Pirastro Permanents

[stan haskins]

I'm planning a switch to Pirastro Permanents soon (mainly cause my teacher uses 'em, and I like how his bass sounds).

I was considering Flexicors or Bel Cantos, but my gut's telling me they'll both be too dark for my bass - I want it to project as well as possible.

ANyone have any good/bad experience with the Permanents? ANy other options I haven't considered?


Thanks.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by stan haskins

I'm planning a switch to Pirastro Permanents soon (mainly cause my teacher uses 'em, and I like how his bass sounds).

I was considering Flexicors or Bel Cantos, but my gut's telling me they'll both be too dark for my bass - I want it to project as well as possible.

ANyone have any good/bad experience with the Permanents? ANy other options I haven't considered?


Thanks.

I have used both new and old Permanents. They are not the best in my opinion and I don't know what too dark is. It's a Bass and not a Banjo so I go for the deepest sound possible on all my Basses.

For Bowing I like Flexocors but just now testing the Eurosonics, my Bisiach sounds smoother than my Gilkes and that should not be so. The Gilkes with a set of Flexocor regulars and the Bisiach with Euros. I just like them better for some reason. maybe it's the Bass and how different strings react on different Basses. You have to go with what works and does not. maybe if you list what you have tried in the past on that Bass and the results along with what changes you want to go for you can be better answered but for my money, these Eurosonics have a steel and gut sound combined that also bow and pizz well and feel super smooth under my left hand as well.

[JoeyNaeger]

The Belcantos are a pretty amazing string. You will get all the volume and projection you will ever need in orchetra section. They bow easier than the flex 92's I think and have more volume. I used to think brighter meant louder, but I'm finding with a darker string that I don't get lost in the mix as much. I enjoy the permanents as well though. They're a great all around string, and especially work well when soloing.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by JoeyNaeger

The Belcantos are a pretty amazing string. You will get all the volume and projection you will ever need in orchetra section. They bow easier than the flex 92's I think and have more volume. I used to think brighter meant louder, but I'm finding with a darker string that I don't get lost in the mix as much. I enjoy the permanents as well though. They're a great all around string, and especially work well when soloing.

The Pollmann I just bought has the Bel's on them and while they do everything thus said, still I think the Flex 92s have a sweeter color to the sound. Maybe some Basses prefer the lighter tension that the Bel's have but then again, some Basses work best with Flexs. After I get the Pollmann back from Arnold I will finally have a chance to put some time into these Strings rather than just a few Bow strokes like I have in the past.

[stan haskins]

One of my section partners uses the Bel Cantos - I like how they sound alot, very warm , with alot of "spread". I'm kind of going for a more aggressive, penetrating kind of sound now, if that makes sense. Without losing low end, though.

The only strings I've had on the Willow so far are heliocore Orchs. They fight the bow a little too much, but sound OK. I've really enjoyed playing Flexocores (sorry, Ken, I don't know what flavor) on other basses, but a few reliable sources have told me that they would probably be too dark for my bass, with the relatively soft willow construction.

Eurosonics sound like they might be another good option, though. I just don't like the sound of that "light tension". I might have to wait until the heavier ones are available.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by stan haskins

One of my section partners uses the Bel Cantos - I like how they sound alot, very warm , with alot of "spread". I'm kind of going for a more aggressive, penetrating kind of sound now, if that makes sense. Without losing low end, though.

The only strings I've had on the Willow so far are heliocore Orchs. They fight the bow a little too much, but sound OK. I've really enjoyed playing Flexocores (sorry, Ken, I don't know what flavor) on other basses, but a few reliable sources have told me that they would probably be too dark for my bass, with the relatively soft willow construction.

Eurosonics sound like they might be another good option, though. I just don't like the sound of that "light tension". I might have to wait until the heavier ones are available.

THEY call them Light Tension. I refer to them as Regular Tension and they feel fairly firm to me. The Medium Tension is on the heavier side for me and only slightly different. I have them on my Bisiach and they feel about the same as any other String tension wise, just easier to play.