Double Bass Strings

As a specialist UK stockist of double bass strings, we have a very comprehensive range of strings for sale from leading manufacturers including; Thomastik, Pirastro, D’Addario and Jargar. All of the strings that we have in stock are listed below by brand. Options are available on the product page for solo, orchestral and 5ths tuning, tension and size. You can also choose between buying specially discounted complete sets of strings or just individual strings on their own.

Our customers benefit from our wide and diverse range of stock. At Bass Bags, we can cater for all types of bass playing styles and all sizes of the double bass with strings from 1/10 size upwards. We can also offer next day or free economy delivery on all of the strings that we list.

We can also make up and sell sets of bass strings that are non-standard. For instance, we can make up, upon request, ‘C’ extension sets of most types of string.

Free Double Bass Strings Advice

If you’re not sure what to buy, you can use our Double Bass Strings Buyers Guide below. Or if you can’t find what you’re looking for, use our live chat to talk to our Double Bass specialist or call us on 01332 840391. We’ll be happy to help by giving you recommendations and any advice you may need.

Student Double Bass Strings

Image	Name	Price	Stock	Description	Buy
	Pirastro Chromcor Double Bass Strings	£40.10 – £168.00	Out of stock	Pirastro Chromcor double bass strings have been discontinued by Pirastro Some good alternatives are: D’Addario Helicore Orchestral Pirastro Evah Pirazzi	Select options
	Thomastik Prazision Double Bass Strings	£37.67 – £148.80	In stock	Thomastik Precision double bass strings or Präzision double bass strings, as they’re otherwise known, have a solid steel core and produce a beautiful sound with brilliance. They are very durable, have a long lifespan and present a budget solution for players in all fields.	Select options
	D'Addario Prelude Double Bass Strings	£24.11 – £85.37	In stock	Best student or beginner double bass strings in the price range All Sizes from 3/4 down to 1/8 Fantastic upgrade from Factory strings We use them ourselves	Select options
	Astrea Double Bass Strings	£25.30 – £99.00 RRP: £29.94 – £139.08	In stock	Astrea double bass strings are a tried and tested bass string, they make great beginner, student strings. The E is plain steel, and the AD & G are all chrome wound and are medium tension strings. Astrea bass strings are an entry-level string at an affordable price. Ideal as a cheap upgrade from the standard factory fitted strings that a lot of double basses come with from new	Select options

Orchestral Double Bass Strings

Image	Name	Price	Stock	Description	Buy
	Pirastro Permanent Double Bass Strings	£44.45 – £211.20	In stock	3/4 Size Medium Tension Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Great Bow Response	Select options
	Pirastro Flat Chromesteel Double Bass Strings	£46.87 – £228.00	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Medium Tension Brilliant and Clear Sound Suited to arco playing	Select options
	Thomastik Dominant Double Bass Strings	£54.00 – £234.00	In stock	Thomastik Dominant strings are a highly flexible, string with a  multi-strand synthetic core and are chrome wound. They provide the tonal warmth and the feel of a gut string whilst not being affected by changes in humidity.	Select options
	Thomastik Superflexible Double Bass Strings	£35.04 – £157.34 RRP: £43.98 – £210.54	In stock	The steel rope core of Thomastik Superflexible double bass strings reduces stiffness and improves elasticity. The strings offer excellent purity of open fifths. Their impressive durability and tuning stability make them very dependable all-around strings. Superflexible double bass strings are available in orchestra tuning in 4/4, 3/4 and 1/2 sizes. A solo tuning set and individual strings are available in 4/4 size. All Superflexible strings have a Steel rope core and have Chrome windings.	Select options
	Innovation Braided Double Bass Strings	£33.98 – £189.98	In stock	Innovation Braided Orchestral Strings are particularly well suited for bowing, as they have a smooth chrome steel tape winding. But the core is braided nylon, which creates a more “old-timey” flavour to their pizzicato tone. So they would also work well for someone looking for a good bluegrass string. ​They have a deep, dark tone, which takes a lot of the brashness out of bowing. And the tension is optimized for bowing as well, when they were designed, Innovation focused on the ease of sound production and articulation both for pizzicato and arco.	Select options
	Jargar Double Bass Strings	£30.00 – £119.77	In stock	Big, well-balanced, warm tone Great projection, especially in the higher frequencies They have a very even and similar sound in every position Harmonics are easily achieved and the tuning stability of these strings is excellent The Dolce version of these Jargar double bass strings can be tuned up for solo playing	Select options
	D'Addario Helicore Orchestral Double Bass Strings	£30.88 – £148.00	In stock	All Sizes 3/4 down to 1/10 Optimised for Arco playing Three tension variants in 3/4 size Best Arco strings at this price point	Select options

Orchestral double bass strings are best suited to Arco (with the bow) playing. If you are playing only Arco or a mixture of Arco and Pizz (plucking) with arco playing most of the time, we would recommend orchestral strings.

