Does anyone have a time-frame as to when the stark G is going to become the commercially available default Perpetual G string? Mark?
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Double Bass New! Pirastro Perpetual Double Bass strings
- Thread starter luisraulmunoz
- Start date
I haven't heard anything that indicates that's the plan. Isn't the plan to make the stark G an option rather than the default?
Pirastro lists it as an optional (stark) gauge, so I guess it’ll remain that way.
Given how we believe the perps to be "light", has anyone, with an adjustable bridge, experimented with how the perps react/behave/improve/choke/roar/bow/respond when the bridge action is raised?
I have an extended-E perp set on my fixed bridge carved orchestra bass, with low-ish action. They're kinda finicky for me in terms of arco responsiveness. They can take a lot of arm weight I'm discovering.
I have an extended-E perp set on my fixed bridge carved orchestra bass, with low-ish action. They're kinda finicky for me in terms of arco responsiveness. They can take a lot of arm weight I'm discovering.
I'd say they do the stereotypical thing when raised, and i did play with them at a rather high height for a bit when i first got the set in the year they were released. Sound gets bigger/louder/darker. Great for a big pizz or arco sound with alot of power, not as great for ease of left hand playing.
- Jul 19, 2000
- 2,014
- 2,224
- Disclosures
- Owner/President, Gollihur Music LLC
I just added the stark option to the site (on the Perp page) as an option. It's NOT (at least not at this time) going to become the default G string for the set; however, I've got it set up so that you can buy the set either way (we'll just make the swap.)
Obviously, you can also buy just the G string if that's all you need (the same way we sell singles for most any string set we sell.)
I should have 12 of them in stock either tomorrow or Wednesday.
Considering how much I have spent on G strings (that end up in my drawer) ...to find a comfortable match to my basses, and one that covers this many bases, that is it bows, it pizz's, it pings, it pounds, it caresses, it sounds great with spiros, and seems to add girth to other sets (perps so far) I think it is a deal. High tech baby.
- Jul 19, 2000
- 2,014
- 2,224
- Disclosures
- Owner/President, Gollihur Music LLC
Yes, I've spoken at length about the string with Ed; there's a lot more to the string than just putting more windings on the existing G. It's entirely different; a very special string. The designer of it is quite proud of the depth of the development that went into it. But yeah, it's more expensive...
Oh Hell yeah Mark. IT SOUNDS THAT WAY. Like the guy who designed it would be really proud of it and that it is more then just a thicker winding. I love this string. I took off the Oliv and put back on the Perp stark. Two different ways of getting same places, I do love the Oliv (I think of it the way I think of great 35mm film, Oliv is the pinnacle of gut achievement the way today's Kodak films are the pinnacle of that technology) But the Stark is definitely something new.
Hey Flatback, can you elaborate on your comparison between the Oliv and Stark G? I have an oliv ready to put on and just ordered a stark G from Mark. I’ll probably try the stark G first. Just curious on your detailed thoughts. I’ll be pairing this with Spiro mittel E, A, and D. Thanks!
So I've had the string on two different basses now both strung with spiro mittels and, for me, I think it feels very slightly too loose with mittels. I'm curious to try it with weichs, and I just picked up a used set for that very purpose. The oliv holds up better with mittels, I think because of its diameter. Pretty limited testing behind both of these assertions though 
I've decided i'll probably change the low 3 strings on my bass when I get home in a few weeks. currently at a camp in CT teaching and have noticed my E string doesn't have as much presence as I want so I think its time. G is sounding good and honestly the A and D sound great but the E is missing a little something. The EAD on my bass now are about a year old at this point.
The stark G is everything I want in a steel string , it just sounds and feels right ( on my bass not necessarily anyone else’s) both pizz and arco.
The Oliv is kind of the pinnacle of gut/ steel hybrid but is kind of fragile if you are fickle and want to put it on and take it off a bunch, but if you leave it , it’s good until you know you ain’t feelin it anymore.(could be a couple years)
I don’t think most anyone except bass players has any idea of the difference in sound between the two or what that means in terms of how the player is able to make music, but people can hear buzzes and whines ( the parts of the notes that get messed up most noticeably to the listener ( intonation too) and stick out . To me that is why we go on and on about G strings.
For me the Stark solves the problems.
For me the match with spiro is excellent (3880REDS)
I am about to buy new perp EAD strings after a year, like Sam and a year seems pretty ok for me for a set. The spiro set I have on there(EAD) says 2017 in my handwriting on the package and they still sound pretty darn fresh. The spiros have the balls out sound, but I love the way the perps open up my bass, have a lighter touch and I just love the way they sound when they are new.
The Oliv is kind of the pinnacle of gut/ steel hybrid but is kind of fragile if you are fickle and want to put it on and take it off a bunch, but if you leave it , it’s good until you know you ain’t feelin it anymore.(could be a couple years)
I don’t think most anyone except bass players has any idea of the difference in sound between the two or what that means in terms of how the player is able to make music, but people can hear buzzes and whines ( the parts of the notes that get messed up most noticeably to the listener ( intonation too) and stick out . To me that is why we go on and on about G strings.
For me the Stark solves the problems.
For me the match with spiro is excellent (3880REDS)
I am about to buy new perp EAD strings after a year, like Sam and a year seems pretty ok for me for a set. The spiro set I have on there(EAD) says 2017 in my handwriting on the package and they still sound pretty darn fresh. The spiros have the balls out sound, but I love the way the perps open up my bass, have a lighter touch and I just love the way they sound when they are new.
I put the Perps back on my hybrid, but kept a mitt E. I like them on this bass much more than my ply. They sound fantastic, but also the feel of these strings is kind of unrivaled IMO. Spiros are just slightly rougher on the fingers.
I ordered a full set with the stark G from Gollihur’s. The set must be back-ordered or coming separately because all that came today was the G string, but wow (!), what a G string! I threw it on my American Standard with Spiro mitts and I get it what everyone’s been talking about. Thick tone, just the right amount of edge, but most importantly - it’s all about the articulation - this is the first steel G I’ve played that articulates like gut - where you can pull a little harder on upbeat bebop lines stuff for a little subtle “twack” that really makes the your lines pop. Well done, Pirastro. I’d been wishing for a string that had an Oliv like feel, but with the durability and price of Spirocores for years. Can’t wait for the rest of the set to come in!
So, the Perpetual set with the Stark G is a lot of fun in the woodshed. It's starting to feel balanced, which it didn't initially. My next booking at the moment is September 2nd and it's in a big hall with a nice stage, so it will be a good test. I'm thinking that I'm starting to like it this way. Still tempted to throw on the 3885 Spirocores with this G, I think they would get along well together, but I really like what I'm getting from Perpetuals, so it might be a fool's errand.
So I really gave the perp/oliv thing the full back and forth with both spiros underneath and perps. For me and my bass that new Perp G just has so much going for it that my verdict is that I like it with either the perps or spiros although the all perps with the stark G is what will stay on the bass. I really love the Oliv and I can imagine other basses where I would prolly have the Oliv on there but the stark's bite and speed and that wild dampening thing it does that tames the whine but puts forward the ping has just got my full attention. Pretty close to perfect on my bass.
