Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Weich + Oliv Double Bass String Review

In this video, I review Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Weich double bass strings, as well as a Pirastro Oliv G string. There are lots of playing examples of these with pizzicato (finger style) and arco (with the bow). The Evah Pirazzi set is a synthetic string with chrome-steel wrap and the Oliv is gut core with a chrome-steel wrap.
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[@iltulipano]

I had exactly the same experiences when I tried out the Oliv G-string for some time, with a set of Evah Pirazzi Weich. Very inspiring and beautiful warm acoustic sound, but I got really fed up with (checking my) tuning every one or two songs on a gig (arco and pizz). So now back again to full set of EP which works very well for me since I do jazz, classical, fado and everything in between... I change my strings - if I can afford it - once a year, year and a half, and always shortly before an important recording session or theatre tour... and I always think: "Oh I should have done this earlier!" Thanks for your great videos!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Thanks, I'm glad it's not just me! :-)

[@stevevarner7316]

Geoff, Excellent video, as always. I was thinking about the Evah set for my plywood when I saw that you had done a video about it. I almost always opt for heavier strings due to a perceived loss in depth, but your sound is awesome! Thanks, man… Steve V

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Thanks Steve, I'm glad you enjoyed it :-)

[@RobMoreno335]

Have you tried the Evah Medium set? I'm wondering what your perceived differences are, thanks for the great vids!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Yes I've tried the mediums and they are a great set, especially for arco. I found them too hard work on my hands when compared to the weichs. I also think the weich set sounds a bit better for pizz. Thanks for checking out the video, cheers Geoff

[@aly-aly]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass Hi Geoff... Which model strings, rosin hear more pronounced? Thanks. Great videos ;)

[@marinmarinov5510]

Thanks to your video I went ahead and ordered a Evah Pirazzi weich set. Love them! I don't think Spirocores will ever come near my bass again :)

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Thanks Marin, I'm also back on the Evah weichs and they are sounding great! :-)

[@aly-aly]

Hi Geoff... Which model strings, rosin hear more pronounced? Thanks. Great videos ;) I use Thomastik Kunstler-Seil-Sainte Superflexible..Katalog Nr.36 Good strings for. I had another set on my bass but the sound, even with bow was like a rock bass...

[@paula.m.4996]

I think I'm gonna try these strings out!!! Also I have a question. What are your favorite pieces that you think every bassist should know? Thank you!!!!

[@maxwoodward8809]

Hi Geoff, I started playing the double bass 4 months ago, I was wondering how often I need to change the strings.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Hey Max, it really depends on the brand of strings and the style of music. Classical strings should last several years but jazz strings generally sound better if they are brighter so need changing more often as strings get darker over time. Steel strings like Thomastik Spirocore last for many years if you're playing jazz. Synthetic strings like the Evah Weichs I use tend to loose the brightness after about 12 months (in my experience) so depending on how much that matters you might want to change them. I tend to do it about once every couple of years.

[@bobwright9516]

Excellent video just purchased my first Upright at the grand old age of 55....played Electric Bass on and off for about 15 years just hoping the transfer isn't too daunting looking forward to the challenge as i've wanted one for many years fingers crossed

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Hey Bob, that's great to hear! I hope you enjoy the journey and if you need any help along the way please let me know, cheers Geoff :-)

[@dbass8221]

Great video, did you have to adjust the nut width to accommodate the Oliv G ?

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

No, it was completely fine and I haven't made any changes when switching between this and other strings. However, that might not be the case on all instruments.

[@kenchuba6024]

That G string sounds great.

[@EliasMohr2]

Hi Geoff, thanks for these videos! Im thinking of switching to weich from mittles. How do they compare tonewise?

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

The Evah weich sound better for jazz than the orchestra (medium) set IMO. They have a bit more bite and cut though better. I also think the amplify better...the mediums do have a great rich tone, but I prefer the weichs in both playability and tone, especially when played pizz.

