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  #1  
Old 06-02-2010, 11:58 PM
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Abe Gumroyan Abe Gumroyan is offline
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Default Passione Strings (Regular & Stark)

Hi fellas,

I was wondering if anyone has tried the new Passione strings from Pirastro. I know they haven't been released yet but I know some people who have been sent the prototypes. Apparently these strings are Pirastro's answer to Belcantos but have more color.
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  #2  
Old 06-03-2010, 12:36 AM
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Lightbulb humm?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Abe Gumroyan View Post
Hi fellas,

I was wondering if anyone has tried the new Passione strings from Pirastro. I know they haven't been released yet but I know some people who have been sent the prototypes. Apparently these strings are Pirastro's answer to Belcantos but have more color.
The name vaguely sounds familiar. Have they used this name for Violin or Cello in the past and just now making them for bass?

Either way, I have just emailed Pirastro to get the full story on them. Sounds like another winner approaching the finish line.

Thank's for the news about them.
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  #3  
Old 06-03-2010, 03:19 AM
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Ken,

Yes the name is also used for violin/cello strings. Check your mailbox
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Old 08-07-2010, 05:16 PM
Vincent Trautwein Vincent Trautwein is offline
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Anyone tried these yet? They seem to be available now:

http://quinnviolins.com/qv_passionebass.shtml
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  #5  
Old 08-07-2010, 11:25 PM
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Do we have any idea how they're supposed to compare to the other strings in the lineup, or details on how/from what they're made?
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Old 08-08-2010, 05:30 AM
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Cool ok..

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Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson View Post
Do we have any idea how they're supposed to compare to the other strings in the lineup, or details on how/from what they're made?
I tested them for Pirastro and am still doing so. I put a set on the Candi about two months ago and think they are great. They are soft feeling and remind me most of the Evah Weichs but in the same thinner gauges of the Flex 92s. They are steel rope core but have more flexibility than just about any other string so far. Like I said, the remind me of Evahs Weichs the most but in a thinner gauge.

They also bow great and sound ultra sweet. I have one other set of the same strings and was thinking just the other day to put them on my Sirleto bass. That bass is brighter and tighter feeling/sounding than the slightly shorter length Candi.

I consider theses a Weich/soft type string as they are. I would like to see another gauge slightly bigger and tighter for Orchestra playing. I think the Orchestra players will find this current set too soft to dig in on.

Now, I got these about month or two ago so if they have already made changes, I am not aware of them.

Regardless, they are great strings.
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Old 08-08-2010, 06:06 AM
Geoff Chalmers Geoff Chalmers is offline
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How did you find the pizz Ken?
thanks, Geoff
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  #8  
Old 08-08-2010, 10:19 AM
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Thumbs up pizz?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Chalmers View Post
How did you find the pizz Ken?
thanks, Geoff
Well, they sound nice and sweet, not dry at all like the Flexocors can on some basses. More like a mix between evah weichs and spiro weichs BUT, I have not tried the Spiros on this bass. I did have the Evahs before and these are sweeter sounding with more sustain. A totally different string. Definitely worth trying out regardless of the bass or style of playing.

I will be emailing my report to them shortly and maybe a link to this thread. TB has one as well but it's a bit cluttered. Too many non-pro players without a bow passing judgment on a bowing string. This is often the case over there. To test a string, it should be on a decent bass with an experienced player. Otherwise, it might be the bass or the player that is the problem, not the string.
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  #9  
Old 08-08-2010, 03:40 PM
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Thumbs up ok, ok..

You guys got me thinking. I was going to change the strings on the Sirleto Bass last week to maybe use in the Fall but then decided it was not worth the hour to do the work and left the old Helicore's on the bass.

I just came in the office to do a little work and practice and pulled out the Sirleto and the other set of the Passione strings and started to change them. I only played them briefly but changing them one at a time I was able to test each new string with the remaining old Helicores which are not all that old. They were fairly new and came off another bass and on to this bass so just slightly used.

The differences/comparisons I noticed right away in seconds were regarding the tension, tone, bowing and overall feel.

Tension: They are lighter tension than Helicore Orchestras. All gauges but the D are slightly smaller. The E being the biggest difference but the D was slightly bigger by about .002".

Tone: The strings are sweeter and ring more freely than the Helicores.

