Double Bass Tempera Hybrid Strings

#221
I recently had another bass in my possession, one I want to buy, so I restrung it with the Hybrids to see how it took to them. (the bass already has a huge direct sound but with the hybrids my daughter kept telling me to turn down the amp it was too loud in the living room for her "look girl! No amp" ..."well turn it down anyway" she said) these strings sound great on my little bass and WOW do they sound good on the new one.
In the course of it though I whacked the G string against something sharp and broke the winding at about the Bb. bummer...but Jan-Ole has already sent me a new one (I was happy to buy it, it was my fault) i'm going to be more careful going forward (they are very robust though).
It is definitely the G string that is the most critical to me, absolutely no whine or buzz or any of the shenanigans of other G strings, but the full balanced set is where it's at.
 
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#223
it's a 3/4 euro shop bass of no special pedigree, but was picked out and owned by two of my favorite local cats here.I went over to my friend (one of these cats) he has 6 basses and wanted to sell one...I gravitated toward this immediately and that was that. He gave me this puppy dog look like "Not THAT one" and he still might hang on to it (I wouldn't blame him). But it is just a killing 3/4 jazz instrument that speaks authoritatively all the way across up and down and sings like an angel.
 
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#225
How do these strings compare (sound and feel) to the velvet compass 180 strings? I imagine they might be similar, but I hope not.

I've moved into a darker sound world recently (oliv G and D with spiro which E and A). I've found the oliv D and G can be pushed hard to increase volume when needs be, a bit like having a boost pedal engaged, which helps when things take off, or even for soloing. (They're also big and fat sounding up in thumb position.)

But I'm wondering about the tempera if they can do that or something similar combined with a greater ease of playing...
 
#226
WOW I just put my Temps on my new bass (my other bass is a small bodied but carved bass which sounds great with the Temps but it is not a full size sound) and the sound is just AMAZING. Loud growl-y but clear. THe Weichs sounded really good too but the Temps open up the sound without losing definition, are lower tension and just play and allow the bass to sound fantastic.
 
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#227
flatback said:
THe Weichs sounded really good too but the Temps open up the sound without losing definition, are lower tension and just play and allow the bass to sound fantastic.
Click to expand...
Exactly my experience — coming from Spiro weichs as well, which are excellent in their own right (as are all Spiros on this bass). But Tempera hybrids are “mo better” in every respect (ymmv).

Plus, they are putting out the same sound a year later, no deterioration — which I can’t say about a bunch of other strings I’ve played on over the years
 
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#228
SRL said:
How do these strings compare (sound and feel) to the velvet compass 180 strings? I imagine they might be similar, but I hope not.

I've moved into a darker sound world recently (oliv G and D with spiro which E and A). I've found the oliv D and G can be pushed hard to increase volume when needs be, a bit like having a boost pedal engaged, which helps when things take off, or even for soloing. (They're also big and fat sounding up in thumb position.)

But I'm wondering about the tempera if they can do that or something similar combined with a greater ease of playing...
Click to expand...
Temperas are from the brighter sound world with lots of sustain. A bit like Velvet 180`s but much better punch, fundamental, ease of playing and great bowability and durability IMO.
Gerold Genssler`s Sonores line has some interesting alternatives for Olives - and in the same price range :)
 
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#229
groooooove said:
i played mine for a long time with the post in the standard "spirocore" position- as it was placed by the maker of my instrument.

I tried a set of wrapped gut strings, and was advised to move the post further away from the bridge slighty - so, i did.

i switched back to tempera hybrids. i did find the sound slightly improved.

so i reached out to tempera, and they said yes they do recommend a soundpost adjustment to create more space from the bridge foot to the post (further south.

the luthier who made my bass/did the soundpost adjustment is very well versed in gut strings (he makes gambas and such as well as violins). He said there is of course a natural "range" where the post goes, +/- once its own width. with low tension (gut, usually) you go to the further end of that "standard" range.

i say this just to say it's part of the standard formula of sound post setting. low tension strings perform better with the post at the far edge of the "normal" area.

but i'd also say, if you don't like the strings with your post in the normal spot i doubt moving it will change your mind.
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Reporting in on sound post position —

I experimented with sound post position yesterday with up at O’Hara Fine Instruments. My sound post has been in the default (“starting position”) position — I have been very satisfied with the bass and strings in this position. The hybrids have been on for a year now.