[@EleazarOctavioRuizSpreafico]

Thanks so much for this video. I have been playing gut strings for meany years (A and E gut core metal wounded), but is a bit hard for bowing. And I was wondering about this set up I have played with Evah Pirazzi but I was missing the deeper gut strings tone in G and D strings. I can see now that Oliv G and D with Evah Pirazzi A and E will work as I imagined; thanks to this video. Cheers!!! Your lessons are great!!!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+EleazarOctavio That's great to hear you enjoyed the video and I agree that the Oliv is worth trying + the Oliv G bows really well so I'm sure you will like that. Good luck with the strings and thanks for checking out the lessons, cheers Geoff :-)

[@albertotravagli]

Thanks a lot for your answer dear Geoff!

[@albertotravagli]

Hi Maestro, I am the principal double bass player in a German orchestra and I am also very used to play with gut strings for baroque music. I love jazz and your way of playing. I want to play jazz again, since a lot of years only between opera and symphony concerts. I have two five strings double basses with gut strings at home. I regularly use the old one for barocque with frets and I would like to start now playing jazz with the other one. I love Paul Chambers... What do you think about playing with a gut strings set? Thanks for your videos, you are an amazing player! All the best, Alberto

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Hi Alberto, thanks for your kind message, I really appreciate your feedback. I find gut strings too distracting and sometimes harder amplifier than the synthetic strings like Evah Pirazzi weich. For an all round set that works great for jazz, but also bows well it's still my favourite and what I have on my bass right now. That said gut strings do sound cool and perhaps if I had more patience I would try them out :-) Best of luck with your playing and have a great weekend, cheers Geoff

[@TomBurnsExtras]

Hi Geoff, great review! Do you think old and new strings generally blend well? Here it seems like you got an interesting blend with new strings. I also notice that you chose the G string and use it a lot in your solos, so this made sense to me (do you think it would make less sense to blend an individual an A or D rather than an E or G with a set of other strings, i.e. get an interesting string for a your low or high end but keep the mid range similar?) Also, on an unrelated note, I really like some of your study pieces and improved lines. I have been watching your videos for a while and like to play my bass as a hobby/distraction from writing (I am a PhD student and do a lot of writing ... but reward myself with little jazz videos like yours :D). But I am thinking of making some KZbin videos about my life as a scientist-in-training and wondered if maybe I could use some of your music from your videos in them? I would of course credit you in the videos and if you like I link people back to your channel Please let me know if this is possible and/or if it would be okay to try recording myself covering one of your study pieces, etc. Thanks !

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Tom Burns I think it can be tricky to blend old strings, especially if you switch out a middle string it can stand out a bit too much, but adding the E or G does seem to work better....I would generally try to start with all new strings if at all possible and probably just choose the E or G to switch out...but I'm not too sure as generally I don't mix sets and only change the strings together. That said a lot of people will use a Sprio E and Gut G with their sets so I'm sure there's a big grey area as to what works best.

[@hectorpage2599]

Hey Geoff, how are you getting on with that Oliv G after a little while? I just got barely used Oliv D and G strings - found my Zyex G too toppy and thought I might as well go for an Oliv D while I'm at it getting a 2nd hand deal). Gonna throw them on the bass tomorrow. Slightly worried about longevity though, have heard some horror stories about sudden unwindings on the gig!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Hector Page I think you're right to take into consideration the chance it could break, so carrying a used set of old strings in your gig bag is a great insurance incase that happens, but I didn't feel that was a big issue as they do seem very well made...but just incase. In the end I've gone back to a full set of Evah Weichs as I found I was getting distracted by the tuning of the G on gigs. That's a trade off which might be worth it for a lot of bassists, but I found it was a bit of a hassle...but I LOVED that string and it did make me play in a slightly different way as it also felt great under the hand. I think it's well worth trying out so good luck with it, cheers Geoff :-)

[@hectorpage2599]

+Discover Double Bass Well I'm in big trouble now - head over heels in love with them! Sound and feel exactly what I'm looking for. Better get some decent paying gigs if I want another set. Tuning has settled down after a few days, so maybe I can live with a little less stability, let's see on the gig. Got Helicore Hybrid E and A on the bass, well matched for a mixed set with Olivs, and spares of a few different Ds and Gs (helicores, zyex, spiros weichs) in the bag in case of disaster....

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Hector Page lol, that's great to hear and I hope it goes well on the gig. Plus I like the idea of the Oliv and Helicore Hybrid, I've always really liked them.

