De David Gage
http://www.davidgage.com/z_david_archive2.htmOn Setting up the Bass, Part I: Strings
In New York some of the apartments are so small that you have to go out to the hallway to change your mind. So, I'm here in the tubular room because I've decided not to discuss handling of the string bass as I stated at the end of my last article but instead the setup of our noble instrument.
In general, it should be said that, if you worry too much about setup then you're not practicing enough. However, setup is an important aspect of the sound, approach and feel of your bass. Setup is everything you do to the instrument regarding sound and feel without taking the top off. It's about strings/tailpiece, fingerboard shape or dressing, bridge/neck alignment and soundpost fit. It's about mechanics. This month's column will deal with strings.
We're fortunate because there is a fairly large choice of differently responding strings. Players have many demands when considering which strings to use. The composition of a set of strings is decided by the manufacturer of the strings -- some players may disagree with that decision. You may find a combination from different sets of strings to be more appropriate for your needs. For example, sets made by two veteran European string manufacturers, Thomastik (Spirocore E and A) and Pirastro (Flexocore D and G) can be combined with satisfying results. With this combination you get the edge, clarity and brightness of the Spirocore for an otherwise darker and possibly muddier bottom and some thicker darker tones from the Flexocores for a brighter and possibly shrill or thin sounding upper strings. Pizzicato playing is starting the string with your fingers, arco playing is playing with a bow. The Flexocore E and A strings may have very little sustain for the pizzicato player while the Spirocore E and A strings may be too bright or raspy for the arco player. Buying new strings is like buying lobster in a restaurant. We can talk about how it sounds or tastes but the only way to really find out is to buy and try it and both are pretty expensive.
Thomastik and Pirastro have been the tried and true strings, dominating the market since World War II. Recently D'Addario has aggressively entered the fray of bowed strings cat fight and have grabbed a significant part of the market with their very impressive Helicore series Their Pizzicato, Hybrid and Orchestral strings offer free, clear tone with a great degree of flexibility to playing style. In general,the whole Helicore line accommodates the combination of arco and pizzicato playing better than their competitors. They are very even strings that are excellent strings for a newer instrument. The Pirastro Flexicore and Thomastik Spirocore strings have more 'weight' and a bigger attack or front end to them that is very expressive which many players still prefer. Of course, your instrument's character and your playing taste dictate this very subjective decision as to what string to play. The only way to really know is to try them on your bass after eliminating some by talking to players as to their impressions. Words players use to describe string qualities can be interesting-waxy, glassy, brittle, puffy, etc,.it's difficult to put into words what you hear!
Ron Carter and Buster Williams use the Labella black nylon wrapped string which are very even and fluid sounding string but are very difficult to bow. Dave Holland uses the Thomastik Spirocore Orchestra strings and Ray Brown uses the Thomastik Spirocore weich (weich means light in German) strings which are a little thinner but bow a little easier than the Orchestras. Christian McBride uses the Spirocore weichs, orchestras and the D'Addario Pizzicatos. John Patittucci uses the D'Addario Hybrid series, he's just started using the heavy gauge. Previously he was using the medium gauge. John practices with the bow a lot. Most of these strings offer various gauges just with different names or presentations. D'Addario has a light, medium and heavy gauge in every Helicore string. A uniform arrangement because they all came out the same time. Most of the other strings, Thomastik, for example, developed their strings over the years and the gauges have evolved with less definitive names. Their thinnest is called a solo string, designed to be tuned up on whole note to classical solo tuning but used by many tuned to tradition bass tuning with the effect of a light gauge string. Their next string is the weich (only available in the Spirocore string) which is like a medium gauge string and then the orchestra gauge which is the thickest. Pirastro strings have changed so many times even a score card won't help.
As a darker string that works great for both arco and pizz, John Clayton plays the Thomastik Superflexible or commonly called Rope Cores. Ray Drummond uses the Thomastik Dominant strings. They have perlon in the interior and bounce back quickly and have more of a gut sound. There has been a substantial return to gut strings over the last 10 years. Mainly a new breed of younger players looking for that Paul Chambers sound. A leading proponent of this approach is Ben Wolfe. Ben (who uses a complete set of Pirastro Chorda gut strings)is going for and gets that thick, meaty Chambers sound including that slight buzz you hear in many of Chambers recordings. He's discovered that the buzz is from frayed old strings. So don't fix that buzz! On the other hand, you couldn't get Ray Drummond or Ray Brown back using gut strings. Red Mitchell tuned in fifths and had strings specially made by Thomastik.. He kept the numbers of the strings handy in his date book in the breast pocket of his corduroy jacket.