For orchestral double bass strings, we would recommend Helicore Orchestral strings out of the options above. For premium orchestral strings, see the section below. Helicore Orchestral bass strings come in all sizes from 3/4 to 1/10 scale; they are a significant upgrade from Prelude strings. They work exceptionally well for the majority of double basses.

Premium Orchestral Double Bass Strings

Image	Name	Price	Stock	Description	Buy
	Pirastro Passione Double Bass Strings	£45.83 – £216.00	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Medium and High Tension Variants Instant Response and Short Sustain	Select options
	Pirastro Original Flat Chrome Double Bass Strings	£58.06 – £294.00	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Medium Tension Fantastic arco strings	Select options
	Pirastro Flexocor Double Bass Strings	£42.86 – £210.00	In stock	Available in sizes: 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 Medium and High tension variants Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Great for Arco playing	Select options
	Pirastro Flexocor Deluxe Double Bass Strings	£54.83 – £253.45 RRP: £72.20 – £326.81	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestra Tuning (G D A E) Medium Tension 2.1m Extension and Low B Strings Available	Select options
	Pirastro Original Flexocor Double Bass Strings	£58.03 – £287.39 RRP: £81.36 – £402.73	In stock	Pirastro Original Flexocor double bass strings are medium tension, orchestral tuning strings for 3/4 size basses and have the following key features: Rope core steel strings The ‘Original’ Flexocor Strings Especially suitable for arco playing Brilliant sound Short sustain	Select options
	Pirastro Obligato Double Bass Strings	£40.20 – £207.44 RRP: £50.72 – £262.06	In stock	Available in 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 sizes Standard Orchestra tuning (G D A E) Medium tension Bright, brilliant and focused and have a growly tone Quick response and are suitable for both arco and pizzicato playing	Select options
	Thomastik Belcanto Double Bass Strings	£46.60 – £219.00 RRP: £59.58 – £329.34	In stock	3/4 Size Great Arco strings with quick response Softer more flexible feeling Very popular for younger players	Select options
	D'Addario Kaplan Double Bass Strings	£43.56 – £198.00	In stock	Great strings for orchestral players Excellent bow response Rich tonal colour palette Clarity and warmth from low to high registers	Select options

Hybrid Double Bass Strings

Image	Name	Price	Stock	Description	Buy
	Pirastro Perpetual Double Bass Strings	£36.71 – £186.19	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Medium Tension Great for Pizz and Arco playing	Select options
	Pirastro Eudoxa Double Bass Strings	£125.00 – £594.00	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Gut Strings Clear and Brilliant Sound with Long Sustain	Select options
	Pirastro Oliv Double Bass Strings	£114.00 – £531.24	In stock	3/4 Size Gut Strings Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Diverse Tone Colours and Big Tone Volume	Select options
	Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Double Bass Strings	£45.73 – £229.60	In stock	Evah Pirazzi bass strings are the market-leading Synthetic core string To suit 3/4 and 4/4 Size Basses Low and Medium tensions available Standard Orchestra Tuning (G D A E) Synthetic core Excellent hybrid string for both Pizzicato and Arco playing	Select options
	Innovation Polychrome Hybrid Double Bass Strings	£37.99 – £199.99	In stock	Created in 2017 as a way to combine Innovation’s signature pizzicato sound with more arco-friendly qualities, the Polychrome Hybrid set delivers on all fronts! Polychromes have a great feel under the fingers; slightly soft with a little give. The pizzicato one is gut-like in its timbre, with a strong fundamental. They bow VERY nicely, with a big and warm sound that is not too harsh, with excellent volume. For the player that is doing a lot of performing in various genres with different tonal needs for each one, the Innovation Polychrome Hybrids will fit the bill nicely!	Select options
	D'Addario Helicore Hybrid Double Bass Strings	£35.04 – £148.00	In stock	Available in 3/4 and 1/2 sizes Fast, flexible and responsive Great for a mix of Arco and Pizz playing Best value Hybrid strings on the market	Select options
	D'Addario Zyex Double Bass Strings	£43.56 – £187.74	In stock	3/4 Size Synthetic core giving a rich, warm, gut-like tone Outstanding pizzicato attacks and sustain Great bow response	Select options