[@jamesrichardson3322]

Beautiful bowing Geoff , I am torn between theses string and Spriocore Weich light strings. I have D' Addario Helicore Orchestra Strings on mine now, I think I made mistake buying them.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

I really like D'Addario helicore, but the orchestra string are great for classical, but harder work for jazz. Their hybrid sets are good.

[@jamesrichardson3322]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass Well I guess I have to change my strings to the Thomastik Spircore Weich light gage. For 3/4 Double Upright bass, will theses strings be great for Jazz/ classical music?? Spircore Weich Medium give a bigger warmer sound than the light gage? Sorry about so many questions 😒

[@michaherman8722]

Hi Geoff, you previously had D'Addario Zyex on this bass. How do you compare easiness to play and overall loudness between Evahs and Zyex?

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Michał Herman Hard to say, Zyex are possibly louder, but it may just seem that way as they have more top end...they can cut through more in some circumstances.

[@Symphing12]

Have you ever tried or heard Pirastro Obligato strings before? If so, do they work for orchestra, solo, and jazz? Thank you!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

I've used them before and like them. They are a synthetic string like Evah Pirazzi and perform in a similar way regarding bow response, working well for pizz etc. However the strings have a slight roll under the fingers, especially the E string. This didn't bother me, but some people don't like it, plus IMO the Evahs are a better synthetic so I would choose them, but I do like the Obligatos and they are worth considering.

[@brunomaia..7710]

I loved the Oliv G. It is definitely worth the £110 here in the UK. Actually, if I could afford it, I would go for a full set of Eudoxas for £600. But I just don't have the guts...

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Lol! I would love to try the Eudoxas...I think Chris Wood uses the Eudoxa D and G and get's an awesome sound.

[@MoshGroove]

Hi Geoff, great lesson! Could you please make a video about how to embellish walking bass lines by using hammer-ons and pull-offs in a musical way? Thanks mate, your playing is great btw

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Thanks, I really appreciate that and have a video on walking bass fills coming out in about a months time. :-)

[@thebarnkickers]

Hi Geoff, nice review. I have to say that the Oliv doesn't sound like a traditional gut string to my ears. I currently have plain gut D & G strings on one of my basses and they sound quite different than any synthetic core string I have used, both arco and pizzicato. In this video, the Oliv doesn't sound much different than the Evah Pirazzi Weichs.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

I think the Oliv works well as it blends nicely with synthetics as it's not hugely different...but I love plain gut as well. I just find the tuning stability/bowing harder with plain gut..you can't beat that tone though!

[@thebarnkickers]

I'm not sure that I'm going to stick with gut. I may go back to the Zyex lights I have on my other bass. Gut has its merits, but after a while you start to figure out why most jazz bassists eventually switched to steel.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+1, that's where I'm at too. :-)

[@Hoodsonbr]

Do you believe that a thicker set like the medium pirazzis would tend to retain their sound for longer?

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

No, I've not found that to be the case, they seem to last a similar amount regardless of gauge. The main thing is if they have a steel, gut or synthetic core. The steels last a lot longer than any other type.

[@Hoodsonbr]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass I'll probably stick to the weichs then, I don't know how something can sound stiff but that's exactly how the mediums sound to me. But that's for when I'm able to order my new bass. I'm only a bit worried by the fact that Pirastro doesn't make a weich high C. I guess I'll just have to mess around with the string height until it works. Thanks for the answer : )

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Hey Zane, yes it's There Will Never be Another You, well spotted! :-)

[@chriscurmi1]

Hi Zane! For Magetic Pickups, are these strings recommended?? Thanks!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Chris Curmi I don't think they would work as they are not steel core, but I'm not 100% about that.

[@chriscurmi1]

+Discover Double Bass Thanks mate!

[@josel.m.5331]

What's song is the last? Very nice walkin & interesting video

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Thanks Jose, it's 'Autumn Leaves'. :-)

[@jeroenvankeulen-bassist8584]

Geoff did you ever review the Velvet Anima strings?

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

I'm afraid I've not played them on my bass so don't know much about them.

