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Double Bass Thomastic Spirocore, from birth to death.

#101
I played a gig tonight using the Spiro Mittel G. :atoz: I do not like that darn string! The notes sound thin and I just don't hear it with the pickup. I came home and put my Original Flexocore G back on. I had a few good gigs with that string in place of the Spiro G, but then I went too far and also put on an OF D, which turned out to be pretty much of a thud. (beautiful arco though) The torture never stops!

One problem with using an orchestral-type G is that it sounds so good for arco, and then you bow the Spiro D.... If you just bow on the Spiro G you can get used to the sound and forget what you're missing ;)

Using Evah Pirazzis on the G&D worked pretty well for me, although better unamplified. The Spiro D is a lot clearer amplified.

There's no free lunch!
 
#102
That is the conundrum. I don't have a solution beyond either dealing with the Flex G or the Spiro G and leaving everything else alone.

I prefer the stark flex have you tried that?
 
#104
At some point I'd like to try a stark Flex G. String buying moratorium right now :D The OF G works pretty well. The Evah works OK too.

It's the "Domino Theory" effect that gets you -- you change one string and then you want to change the one next to it. Before long you're in the gulag!

One thing I've always noticed -- when strings have a different type of core, the sound difference becomes more pronounced when amplified (for me anyway). Therefore, using something like an Original Flexocore G sounds more consistant with Spirocores than an Evah Pirazzi. The "puffyness" of EPs or guts becomes even more so with the pickup/amp. The edgier sound of the Spiro A next to the Evah D is more pronounced. Unamplified, it is much less noticable, and maybe is also less so if you use a microphone. But micing live is rarely an option for me.
 
#105
T-Bal said:
I'm curious about the stark flex g as well. Is the difference between the regular flex subtle or more significant?
Click to expand...
The stiffness gives the stark flex string a bit more punch and note length pizz I think. It also has the side effect of loading the instrument in a different way so every other string sounds different. Sometimes good sometimes not.

Same problem for me though, I like that string but it sounds weird with spiros. But if you end up trying to pizz all night on Stark Flexes your hands would not be very happy by the 3rd set.
 
#107
Uncletoad said:
The stiffness gives the stark flex string a bit more punch and note length pizz I think. It also has the side effect of loading the instrument in a different way so every other string sounds different. Sometimes good sometimes not.

Same problem for me though, I like that string but it sounds weird with spiros. But if you end up trying to pizz all night on Stark Flexes your hands would not be very happy by the 3rd set.
Click to expand...
It's always somethin', innit? Today my bass is sporting an EP weich G, after flirting with the regular flex 92 G. The Flex is great with the bow, and sounds pretty good pizz but feels like you're plucking piano wire...

Which mole will I need to whack next...:confused:
 
#108
The Queen is off to the Vet for her surgery. Gonna be gone awhile I suspect.

Back to the ply. Uggh.

....oh and the Cleveland is sporting a whole set of well broken in spiro mitts. Lets see how long I last with the G and E.
 
#109
Good luck w/ The Queen. I know she's in good hands w/ Nnick.

Dunno why SF's don't get talked about more here.

They combine great w/ Spiros (they're steel Thomastics after all). IMO if they are not too stiff for a particular bass I'm coming to the realization that they may be the best Hybrid compromise. For arco they may not have the nuance of Flex 92s, but they deffinately bow better than Spiros and the piz is darn good especially after the break in period.

I've used the G w/ the rest Spiro Mits for years. The last 8 months I've had SF G,D,A w/ a Spiro Mit E on the Prescott. That's been well balanced and versatile. I haven't missed the piz advantage of the Spiro Mit D & A at all and the arco enhancement is noticeable. I bought these used and after alot of playing they're holding up very well. An SF E doesn't suck at all either.

The only combo that I don't like as much is the SF D next to a Spiro Mit A. The SF D is a bit too beefy next to the Mit. A.

Being all steel they amplify well and after break in I think their acoustic note bloom is warmer and more pleasant than Spiros.

It also doesn't hurt that SF's are cheaper than just about any of the other strings we talk about here.There's a reason they've been around so long :cool:. Bri
 
#110
Best of luck Phil.

I like the SF too. They are warmer than smittels and bow well. They were too stiff on the other bass though. I would try them on this smaller bass, but unfortunately I lost my set; prolly fell out of the bag on a gig.

I wonder if they didn't have those baby blue windings, were named Mona Lisa and cost more if they wouldn't be more popular. :confused:
 
#111
bribass said:
Good luck w/ The Queen. I know she's in good hands w/ Nnick.

Dunno why SF's don't get talked about more here.

They combine great w/ Spiros (they're steel Thomastics after all). IMO if they are not too stiff for a particular bass I'm coming to the realization that they may be the best Hybrid compromise. For arco they may not have the nuance of Flex 92s, but they deffinately bow better than Spiros and the piz is darn good especially after the break in period.

I've used the G w/ the rest Spiro Mits for years. The last 8 months I've had SF G,D,A w/ a Spiro Mit E on the Prescott. That's been well balanced and versatile. I haven't missed the piz advantage of the Spiro Mit D & A at all and the arco enhancement is noticeable. I bought these used and after alot of playing they're holding up very well. An SF E doesn't suck at all either.

The only combo that I don't like as much is the SF D next to a Spiro Mit A. The SF D is a bit too beefy next to the Mit. A.

Being all steel they amplify well and after break in I think their acoustic note bloom is warmer and more pleasant than Spiros.