Double Bass Strings for Jazz

Image	Name	Price	Stock	Description	Buy
	Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Slap Double Bass Strings	£43.60 – £296.65	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestra Tuning Choice of Gut or Synthetic D and G	Select options
	Pirastro Pizzicato Double Bass Strings	£128.59 – £625.00	In stock	3/4 Size Medium Tension Handmade to Order Gut core with Silver-Plated Copper Winding	Select options
	Pirastro The Jazzer Double Bass Strings	£42.36 – £207.00	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestral Tuning (G D A E) Medium Tension	Select options
	Pirastro Chorda Double Bass Strings	£95.32 – £552.00 RRP: £133.42 – £774.47	In stock	3/4 Size Orchestra tuning (G D A E) Medium gauge Low tension	Select options
	Thomastik Spirocore Double Bass Strings	£44.21 – £199.00	In stock	4/4, 3/4 and 1/2 Sizes Lots of Sustain The Reference Standard for Jazz and Pizz playing Low / Weich, Medium and High tension options Thomastik Spirocore bass strings are absolutely great pizzicato strings, used and loved by great jazz bassists all over the world	Select options
	Innovation Honey Jazz Double Bass Strings	£31.99 – £175.00	In stock	Unlike other Innovation Strings, the Innovation Honey Jazz uses a solid core with a chrome steel winding. This maintains the gut-like vibe of the other Innovation sets but with string tension and feel more akin to steel core strings. Very responsive under a bow, the Honey Jazz strings have a slightly darker tone than comparable steel core strings. They are also known to have a great “jazz” pizzicato attack, that will growl a little bit when you dig in. Those looking for an “old school” jazz tone with easy access to arco need to look no further than our Honey Jazz.	Select options
	D'Addario Helicore Pizzicato Double Bass Strings	£35.04 – £148.00	In stock	3/4 Size Optimised for Pizz playing Three tension/gauge options Maximum Sustain and Growl Brightest of the Helicore bass range	Select options

