Double Bass Spiro Solo Experiment

[Bobby King]

So here's an interesting twist: The windings on my Gamut A came loose, so I put my Spiro Solo E&A back on with Gamut guts on top. This seems to be getting a much better volume balance than the full Spiro Solo set. Previously, when I'd used the full Spiro set, the upper strings were projecting noticably louder than the lower ones. So either the Spiro D&G are just really loud on my bass and the guts less loud, or else the lesser tension of the guts on top enables the Solo E&A to project more. Either way, it's a nice mix. I did a recording session today and the bass sounded nice and balanced. The lower strings blended well with the guts, and the bottom was full. I had done one session with the full Spiro set and the low strings sounded wimpy. Of course, different studio, different mics, different engineer, so it's hard to be scientific. There's so much voodoo with upright bass, different strings and different tension. It can make you a little nuts sometimes!

 

[Uncletoad]

Interesting.

Not surprising, tension and balance is a pesky thing.

I always liked the combination of Gamut topping Spiros but never entirely settled with it. Of course I never tried that mix.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Bobby King]

Hey Phil! I think it was you that first suggested to me trying the Spiro Solos. It took me a while, but good suggestion! I agree, they are different than Mittels or Weichs, but in a way I like. The darker sound and lower tension works well with guts. Everyone's bass and tastes are different of course. Thanks!

 

[SVT4001]

I just got a used set of Spiro solo's with the intention of tuning them standard- the idea being that they might be a good option for slap and arco.

Yeah- I know- "This looks like a job for GUT!" Don't get me started!

Coming from Spiro Weich E and Eurosonic light A, D and G on a Shen SB80- my "everything other than Orchestra" bass. Great slap, amazing growl for walking- but tough to bow with consistancy.

Initial impression is that they are going to be great at this! I got a full set, but I'm too lazy to take off the Weich E- so it stays for now- nice balance actually! Me likey!

I'll let y'all know how it goes!

Joe

 

[shwashwa]

ive posted in a few threads about this already, so you may have read it, but i just put Gamut Pistoy on the D and G and have Corelli 370 forte on the A and E. great match! tone and feel. i also happen to have 4 basses (yeah, i have a problem) so i have a bass set up with steel when i want it and an arco only bass too, but right now im having the most fun on the half gut bass. so far the fullness on the G string is exactly what ive been looking for. ive been considering posting sound clips for people who are interested to hear.
so i guess the solution to your problem is get more basses!

 

[SVT4001]

More basses! Yeah, I could go for that fix of the problem for sure!
For now though, I can get by with two for now: the "classical bass" and the "everything else" one.

The Spiro solos are off- I thought I liked them for a while, but they didn't move enough air when slapped- they just sounded teeny- which they are!

So I'm back to gut on that bass now, an mostly happy except for the plain A string trouble I'm experiencing (see the Damian Dlugolecki thread)- gonna give it some more time though before I bail on it.

Joe