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Double Bass Question regarding strings and style
- Thread starter Slaphound
- Start date
No. They must be played humorously.
What do you mean straight?
Pizzicato? Arco? Unamplified vs amplified? Sexual orientation?
Pizzicato
Weedwackers you might have some volume issues on the low string(s) playing them pizz (whether sans amp or amplified), which you can accommodate only so much with technique ie play the E harder and the other strings slightly softer to (try to) balance out the volume.
Arco
Some players will sand their weedwackers where the bow hair will make contact with the string as well as/or apply rosin directly to the string to supplement the rosin on the bow hair. How much you rough up the string for the bow hair to have a chance to grab it and how much rosin you put on the string will vary player-to-player... as will the amount of satisfaction derived from bowed weedwackers.
You'll get a much better response (both pizz & arco) from most any nylon string brand/model than with weedwackers.
All this ^ based on extensive reading, not first-hand experience, so YMMV and content may have settled during shipping and handling.
What do you mean straight?
Pizzicato? Arco? Unamplified vs amplified? Sexual orientation?
Pizzicato
Weedwackers you might have some volume issues on the low string(s) playing them pizz (whether sans amp or amplified), which you can accommodate only so much with technique ie play the E harder and the other strings slightly softer to (try to) balance out the volume.
Arco
Some players will sand their weedwackers where the bow hair will make contact with the string as well as/or apply rosin directly to the string to supplement the rosin on the bow hair. How much you rough up the string for the bow hair to have a chance to grab it and how much rosin you put on the string will vary player-to-player... as will the amount of satisfaction derived from bowed weedwackers.
You'll get a much better response (both pizz & arco) from most any nylon string brand/model than with weedwackers.
All this ^ based on extensive reading, not first-hand experience, so YMMV and content may have settled during shipping and handling.
Feral Feline. Thanks for your response. What are the nylon strings? I thought that a weedwacker was a nylon.
Nylon strings have a core, and a winding typically. Weedwackers are just an extruded plastic cable if that makes sense.
Weedwackers usually sound like crap for anything other than slap. I tried them a long while back and found that the G is OK, but everything gets worse from there. The E is typically useless, and the A will be hit or miss. One exception would be Cordes Lamberts Deluxe. They were a pretty good approximation for gut IMO. Superior makes their own version that looks like a copy of the old Lamberts (which are no longer available). I haven't used the Superior brand deluxe strings.
Innovation makes many nylon lower tension strings aimed at having a gut like tone. They make good quality strings. I ran Innovation silver slaps on my bass for a while, then Lamberts, then finally the real thing - gut. I rarely slap, but prefer the tension and old school tone of gut.
Weedwackers usually sound like crap for anything other than slap. I tried them a long while back and found that the G is OK, but everything gets worse from there. The E is typically useless, and the A will be hit or miss. One exception would be Cordes Lamberts Deluxe. They were a pretty good approximation for gut IMO. Superior makes their own version that looks like a copy of the old Lamberts (which are no longer available). I haven't used the Superior brand deluxe strings.
Innovation makes many nylon lower tension strings aimed at having a gut like tone. They make good quality strings. I ran Innovation silver slaps on my bass for a while, then Lamberts, then finally the real thing - gut. I rarely slap, but prefer the tension and old school tone of gut.
Yes guts are pricey, and maybe not a jump you want to get into if you haven't been playing for a while.
We really need to know what your whole setup looks like though. Are you amplified? Loud? Is this for rockabilly mostly?
We really need to know what your whole setup looks like though. Are you amplified? Loud? Is this for rockabilly mostly?
Well, weedwackers are indeed nylon, some have a kevlar core, too.
However, there are string manufacturers who use braided nylon filaments for the core of a string and wrap steel or nylon around the core. Sometimes they're referred to as synthetic cores. Then there's nylon tape-wound on a metal core, such as what Ron Carter uses – LaBella black nylon tape-wound strings.
There's a wealth of info about various strings on Gollihur's FAQ page, and browse each string they sell as well — there's lots of descriptions about what each type of string is like and recommended uses.
