Alembics and strings

[adriaan]

[This thread was started with postings from the Jimmy Flim Johnson Showcase thread, which had evolved into a separate line of discussion.]

[kungfusheriff]

IME Boomers die almost instantly. The best sounds I've had from an Alembic bass came out of DR strings.

[edwin]

I have to agree with kungfusheriff. I put my Series I away for a while when I was frustrated with the tone. I forget what strings were on it. Then I went through a massive string search and ended up getting an endorsement from DR (yes, I still pay for my strings) and loved them. When I put Sunbeams on the Series I, it was like having a new bass and the bottom end all of a sudden came to life. After that, I couldn't put it down (until it messed up my shoulder).
 
I would have liked to try it with the DR flats.
 
 
Edwin

[s_wood]

Edwin, recognizing how difficult it is to type about these things, have you ever A/B'ed HiBeams and Sunbeams?  I've used HiBeams on my Series bass for years and loved them, but lately I've been wanting to warm up my tone a bit by toning down the high end.  Any thoughts?

[edwin]

I tried some HiBeams briefly a long time ago and decided they weren't for me. The Sunbeams sound smoother and feel better. I guess I just prefer nickel strings! SS feels a little rougher and harsher. I also think the nickel might add some to the very lows, but that might be due to other factors I was facing when switching between the sets.
 
I've got the Alembic strings on my new S1 and am thinking about swapping them out for some Sunbeams to see what that difference is. I am pretty amazed at the amount of tension on the Alembic strings, given that this is a short scale.

[s_wood]

I really like Alembic strings on my Series basses.  Other than the original R. Cocco strings I don't think I've ever found a string that gets closer to the tone I'm looking for.  (I haven't tried the new R.Coccos, btw).  Alas, though, for me the Alembics don't seem to last nearly as long as DR's, and since I am lazy DR's are my compromise option.

[jos]

Ghs Boomers are great for Alembics they have great mids and great low end, to me they sound massive. Elixir is also great because it?s the same string with coating. Try to record something on tape and then compare to other strings. It?s also good to know that when you buy a set of 45-105 some strings feels really stiff and some other smooth, one of the reasons is that not all 45\s are 45\s some are actually 44 or43 you know it feels smoother and are better for you but actually the thing is that you by thinner strings. Please record with different strings in same gauge and you notice the difference.  
Strings also sound different depending on the distance between tuners and ?string holder? (where the string starts from in the body of the bass, hope you know what I mean) the longer the difference is tighter the string gets, it also usually sounds better or actually its better to say rings longer. (Now we are only talking about 34\basses). I used to use Boomers on my Fender but they did not work too well, but once I did put them on my Alembics it was just perfect. Alembic basses have so much high end that I do not need any more from my strings. Boomers has high end too. ?Just what?s needed for my Alembics?  
 
All The Best,
J-O-S

[adriaan]

I remember putting Boomers on my Epic after the Alembic strings that came on the bass had gone dull (after many, many months). I was used to Boomers on my Yamaha neck-through, but they sounded horrible on the Epic. Hm, perhaps Boomers are for neck-throughs?

[cozmik_cowboy]

No, the distance from nut to tuner does not effect tension.  Tension is a function of the mass, length, and pitch of the speaking part of the string only.  Change one of those and you'll have different tension; leave everything nut to saddle the same and tension will be the same.
 
Peter

[terryc]

I use fence wire, from the large ranch type down to the thin garden type for climbing plants.
Knot at the end for the bridge and a securing bolt on the tuning head(sure gnarls up the post)
Tension is attained by using a turnbuckle and when they rust I use steel wool and metal polish as boiling them makes them rust more.
The neck on my bass has become a little bowed but it certainly makes for an interesting playing technique and really strengthens up the forearm muscles, finger tendons and produced great callouses on the fingertips.
The sound is interesting..a lovely low toneless thud that the filters really have to work to get any sort of musical tone from them.
The good news is that they last forever!
 
(Message edited by TerryC on October 15, 2010)

[adriaan]

Peter, I'm no physicist, but I can't imagine the tension on the string core can be different along the length of the string. You may measure different directional tensions where the string makes an angle (bridge, nut, tuning peg) but the resulting overall tension should be the same.
 
Terry - how's about the barbed stuff?

[terryc]

adriaan..I tried the barbed type but it tends to wear the fretboard prematurely so I stuck with the standard smooth stuff

[edwin]

Peter, I totally agree with you on a theoretical level, but if my Starfire and my shorty Series I are the same scale why does the tension feel different with the same make and model strings on them? Maybe there's some other thing going on that feels like a tension difference but might be some other factor.

[David Houck]

Edwin; do you notice that difference with your left hand, right hand, or both?

[cozmik_cowboy]

Adriaan; I'm not saying that you'll find different tension outside the nut-saddle length, I'm saying that to achieve a given pitch on a given string at a given scale, there will only be one tension that will work.  It will be same over the whole string, but changing the length outside the speaking part will not vary it.
 
Edwin;  that's interesting.  Maybe the differences other than scale (profile, radius, etc.) causes it?  
 
Dave; good question!
 
Peter