Spirocore lights ... what next?

[Richard Jinman]

I'm acutely aware that string preferences are entirely personal, but given the high price of DB strings I was hoping for some advice from the more experienced players here. I've been using Spirocore Lights from day one on the advice of my teacher and clearly they're the go-to string for pizz, jazz etc. I'm playing with 2 bands btw - trad and gypsy jazz. I like/love the Spiros, but I have zero experience of any other string. Is there life beyond Spiros? I'm imagining something perhaps a little easier on the fingers without going completely gut etc, but which retains or even improves the Spiro sound. Madness? Should I just stick with what I know? Any thoughts appreciated, thanks

[Richard Jinman]

Just now, Richard Jinman said:

I'm acutely aware that string preferences are entirely personal, but given the high price of DB strings I was hoping for some advice from the more experienced players here. I've been using Spirocore Lights from day one on the advice of my teacher and clearly they're the go-to string for pizz, jazz etc. I'm playing with 2 bands btw - trad and gypsy jazz. I like/love the Spiros, but I have zero experience of any other string. Is there life beyond Spiros? I'm imagining something perhaps a little easier on the fingers without going completely gut etc, but which retains or even improves the Spiro sound. Madness? Should I just stick with what I know? Any thoughts appreciated, thanks

*By high price I mean you can't exactly buy 3 alternative sets and give them a go like you might with an EB. 

[jrixn1]

1 hour ago, Richard Jinman said:

I'm playing with 2 bands btw - trad and gypsy jazz. I like/love the Spiros, but I have zero experience of any other string. Is there life beyond Spiros? I'm imagining something perhaps a little easier on the fingers without going completely gut etc, but which retains or even improves the Spiro sound.

 

Gut substitute (or actual gut of course) will give the better tone for those styles of music, which predate steel strings.  They are a lot easier on the fingers too.  You'll likely have to raise your string height (assuming you currently have a relatively low action for your Spiro).

 

The ones I can personally recommend:

For a lower price you could try one of the cheaper Gut-a-Like sets https://www.thomann.de/gb/gut-a-like_strings_for_double_basses.html

 

Or better, but more expensive - about £200 incl import costs - I am really liking Aquila Gold Springs.

https://aquilacorde.com/negozio/corde-musica-moderna/contrabbasso-corde-musica-moderna/g-d-set/gold-springs-synthetic-set-g-d/

 

You can sell used strings in the marketplace so you will get some money back if they are not the ones for you.

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Richard Jinman said:

Madness? Should I just stick with what I know? Any thoughts appreciated, thanks

 

Yes, if you want to avoid the madness in question, accept that Spiros are pretty good strings, sound great, are used by a lot of pros, are relatively inexpensive, don't require too much care, and last a decent amount of time. 

 

The other road, as you suggest, heads to madness 

[Clarky]

Or play it safe and go for lower tension Spirocores. Plenty of players (eg Miroslav Vitous) like the 3/4 Solo set downtuned to orchestral. This graphic shows the relative tensions

[NickD]

It comes to us all doesn't it?

 

To quote... er... you... "I like/love the Spiros".

 

In your position I'd try and stay put until I had a definite sound in my head that I want to try and get close to, that would be noticeably different in your kind of ensemble mixes, and that the Spiros couldn't get close to... but I'd probably crack!🤣

[Beedster]

6 minutes ago, NickD said:

It comes to us all doesn't it?

 

To quote... er... you... "I like/love the Spiros".

 

In your position I'd try and stay put until I had a definite sound in my head that I want to try and get close to, that would be noticeably different in your kind of ensemble mixes, and that the Spiros couldn't get close to... but I'd probably crack!🤣

 

Yes, pretty much it (or @Clarky previous suggestion which might also be a good approach)

 

Funnily enough, responding to this thread this morning reminded me that I bought a VERY expensive set of strings in a moment of clarity/madness (delete as appropriate) a while back, only to find that the far cheaper set on the bass in question did the job as well as I could hope. I've been deliberating about installing them but was starting to worry they might not be much of an improvement. They're now in the 'Double Basses For Sale forum  

[Richard Jinman]

3 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

Yes, pretty much it (or @Clarky previous suggestion which might also be a good approach)

 

Funnily enough, responding to this thread this morning reminded me that I bought a VERY expensive set of strings in a moment of clarity/madness (delete as appropriate) a while back, only to find that the far cheaper set on the bass in question did the job as well as I could hope. I've been deliberating about installing them but was starting to worry they might not be much of an improvement. They're now in the 'Double Basses For Sale forum  

...and a very nice amp I see. Is that the v2 of the doubler? And I presume you used that cab with it? 

[Rosie C]

I play with Innovation Rockabilly strings - they're synthetic and have a nice dark sound, and they're much easier on my hands than metal strings. I play big band music and have played a bit of bluegrass previously and they worked well for both of those. The only downside I've found is they're no good for bowing.

 

https://www.thestringzone.co.uk/innovation-rock-a-billy-set

 

 

 

[TheRev]

Only Spiro's sound like Spiros!

Many of us on here have embarked on a very expensive string journey, only to end up back where we started - with Spiros!

 

For the same sound but lower tension, Spiro solos tuned to orchestra pitch are your best bet.

For a smoother sound, without the nasal Spiro G, that still has plenty of Spirio- like punch, try Pirastro Perpetuals.

For a more traditional sound, try Evah Pirazzi Weich.

[Beedster]

2 hours ago, Richard Jinman said:

...and a very nice amp I see. Is that the v2 of the doubler? And I presume you used that cab with it? 

