Double Bass SPIROCORES ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!

[ericsmith]

Had a complete set (not new) of S42 weichs on my Cleveland, played them for ...let's say a month, started to like the D&G quite a bit but I got some weird pain on my elbow. Freaked out a bit and put the CH Gut D&G back on.

The thing is though... I think I'm gonna put them back soon.

 

[arto alho]

Also something to note. I just took my strings off to work on my bridge and something occurred to me that I don't think anyone has ever mentioned. Every time I take off my strings for a bit they will sound brighter when I put them back on the bass. This brightness will fade within a week but it is a real thing. This can occur even when just removing two strings (as say in switching out to guts) and returning them a few days later. Very odd. Scientifically unproven. But real.

Real and very true. Happens to me every time. Last time I loosened the strings just two at a time to make minor adjustments to the bridge position (it was leaning) and at the same time I noticed that my fingerboard was badly stained with all kinds of dirt and goo. So I took a piece of white magic sponge and cleaned the fingerboard with it thoroughly. Could not have imagined how much goo came off. After this cleaning operation and tuning up the bass sounded just as it had came out as new. I was shocked, but after a week or so the strings had settled again. The fingerboard really sounds different still because all the poopie I had gotten used to is away.

 

[arto alho]

Funny, this forum software obviously doesn’t like my four-letter definition of fingerboard buildup

 

[sean_on_bass]

Funny, this forum software obviously doesn’t like my four-letter definition of fingerboard buildup

This forum would be alot more fun if the opposite were true. I mean, the British don't seem to have a problem with it..

 

[Povl Carstensen]

Spirocore guys and their hygiene...

 

[Jason Sypher]

Had a complete set (not new) of S42 weichs on my Cleveland, played them for ...let's say a month, started to like the D&G quite a bit but I got some weird pain on my elbow. Freaked out a bit and put the CH Gut D&G back on.

The thing is though... I think I'm gonna put them back soon.

I definitely play gut and steel differently. You probably just need to take a longer and more methodical transition period and be careful to let the steel do what they do without undue arm movement or strain. Slow scales, simple exercises, whole tones...just experiment drawing sound. And check your self for stress or tension, physical and mental. We can get into a whole mind-set about our strings, particularly gut vs steel, as if it totally defines our existence (ha), our personality, our outlook, our self. I keep returning to the mix, to the sound...my steels are just sitting so perfectly. Sometimes I cringe when I hear the metal, the zing or the sustain, when playing through an amp or mixed in the monitors and recoil when playing alone. But once those other instruments come in they sound glorious, the bass sounds glorious, woody and upright. And I USE those aspects that I would never have available in a gut set-up. In short, make peace with them, don't manifest stress in the body. I freaking love gut strings, love them, everything about them. I love to see them on a bass, feel them in my hands, marvel at the history and the organicness of their essence. I romanticize everything about them. But I think steel are the better string for almost everything I play. Kind of a bummer to love something so much but know it's not right for me, but, in doing so, and learning to just work with the steels, without the romance, I have found so many great sounds and strengths and others around me have noticed how great the bass sounds.

 

[HateyMcAmp]

Spiro mixing update - the Jargar Dolce G is in the house and on the bass. So far, so good. Definitely darker sounding and less supple feeling than the 4/4 solos, but an acceptable sonic and tactile mix. Like it through the pickup, and it doesn’t overplay like the downtuned solo did. Oh, and it bows like a champ. I’ll let y’all know how this goes!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Gotta say I am enjoying my daily 12 keys practice on the Kolstein Busetto bass with Spirocores on it a great deal. They are not as stiff as the Dominants I'm used to, so i can set them a little higher off the board, and now that they are breaking in they really get the top humming when I dig in. I'd forgotten how much fun that is.

 

[flatback]

I have gone thru so many different sets of string on my Contrabassetto (smaller bodied bass with full size fingerboard) and found that it really liked the synthetic strings. But after a few years I have come back to Spiro Reds (even the same set) and I think it is because the instrument has opened up some (and I have raised the saddle), but the spiros are just killing it for me right now. All the things Jason said about how at home you kind of wince a bit like you just sucked on a lemon, but get out with a band and suddenly all the disadvantages become advantages (except the G above C) but even that sounds pretty good on this bass (on my old bass a spiro G was impossible because it would rattle and buzz whereever the action was...a weird scoop I think) but this bass is set up perfectly and if my technique is solid I can play all the way up with a good sound. The thing I am noticing most is the quickness of the percussive thump. It is controllable so that it seems to give me more precision with where I am placing and feeling the beat. Just ordered a new set from bob (my old set has been put on and off so many times now that despite being far from worn out it is just that the silks are gone at the peg and I dont want to break one or mess up my peg box)

