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Double Bass Orchestra Bass String Setup Megathread

#61
+1 on the original flexocor being an amazing string.

Current setup:
Belcanto G & D, Original flex A, Permanent C (looking for a good replacement with darker/warmer tone)

Unlike some other folks in the thread i actually find the belcantos a really lovely set tonally, especially on the G and D. The A is far too flabby on my bass so the original flex A is a great replacement and fits quite well with the belcantos tonally. My only issue with the belcanto higher strings is they can be a bit 'grippy' on the fingers making solo stuff a bit of a drag.

Can anyone compare the belcantos to the 92s in terms of tension, ease of bowing and tone? I'm looking for something dark and warm for orchestra but without that belcanto grippiness. Also, any recommendations welcome for a good replacement for the permanent C with a bit more warmth.
 
#62
On my previous English bass

straight Belcantos w/extended E or I substituted the extended E for a helicore arco heavy tension extended E

straight original flex across the board (yes the extended e actually sounded good and worked contrary to popular opinion)

On my new (old) Italian bass

mixed tension set of passione - Stark E, medium A and D, stark G
 
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#63
Bassman415 said:
On my previous English bass

straight Belcantos w/extended E or I substituted the extended E for a helicore arco heavy tension extended E

straight original flex across the board (yes the extended e actually sounded good and worked contrary to popular opinion)

On my new (old) Italian bass

mixed tension set of passione - Stark E, medium A and D, stark G
Click to expand...

Thanks.

How much darker was the original flexocor E compared to the A?
 
#64
I invited Misha Krutz for Shabbos dinner last week and asked him to play two of my basses.

When he played my orchestra bass (Krutz 650), he remarked that the Temperas, while very easy to play, "lacked substance" to his ears.

When he played my Quenoil-shaped bass - strung with Original Flat Chrome G&D and Spiro weich E&A, he liked that!

So... my orchestra bass is now in the shop, and I'm waiting for the luthier's suggestions regarding sound and playability. It's now wearing Kaplans in order to give it a fairly vanilla baseline for the luthier, and I'm pretty sure I'll live with them when I get the bass back ... until I get another brilliant idea.;)

I took the other bass to rehearsal, and yeah! The OFCs really are great on top, and the Spiros are, well, Spiros. Thinking about replacing the Spiro A with another OFC, but the OFC E doesn't do it for me.

Oh yeah ... I really DO spend more time practicing than I do changing strings. Quite a bit more.
 
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#65
AGCurry said:
I invited Misha Krutz for Shabbos dinner last week and asked him to play two of my basses.

When he played my orchestra bass (Krutz 650), he remarked that the Temperas, while very easy to play, "lacked substance" to his ears.

When he played my Quenoil-shaped bass - strung with Original Flat Chrome G&D and Spiro weich E&A, he liked that!

So... my orchestra bass is now in the shop, and I'm waiting for the luthier's suggestions regarding sound and playability. It's now wearing Kaplans in order to give it a fairly vanilla baseline for the luthier, and I'm pretty sure I'll live with them when I get the bass back ... until I get another brilliant idea.;)

I took the other bass to rehearsal, and yeah! The OFCs really are great on top, and the Spiros are, well, Spiros. Thinking about replacing the Spiro A with another OFC, but the OFC E doesn't do it for me.

Oh yeah ... I really DO spend more time practicing than I do changing strings. Quite a bit more.
Click to expand...

I've just been trying the spiro weich E and A, and while i love the sound, the inconsistent pitch that really droops if you dig into the string was a bit of a dealbreaker for me on the A especially. It's a shame cos i'm so fond of the sound. A-B'd it against my favourite - the original flexocor A, and it won by a country mile, so it's back on. The spiro weich E/C is still on though, i love that thing, the extension notes are just incredible.

How do you find the kaplans? Really want to try them out, particularly the low two
 
#66
Freud_Chicken said:
How do you find the kaplans? Really want to try them out, particularly the low two
Click to expand...

Kaplans? What I can say is: There's nothing wrong with them! In the dictionary, in the definition of "moderate," there is a picture of a set of Kaplan strings. I used the term vanilla above ... that's not a bad thing.

Pleasing sound: Not too bright, not too dark. Goldilocks?
Fairly loud.
Easy to play.
Good pizz sound, especially in orchestra.
If they sound bad, it's your fault, or your bass needs work.
Decent longevity.
Relatively affordable.

