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Double Bass Strings to Make My Cheap Bass Sound Better Arco

Steve Freides

Steve Freides

Former Mannes College Theory Faculty
Supporting Member
Dec 11, 2007
2,576
1,508
Ridgewood, NJ
#1
I've got an Eberle 3/4 - it's an OK instrument, and certainly my bowing isn't my strong suit but it's not awful, either.

I've got D'Addario Heliocore (sp?) Medium Hybrids on there now - the overall sound is, to my ears, a bit tinny - not mellow enough, too bright, kind of like what I'd think of as round wound strings, but in a bad way, on an electric bass.

I'd love recommendations for strings that will sound good arco (I have a decent wooden bow) to try.

I know, tough to describe a sound, tough to know if it's my bow, tough to know if it's my technique, tough to know the whole picture from a forum posting. That's all a given - I can change strings, however, and I'd like to try.

Thanks in advance.

-S-
 
#3
I've got EP weich on my Eberle ply and am very happy with them. A big improvement both arco and pizz over the Helicore orchestra medium that were on it when I bought it.

It's been a few years since I switched, but what I remember is they are smoother to bow and darker than the heli orch's. Especially moving up the G string there was much less nasal quality to the tone. I've never played the hybrids, but would think the contrast would be even greater since they have less damping material in the string than the orchestra set
 
#6
Because I don't play a lot, I do find I suffer from left hand fatigue after, e.g., playing Simandl for 45 minutes, so I'm thinking I'll go with the Weichs.

I also wanted to ask - does anyone like the Kolstein Heritage string and how does it compare to EP? They're a good deal less expensive and someone I know plays them and likes them a lot.

-S-
 
#7
If you want strings with less tension but similar to the Evah Weich try the Innovation 140B (Braided). They are really nice strings for bowing. If you need a lot of power, yu might better go with the Evah regular or Weich, but if you need less tension (even the Evah Weich has still some tension), go for the Innovation Braided.
Someone on Ebay sells Innovation strings for a good price in the US, I was told. You can ask this person for the braided set, even if it is not on ebay.
 
#8
SteveFreides said:
I also wanted to ask - does anyone like the Kolstein Heritage string and how does it compare to EP?
Click to expand...

I had a used set of Heritages on one of my carved basses for about five minutes. They're thin, easy to start and easy on the left hand. They were also wimpy as heck, at least on my bass. No volume, projection or low-end crunch.

The Evahs, both Orch and Weich, I tried to like...at least five times, as I recall. Neither my ears nor my basses liked them. The depth, power and "pop" at the beginning at the note that other people love about them just didn't come through. All I heard was lower midrange, with none of the awesome low-end muscle I get with Flexocor or Original Flatchrom.
 
#12
Well, it turns out that, a year or two ago, I bought a used set of EP Weichs, so I'm going to put those on. I _knew_ I had bought them, wasn't sure if I had resold them, but my wife uncovered them just now - yeah!

-S-
 
#15
Obligatos are an awesome string. I go between those and Flat ChromeSteels on my Solano Rogeri bass. Where I teach I put Obligatos on all student basses. They are very easy to play and make all the plywood basses sound great ( We've got Kays, Englehardts (yuck), Shens (the best!), Christophers, and a few others I don't recall the name of.
 
#17
Belcantos, for everything. Bow and pizz well, amplify well, easy on the left hand.

Will make a "cheap bass sound better, " based on my own limited experience; on two "cheap" basses and several decent ones. The strings are even, warm, and a bit dark.
 

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