New Improved D'Addario Helicore Bass Strings are now available in all three brands, Arco, Pizzicato, and Hybrid. Orchestra players, jazz pros, students, and their teachers like the even tone across all four strings, as well as the easy 'start' that are the hallmarks of Helicore Bass.

Helicore Arco has been reformulated to have a richer, more complex tone. A bit of added mass creates more volume and makes the string more lively for larger orchestra basses. Overall the tone is more robust and more complex. Arco comes in three gauges, Light, Medium, and Heavy. Color wrap in the tailpiece is blue silk with a golden spiral.

Solo Tuning Arco is the thinnest gauge of all and can be tuned to A-E-B-F#. Color wrap in the tailpiece is brown silk with a golden spiral. There is no additional color band that denotes tension.

Helicore Pizzicato has also been reformulated to be much more robust, with greater volume and sustain. We liked the new formula Pizzicatos on Lemur's Jupiter Bass because they had the mass to drive the big top plate. Pizzicato comes in three gauges, Light, Medium, Heavy. Color wrap in the tailpiece is dark red with a golden spiral. A+ to D'Addario for this re-make.

Helicore Hybrid has also been improved by removing the damping layer to allow much greater volume and sustain while the arco response has been warmed up by chaning the core wire. Color wrap in the tailpiece is green with a golden spiral. Again, we are most pleased that the original formula Hybrid Bass String has been improved.

Helicore Light Gauge Bass Strings are suitable for lighter weight double basses with more delicate top plates that just do not need higher tension strings. They're also a good choice for players with hands that are just not as strong. A solid gold band at the end of the color silk denotes Light Tension.

Helicore Medium Gauge Bass Strings are the most adaptable and will service the greatest number of upright basses. A solid blue band at the end of the color silk denotes Medium Tension.

Helicore Heavy Gauge Bass Strings have the most mass on the string, making them a noticeably higher tension string. Heavier, thicker top plates will benefit from these stronger, more robust strings. A solid red band at the end of the color silk denotes Heavy Tension.