Eurosonic White Tapewound Upright Bass Strings

Do you need a durable alternative to more costly and problematic gut strings, for playing aggressive styles like rockabilly, or acoustic bluegrass - maybe even old-school jazz? Presto! I have your answer.

These strings have developed a cult-like following with many bassists over the last 2+ decades that we've carried them. Their design is what sets them apart, rather than a solid core or steel coating... well, how about I let them tell you about it:

"First is the inner core which is a braided ropewound cord consisting of steel and silk. Silk is the key to the low tension, gut like tones and the steel adds tuning and intonation stability while adding the ability to work with magnetic pickups. This cord is then tightly wrapped with a blend of non-ferrous and noble metals (copper, nickel, zinc, tungsten, etc.). Finally, they are wrapped with a specially shaped and ground polymer with no color additives giving Eurosonic’s a unique, almost translucent look. Eurosonic Bass Strings have a gauge that is comparable to many old gut strings (new gut strings are MUCH thicker as they have not yet stretched)."

Bottom line, they are a nice alternative to gut, and have a thick attack and less pronounced sustain than some other strings. Their Polyamide (what?!?) wrap, whatever that is (it's like nylon), makes for a gentle experience for both hands, and though bowing is far from great, it can be done in a pinch*.

If you play slap rockabilly, or prefer a very low tension string, choose the Ultralights. However, if you play classic jazz, or do a mix of all styles including slap, I'd recommend the Lights, as the Ultralight strings can be a little slack for normal clarity. The Mediums are a higher tension that may not be desirable given this string's basic design goal, but I also carry them for those that prefer a stiffer string with the vintage character of these unique strings.

New in late 2024 is the addition of a HIGH C string.

This can be used for tuning a 5-string bass E-A-D-G-C - note, however that the High C is indicated as an "ultra light" string, so if you order a set of lights with the High C, the silks are a little different at the tailpiece end. (The same tension of high C works well with either light or ultra light.) Or you could use a high C with the A-D-G strings for "BUMPING" the string positions; tuning those strings as E-A-D-G gives you Super-Crazy light tension for psychobilly and other aggressive slap styles. The strings are VERY slack when bumped, so we're really only providing a set with the Light A, D, and G. If you want superlight or medium, just add the individual strings to your cart to create the set. The A-D-G-C combo is also commonly used for tuning an upright bass to authentically play Tololoche and Norteño styles of Latin music.

It's worth noting that these strings, despite their generally lighter tension, are thicker in diameter than most "regular" upright strings. This is due to their multi-layered construction of low-mass materials, and their Polyamide (like Perlon or Nylon) tape outer windings, which are thicker than steel tape windings. This means that some players may have to slightly widen the slots in the nut and/or bridge to properly accommodate these strings without binding or pinching. This is a normal, common thing, and if you have questions or concerns about doing so, let us know. Our (always included) stringing tip sheet has some tips and instructions should make it easy and clear.

* For bowing, we recommend that you gently scuff the bowing area with fine sandpaper, emery cloth, or very fine steel wool. To ease adhesion, you can apply rosin directly on the strings. You may need to experiment with a different grade/viscosity of rosin than you normally use, as well. Ultimately, these strings are kind of tough to bow well, but it can be done if you're resourceful. I've even heard from two different players that wrapping a piece of common invisible tape around the string where the bow contacts it can create a decent bowing surface - strange solution, but those players swore by it!

Silk Winding Color Codes:

• Ultralight: yellow with red stripe at ball end, solid yellow with red band at headstock end
• Light: yellow with aquamarine stripe at ball end, solid aquamarine at headstock end
• Medium: yellow with black stripe at ball end, solid red with black band at headstock end