• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass my Realist and Full Circle comparison

#21
Chris Fitzgerald said:
No offense intended, Les. I was just pointing out that in common usage, some terms are understood by their target audience to mean something different than their actual textbook meaning, and that this isn't really a bad thing AFAIC. As for the reference to mocking, I had no intention of mocking you at all. Relating a scientific/technical post that don't really understand to Einstein has for years been my way of admitting that the explanation is beyond my understanding. I'm sure I've used the same Fuquism in the past with others (i.e. - e=fdeck2​, e=mje2​, etc. ) posting technical stuff that was over my head. Now that I know you find it disrespectful, I will refrain from using it with you in the future.
party0005.gif
Click to expand...


Chris, such is the nature of email and forum posts. Often, intent is difficult to decipher. I see I took your post in a way not intended. Please feel free to use the Einsteinism with me now that I understand how you mean it. As for you not understanding my diatribe, as I mentioned earlier, I'll try to be clearer in the future. Thanks for your response and for all your hard work here on our behalf. All good. :)
 
#24
Thanks for all the responses.
I guess if you play 'strictly' jazz the Realist might be a good choice, since it has much bottom end. if you are more into a fusion/Stanley Clarkish articulated sound you might be better of with a Full Circle.
But then again Eddie Gomez has an articulated sound and he uses a Realist I think.
 
#26
I don't remember eating THAT!

My experience with the two pickups in question; FC is a little more forgiving, whereas the Realist really likes to have a nice resonant instrument to work with. I had a Realist on my old Tyrolean, and it sounded great. I had a FC on my LaScala, and it sounded great. Both my Shen and Merchant VBass have FC, and I'm getting a sound I like from both.
 
#27
salcott said:
I don't remember eating THAT!

My experience with the two pickups in question; FC is a little more forgiving, whereas the Realist really likes to have a nice resonant instrument to work with. I had a Realist on my old Tyrolean, and it sounded great. I had a FC on my LaScala, and it sounded great. Both my Shen and Merchant VBass have FC, and I'm getting a sound I like from both.
Click to expand...

Interesting observation.
I'm faced with this perplexing situation myself.
I have a German Eberle Hybrid, which to my ears, has good articulation in the mid and highs, but really lacks the bottom I'd like. I currently use Obligatos on it.

So I was thinking the Realist might make it sound a bit better in the bottom end, but I don't want to loose the articulation in the upper registers. I've not heard the FC but I'd be willing to give it a listen.

On the other hand, would changing the strings help? I was liking the Eva's but I don't know if strings would make a difference.
Any thoughts?
 
#28
Strings definitely matter when it comes to amplification. My experience with the Oblis is limited, but they were on my bass when I first bought it. They sounded lovely in my living room. They got buried on the first gig I took them out to. I changed them out the next day for some spiros, and have never used them again. Obviously, YMMV, but on my bass, they were the worst amplifying string I've ever had on there.
 
#29
If you are playing amplified how the strings sound through an amp in a live situation on your bass should really a big part of the equation in terms of string choice. For example I LOVED Eudoxas acoustically but could never get an amplified sound I liked. It becomes partly about compromise and partly about what aspects of your sound are important to getting your thing across. Pickups, amps, strings, setup, relative humidity, phase of the moon, etc all contribute to this. As far as strings Oblis were not great and neither were Eudoxas or Doms on my bass with a Realist through a GK. There are so many variables it can be maddening.
 
#30
IME the Hybrid strings(Obligato, Dominant, Innovation), sound great acoustically. In fact I noticed that they projected extremely well on the basses I have used them on. However I still like Spirocores when I need the amp. One exception are the Animas which sound GREAT through an amp. Of course it is completely dependant on the bass...
 
#31
This is a conundrum I've been messing around with for a long time. I have found it takes four sets of strings to do everything perfectly. One each for

Arco acoustic
Pizz acoustic
Arco amplified
Pizz amplified

...and no chance I'm doing that.
 
#32
Uncle speaks the truth. I'm at the point now where I have two basses: a gut string acoustic with noamp gigs (it has a FC, but it gets used only if amp is provided) and what little orchestra work I do, and a Merchant Vertical with Velvet Blues and FC for amp gigs. No more uprite and amp on subway for me.
Back to the original subject, I found that with acoustic bass, no matter what the pickup (going as far back as Polytone), Spiros amplified the best for me. The VBass, made to be amplified, is more flexible stringwise.
 
#33
We all know about the issue of a bass that projects big time acoustically doesn't always work as well with the amp. My bass is the most even, sustaining bass I've ever played pizz. It sounds amazing through the amp. It ain't that loud acoustically though. I'm shopping for a bass that can do both because of some non amped stuff I want to do, so I guess I'll have to go S's route and do the two bass thang.
My sound is kinda the opposite of Uncle's....he likes that nasty, grimier thing ......like he is. ;)
I like that sophisticated, sustaining, lyrical thing....like I be.
Thomastik O's are the only string for me.

I tried a bass the other day that was louder than a mother. I put it through the little Poly and it sounded like ****.
 
#34
Adrian Juras said:
IME the Hybrid strings(Obligato, Dominant, Innovation), sound great acoustically. In fact I noticed that they projected extremely well on the basses I have used them on. However I still like Spirocores when I need the amp. One exception are the Animas which sound GREAT through an amp. Of course it is completely dependant on the bass...
Click to expand...

I'm pretty pleased with how Evah amplify.
 
#36
I have an old German plywood strung with Spirocore Mittels and using a Full Circle pickup. Acoustically, it isn't loud but sounds very even and dark as night. The low end is very punchy. It amplifies like a dream with a solid fundamental and sounds like an old carved bass whenever I take it out. That bass always gets compliments. The carved bass amplifies well with a Realist but is more troublesome due to the more complex tone. I tried a Realist on the plywood and it sounded like ****. An Underwood was pretty good but had way too much finesse, like an old fart from Denver or something.
Strings: My opinion on all Hybrid strings is similar to Adrian's. Animas are the only ones that amplify well and I believe they amplify like a dream. The others use a plastic core which may have something to do with it, but the Animas have a more organic, woody tone to me. Although I have used Obligatos their low end never seemed solid to me. Their tone has been more middy on my basses. When they go dead, the low end seems to go first.
I do think the Full Circle is the safer recommendation of the two because is has much of the Realist's goodness without the risk. The Realist really captures the low end and woodiness of my old flatback though and I have used it successfully in loud situations without feedback.
 
#38
"I tried a bass the other day that was louder than a mother. I put it through the little Poly and it sounded like ****." PW

This is the conundrum, aint it? This is why I went all the way in both directions; nice uprite that sounds great acoustically and OK minimally amped, and an upritey thing made to be amped that sounds great on its own terms. I'm always amused by the guys who buy a string bass, mute any and everything that vibrates so they can run it through an SVT, and don't realize that all they've accomplished is the creation of a crappy EUB.
 
#40
With Evah weichs, my bass sounded HUGE acoustically and they turned out to be one of the best amplified strings as well (RS2=>Fdeck pre/HPF=>EA iamp200=>Wizzy 12). With Spiros, the amplified tone is quite good, while acoustically, the bass sounds quite punchy, loud, and dark (that's just its nature) but not as large as with the Evahs.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back