Double Bass Time for a Dead Spiros Club

[unbrokenchain]

The Spiro G (medium and weich) take a long time to lose their zing.

Takes freakin forever... they get it back too, for a while at least, when re-installed. Took a set of weichs off a Kay for a few weeks while it was getting fixed, put them back on and I barely recognize them.

Meanwhile I've been having my best arco experience ever with my other bass, the 3/4 mittels plus black hair and carlsson's rosin are butter smooth, the harmonics have become much easier to control, and I can start all the strings easily at very soft dynamics. It only took since I put them on in October to get here, and the strings were a couple years old before that (I have proof!)... Sometimes I wonder if it's the grease from my fingers and rosin from the bow that fills in the tiny little gaps between the windings and mutes some of that extra information, and when they're slacked maybe they push all that crap out and get bright again? Or maybe I just adapt to them, instead of the strings changing. Either way, the bass with mittels has a removable neck but I leave it strung unless I absolutely have to, not because it's tough to set back up, but because the strings are finally perfect and I don't want them to change!

I'm a little worried about the dead spiros club now though, without KUNGfuSHERIFF it's like the quarterback got traded to another franchise... man, who can fill those shoes? We can survive, team!

 

[sean_on_bass]

Here is my club submission video for your review. Maybe i can do the same at year 2 to compare. 4/4 Weich at 1 year of age on Upton Standard Ply.

 

[Sam Dingle]

Just passed 6 months with spiros on my new Juzek and I'm enjoying them for the most part. Got a few more sets to try on this bass though....

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I'm a little worried about the dead spiros club now though, without KUNGfuSHERIFF it's like the quarterback got traded to another franchise... man, who can fill those shoes?

You said a mouthful. It's like I bought sweatpants.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

I installed Spirocores on my main bass in August of 2017 and I still like how they sound. They are not as bright when they were new, but I still enjoy the sustain, clarity and growl they provide. I bought a set for my backup bass and didn't like them as much on that instrument, so I went back to Obligatos. It's a trade off: I give up some clarity and get a softer feel and more "forgiving" arco response.

- Steve

 

[unbrokenchain]

Three basses with full dead spiros here and two extra sets just in case. One set of 3885 mittels has been in continuous service since January 2012 minus an E string that broke, they were only slightly used when I got them from another tb member.

 

[Sean Riddle]

I hit a year with my full Spiro Weich set at the start or March and I'm so glad I stuck with them. They've become the string I've always wanted and finally feel like I can get my sound a bit more easily because of them. I don't know if it's all been in my head or if it's the fact they actually need a year, but every rehearsal gig I've done in March I've just been blown away by how awesome my bass is sounding. Maybe there really is some truth in Spiros blossoming after a full year. I knew I really liked the full weich set when I put them on last year, but now it's like a whole other beast that I will hopefully never leave.

 

[logdrum]

One year on old Spiro's I bought locally not sure how old supposedly one year. Peg side silks we're frayed and I rescued with cloth tape. E is being replaced with even older 3 year mittel.

My previous bass . Never replaced the reds in it and he that bass for 12 years, although I travelled abroad a lot then also so not much playing time.

 

[Sam Dingle]

Thought I wanted new spiros so threw a new set on. Didn't like the bright tone so put the 8 month old ones back on (they came off in place of belcantos and went on the backup bass). Now gotta get a dead set for the 2nd bass but those broken spiros sound awesome.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Thought I wanted new spiros so threw a new set on. Didn't like the bright tone so put the 8 month old ones back on (they came off in place of belcantos and went on the backup bass). Now gotta get a dead set for the 2nd bass but those broken spiros sound awesome.

