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

#481
BobbyT said:
I did not go for the 4/4 Weich set because I’d read comments likening them to wet noodles
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In my experience, this is not true -- but they are considerably easier to play than medium Evahs, which are a tough set to get around on (unless you happen to have a really loose playing instrument). Weichs are a comfortable set that have plenty of vibes & bounce and the Spiro tone, just not as much depth as a medium/mittel set (some folks (like me) have subbed the weich E with a mittel E because of this).
 
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#484
I replaced Spiro Mittel on my Clevinger EUB with Spiro Weich 3/4. I expected a lower tension that I would have needed, but I couldn‘t feel a difference in tension.
Later I found out that in the USA the „normal“ set is 4/4. So I replaced 4/4 Mittel with 3/4 Weich. Almost the same tension, but the 3/4 Weich are a bit easier to bow.
 
#488
I play mostly solo/classical/orchestral (70%) with some jazz/bluegrass (30%). I have S42 mitt E&A on my bass (42-3/8" mensure). They feel a little mushy under the bow, and have maybe to much bounce and buzz to them pizz. I think my bass, and my hands, like a stiffer string. On the top G&D strings I have old dominant which sound and feel really nice pizz and arco all the way up the FB, but they could have more thump. Unfortunately, I do NOT have A&E dominant strings in my box. The stiffer doms over the looser S42's seem a little mismatched feel-wise both pizz and arco. The spiro half of my bass also seems a little louder than the dominant half of my bass, but I have not recorded this setup from out front (yet) to verify.

So I'm thinking about putting 3885 mitt, or S42 stark, E&A on my bass -- possibly even a full set across. To test this idea, I uptuned my S42 mitts E/A by a half-step and I liked the way they felt and responded both pizz and arco. Is this a reasonable test? My bass is only 10 months old, and is bright, so I need more thump and less buzz.

Which would you suggest, looking for the darkest solution:
  1. Split set 3885 mitt E/A, dominant D/G -- closest to what I have now
  2. Split set 3885 mitt E, dominant A/D/G -- how is the dominant A string against the D/G, and would the spiro E blend well with the doms?
  3. Full set dominant -- if they don't break on me? How is the E-string?
  4. Full set 3885 mitts -- could these be like "S42 stark juniors"? Would these be as dark as S42 starks?
  5. Full set S42 starks -- some solo/orch players love this set, saying tear jerking beautiful.
  6. Split set S42 stark E/A, flexocore 92 stark D/G -- a classic hybrid combo that uncle Toad liked in his steel period.
  7. Other ideas?
 
#489
I would try the 3885 EA first. The dominant A is fine but the dominant E is a little weak as a match for the rest of the set IMO. The mensure of your bass should really make the 3885 strings hum. They will not be as dark as the starks, but they will be easier to bow.

The 3885 E with the other three dominants would also be a good choice. The dominants are stiff, which makes up for their having less tension, but they are also smooth, which makes up for them being stiff. I would buy the entire set of new strings at once but install them piecemeal starting with the bottom two to make sure that you don’t like the sound of a darker top over a livelier bottom. If you like that, then you have two reserve strings!

The stark E is glorious pizz but I find it hard to start with the bow. That doesn’t mean much, as I am not very skilled with the bow. But there is a learning curve with it pizz, because it requires more velocity and force to get it started, and it takes a minute to calibrate your technique to that.

The one thing that starks and dominants have in common is that they almost never bottom out unless your strings are set very low. I love this about both strings! It increases your upper limit of projection (assuming you can figure out how to access it without hurting yourself), and with time you can coax all of the more subtle sounds out of them as well.
 
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#490
I don’t have that much experience with higher tension steel strings, but I had similar ideas to Chris, so a good recommendation in my eyes.

The 3/4 Spiros are sold in Europe much more than the 4/4. So these are well developed strings. 4/4 are mostly used for 4/4 5-string instruments over here.

Thomastik tried to solve the breakage problem with the Dominants for a long time, but there was no solution and I can understand that. If something makes just a little cut in the monofilament core, the string breaks. And the windings cut first through the textile (silk) and later into the core where the strings bend and are moved just a little bit (bridge, nut, peg).
They highly recommend Spiros instead.
I asked about using downtuned Dominant Solos on a longer scale (110 cm) and they even didn’t recommend to use Dominants at this lower tension still because of the potential breakage problem.
I talked to one of the string designers/manufacturers about that some years ago at Musikmesse Frankfurt.

On my bass I rounded the bridge grooves and specially the peg side of the nut so that there is no hard bending at the peg side of the nut. I think this is very important for strings that are sensitive to breakage. But avoid clamping of the string in the nut grooves. If you round the pegbox side of the nut, you should also lower the nut at that side as much so that the string lies only with a third of its diameter in the groove.
 
#491
DoubleMIDI said:
I don’t have that much experience with higher tension steel strings, but I had similar ideas to Chris, so a good recommendation in my eyes.

The 3/4 Spiros are sold in Europe much more than the 4/4. So these are well developed strings. 4/4 are mostly used for 4/4 5-string instruments over here.

