Hello,
I have a new "Stanzani" Italian double bass (105 cm, 3/4ish, flat-back) which is still "fresh" and quite on the bright side, tone-wise.
I bought it some months ago with a set of Flexocor (92's, the ruby wire ones) which I truly believe are "regular", quite a tested standard for bowing.
Well, compared to other basses around (which I have to say are old, or at least older and broken in - none of them has Flex mounted) my bass tends to have a fairly pronounced midrangy and ringing sound, full of those harmonics which remind me of a brass instrument, if you know what I mean. They project very well on upper solo registers, but the bass's sound is fairly thinner than those I have compared it with and tends to get scratchy, hollow and nasal during fast orchestra passages, at least from my point of listening, the player's one. Therefore, I find these strings a bit unforgiving: every minor bowing flaw seems to get through.
Now I'm starting to fancy a fairly punchier and bassier sound, with some more fundamental presence on this bass. Just to make a comparison with electric basses, which I hope won't sound stupid, it's as if I had a Fender Jazz and were looking for a timbre which is a bit more "MusicMan-ish"... and I love Fender Jazz basses, by the way!
The comparison could also be appropriate when talking about orchestra/small ensembe situations: there are times when it cuts through well, mostly during melodic passages, but overally I feel like the tone's a bit hollow within the "group".
What I'd like to know is:
- is that feeling quite common with these strings on new bright basses? Otherwise, are they a good way to judge whether a bass is a good-sounding one or not? I obviously hope that the earlier case is truer... I have to say that I tried to put a low E from a set of solo Flat-Chromesteel (white/blue wire) and it seems to sound creamier and fuller than the Flex E... even if it was meant to be tuned one tone higher!
Unfortunately, the 3rd Flat-Cr. string tuned to A doesn't really work well instead.
- What would you suggest me as next replacement? I was thinking of Evah, or Obligato... would you throw in another option? I would avoid Belcanto because I'm afraid I'd still end up having a fairly nasal tone.
- According to my experience on this bass, I'd say that the Flexocor are a bit more suited for solo melodic playing rather than earthy orchestra passages. Is it true even if they are the choice for many orchestral players? Are they a good orchestral choice just for old or very dark basses?
Thank you in advance, thanks to Ken as well for this useful forum and to all its contributors!