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What double bass player doesn’t love to roll their sleeves up and geek out on bass strings?
In fact, it can almost become a sickness, and many players get to a point where they feel compelled to try out every single darn string they can get their hands on.
Also, strings seem to come in and out of style. A “hot new string” hits the marketplace and you suddenly see it on everybody’s bass. A standard older model suddenly comes back into vogue, and a forgotten old string is suddenly the hip new thing again.
Plus, everybody’s bass responds differently to different strings. What sounds awesome on one bass might sound wretched on another bass. Factors like string tension, flexibility, surface feel, and more are highly personal things, and some players like a stiffer or looser feeling under the bow.
Nevertheless, I thought it would be a good idea to get a list of general impressions of different popular strings going. This is most certainly a work in progress, so leave your own thoughts on your favorite (or least favorite) brand of strings. I’ll keep this list as an evolving document, so please chime in and let me know your string tastes!
I’m not getting into solo strings on this list, but feel free to chime in with your thoughts on these as well! Also, feel free to join our Facebook Group where we have discussions about strings and everything else double bass!
A Word on String Pricing Trends
It has become considerably more expensive recently to purchase European-made strings in the United States. This has caused strings that used to be about the same price (like Pirastro Permanents and D’Addario Helicores) to be pretty far apart cost-wise, with the Pirastro strings now costing 30-40% more than their D’Addario equivalents. If you’re an American and cost is an issue, you may want to consider a US-based string company instead of a European one. My favorite strings are all European in origin, unfortunately…
If you’re thinking about purchasing any of the following strings, click through the links below and a portion of your purchase will go to support doublebassblog.org and our podcast!
Pirastro Strings
Permanent – These are my current strings of choice on my own bass. They strike a good balance between robustness and flexibility, with a comfortable amount of resistance under the bow. They have an even sound throughout the upper and lower register. While not generally considered a jazz string, they have a good pizzicato sound and are used by some players in a jazz setting.
Obligato – A little mellower and more flexible under the fingers, this is another popular string that works well for both jazz and classical settings. Many feel that this string lacks the volume and projection of more “robust” strings (we’ll get to those brands later), but the warmth and spread of their sound makes up for it in the eyes of many players. These strings actually twist under the fingers, which some players find irritating.
Flexocor Deluxe – These relatively new strings are one of my current favorites. They respond well to orchestral bow strokes, with a nice and even sound that works well on many setups. They have become very popular in the past few years.
Original Flexocor – The classic orchestra string. These strings have an unmistakable “growl” to them in arco playing and a wonderful chocolatey sound. Not for all tastes or basses, these strings tend to produce a “love ’em or hate ’em” reaction. They have a good amount of resistance to them, making them excellent orchestra strings but lousy jazz strings. Also, they sound fantastic on high-quality instruments, particularly older basses, but tend to sound muffled and unclear on cheaper basses. Finally, they sound great under the ear but may not project well in large spaces. Again, these are excellent matches for many basses and the string of choice for many orchestral bassists.
Evah Pirazzi – These strings are relatively new and have become quite popular among jazz bassists. Though synthetic core and steel wound, they have a gutlike sonic quality to them buy with the stability of steel strings. They bow well, but would probably not satisfy most orchestral bassists. Their pizzicato sound is warm, and they feel great under the fingers, with tension levels similar to Permanents.
Oliv – These chrome steel wound gut strings are thicker than your average steel string and considerably more expensive (though not as much as Eudoxas). Good for players looking for a gut string with some qualities associated with steel strings, these strings lack the projection of Pirastro’s other strings but make up for it with warmth and depth of tone.
Eudoxa – These silver wound strings have had a complicated history. When Original FlatChrom (described below) originally came out, they were labeled ‘Eudoxa’ strings, being designed to closely replicate an older set of gut strings known as Eudoxas. This naming convention seemed to satisfy no one, so Pirastro rebranded these new synthetic strings as Original FlatChrom and came out with this very expensive line of gut strings. They are slightly brighter in tone than Olivs but are quite similar otherwise. You’d better be made of money if you really get into these strings, because they’re crazy expensive ($728.53 list price as of fall 2008) and break frequently. Bad combination!
