Bass Rosin

[t-bag]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I wanted to know which rosin is best. When I first got my bass I was given Hidersine De Luxe All Weather Bass Rosin but my teacher said it was crap and recommended Pop’s, which I have been using ever since. I live on the coast in north west England, not very hot. As a cellist I never had to worry about the consistency of my rosin. I have heard good things about Nymans Rosin and Liebenzeller Metall-Kolophonium - Gold V1-H Rosin.
Should I stick with Pops?

[jonster]

I started with Pops, tried a few others over the years (can't even remember which) and went back to Pops. It it's good, why not "stick" with it? (Sorry!)

Jon Liebman
www.JonLiebman.com

[t-bag]

Why not? I was buying a Wolf Note Eliminator on line and was assaulted with adverts for other bass rosins. As a cellist I didn’t worry about rosin melting but now I do.

[reedo35]

Liebenzeller is good for solo stuff, but @#$%& expensive. For cool climates, I guess pops is OK, ( I never liked it much- gummed up on the bow for me, and I had a few messy accidents) I used Nymans/Carlsson's for a long time, then I found Oak Rosin..

[thewhale]

Oak or Kolstein soft with a light base of Carlsson

[Eric Swanson]

Oak or Kolstein; soft or all-weather depending on temperature. Sometimes Pops. Right now, really liking the Kolstein Soft or Oak Soft.

[jallenbass]

Kolstein soft is my favorite.

[MDEbass]

id try as many out as you can....its all personal preferance really, to fit how you bow and how you like it to feel, etc. Climate and location makes a difference too. i use pops.

[mocorob]

I'm trying out the oak medium, it's actually pretty hard, almost the same as Nyman's, but it's stickier, have to be careful with it, sometimes it leaves a build up on the strings which I don't like.

[foilracer]

Gaston's Soft Oak

[Phil Rowan]

Pops in moderation for me does the trick.

[NebSgird]

I started with pops, but my teacher recommended nyman. i switched to that and have been using it ever since. a lot of people complain it's too hard, but in my opinion, pops is too soft. nyman actually stays on the bow hairs, as opposed to rubbing off on the strings.

[baldy McBalders]

Mmmmm.
Just got some oak (Gaston Brohan's) in the mail today; great so far in Michigan. Pop's was pretty good, but it seems the soft and medium oak is going to be great this first winter of DB adventuring.
On a side note; Man I am awful with a bow!! I guess I can't blame the rosin anymore. HA!!

[MKoby]

Carlsson

[Fletcher Lanning]

+1 on Carlsson. It does great of most types of weather; but honestly, you should experiment for awhile. The type of rosin that is going to work for you will change depending on your strings, your bow, how you like to play and, more importantly, the climate of the area you are in (e.g. Florida players might want something a little drier than someone who lives in Michigan).

[G-force]

My peers tend to think I am a mad scientist when it comes to rosin. I have used everything and tried to concoct my own special blend. (a whold nother level ).

IMVHO kolstein soft should do the trick from sept-may and all weather from june-sept.

One must remember that Pops was developed by someone living in Housteon Texas, that is to say, hazy hot and humid + lots of air conditioning indoors. For years bassists in Norway have used Pops as an alternative to the Swedish. Myabe there are other reasons here but I never quite understood it. I started using Kolstein here and finally after 15 years people are using it here in the wet-dry-cold climate of Oslo.

Pops is ok but once it gets below 22 degrees C and 50% RH it powders up and creates a heck of a gunk on the table of the bass. It goes right from Solid to powder.
Kolsteins stays on the bow mostly and then on the string. POweders up very little in dry weather and one needs not take a swipe every five minutes. The cakes last for a long time as well whereas swedish rosin and Pops tends to go "bad" quickly.

I tired Oak and sadly to say I was not impressed in the long run. But of course that´s my taste.

If you at all are in to making a bass like sound I would stay away from all sorts of Libenzeller rosins.

[bejoyous]

I've used Kolstein Soft for the past two years or so. It's great when conditions are ideal. Great grab, smooth sound, doesn't leave too much residue on strings, usually sticky enough to use the next day.

So it's great when practicing or making a recording or perhaps in an audition. But on stage, with the hot lights and playing a thousand notes, it heats up and turns to fudge.

I've found the hairs of my bow get glazed together and the rosin looses it's grip so I grab the rosing thinking that will help but it just adds to the problem. Afterwords I have to strip the bow hair with Citrasol. It gets the rosin out but the hair just isn't as grippy as before.

I've switched to Nymans but may go back to Carlsson in the future.

[Downright_Low]

you're right about when soft rosin gets hot - and putting more on does not really seem to change the situation. Ultimately you will learn that you are in your mind and don't even know it.... the "grip" which is gone is actually changing, in a state of flux with the rosin - the sound is liquidity. I think, if one tries many rosins, it can be lived with, but it's annoying... see the problem is actually the bass. I've found Nymans, and Carlssons, to be somehow more consistent, and a few others, as a matter of fact - to answer this thread maybe: most rosin is good quality and of decent consistency in its own way, and I've even tried some of the violin and cello and viola rosins, with even more varied palate. They are probably the most consistent in their feel... If you go to a teacher they may not mind what you use, or they may tell you use Nymans, or something like that. Petz, medium, or hard, and probably soft, are good, even, and warm - good to the player's ear. Pirastro, who makes tons of different types are worth their price. Pops which can be so soft, is actually liquid gold, and if you get into this enough you might see what I mean...if you put on too much just take a clean cloth and wipe off the strings. It's better to take too much.

If you manage to open your ears enough then you will see that it is all equal among those quality recipes/producers, and you will find out, how to use rosin that is not grabbing, and you will find how to break out when the soft is too sticky... But, for general purposes, the medium and softer rosins will give a thick sound, which is also not too abrasive or too clingy or heavy... it is better to feel your arm as soft, conducting sound, weight which is easy for your wrists, and constant relaxation for the best sensation, which is you and your sound. It is very difficult to go into all the possibilities of combinations of frequencies of sound between different rosins and what string is under them. It is better to have a handful of reliable choices, of which there are many to choose from, and try to diligently find out as much as you can about them by your ear, which is irreplaceable experience. So sooner or later you'll have to put aside all the choices and practice, hopefully for at least a couple of weeks with one to let it's sound work into the bass, to break in, and if you aren't reasonably satisfied by then, then go on; don't put up with bad sound, but don't just be impulsive. You may miss something sounding good... it may take some time to find it. If you really want to be random then indulge, I've never tried this out too far. It confuses the instrument. As this clears you begin to hear what is growing, what remains. You may be surprised to realize that the bass is most benefited by you playing it, although the rosin can be useful for a quick change, maybe a significant one - but it is to your liking. Your freedom of sound is at stake. How much does that matter? In other words, are you forced to use something? Are you willing to suspend partiality to learn about sound, what is the behavior of rosin?

[Blakewdm]

Pops does what you need it to do, there is a comfortable median of rosin though. If you apply too much you are gonna regret it. Experiment with how much you can put on without it going super gunky. Also watch the summer, pops can turn your hair into one big gross mess.

[noetical1]

Nymans for me right now, but I have my eye on trying some Millant-Deroux or L'Opera Jade...