Keiran and I first tried with the sound post at “2 post diameters” south of the bridge. In this position, there was more “bloom” to the notes (more expressive) but at the expense of front note attack and punch. The bass also seemed to be responding “slower”.

So Kieran suggested splitting the difference by moving the post to 1 post diameter south of the bridge. That position seemed to do exactly that, so that’s where we left it.

I expect the sound to further settle back in after a couple more days, since we had taken the tension off the top and detuned the strings.

BTw Keiran and Jenn O’Hara (bows) are doing some good things up there, worth the trip.
 
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#230
Selim said:
Reporting in on sound post position —

I experimented with sound post position yesterday with up at O’Hara Fine Instruments. My sound post has been in the default (“starting position”) position — I have been very satisfied with the bass and strings in this position. The hybrids have been on for a year now.

Keiran and I first tried with the sound post at “2 post diameters” south of the bridge. In this position, there was more “bloom” to the notes (more expressive) but at the expense of front note attack and punch. The bass also seemed to be responding “slower”.

So Kieran suggested splitting the difference by moving the post to 1 post diameter south of the bridge. That position seemed to do exactly that, so that’s where we left it.

I expect the sound to further settle back in after a couple more days, since we had taken the tension off the top and detuned the strings.

BTw Keiran and Jenn O’Hara (bows) are doing some good things up there, worth the trip.
Click to expand...

Kieran is very talented. Nice guy, too.
 
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#232
Day 1 with the Tempera Hybrids yesterday (barely used set purchased here on TB), very excited so I played a gig right after installing them on my Kay, took the whole night for them to somewhat stabilize tuning-wise, to be expected lol.

I changed from Aquila Red Spring synthetics, which i love but are unbowable - something i wanted to get back to in a jazz setting.

Temperas are soft and low tension, as advertised, and they’re steels so they’re a tiny bit more work on the right hand than guts, but very doable. The A/D are booming in a good way, G is great, the E is a bit floppy in tone/feel, so will see how these things come into their own over time.

Overall loved the tone acoustically and they are very focused thru the amp. Bowed, it sounds really nice too, interestingly sounded a little more gut like than i would’ve expected (that scratchy-in-a-good-way thing) but probably because it’s a ply bass. Still plenty of depth tho.

Of note, the jack to the Realist Lifeline pickup is normally installed on the tailpiece, held on by passing strings thru its brackets. The Tempera mounting doesn’t really allow for that so the jack is now mounted on the bow quiver.

Anyway, i will probably miss guts again one day and may try a Sonores synthetic flavor (but which ones??? Grr). But will certainly give these excellent strings a fair shake for the foreseeable future.

I am very seriously thinking of Temperas on the carved juzek i use for orchestra to replace Spiro Weichs (my 1 yr old set there just doesn’t sound like previous sets, not sure what’s going on…). But that bass has a C extension and I’m not certain I’ll love a floppier long C string. Anyway, will chew for next year as I am committed to the 2024 Spiro challenge ;)

Finally, Thx to everyone in this and other Tempera threads - all your updates have been super helpful!
 
#233
Jmilitsc said:
Day 1 with the Tempera Hybrids yesterday (barely used set purchased here on TB), very excited so I played a gig right after installing them on my Kay, took the whole night for them to somewhat stabilize tuning-wise, to be expected lol.

I changed from Aquila Red Spring synthetics, which i love but are unbowable - something i wanted to get back to in a jazz setting.

Temperas are soft and low tension, as advertised, and they’re steels so they’re a tiny bit more work on the right hand than guts, but very doable. The A/D are booming in a good way, G is great, the E is a bit floppy in tone/feel, so will see how these things come into their own over time.

Overall loved the tone acoustically and they are very focused thru the amp. Bowed, it sounds really nice too, interestingly sounded a little more gut like than i would’ve expected (that scratchy-in-a-good-way thing) but probably because it’s a ply bass. Still plenty of depth tho.

Of note, the jack to the Realist Lifeline pickup is normally installed on the tailpiece, held on by passing strings thru its brackets. The Tempera mounting doesn’t really allow for that so the jack is now mounted on the bow quiver.

