Double Bass What D string instead of gut?

[tito mangialajo]

Hello,
I play, and I'm happy, a mixed set: E and A Evah Pirazzi Light and D and G Pirastro Chorda Carlos Henriquez. For years I played a full gut set (Gamut, with Pistoy D and Lyon G: great great strings but too much expensive at least here in Europe...shipping, taxes...).
The problem is that the gut D misses some high harmonics and the sound is good from open string to F# but after the sound misses clarity, it sings not so well...(and I know that is a common problem in D gut).
Can you suggest me a D that can stay well in this mix? I play pizz/arco 90/10; I play often the D strings in middle-high position (from A and away) to play melody, solos, head...
Thanks for your ideas.

 

[JBarz]

You’d be happy with an OLIV D, but they’re also expensive.

 

[neddyrow]

Did you try an Evah D?

 

[tito mangialajo]

You’d be happy with an OLIV D, but they’re also expensive.

Thanks. Anyway less expensive than Gamut, at least here in Europe.

 

[tito mangialajo]

Did you try an Evah D?

Never.

 

[neddyrow]

I played a full set of Evah mediums and didn’t hate it.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

In your case I would prefer a metal wound synthetic core string for the G if a metal wound gut is too expensive or unstable.

The Evah, Obligato, Zyex use PEEK for the core which does stretch a lot more than gut. That changes the dynamic response from the string (like a limiter or compressor kicking in).

The core of the Innovation Braided and Polychromes do stretch similarly to a plain gut G string, so I would choose one of them.
Tensionwise the Polychromes might be closer to the plain gut strings. The Braided are closer to Evah Weich which means a bit higher tension.

 

[elmer]

I´ve found Innovation Super Silver to be a great D instead of gut with more clarity and sustain. I also have A and G Super silvers with Spiro weich E on my jazz bass.

 

[Stuart.C]

I wonder if this can be resolved with setup? perhaps bridge shape?

I had the same issue with plain gut D, I though it was just the nature of the string, and didn't stick with them long enough to resolve.

As far I can tell Charlie Haden, and Paul Chambers didn't seem to have an issue playing up the plain gut D string?

 

[Earl]

I wonder if this can be resolved with setup? perhaps bridge shape?

I had the same issue with plain gut D, I though it was just the nature of the string, and didn't stick with them long enough to resolve.

As far I can tell Charlie Haden, and Paul Chambers didn't seem to have an issue playing up the plain gut D string?

Charlie played tynex wound gut which is a bit of a different animal.

 

[Earl]

Innovation Braided or Polychrome, Olive, Evah weich, Slap or solo.

 

[abaguer]

I've used Oliv D, Evah Slap D, Golden Spiral D. But surprisingly the best sounding/functioning D had been a Stark Perpetual. Mixes well, bows well, feels good tension wise and has better high end info. Been pretty happy with it.

 

[jmpiwonka]

I've used Oliv D, Evah Slap D, Golden Spiral D. But surprisingly the best sounding/functioning D had been a Stark Perpetual. Mixes well, bows well, feels good tension wise and has better high end info. Been pretty happy with it.

was going to mention the Perpetual Stark D. I had it in my bass before an Oliv D. They were very similar sounding with the strings ~11mm off the fb.
Perp had more high end information but still sounded very organic.