There's even more info here on TB and Double Bass Chat (used to be Rockabilly Bass), and DBC has maintained the archives of string discussions. I read up a ton on strings and decided I wanted:
- gut-like tone without gut tuning issues (I live in a hot/humid environment with heavily air-con'd indoor environs);
- versatility — prioritising slap, pizz, arco — in that order
- something to cover all the different genres of music I like
...
** Had to take a break from TB before I could hit "Post Reply"... now 8 hours later I find I've lost my train of thought. And I see SevenYearsDown has pitched in with some first-hand experience with wackers. Hey, you're both NY Staters!
Anyway, my experience is with synthetic cores wrapped in metal, FWIW. And because I wanted some arco capability it really narrowed down my choices. I picked Obligato solos and later Evah Pirazzi solos when they became available – Pirastro wasn't making Evahs when I first chose Obligato, and by the time they were, I'd broken a few Obligatos. The Evahs have turned out to be more robust than the Obs, haven't broken any Evah. I still like the Obs, but the Evahs also bow a little better.
A note on Solo sets: Solo strings are meant to be tuned a step higher low-to-high: F#, B, E, A; but I read somewhere that they can be tuned down to regular pitch – EADG – for lower tension and thus easier slapping.
Trying different strings to find out what suits you, and what your bass responds well to, can be fun, but I decided I didn't want to go down the expensive rabbit hole of trying strings, so I did my research, made my choice(s) and have been happy with my decision and strings. Nonetheless, I got a good deal on a semi-solid and wound up trying LaBella Supernils because my strings of choice weren't available immediately. It took a while to get used to the Supernils as they are extremely different to the Evahs and Obs which are alike. My next bass came with orchestral strings on it, orchestral ≠ fun. Too much tension, not good for slapping nor pizzicato. So I've had 6 types of strings total:
- Rusty crusty no-name steels that got ditched straight away
- Obligato solos
- Evah Pirazzi solos
- Another mystery steel no-name POS set
- Supernil
- Helicore Orchestral set
Other strings I looked at getting: Eurosonics/[Invalid or Expired Link Removed], Rotosound, Innovation Silver Slaps, Velvet... a few others I can't remember at the moment.
"New" strings on the market to check out: Zyex, D'Orazio Psychobilly & Rockabilly sets, Black Diamond Dog House.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps.
Good luck in your string quest.
However, there are string manufacturers who use braided nylon filaments for the core of a string and wrap steel or nylon around the core. Sometimes they're referred to as synthetic cores. Then there's nylon tape-wound on a metal core, such as what Ron Carter uses – LaBella black nylon tape-wound strings.
There's a wealth of info about various strings on Gollihur's FAQ page, and browse each string they sell as well — there's lots of descriptions about what each type of string is like and recommended uses.
There's even more info here on TB and Double Bass Chat (used to be Rockabilly Bass), and DBC has maintained the archives of string discussions. I read up a ton on strings and decided I wanted:
- gut-like tone without gut tuning issues (I live in a hot/humid environment with heavily air-con'd indoor environs);
- versatility — prioritising slap, pizz, arco — in that order
- something to cover all the different genres of music I like
...
** Had to take a break from TB before I could hit "Post Reply"... now 8 hours later I find I've lost my train of thought. And I see SevenYearsDown has pitched in with some first-hand experience with wackers. Hey, you're both NY Staters!
Anyway, my experience is with synthetic cores wrapped in metal, FWIW. And because I wanted some arco capability it really narrowed down my choices. I picked Obligato solos and later Evah Pirazzi solos when they became available – Pirastro wasn't making Evahs when I first chose Obligato, and by the time they were, I'd broken a few Obligatos. The Evahs have turned out to be more robust than the Obs, haven't broken any Evah. I still like the Obs, but the Evahs also bow a little better.
A note on Solo sets: Solo strings are meant to be tuned a step higher low-to-high: F#, B, E, A; but I read somewhere that they can be tuned down to regular pitch – EADG – for lower tension and thus easier slapping.
