Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part III

[jazzwalk]

Tension measurements are provided by Pirastro on their web site. Perps are G 26,3 kp, D 26,4kp, A 28,7kp, E 28,6kp on 106cm mensur.
Velvets have a uniform tension on all strings which is about 25kg/string.
Zyex lights have a tension and feel quite close to the Blues. The E string was weaker than others also with Zyex lights and the E and A were a bit hard to get started with the bow. But not nearly as bad as the Blues were .
That being said the Blues had a woodier great pizz sound to them but I also liked Zyex light D and G. They made a nice combination with well used Spiro weichs E and A. That combo or Perps would be my favourite if you need to play more arco. Z light G and D are thicker than Perp G and D but obviously being synthetic core strings they will lose their sound quicker than steel Perps. IMO steels just keep getting better as they get older.

Thanks, Elmer - just one thing; for Velvets, a more or less even 25 kg/string, and for the Pirastros, the measure you mention is "kp"...?

 

[elmer]

Well, I can´t explain the physics and terminology here (@DoubleMIDI can) at least in English, but I think they are comparable regarding string tensions.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The correct unit is kp since it is a force, not a weight, but if kg is mentioned instead it means kp which is the force a weight of kg gives on earths surface when hanging on the lower end of a string.

BTW, I have measured the tension of Compas 180 strings. They are not equal tension, there is more tension towards the lower strings, similar to Spiros. Personally I like it that way. The Classico from Velvet are closer to equal tension and otherwise similar to Compas 180. A little Bit easier to bow, but I would prefer the Compas 180.

But due to price and more difficult bowing of the Compas 180/Classico, I prefer the Innovation Braided or my Polychrome-similar prototypes.

 

[vinnycolletti]

I just put a set of slightly used Perpetuals on my newly finished carved bass that I had 2-1/2 yr old Compas 180's on for setup etc. Tension is very similar so a very big + there. Pizz maybe not quite as satisfying as the Velvets but not bad.

Arco G is pretty ferocious, D a little less so, A is quite subdued in comparison and tricky to start around the 5th and up, E seems more in keeping with the D and G.

Interesting that rosin comes off strings easily, more like scraping than wiping, it chips off.
Altogether I give a thumbs up- until Velvets come back

 

[Sam Dingle]

is there any word on if they will come back?

 

[vinnycolletti]

Sam I should have said IF they come back. No word since a month ago from Quinn

 

[Mark Gollihur]

is there any word on if they will come back?

It's been over a year since their winding machine broke. They have not been able to furnish any new information, even off the record, in that time. It's clearly not a priority to the folks at the parent company. I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[jazzwalk]

It's been over a year since their winding machine broke. They have not been able to furnish any new information, even off the record, in that time. It's clearly not a priority to the folks at the parent company. I wouldn't hold my breath.

After a few months using Pirastro Evah P weichs (on the instrument shown in my avatar pic), I decided to order a quart of denatured alcohol (ethanol), and try the overnight soaking trick with my last set of Velvetstring Blues (what was there to lose?). Anyway, my results have to be deemed a success, for now. I suppose if Velvetstring has permanently become a fond memory for the world, perhaps D'Addario Zyex weichs next, or..? Thanks for any suggestions, and thanks Mark et. al., for announcing anything in the way of updated news about Velvetstring, going forward.