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Double Bass Time to change it up.. what strings should I get next

unbrokenchain

unbrokenchain

Jun 8, 2011
1,357
2,281
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Black Mountain, NC
#1
I've left 'em alone long enough, now I'm ready for something different. Got a lot of gigs and a couple studio sessions lined up for the coming months and I'd like to have my setup dialed. Currently I've got Spiro weichs (3885) on my Kay, and Flex Deluxe in solo tuning on my carved bass. I love the sound I get from the FD's, but it's just a little too "formal" for lack of a better word, for any of the music I'm asked to play. Those strings don't work very well at orch tuning. I'm decently happy with the sound of the Spiros on my Kay but it may be too "modern" (again lack of better word) for what I'm often trying to do.

So what I'm thinking is to put the Spiro weichs on the carved bass, and get something new for the Kay. Would love some boutique guts but that's out of my $ range right now. Looking for quick decay, big bloom, acoustic volume, and able to be bowed. "Thoom" not "boing," if ya know what I mean. I have a spare set of Spiro mittels but the bass seems to do better with less tension, felt choked under mittels. FWIW this bass has a fairly long scale length. I'm considering the following:
Lenzner guts (no experience at all)
Evah Pirazzi weich (briefly tried on other peoples' basses, they seem loud)
Obligatos (have tried a very-used set and did like them)
Jargar Dolce (no experience)

Opinions on these strings for a ply bass? Or something else that I'm neglecting to consider?
 
#2
Whatever you do, don't buy gamut red diamonds, lol. I sang their praises in other threads, but I've changed my mind due to an unwinding A string. I'm gonna superglue it and limp them thru, but after that the Eastman is getting the same the Kay has, which issss:

Lezners.

Love the Lezners on the Kay c1. I got the wrapped E and A, but the next set will be str8 gut on all four. They sound excellent under the bow too.

No more wound strings for me. Of course, we'll see if I still say that after having my first pure gut set...
 
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#5
Fretless55 said:
No interest in Innovation?

I've had Golden Slaps and now the RABs on my odd Kay and have been relatively happy.
But with both sets I ended up augmenting them with a Spiro Weich E.
Click to expand...
My first bass came with RABs on it, I remember liking them (but being too green to know any difference anyway). I have not tried them since then. I think I'd like something with a metal outer winding, at least for E and A, but from what I recall Innovation has some that are metal wound?
 
#10
Sam Dingle said:
Move the spiros to the carved bass, try Evah slap on the kay I think there is a used set on here. The spiros will die at some point and you'll love them. If you don't want to wait I'll always trade you a 2 year old set I have lying around
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I've had these spiros on 3 different basses, they are good and dead by now! They are "home base" for me in that I know what to expect every time. But I'm really looking for a nice airy thump for some roots stuff I have coming up. Leaning toward the Evahs
 
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#15
unbrokenchain said:
How long have you been rocking the Lenzners? And have you had problems with the wound E/A?
Click to expand...

I'm terrible with dates and names, but I'd guess around a year now, give or take? I have not had any trouble with the windings yet, no. And I hit pretty hard and bow often.

Everyone on this thread talking spiros is peaking my interest tho. A lot of players whose opinions I trust on here seek to dig um.... Hmmmmmmmm. Maybe on my Eastman I'll try the Spiro e/a with guts on top...
 
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