Golden Spirals

bassist1962 · #1 07-05-2008, 11:57 AM

I was on the Quinn Violin Site, and noticed that they had D'Addario Golden Spirals listed, but only D and G. It says that D'Addario is planning on reissuing these strings, but I can't find anything on the D'Addario site. Does anybody know the story on this, and are these strings worth considering if they do reissue them?

TroyK · #2 07-05-2008, 12:15 PM

I've been hearing that they were coming back for a while. Don't know if it's true.

If they do, they'll sell a ton of them. Big cult following on that string. Kind of the Hemi 'Cuda of jazz bass strings. Worth the hype or just fond rememberances of a simpler time? Don't know, never got to play a set myself.

AndreasH · #3 07-07-2008, 12:38 PM

I would surely try them out if D'Addario put them back in production.

Marcus Johnson · #4 07-07-2008, 01:17 PM

If they do, get ready for the biggest megathread in TBDB history.

Uncletoad · #5 07-07-2008, 02:19 PM

Overrated.

Best thing they did was stop making them. It started that "voodoo" machine going.

boombloom · #6 07-07-2008, 03:46 PM

If anyone hears about new golden spirals, shout it out. It's harder and harder to find these strings and I would be excited to know they're back. I dig you Phil, but sometimes we're just gonna disagree.

Uncletoad · #7 07-07-2008, 03:50 PM

I was intentionally provoking a fight.

TB is boring right now. We need a good flame war and a couple bannings.

boombloom · #8 07-08-2008, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I was intentionally provoking a fight.

TB is boring right now. We need a good flame war and a couple bannings.

OK Then. What we need is a really good slogan. How about... "Golden Spirals. I'd rather fight than switch."? Or "No other wrapped gut string even comes close"? "4 out of 5 Dentists Surveyed Recommended Golden Spirals for their Patients who Play Bass"? "Don't be Fooled by Cheap Imitations?" "We Try Harder?"

Flame on

Uncletoad · #9 07-08-2008, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boombloom

OK Then. What we need is a really good slogan. How about... "Golden Spirals. I'd rather fight than switch."? Or "No other wrapped gut string even comes close"? "4 out of 5 Dentists Surveyed Recommended Golden Spirals for their Patients who Play Bass"? "Don't be Fooled by Cheap Imitations?" "We Try Harder?"

Flame on

Nobody will fight about that.

How bout "Golden Spirals Suck", or "if you play Golden Spirals you suck".

Bobby King · #10 07-08-2008, 09:30 AM

I'll agree with Uncletoad as far as "overated". There was nothing that magical about Golden Spirals. There are other similar strings that are still available -- Labella's Goldentone and Pirastro Pizzicato. I've tried all of these and prefer a plain gut string. The nylon wound guts produce a somewhat "puffy" sound and the nylon windings don't really improve the thuddy gut D string problems. I actually think that plain gut has more of an edge, better attack. Golden Spirals were fairly floppy in terms of tension, too. These days, with some of the good custom gut string makers, you can find a gauge to better match up with whatever you're using on the E&A. I don't think Golden Spirals "sucked", (spoken with a lisp: "You're so provacative, Uncletoad") they were fun to play and seemed pretty well made, but I'll also agree that the fact that they were discontinued seems to have added to their "legend".

KSB - Ken Smith · #11 07-08-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Nobody will fight about that.

How bout "Golden Spirals Suck", or "if you play Golden Spirals you suck".

Ah Sir?.. Would you mind being just a little more direct and less Glib on the matter?

AMJBASS · #12 07-08-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby King

I'll agree with Uncletoad as far as "overated". There was nothing that magical about Golden Spirals. There are other similar strings that are still available -- Labella's Goldentone and Pirastro Pizzicato. I've tried all of these and prefer a plain gut string. The nylon wound guts produce a somewhat "puffy" sound and the nylon windings don't really improve the thuddy gut D string problems. I actually think that plain gut has more of an edge, better attack. Golden Spirals were fairly floppy in terms of tension, too. These days, with some of the good custom gut string makers, you can find a gauge to better match up with whatever you're using on the E&A. I don't think Golden Spirals "sucked", (spoken with a lisp: "You're so provacative, Uncletoad") they were fun to play and seemed pretty well made, but I'll also agree that the fact that they were discontinued seems to have added to their "legend".

