Double Bass Evah Pirazzi Slap Strings

[Jeff Kissell]

Thanks for clarifying Mark!
It seems like there is often speculation regarding strings that slowly evolves into "fact" here on TB and I'm as guilty as anyone...
:/

 

[Mark Gollihur]

Thanks for clarifying Mark!
It seems like there is often speculation regarding strings that slowly evolves into "fact" here on TB and I'm as guilty as anyone...
:/

Not uncommon. Everyone here is hungry for knowledge and willing to share, and that's usually a very good thing. ;-)

 

[Reiska]

I tried the Evah Slaps (all synthetic) a few years ago and remember thinking they sounded kind of bland but that was from the drivers seat. I had similar feelings about the Evah orchestras but then heard a recording I did with them and realized, in front of the bass, it was a totally different story. I wonder if the same is true with the slaps. The review Stringmatrix did on Youtube a few months ago of both the gut and synthetic slap sets made me start thinking about that.

I think they need to be crancked up high to deliver properly. I thought they were bland too, but then realised that they function same way that guts do. They`re not fighting with surrounding frequencies, but rather fill a space below it all. To the drivers seat they can be bland , but then they carry like crazy in the room. I played mine a lot acoustically in a 4 piece band with reso guitar, ten sax and drums / perc, no problems with hearing myself or beeing heard.

 

[Walch]

IIRC the Slaps are Evah Weichs in a lighter gauge.

Why do you believe guts don’t last? I’ve heard of orchestra players in the old days never changing them for an entire career. Might be body chemistry.

Must be body chemistry. My guts were definitely done when I took them off a week ago, and only got them in November (I guess that's more than 8 months but they started to die a while ago). The G harmonic (on the g string) was totally out if tune with the open string, and it lost a lot of projection and just generally started sounding like a toy. And that's even with me applying olive oil every week and clipping each of the hairs with a nail clipper.

And yeah from my impression, even though they're similar, bc of the thickness and lower tension the slaps seem to have more of the quick decay of the guts. But I havent tried the synthetic D and G yet. If my weichs are still too bright after a couple weeks of breaking in im gonna try out the synthetic slaps and i'll let yall know the difference in feel.

 

[Francois Blais]

So I ended up getting a Spiro E and A, and E.P. weichs for my D and G. I actually like the spiros for my low strings, but the E.P. weichs have wayyy to much sustain and are way too bright for my taste (I like my higher notes to have a quick decay and that nice gut-like thunk).

Did you ever try Jargar strings?
You seem to be a good candidate for them, at least the top strings.

 

[Walch]

Did you ever try Jargar strings?
You seem to be a good candidate for them, at least the top strings.

No but i just looked them up on here and they seem right up my alley. They're super cheap too, so I might try them out actually. Wish I could find a video/sound clip of them though. Would you recommend the medium or dolce?

 

[Francois Blais]

Dolce.

 

[PBandJazzBass]

@Bobby King hello, I've been reading through this thread and found it interesting and informative. I do have a random question though. What kind of bass did you try the Evah Slaps on and what are the typical characteristics of that bass? My bass, for example, tends to run tight and bright (rhyme unintentional).

 

[Bobby King]

@Bobby King hello, I've been reading through this thread and found it interesting and informative. I do have a random question though. What kind of bass did you try the Evah Slaps on and what are the typical characteristics of that bass? My bass, for example, tends to run tight and bright (rhyme unintentional).

Hey there! My bass is an old German hybrid bass from the 30s. I would say it’s in the middle in terms of brightness and tension. It’s a 42” scale.

Over time, my perceptions of the Evah Slaps are this: still a great affordable gut set, but still lacking in some respects. If you really want to go the gut route, strings like Gamut are superior in terms of tone, tension and pitch definition.

The E&A from the Evahs is a synthetic, and like many synthetics, they are somewhat “hollow” sounding, i. e. lacking in midrange definition. Gamut’s wound gut E&A pair with the plain uppers best of all, IMO. The plain G&D of the Evahs likewise are decent, but like most cheaper guts, the D is a little flabby and it’s pitch gets less clear as you go up the neck. Still, I’d say that the Evah Slaps are one of the better gut sets that aren’t ridiculously expensive.

Having said all of that - a full set of Gamuts is like $500-$600, and guts have all sorts of drawbacks in terms of stability, durability, bowabilty and other abilities

So pick your poison!

 

[PBandJazzBass]

@Bobby King thank you!

 

[Dutch Williams]

I tried the Evah Slaps (all synthetic) a few years ago and remember thinking they sounded kind of bland but that was from the drivers seat. I had similar feelings about the Evah orchestras but then heard a recording I did with them and realized, in front of the bass, it was a totally different story. I wonder if the same is true with the slaps. The review Stringmatrix did on Youtube a few months ago of both the gut and synthetic slap sets made me start thinking about that.

This syndrome is so .... real .... you hear a recording and you’re like DANG ... lol

 

[djc03006]

I decided to pick up a set of Evah Slaps. I currently have Pirastro Perpetuals on my bass - do you think I'll have to modify the bridge and nut to widen the grooves for the Slaps? Never had guts/synthetic guts on it before.

