs on my double bass and EUB and never had any of those problems, even amplified.

 

[Mark Carlsen]

I regularly do this Elvis show called "A Tribute To The King" at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville. It's pretty good as Elvis shows go, the band is decent, the "Elvis" isn't some psycho, and we cover the full musical range of Elvis' career. The whole first hour is on upright doing the Sun and RCA stuff, it's kind of fun -- "Heartbreak Hotel", "Don't Be Cruel", "Return To Sender" etc. This is a typical situation where I use my gut bass, medium rock and roll volume, definitely amplified.

Since I've been enjoying my new Shen bass with Weichs, I finally took a chance and used it on the gig tonight. Bad idea. At home the bass sounds punchy, not whiney, I have a Rev Solo pickup on it and it sounds nice through an amp at low volumes. But on the gig it was the same old reasons why I never seem to be able to use steel strings live.
I can't feel and hear a solid note; there seems to always be these ringing, slightly feeding back overtones, the G string is a disaster -- the notes either disappear or create feedback. I was pretty miserable from the get-go.

It's disappointing because I love playing on these strings. I really feel that playing through an amp with a pickup, especially at somewhat higher volumes, is a different ballgame. The string, and more specifically the core of the string is a big factor. Nothing has ever worked as well as gut for me. The attack and decay that gut produces just seems to make a sound that I can really hear and feel and I can't seem to duplicate it with steel strings. Tonight I managed to mess with the EQ on the amp and got through the upright portion, but I was not a happy camper!

A couple 2/3 things here... That pick-up may not be the best w. steel.. Full Circle would give you more punch. Second, your soundpost may be good for Gut, but not in the right place for steel...an adjustment may be in order. And third try muting the after length... Spiro's are real bad ringers under the bridge.That may be a big part of your problem. Good Luck...

 

[Bobby King]

Well, I appreciate everyone's theories and opinions but what always works for me is the set up on my other bass -- gut strings, Underwood pickup (bass side). So, it's back to that. The Shen with steels will remain as the "music room bass". Maybe at some point I'll try another pickup but I'm getting soooo tired of this s*#t.

 

[martinc]

I regularly do this Elvis show called "A Tribute To The King" at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville. It's pretty good as Elvis shows go, the band is decent, the "Elvis" isn't some psycho, and we cover the full musical range of Elvis' career. The whole first hour is on upright doing the Sun and RCA stuff, it's kind of fun -- "Heartbreak Hotel", "Don't Be Cruel", "Return To Sender" etc. This is a typical situation where I use my gut bass, medium rock and roll volume, definitely amplified.

Since I've been enjoying my new Shen bass with Weichs, I finally took a chance and used it on the gig tonight. Bad idea. At home the bass sounds punchy, not whiney, I have a Rev Solo pickup on it and it sounds nice through an amp at low volumes. But on the gig it was the same old reasons why I never seem to be able to use steel strings live.
I can't feel and hear a solid note; there seems to always be these ringing, slightly feeding back overtones, the G string is a disaster -- the notes either disappear or create feedback. I was pretty miserable from the get-go.

It's disappointing because I love playing on these strings. I really feel that playing through an amp with a pickup, especially at somewhat higher volumes, is a different ballgame. The string, and more specifically the core of the string is a big factor. Nothing has ever worked as well as gut for me. The attack and decay that gut produces just seems to make a sound that I can really hear and feel and I can't seem to duplicate it with steel strings. Tonight I managed to mess with the EQ on the amp and got through the upright portion, but I was not a happy camper!

Bobby:

I got tired of the noise from the Weichs too. I put Jazzers on and the problem was solved. They sound great in my basement room and also through the PA. I'm sold on the Jazzers for my Eberle.
Now I have to get off this "Strings" forum before I get hooked into trying something else!

 

[Uncletoad]

I wonder if it has anything to do with using newer and/or plywood basses? I use Weichs on my double bass and EUB and never had any of those problems, even amplified.

I think it's got more to do with loud than with plywood or new.