Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Did their low tension ever cause any problems at all w/ bowing? I'm curious about someday trying the G and D 180's (or even just the G to get my feet wet), but I want to make sure they're not too low tension. Are there any strings you can think of that are the same/close tension-wise?

First off I have to inform you that my normal string for that Bass was Flexocor 92 Starks/heavy gauge. Sometimes I used regular gauge and even tried Eudoxa/Olivs but that was before I put an Extension on the Bass. This is my former Bisiach labeled Bass.

I didn't notice any tension problems but they were lighter than what I was used to. Depending on the quality of your Bass and its own nature as well as set-up, tension and performance will vary like anything else does between Basses.

The problem I see here on TB or just talking with people in general is that the Basses others have/own/use are different from everyone else's as well as every player being different.

Too much sugar in one persons coffee may not be enough in someone else's cup!

The other problem is cost. Testing and finding the right string (each time one gets an idea in their head..lol) is very expensive and time consuming. When I first moved to PA from NY the locals here would tell me about this or that great restaurant. I was usually disappointed. Finding an Italian or Chinese restaurant to match what I was used to after living in NYC from most of my life was not easy.

The strings I love on my Bass you may hate on yours and the reverse as well..

 

[Phil Rowan]

Too much sugar in one persons coffee may not be enough in someone else's cup!

Well, I grew up in Brazil, and most of them certainly adhered to the latter!

I know what you mean though. Take things people say about this or that w/ a grain of salt.

 

[anonymous12251111]

First off I have to inform you that my normal string for that Bass was Flexocor 92 Starks/heavy gauge. Sometimes I used regular gauge and even tried Eudoxa/Olivs but that was before I put an Extension on the Bass. This is my former Bisiach labeled Bass.

I didn't notice any tension problems but they were lighter than what I was used to. Depending on the quality of your Bass and its own nature as well as set-up, tension and performance will vary like anything else does between Basses.

The problem I see here on TB or just talking with people in general is that the Basses others have/own/use are different from everyone else's as well as every player being different.

Too much sugar in one persons coffee may not be enough in someone else's cup!

The other problem is cost. Testing and finding the right string (each time one gets an idea in their head..lol) is very expensive and time consuming. When I first moved to PA from NY the locals here would tell me about this or that great restaurant. I was usually disappointed. Finding an Italian or Chinese restaurant to match what I was used to after living in NYC from most of my life was not easy.

The strings I love on my Bass you may hate on yours and the reverse as well..

Did you like the tone of these strings Ken? Did they free up your left hand at all? How were they volume wise compared to other strings you use? Thanks a lot.

 

[martinc]

Pirastro Jazzer. Feel like Weichs but are not as twangy as Weichs. However they sure do pack a punch and have a growly kind of sustain but not in the same twangy way as Weichs. They should bow OK but others with more experience may be able to comment on that.
And....add me to the list of those who was very disappointed with the Kolstein Heritage. They sounded (on my German ply) like I was playing on plastic. Dead. However on another bass....who knows.

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Did you like the tone of these strings Ken? Did they free up your left hand at all? How were they volume wise compared to other strings you use? Thanks a lot.

Well, actually they felt a bit like roundwound Gut under the fingers and under the ear but were thinner in size and lower in tension. The short time I had them was a slight struggle because I was not used to them coming from steel and they were on the bass for only a short time before the bass was sold. I would have to say they were a nice gut-alternative as far as a lighter tensioned string goes.

Sound was way different playing than listening at a distance. A bassist that subs in one orchestra I play in had them on his Bass and they had a nice round sound with the bow and a nice 'pump' with pizz. Then I played and tried his Bass. YUCK... not so nice under the ear I thought. The 180s I had were the newer formula and much better.

I would say that if you like gut to some degree and want to try something similar in a synthetic, try the 180s but give it more time than I did which was too short, mostly by circumstance.

 

[Pete G]

Ken, how do you compare/contrast the Evah Pirazzis with the 180s?

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Ken, how do you compare/contrast the Evah Pirazzis with the 180s?

Not that close at all. The EVs are much thicker under the hands and feel smoother to the touch. More direct sound and fuller as well. I think they bow smoother as well.