[@jeroenvankeulen-bassist8584]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass ah I see. Well, it would be nice to have more string reviews following your reviews of the Evahs, Spiros and Zyex. Maybe Velvets (Garbo, Anima, Blue, Compas 360) and some more Pirastro? (the Jazzer, Pizzicato, Obligato, Oliv - not only the use of the G string but as a whole set) Also Innovation Strings might be interesting to cover. Good reviews would help me, and other players, a lot in the process of making a good string choice. Strings are always a big issue and there's a lot of options nowadays.

[@ositoCastro]

Nothing like spiro weich for jazz. Nice arco tone on your bass

[@Rightupbass]

How do spires compare to these though? Sound and tension?

[@ositoCastro]

@@Rightupbass for me is light for fingers an bow as well, sounding crawl and well projected

[@nicholasr-m1631]

can someone tell me which brand of strings they think has the best A string? I don't want it to sound scratchy like helicores sometimes do but I don't want it too metallic either.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Evah Pirazzi and Spirocore weich are great sets and well worth considering. I'm not sure if I would use a different A string to the rest of the set though as it may stand out too much.

[@brunomaia..7710]

Hi Geoff, I have just found out the answer to my previous question in your Spirocore's review, 2:57 you mention you had your previous Eva Weich set on for about 3 years. Nice video, I have watched it several times for the past 3 years, as a reference of Eva sound. Grooving cheers!

[@liviiafxcinboss]

What type of bass do u use is it old u have more than one upright

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

The bass is a German instrument which is about 100 years old. It's had a lot of repair work including a new front and neck and it's the only double bass I own.

[@edwither8284]

I use eurosonic ultra lights...

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

I've not tried those, do you like them?

[@edwither8284]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass Yes very much.. I do a lot of slapping... They are not very good for Arco unless you scuff them with sandpaper..

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

@@edwither8284 Cool! I will keep an eye out for them as they sound like a great option.

[@edwither8284]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass Gotta keep your options open.... Maybe You'll turn into a psychobilly maniac like me.😜

[@edwither8284]

@@DiscoverDoubleBass Another thing I really like about them is they will work with a magnetic pick up... I use the Krivo..

[@Gmakamian]

I'm so glad I watched this video! I've been playing plain guts forever, and was about to order a D&G Oliv. It sounds really good here, can't wait to get it!

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Greg Makamian Great stuff Greg, this is the first time I've had any guts on my bass, but I really like this one..it has made me want to check out pain guts though, but I expect I would struggle to bow and find tuning a pain. I quite fancy trying the Oliv D now. I hope it works well for you if you get both D&G...I expect it will be a really nice combo and I know a lot of bassists are using the Evah,E,A-OLiv,D,G combo.

[@Gmakamian]

+Discover Double Bass plain guts are a nightmare after steel strings. But I love the sound. I have plain d&g and wrapped gut A&E. I was really curious to see how a wrapped d&g would sound thats why I was happy when I found this video! Your G here sound beautiful.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

+Greg Makamian Thanks, it's certainly a superb string and it's pretty much as easy to bow as the regular Evah G...I think I probably couldn't cope with the tuning on a plain G so I'm going to stick with this and see how I get on with my next few gigs. Cheers Geoff

[@Gmakamian]

+Discover Double Bass Good luck man! As always great to watch your vids :)

[@dinglebass]

+Discover Double Bass Do you have an update on this set yet?

[@felipegfaria1]

I tought this was a record review....what a great cover..or packing...if someone purchase one of those, could you mail the art to me? thanks :)

[@brunomaia..7710]

When I compare the beginning of this video with your Spiro's review kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZLPqaSJn5mIbtE I prefer the Spiro's on pizz and Eva's on bowing. Evas are not so versatile as Spiros. I have recently done Bach cello suite gigs on the bass. Maybe Eva set would be more suitable.

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Both are great sets and both work well as hybrid sets. I love the tone of both for jazz, but the Evah's are easier to bow IMO. However I love the clarity you get from the spiro steel core. So they are both great and could work either pizz or arco.

[@azaamusic7593]

EUDOXA

[@DiscoverDoubleBass]

Amazing string! I love the sound Chris Wood gets from them.