Anyway, i will probably miss guts again one day and may try a Sonores synthetic flavor (but which ones??? Grr). But will certainly give these excellent strings a fair shake for the foreseeable future.

I am very seriously thinking of Temperas on the carved juzek i use for orchestra to replace Spiro Weichs (my 1 yr old set there just doesn’t sound like previous sets, not sure what’s going on…). But that bass has a C extension and I’m not certain I’ll love a floppier long C string. Anyway, will chew for next year as I am committed to the 2024 Spiro challenge ;)

Finally, Thx to everyone in this and other Tempera threads - all your updates have been super helpful!I
Click to expand...
I've been using the Hybrids for a couple of years on the bass that I play for pretty much everything. It's been a very good all purpose string for me. I do have a long E for extention, which has worked pretty well if I remember to not push it too hard, which is why I got these strings in the first place. I wanted a string that was more flexible and I could play with a lighter touch and still get good sound and projection. I've never had good luck with metallic- sounding strings on this bass, so the Hybrids are a good choice for me. So far I'm happy. I hope they're as resilient as advertised, but so far, so good.
 
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#234
Just got a set of Tempera Hybrids and installed them on my carved german bass. My usual setup is Pirastro Chorda plain gut D & G and Spiro mittels on E & A. I tend to love high action and keep my right hand low and play hard. Mostly pizz for blues, jazz, and country etc

First impressions
D & G:
Temperas feel great and have a nice warm tone, less bright and splanky than spiro weich D & G straight out of the box, and less dull than Evahs (been a while since I used wound D & G though). The thicker gauge allows me to keep my bridge height the same without the strings feeling like action has changed substantially much from my previous setup and subsequently I can still play hard and it sounds solid.

E & A:
Really not loving the feel initially. VERY floppy even with super high action. The low tension sounds good when I play with an extremely soft touch, as I do typically only on ballads. As soon as I play any harder it is splanky as hell and just doesn’t sound good. I even tried raising my bridge adjusters slightly but it didnt change anything. Fingerboard was dressed recently so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I truly was quite happy with the feel of my bass w the Spiro mittel E & A and Chorda D & G, my only reasons for trying to switch it up was being fed up w the lifespan of the plain guts and their tendency to lose sustain and deaden/develop weird quirks and the less even tension across the top of the instrument seemed to choke the sound a bit. But maybe I’d be happier just sticking w that setup and resigning myself to replacing strings more frequently and have a luthier adjust post placement to mitigate resonance issues. I’ve tried a lot of plain gut D & G and it is def a crapshoot if you get a very solid string or a dud. I probably should have had the foresight to realize the low tension thing might not jive with my heavy right hand.
I was kinda hoping I’d love the temperas but first impressions are kinda meh
 
#235
iankenselaar said:
Just got a set of Tempera Hybrids and installed them on my carved german bass. My usual setup is Pirastro Chorda plain gut D & G and Spiro mittels on E & A. I tend to love high action and keep my right hand low and play hard. Mostly pizz for blues, jazz, and country etc

First impressions
D & G:
Temperas feel great and have a nice warm tone, less bright and splanky than spiro weich D & G straight out of the box, and less dull than Evahs (been a while since I used wound D & G though). The thicker gauge allows me to keep my bridge height the same without the strings feeling like action has changed substantially much from my previous setup and subsequently I can still play hard and it sounds solid.

E & A:
Really not loving the feel initially. VERY floppy even with super high action. The low tension sounds good when I play with an extremely soft touch, as I do typically only on ballads. As soon as I play any harder it is splanky as hell and just doesn’t sound good. I even tried raising my bridge adjusters slightly but it didnt change anything. Fingerboard was dressed recently so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I truly was quite happy with the feel of my bass w the Spiro mittel E & A and Chorda D & G, my only reasons for trying to switch it up was being fed up w the lifespan of the plain guts and their tendency to lose sustain and deaden/develop weird quirks and the less even tension across the top of the instrument seemed to choke the sound a bit. But maybe I’d be happier just sticking w that setup and resigning myself to replacing strings more frequently and have a luthier adjust post placement to mitigate resonance issues. I’ve tried a lot of plain gut D & G and it is def a crapshoot if you get a very solid string or a dud. I probably should have had the foresight to realize the low tension thing might not jive with my heavy right hand.
I was kinda hoping I’d love the temperas but first impressions are kinda meh
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Could do tempera g and d with spiro a and e?
 
