I'd be careful saying that in public. Outside of this thread, "perp" has a different meaning.
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Double Bass New! Pirastro Perpetual Double Bass strings
- Thread starter luisraulmunoz
- Start date
I don't like thin, wirey strings and it's hard for me to ever really like the G that came with any set.
The perp G doesn't bother me. I still dream of gut sometimes and I'll bet that if I put the Obligato G that's in my drawer on that I would like how it felt and sounded, but past experiences with it have ended in me not being as happy on gigs as I am at home.
Unfortunately, I've not worked all that much this year, but the Perp set sounds and feels balanced to me and I don't really have any gripes. I could probably use a little soundpost tuning and could start the mix and match experiments, but I think that anything gained from that would show up somewhere else as a different issue.
The perp G doesn't bother me. I still dream of gut sometimes and I'll bet that if I put the Obligato G that's in my drawer on that I would like how it felt and sounded, but past experiences with it have ended in me not being as happy on gigs as I am at home.
Unfortunately, I've not worked all that much this year, but the Perp set sounds and feels balanced to me and I don't really have any gripes. I could probably use a little soundpost tuning and could start the mix and match experiments, but I think that anything gained from that would show up somewhere else as a different issue.
Each bass is different, but on my bass the Perp set is very even across the entire set and the G doesn't bother me at all ( but it's been over 50 years since I played guts and I'm never going down that rabbit hole).
Tonewise I liked the Perp G a lot. I tried to get used to the thin diameter but after a couple of months I gave up and put my Oliv G back on; I love this combination when playing both, amplified and unamplified.
The Perp/Oliv G that I found to match not too well when the Perps were brand new are a fantastic combo now.
The Perp/Oliv G that I found to match not too well when the Perps were brand new are a fantastic combo now.
OLIV is the gold standard of Gs, no dispute there. I think price and durability are issues, though.
My Oliv is three years old and shows no signs of age.
If I could get 3 years out of one, I would not consider them too expensive. I had a TB Classifieds one for a while and it held up, but made me nervous. Maybe I should give one another go.
chris merrill
Supporting Member
- Dec 14, 2012
- 675
- 506
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist for: GHS Strings, Lakland Basses
I play pizz and arco, no slap; outdoor and indoor gigs. The Oliv still sounds amazing after three years and show no separation of the windings at all, silks are intact too. I wipe the strings after every session and lubricate the nut and bridge everytime I change/detune the strings. I think that carefully worked nut and bridge groves is vital for string durability.
I wipe the strings after every session and lubricate the nut and bridge everytime I change/detune the strings. I think that carefully worked nut and bridge groves is vital for string durability.
Slightly off topic, but I agree: thicker strings need deeper/wider string slots on nut and bridge. it adds a lot to string durability and is often overlooked. When the slots were deepened/widened on my bass when putting on fairly thick Genssler Sonores AP, it added A LOT to the overall sound as well! Wiping the strings helps a great deal. @ Fran Diaz: what do you use to lubricate? Just plain simple pencil carbon or anything 'special'?
BTW, I also tried Perpetuals: great strings
Slightly off topic, but I agree: thicker strings need deeper/wider string slots on nut and bridge. it adds a lot to string durability and is often overlooked. When the slots were deepened/widened on my bass when putting on fairly thick Genssler Sonores AP, it added A LOT to the overall sound as well! Wiping the strings helps a great deal. @ Fran Diaz: what do you use to lubricate? Just plain simple pencil carbon or anything 'special'?
BTW, I also tried Perpetuals: great strings
Hey Frits, yeah, just a very soft pencil. And as you said and IMO, the round file used for the slots needs to match the diameter of every string so that it doedn't get pinched.I wipe the strings after every session and lubricate the nut and bridge everytime I change/detune the strings. I think that carefully worked nut and bridge groves is vital for string durability.
Slightly off topic, but I agree: thicker strings need deeper/wider string slots on nut and bridge. it adds a lot to string durability and is often overlooked. When the slots were deepened/widened on my bass when putting on fairly thick Genssler Sonores AP, it added A LOT to the overall sound as well! Wiping the strings helps a great deal. @ Fran Diaz: what do you use to lubricate? Just plain simple pencil carbon or anything 'special'?
BTW, I also tried Perpetuals: great strings
I have Oliv on top of Perpetuals as well - two years for the Oliv, and no issues. I’m in Seattle, and I believe Fran is in Santander Spain - both climates do not have wide swings in humidity, or temperature. That must help...
btw - Fran, I loved my short visit through Santander on the way to San Sebastián. Delicious seafood, beautiful culture..
btw - Fran, I loved my short visit through Santander on the way to San Sebastián. Delicious seafood, beautiful culture..
Thinner, similar to Spiro/Helicore Lights. This is an all around steel string so is very comparable to other steel strings while those two sets have a synthetic core which tend to be of a beefier gauge. Switching from those strings to a Perp will require a slight adjustment period for the thinner string. I have switched from Zyex to a thinner string in the past and ultimately did not find it to be an issue once my hand got used to the thinner string feel.
Thinner than Evah lights I can tell you that. I think same for Zyex lights but I can’t remember The last time I played on those.
Hey Jim, good to hear and thanks for the kind words. If you ever come back let me know in advance and I'll show you around, talk bass and have a steak, we have great meat too
Regarding the weather here you're also right...kind of Seattle's with a little less rain.
For everyone who’s using olivs on top. How does the playability match with the perpetuals? Are they softer, tighter, tenser, blah blah blah...
God help me, why does the rabbit hole always have a something shiny beckoning if I go just a little deeper...
God help me, why does the rabbit hole always have a something shiny beckoning if I go just a little deeper...
IMO the Oliv is a better match to the Perps than to the Spiros in terms of feel, tension, tone and amplified response.
