… what players say:
Jazzicatos
Reggie Johnson, USA/Switzerland:
“After trying the Presto Jazzicato strings, I was really
impressed with the way they played in all situations.
The tension was just right (in between gut and steel).
The sound was warm but not muddy. Projection was surprisingly very good. I can't find anything negative
to say about them. Looking forward to playing them
for a long time.”
Nylonwounds
“Thank you very much, I finally bought one set of presto nylon wounded strings and my bass sounds like it never sounded before. The slap technique is much more easier”
“I received the strings this morning! Great! I just put them on my ‘Eberhardt‘ bass and they sound nice and sweet.”
“I received my strings at the weekend and they are absolutely amazing! They sound so bright and loud and clear and feel so smooth.They are a total joy to play and I will recommend them to all my bass playing friends! Thank you very much, they are exactly what I've been looking for and you were a pleasure to do business with. Thanks for everything.”
“I finally bought one set of Presto nylonwounds and my bass sounds like it never has sounded before – slapping is much more easier now.”
Balance Double Bass
Hervé Jeanne's review at the Bass Professor magazine (issue January 2008):
“Smooth”, “velvety” or “soft” are attributes coming to one’s mind at once while playing the new Presto strings. Lately Presto has already made its mark with nylonwound strings. Those who know these strings must know that Presto Balance Hybrid strings persue a totally different aesthetics of sound. When played pizzicato, these strings have quite a natural drive with an articulate attack and a good but nonexaggerated sustain. The strings achieve to transmit the woody characteristics excellently not sounding nasal at the same time, as it is known of many other steel strings.
I was really surprised when it came to bowing: Presto strings respond as soft as butter. Even untrained players are able to achieve a wonderful not scratchy sound – that way bowing is fun.
Irena Olkiewicz Double Bass Class Professor of Wroclaw Music Academy, Polish Bassists Society President:
During my long-lasting adventure with double bass, I played almost all double bass strings available around the world – both solo or orchestral strings. And only the patriotism overcame definitively my reluctance to test Polish strings. The result? I tried them and I felt enlightened! I must say clearly: Presto Balance strings are super! I am nicely surprised of the high quality level, comparable with the best on the market, acquired the firm Presto, that manufactures strings being capable to meet requirements of the most fussy contrabassists – soloists, orchestra musicians, students of music schools, which often struggle with adversities of play with hard, unruly, market-available strings.
I bad been testing strings Balance in solo and orchestra tuning during the last three months – either with using of my Thomas Martin, PölImann and Musima instruments. They were also tested by my students. To my surprise, the strings met their expectations at each instrument very well. And even the cheap Musima double bass turned out to be well-sounding and trustworthy. I am enchanted not only with balanced sound of strings but also with their good intonation. The strings have deep tone and strong warm colour. They splendidly keep the tuning and during playing, they guide into the sound. That fact was a true discovery for me. The strings give a clear sound; if we play halftones – it is a halftone; if we play quartertones – it is a quartertone.
Gregor Schaefer wrote about his Presto Balance Hybrid (Light) at www.talkbass.com:
The sound and feeling remind me of the T… Sp… Weich (Soft), but the Balance strings are much easier to play with the bow. The sound is punchy warm, slightly dark, though not as dark as the Ev… Pi…’s I had on my bass before. The volume is great, they speak easy. The feeling is like the Spir… Weich or the Obli… feeling: elastic, with a good grip and without the sideward-rolling effect that Obli… can have. The strings are neither thin nor thick, again a bit like Spir….
In the past twelve years I have tried many hybrid strings: D'A… Hel… Hyb…, Cor… tungsten, Pi… Obli…, Pi… Ev… Pi…, even Pi… Oliv…. All things considered, the Presto Balance Hybrid strings gave me most of what I have always liked in gut strings, without their negative sides. Of course they are not gut strings, but if you know how to do it, you can obtain a sound that's close to the gut string sound. Also for 'modern' players they might be a good choice, since it's easy to obtain a long pizz sustain, to play in thumb position and use the bow. If I should give one criticism it is that I found the strings' pizz performance slightly better than their arco performance.
Vito Liuzzi (Italy): On month ago, I decided to test this Presto String Solo tuning. Well, I must be honest, but I thought
that surely It could be a normal string, but I have done a great mistake. I have a little "Donato Rubino" double bass (2006) by Neaple School and in one string the first thing I find is a great
sound and a good balance among the four strings. Well, the power of string is at very highest level.
The first and four string play with the same power and projection. But also the second and the third
are at the same level. Usually, in example and in my experience, when I play with P…, I have to change the third and four string with D…, because expecially the tird string doesn't give all the sound I need. With Presto string, this is not a problem !! The sound is well focused on the all four strings and they are very easy to play with bow. The reaction of the string
is ready. But on my bass also the sustain is very good, and this is strange on a Solo string.
Another thing. On my bass the sound is very sweet and there's no "noise" when with the bow you go from a string to another (In T… string sometime this is a great a problem, and also in C…).
What I mean. The "scratch effect" with Presto doesn't exist !!
Then, the tension is very good for a soloist. In fact it's not too high and not too low. When it's too high probably the string it's easier to react under a bow, but it's terrible for the left hand. When it's too low, the left hand "travels" very easy but the string has no a good reaction under the bow, expecially
in Spiccato. Well on my bass Presto works very well. And my first opinion on these strings was totally wrong. And you don't have to expect a lot of time until the go on tuning. The sound is power, well focused, very balanced and rich of harmonics. Now at the beginning of November I start my lessons in Conservatory "G. Paisiello" and I like my students give me their opinion and usually
they are very prepared in this matter because we like to choice the right string for each instrument.
And there are no overtones or wolf notes, because the string is very well done. No other words!
In numbers the main vote is 9/10.
A good choice for all the ones which have to play with a solo string.