I just bought a La Bella plain gut d string and a goetz plain gut G string, and I know that people say they take a while to adjust to, but how much, exactly, is, " a while"? I've played on gut strings before, briefly, and they felt very comfortable and great on my right hand especially, which is mainly why I decided to buy my own. I'm asking because I have a Manhattan School of Music Precollege Jazz audition in the middle of May.
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Double Bass Do gut strings take a long time to get used to?
- Thread starter NDBass
- Start date
If you are asking how long it will take YOU to get used to the strings, no one can answer this question but you. They may require you to rethink some aspects of you playing in both the left and right hands- not to mention pickup and amplification, and perhaps some other things too.
If you are asking how long they take to stretch in- this is another ymmv- but generally speaking a plain gut D and G could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to stretch in and become pitch stable...so maybe a month at the longest.
Remember that they will continue to develope character the longer they are on your bass- and you will get better at playing them too, which makes them seem to be getting better still.
Make sure your string height is appropriate!
I would think that the middle of May gives you plenty of time to figure things out...but don't just switch back to steel the night before your audition- not only will you need to re-acclimate, but your bass will as well.
My biggest concern would be to see if they expect any samples of your arco ability- if you have never bowed on plain gut before, it can be a very humbling experience.
Hopefully some others will chime in with some of their thoughts and encouraging words! Best of luck with your audition!!!
Joe
If you are asking how long they take to stretch in- this is another ymmv- but generally speaking a plain gut D and G could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to stretch in and become pitch stable...so maybe a month at the longest.
Remember that they will continue to develope character the longer they are on your bass- and you will get better at playing them too, which makes them seem to be getting better still.
Make sure your string height is appropriate!
I would think that the middle of May gives you plenty of time to figure things out...but don't just switch back to steel the night before your audition- not only will you need to re-acclimate, but your bass will as well.
My biggest concern would be to see if they expect any samples of your arco ability- if you have never bowed on plain gut before, it can be a very humbling experience.
Hopefully some others will chime in with some of their thoughts and encouraging words! Best of luck with your audition!!!
Joe
It took me about 3 months before I felt as comfortable on guts as on steels. The touch is different. When I first put them on, I couldn't play fast for any length of time without cramping up. It was like trying to run through quicksand. On one of my first gigs, the leader called some Rhythm Changes tune at an extremely fast tempo. I almost started crying before the end of it. I also had a very difficult time soloing on guts at first. None of my stock tricks developed on steel strings worked.
After about 3 months though, everything sort of fell into place. I didn't have to think about the touch anymore and I had developed a whole series of new licks and tricks for gut. I find it easier to play fast on guts now than on steels. You just have to have the patience and fortitude to get through the transition period and the rewards are great.
To be fair though, I LOVED walking on guts immediately. The sound is amazing. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have stayed with them long enough to get through the transition period.
mark
After about 3 months though, everything sort of fell into place. I didn't have to think about the touch anymore and I had developed a whole series of new licks and tricks for gut. I find it easier to play fast on guts now than on steels. You just have to have the patience and fortitude to get through the transition period and the rewards are great.
To be fair though, I LOVED walking on guts immediately. The sound is amazing. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have stayed with them long enough to get through the transition period.
mark
Thanks for the advice. I guess I'm a huge exception, because I just practice with them for about 2.5 hours, and it felt completely natural to me. Walking was great, and I loved the touch and I was able to play faster than how I usually do with steel strings. The bowing's a bit of a trick though...
There ya have it!
Just be patient if any problems do pop up, but it sounds like you're well on your way!
How long have you been playing DB? That might have a lot to do with how quickly you have adapted. I had been playing for quite a while (decades
) before I made the committed switch- I had a lot of ingrained, very steel specific technique, and it took me a while to get used to the feel of guts- to learn how to not over play the string and let them "do what they do"- rather than try to force them to do what I'd been hearing for so long.Please keep us posted on your progress!
Joe
I've only been playing for about 4 years now. Also, two questions, actually, how do I bow these things? And what's your opinion on mixing gut with steel (I have D and G gut and E and A steel)?
It took me about 3 months too. I was coming from Evah regulars which feel pretty high tension so it was a big switch going to the low tension of gut.
For me gut felt instantly comfortable in the practice room. So much so that I used them for a 2 night hit with a Rosemary Clooney show I play with. We are a trio on stage and there is LOTS of blowing. By the end of the first night I took them off and put the Evahs back on. The problem was this. The tendency with steel strings is to dig in more when things get loud in a band setting. You can't do that with guts. I found myself doing that and getting tangled every time. Tripping over myself. Guts don't snap back as fast.
Just keep that in your back pocket.
For me gut felt instantly comfortable in the practice room. So much so that I used them for a 2 night hit with a Rosemary Clooney show I play with. We are a trio on stage and there is LOTS of blowing. By the end of the first night I took them off and put the Evahs back on. The problem was this. The tendency with steel strings is to dig in more when things get loud in a band setting. You can't do that with guts. I found myself doing that and getting tangled every time. Tripping over myself. Guts don't snap back as fast.
Just keep that in your back pocket.
Not exactly. The overall touch is a bit softer I suppose but I also had to vary my angle of attack. I think you just have to resist the urge to dig in MORE to get louder.
Four years- that makes sense. Your technique is still developing- not that us more experienced cats aren't developing too- it's just that you didn't have to "unlearn" lots of stuff. Good for you!
As for bowing- gut will require less pressure and more speed- generally speaking. You might get lucky here too and just "get it"!
Some folks have also suggested that oak rosin is better for gut- I forget which type- but I use Gaston Brohan Soft Plus and love it.
Oh- and some cats say black hair for guts. I think I notice this being advantageous too- but it's hard to say cause I usually bow German, and my only black haired bow is a French grip. I'm planning on having one of my spare German bows rehaired black the next time I go to the shop.
You might encounter trouble going back and forth between the steel and gut arco- they require two totally different, and almost opposite approaches. I tried it for a while and it drove me crazy- ymmv though. Lots of people use the two steel two gut setup and love it.
My long range recommendation would be that if you think you are going to do a lot of arco work to look into Gamut Pistoys. They are a LOT more arco friendly- more expensive, yes- but worth every penny. They are wound differently than any other gut string- there is something special about them!
Stick with what you got for now though and shed away!
Good luck!
Joe
I was a duck to water when it came to guts. To be fair, I'd played a gig here and there on gut-strung rental basses on the road. And part of the deal with playing contracted basses is, after awhile, you get so you can make friends with individual setups pretty quickly. Sometimes, just a few minutes before downbeat.
But when I finally put them on my own bass, it made sense right away for me. I gigged the night I put them on.
But when I finally put them on my own bass, it made sense right away for me. I gigged the night I put them on.
I'm bowing with white hair at the moment. I just usually try whatever my bow girl has in her shop at any given time. Last time was a salt n' pepper set, which was really nice.
