That would be me. Here's the thread Tension - Spiro Weich vs Jargar Dolce vs Evah Weich - the figures
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 New Evah Pirazzi slap strings from Pirastro!
- Thread starter Francois Blais
- Start date
I don't have a definitive answer to this question, but I can give you some reference points from my experience. I have the E, A and D Slaps on my Kay. My G is a Pirastro Chorda Carlos Henriquez.
These are just my subjective opinions.
The Slap E&A are definitely (and perhaps obviously) lower tension than Spiro Mittels. They remind me of the tension of the Superflexible Solo set tuned down to standard. I believe they might be higher tension that the Carlos Henriquez E&A.
The Slap D feels like less tension than the Carlos D.
Nope sorry, I am guessing they are somewhere in the range of Presto Ultralights to Lights i.e., 21kg on G, rising to say 25kg on E (or in pounds, 46-55). But that really is a guess
E A D G
light - L
28.0 kg
25.5 kg
23.5 kg
21.5 kg
ultralight - UL
23.5 kg
21.0 kg
20.0 kg
20.0 kg
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I got a couple years out of a set of standard Evahs. As I understand, the E and A are the same as standard. Those strings could probably have lasted a bit longer in a pinch, too.
I'm sure the Evah Slap A and E have a lot (!) less tension than the regular Evah A and E.
..I might even quess that Spiro starks only have more tension than reqular Evah`s. I have a love / hate relationship with EP req E, for me it`s the best sounding E string there is but begins to feel like power lifting after a couple of minutes playing. Sorry OTing, but I have to thank you DoubleMIDI for all the string tension info you share here, amazing stuff! Danke schön!
Last edited:
An update on my earlier postings. Pirastro kindly sent me a prototype synthetic Slap Set D string. On my 5 -string Bulgarian Kremona bass
I had previously installed Slap E, Slap A, Eudoxa D, Oliv G, and Oliv high C. The main problem in that set up was the higher tension on the
Eudoxa D, all the other strings have lower tension. The lower tension synthetic Slap D seems to have solved this problem, all the strings in my setup now match each other much better in (lower) tension. For me, the synthetic Slap D bows as nicely as the E and A. The adjacent Oliv G and high C have a bit more colour to the sound, but these are the strings I prefer a bit more colour, sound-quality-wise the synthetic Slap D matches them well enough . With a more uniform and lower tension across all strings now, everything seems to be working better on the bass, including left hand and even my bowing seems easier.
I had previously installed Slap E, Slap A, Eudoxa D, Oliv G, and Oliv high C. The main problem in that set up was the higher tension on the
Eudoxa D, all the other strings have lower tension. The lower tension synthetic Slap D seems to have solved this problem, all the strings in my setup now match each other much better in (lower) tension. For me, the synthetic Slap D bows as nicely as the E and A. The adjacent Oliv G and high C have a bit more colour to the sound, but these are the strings I prefer a bit more colour, sound-quality-wise the synthetic Slap D matches them well enough . With a more uniform and lower tension across all strings now, everything seems to be working better on the bass, including left hand and even my bowing seems easier.
How do the synthetics G-D Eva Slaps, sound amplified? Sometimes the hybrid strings don't cut it as well as steel.
they amplified well for me. My issue with them was I'm so used to the spirocore sound now that I was fighting them. The pitch center wasn't as clear as with spirocores (is any string?) I took them off.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
I've got about 30 or so gigs under my belt with the EP Slap E&A and raw gut Lenzner D&G. For years I used an Oliv E&A, then switched to Gamut then Jargar Dolces. Overall, I like the EP Slaps the best. Gamuts were my favorite for pizz but I slap a lot. The A had an annoying midrange. The E sounded awesome, but came unravelled after about 6 weeks. Dolces lack note definition on my live bass (Blast Cult). EP Slaps FTW! Now to experiment with the D&G
I've got about 30 or so gigs under my belt with the EP Slap E&A and raw gut Lenzner D&G. For years I used an Oliv E&A, then switched to Gamut then Jargar Dolces. Overall, I like the EP Slaps the best. Gamuts were my favorite for pizz but I slap a lot. The A had an annoying midrange. The E sounded awesome, but came unravelled after about 6 weeks. Dolces lack note definition on my live bass (Blast Cult). EP Slaps FTW! Now to experiment with the D&G
I'm currently running a full set of Lenzners with the wound E. I've been thinking about going back to synthetic E and A. Do the EP's compare to Golden Slaps, or are they two different fishes? I play roots and old timey jazz, so I'm all about gut tone. It's been years since I played slaps, and I've never mixed anything with guts outside of the E string.
Just curious, dukeorock - are you using the Lenzner D and G instead of the EP Slap gut D and G for a reason? I'm waffling on trying the Slaps due to criticism of their D and (occasionally) G...thanks for any advice!
