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Double Bass Pirastro

B

bassist31588

Feb 21, 2002
652
15
Cheshire Connecticut, USA
#1
From the looks of it, these seem to be reputable strings. Good quality? I'm looking at this set Invalid Link Removed for jazz. I'm putting it on an Englehart bass, school owned. Just wondering if they are good for jazz? From the stock strings on the Englehart, they seem too dull to me, I don't get articulate enough tone for fingerstyle/pizzicato. Any experience?
 
#3
I play the Obligatos now which are great for a warm sound and they have a great soft feel. I don't know about the other Pirastros, but have played the Thomastik Spriocores which are very articulate and can be bright depending on your playing style and preferences. Mike points out they the are THE jazz string, but I would modify that to say they are the string for articulate modern jazz sounds with a ton of sustain and articulation. I prefer a more traditional sound for Jazz. I definitely would not reccomend them for arco as they are very scratchy and difficult to produce a decent sound out of.

I know that doen't answer you initial question, but thought it might be helpful nonetheless.
 
#5
McBass said:
If you're looking to do any bowing at all, I'd stay away from the spirocores. D'addario heliocore hybrids are great for pizz and arco and they're cheaper than most upright strings. I don't know anyone that uses "jazzers".
Click to expand...

If you're looking to do any bowing at all, I'd stay away from the D'addario heliocore hybrids . So everything is relative.

I think that Spirocore weich are much more scratchy than Spirocore medium which are indeed the standard string for jazz.
 
#6
My preference is for spiros too, especially when compared to the helicore hybrids. But the hybrids bow fine.

A dark, thumpy metal string can be nice, though. Pirastro flexocores are darker sounding and thumpier to me, with not bad sustain. If I wasn't enjoying the spirocores so much right now, I'd be using my flexocores again.
 
#8
Hmm... I'm definetly going to look into those Thomastiks when I get my own upright (By the end of the summer hopefully). My private instructor uses them on his upright, but I've yet to play them. Right now I'm using school basses, and I just want some strings that can be articulate enough for jazz. I hate using the current orchestral strings that the bass came with. They are too dull and IME it's hard to make sure you're intonated properly in the lower registers unless you're playing with a bow on these current strings.

I just came home to these responses and neglected to wait until I got responses from here to tell my director. So I told him to order the Pirastros. I'm not concerned about bowing, even though I do use the bass in orchestra; I can use a different bass even though they're all ****ty (haven't had a decent setup in over half a decade I'm sure).

Either way, thanks guys. I'll ask if he ordered them tommorow, and I'll check up on the Thomastiks. As long as the Thomastiks aren't wicked expensive, I'll tell him to order them instead. I'm no audiophile, and I really don't want to justify THE top notch strings on a ****ty school bass. Eh... ;)
 
#10
I've used Jazzer strings for the last 2 or 3 years now. I've been very happy with them. They are very similar to Spirocores, maybe in between the Weich and Orchestra gauges in tension. I feel that they bow a little better than the spirocores, though.

Whichever you end up getting (Jazzer or Spirocore), I think you will be satisfied. Both have a clear and bright tone, with long sustain, which is what it sounds like you are looking for. In either case they may sound too bright and twangy when they are first installed, but will mellow out after playing for a while.
 

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