The other factor is that I put the EVs on my Gilkes and the 180s on the Bisiach. About 4 years ago I had an earlier design of 180s on the Gilkes and it was like I described above where a sub had them. He sounded good at a short distance but were no fun at all to play.

The EVs to me are like softer Flexocors (or slightly harder Obligatos) and the 180s are like 'wannabe' Guts... .. maybe?

Something like that.

 

[TroyK]

My opinions:

You didn't say what you liked about the feel of velvets, but we're all assuming tension, not gauge or texture.

Try weiches.

Spirocore solos tuned down, as someone mentioned. Sound like spirocore, but behave like something less excitable.

I also think I played Helicore Pizz Solos (if there is such a thing) tuned down once and loved them.

Obligatos sort of, but they will not last like spirocores do. Consider using weichs or Jazzers on E and A and changing the D and G frequently.

Jazzers. Nice strings, not really Velvet like, but....read archeives on them.

Evah's are arguably good strings, but sound nothing like Spirocores to me...no, not just to me, they sound nothing like Spirocores. I think people are just naming favorite strings. I don't think they feel like Velvets either for that matter.

I don't think you can (actually) bow on the black Labellas, but I haven't tried and my memory aint what it used to be.

Read about Exudas and Olives and listen to the sampler. I don't think they sound like Spirocores either. They are the best of strings, they are the worst of strings. Not a bad informed decision for someone to make, but an expensive experiment and not "spirocore like" in my mind.

Oh yeah, Flat Chromesteels are an intersting string. The E doesn't work and you'll need something else.

Pirastro Permanents kind of function between Spirocores and gutlike strings too, but they're fairly heavy tension, which I don't think you're looking for.

That's all I got.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Troy's right, Evahs don't sound anything like Spiros. That's why I use them at the moment, though I'm always within inches of going back to Spiros. I may do so after my Gypsy swing band runs its course in the next few months.

I just talked to a guy on the mainland who's using Corellis, and he likes them a lot. He said they're growly and very soft feeling on his bass. I tried them once and didn't like them, but lots of people swear by them.

Someone mentioned Pirastro Jazzers.... maybe I'll try those some day.

Nothing really sounds like Spiro. It's like all those threads that we've done here... nothing sounds like gut, either.

 

[TroyK]

Someone mentioned Pirastro Jazzers.... maybe I'll try those some day.

Nothing really sounds like Spiro. It's like all those threads that we've done here... nothing sounds like gut, either.

Jazzers are actually quite good strings and are very Spirocore like. I'm not sure they are as good at being Spirocores as Spirocores are, but they have qualities that may work better depending on the person.

I'm past flattering mediocre strings, but Jazzers are worthy of standing up for.

More like Spirocores than Velvets, in relation to the original question, though.

 

[anonymous12251111]

Well, actually they felt a bit like roundwound Gut under the fingers and under the ear but were thinner in size and lower in tension. The short time I had them was a slight struggle because I was not used to them coming from steel and they were on the bass for only a short time before the bass was sold. I would have to say they were a nice gut-alternative as far as a lighter tensioned string goes.

Sound was way different playing than listening at a distance. A bassist that subs in one orchestra I play in had them on his Bass and they had a nice round sound with the bow and a nice 'pump' with pizz. Then I played and tried his Bass. YUCK... not so nice under the ear I thought. The 180s I had were the newer formula and much better.

I would say that if you like gut to some degree and want to try something similar in a synthetic, try the 180s but give it more time than I did which was too short, mostly by circumstance.

Thanks for the great advice Ken, I didn't know these were supposed to replicate the sound of gut...So I assume it has the low tension like gut, but it must be much thinner in diameter? Pity if so, I like fat strings! heh

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Thanks for the great advice Ken, I didn't know these were supposed to replicate the sound of gut...So I assume it has the low tension like gut, but it must be much thinner in diameter? Pity if so, I like fat strings! heh

They are not thinner than Steel. They are thinner than traditional Guts and slightly thinner than EVs. This is how they felt. Maybe someone here has thickness measurements of the 180s and the EVs to compare. One dealer friend of mine mentioned that he met the Compass people at the Cremona Fair a few years back and they were promoting the 180s as Gut-like strings. My friend didn't think they were at all like Gut but as compared to steel and other synthetic string sets for Bass, I see where they are coming from. Gut-like in bow-ability, tension and sound is how I would classify them but on a much more modern scale.