Double Bass Strings for Rockabilly

Image	Name	Price	Stock	Description	Buy
	Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Slap Double Bass Strings	£43.60 – £296.65	In stock	3/4 Size Standard Orchestra Tuning Choice of Gut or Synthetic D and G	Select options
	Innovation Ultra Black Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	In stock	Known by their distinctive “ultra black” colour, Ultra Blacks work well for the player seeking a fuller, darker sounding string for traditional jazz and other styles. They have a darker tone, akin to gut strings, but with more snap and definition in pizzicato. The Ultra Blacks also respond easily under a bow. Ultra Blacks fill the void between the traditional gut string sound and more modern steel strings. They have a solid fundamental with good sustain, suitable for nearly all pizzicato work, be it jazz, bluegrass, folk or traditional.	Select options
	Innovation Super Silver Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	Out of stock	Innovation Super Silvers have set the standard for synthetic double bass strings. Wound with a clear nylon tape over silvered copper windings (which give it their trademark silver hue), Super Silvers are for those players looking for a slightly higher tension set than the Innovation Silver Slaps. Unlike their Rockabilly cousins, the Super Silver strings have a more organic, gut-like tone, that is round with a blunt attack and quick decay. These characteristics please the musician that is looking for the sound of gut strings but without the stability and durability concerns. Favoured in rockabilly and bluegrass circles, Super Silver strings are suitable for any genre.	Select options
	Innovation Silver Slap Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	Available on back-order	Wound with clear nylon tape over a silvered copper winding (giving them a silver hue) Innovation Silver Slaps are thick, low tension strings perfect for slapping. Like their Super Silvers brethren, Silver Slap strings have a more organic, gut-like tone, that is round with a blunt attack and quick decay. These characteristics please the musician that is looking for the sound of gut strings but without the stability and durability concerns. Favoured in rockabilly and bluegrass circles, Super Silver strings are suitable for any genre, or for the player looking for an “old school” tone at a low, easy playing tension.	Select options
	Innovation Rockabilly Reds Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	In stock	Make a statement without saying a word! The Rockabilly Reds are a medium tension, red nylon tape wound set, made to replace gut strings for slapping. Like the Rockabilly Blacks, they have a warmer, darker tone with a softer high end that produces a lot of volume. The synthetic core brings the sound and feel of gut strings, without the temperament and maintenance of them. For those that don’t play slap-style bass, the Rockabilly Reds are also equally suited for jazz playing. Their pizzicato tone has great sustain and grown, without being too overbearing.	Select options
	Innovation Rockabilly Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	In stock	A mid-tension string, the Rockabilly Blacks were designed to replace gut strings for slapping. They have a warmer, darker tone but a softer high end that produces a lot of volume. The synthetic core makes these strings feel and sound like gut strings, but without the expense and maintenance of them! For those that don’t play slap-style bass, the Rockabilly Blacks are also equally suited for jazz playing. Their pizzicato tone has great sustain and grown, without being too overbearing.	Select options
	Innovation Psycho Slap Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	In stock	Psychobilly players have a big sound, aggressive technique and blistering speed. It’s only fair that their strings do the same! Innovation Psycho Slaps are larger diameter strings, with clear nylon winding. These are very easy to get a grip on and provide a very fat sound with good sustain, and that signature “click” of the slap. These strings want to be heard! For those players playing in Jump Swing and Blues groups, they may find the larger tone and attack of the Psycho Slaps is a welcome addition!	Select options
	Innovation Golden Slap Double Bass Strings	£34.99 – £169.98	Out of stock	If silver isn’t your style, look to the golden-hued beauty of Innovation Golden Slaps! Using a clear nylon tape wrapped around phosphor bronze windings, these low tension strings are great for slap style, or anyone looking for a low tension, easy to play set of double bass strings. Unlike the Silver Slaps, the Golden Slaps have a more pronounced front end pizzicato attack. Added to the characteristic round tone and quick decay, the Golden Slaps mimic the sound (and traditional look!) of gut strings, without the maintenance and durability issues.	Select options
	Superior Bassworks Deluxe Double Bass Strings Red	£57.95	Out of stock	The Superior Bassworks Deluxe double bass strings are the perfect strings for Rockabilly, Bluegrass, Psychobilly, Country/Western, and more!	Read more
	Superior Bassworks Standard Double Bass Strings Gut Colour	£43.16	In stock	Superior Bassworks Standard gut colour double bass strings are perfect for Rockabilly and Slap bass playing.	Superior Bassworks Standard Double Bass Strings Gut Colour quantity Add to basket
	Superior Bassworks Standard Double Bass Strings Red	£43.16	In stock	Superior Bassworks Standard red colour double bass strings are perfect for Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Bluegrass and Slap bass playing.	Superior Bassworks Standard Double Bass Strings Red quantity Add to basket
	Superior Bassworks Standard Double Bass Strings Black	£43.16	In stock	Superior Bassworks Standard black colour double bass strings are perfect for Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Bluegrass and Slap bass playing.	Superior Bassworks Standard Double Bass Strings Black quantity Add to basket
	Superior Bassworks GripMax Double Bass Strings Gut Colour	£54.95	In stock	Superior Bassworks GripMax double bass strings are the perfect strings for Rockabilly, Bluegrass, Psychobilly, Country/Western, and more.	Superior Bassworks GripMax Double Bass Strings Gut Colour quantity Add to basket
	Superior Bassworks Deluxe Double Bass Strings Gut Colour	£57.95	Available on back-order	Superior Bassworks Deluxe double bass strings are the perfect strings for Rockabilly, Bluegrass, Psychobilly, Country/Western, and more!	Superior Bassworks Deluxe Double Bass Strings Gut Colour quantity Add to basket

String Sets vs Individual Strings

Buying a set of strings has many advantages, most noticeably the lower cost compared to the individual strings and the fact that the strings are designed to be used together. This means that they will produce an even tone and response across the whole range of the instrument. They will also give you a consistent feel when playing the instrument. If a string breaks, even replacing it with an identical brand new string, it will not sound the same as the old string as the string properties change as they age. If well cared for and used properly then string breaks are a rare occurrence. Some players may choose to mix different types, brands or construction of strings to further refine the sound of their instrument, however this is not something we would particularly recommend unless you are sure of your requirements.