V1 I think and yes, the Acme works very nicely with it 👍  

[Kevsy71]

Hervé Jeanne's terrific "string matrix" site can help, at least with comparing tones...or send you (like me) into an unending loop of comparison-madness: 
https://www.hervejeanne.de/en/string-matrix

[Richard Jinman]

6 minutes ago, Kevsy71 said:

Hervé Jeanne's terrific "string matrix" site can help, at least with comparing tones...or send you (like me) into an unending loop of comparison-madness: 
https://www.hervejeanne.de/en/string-matrix

Yes, that sounds a bit scary. Pandora's box. 

 

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Kevsy71 said:

Hervé Jeanne's terrific "string matrix" site can help, at least with comparing tones...or send you (like me) into an unending loop of comparison-madness: 
https://www.hervejeanne.de/en/string-matrix

 

OMFG that is an AMAZING site, how is it I've never come across it? Just listened to a few (sadly including comparing my Evahs to the Eudoxas and finding that I LOVE the Eudoxas) and the consistency of his playing is impressive to say the last. Thanks for posting @Kevsy71 👍

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Kevsy71 said:

Hervé Jeanne's terrific "string matrix" site can help, at least with comparing tones...or send you (like me) into an unending loop of comparison-madness: 
https://www.hervejeanne.de/en/string-matrix

Ooh, that sorts out filling any spare time I have going. 

[NickA]

Full strength Spiros and work on left hand strength!

 

That string matrix is a dangerous place.  Plumbed my tablet into my hifi, then my bass amp and started wondering if I should have got Eva Weichs instead of Mittels!

 

Though sanity prevails and I realise that no audience and few fellow band members will hear any difference between any of the strings 😂🤣😂. I Still like Spiro Mittels best... should really put my set back on the bass when there's only jazz not orchestra coming up.  But for the effort involved ...the Eva's are pretty good.

 

That guy changed strings 41 times for us!!!! Madness.

 

[Beedster]

4 minutes ago, NickA said:

I realise that no audience and few fellow band members will hear any difference between any of the strings

 

No, but you will ...............  

[Beedster]

There's a few sets in there sound really stinky poo (and very low output), most sound pretty good, and just a couple sound rather marvellous. 

[Burns-bass]

If each set costs (conservatively) £150, that’s over £6000 in strings!

 

Fair play to him. 

[Burns-bass]

On 01/08/2023 at 10:14, Richard Jinman said:

I'm acutely aware that string preferences are entirely personal, but given the high price of DB strings I was hoping for some advice from the more experienced players here. I've been using Spirocore Lights from day one on the advice of my teacher and clearly they're the go-to string for pizz, jazz etc. I'm playing with 2 bands btw - trad and gypsy jazz. I like/love the Spiros, but I have zero experience of any other string. Is there life beyond Spiros? I'm imagining something perhaps a little easier on the fingers without going completely gut etc, but which retains or even improves the Spiro sound. Madness? Should I just stick with what I know? Any thoughts appreciated, thanks

Detune your existing Weichs to D G C F and you’ll replicate the tension of solos (when tuned to EADG).

 

 

[Richard Jinman]

8 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

Detune your existing Weichs to D G C F and you’ll replicate the tension of solos (when tuned to EADG).

 

 

That’s a great tip… thanks

[Burns-bass]

2 hours ago, Richard Jinman said:

That’s a great tip… thanks

Got the tip from Gollihur! Helped me. 
 

It’s an approximation, but it should help! Also consider with a lower tension string you may need to adjust the action a bit. It’s no problem if you have an adjustable bridge, but something to consider.

 

Also, picked up the SLB and getting used to it. Will message at some point if you still fancy giving it a try.

[ezbass]

18 hours ago, Kevsy71 said:

Hervé Jeanne's terrific "string matrix" site can help, at least with comparing tones...or send you (like me) into an unending loop of comparison-madness: 
https://www.hervejeanne.de/en/string-matrix

I've been listening to these and, unsurprisingly, I like the sound of the Evah Pirazzi weichs and Spirocore weichs. However, I am also very taken with the Presto Jazzicatos. I only have an EUB (NS WAV4) and have also heard those Prestos demoed on a Harley Benton EUB, which transformed that particular instrument. Ooh, down the rabbit hole I go!

[Richard Jinman]

23 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I've been listening to these and, unsurprisingly, I like the sound of the Evah Pirazzi weichs and Spirocore weichs. However, I am also very taken with the Presto Jazzicatos. I only have an EUB (NS WAV4) and have also heard those Prestos demoed on a Harley Benton EUB, which transformed that particular instrument. Ooh, down the rabbit hole I go!

Admittedly, I'm something of a newbie in regards to DB, but they all sound incredibly similar to me. I get a similar feeling when people discuss the nuances of red wine ... just can't hear/taste much of a difference. My cloth ears no doubt. 

[Beedster]

34 minutes ago, Richard Jinman said:

Admittedly, I'm something of a newbie in regards to DB, but they all sound incredibly similar to me. I get a similar feeling when people discuss the nuances of red wine ... just can't hear/taste much of a difference. My cloth ears no doubt. 

 

Stay where you are Richard!

 

All joking aside you are spot on, but largely because they are all played by the same musician on the same instrument, and those two factors make a far greater difference than the strings. They were mostly recorded with the same mic and probably in the same room, which also play their part. The problem is that some strings suit some instruments better than others, while some strings suit individual playing styles better than others (for example some of those strings sound quite muddy and indistinct to my ear, and this can be made a whole lot worse by an instrument with the same tendencies, or a player whose style does the same).

 

Or so the rabbit tells us.......