Trying different strings to find out what suits you, and what your bass responds well to, can be fun, but I decided I didn't want to go down the expensive rabbit hole of trying strings, so I did my research, made my choice(s) and have been happy with my decision and strings. Nonetheless, I got a good deal on a semi-solid and wound up trying LaBella Supernils because my strings of choice weren't available immediately. It took a while to get used to the Supernils as they are extremely different to the Evahs and Obs which are alike. My next bass came with orchestral strings on it, orchestral ≠ fun. Too much tension, not good for slapping nor pizzicato. So I've had 6 types of strings total:
- Rusty crusty no-name steels that got ditched straight away
- Obligato solos
- Evah Pirazzi solos
- Another mystery steel no-name POS set
- Supernil
- Helicore Orchestral set
Other strings I looked at getting: Eurosonics/[Invalid or Expired Link Removed], Rotosound, Innovation Silver Slaps, Velvet... a few others I can't remember at the moment.
"New" strings on the market to check out: Zyex, D'Orazio Psychobilly & Rockabilly sets, Black Diamond Dog House.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps.
Good luck in your string quest.
I am actually using someone else's bass as I take lessons. I just started. I am trying to figure out what I need to do when I get my own bass. I want to learn how to slap but the Thomastik strings are too stiff for me to learn now. I don't have any intention of amplifying but you never know. I don't know if I am gonna gig with an upright or not but I don't really see why. I like blues and old rock and roll music so I will be playing that. But I do really want to slap.. I probably want to get strings that are good for both.
Skip the weedwackers, not versatile and no tone on the lower strings. I prefer innovation over labella, but my low lifes from blast cult are my favorite sounding if short lived (at least the g is).
Solo sets tuned down are my next experiment.
Solo sets tuned down are my next experiment.
I agree with fatboutedgirls. You probably want something from Innovation. They will probably be the most versatile and cost friendly for you at this point. They will also be 100% better than any weedwacker, period.
I've also tried Obligatos and Velvets, which were both great strings - just not my thing. They are as pricey as gut. You can leave those experiments for sometime down the road though.
I've also tried Obligatos and Velvets, which were both great strings - just not my thing. They are as pricey as gut. You can leave those experiments for sometime down the road though.
Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
- 6,349
- 607
- Disclosures
- Owner of The Bass Spa, String Repairman at Long & McQuade Vancouver
If you're looking for a slap-friendly nylon string that also sounds good for jazz & folk pizz, the Innovation Super Silvers are a nice all round string.
Since all synthetic wrapped strings are hard to bow (even with rosin on the string), I would recommend Innovation Braided Solo (140BS) for a low tension bow able string.
But low tension means, that the string may sink more than with a higher tension string which makes a bit harder to bow only one string if it gets loud. But this is a general problem.
The pizz might be a big soft, so pizz at the end of the fingerboard and dig into the string (plucking, not touching).
Zyex light and maybe Presto Balance Hybrid light (a very bowable steel core string) might be alternatives.
Otherwise cheaper naked guts for G and D and lower tension metal wrapped strings (i.e. Spiro Solo) would be a option, but bowing will be different on the upper and lower strings.
But low tension means, that the string may sink more than with a higher tension string which makes a bit harder to bow only one string if it gets loud. But this is a general problem.
The pizz might be a big soft, so pizz at the end of the fingerboard and dig into the string (plucking, not touching).
Zyex light and maybe Presto Balance Hybrid light (a very bowable steel core string) might be alternatives.
Otherwise cheaper naked guts for G and D and lower tension metal wrapped strings (i.e. Spiro Solo) would be a option, but bowing will be different on the upper and lower strings.
I just want to add my experience up to now. I got Innovaton's Super Silvers installed on my bass and I am really happy with them. They took about a week to break in with me playing every day for about an hour. They are the soft feel that I was looking for. The strings that were on the rental were Velvet Anima and I really started to get used to them.
