Double Bass String identification

[martin durkin]

Hi. I'm putting together a set of strings, to replace my helicores. I bought a string on eBay sold as original chromesteel, but I'm not quite sure. It has a pirastro tag, but I'm doubting that should be on it. The othe used string is a pirastro I think. It's an E. The new string is a D

 

[TroyK]

The blue string is a Thomastik Superflexible. The other one MIGHT be a Flexocore '92, but I can't really tell from the photo what color that is.

 

[martin durkin]

Hi TroyK.
The string looks like poss dull steel wound. The pegbox colour end starts
With black then ends with red, which would be trimmed off! There is also a thin outer winding of what looks like copper wire. The tailpiece end is black with a tiny purple bit where is joins the end. The end has a lug which has 0 on one side, and 2 on the other. It has packaging to suggest it is new old stock, but not sure if authentic.
Incidentally I also have a flexocore g. What A would you suggest could make a set up. My helicore arcos don't have the volume of pirastros!

 

[TroyK]

Not a Flex '92. My bad. Not sure what it is. I don't know why I saw it differently before.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

I looked at the Pirastro string catalog for double bass strings and none looks like this one.
But on the label on the string is the Pirastro logo.

The closest Pirastro match is an Original Flexocore D (violet/red on peg end) and violet on tailpiece end.
The only Pirastro string with a black tailpiece end is Pirastro pizzicato, a wound gut string. The D has a red silk at the peg end.

I got a Spiro Weich 3/4 high C from Pirastro, not a normal catalog string, probably from a prototype manufacturing run and the colours are totally different from their normal colouring scheme. So if it is a prototype string (probably not because of the label) it could be anything.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I think it may be an older Pirastro string. See the silver wire wound around the pegbox-end silks?

 

[Jake deVilliers]

The Pirastro Pizzicato strings have black silks.

 

[martin durkin]

Hi. I don't think it's a wound gut as it has wire going into each side of the lug. Does that suggest its a spiral or braided core? Also on the tailpiece end there is a fine wire that spirals up over the silk over the black, and to the end of the red. It actually looks like a good quality string. I'm pretty sure the pirastro tag has been tied on! As it looks a bit worn, compared to the newness of the other binding. Hover if it can be identified as a decent string I may put it on. I don't want to keep taking off my helicores to test this out though as I might ruin the acceptable strings I've already got!

 

[Francois Blais]

I think the D string is a Pirastro Ultra-Sensitive.
Discontinued since long ago.
They were replaced by the Chromcors. (also a solid steel core)

 

[martin durkin]

Thanks. Seems like the consensus might be pirastro but very old stock. I'll leave the seller positive feedback on eBay! Just need an A now. What would any of you use to put a set together based on what I've got, and do you think the set would have more character than helicore arco orchestras, which aren't actually that bad?

 

[Francois Blais]

Using discontinued strings has a drawback: if you happen to love them, you may have a hard time to find them again. (if at all)
There are real bargains on the Classifieds here.
Did you check them?

 

[martin durkin]

Thanks eub_player that a good point. I do check the classified, but as I'm in the UK, a lot of stuff is only posted within the states, and sometimes postage and handling charges can really fleece you! Your right about the string I availability issue. I may have to just save up for some Eva's or obligato's, and keep these as spares, or use on a project bass!

 

[Francois Blais]

You can get Presto strings from Lando Music in Germany.
The Balance DB strings series are quite good.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

That string is an old "Pirastro Wondertone - The Original Ultra Sensitive String!

I knew I'd seen a string like that before and, sure enough, I stumbled across some tonight in my shop...

I'll post a photo of the package in the morning. Are you interested in an Extension E string to go with what you have?

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Photo of the package. I really love the artwork on these old string packages and I'm putting together a display in the stairwell of the shop.

 

[martin durkin]

Thanks for that jake. I'm going to closely compare the string in the photo to mine. I've ended up buying a spirocore A to put with some used spirocore d & g, and a superflex e. I'm worried about the bowing, as I'm still on Simandl and working on PC tunes. If the wonder tone is synthetic core that's a whole step away from steel rope core! I always strung my violins with dominants and the occasional olive, but on the bass I can't afford it just now. At the moment I'm thinking I need spiros and a schertler basik and a second hand GK to just get a good entry level sound.
I'd buy your extended E if I could get hold of a fawcett or slide extender cheap enough. I like the idea of shifting the extender to C,D,Eb etc for practicality, but also for the open harmonics and bigger bass.
Anyway thanks, I'll read about wonder tone, and see how the spiros go, especially with the bow!

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Martin, the Pirastro Wondertone strings are solid wire core strings.

It looks to me like the set you've assembled should serve you well and faithfully for some time to come. Folks usually have a Spiro 'E' and a Superflex 'G' but why not?

Play on!

 

[martin durkin]

Thanks Jake. I'm glad it's a decent string! I've bit the bullet and bought a full set of spiro mittels! I can't believe the difference from helicore to spirocore! And I think they bow Ok. A friend commented my bass sounded like a cello when I took a solo last night high on the D and G. It certainly doesn't sound like a cello with the lower notes! And know I know what the word 'puff' means now in relation to sound of the string; like a gutty puff sound, especially on the E! Think I'll stick with spiros for a while, and thanks for the info!