solo for less tension

[Martin Sheridan]

I have a bass with a short string length and have decided to put on solo strings, tune to regular pitch for less tension. Ideally I'd like a string that would work with both pizz and arco.
Your thoughts appreciated.

[Calvin Marks]

I have a bass with a short string length and have decided to put on solo strings, tune to regular pitch for less tension. Ideally I'd like a string that would work with both pizz and arco.
Your thoughts appreciated.

What is the string length of this instrument?

[Martin Sheridan]

40.5 inches.

[Ken Smith]

40.5 inches.

Martin, will you be tuning Solo up a whole step or just need light tensioned strings?

If not Solo tuning, try the Evah Weichs. I have them on my 'big boy (http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/MysteryBass/name_that_bass2.htm)' now and they play like butter. Great for Orchestra and smokin' for jazz. At least that's how they work on my bass.

[Eric Hochberg]

Martin, I used Compas 180 Suites tuned down for the last 6 months or so and enjoyed them although they are pretty floppy for arco playing, you really have to lighten up on them or they crap out easily, at least with my lowish string height. They were a lot of fun and sounded nice for jazz pizz. I'm looking forward to trying the Evah Weichs, too.

[Calvin Marks]

Martin, I used Compas 180 Suites tuned down for the last 6 months or so and enjoyed them although they are pretty floppy for arco playing, you really have to lighten up on them or they crap out easily, at least with my lowish string height. They were a lot of fun and sounded nice for jazz pizz. I'm looking forward to trying the Evah Weichs, too.

I used the suites for two weeks...couldn't stand them. Really metalic pizz sound, especially on the E...Also the A was just way too low tension. Arco...Ya...Not a fan. PM if you want my set.

[Martin Sheridan]

Martin, will you be tuning Solo up a whole step or just need light tensioned strings?

If not Solo tuning, try the Evah Weichs. I have them on my 'big boy (http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/MysteryBass/name_that_bass2.htm)' now and they play like butter. Great for Orchestra and smokin' for jazz. At least that's how they work on my bass.

Yes, I'm going with regular tuning. With the short string length there is more tension at pitch. I tend to play like a mad man for a week or so and then the next thing I know the bass as been sitting for a week gathering dust and my hands have softened up, so I'm looking for something else. I like playing on butter! It's not bad on toast either.
Also, I'm going to take the bass back to the states and put it up for sale so I'm looking for a good hybrid.
Those Evah's sound like they might be the ticket. I have Spirocore Weich's on the bass now which is normally my string of choice, but they have too much tension at this string length. It seemed like a good idea at the time and I had a lot of small people (aka women) looking at basses then who needed a shorter string length. I had played on a lot of short string basses and maybe I was playing more hours then, but I never realized that the tension would seem so much greater.

[Joel Larsson]

Martin, since you originally posted this in the Evah thread, I thought I should say that a solo version of them are under development. Thomas Martin had a prototype on an old Italian bass when I met him on a course last week. He wasn't quite as satisfied as he was with the orchestrals, but maybe they'll work that out before they are pur into large scale production.

[Martin Sheridan]

Joel,
Thanks. I thought Ken meant solo strings. I've heard a lot of good things about the Spirocore solo strings and had them on my old French bass once when I loaned it out to a couple of soloists and they liked them, so they might be worth a try. Since I intend to sell the bass though I'd really would like a good hybrid string designed as solo but tuned to regular pitch to ease the tension. Maybe Spirocore is my best bet?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Dominant solos work well at concert pitch, pizz great and bow ok. I don't care for the regular ones.

[Martin Sheridan]

Arnold,
Thanks. I was hoping you'd weigh in.

[Martin Sheridan]

Dominant solos work well at concert pitch, pizz great and bow ok. I don't care for the regular ones.

Arnold,
Medium?

[Richard Prowse]

Dominant solos work well at concert pitch, pizz great and bow ok. I don't care for the regular ones.
I tried Dominant solos tuned down for a few days. I did a duo concert where I had to use both arco and pizz. We played Sweet Georgia Brown. The pizz was very floppy - very little resistence. I went straight home and took those strings off. However, they did sound great in solo tuning.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Arnold,
Medium?

No, Luthier.

[Richard Prowse]

No, Luthier.
Arnold, have you ever considered having your own comedy show?

Anselm has.

Considered it, I mean.

[Eric Hochberg]

Tried a set of Evah Solos at orchestra tuning on my bass. Low tension feel and a sound more reminiscent of the regulars than the weichs to me. Definitely worth a try if you're looking for this kind of thing.

[Ken Smith]

40.5 inches.

Martin, 40.5" is a small 3/4 in my book. Many old Italian basses are in that range as well but I wouldn't consider this a 'short' string length. It's just that they also made longer ones over the years as well. From a 41" length, it's only 1/4" less to the first octave. My Candi is about that length now. Currently is has that same exact set of Evah Weichs that I had on my Big Gamba last March, the Mougenot a few months later and now on the Candi Bass.

One thing I can say is that they 'travel' well. 'Off this bass' and 'on that bass' with no problems. Pretty durable for a synthetic core or even a regular steel cable core for that matter.

On the Candi they feel just fine. The other basses were in the 42" - 42.5" range and did just as well there.

[Scott Pope]

Yes, I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I think it needs to be emphsized that string tension for a given pitch varies as to the square of the scale length, not linearly. I also have a short scale length for a 3/4 to accommodate my short pinky and slightly curved in index. A set of Spiro Weich S42's have significantly less tension on this short of a scale, and on my bass are not only very comfortable, but sing really, really well, in spite of it being a CCB.

More can be done for playability by having the proper setup on nut, fingerboard scoop, bridge, tailpiece and sound post than by simply lowering string tension.

If you can't do it yourself, go to a reputable luthier, discuss your playing, and get a recommendation and setup. I think with a proper setup you'll get better overall results with a conventional set of strings instead of trying to tune down a solo set on such a short scale.