25 replies to this topic

[artisan]

my first DB should be here in the next week or so & initially i will be using the stock steel strings for a while until i can afford some decent strings.
i will do doing a bit of slap but also a lot of pizz & want a general all rounder string set,i'm wanting the 1950's thud kind of sound.(not planning any arco at all btw)
i've been recommended Super Silvers by someone in the know but i was planning to just play rockabilly at the time but may end up playing just a little jazz too,so will these be good for both or is there anything that will suit me better.
cheers.

[Clarky]

The normal Silver Slaps (not Super Silvers, which are I believe higher tension) are perfect for '50s thud and are very low tension, and so amenable to slapping (I am told; I can't slap). They are very easy on the fingers and give a good thumping sound when played pizz style. Several BC'ers do slap, eg PaulKing, and I'm sure they will be along in a while. Also you might drop a PM to BC'er daflewis who is working with Innovation to develop new strings to get his opinion.

[thisnameistaken]

I had Silver Slaps on my bass until recently (Innovation Honeys on there at the moment). They really are great for slap, they have a great trad sound to them, very warm and thumpy. They are really easy to play pizz and surprisingly loud, but I found they felt a little bit too light. Also the surface of the string feels a bit weirdly textured - it's like playing fuzzy rope - but if you can get past that they are nice strings. They are terrible bowed though, especially the G and especially in higher positions, it just squeaks and creaks.

I was meaning to try the Super Silvers which apparently have a similar sound and feel but are some way between the slaps and a 'light' pizz string in terms of tension. I think they would definitely be worth a go.

FWIW I really like the Honeys as a pizz/arco string, they feel a little more malleable than Spiros and don't growl so much but they do have a nice 'ping' to the start of the note to make up for it. Best played hard IMHO. They're light enough for the odd slapped tune but sound a little too bright and snappy really, and if I was doing a whole set busking I probably wouldn't want these strings on (I sort-of put them on as 'winter' strings since I won't be taking to the streets in this weather!).

Generally I've been impressed with the two Innovation sets I've used so far. They make some good stuff.

[PTB]

+1 for Silver (or Golden) Slaps. I do 50s thud too & I find them great. My slapping ability is very basic but I find them easy to work with and the pizz sounds just right to me.

[daflewis]

Hi Artisan,
As the guys have said there's quite a choice from innovation... here's a quick run down:



Silver/Golden Slaps
Pretty much covered by the guys, the lightest slap string that innovation do, with a polished round wound outer wrap giving that "fuzzy rope" feeling - (though i probably wouldn't have described it quite like that myself!) Some people mention that you get quite a lot of noise when shifting position.
Though primarily a slap string they finger pizz well with a nice toppy click at the front end, but don't bow well and are very breathy and scratchy . Very popular with slap players.

Super Silvers
Based on the same idea as the silver slaps, but with higher tension.

Psychobillys
A string similar to the super silvers in tension, But thicker.



If the round wound feel of the Silvers puts you off there are a range of black nylon wrapped strings - these generally have a darker sound and bow (slightly) better (i must admit that i love the ultra black as a jazz string!)



Rockabilly
black nylon coated medium tension string originally designed to replace gut for slap playing, but actually bows and finger pizz quite well too. A darker sound than metal strings but with some sustain and a good gutty slap. Well suited to straight ahead jazz and rockabilly (of course!)

Ultra Backs
A black nylon wound string with a bit more tension than the rockabillys. A real dark horse this one, has a lovely punch to the pizz and a good amount of growl and sustain; it also bows surprisingly well.



Finally we have the metal wrapped strings.... probably not what you're looking for but I'll mention them anyway -



140H "Honeys"
A fairly low tension, slightly thicker than average, metal wound string designed primarily for jazz, but that bows very well too though with quite a “breathy" sound. They have a gutty thump at the front end with some sustain but a softer sound and less growl than most metal wound strings. The windings are non-ferrous so these strings will not work with magnetic pickups. (piezos are fine)

140B "Braid"
Slightly lower tension than the Honeys and more flexible; a metal wound string designed primarily for arco work, but they do pizz well (though with a bit less sustain than the honeys). They have a great gut like sound and speak very quickly under the bow.

Hope that's of some use! any questions just ask!

Cheers,
Daf

Edited by daflewis, 09 February 2012 - 12:09 PM.

[artisan]

many thanks for the replies guys,good info all

Daf thanks for the detailed run down,i may give the Rockabillies a try,once Thoman decide to actually send my bass that is,will they go straight on or will i need to get the nut & bridge altered?

cheers

[daflewis]

Hi again,

tricky one... obviously it depends, but they're not the thickest string that Innovation do by a long way so you might be ok...

Anyone else out there had to open out the nut for RABs?