While a professional player may choose to change the strings on their instrument every 1-2 years to maintain a particular sound, for a student or amateur player there is no reason why a set of strings should not last longer. The main reason for changing strings is damage to the winding of the string or poor sound quality. The winding of the string most often becomes damaged over the bridge or at the fingerboard top nut and is clearly visible. The coloured silks at each end of the string are for identification purposes only and if they unwind then this does not affect the sound of the string but it may look untidy.

Glossary of Terms Related to Double Bass Strings

Arco: Played with the bow.

C Extension: The C extension string, also referred to as an extension E string, is designed for use with a 4 string double bass fitted with a C extension. This is an extra section of fingerboard mounted in front of the machine heads up to the top of the scroll. As such the C extension string is a longer string designed to fit the additional length of the extra fingerboard.

Construction of the string: Double bass strings are made with a length of core material which is then over-wound with another material, usually a flat metal wire.

Core material: Originally all strings were made of pure gut, though gut strings have poor tuning stability and the diameter needed to make the lower strings meant they were almost unplayable. The development of metal wound strings meant that the string diameter could be reduced improving the playability of strings. The core material for most common double bass strings will be either gut, nylon (synthetic) or steel wire.

• Gut Expensive, Poor tuning stability, Classical/Baroque sound, Better for “Slap Sound”
• Nylon Inexpensive, Good tuning stability, much cheaper replacement for gut core
• Steel Mid-Cost, Good tuning stability, Modern playing style, Better arco volume

The core material is generally a solid piece of material, some strings may use a multistrand material to make the string more flexible which generally suits the jazz playing style.

Hybrid: Is a term used to describe strings which are designed to be a compromise between the extremes of orchestral strings (arco) and pizzicato strings. They are a bit less bow-able than orchestral strings but have more sustain when playing pizzicato. This makes them an all-round performer for players who want to play a bit of everything!

Low B or B5 String: Designed for use on a five-string double bass the Low B or B5 string is the extra 5^th string which is tuned to the B below the E4 string on a standard 4 string bass.

Orchestra Tuning: The standard E, A, D, G tuning for double bass strings.

Pizzicato: Played by plucking the strings

Scale Length or Size: The scale length refers to the size of the instrument that the strings are made for. It is important that you match the string size to your instrument size. The string length, string mass and string tension are all related by physics, if the string length is not correct then the string tension will not be correct either. This will lead to a poor playing experience, difficulty tuning the instrument or the worst-case scenario: strings snapping due to over tension.

Solo Tuning: Many sets of string will be available in a solo tuning variation. This raises the pitch of the strings to F#, B, E, A. It is used by players performing double bass solo works and enables you to play high notes in a more accessible position on the double bass fingerboard.

Tension or Gauge: Many strings are available in Low, Medium or High tension variations. This is a guide only as the string tension will vary depending on the construction materials used and between brands and string manufacturers. If you are a beginner or have never thought about string tension then medium tension will be the right choice. A high tension string will offer higher volume levels but will be more difficult to stop on the fingerboard. Conversely, a low tension string will be softer in tone but easier to stop on the fingerboard. Some manufacturers use other terms for string gauge or tension as shown here:

Low: Weak / Weich / Soft / Dolce

Medium: Mittel / Regular

High: Heavy / Stark / Forte

Tuning in 5ths: Some players prefer to tune their bass in 5^ths as it offers a wider range of pitch from a standard 4 string bass. The bass strings are tuned to the same notes as a cello (Low C, G, D, A High) but an octave lower. It gives a low C without the need for an extension or fifth string and is also popular with Jazz performers as the major tenth is easier to play. This requires a set of strings specifically produced to be tuned in 5^ths.

Winding material: The winding material is used to add mass to the string, this slows down the vibration to produce lower pitch notes. Most strings are wound with a metal tape made from steel, chrome steel (or other steel alloys), nickel or silver. The winding material used can affect the diameter of the string. The cost of the string is affected by the metal used with nickel or steel being the cheapest and silver or exotic steel alloys being more expensive.

Our Customer Reviews of Double

Bass Strings

Read what our customers are saying about double bass strings they purchased from us.

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Links to String Manufacturers

We stock Double Bass strings from the following manufacturers.