Based on my experience, I would recommend the medium or heavy gauge. The lights are a little too easy to crush IMO.

However ... I have a set of used Flexocor (92) coming. I'm such a slut.
 
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#67
AGCurry said:
Kaplans? What I can say is: There's nothing wrong with them! In the dictionary, in the definition of "moderate," there is a picture of a set of Kaplan strings. I used the term vanilla above ... that's not a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Kaplans make Bel Cantos sound rich and colorful but they're just as or even easier to bow.

Freud_Chicken said:
I've just been trying the spiro weich E and A, and while i love the sound, the inconsistent pitch that really droops if you dig into the string was a bit of a dealbreaker for me on the A especially. It's a shame cos i'm so fond of the sound. A-B'd it against my favourite - the original flexocor A, and it won by a country mile, so it's back on. The spiro weich E/C is still on though, i love that thing, the extension notes are just incredible.

How do you find the kaplans? Really want to try them out, particularly the low two
Click to expand...

I didn't have that trouble with the E or the A. I've got an Orig Flex A on now and I like that string, but I am not sure I like it better than the Spiro. I'm not going to make a change just yet, though. They're both very loud and they both bow well for me. I think the Spiro is predictably a bit louder and a bit clearer; the OF is darker and maybe "blendier".
 
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#69
So up until last summer I was tuned in 5ths, then switched to 4ths for the Rabbath method books for a bit.
Seems that my orchestras are not playing enough below ‘E’ stuff so the bass is still in 4ths.

My current 4ths string set is just beautiful.
Each string cherry picked and works well on my 7/8ths carved bass.

Deep arco, punchy for pizz, easy to bow:
E Spiro Stark
A Original Flexocor
D & G Flexocor Deluxe
 
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#72
LouisF said:
Kaplan solos are significantly more interesting than reg. Kaplans, which are (as some one said) right up there with Bel Canto as the most boring string in the universe.
Click to expand...
Hey curious about this, for my orchestra bass I’m about to switch from Kaplan Mediums when I get my C extension installed (yay!), was gonna do the Lights (my bass prefers lighter tension). What is the tension comparison between Kaplan Lights vs. the Solos down tuned to regular tuning? I don’t think that was posted in the Kaplan mega thread, and given all the discussion here about their tone I’m wondering…. Thx!
 
#73
I had Kaplan mediums and Kaplan lights both on an Arvi with an extension, but it's been several years now. My recollection was the lights were a little easier to play but sounded and felt similar. I can't recall if going down to lights resulted in a significant change in volume - I don't think it did, but I also probably wasn't listening for that specifically. I also don't think I had to lighten up to avoid overpowering the lights.
 
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#76
foilracer said:
Curious...what you "say to yourself" that talks you out of ordering a set of Olivs?
Click to expand...

Experience. Put them on in November and they’re great until the weather changes from summer to fall. Around that time, as humidity drops, the gut core shrinks and the windings get loose. They work well for a player whose bass lives in one place with consistent climate.
 
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#77
TK1820 said:
I use Kaplan heavy on my English orchestral instrument and love them. Can't stand Bel Cantos but know lots of folks who do. Kaplan mediums on my chamber bass and Zyex on my 1937 Kay. Guess I'm a D'Addario guy. They work for me.
Click to expand...

How would u compare the kaplan heavies in tension under the bow and tone to other strings? I'm particularly interested in the lower strings. I have experience with belcanto, flex deluxe, passiones, spirocore, original flexocor, permanent, original flatchrome, helicore - if that helps?
 
#78
I like Kaplan lights because as @mjt0229 said they didn't drop much volume from the mediums, and the lights feel livelier for pizz work. The heavy G is nice with the medium set. The heavy E is a bit too tense for me. The light E/A/D with medium G is decent. Overall, Kaplan medium set is well balanced. My bass is 42-1/8" length and the lights are prolly my fave flavor of Kaplan on this bass.
 
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#79
AGCurry said:
... The OFCs really are great on top, and the Spiros are, well, Spiros. Thinking about replacing the Spiro A with another OFC, but the OFC E doesn't do it for me...
Click to expand...

I did it - replaced the Spiro weich A with the Original Flat Chrome A. Great strings! This bass is really roaring for me now.
 
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