New orchestral strings from Pirastro & Daddario

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Dave Whitla

Does anyone know what the different tensions are for Passione, Deluxe and Kaplan? With all the different gauges it's hard to compare like with like.

I'm very interested in your comment that the Passiones felt a bit "loose," Ken, because that's exactly what I'm feeling right now with them on my bass. But because I'm playing it in after a long restoration I'm not sure whether what I'm feeling is caused by strings or bass (or a bit of both)...

I don't have any numbers for the tensions but as for feel I can comment. Tightest was Deluxe, and the Passiones and Kaplans were close. Maybe the Passiones were looser but thicker feeling. I have a set here of each so I could measure them but the Passione set I have has a stark E. Maybe I have an unopened set of them as well. Tension and thickness are not consistent for comparisons.

[Scott Pope]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Tension and thickness are not consistent for comparisons.

Indeed. Because of the internal construction of a string, the thickness and type of outer wrap, and the amount of damping material added, there is not any direct correlation between a string's overall diameter and the tension required for pitch.

If anybody has the means, and would care to take the time and publish the findings, whether by direct observation with a tension scale, or by deduction knowing the weight of the speaking length of a string, to find out what the tension of any given Pirastro string is, I'd be interested, because they are known for not quoting or publishing their tensions beyond the traditional light-medium-heavy generalizations. The only comments I have ever been able to find out in cyberspace regarding the relative tension of Pirastro strings are anecdotal observations like Ken's for the Passiones, and several others in different contexts have put Jazzers about midway between Spiro S42 Weich and S42 Mittel.

[Dave Whitla]

Following on from that, does actual tension (as measured on scale in lbs or kg) translate directly to the string feeling tight or loose, or is that feeling more abstract, like the relationship between balance and weight of bows?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Dave Whitla

Following on from that, does actual tension (as measured on scale in lbs or kg) translate directly to the string feeling tight or loose, or is that feeling more abstract, like the relationship between balance and weight of bows?

I have played several basses with the same strings on them. They all feel different. So, I think the bass has more to do with the tension than the string specs in that regard.

Tailpiece angle, after length, string length, bridge height, nut height, fingerboard camber, neck strength, etc., all have something to do with the tension of your bass. I never go by numbers published on string tension other than maybe one compared to another. Once on a bass, then you can see how it feels. Belcantos on my Marconcini feel different than on my Bollbach Lion or Halle Tarr or any other bass. Same strings, different basses, different tensions!

[Scott Pope]

Ken, what are the different mensures on these basses? Even 1/2 inch difference in mensure will have a noticable effect on the tension, as tension varies not directly, but as the square of the scale length.

And as you say, the setup on everything from the nut to the endpin and everything in between, including camber, can make a string feel different.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Scott Pope

Ken, what are the different mensures on these basses? Even 1/2 inch difference in mensure will have a noticable effect on the tension, as tension varies not directly, but as the square of the scale length.

And as you say, the setup on everything from the nut to the endpin and everything in between, including camber, can make a string feel different.

41-42" on average but it is not just the length as I can have a 41 tight and a 41 looser. It is all things combined.

[Ken Smith]

I just put a new set of the new Deluxe's on my Panormo school bass. I had one of the proto-type sets before that I tried on both my Hart and Mougenot basses. I liked them on the Mougenot as soon as they went on but not on the Hart. After a few months, I switched them back over to the Hart and 'then' I liked them on better after some play-in time.

A short time ago I emailed Pirastro to see if there were any design changes between the prototype sets and the current sets now packaged for sale. They said yes, some slight changes. So I ordered a brand new set but when they came in, I didn't have a bass that needed the strings changed so they just sat in stock for a few months.

My Panormo school bass had Original Flatchromes that were over 3 years old and a Flex-Stark E/C which was put on a few months later when the extension was made. They were to my ear, not 100% of what they once were so in looking for a set to put on from the few types I have in stock, I pulled these out and put them on.

My first impression was they were slightly smoother than the 3+ year old OFCs, clear and full sounding. They are not overly thick or muddy sounding which could be a problem on a bass this size if the string promotes more of the low end of the spectrum. They bow easily of course, similar to the OFC's and Flexocors which is quite typical for Pirastro strings. In a day, week or month from now, I expect them to break in and settle little by little. Right now, they are quite lively and on a big bass that has a super sweet high register, if you can reach up there!