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
I never cared for Golden Slaps, especially for slapping
They sound kinda cool for pizz though. Always thought the Innovation Super Silver made for a great E string though. I'd say the EP Slaps E&A are closer to wrapped Gamuts
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
The Lenzners were already on my bass and I happened upon the EP Slaps E&A at a really good price, so it was just a coincidence, really. A luthier friend sells strings and advised just getting a raw gut D&G with the EPS E&A, for what it's worth. He wasn't knocked out by their D&G, but I wouldn't know
I just picked up a set of used E/A to pair with Lenzner plain D/G. They are replacing a wound gut E, and plain gut A. I was able to practice about 3 hours with them. First I warmed up with some garden variety scale routines, and some right hand drills. After that I played along to some MP3's, and learned a few tunes. I have a bluegrass gig this weekend, so I'll find out more from that. But here are my impressions after a few hours in the practice room (all pizz).
Tone: It's close to gut. I was skeptical that they would be with the winding, but I was wrong. They pair just fine with gut in that respect. They might be a tad darker than gut, but I'm probably splitting hairs here. However you wont get that nice click that you get on the front end of a note when you dig in on gut. The upside is definition on the A up the neck. The volume seemed to match up well across the strings. I'll need to play with a group to feel out the volume thing better.
Tension: The tension with the Slaps is a little higher. It didn't feel like a bad thing to me though. Pretty much anything is going to be higher than plain gut A. My right hand didn't seemed bothered by it. The pinky on my left has to get used to it. I'm just used to the fat A string. The benefit again is being able to use the A string differently than what I'm used to. Plain A just requires it's own technique IME. With the Slaps A, I don't have to adjust my touch when transitioning from the other strings.
I don't have much to say about the E. Again it's a little higher tension than the wound E I was using, and perhaps a little darker. I always felt that the wound gut E sounded great open, but died at about Ab. Could be my ears, the bass, or the string - couldn't tell you. Until I play in a group setting, I wont really know what the E brings.
It is the first set I've paired with gut that I've left on for more than a day though. I've tried a bunch of other synthetics, and they just never did it for me. If the A string in the Slap set floats my boat after some gigs, then they will probably be a winner for me.
Tone: It's close to gut. I was skeptical that they would be with the winding, but I was wrong. They pair just fine with gut in that respect. They might be a tad darker than gut, but I'm probably splitting hairs here. However you wont get that nice click that you get on the front end of a note when you dig in on gut. The upside is definition on the A up the neck. The volume seemed to match up well across the strings. I'll need to play with a group to feel out the volume thing better.
Tension: The tension with the Slaps is a little higher. It didn't feel like a bad thing to me though. Pretty much anything is going to be higher than plain gut A. My right hand didn't seemed bothered by it. The pinky on my left has to get used to it. I'm just used to the fat A string. The benefit again is being able to use the A string differently than what I'm used to. Plain A just requires it's own technique IME. With the Slaps A, I don't have to adjust my touch when transitioning from the other strings.
I don't have much to say about the E. Again it's a little higher tension than the wound E I was using, and perhaps a little darker. I always felt that the wound gut E sounded great open, but died at about Ab. Could be my ears, the bass, or the string - couldn't tell you. Until I play in a group setting, I wont really know what the E brings.
It is the first set I've paired with gut that I've left on for more than a day though. I've tried a bunch of other synthetics, and they just never did it for me. If the A string in the Slap set floats my boat after some gigs, then they will probably be a winner for me.
A played a 4 hour bluegrass jam/gig type of thing over the weekend. The Evah Slaps worked out great. The tone/volume sat well across all four strings as far as I could tell. I have to admit that it's really nice not having to adjust technique for a plain gut A. That is a huge positive for me.
I'm still getting used to the gauge difference though. I did get some cramping when I was clawing all four and using my pinky to play the notes on the A. This could be my hands adjusting to the gauge difference (I've played plain gut A for at least two years now), or it could be that I was playing bluegrass for hours.
Either way - I'm keeping them on for the foreseeable future. I have a radio gig this week, but no amplified gigs until next month. I'll report back once I play an amplified gig with house sound.
I'm still getting used to the gauge difference though. I did get some cramping when I was clawing all four and using my pinky to play the notes on the A. This could be my hands adjusting to the gauge difference (I've played plain gut A for at least two years now), or it could be that I was playing bluegrass for hours.
Either way - I'm keeping them on for the foreseeable future. I have a radio gig this week, but no amplified gigs until next month. I'll report back once I play an amplified gig with house sound.
I'd like to know the impressions of bassists who can compare the Evah Pirazzi Slap, Chorda and Carlos Chorda G string just for pizz and slap.
And if someone can compare these G strings with Dlugolecki, Gamut, Lenzner, Efrano or other gut string brand for the same purpose it would be nice to know too!
And if someone can compare these G strings with Dlugolecki, Gamut, Lenzner, Efrano or other gut string brand for the same purpose it would be nice to know too!