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#236
iankenselaar said:
Just got a set of Tempera Hybrids and installed them on my carved german bass. My usual setup is Pirastro Chorda plain gut D & G and Spiro mittels on E & A. I tend to love high action and keep my right hand low and play hard. Mostly pizz for blues, jazz, and country etc

First impressions
D & G:
Temperas feel great and have a nice warm tone, less bright and splanky than spiro weich D & G straight out of the box, and less dull than Evahs (been a while since I used wound D & G though). The thicker gauge allows me to keep my bridge height the same without the strings feeling like action has changed substantially much from my previous setup and subsequently I can still play hard and it sounds solid.

E & A:
Really not loving the feel initially. VERY floppy even with super high action. The low tension sounds good when I play with an extremely soft touch, as I do typically only on ballads. As soon as I play any harder it is splanky as hell and just doesn’t sound good. I even tried raising my bridge adjusters slightly but it didnt change anything. Fingerboard was dressed recently so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I truly was quite happy with the feel of my bass w the Spiro mittel E & A and Chorda D & G, my only reasons for trying to switch it up was being fed up w the lifespan of the plain guts and their tendency to lose sustain and deaden/develop weird quirks and the less even tension across the top of the instrument seemed to choke the sound a bit. But maybe I’d be happier just sticking w that setup and resigning myself to replacing strings more frequently and have a luthier adjust post placement to mitigate resonance issues. I’ve tried a lot of plain gut D & G and it is def a crapshoot if you get a very solid string or a dud. I probably should have had the foresight to realize the low tension thing might not jive with my heavy right hand.
I was kinda hoping I’d love the temperas but first impressions are kinda meh
Click to expand...
I think you may be using these strings in the wrong way. I used quite stiff strings with high action for many years and eventually realized I had to lighten up if I was going to continue playing without serious and career- ending injury. I used Evahs for a while and they were okay but when Hybrids came out with the concept of light playing to make the instrument vibrate more freely I thought them worth a try. It took some time to make the adjustment in playing and thinking, not to mention listening to myself.I also lowered the action more than I ever had before. I must say, however, that I'm now very happy I stuck with it. I feel better physically and that my technique has improved as a result of less tension and more relaxation. I still occasionally have to remind myself to keep it light and easy, but in general I'm very satisfied. I can play acoustically, amped, arco, and pizz and all work well.
 
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#237
iankenselaar said:
Just got a set of Tempera Hybrids and installed them on my carved german bass. My usual setup is Pirastro Chorda plain gut D & G and Spiro mittels on E & A. I tend to love high action and keep my right hand low and play hard. Mostly pizz for blues, jazz, and country etc

First impressions
D & G:
Temperas feel great and have a nice warm tone, less bright and splanky than spiro weich D & G straight out of the box, and less dull than Evahs (been a while since I used wound D & G though). The thicker gauge allows me to keep my bridge height the same without the strings feeling like action has changed substantially much from my previous setup and subsequently I can still play hard and it sounds solid.

E & A:
Really not loving the feel initially. VERY floppy even with super high action. The low tension sounds good when I play with an extremely soft touch, as I do typically only on ballads. As soon as I play any harder it is splanky as hell and just doesn’t sound good. I even tried raising my bridge adjusters slightly but it didnt change anything. Fingerboard was dressed recently so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I truly was quite happy with the feel of my bass w the Spiro mittel E & A and Chorda D & G, my only reasons for trying to switch it up was being fed up w the lifespan of the plain guts and their tendency to lose sustain and deaden/develop weird quirks and the less even tension across the top of the instrument seemed to choke the sound a bit. But maybe I’d be happier just sticking w that setup and resigning myself to replacing strings more frequently and have a luthier adjust post placement to mitigate resonance issues. I’ve tried a lot of plain gut D & G and it is def a crapshoot if you get a very solid string or a dud. I probably should have had the foresight to realize the low tension thing might not jive with my heavy right hand.
I was kinda hoping I’d love the temperas but first impressions are kinda meh
Click to expand...
Take a look to the website of tempera strings..:)
tempera-strings.com