Original FlatChrome – These strings are truly old-school orchestral cannons. Kind of like a more extreme version of Original Flexocors, these high tesion cables produce a magnificent sound in the lower register but often sound strained and throaty in the upper register. While not for all tastes or basses (they tend to overpower cheaper basses and can verge on being completely unplayable on others), these strings can produce a rich, choclatey bass sound in the right hands. These are pretty much the opposite of what jazz players look for in a string. On the wrong bass, they can have a pinched and nasal
Flat Chromesteel – Another middle-of-the-road string for the Pirastro line, somewhere between Permanents and Flexicors in terms of string tension and robustness of sound. These strings poduce a no-muss and no-fuss sound that works very well for classical and moderately well (but not wonderfully) for jazz. Great for bowed playing in general across a wide variety of basses.
Thomastik Strings
Dominant – These strings are not nearly as popular as their upper string equivalents. Quality control is an issue for Dominants (an issue that rarely plagues Pirastro strings). Though not used very often in the United States these days for bass, these strings actually have many desirable characteristics, including a throaty growl that both jazz and classical players like. They are a medium to medium-heavy tension string with good projection and an even response.
Spirocore – The gold standard for steel string jazz playing, these strings are also popular as low E, extended E, or low B strings. Bright and loud with a lot of sustain, these strings don’t bow particularly well on the top three strings, making a full set of Spirocores a dubious choice for classical playing. They are excellent jazz strings, with an unmistakable pizzicato sound. They come in multiple guages, so experiment with a set if possible to find a good match for your bass.
Spirocore Weich – These lower tension, thinner, and mellower variants are extremely popular among jazz players. They bow much more easily than regular Spirocores and are easier on the hands. They are good crossover strings for players who usually play pizzicato but need to also sound good with the bow, and they work well on a wide variety of basses.
Belcanto – These newcomers from Thomastik have exploded in popularity, though they are much quirkier than many other popular string brands. They carry a high price tag compared to American strings. Also, they have a magnificent, buttery sound when paired with the right instrument and are quickly becoming a favorite among orchestral bassists. They can take some getting used to at first. They’re looser than other popular orchestra strings like Original Flexocors, Original FlatChroms, or Permanents. Also, many bow strokes feel substantially different on these strings. Their pizzicato sound and sustain is also very nice, though without the punch and growl of Spirocores. Strangely, they tend to wear out faster than other popular brands, which may be a factor if you’re on a tight budget.
D’Addario Strings
Helicore Orchestra, Jazz, and Hybrid – These strings from Long Island-based string manufacter D’Addario exploded onto the scene in the early 1990s, with both orchestra and jazz bassists singing their praises. Around 1995, it seemed like every bass player had Helicore offerings on their instrument. They have faded in popularity in recent years but remain a common string of choice for American bassists. They come in three different guages (light, medium, and heavy) and have orchestra, jazz, and jazz/classical hybrid versions, giving the player a lot of variables to experiment with as they search for the perfect setup. I have used many combinations of these strings on my basses. Check out this comparison chart to determine which variant is right for you.
Kaplans – These new offerings from D’Addario have become very popular in the last few years. Released in 2012, they play really easily with the bow and have an excellent sound. They are one of the most popular strings from a non-European company and are a good bang for your buck.
Zyex– These strings are flexible under the bow and finger. D’Addario’s aim is to mimic the sound of gut. They feature a synthetic core and have more complex sound than most steel core strings I have tried. Available in light, medium, and heavy tension.
Savarez Strings
Corelli – Like Helicore, Savarez’s Corelli strings come in several different gauges, including one for both solo and orchestral tuning. Long known as the string of choice for double bass soloist François Rabbath, these strings are made of tungsten steel. They’re thinner and lighter than other brands. Also, they are bright and low tension. Even their ‘forte’ strings are brighter and looser than most other brands. Corelli response is more suited to solo playing than orchestral.
Super-Sensitive Strings
Red Label – Super craptaculous. A last resort string to be avoided at all costs. My dislike for Red Label strings has caused me to avoid all other Super-Sensitive options. If you’ve got opinions about any Super-Sensitive strings just leave a comment on this post.
Jargar Strings
Another string that has faded considerably in popularity with bass players these days. Cellists often use these strings–bassists much less so. It’s been years since I’ve used them, honestly, so it’s hard to even remember much about them.
Velvet Strings
Many jazz players love these low tension and earthy sounding strings. They’re radically different in sound and response to steel strings like Spirocores. These strings work well for many jazz and pizzicato contexts. They’re typically not that great for other styles, though.
