String advice for my flatback! Velvets?

[basdanne]

Hi fellow bassplayers!

Currently I play Spirocores on E and A, obligatos on D and G. I am really curious about velvets.
Through the years I have played different steelstrings both on recordings and on gigs. I am looking for a string that gives me more volume and a warm tone out of the instrument. My bass is an old german flatback that sounds good, but I really need more acoustic volume out of the instrument.
What kind of string or combination do You recommend? Compass blue, animas or garbos? Or maybe a combination of different strings? Like steel on E and A, velvets on D, G?

Best regards/
Daniel

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Every bass is different. I have tried Animas, Mitts, Spiro Weichs, Obligatos and liking the Evah weichs with Olive G. That said, I still wouldn't say my bass is particularly loud.
My flatback has a defined midrange punch rather than a low end spread. That can make it nasal with the wrong strings. Maybe yours is similar and we are looking for the same thing, just don't know.
What I'm hearing right now is more of a gut setup but just can't deal with the expense or hassle. Right now, the current strings work pretty well.

[basdanne]

Originally Posted by clink

Every bass is different. I have tried Animas, Mitts, Spiro Weichs, Obligatos and liking the Evah weichs with Olive G. That said, I still wouldn't say my bass is particularly loud.
My flatback has a defined midrange punch rather than a low end spread. That can make it nasal with the wrong strings. Maybe yours is similar and we are looking for the same thing, just don't know.
What I'm hearing right now is more of a gut setup but just can't deal with the expense or hassle. Right now, the current strings work pretty well.

Totally true about the midrange. Even more midrangy playing thrue an amp. I don`t really care about what the strings costs. I just want more bottom and a little more brightness. Right now it sounds to nasal, especially on D and G.

What is the big difference between anima and garbos?
Maybe try an olive G with some type of velvets on the other strings?

[Eric Hochberg]

Try Evah Weich. The Compas 180 Suits were also nice and dark on my bass and feel and bow like normal steel wrapped strings.

[marvin spangles]

Originally Posted by basdanne

I just want more bottom and a little more brightness. Right now it sounds to nasal, especially on D and G.

Have you tried a complete set of Spiros? The D and G will most likely be louder than the obligatos.

[basdanne]

Originally Posted by marvin spangles

Have you tried a complete set of Spiros? The D and G will most likely be louder than the obligatos.

Oh yes I have. The problem with the spiros is that they sound too nasal to me. Especially on D and G

[elmer]

Hello, neighbour Daniel.

I´ve been using Animas on my jazz bass for many years now after Spiros and all kinds of other strings. They are great strings and a nice combination of the old school and more sustaining modern sound. I especially like the G which is bright but still very warm sounding and has none of the nasal twangy Spiro G sound. You should try them...

I´ve also had Garbos which are thumpier and darker with less sustain.

You can listen to great samples of these strings on bassist Herve Jeanne´s pages and compare them to others. To my taste Animas and Obligatos sound the best but Oblis don´t sound that good in a band and amplified. You can find the link from string sticky´s.

[Peder Waern]

Hejsan,

I played with Animas for awhile and was quite pleased with them. They are not very good for arco however if that's important to you.
My experience with Garbos is they are a bit shorter in sustain and maybe a bit louder than the Animas. And even worse for arco.

Compass Blue are pretty much like Animas but a little lower quality IMO, but they are also considerbaly cheaper.

The Oliv G is really nice as you mentioned, both pizz and arco. I consideed it to be too stiff and a little to light in guage however.
Not "whiny" like spiros but it doesen't sound very gutlike either, atleast not on my bass if that's the kind of sound you're going for.

I'm currently playing Anima E, A, and lenzner gut D and G. It's a pretty nice setup but doesen't work at all if you intend to play classical music with the bow.......

Don't know if this was any help...anyway..

[elmer]

Tjänare, nice to have even more neighbours here...
Yes, Animas definetly aren´t classical arco strings, but I think they bow fine especially with Nymans rosin. And if you like the Paul Chambers arco sound, this is it!
They are versatile, you can also play slap bass with them...

[basdanne]

Wow! Really great advices! Nice to have neighbours here to... I have heard that Larry Grenadier is using Helicore hybrids with an anima g. Is that true? I am a little sceptical. It would be cool to try out anima d and g with a nice steel on E and a...

It was really interesting to compare different strings on Herve Jeanne´s pages.

[LouisF]

Has anyone tried the Blues for bowing? Did they replace the 360s?

Thanks

Louis