It also doesn't hurt that SF's are cheaper than just about any of the other strings we talk about here.There's a reason they've been around so long :cool:. Bri
Click to expand...

I think the gauge is the problem. On a DB with less tension (more overstand, shallower neck angle etc) they can be supple, thick-sounding strings that really sound and feel great; on the wrong bass they feel like guy wires with thumpy tone to match.

If they made SuperFlex Weich I'd be the first to buy a set... :)
 
#112
i put on a new set of Mittels two weeks ago. i took off a Mittel E, Weich A, Evah D and Oliv G, all in various stages of decline.

as every one knows, the new Mittels sound very metallic and scratchy under the bow at first. i expected that.

but i had never had a Mittel A on this bass before. it is very difficult to bow at this point, to get the string vibrating under the bow. instead of getting the top vibrating deeply, the A string just squeaks, almost feedback-like. if i apply sudden bow pressure, the string and bass top will start vibrating as they should.

this is sort of a surprise for me, it didn't expect it to be this bad. the Spiro Weich A was very responsive and a dream to bow, always a good sound. what gives? will this improve, or are Mittels just generally harder to get going with a bow?
 
#113
bonaventura said:
i put on a new set of Mittels two weeks ago. i took off a Mittel E, Weich A, Evah D and Oliv G, all in various stages of decline.

as every one knows, the new Mittels sound very metallic and scratchy under the bow at first. i expected that.

but i had never had a Mittel A on this bass before. it is very difficult to bow at this point, to get the string vibrating under the bow. instead of getting the top vibrating deeply, the A string just squeaks, almost feedback-like. if i apply sudden bow pressure, the string and bass top will start vibrating as they should.

this is sort of a surprise for me, it didn't expect it to be this bad. the Spiro Weich A was very responsive and a dream to bow, always a good sound. what gives? will this improve, or are Mittels just generally harder to get going with a bow?
Click to expand...
Yes it will improve. Weather it goes far enough for your taste is another matter. It all depends on the bass and the player. That magic mix of string/player/bass. Change one and everything changes. I have 2 basses, they need 2 differernt things. Give it some time and see what happens.
 
#114
Progris Riport:

Ok so now she's back and sounding great. See the other thread for detail.

When Nick strung her back up from the surgery the Stark E broke at the bridge. He was talking to me on the phone while he did it. Hilarious sound as it whacked the bass and him in the nose. Had a light use spare in the bag that was probably about where that one left off so....Here we go again.

Last couple gigs I'm finding my way with the bass. It responds a little different and I'm having to accommodate. In a good way.

The G string sounds kinda buzzy. It's much more lively now and moves a lot more than it used to so I tend to fire it into the fingerboard to much. Gotta find a spot there where it works. Lighten up. That was the point of the work, so I wouldn't have to work so hard.

E string is ridiculous. For a minute I tried a Mitt E on there. Nah. Stark is the guy on this bass. Makes a huge sound and forces everything else into balance.

The mic doesn't work right anymore. Seems out of phase but it's not really. I've tried every which way. I'm not sure why that's happening. The pickup sounds way better. Imagine that.

These strings sound pretty darn great overall considering their little break and my accommodation issues. Spirocores are the most durable thing for bass ever.

So, back on the path to the death. A 3 month rest for them through the heat of summer. Probably would have killed them. The spiros on the Cleveland are sounding kinda deadish now after the summer.

Lets see how they hold up for the rest of the year.

End Progris Riport.
 
#115
after 6 weeks, the new Spiro Mittels are really sounding good. the screetchy arco sound has faded completely, the Spiros respond beautifully under the bow.

i did make one change: i took off the Mittel E and put on a Stark E about 3 weeks ago. wow, low and behold, on this heavy student model the sun came out, the huge dungeon doors flew open, and the multitude of freed peasants came out chanting Russian folksongs in harmony!

the overall sound of the bass is huge now. the Mittels and Stark E really move this bass.

only the A is a bit uneven. it rings out well enough, but the sustain is shorter than the D (which is comparatively much louder and has a very long sustain). And in certain lighting if i look at the way the A vibrates during an open A note, the string seems to move in an uneven and wobbly shape during decay. i didn't like that soundwise either and so i put on a different Spiro Mittel A -- same result.

has anyone ever had that kind of response on with an A string? i never had that with the prior Weich A i had on there. i'm wondering if it might have something to do with the position of the sound post, or maybe it has to do with the top.

thanks for any helpful response.

Bill
 
#116
bonaventura said:
after 6 weeks, the new Spiro Mittels are really sounding good. the screetchy arco sound has faded completely, the Spiros respond beautifully under the bow.
i did make one change: i took off the Mittel E and put on a Stark E about 3 weeks ago. wow, low and behold, on this heavy student model the sun came out, the huge dungeon doors flew open, and the multitude of freed peasants came out chanting Russian folksongs in harmony!
the overall sound of the bass is huge now. the Mittels and Stark E really move this bass.
only the A is a bit uneven. it rings out well enough, but the sustain is shorter than the D (which is comparatively much louder and has a very long sustain). And in certain lighting if i look at the way the A vibrates during an open A note, the string seems to move in an uneven and wobbly shape during decay. i didn't like that soundwise either and so i put on a different Spiro Mittel A -- same result.
has anyone ever had that kind of response on with an A string? i never had that with the prior Weich A i had on there. i'm wondering if it might have something to do with the position of the sound post, or maybe it has to do with the top.
thanks for any helpful response.
Bill
Click to expand...

I would try a cheap wolf tone eliminator on that string first, Bill.
 

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