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The string won't break if the silks are damaged. But the winding can break when wound onto the peg without the silk, specially if they are not wound tight but spreaded like under most of the silk part. The core holds the tension, so if the core gets corroded that might break a Spiro or when the string is clamped in the pegbox.
I had my first set of Spiros on my bass for 25 years and only put them down to try something else. Still have them and have used them once during the last years. They are still in my drawer, just in case ...

 

[Jon Mush]

I’ve had a set of 3885W on my Chadwick since I bought it. On and off a bunch as I’ve auditioned other strings and torn it down over and over again with the Chadwick. They look horrible and keep on giving their best. They’re truly indestructible.

Edit:
I do have another set on order just to see what the difference is (in case I’m missing out on something). I have a suspicion that the old ones are gonna be my favs.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

@DoubleMIDI I was looking at your Dropbox chart and I notice the string gauges for the Spiro 3885 Mittle set are crossed out. I know the tension is a little higher but are the gauges the same? I would like a little oomph on the G and E on my Kolstein travel bass and was thinking of trying those out now that I know that I can get singles from Gollihur.

 

[flatback]

scuse my ignorance but what is 3885 and what is the difference and why do you want it as a single?

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

scuse my ignorance but what is 3885 and what is the difference and why do you want it as a single?

3885 is the product number for the 3/4 set which has slightly more tension that the more common S42 set which is designed to fit a 4/4 bass.

I use the 3885,0W set (3/4 light) which is in between the 4/4 medium and light sets in terms of gauge and tension.

- Steve

 

[Sam Dingle]

Picking up a 3rd bass this weekend (don't ask) which is strung with spiro mediums. That makes 3 basses all with spiro mittles (ok 1 stark E). I don't plan to change anything...

The strings on the hybrid are super bright as its a very bright bass. I want them dead now haha. I just don't play it often enough to kill them fast. Maybe twice a week for my outdoor gig.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

Picking up a 3rd bass this weekend (don't ask)

I’m asking anyway.

- Steve

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I’m glad somebody is making money playing.

Last month I finally popped for an Ullman Flexible Spring Claw I found on eBay for like three bucks, and put on my list because I’ve seen them used successfully as soundpost tools.

Stop right here: anyone who sets soundposts needs at least one of these things. They’re amazing. As long as the post is reasonably well fit, you can drag and drop it anywhere you want in seconds.

The point of the story is that today I finally correctly fit the posts on the ‘34 King and the ancient German. The King sounds great but the German sounds astonishing, big as a house when I bow it with the Prochownik “Sartory with Attitude.”

I didn’t think Spiros could bow like that, even on a really good bass like this one.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I’m asking anyway.

- Steve

FINE I'M DRIVING TO FLORIDA ON SUNDAY BECAUSE I'M PICKING UP A SHEN WILLOW (SB200 fully carved).

I found a good price on a Shen out there and sold my trusty german bass last week. I played 3 shens by chance here in town and really like how they feel and sound. It would be nice to have a middle ground bass between the juzek and the hybrid and also I enjoy gear haha.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I’m glad somebody is making money playing.

Last month I finally popped for an Ullman Flexible Spring Claw I found on eBay for like three bucks, and put on my list because I’ve seen them used successfully as soundpost tools.

Stop right here: anyone who sets soundposts needs at least one of these things. They’re amazing. As long as the post is reasonably well fit, you can drag and drop it anywhere you want in seconds.

The point of the story is that today I finally correctly fit the posts on the ‘34 King and the ancient German. The King sounds great but the German sounds astonishing, big as a house when I bow it with the Prochownik “Sartory with Attitude.”

I didn’t think Spiros could bow like that, even on a really good bass like this one.

Thats awesome! I'm loving my spiro strung juzek under the bow (its my bowing chops that are the issue)

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Bill Merchant called this bass “Juzek-ish” when I brought it to him right after I bought it ages ago. It looks right but has that weird Saxon neck set and is totally flamed out, which is remarkable for that era.

Don’t bother with a Shen willow flatback. I tried a few in the same room with a Rogieri willow.

Go find one of those.