Good old Weichs!

[Thomas Erickson]

I don't know why so many people say that spiros are bad for bowing; IMO they bow fine - just takes a little different approach is all...

Which isn't to say that spiros sound good on every bass though!

[Eddue Johnson]

There are many bassists, myself included, with very limited bowing skills. Sometimes it's just a matter of blaming the strings rather than admitting we haven't mastered the technique of playing arco, then move on to more forgiving strings.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

I don't know why so many people say that spiros are bad for bowing; IMO they bow fine - just takes a little different approach is all...

Which isn't to say that spiros sound good on every bass though!

Unless you have a very dark smooth sounding bass, usually old Italian or German 200 years or more and play very well with the Bow classically, bowing 'Spiros reds' instead of standard Orchestra bowing strings, the 'barbed wire' sound will not blend in with the rest of the bass section.

I have seen a few Extension Es in the Reds and occasionally a mixed set with the E and A in Reds but rarely do I see any level headed Orchestra player using a full set of Spiro Reds in USA. There are just so many better choices for bowing strings. Usually a player starts with the smoothest string he can find for bowing and then starts gradually brightening up the sound testing other strings till he gets what he needs to match the desired sound of the section.

Show me a professional Orchestra with all the basses bowing on Reds. Please!

[Bin Hire]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Unless you have a very dark smooth sounding bass, usually old Italian or German 200 years or more and play very well with the Bow classically, bowing 'Spiros reds' instead of standard Orchestra bowing strings, the 'barbed wire' sound will not blend in with the rest of the bass section.

I have seen a few Extension Es in the Reds and occasionally a mixed set with the E and A in Reds but rarely do I see any level headed Orchestra player using a full set of Spiro Reds in USA. There are just so many better choices for bowing strings. Usually a player starts with the smoothest string he can find for bowing and then starts gradually brightening up the sound testing other strings till he gets what he needs to match the desired sound of the section.

Show me a professional Orchestra with all the basses bowing on Reds. Please!

Ken, when you mention reds, are you talking about all the Spiros, or just the medium ones?
I humbly suggest that the bass is also bowed in other settings, not just in the orchestra.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Bin Hire

Ken, when you mention reds, are you talking about all the Spiros, or just the medium ones?
I humbly suggest that the bass is also bowed in other settings, not just in the orchestra.

Red's are the medium ones and back in my younger days, there was only one kind and maybe solos. Weichs were not out just yet and Stark Reds are more recent to me ears. Are there others that are Red at both ends?

Other settings? Sure, why not but the true test I thought was playing Orchestra music or Classical type solos.

Who wants to head scratchy bowing?

No one I know..

[Bin Hire]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Red's are the medium ones and back in my younger days, there was only one kind and maybe solos. Weichs were not out just yet and Stark Reds are more recent to me ears. Are there others that are Red at both ends?

I got confused because this thread was talking about Weichs. A thousand apologies.

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Other settings? Sure, why not but the true test I thought was playing Orchestra music or Classical type solos.

Who wants to head scratchy bowing?

No one I know..

The Weichs don't scratch much and are quite bowable, but I agree that other strings are a better choice if one is going to bow.
Any bowing situation is a true test, in my humble opinion.

[Thomas Erickson]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Unless you have a very dark smooth sounding bass, usually old Italian or German 200 years or more and play very well with the Bow classically, bowing 'Spiros reds' instead of standard Orchestra bowing strings, the 'barbed wire' sound will not blend in with the rest of the bass section.

I have seen a few Extension Es in the Reds and occasionally a mixed set with the E and A in Reds but rarely do I see any level headed Orchestra player using a full set of Spiro Reds in USA. There are just so many better choices for bowing strings. Usually a player starts with the smoothest string he can find for bowing and then starts gradually brightening up the sound testing other strings till he gets what he needs to match the desired sound of the section.

Show me a professional Orchestra with all the basses bowing on Reds. Please!

I didn't say they were an ideal orchestra string, I only said that IMO they aren't that hard to bow.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

I didn't say they were an ideal orchestra string, I only said that IMO they aren't that hard to bow.

Hard to get a smooth bowing sound from unless you have the right bass and technique combined. So, hard to bow. I disagree, sorry.

[Terry McDougal]

But the Weichs are easy enough to bow. Which was where I started. I've just changed my strings around again lately. I settled on BCs because they are easier for quick bowing, but it was a close contest with the Weichs. As we say back home:
We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Terry McDougal

But the Weichs are easy enough to bow. Which was where I started. I've just changed my strings around again lately. I settled on BCs because they are easier for quick bowing, but it was a close contest with the Weichs. As we say back home:
We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns!

Yes, the Weichs are easier to Bow than the full reds no doubt. The BCs/BelCantos are far better for bowing as are the Pirastro Orchestra strings as well. Personally, I use and like Belcantos but favor the Pirastro orchestra strings for tone. The new Passione strings are actually fun to play whereas the Belcanto's work as well, just not as much fun.

[Terry McDougal]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Yes, the Weichs are easier to Bow than the full reds no doubt. The BCs/BelCantos are far better for bowing as are the Pirastro Orchestra strings as well. Personally, I use and like Belcantos but favor the Pirastro orchestra strings for tone. The new Passione strings are actually fun to play whereas the Belcanto's work as well, just not as much fun.

Are the Passione strings a bit stiffer? What are they like for pizz?