DB String types?!!!

[BASainty]

I been looking at some new Double Bass strings and iv noticed there are loads of different types but what is the different between Orchestral, Jazz, Hybrids, Slap/ Rock-A-Billy and Solo strings?

Could someone explain them to me please?

Thanks.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='1274063' date='Jun 18 2011, 07:53 PM']I been looking at some new Double Bass strings and iv noticed there are loads of different types but what is the different between Orchestral, Jazz, Hybrids, Slap/ Rock-A-Billy and Solo strings?

Could someone explain them to me please?[/quote]

Orchestral strings are either gut strings, or synthetic strings that try to emulate the sound of guts. They tend to have quite low tension, and they're intended to be strung with a high action so the string can move a lot and produce high volume. They are designed to sound best under the bow.

Jazz strings are typically steel, designed to sound bright and reedy, higher tension, and often don't sound very good when played with a bow.

Hybrids are somewhere between the two; examples being Belcantos and Evah Pirazzi. I can vouch for the Evah Pirazzis sounding excellent when bowed and nice and pingy when played pizz but not as sharp as you might expect jazz strings to sound - they are quite rich and mature-sounding.

Slap strings are closer to orchestral strings in that they're low tension and usually try to sound like guts.

Solo strings are tuned a tone higher than other strings, usually higher tension, because they go on a soloist's instrument which is likely to be a shorter scale and with a lower action than the other basses in the orchestra.

Some pyschobilly players buy steel solo gauges and tune them to standard orchestra pitch to give them a lower tension. They like to get a low-tension string to slap, but with a bright steel string sound, but regular sets of steel strings are usually too high tension to get a good slap sound.

Hope this helps. There really is no one string that is good for everything. Jazz and hybrid strings don't work very well for slapping, sadly. If you want to do both you might want two basses (I know I would like two basses!).

[BASainty]

Thanks for that at least I know what strings I can get (when iv got my bass fixed).

[Mike]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1274364' date='Jun 19 2011, 03:33 AM']Orchestral strings are either gut strings, or synthetic strings that try to emulate the sound of guts. They tend to have quite low tension, and they're intended to be strung with a high action so the string can move a lot and produce high volume. They are designed to sound best under the bow.

Jazz strings are typically steel, designed to sound bright and reedy, higher tension, and often don't sound very good when played with a bow.

Hybrids are somewhere between the two; examples being Belcantos and Evah Pirazzi. I can vouch for the Evah Pirazzis sounding excellent when bowed and nice and pingy when played pizz but not as sharp as you might expect jazz strings to sound - they are quite rich and mature-sounding.

Slap strings are closer to orchestral strings in that they're low tension and usually try to sound like guts.

Solo strings are tuned a tone higher than other strings, usually higher tension, because they go on a soloist's instrument which is likely to be a shorter scale and with a lower action than the other basses in the orchestra.

Some pyschobilly players buy steel solo gauges and tune them to standard orchestra pitch to give them a lower tension. They like to get a low-tension string to slap, but with a bright steel string sound, but regular sets of steel strings are usually too high tension to get a good slap sound.

Hope this helps. There really is no one string that is good for everything. Jazz and hybrid strings don't work very well for slapping, sadly. If you want to do both you might want two basses (I know I would like two basses!).[/quote]


Very interesting and useful, thanks!

[fatback]

Just an added point: The first decision about strings should probably be to do with whether you'll need to use a mag pickup to get loud volumes without feedback.

That will imply steel strings and cut the field down considerably.

[BASainty]

Yeh I know what you mean thanks for the tip for me I think steels are the way to go.

[marvin spangles]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1274364' date='Jun 19 2011, 03:33 AM']Orchestral strings are either gut strings, or synthetic strings that try to emulate the sound of guts. They tend to have quite low tension, and they're intended to be strung with a high action so the string can move a lot and produce high volume. They are designed to sound best under the bow.

Jazz strings are typically steel, designed to sound bright and reedy, higher tension, and often don't sound very good when played with a bow.

Hybrids are somewhere between the two; examples being Belcantos and Evah Pirazzi. I can vouch for the Evah Pirazzis sounding excellent when bowed and nice and pingy when played pizz but not as sharp as you might expect jazz strings to sound - they are quite rich and mature-sounding.[/quote]
Not sure I'd agree with those generalisations.
the difference between Orchestral strings and jazz pizz is more to do with the dampening material that is present in orchestral strings which reduces the excessive growl when playing pizz and makes them more suitable for bowing.
Also I'd always thought that Belcantos were designed primarily as an orchestral string.
Also while jazz strings have the reputation of being difficult to bow there are many bassists who swear by the bowed sound of eg Spirocores though they are very unforgiving of poor technique.

[tharidla]

yeah I've met orchestral players who consider spirocores a good orchestral string. Which surprised me a great deal. But they do sound good bowed if you can get them to speak properly. I recommend these strings as a good starting point if you have no experience of other strings; they are good all round for many different playing situations.

[BASainty]

Right iv narrowed down my choice to either some Helicore Hybrids or a set of Innovation. I mainly play piz but I also want a string that can be bowed when needed.

Anyone had any experiences with either of these sets of strings?

[BassBus]

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