Also trying to find a good gut G string (plain or nylon wrapped) to pair with either the EAD slaps or EAD Perpetuals (depending on which I like better).

Reached out to Damian Dlugolecki but didn't hear back. Carlos H. Chorda, or Gamut Lyon/Pistoy/Red Diamond, Lenzner, all seem interesting. Any input appreciated!

 

[HateyMcAmp]

I have found gamut Lyon medium+ or heavy works really well with the slaps. Don’t sleep on the synthetic slap G thought! It’s a really nice string with a big sound on the right bass.

The slaps are a lot thicker than the perpetuals. I might consider taking the base to a luthier to make sure they won’t catch in the instruments nut or bridge slots.

 

[djc03006]

I have found gamut Lyon medium+ or heavy works really well with the slaps. Don’t sleep on the synthetic slap G thought! It’s a really nice string with a big sound on the right bass.

The slaps are a lot thicker than the perpetuals. I might consider taking the base to a luthier to make sure they won’t catch in the instruments nut or bridge slots.

Thanks, good advice. I might give Dan at Gamut a call, have heard he's helpful.

Not sure where my action will ultimately end up, but I would think 6 - 9 mm G - E would be ideal (on paper).

Would this seem feasible with G gut plus EAD perpetuals, or G gut plus EAD Slaps, or just full set of Slaps? Hopefully one of these 3 configurations will end up sticking.

 

[Earl]

Gamut or you could try the Evah Slap plain gut G

 

[HateyMcAmp]

Gamut or you could try the Evah Slap plain gut G

i’ve tried the Evah slap plain G. It’s not a bad string, particularly at the price point, but I feel like the gamut Lyon is far superior. It’s less thuddy and has a “snappier” response on my bass.

FYI if you wanted to try again it that’s the same gauge as the Evah plain gut go medium+. I personally opted for heavy last time I tried this though and thought it was a great match!

Not sure where my action will ultimately end up, but I would think 6 - 9 mm G - E would be ideal (on paper).

6 - 9 mm felt a little too low on my bass for the slaps, either all synthetic or with gut. It isn’t so much that they didn’t work at all low but they lost some weight behind the note and had a tendency to bottom out at time with my touch/technique. That being said they were very comfortable at a slightly higher action than that, and had a big sound. I also think that the slaps would match plain gut better than the perpetuals, which remind me more of Spiros than anything else.

 

[djc03006]

Gamut or you could try the Evah Slap plain gut G

Yup, Evah Slap gut I meant to add as an option, thanks!

 

[djc03006]

i’ve tried the Evah slap plain G. It’s not a bad string, particularly at the price point, but I feel like the gamut Lyon is far superior. It’s less thuddy and has a “snappier” response on my bass.

FYI if you wanted to try again it that’s the same gauge as the Evah plain gut go medium+. I personally opted for heavy last time I tried this though and thought it was a great match!



6 - 9 mm felt a little too low on my bass for the slaps, either all synthetic or with gut. It isn’t so much that they didn’t work at all low but they lost some weight behind the note and had a tendency to bottom out at time with my touch/technique. That being said they were very comfortable at a slightly higher action than that, and had a big sound. I also think that the slaps would match plain gut better than the perpetuals, which remind me more of Spiros than anything else.

All great points. I'm looking to find a balance where I can play with some speed (i.e. lower action) without sacrificing sound. There was a FB vid of a guy Mike Perez in the DB strings channel (I think) that sounded great playing Evah Slaps at 6 - 9mm on his bass. I guess part of it is that each bass is different, so I'll lean on my luthier to help me.

 

[HateyMcAmp]

All great points. I'm looking to find a balance where I can play with some speed (i.e. lower action) without sacrificing sound. There was a FB vid of a guy Mike Perez in the DB strings channel (I think) that sounded great playing Evah Slaps at 6 - 9mm on his bass. I guess part of it is that each bass is different, so I'll lean on my luthier to help me.

Agreed about the differences basses can have. A trip to the luthier sounds like a great way to be sure you’re getting the ideal performance out of new string so you can really give them a fair shot. I also think the slaps can be a good “gateway” to gut because they blend with gut tactically and sonically about as well as any synthetic on the market currently. The complete synthetic set plays and sounds great, but when you put a gut G on it really adds something cool and makes the bass sound more dynamic and colorful to my ears. Subjective I know, but I would recommend anyone interested in gut to give it a try.

Now that I think about it a little more I think the Evah Slap plain G, or maybe a used or NOS gut G on the classifieds, actually gets you a good idea of what you’re getting with gut. As amazing as the gamuts are I find that most non-boutique gut G strings sound pretty awesome with acceptable evenness, tension, and pitch definition. The D strings on the other hand.....

My new bass needs a fair bit of tension to not feel noodle-y I think, so I’m going to stick to Evah Weichs. Still dreaming of gut always though!

 

[AGCurry]

As amazing as the gamuts are I find that most non-boutique gut G strings sound pretty awesome with acceptable evenness, tension, and pitch definition.

+1. Gamut makes great strings, but unless you get into Pistoy or similar "different twist" strings from other makers, gut is gut. Nothing wrong with a Lenzner G.