Advice needed. My teach don't like my strings

ToR-Tu-Ra · #1 03-09-2006, 03:15 PM

Alrighty, I need your help. My teacher don't like my guts (talking 'bout the strings here). He's always complaining 'out the tone, specially on the A and E strings (I don't love it either, I've been meaning to change them, but I'm short on cash right now). I really like the G and D strings and I know It's my sound we're talking about here and I shouldn't care too much about his tastes, but I don't really want to listen to his complaints every class. So I'm thinking I should change them just to be in peace, besides, Every bass player should spend all his/her money on strings and change them at least twice a week, otherwise he/she is not a bass player, right?

The point is, I don't like skinny steel strings and I like that meaty gut tone so I'm thinking Velvets would be a good in-between-point for both my teacher and me. Besides, they're getting such good reviews over here that I need to see what all the fuzz is about.

Now, a few questions for the Velvet users here:

Garbos or animas? I'm thinking Garbos since the word has it they are closer to gut.

Are Velvets much thinner than plain guts? Will I need to modify my bridge/nut to fit them?

I'm open to try other strings if you have other recomendations. I like fat, low tension strings... that's mostly what I'm looking for.

WOW, Long message... sorry bout that

TroyK · #2 03-09-2006, 03:36 PM

Well, if you're short on cash, I don't think I would look to Velvets first, although it's probably a good idea otherwise.

In his method book, Rufas Reid stated that he used Helicore Heavies on E and A and gut on D & G. I think he's moved on, but it's an indication that it would be a reasonable choice. I know someone with Spirocores E & A and plain gut D & G. It's not a good bass, but the string setup actually works pretty well. Superflexibles on E & A might match a little better in sound. I'm into Pirastro Permanents on the bottom 1/2 of my bass. They start a little bright and growly, but mellow in a few weeks and stay strong for most of a year.

Just my thoughts.

Troy

ToR-Tu-Ra · #3 03-09-2006, 03:41 PM

My teacher plays spiros, I don't really like them much. Permanents and Superflexibles sound good tho'. I'll give those a thought.

I'm short on cash THIS VERY MINUTE, but I can save up for a good set of strings given some time.

Thanks for the reply!

TroyK · #4 03-09-2006, 03:45 PM

It's not that unusual to have guts on the treble side and steel on the bass side. If you like the guts you have, it would be a reasonable step.

I hear great things about the Velvet strings, so I don't want to discourage you, but it's an expensive experiment if you are starting someplace that you're relatively happy.

ToR-Tu-Ra · #5 03-09-2006, 03:54 PM

Yep, I'm not really happy 'bout changing my strings. I was thinking on keeping the higher strings and changing the E to begin with, then maybe the A and, if I like it, keep on like that 'till I change all of them. That way the cost would be differed in time.

jmpiwonka · #6 03-09-2006, 04:07 PM

if he doesn't like your strings ask him if he has some spares for you....

depending on what you are doing i could see where it would be advantageous to satisfy your teachers desires in tone.
if i were you i would jsut change the E and A to something like Permanents.

ToR-Tu-Ra · #7 03-09-2006, 04:09 PM

Two votes for the Perms, then.

I just want to have a class where he doesn't complain about my strings.

Steve Swan · #8 03-09-2006, 04:18 PM

...sound.
Part of the fix for you would be to find a teacher who understands and likes the sound of gut strings. Find somebody who can help you to improve your current sound to become more like what you hear in your head and on records that you like.

I play gut strings too and there are a lot of bass players and teachers who don't like them at all, including my primary setup and repair guy. He's always giving me grief about them because he is a modern jazz player that uses and amp and plays a style that uses lots of sustain. Gut strings have a tone and sustain that is just too different from the sound that he hears in his own head. I love the sound and feel of gut strings and the bands that I play with do too.

Look for your favorite strings for tone, but also find a teacher who hears bass tone more like you do. You need to have somebody on your team that isn't fighting your basic sound.

Steve Swan

simpleybass · #9 03-09-2006, 04:18 PM

You might want to try Dominants or Obligatos.

jmpiwonka · #10 03-09-2006, 04:20 PM

i haven't tried perms yet.
i should have some by mid next week. i have some pirastro flexocor (the newer "regular" or "92s" version) and the E string which is the stark is pretty nice, a little muddy but not too bad unless you go further than fifth position up the neck....the A string is awesome.
i made a trade for the perms for a set of superflexibles that i wasn't using since i wanted to test out the perms anyways, i doubt i'll be using the perm G and D for very long....maybe the E and A though.

ToR-Tu-Ra · #11 03-09-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Swan

...sound.
Part of the fix for you would be to find a teacher who understands and likes the sound of gut strings. Find somebody who can help you to improve your current sound to become more like what you hear in your head and on records that you like.

I play gut strings too and there are a lot of bass players and teachers who don't like them at all, including my primary setup and repair guy. He's always giving me grief about them because he is a modern jazz player that uses and amp and plays a style that uses lots of sustain. Gut strings have a tone and sustain that is just too different from the sound that he hears in his own head. I love the sound and feel of gut strings and the bands that I play with do too.

Look for your favorite strings for tone, but also find a teacher who hears bass tone more like you do. You need to have somebody on your team that isn't fighting your basic sound.

Steve Swan

At last! Someone who understands my pain!

Well, He's the only DB teacher at school, so I'll have to stick with him at least for a while. He's a much modern player than I am, he's a lot into free and modal jazz. I'm more into gipsy, hot jazz, western swing and dixie. So we're like in completely opossite sides. He's teaching me some great stuff, so I'll suck it up I guess

Dominants sound like a good idea, are they fat?

I don't know about the Obligatos, they seem to have a short life-span from what I've read here

jmpiwonka · #12 03-12-2006, 08:27 AM

well i tried the permanent E string and it was too floppy and more metallic sounding than i thought it would be, it was also quieter than the stark Flexocor E so i took it off.

if i were you i would use plain gut on the G and D and the regular flexocor strings on the E and A string....get the medium guage A string (that one is awesome) and get the thick (stark guage) E string.

ToR-Tu-Ra · #13 03-12-2006, 03:14 PM

OK, No perms then. I'll look into the flexocors. Thanks!