About | Tempera Strings

Tempera Strings were designed to achieve the sound of a modern string reminiscent of gut-string aesthetics but with much easier handling.
tempera-strings.com tempera-strings.com
I quote from the website:
"

Background​

What we call a ‘modern’ string today in fact refers to an invention that is more than 100 years old. As practical as they are, they still fall short, giving neither transparency and clarity nor the beauty of a wide range of sound. Its quick response is based on limited amplitude and excessive tension. As such, ‘modern’ strings reflect a trend in the classical music world, which focuses on technical bravura and perfectionism rather than musical expression. This impulse brought uniformity, and with it boredom, to the stage, leading the classical music scene into a genuine crisis. But it seems there may be a change in the wind, a shift away from stubborn, monotonous replication and back to personal expression, which is the very essence of music. With Tempera, we hope to contribute to this shift and establish a new standard."

As Bruce Calin mentioned before... you have to change and adapt the setup...
When I switched from Evah Pirazzi to the Bassos, I went to "my" luthier to adjust the setup.. Done once switching to Hybrids was no problem at all....
 
#238
iankenselaar said:
Just got a set of Tempera Hybrids and installed them on my carved german bass. My usual setup is Pirastro Chorda plain gut D & G and Spiro mittels on E & A. I tend to love high action and keep my right hand low and play hard. Mostly pizz for blues, jazz, and country etc

First impressions
D & G:
Temperas feel great and have a nice warm tone, less bright and splanky than spiro weich D & G straight out of the box, and less dull than Evahs (been a while since I used wound D & G though). The thicker gauge allows me to keep my bridge height the same without the strings feeling like action has changed substantially much from my previous setup and subsequently I can still play hard and it sounds solid.

E & A:
Really not loving the feel initially. VERY floppy even with super high action. The low tension sounds good when I play with an extremely soft touch, as I do typically only on ballads. As soon as I play any harder it is splanky as hell and just doesn’t sound good. I even tried raising my bridge adjusters slightly but it didnt change anything. Fingerboard was dressed recently so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I truly was quite happy with the feel of my bass w the Spiro mittel E & A and Chorda D & G, my only reasons for trying to switch it up was being fed up w the lifespan of the plain guts and their tendency to lose sustain and deaden/develop weird quirks and the less even tension across the top of the instrument seemed to choke the sound a bit. But maybe I’d be happier just sticking w that setup and resigning myself to replacing strings more frequently and have a luthier adjust post placement to mitigate resonance issues. I’ve tried a lot of plain gut D & G and it is def a crapshoot if you get a very solid string or a dud. I probably should have had the foresight to realize the low tension thing might not jive with my heavy right hand.
I was kinda hoping I’d love the temperas but first impressions are kinda meh
Click to expand...
I suppose I’ll give it another week or two to see if I’d like to make the adjustment, but (knock on wood) I’ve really never had any issues with my setup/technique that would make me worried I may injure myself — I’m not sure if I’m willing to change up my entire approach and sound that drastically but it could be an interesting experiment. Could be that these strings just aren’t for me. If I decide that’s the case — please keep your eyes out for a fresh set of Tempera Hybrids for sale soon 😉
 
#240
iankenselaar said:
I suppose I’ll give it another week or two to see if I’d like to make the adjustment, but (knock on wood) I’ve really never had any issues with my setup/technique that would make me worried I may injure myself — I’m not sure if I’m willing to change up my entire approach and sound that drastically but it could be an interesting experiment. Could be that these strings just aren’t for me. If I decide that’s the case — please keep your eyes out for a fresh set of Tempera Hybrids for sale soon 😉
Click to expand...
You currently have youth on your side ;) but the effects compound over time and can result in some serious problems. This is coming from one who for many years used gut at a very high action with a heavy right hand. One bout of serious tendinitis a few years ago made me rethink everything. Larry Grenadier says he constantly reminds himself to play lighter. Ask C McBride, John Webber and many others. Ron Carter has said that if you play too hard you will get a smaller sound, not a louder one. Watch Chambers, Ware and other gut players. Their right hand was very relaxed and not overplaying. There is a sweet spot of not too hard, not too light. I am learning to not fight the instrument.
 
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