2.1
Steel strings
1. Evah Pirazzi (Pirastro): These are the stings I currently use. I think they have an even sound and a relatively relaxed tension compared to other strings. I like that these strings are versatile enough for pizzicato playing, arco, and slapping. I get mine through the String Emporium (www.stringemporium.com). 2. Spirocore (Thomastk): I used to use these. They have a good sound and slap well, but (in my experience) they weren’t the best for bowing. 3. Obligato (Pirastro): An all around good string. I have lots of friends who love these strings for their sound and feel. 4. Super Sensitive: I started playing on these strings. In short, they are awful. Like playing with high tension wires.
2.2
Gut and Hybrid Strings
1. Pure gut strings: I play rockabilly and roots music using pure gut strings with an unwound A and E (i.e., all the a strings are pure gut). They have a great sound for slapping and are a pleasure to play for your fingers. That said, the sustain on these strings isn’t what you get with steels and the low notes are very quick to decay. That said, for the purpose of roots music, the sound is authentic and pure. These strings require some care. First, they stretch more than your average string upon installation. The period of stretching can take up to a week during which time your bass may be almost unplayable as the strings can stretch (and hence go out of tune) with every slap. You also need to take care to avoid the strings drying out. I usually wipe a little bit of walnut oil on my strings every other week (or every week if I’m playing a lot). You can use almost any fruit or vegetable based oil, just avoid those with any acidity. When little “hairs” emerge on the string from fraying, I use a pair of nail clippers to cut off the frayed bit close to the strings. I do know some people who sand their gut strings to get rid of fraying: They use a very fine sandpaper (660+) to remove the fraying and then oil the strings. I get mine from Lemur Music (www.lemurmusic.com). Be warned: These strings are much thicker than other strings (especially the A and E). Due to the size of the strings, you may need to modify the nut, bridge, and potentially the tailpiece to accommodate the strings’ sizes. 2. Gut wound strings: I’ve used wound gut strings that are typically steel wrapped A and E strings and pure gut G and D strings. I liked the sound, but the wrapped strings sounded a bit brighter than the others. This could potentially create problems in maintaining an even sound across the instrument. The main reason I stopped using them though was the fact that the wrapped strings are round-wound and started scratching my fingerboard. 3. Innovation: These strings are very popular. They are made of a nylon core wrapped in nylon. They have a more mellow and darker sound than metal core strings and slap great. Some argue that the sound isn’t as good as gut, but in an amplified setting most people can’t tell the difference. I haven’t used them for any extended period of time because I didn’t like the sound as much as gut. 2