Bowing: Right away I noticed they bowed easier. Also with less tension, the A string which had a noticeable 'wolf' with the Helicores is almost gone with the Passione's.

Overall feel: With the tension a bit less now the strings feel slightly higher as there is less tension now on the Bridge, letting the Top breathe a bit more freely. I noticed this as well with another bass recently taking off one set and putting on another with less tension. This is also good for the health of older basses as well. The Sirleto however is 'barely legal' and just turned 18 this year. The Top is well arched and has tight even grained spruce in virgin condition. No cracks but a few nicks on the edges. So it's just Legal and still Virgin.. This is a bass I am talking about guys so keep your comments clean....

The Sirleto is now more fun to play with these string than just an hour ago or ever before. I think these strings will stay on the bass until they need replacing. The only other string I have ever had on it that I can remember were an older set of Flexocors and that was when I first got it about 2-3 years ago or so. Recently I had the Back restored and the Gears changed which afterwords I just put on whatever was lying around, the Helicore's.

I still think that the gauge of these strings feel a bit soft in comparison to other Orchestra strings. I would like to see Pirastro come out with a slightly heavier gauge/tension model string for heavy Orchestra playing. These might be too soft for some players, some basses or both.

This new string model is here to stay. Now we just need a few more gauges within the same formula.

Also, on a separate note, I want to thank Abe who first told me about these strings before they came out on the market.
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  #10  
Old 08-10-2010, 12:35 AM
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Ken - what do you use to measure string thickness? Micrometer?
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  #11  
Old 08-10-2010, 12:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson View Post
Ken - what do you use to measure string thickness? Micrometer?
That or a digital caliper. I have both. Measured in thousandths of inches.

Some countries also measure in fractions of millimeters. Inches is my language and most common in strings as well.
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  #12  
Old 08-10-2010, 09:13 PM
Vincent Trautwein Vincent Trautwein is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
I consider theses a Weich/soft type string as they are. I would like to see another gauge slightly bigger and tighter for Orchestra playing. I think the Orchestra players will find this current set too soft to dig in on.
That's disappointing...that's essentially my only problem with the (rapidly aging) set of Belcantos I'm using now. I was hoping these would fix that if they're Pirastro's "Belcantos, but better" string
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  #13  
Old 08-13-2010, 04:27 AM
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+1

Seems like all the newer strings are in the same direction; fat, soft, sloppy... I'd like to see some advances and new choices in good orchestra strings rather than low tension strings trying to be all things to all people.
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  #14  
Old 08-13-2010, 05:53 AM
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Lightbulb all things to all people?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson View Post
+1

Seems like all the newer strings are in the same direction; fat, soft, sloppy... I'd like to see some advances and new choices in good orchestra strings rather than low tension strings trying to be all things to all people.
I don't know too many strings that can be called all things to all people. I think back a few decades Spiros worked for most for Jazz players and Flexocors for Classical cats. Now we have more choices to add to the mix, or is that confusion? lol

Too clarify my testing, the Candi is a softer tensioned instrument so the strings feel softer on it. The Sirleto is a tighter feeling action. This is also because the Candi has a new neck and thick fingerboard with CF graphite inlaid. The stiffer neck takes the tension off the strings and makes them feel softer. Before the new neck/fb job was done the bass played much tighter. Maybe my comment on the soft/loose description was not 100% accurate. The exact same strings (the 2nd set) on the Sirleto feel quite tight with a normal neck on the thinner side with an average fingerboard, not thin or thick. On the Sirleto they are NOT loose at all.

Like any string, you have to try them on YOUR bass to know for sure. Please remember that if your bass goes into a restoration and gets a totally new neck and FB like the Candi did, the strings could feel different afterwords depending on what the neck was like beforehand.

They play so effortless on the Candi. So much so that I have been grooming the Candi (warming up on it) to use on any programs I have coming up that doesn't need a C-extension. Actually, I was thinking for quite awhile about putting a C-extension on the Candi but that idea is on the shelf at the moment. I have too many other projects already going. Sending the Candi in now will just stop the work on other basses in the same shop needing to be completed so it just has to wait.