 

[anonymous12251111]

They are not thinner than Steel. They are thinner than traditional Guts and slightly thinner than EVs. This is how they felt. Maybe someone here has thickness measurements of the 180s and the EVs to compare. One dealer friend of mine mentioned that he met the Compass people at the Cremona Fair a few years back and they were promoting the 180s as Gut-like strings. My friend didn't think they were at all like Gut but as compared to steel and other synthetic string sets for Bass, I see where they are coming from. Gut-like in bow-ability, tension and sound is how I would classify them but on a much more modern scale.

Oh Okay thanks a lot! Ya, I heard from someone they were super thin strings, kind of like Corelli's which kind of turned me off, to hear that they're thicker makes me slightly more interested. I don't know if you heard the new Dutch school bass players playing on them? There's a video of them in the bassists section titled "five rabbath videos"

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Oh Okay thanks a lot! Ya, I heard from someone they were super thin strings, kind of like Corelli's which kind of turned me off, to hear that they're thicker makes me slightly more interested. I don't know if you heard the new Dutch school bass players playing on them? There's a video of them in the bassists section titled "five rabbath videos"

They make the 180s in two gauges that I know of, light and medium.

 

[Jason Hollar]

The Corellis were too thin...a dream to play but not enough volume.

I wanted to try the Jazzers but thought they were really expensive?

I'm still happy with the Obli's on the top and Starks on the bottom.

 

[anonymous12251111]

Hey guys, I'm just like to know if any of you play on these strings. I don't play any jazz pizz, just all classical bowing and lots of concerti...I was wondering what your opinions are on these two strings...

topsics: gauge, sound, tension, installation, longevity, feel, response


i'd just like to know what you guys think and if it's worth it to try.

 

[Amin]

Hey guys, I'm just like to know if any of you play on these strings. I don't play any jazz pizz, just all classical bowing and lots of concerti...I was wondering what your opinions are on these two strings...

topsics: gauge, sound, tension, installation, longevity, feel, response


i'd just like to know what you guys think and if it's worth it to try.

Hello. I've reviewed some strings for an italian online magazine. The english-translation was done by another guy, so I can't guarantee on every single word you could read in that English version of my article.
If you want, you can get some comments from there:
Invalid Link Removed

As for Velvets compas180suit, I think they are a great strings,
as they allow you the tune them even in solo tuning.
They are very flexible and soft, and you really feel comfortable, and manage to play difficult passages with no pain at all.
Sound is warm, round, not straight and too clear-sounding.
Maybe they are not a very powerful string, as their philosophy is that the string vibrates widely and instrument gets more "air" on the sound.
Completely different concept of Pirastro OriginalFlexocor for instance...which instead is a very thick , heavy and high tension string which produces a "male" powerful sound, perfect for certain orchestral purposes...,but probably not very elegant..
Velvets , on some instrument, could result "floppy" on the left hand, (not on mine...!) because of their softness.
They need to be played with less bow-pressure than other steel strings...
I know MaestroEttorre (Principal Bass at La Scala, Milan) use these strings for soloing, and he's very happy .
I would use them for soloing or for baroque music, or chamber music, or for a part of symphonic repertoire... (all the '700, Mozart, Haydn...).
If I had to play the 9th of Beethoven, probably I'll go with a heavier string...

One thing you really have to care about is the mounting operation...follow the instrustion very carefully! or you'll have a string broken...many of us already had this experience..
Anyway I have to say that the VelvetCustomerService is absolutely the best you can find..they're really kind and will surely help you if you'll need....they won't abandon you.

Anyway, it is everything too personal and subjective:
every instrument behaves differently, and every bass matches differently a string... then, your style is very important...your bowing... your likes, the sound you're looking for...
It depends on what you want.
Hope this helps...

 

[R Sturm]

Your article is informative, although the translation seemed a bit computer generated. The ideas can be figured out, though. Certainly adds to the charm to read that the obligato "vaguely recalls the response of the bowel".

 

[Phil Rowan]

Not sure if it was used for the translation, but Google translate has to be one of my favorite sites.

 

[bonaventura]

anybody try these yet? what do they sound like??