should I use gut strings?

tito mangialajo · #1 02-01-2006, 07:10 AM

hi everybodys!
first time I write in talkbass. pardon my english. I'm italian and self-thaught in english.
I play professionally jazz double bass since 12 years. the question is:
assuming that the sound depends after all to the musician's mind, fingers, body, ears, soul (if there is) I'm still searching for the right strings for me. the sound that I'm reaching for is the sound of the chain mingus-charlie haden-wilbur ware-larry grenadier for a simple example. an "organic" sound, I define it.
during the years I've always use steel strings (spyro, jazzer, and helicore, orch and hybr) and now I use obligato.
I've never had the courage, and the money, to switch into gut.
does I?
can you folks give me some suggestion? I've read about velvet garbo (is grenadier still using that strings?), pirastro oliv, gamut lyon (adrian cho's choice)...
I play 90% pizzicato jazz.I like my sound but not at all.
expecially I don't like the metallic sound of G strings: it bothered me.
thanks for ideas. ciao.

**Adrian Cho** · #2 02-02-2006, 06:16 PM

I think Jason makes a very good point about about buying a G and D. In fact you could even buy just a G to try it out. Most of the gut sound comes from just the top two strings. Also, there IS a difference in quality of guts. I recommend you try the Lyons but of course I always say that. However if are basically happy with your sound and just don't like the G on your bass, try an Oliv G in combination with your other strings - quite a few guys do that.

jmpiwonka · #3 02-02-2006, 08:52 PM

i think, if you're really looking for the sound of mingus then you need to go with plain gut on the G and D strings, it's the only way to truly get that sound.
http://mingusmingusmingus.com/

**Adrian Cho** · #4 02-02-2006, 09:23 PM

Yes I have to agree with that. Sometimes people will ask me about the guts and after explaining some of the cons I'll say "but..." and play a bit of "Haitian Fight Song" or something like that. Of course guts alone won't make you sound like Mingus but it was an essential part of his sound and if you listen to Mingus on gut and Mingus when he played on steel, it definitely ain't the same.

Aaron Saunders · #5 02-02-2006, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

Yes I have to agree with that. Sometimes people will ask me about the guts and after explaining some of the cons I'll say "but..." and play a bit of "Haitian Fight Song" or something like that. Of course guts alone won't make you sound like Mingus but it was an essential part of his sound and if you listen to Mingus on gut and Mingus when he played on steel, it definitely ain't the same.

After reading this, I went back to my Mingus CDs and found that tune...dee-lish tone. If guts can get me close to that, then I just might have to abandon my quest for Pirastro FCS...

jazzbass72 · #6 02-03-2006, 12:43 AM

Tito,
ciao da un collega italiano che vive a New York. I'll write this in English, otherwise nobody will understand me here.
Switching from steel to gut is an involved topic. Make sure you ask Stefano Senni about it (www.stefanosenni.it), he's "basstef" here on TalkBass. He's one of the most knowledgeable bassists in Italy on this topic, not to mention a hell of a player, too!

-Marco

tito mangialajo · #7 02-03-2006, 01:55 AM

ciao marco, and ciao everybodys.
yeah, I know personally Stefano Senni, but I don't remembered he's playing gut. I'll contact him.
Thanks for the answers. I think I'll try a set of velvet garbo: I buy that from a guy that has used it only for a couple of days. i'ts a good low price, why don'try? ciao, tito.

**Adrian Cho** · #8 02-03-2006, 07:20 AM

The problem Aaron is that while it's fun to play Mingus and certain other kinds of music with unwound guts, they don't blend in well for more modern music. It's a tradeoff for sure. A perfect reason to have two basses too.

arnoldschnitzer · #9 02-03-2006, 10:48 AM

Tito--you mentioned Larry Grenadier. He's currently using a Velvet Anima G, Oliv D, and Helicore Hybrid A and E.

AMJBASS · #10 02-03-2006, 11:24 AM

I have been playing in a more modern sounding trio lately with plain gut G and D(Chordas), and it sounds great. They have a huge sound acoustically which comes out through the amp as well. The other guys in my trio love the sound.

basstef · #11 02-05-2006, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tito mangialajo

ciao marco, and ciao everybodys.
yeah, I know personally Stefano Senni, but I don't remembered he's playing gut. I'll contact him.
Thanks for the answers. I think I'll try a set of velvet garbo: I buy that from a guy that has used it only for a couple of days. i'ts a good low price, why don'try? ciao, tito.

ciao Tito, e benvenuto su talkbass!!
I have been using Garbo for years, and I'm very happy with this string. To describe the sound can be difficult, because it's just not gut (Velvet doesn't use gut anymore, to my knowledge), even if the sound is close. It depends a lot on the bass and the way it reacts to the string (and to the player). On a good bass they sound warm, round, percussive, balanced and have also a decent sustain. Forget arco, though...
Grenadier used this set for a while. I saw him live with Garbos and the sound was amazing. I don't know why he switched then. Ben Street is still on garbos, and for years now. You can hear his earthy tone, while playing modern stuff. That's what I like the most.
Be prepared to a bigger thickness of the strings and to a slightly higher action. The best thing I can recommend is to try a set on your bass

Un abbraccio, Stefano

tito mangialajo · #12 02-05-2006, 02:31 PM

ciao stefano, thanks for replying.
in ten days I'll buy a used set of garbo (used very very little) and I'll discover the sound of these strings on my bass, with my fingers and my ears. I'm very curious.
does anyone know how many last a set of garbo? i play every day (reharsal or gigs or home study).
thanks everybody, tito.