Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith
Fast response? I am not sure they do for all set-ups and playing styles. They feel a bit light and I now have the 2nd set on my Marconcini school bass which I hardly use outside of the office. They sound fine but I only played them on three concerts in 3 weeks back to back and one was mostly Pizz. I did the Beeth. 9th first, then the New World and last the Pops thing. Three concerts, three Orchestras. I had my work cut out for me. The 3rd venue was Pops and I used the Amp on a few tunes as well. I just don't know how they will work for Orchestral players that dig in hard as if they are using Original Flex's or the like. So far, I have no complaints. I just have to use them and see what happens.
Spiro Reds are fast and have more tension. For a lower action set-up like I use, I think you can play them harder. The 9th was such a workout, I don't know within a section of 7 basses how the bass itself did. My focus was on the 25 pages of DOTS they call music. 
Like I said above, the next set I want to try on my Hart are Spiro reds. I know they take time to break in but I will just have to see. It all depends on how well these Kaplans work and last before I change sets again.
A few years ago I had a French Bass here with Reds on it. It was a screamer of a Bass and the Reds put a spotlight on that as well. Then with a customer here, we switches strings and put the Reds on a 5-string with a high C. Hearing him Bow that bass with Reds was impressive. Even on the bright French bass, the sound under the ear is not the same you hear in the next room. They do deserve some merit. I am just not sure I want to sound like that. I am the one that hears me before anyone else does and being the closest to the sound than any listener is, it can't put me in a panic mode on the first note!  |
Thanks for that Ken. Ha! I know what you mean about what you hear. I might go with those reds instead of the Kaplans - I don't want Kaplans if I don't get that fast response. I've got my second bass set up with a high C (C G D A) for some solo work I have coming up. I've got an old set of Corelli TX strings on (fairly stiff). The C string certainly sings! Who knows, maybe I'll finish up with reds on both basses (still with one high set)?