Thomastik tried to solve the breakage problem with the Dominants for a long time, but there was no solution and I can understand that. If something makes just a little cut in the monofilament core, the string breaks. And the windings cut first through the textile (silk) and later into the core where the strings bend and are moved just a little bit (bridge, nut, peg).
They highly recommend Spiros instead.
I asked about using downtuned Dominant Solos on a longer scale (110 cm) and they even didn’t recommend to use Dominants at this lower tension still because of the potential breakage problem.
I talked to one of the string designers/manufacturers about that some years ago at Musikmesse Frankfurt.

On my bass I rounded the bridge grooves and specially the peg side of the nut so that there is no hard bending at the peg side of the nut. I think this is very important for strings that are sensitive to breakage. But avoid clamping of the string in the nut grooves. If you round the pegbox side of the nut, you should also lower the nut at that side as much so that the string lies only with a third of its diameter in the groove.
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I've said this before in some other thread, but my sets of Dominants have been on and off my bass at least three times and I have not had a string break yet. They are great strings and I think people shouldn't be afraid to try them.
I'm using spiro mitts EAD and a dominant G right now and this is it. No more overly nasal tone in the d-f# area, and it matches the spiros very nicely. The tension might be a tad bit lower on the g, but the higher stiffness makes up for that. Bows pretty much the same on my bass. Highly recommended!
 
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#492
Thanks guys for your input. It is so appreciated. I decided to make a video (link below) for TB with the full set S42 mitt on my bass so you guys can see/hear my "spiro baseline". So I took off the G/D doms and mounted the S42 mitts G&D. So what I have is a mixed age set of S42 mitts in my box.

HOWEVER, I also found in my box-o-strings a newer D string, so I figured what the hell, put it on and check it out. What I found was very interesting and so worth sharing with the TB community.

Tell me what you think of the sound of this new instrument. It's new, and just 10 months old, made by luthier Eric Trujillo here in Denver. He wants to enter it in the 2021 ISB maker's competition, and I'm looking for the best strings to really make this new instrument shine.

I think it sounds pretty clean, clear, powerful and sweet on my Zoom Q4 video recordings. From the player's perspective, it seems a bit bright and harsh with the bow. I'm concerned that it lacks some bottom -- no?



Chris, thanks so much for your "start with a new fresh set" advice.
 
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#494
stefaniw80401 said:
Tell me what you think of the sound of this new instrument. It's new, and just 10 months old, made by luthier Eric Trujillo here in Denver. He wants to enter it in the 2021 ISB maker's competition, and I'm looking for the best strings to really make this new instrument shine.

I think it sounds pretty clean, clear, powerful and sweet on my Zoom Q4 video recordings. From the player's perspective, it seems a bit bright and harsh with the bow. I'm concerned that it lacks some bottom -- no?
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Nice singing quality in the upper ranges! It's a sound I would expect from a nice bass with a shorter mensure... not an orchestral sound IMHO, so I agree somewhat about lacking some bottom (or perhaps it's that the higher frequencies are so strong that I'm not hearing the lower ones). But please take my comments with a grain of salt, as I'm a "gut guy."

I wouldn't be able to live with the string rattle on the lower strings. Maybe raise the adjusters or ask Eric to look at the fingerboard?

An aside: My band played a few times at the Timberline Inn just outside of Evergreen back in the mid-1970s. A good time!
 
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#495
Hi there everyone,

Last Monday I made the switch from 4/4 Spirocore Starks to 4/4 Spirocore Solos and boy quite a difference it is.

The Starks I consider a good technique-, endurance-trainer and it has made me to learn to relax.

The Solos growl a lot less from the get go compared to any other Spirocore strings. There is a significant drop in "boom", but they still shake the floor. A somewhat pleasant surprise is the slight gut-like rasp when being played arco.

All-in-all I am quite pleased with the Solos.

To the whole lot of you, wherever you may be, enjoy your string-journey.

Rama
 
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#496
Rama Temmink said:
Hi there everyone,

Last Monday I made the switch from 4/4 Spirocore Starks to 4/4 Spirocore Solos and boy quite a difference it is.

The Starks I consider a good technique-, endurance-trainer and it has made me to learn to relax.

The Solos growl a lot less from the get go compared to any other Spirocore strings. There is a significant drop in "boom", but they still shake the floor. A somewhat pleasant surprise is the slight gut-like rasp when being played arco.

All-in-all I am quite pleased with the Solos.

To the whole lot of you, wherever you may be, enjoy your string-journey.

Rama
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Damn thats a big jump
 
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#499
Thomas88 said:
Such a boring question but why do the silks on my spiros always fray so badly at the peg box?Am I wrapping them incorrectly?

They have only been off a couple of times but already look beat up.
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It seems when one strings sits on top of another it frays pretty easily, friction from the other string. I think that’s what the little plastic sheath thingy’s they send with the strings are for. My luthier made one that’s a little longer for my D, which had been fraying the most. If you can wind them so silks don’t sit on top of each other you can probably avoid it I’d imagine. My other strings are in better shape so far.
 
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