They these strings if you can. The bow great and sound sweet. The neck closest strings would be the Evah weichs. The Passiones bow slightly better, just slightly. The Candi has been tested with those as well. The Candi actually sounds great for Jazz with either string but these lighter tensioned Passiones sound sweeter with a bit more Muah than even the Evah's.
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Old 08-13-2010, 06:00 AM
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Quote:
trying to be all things to all people.
An all purpose string would be great, too bad it's impossible. My point is that most the newer strings seem geared to players with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion. :-/
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  #16  
Old 08-13-2010, 06:14 AM
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Cool humm?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson View Post
An all purpose string would be great, too bad it's impossible. My point is that most the newer strings seem geared to players with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion. :-/
I am not so sure that's the direction with these. I think it was made to compete with the Belcantos. They are not as heavy in tension, gauge or tone as the Bel's are in my opinion but the slightly looser tension allows the bass to breathe more which brings out a wider spectrum of tone. I like them, bow or fingers.
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  #17  
Old 08-20-2010, 06:59 PM
Alex Verbree Alex Verbree is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson View Post
An all purpose string would be great, too bad it's impossible. My point is that most the newer strings seem geared to players with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion. :-/

I'm a 90% classical player, with a bit of folk that I tend to pizz. I personally prefer a lower tension string, including for orchestral settings. I find that instead of giving me more volume, higher tension strings generally choke up my bass and make it hard to get a warm, deep sound. I had a set of Original Flat Chromes on my bass for about six months, and it was the worst $400 I've ever spent. It wasn't a total loss, as my current set up is the Flat Chrome G with Bel Canto DAE, but with the full OFC set on my bass it was as if my bass had a big practice mute all the time.

Perhaps I am part of a growing group of classical bassists who prefer this sort of lower tensioned set up. I don't see the point in putting these monstrously thick cables on my bass that do nothing but choke up my sound and make it harder to play.

But then, my opinion's likely moot. I'm considering going gut!

Cheers,

Alex
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Old 08-20-2010, 07:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Verbree View Post
I'm a 90% classical player, with a bit of folk that I tend to pizz. I personally prefer a lower tension string, including for orchestral settings. I find that instead of giving me more volume, higher tension strings generally choke up my bass and make it hard to get a warm, deep sound. I had a set of Original Flat Chromes on my bass for about six months, and it was the worst $400 I've ever spent. It wasn't a total loss, as my current set up is the Flat Chrome G with Bel Canto DAE, but with the full OFC set on my bass it was as if my bass had a big practice mute all the time.

Perhaps I am part of a growing group of classical bassists who prefer this sort of lower tensioned set up. I don't see the point in putting these monstrously thick cables on my bass that do nothing but choke up my sound and make it harder to play.

But then, my opinion's likely moot. I'm considering going gut!

Cheers,

Alex
Sure, some basses are going to do better with lower tension. The thickness of a string really doesn't have much to do with the tension though; I mean, who knows what's really inside. And with a proper setup, ease of playing shouldn't really be much of an issue, let alone a deciding factor that overrides good tone...
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Old 08-23-2010, 11:43 AM
Alex Verbree Alex Verbree is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson View Post
Sure, some basses are going to do better with lower tension. The thickness of a string really doesn't have much to do with the tension though; I mean, who knows what's really inside. And with a proper setup, ease of playing shouldn't really be much of an issue, let alone a deciding factor that overrides good tone...
forgive me, the last section of my comment was a little dramatic. Most bass strings ARE thick cables in comparison to other instrumental strings, but that's neither here nor there .

But that being said, at the end of your comment you imply that heavier tension strings are going to have a better tone on a proper setup, while at the beginning you say some basses will do better with lower tension.

I don't think that either heavier tension or lighter tension strings are a cure-all to any bass players tone or playing woes. I go with lower tension strings because i like they way they feel under my hands, and I like the sound I can get from them. You, from your comments, seem to prefer a heavier tensioned string. There's nothing wrong with either of our views.

What I AM trying to say is to assume that those whom are buying lower tensioned strings are players "with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion" is just a fallacy. I am not alone in my use of Bel Cantos for classical orchestral playing, and in my opinion, the higher the tension, does not necessarily a better orchestral string make.

regards,

Alex
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  #20  
Old 08-23-2010, 06:32 PM
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Wink

And my original comment re chops was a little silly too. so yeah, you're right, there's a need for all different strings. I was just commenting on a trend that I see and find a little annoying is all, no big deal.
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