Two basses with full Spiros, one set still bright and the other dead. I keep having to play the dead ones to remind myself of what's to come. Same 3885s (dead ones) feel much looser even on the longer scale bass, they start immediately with the bow and hardly ever sound a higher harmonic than the fundamental I'm after. The bright ones, good lord they're tough. But I have faith

 

[Sam Dingle]

Two basses with full Spiros, one set still bright and the other dead. I keep having to play the dead ones to remind myself of what's to come. Same 3885s (dead ones) feel much looser even on the longer scale bass, they start immediately with the bow and hardly ever sound a higher harmonic than the fundamental I'm after. The bright ones, good lord they're tough. But I have faith

ON the long scale bass how long Is it and aren't you using 3/4 spiros on it? Do the silks go past the nut? I have a 43 inch scale bass and now whatnot to try 3/4 weich since the 4/4 weich are too weak, but im worried they won't fit

 

[unbrokenchain]

ON the long scale bass how long Is it and aren't you using 3/4 spiros on it? Do the silks go past the nut? I have a 43 inch scale bass and now whatnot to try 3/4 weich since the 4/4 weich are too weak, but im worried they won't fit

My Kay has a string length of 42.75" last time I checked (big beautiful Condino neck) with an almost 7" bridge and short tailpiece cable, the 3885 silks are not close to the nut. I'd expect them to fit just fine!

 

[Don Hergert]

Hmmm, why doesn't T-I just develop and market a new "dead Spiro" line? Throw them through a washing machine and a drier a few times... Let the cats play with them. Tie them to a car bumper for a week or two.

It seems that there's a big market for them.

 

[Selim]

I came back to the double bass about 3 years ago, buying a new (to me) bass at that time and it's been 3 years with lots of string experiments (which included taking the Spiros off, only to put them back on so many times I lost count ), only to pledge allegiance to the Spiros —

Dead 4/4 mittel E,
dead weich A & D
and an original flat chrome G currently (still searching for a G string but the Spiros are not going anywhere).

Rich, warm and punchy. Great with the bow.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Here's to the little tufts of red silk that seem to end up everywhere..

I've owned Spirocores, Corelli F's and TX's, Innovation RABs and Silver Slaps, Helicore, Zyex, Supernil (for a day before I knew better, all they had at a local store..) and recently some dead Obligatos. I've played Evah weichs, Jazzers, Olivs, Lenzners on other folks' basses. There are a few more I'd like to try in this expensive tour of options, but I've been doing the Spiro thing so long I think they'll always feel like home. Especially when I can lay into em with a band. I think I tend to practice at quieter volumes than I do with other instruments, the strings all respond differently in context. Spiros always seem to cut through.

 

[GlenParks]

My spiro mittels really just dropped off in the last two weeks. I have been practicing a lot of arco and now, very suddenly, these strings became amazing. I'm not quite in the club yet, they aren't a year old yet and though they've been installed 7-8 times have only seen about as many months of play. But I GET what the heck people are talking about now. I really play pizz and man, I hope they hang out this way for a long time. Darker, much softer touch, still clear, capable of sustaining but with natural decay. Very very happy.

 

[oren]

I just checked back in my Gollihur orders and found my current set of Spiro Weichs went on my ply Juzek in August of 2017, and I still like the sound just fine! Of course, the TI Jazz Flats on my Precision went on in 2010 and I still like those too.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Zombie thread reboot.

How to kill your Spiros.

After a few string swaps over the lockdown last year I ended up with a new set of 4/4 weichs on my Upton. They sounded fresh and balanced with plenty of highs, but not too crispy. EQ on the amp mostly flat with just the obligatory gnarly mid scoop.

Fast forward to a seriously humid late August in Pennsylvania - played a surprise birthday party (outdoors) for a fantastic drummer - brought my bass and enjoyed two other players sitting in so I could actually hear my rig from the audience (with new GK combo amp).

My Spiros are now dead! Wow. No highs. Even slackened them, adjusted the bridge, wiped em down, etc etc.

I love the way the strings sound in the practice room - but the last couple gigs have been frustrating. Might be time to try out that set of 3/4 3885 Weichs I've got stashed.

 

[iiipopes]

I love the way the strings sound in the practice room - but the last couple gigs have been frustrating. Might be time to try out that set of 3/4 3885 Weichs I've got stashed.

Indeed. The 3885's are the most underrated strings. I don't know why everybody insists on the 4/4 weichs, when the 3/4 weichs, from my experience, have so much better tone, and just enough more tension to really set well on many basses. And remember, whatever strings you choose, everything goes better with a Spiro E string.

 

[Sam Dingle]

that was my whole thing with spiros, i found the dead sound amazing in the practice room but live they annoyed me. Thats why I just changed them every year and dealt with the harshness at home.