I agree on all points. I have played all 3 strings(Golden Spiral, Pizzicato Nylon, and Labella Golden Tone), and I don't really find anything special about any of them. They are neat to try out. Low tension, you don't have to worry about them developing "hairs", or worry about perspiration on the string. However they do have a "puffy" kind of sound to them. I actually think out of all of them the Pizzicatos are the best. I think you would do better with varnished gut strings for tone and playability(you can bow them at least)...

**Adrian Cho** · #13 07-08-2008, 11:29 AM

+1 from me too. I put them squarely in the "low quality" gut category. They give high quality gut strings a bad name!

Uncletoad · #14 07-08-2008, 12:14 PM

I am vindicated.

jayarroz · #15 07-08-2008, 03:31 PM

D'Addario makes great electric bass and guitar strings, they should stay away from Upright Bass's though.

Ed Fuqua · #16 07-08-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I am vindicated.

You're contravindicated...

I dunno, I did the Charlie thang of Thomastic Weichs on the E and A and Golden Spirals on the D and G until they took'em off the market. I always dug the sound. I have to say, I'd be VERY tempted to do the mixmaster - Velvet E, Oliv A and D and Golden Spiral G......

boombloom · #17 07-08-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Nobody will fight about that.

How bout "Golden Spirals Suck", or "if you play Golden Spirals you suck".

You, sir, have flung the gauntlet! I accept your challenge and remind you that McGuiver once kept the world safe for democracy with a Kaplan Golden Spiral, a sanitary pad and some chewing gum scraped off the bottom of a cafeteria table. Stand by your country Phil.

Actually, a long time ago I posted on the Bluegrass L about all night jams with 8 fiddles, 12 b@njos, 103 guitarists and the inevitable peripherals with kitchen implements. After about 8 hours my fingers would be wasted. My hero Tom Gray responded to my call for help and recommended Golden Spirals. If he had recommended that I stand on my head an hour a day I'd have done it. I guess I've just been loyal to the brand since then. My whole playing style has grown around that half spirocore half golden spiral set. I've been meaning to check out the alternatives some day, like the Golden Tones.

Uncletoad · #18 07-08-2008, 04:10 PM

Having tried both plain Gamut Gut and Golden Spirals I know that ON MY BASS at least plain gut is more articulate, has more note length, and a clearer tone than Golden Spirals did. Moreover they amplify better and sound more like Gut than condom wrapped guts do.

All the whackiness that is associated with guts like pitch craziness in weather and stickiness in humidity were the same for me with either the Golden Spirals or the Gamut Guts.

Given that I don't see the point. Ya want the gut thing, go there. Condom covered guts..... well they are just that.

YMMV.

Cumon, put up yer dukes put up yer dukes....

jayarroz · #19 07-08-2008, 05:08 PM

Condom covered guts..... well they are just that.

funny back in the day they made condoms out of sheep gut, now people play them on there strings.......Trojans for the man in you, wrapped in gold

boombloom · #20 07-08-2008, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Having tried both plain Gamut Gut and Golden Spirals I know that ON MY BASS at least plain gut is more articulate, has more note length, and a clearer tone than Golden Spirals did. Moreover they amplify better and sound more like Gut than condom wrapped guts do.

All the whackiness that is associated with guts like pitch craziness in weather and stickiness in humidity were the same for me with either the Golden Spirals or the Gamut Guts.

Given that I don't see the point. Ya want the gut thing, go there. Condom covered guts..... well they are just that.

YMMV.

Cumon, put up yer dukes put up yer dukes....

OK. I give.
I will try them.
You will see.
I will try them in a tree.
I will try them on a boat.
I will try them with a goat.
I will try them on a hill.
I will try them thanks to Phil.
Send me your tired, your plain, your used guts.
Send me a G and D and I'll keep an open mind.

My Golden Spirals have been pretty stable in all sorts of
weather. I have always thought they sounded pretty good.
I've become accustomed to their gauge and tension. But I would
check something else out.