Get all the information in this post in a handy string guide! Just click below:
Additional Resources
There are fantastic resources out there for learning more about strings. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
- Lemur Music String Resource – great descriptions of various string brands
- Helicore String Response Chart – includes comparison of all Helicore variants
I’m leaving out tons of strings on this list. Let me know what strings you use! Any good tips for readers out there? What doesn’t work for you?
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Belcanto’s are a very nice string, but their E is far too low in tension and lacks serious projection power. It really feels like you put the wrong string on the bass.
Great list. For orchestral, I’ve been using the Pirastro Flexocor. They sound fine enough, but for some reason I’m missing something. They don’t seem to rip and growl as much as I like on the Piazzolla-type stuff, so I’m looking for something that works there.
On the solo front, I always used Thomastik Spirocor. They seemed to work for my bass and were definitely the loudest I tried, and it is great that they have the long E string available. I was just about to order a new set for some piano/bass duos (Hindemith, Misek), but since you have made this timely post I would be grateful for any suggestions on what people like for solo playing. I basically am looking for loudness and projection first and foremost, followed by bow response and playability – probably mutually-exclusive traits… 😉
What a great post Jason – I’m definitely pointing my students to this one! I pretty much agree with all your assessments on these strings.
When I first tried out my Prescott bass, it had Flexocore “Originals” on it. When I bought it and brought it home, I was surprised to find that the (cheapskate) guy I had bought it from had taken them off and put on Wondertones, a now defunct string favored by bluegrass guys… Now those were truly craptaculous.
I loved reading the list and finally, a description of strings geared towards the player – better than the advertisement spiel that all the sellers put out. I have been a big fan of the braided Innovation strings for orchestra and solo playing. They have a very warm, gut-like sound, fast response with the bow, nice round pizz, basically a good, solid string that makes an average bass sound really good and a good bass sound great. The drawback is they last about a year and then they start buzzing and sound like crap. They cost around $160.
Glad that you enjoyed the list! I always find it interesting how much of a difference a style of string makes on sound and technique–what works on a set of Original Flexocors will probably not work on a set of Corellis! Thanks for your thoughts on the Innovations. I haven’t tried these before.
Could someone help me with jazz strings? I was wondering, as far as gauges, do you have to get a light gauge string to be able to do fast solo lines? Or does a medium in a jazz string like Helicore hybrid really still give you that ease of playing?
Thanks for the string info. I have a N.S. Stick bass and would like to try a different string. I am new to the bass although my carrer was as a jazz pianist and teacher. I am 61 wonder if the
Spiracore Weich would work or do I need special
strings for this instrument.
I have played Red Label strings on my 1945 Kay for a number of years now. They hold-up about as good for their price as any I’ve played. My action is 3-4mm higher than standard and I use an Underwood bridge pickup with a Fender 25 amp onstage. This is bluegrass, and the band plays with world class instruments, and a lot of sound. So, I find myself picking quite hard, and some years have gone through three D strings and an A string. Red Label strings, if wiped-down after playing, last a long time. They afford me a low-priced string that holds a good pitch using an agressive attack. Tonality depends on where I pick, depending on what key signature I’m in. Let me give Red Label strings an A+ for service and tone in my application. I’m sad to see they’re getting hard to get.
How long do the Thomastic spirocores last
playing say 4 to 5 hours a week.
try the new “Weedwacker” strings. They are nylon with a kevlar core. (plus you can get them in colors) I play Bluegrass and I love them !!!!!!!!
I bought my bass with Hellicore Hybrids on it. They were good for my playing (it was the only thing I knew haha).
Then I got a deal on some Spirocores (full set for $60!) and played those for a year. Their great. I found them fine for arco, you really just need to work with them. I wouldn’t use anything but the E and maybe A in an orchestra but for me they were fine. Then string fever kicked in and I wanted something a little more arco friendly. So on went Evah Pirazzi Weich strings. They weren’t great. The G and D string sounded fine but the E and A lacked power (they didn’t move the top of my bass very well). They also didn’t amplify very well which was bad for me because I play 90% through an amp. So they went off and the Spiros went back on… but I still needed something…
I found a set of Innovation Super Silver strings “used” (on a guys bass for an hour-ish) for really cheep. If they were to be graded they would get an 8/10. They have everything I want in terms of feel and pizz sound… you just can’t bow them for shit haha. I’ll keep them for a bit but I may try the innovation honeys for a little more bow-ability.
