Spirocore Red's, Orchestral ??

[Sam Sherry]

That chart is cool for sure. I love the Deutsche ad-man's copy:

"Less inertia, longer period of musical vibration."
Your average bassist would say, "Fast voice, unparalleled sustain."

"Equally effective when playing arco or pizzicato."
As opposed to what? There are a paucity of other choices beyond "arco or pizzicato" and I shudder to think of Ken's Hart suffering from most of them!

In any event, meandering back toward the topic at hand: Ken, I'm sure you won't forget that if you're headed toward orchestral work on Spiros there's no particular reason to install a new set!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

That chart is cool for sure. I love the Deutsche ad-man's copy:

"Less inertia, longer period of musical vibration."
Your average bassist would say, "Fast voice, unparalleled sustain."

"Equally effective when playing arco or pizzicato."
As opposed to what? There are a paucity of other choices beyond "arco or pizzicato" and I shudder to think of Ken's Hart suffering from most of them!

In any event, meandering back toward the topic at hand: Ken, I'm sure you won't forget that if you're headed toward orchestral work on Spiros there's no particular reason to install a new set!

Well yes but first off, I need a set with no internal damage completely healthy within the windings and second, a set with an Extension E/C string. Third, it is only June now and I wont have a concert till about October, about four months from now.

So, if I put on a brand new set, I have time to break them in.

As far as bright strings so, I tried a set of Solo Orig. Flatchromes on my Storioni one night. Bright but good sounding. Also, yesterday as a pre-test I put some 'brand new' Solo Spiros (red/yellow) on the Marconcini school bass and they are nice as well. Bright they are but I didn't run away from them.

[Ken Smith]

Ok, having the Solo set on one bass I think is enough for me to test over the Summer. Being that I had them in stock already, it was easy to try them on something without having to order them in. I got them last year just before the prices were about to go up so not I will see what they do.

Tonight I put a set of Jargar Dolce/green silked strings that I got last year as well but haven't had the need to try them. I took off the Kaplans from the Hart and replaced them one string at a time. Each string going on felt like the bass was moving closer to the sound I like most. These are lighter in gauge than the medium/blue Jargar set I tried last year but do not feel or sound thin like other solo sets do. I will have the Summer to play on them and decide if they stay on for the season starting in the fall.

So, instead of going from the new Kaplans to Red's on the Hart, I went to Jargar Dolce's. That's about as far a tonal difference between two strings that are on the market. Spiros and Jargars, complete opposites. I think the Hart is destined to be a smooth, deep, dark sounding bass rather than what it might turn into with Red's. For now, I will never know until that day comes when I have time to try them and I don't have any sets 'already purchased to try out'. I am not closing the door or burning any bridges here (I love the Bridge on the Hart, lol), I am just staying on my normal path of tone for that bass.

[Richard Prowse]

The Kaplans are off! (sorry, used a Smilie - out of character)
Well, here's my dilema. I have EP weichs on and have a recording to do in about four weeks. The EPs will do the job nicely, but I also want to get a string that will bow faster. Ken, I was hoping that you'd be really happy with the Kaplans and, perhaps, suggest that they were also a reasonable pizz string. I don't have time to count on breaking in Reds - it takes about two weeks here to get strings from Lemur music and, because of the internet string thing, most music shops aren't carrying DB strings. There is a guy in Auckland but he charges an arm and a ley; anyway, it's almost as quick to get strings from the US of A.
So, how did you feel about the Kaplans overall? Do they handle fast bowing - say as in Monti's Czardas; and what is their pizz feel like?
I wait in anticipation.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

The Kaplans are off! (sorry, used a Smilie - out of character)
Well, here's my dilema. I have EP weichs on and have a recording to do in about four weeks. The EPs will do the job nicely, but I also want to get a string that will bow faster. Ken, I was hoping that you'd be really happy with the Kaplans and, perhaps, suggest that they were also a reasonable pizz string. I don't have time to count on breaking in Reds - it takes about two weeks here to get strings from Lemur music and, because of the internet string thing, most music shops aren't carrying DB strings. There is a guy in Auckland but he charges an arm and a ley; anyway, it's almost as quick to get strings from the US of A.
So, how did you feel about the Kaplans overall? Do they handle fast bowing - say as in Monti's Czardas; and what is their pizz feel like?
I wait in anticipation.

Richard, I did Beethoven's 9th with the them, New World Symphony and a Pop's concert doing mostly Pizz and all the Amp work in the section while the other 3 basses just watched for a good part of the tunes I was amp'ed. Three concerts, three different orchestras, same bass (Hart) and same strings (Kaplans). Bows? Lipkins on the 9th but don't remember what I used on the others. Maybe the Mattei for the Pops that I hardly bowed on and probably but can't remember, the Lipkins on the New World.

I think I gave them a real good workout and test. Find a copy of the 9th and see how fast some of the parts are. I think the Kaplans did just fine. If not, they would have come off the bass as soon as they went on.

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Richard, I did Beethoven's 9th with the them, New World Symphony and a Pop's concert doing mostly Pizz and all the Amp work in the section while the other 3 basses just watched for a good part of the tunes I was amp'ed. Three concerts, three different orchestras, same bass (Hart) and same strings (Kaplans). Bows? Lipkins on the 9th but don't remember what I used on the others. Maybe the Mattei for the Pops that I hardly bowed on and probably but can't remember, the Lipkins on the New World.

I think I gave them a real good workout and test. Find a copy of the 9th and see how fast some of the parts are. I think the Kaplans did just fine. If not, they would have come off the bass as soon as they went on.

Thanks Ken, I appreciate that. Sounds like I need to try these Kaplans.