Double Bass Spirocore Stark

[Evan Lavignotte]

Thank you ! Your file give me a resulting tension of 20 kg which is not bad.
The tension should be Ok but I am worried about the tone ...

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You might also want to look at Spiro Solo 4/4 strings downtuned to orchestral tuning. Less tension on the lower strings than with an orchestral set.
BTW, wound gut A and E are often 22 to 25 kp, not 20.
if you want a smoother transition from unwound gut you might want a metal wound synthetic core for the D or/and for the A.

I cannot help with sound, but since people use gut/Spiro combinations it rather depends on you if it would be acceptable.

 

[Dutch Williams]

Just put a set of these on my bass today, and have been playing on them for the last hour or so. My first reaction: Holy ****, these are some SERIOUS strings, higher tension than I've ever experienced before, and they really get the top of the bass moving. They're thicker than regular Spirocores as well, to the point where I had to file away a bit of my tailpiece to get the E string to fit into the slot.

What I like: the upper three strings speak more quickly than any other string I've ever played. The E string is a bit slower, perhaps because of the thickness. In general, the sound of these strings is extremely immediate and centered, making it much easier to intonate with more precision when playing pizz. Also, they are LOUD AS HELL. If the drummer can't hear you playing with these on, he's completely deaf, or perhaps deceased. Or both.

What I don't like: All Spirocore strings make my bass sound like a giant banjo when I put a new set on, and these give that same effect in a very steroidal way. The open "G" sounds especially disgusting at the moment, and the open "D" ain't much better.

The jury's still out: First, the obvious - these things are murder on the hands. You want bridge cables? This is your string. I've been keeping my action set at 7mm on the G and 10mm on the E. After playing for over an hour at those heights, I am now typing with stumps of hamburger. I'll have to lower the string heights a bit and see if I get used to it. Also, the E string is a bit buzzy on the low F and Ab, probably due to the increased thickness of the string. I'll have to learn to strike it a bit differently to get the desired effect. Time will tell.

If anybody cares, I'll write some more after a couple of weeks when they've broken in a bit. At the moment, I think I'll go soak my stumps in ice....

ive heard that jargar forte are THE highest tension string ... though probably not as thick as the spiro biggies ... the banjo effect is real lmao

 

[Rama Temmink]

ive heard that jargar forte are THE highest tension string ... though probably not as thick as the spiro biggies ... the banjo effect is real lmao

The above mentioned "banjo sound" dissipates rather swiftly by technique [and lots of playing!].
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Dutch Williams]

Back when I had Spiros on my bass I used Mittels to help open up the top a bit—which they did admirably. On a lark I added a Stark E and it was terrific: an improvement over the Mittel E in attack and feel, and it didn’t feel out of place with the other strings at all.

Funny but lately I’ve been thinking of putting them back on...

The call of the spiros doesn’t quit .....

 

[jmlee]

The call of the spiros doesn’t quit .....

Actually it did. That bass is wearing Evah Pirazzis.

 

[Dutch Williams]

Actually it did. That bass is wearing Evah Pirazzis.

The spirit of spiro compels you ... the spirit of sp ....

 

[jmlee]

The spirit of spiro compels you ... the spirit of sp ....

You know how that ends. You jumping out a window clutching Spiros in your hands!

 

[Dutch Williams]

Anyone got a good audio clip of spiro starks?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Anyone got a good audio clip of spiro starks?

Here’s a pizz example from way back in the day:

 

[Rama Temmink]

Man, I remember having the Starks on my bass, it was and is the perfect technique trainer.

 

[Dutch Williams]

Here’s a pizz example from way back in the day:

Here’s a pizz example from way back in the day:

maybe im fooling myself but it's like you can hear how tense they are.
great playing chris !

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Thanks! I’m biased, but I think that tension can be heard as a kind of “directness” if the strings are struck in a certain way. That sound is a large part of why I like tense strings. I think it’s probably why they amplify so well, too. Ultimately the Starks were a bit too much, but I learned a lot from playing them for a couple of years.

 

[Dutch Williams]

Thanks! I’m biased, but I think that tension can be heard as a kind of “directness” if the strings are struck in a certain way. That sound is a large part of why I like tense strings. I think it’s probably why they amplify so well, too. Ultimately the Starks were a bit too much, but I learned a lot from playing them for a couple of years.

whatd you switch to?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Dominant GDA with a stark E on the bottom.

 

[Dutch Williams]

Dominant GDA with a stark E on the bottom.

Rationale?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

The Starks are just straight up tense. For the E string, that’s perfect, because most E strings don’t match the rest of the sets they are sold with IMO.

The Dominants, while technically not having as much tension as Starks, are also stiff, so much so that they straighten of their own accord when you take them from the package. Something about that stiffness gives them that directness that I love about high tension strings, while also being easier on the hands. My stock line about them is that they are everything I love about spiros without everything I hate about spiros.

 

[JBarz]

I don't get GAS often these days, but when I do, it's to try something out that our Chris suggests and/or uses, lol. If I use Spiro Stark strings for several years, will it make my intonation and melodic intent as deliberate and clearly stated as yours? I jest, but for real - inspirational playing, my guy.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

@zootsaxes Thanks! In all seriousness, the thing that the starks helped me most with was intonation and a deeper level of rhythmic precision. Because they speak so quickly and clearly, there’s nowhere to hide. When you play out of tune, you know it immediately! With darker or “flubbier” strings, it’s harder to hear as quickly, and easier to let little things go as a result.

 

[Sam Reese]

For my needs (and on the recommendation of Chris), the G stark on top of Spiro Mitts EA&D is working nicely.