You should advise that Spirocore 4/4 Stark are the same price as the 3/4 strings, cost the same & are the only true pro strings
& easily fit the 3/4 basses. They make my cheap bass sound like a expensive pro bass. I’ve tried most brands & they are the only
great sounding improvement you can count on. Full volume & good as White Gold sound.
You should advise that Spiro core 4/4 Stark are the same price as the medium 3/4 string & many times a better sounding string. Good as white gold. Great volume increase over the 3/4 strings & are easily put on 3/4 basses. They doubled the sound of the 3/4 mediums I took off.
Great comment–thanks!
Hi Jason
I have two sons. Hunter is 14, Lewis is 2. Hunter is a cellist, currently a music scholar at a private school and plays with the Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra. Lewis is too young to learn, but since he’s super keen, I was thinking of restringing a 3/4 cello as a double bass so he can play the open strings pizzicato. He can have a little ‘lesson’ at the end of Hunter’s each week. I’ve already got the 3/4 cello (Hunter grew out of it a few years ago). I don’t want to spend a lot of money since Hunter’s instrument takes up most of my music budget! Could you make a recommendation please?
Thanks
Yanni
Hi Yanni–for a two-year-old the 3/4 cello strung up as a bass is a good option. Not sure of the exact strings you’d want to get–you might want to bring it into a shop that rents/sells fractional size basses so you don’t spend unnecessary money on strings.
I talked about this with Suzuki bass teacher Virginia Dixon if you want to hear more details (it’s about halfway through the episode). She had a two-year-old student as well and talks about the setup experience:
http://contrabassconversations.com/2007/12/08/cbc-52-virginia-dixon-interview-and-music-from-ben-torrey/
Hello Jason. Great seeing you in Prague! I haven’t seen Kolstein strings on your list. I use orchestra tuning only, but for solo playing.
They work great for me in chamber music as well as with orchestra.
For students I recommend either Kolstein or Corelli tungsten because of their clean and accurate pitch as well as for their fast reaction.
Just a question , I play normally a fretless Hofner on Labella Black Vynils and really dig the sound .. it’s lovely sweet with a fine attack if picked , I now am learning an upright electric bass and have ordered the same Black Vynils for it .. no one uses these ??? any comments ?? I will pop in when I have them they just are on order now , by the way it’s a very cheap second hand Stagg E bass it had electronic shielding problems that I have solved now , so I will have to learn a lot about Uprights coming from a Hofner fretless beatlebass
My gear is an old Faylon 200 watts tubeamp and a tonering cab with a 15 inch JBL K 140 in it , and yes I play jazz and souljazz , no bow .
Not sure about good strings for electric uprights… thoughts, anyone?
Hi Jason; This is great info I have 1 suggestion. It would be very helpful but perhaps impractical to include a picture of the winding’s of the strings so when you see instruments being sold on consignment there is a way to reference what strings are on the bass. the sellers/luthiers do not always no. Perhaps this is too much effort and expense for the return.
It is very true that matching strings to the instrument is a huge (and expensive) factor in finding the right string. There can also be a great deal of difference between sets of strings from the same manufacturer. I had a set of Original Flexicore on my orchestra bass that sounded fantastic. After 3 years I decided they were too “old” and bought a new set, giving the old set to a student. Big mistake. The new set did not sound as beautiful or respond as quickly to the bow. I am still in mourning for my “perfect” set strings.
Good idea! I’ll work on putting that together.
Hello,
I’ve been experimenting with various strings from most of the bigger companies but haven’t quite found the ‘right’ string yet. I mostly play jazz but I also perform and teach classically. I’m looking for something that is a good balance between bright and dark and has an acoustic/woody kind of sound when played pizz. Good bow response is nice, but not a huge priority for me. For reference I’ve tried: Sprirocore (mediums), Belcanto, Evah Pirazzi (mediums), La Bella Black Nylon Tapewounds, D’Addario Zyex (medium and light), D’Addario Helicore Hybrid (medium) and D’Addario Kaplan (also medium). Any suggestions?
Out of those, I really like the Evah Pirazzis and Helicore Hybrids.
I’ve also had a great time playing the type of music you’re playing on D’Addario Zyex strings. Synthetic gut and really cool strings for sure.
Great list. For orchestral, I’ve been using the Pirastro Flexocor. They sound fine enough, but for some reason I’m missing something. They don’t seem to rip and growl as much as I like on the Piazzolla-type stuff, so I’m looking for something that works there., thanks