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Double Bass Cheap gut D&G, plus what A&E

Doug D

Doug D

Oct 23, 2007
68
0
Birmingham, Alabama
#1
I've got a set of the cheap global guts on the way that I'd like to mix with the A&E from something else to make a mixed set. (I'm not sure I like the unwound gut A&E...)

my choices (sets that I already have) are:
Obligatos
Helicore Orchs
Labella blacks
Supernills
unknown imports (similar to the heli's)



what would make a decent pairing?
 
#2
I've played two basses now with Velvet Garbos over gut and really like that balance.

If you like more tension, you might try Thomastik Superflexibles or Pirastro Permenants.

I can't recommend that Obligato E and A strings based on my personal experience and reports from others on durabiliy, though some will swear by them.

Evah Pirazzis could be an option too, but buy them used if you can.
 
#3
TroyK said:
I've played two basses now with Velvet Garbos over gut and really like that balance.

If you like more tension, you might try Thomastik Superflexibles or Pirastro Permenants.

I can't recommend that Obligato E and A strings based on my personal experience and reports from others on durabiliy, though some will swear by them.

Evah Pirazzis could be an option too, but buy them used if you can.
Click to expand...

Regular Evahs have a LOT of tension that probably wouldn't complement guts although sound-wise they wouldn't be bad. The extra tension would probably affect the sound of the D and G though. The only strings I've tried other than wrapped gut on the E&A (which have been great for me) with D&G gut have been Spiro Weichs and Mittels. Neither worked for me at all. When winter rolls around, if my wrapped guts crap out from the lack of humidity, I'm going to try Garbos on the E and A. Garbos have come highly recommended by a lot of different people so it would be logical place to start.

mark
 
#5
Hey welcome Bassbuddie, our newest supporting member. :-)

From my limited experiences with other people's basses, the Garbos were a really nice match.

I just had a Gamut G on with an otherwise Spirocore Weich set and it really wasn't that mismatched. I think I could have gotten used to it, though, had I stuck with Gut, I would have gone to Garbos at some point.

I used Permenants for years and I think that they would be a good match in terms of sound and gauge, but they're not as slinky. I seem to remember that Superflexibles are moreso and also have a bit of a warmer tone. If you have Permenants, try it. They're good strings and when I was doing my gut research someone was swearing by that mix.
 
#8
I've had plain gut G and D with a few different Es and As, but I kept going back to Spiro Mittels. Partly that was because I could trust the Spiros to stay in tune and use them as reference points, but also because they firmed up the tension across my bass. I found the Weichs a bit wimpy compared to guts on my basses.
Slightly OT but my favourite combination was plain gut G, D and A with spiro Mittel E. It sounded like I was playing a tuned drum on the A, but was strangely addictive...
 
#10
If you are looking for a low-tension E&A to match with gut the Silver Slaps (very low tension) and the Super Silvers (low tension) work well. Lots of Roots / Country players use a combo like this and I used the Silvers/gut combo for quite a while and liked it quite a bit. They sound more like gut than any string I have tried thus far.

I would like to try the Garbos though but man they is 'spensive.
 
#15
concur on the obligato/global gut combo. seems to be a pretty good match but it still only the first mix I've tried.

keep noticing a lot of percusive sound coming from the obligatos. almost like a thump, from pizz as my fingers leave the strings.... don't notice it on the guts.

anyone else experience this from the obligatos?
 
#16
Doug D said:
concur on the obligato/global gut combo. seems to be a pretty good match but it still only the first mix I've tried.

keep noticing a lot of percusive sound coming from the obligatos. almost like a thump, from pizz as my fingers leave the strings.... don't notice it on the guts.

anyone else experience this from the obligatos?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I get that as well, but I've learned play to avoid it. On the other hand, I play a lot of slap, so it really doesn't bother me.
 
#17
Doug D said:
I've got a set of the cheap global guts on the way that I'd like to mix with the A&E from something else to make a mixed set. (I'm not sure I like the unwound gut A&E...)

my choices (sets that I already have) are:
Obligatos
Helicore Orchs
Labella blacks
Supernills
unknown imports (similar to the heli's)



what would make a decent pairing?
Click to expand...




Emerson Gut D & G paired with La Bella Supernil E & A. The Emerson E is a waste of gut, the A is just about ok. Thats my findings.
 

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