[tiki613]

I 've Played on Golden, Silver and Psychoslap, I' ve write a topic for a french website (contrebasserie.com).
I think the honey or solos should be fine for the versatility (pizz, slap and bow), but in Belgium and in France, it is not known if anyone has a set for the test. I'll want to write a topic, (for the french website) on this strings

[TPJ]

daflewis, on 09 February 2012 - 12:05 PM, said:

Hi Artisan,
As the guys have said there's quite a choice from innovation... here's a quick run down:



Silver/Golden Slaps
Pretty much covered by the guys, the lightest slap string that innovation do, with a polished round wound outer wrap giving that "fuzzy rope" feeling - (though i probably wouldn't have described it quite like that myself!) Some people mention that you get quite a lot of noise when shifting position.
Though primarily a slap string they finger pizz well with a nice toppy click at the front end, but don't bow well and are very breathy and scratchy . Very popular with slap players.

Super Silvers
Based on the same idea as the silver slaps, but with higher tension.

Psychobillys
A string similar to the super silvers in tension, But thicker.



If the round wound feel of the Silvers puts you off there are a range of black nylon wrapped strings - these generally have a darker sound and bow (slightly) better (i must admit that i love the ultra black as a jazz string!)



Rockabilly
black nylon coated medium tension string originally designed to replace gut for slap playing, but actually bows and finger pizz quite well too. A darker sound than metal strings but with some sustain and a good gutty slap. Well suited to straight ahead jazz and rockabilly (of course!)

Ultra Backs
A black nylon wound string with a bit more tension than the rockabillys. A real dark horse this one, has a lovely punch to the pizz and a good amount of growl and sustain; it also bows surprisingly well.



Finally we have the metal wrapped strings.... probably not what you're looking for but I'll mention them anyway -



140H "Honeys"
A fairly low tension, slightly thicker than average, metal wound string designed primarily for jazz, but that bows very well too though with quite a “breathy" sound. They have a gutty thump at the front end with some sustain but a softer sound and less growl than most metal wound strings. The windings are non-ferrous so these strings will not work with magnetic pickups. (piezos are fine)

140B "Braid"
Slightly lower tension than the Honeys and more flexible; a metal wound string designed primarily for arco work, but they do pizz well (though with a bit less sustain than the honeys). They have a great gut like sound and speak very quickly under the bow.

Hope that's of some use! any questions just ask!

Cheers,
Daf

Daf, I'd ask the mods to sticky this bit, it's really useful info

[daflewis]

Thanks Tom,

I've actually got moderation control on this sub forum so i'll do that! (in fact, i might just re-draft it a bit first)....

Cheers.

[BassBod]

I could be wrong..bit I'm pretty sure I used Honeys with the magnetic (Armstrong) pickup on my EUB...and it worked fine? Didn't like the sound much..but it worked!

[daflewis]

Hi Bassbod,
Yeh, there is some stainless steel in the honeys, but not much, so the signal is pretty weak. I think Innovation decided to air on the side of caution with their descriptions.

[daflewis]

Hi Tiki,
As far as the solos go I think a few people use them for slap, but the metal wraps do mean that the "click" on the fingerboard is a little harsh - we're currently trying a prototype solo set with nylon wraps.... I think the honeys are probably too high in tension for most slappers.
Cheers,
Daf

[tiki613]

thank Daf
actually , i use evah pirazzi weicht , the tension is good , the honey have same tension?

[TPJ]

tiki613, on 11 February 2012 - 12:42 PM, said:

thank Daf
actually , i use evah pirazzi weicht , the tension is good , the honey have same tension?

I think the Honey's are less tension tiki. I've had both on my bass and prefer the Honeys as the tone bloomed more on the bass and the tension was less. The string diameter is considerably bigger than the Evah's though and if you like digging into a string, the Honey's give you more to grab.

Edited by TPJ, 11 February 2012 - 03:23 PM.

[tiki613]

i've lost a sale on ebay, if the honey have less tension and more bigger diameter than evah , it's perfect for me.
and the bow on honey?


ps : who have a set for trying?

[daflewis]

Gosh - I'm surprised that the honeys are lighter than the Evah weichs - Though I've never played them, so what would I know!
I have played the standard Evahs though - just couldn't quite get on with the whole "stretchiness" thing....

[daflewis]

Tiki, and everyone else....
I know I promised to try and sort out some trail sets of Innovation strings over 6 months ago - the factory is just so snowed under that I've even had trouble trying to get any prototypes to test!
All I can do is appologise and say that I will try and get something sorted as soon as I can - though I know that doesn't help those who want to try them now!
Cheers,
Daf

[artisan]

I've just bought the Super Silvers from the BC for sale section + Thomann shipped my bass today so i should be thumping along nicely in a few days time,
cheers for all the help you guys.

Edited by artisan, 13 February 2012 - 05:25 PM.

[daflewis]

Yay! Let us know how you get on.