Need Advice

[Doubletom]

Greeting DB lovers.
I recently purchased a Kay C1 1940 model. The instrument has had no visible repairs and is a good solid box. I play Old Time, Honkytonk, and Bluegrass. I believe the strings are an old set of Helicores. I am looking to restring it to get more volume, so string suggestions are appreciated. I understand the importance of proper setup and would like suggestions for an Upton quality luthier in the Asheville, NC area.

Thanks,
Doubletom

[flint]

Congrats on finding a good old kay. If you want that real olde time sound you can't go wrong with a good set of guts. Others more knowledgeable than I can fill you in on which ones, wrapped or not, etc.

no personal experience with them, but:

http://www.bassviolinshop.com/

gets good reviews from anyone here that posts about them.

Mapquest says it's a little less than 3hrs each way.

[Michael Case]

If you want that real Old Time sound, you may want to go with gut strings. Another choice may be Velvet Animas, they are a gut like string, they are more stable tuning wise than gut. Or you could go in the complete opposite direction and go for Spirocores. Well this post could go on for ever with string suggestions. The best advice is buy a set of strings put em on use them for a while, rinse, repeat until you find a string that gives you what you want.

As far as a luthier goes the best I can do is tell you to search this page for someone on your area http://www.urbbob.com/basslink.html.
Or you could ask other bassists in your area who does there basses.

[M Ramsey]

Originally Posted by Doubletom

Greeting DB lovers.
I recently purchased a Kay C1 1940 model. The instrument has had no visible repairs and is a good solid box. I play Old Time, Honkytonk, and Bluegrass. I believe the strings are an old set of Helicores. I am looking to restring it to get more volume, so string suggestions are appreciated. I understand the importance of proper setup and would like suggestions for an Upton quality luthier in the Asheville, NC area.

Thanks,
Doubletom

We're not too far apart, but I don't know of any luthiers in the Asheville area that specialize in basses. I know Danny Bishop works on them, but he also works on fiddles, mandolins, banjos, guitars etc., etc. He's never done any bass repair or setup for me.

I can attest to Bob Beerman in Greensboro, NC. That is a pretty good haul for you, but Bob did an excellent job on my American Standard neck set. He is very accomodating in meeting you at odd hours, given enough lead time. To travel down there on a Saturday for you would be about an all day venture, but not bad for the quality of service you'd get.

Again, here's his webpage:

http://www.bassviolinshop.com/

He's a good one!

[jimclark68]

Another plug for the Bass Violin Shop. Bob Beerman is a great guy, very accommodating to those of us who have to travel to his shop to get work done, and his assistant Gael trained under David Gage. From Morganton, you can get to Bob's shop in 1 hour 45 mins, so from Asheville it should be around 3 hours or a little bit less.

[Doubletom]

Thanks for the information. One other question. Do the the Kays typically like high or low tension strings to get the best volume.

Doubletom

[Michael Case]

I've seen guys get a great tone on a Kay from Spirocores (high tension) and from gut (low tension). I know that doesn't answer your question, but you'll have to do some experimenting to find the answer for your ear and your bass. Look in the classified section here, lot's of cats are always looking to trade or sell strings at discounted prices.

[Fat.Mike]

Try www.innovationstrings.com. The web site can tell you more than I can. I'm a "Grasser" myself, and have been told by countless others that these are the way to go (I now agree). Silver Slaps are on my ES-9 Engelhardt and I love em.

[MT Spaces]

Originally Posted by Doubletom

.... Do the the Kays typically like high or low tension strings to get the best volume. Doubletom

Doubletom, I essentially have the same bass as you (1940 Kay O-1) . I decided to go with lower tension strings not so much for volume concerns, but to somewhat protect the bass. For what it's worth, I think the volume is fine. My bass doesn't have a sound post reinforcement disk to distribute the load on the back like the later Kays have. Plus the neck on my bass has never been broken (which can be an issue with Kays). I just think that lower tension strings may be better protection in the long run.

I started with Innovation Super Silvers (non-slap version) and have been happy with the punchy "bluegrass" sound. They seem to be real stable as far as staying in tune under varying indoor / outdoor jam situations after they are broken in. I just recently bought Dominant A and E strings from a fellow here on TalkBass to replace the SS strings. So far I think on my bass the A and E Dominants have a better front end "attack", better overall "voice" and are less flabby / floppy but I really like the SS G and D strings. You could also go with Permanents or Spirocore Weichs if you want fairly low tension A and E strings.

On my other Kay ('64 S-1), it has a sound post disk and the neck was already repaired before I bought it. On it, I run higher tension Spirocore Mittels except for the G which is Innovation SS. The Spirocore G was just too bright and tinny for my taste in bluegrass. The bass sounds good with the Spirocores and like everyone here at TB says, they are very stable and last a long time. Of course I would love to try some quality gut G and D strings someday.

Good luck ...... be prepared to come face-to-face with one of the most addictive and expensive pleasure drugs on the planet ...... double bass strings !

P.S. You might want to visit with Jerry Fretwell. That's where I got my Innovation SS strings and he knows a boatload about the older Kay basses: http://www.fretwellbass.com/?source=bbp

[Michael Case]

Aren't Dominants high tension? I know my Dom G&D matched my Spiro mittle E&A tension wise. I now use Obligato E&A with Oliv G&D though.

[MT Spaces]

Originally Posted by Michael Case

Aren't Dominants high tension? I know my Dom G&D matched my Spiro mittle E&A tension wise. I now use Obligato E&A with Oliv G&D though.

Well I guess it's all relative ...... see this "sticky" table from The "String Forum" :

http://jordankirkness.tripod.com/dbstringtension.html

Doms are between Spiro weichs and mittels as far as the A & E string tensions go ...... not as low as Permanents but way less tension than Spiro starks. I think the Dom A & E are pretty close to the Obligato A & E in the table. The Dom G & D are definitely less tension than the Spiro mittel G & D and are even further away from the Spiro mittel A & E. Tension shouldn't be confused with "feel" and/or elasticity.

[Gufenov]

Originally Posted by Fat.Mike

Try www.innovationstrings.com. The I'm a "Grasser" myself, and have been told by countless others that these are the way to go.

+1
I play Super Silvers on my ES-1 for Bluegrass, Country and Gospel. Low tension, low maintenance. Great sound amped and unamped. I decided against gut because I play outside so much and don't need the maintenance and tuning issues.

[Michael Case]

Originally Posted by Bob Knebel

Well I guess it's all relative ...... see this "sticky" table from The "String Forum" :

http://jordankirkness.tripod.com/dbstringtension.html

Doms are between Spiro weichs and mittels as far as the A & E string tensions go ...... not as low as Permanents but way less tension than Spiro starks. I think the Dom A & E are pretty close to the Obligato A & E in the table. The Dom G & D are definitely less tension than the Spiro mittel G & D and are even further away from the Spiro mittel A & E. Tension shouldn't be confused with "feel" and/or elasticity.

True, true.

[rmunn]

i have a 52 which i have had the neck scoup taken out and fret board re glued, new set up and B Band installed - was real satisfied with their work and price. My bass is back in now to have backing board reglued -- i am using Acoustic Corner and have been satisfied -- they make instruments there and work on violins etc. i am not a pro so what do i know. But I like the store it is in Black Mountain not far from you just off the I 40 - they has several basses in work there now. they are on the web.