I've not owned any but played basses with them and I thought they were pretty low grade compared to the Gamuts I use. No comparison at all. Not even close.
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Double Bass Good old Gut sound
- Thread starter sadowskyschmaus
- Start date
I've not owned any but played basses with them and I thought they were pretty low grade compared to the Gamuts I use. No comparison at all. Not even close.
+1.... surely the most diffused sounding string I've ever played. The D&G make a fair amount of volume, but it's hard to find the tone center. A & E go "thunk". I know some roots and rockabilly guys use them, and my hat's off to 'em.
- May 6, 2003
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- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
I use Guts also and love them. The tone is so warm and great for slapping. I have Glef Guts on all four stings which I have only just recently started using, but since getting them I have had many comments on how great the sound is. I really love the All Gut E String. I have been using Gotz strings before this but I do think these Clef Guts are better sounding and they were a lot cheaper also. But all that said, I guess it depends on the sound you want.
Hi everyone! Here comes another big gut post complete with subjective sound statements and questions whose best answer is, "buy a bunch of strings and try them yourself." Ready?
Yes, Gamuts are the junk!
I stuck the medium D and G on my old French bass today. I had very old Labellas that I had been keeping alive with all manner of contrivances (Almond Stick - the furniture scratch folk remedy, and almond oil, as recommended by various sources). Even though they're still settling in, it's clear they kick butt. They feel great (no surprise coming from 2+ year-old Labellas). They sound purer harmonically to me. They seem better in thumb position. I'm sure I'll have more descriptive phrases later, but for now I'm just happy.
Got an Efrano plain A on. Pretty happy with that. It's only about a year old, still juicy, and not too muddy as you get higher on it. Def. better than the Labella plain A, which is thinner and less tense.
Most people seem to be all about the steels or steel/synthetics on the E and A. I'm sold on wrapped gut E strings. I definitely think players like PC and Sam Jones sound more like they're playing wrapped gut on the low strings than straight steel. For example - "Late, Late Blues" on Bags and Trane, first couple of solo choruses, PC really goes down there and gets some big notes that sound like high action wrapped guts to me. And I love it!
That said, this crusty Labella wrapped E is just not cutting it anymore! Someone said something about them being really pitchy. It's true. I can not get the Ab down there to ever sound fully in tune. I know it's been asked before, but what are people's experiences with wrapped gut Es? In particular, how do the Eudoxa, Oliv, and Pizzicato compare down there? I do bow a lot, so that's a factor, but obviously not much delicate work on the E string. Mostly just the last note of ballads down there =). OR, has anyone tried the wrapped Gamut A or E strings? I'd hate to buy an expensive string and have the winding go under heavy pizz action.
Enlighten me! Sorry to retread old ground! Happy 4th!
Yes, Gamuts are the junk!
I stuck the medium D and G on my old French bass today. I had very old Labellas that I had been keeping alive with all manner of contrivances (Almond Stick - the furniture scratch folk remedy, and almond oil, as recommended by various sources). Even though they're still settling in, it's clear they kick butt. They feel great (no surprise coming from 2+ year-old Labellas). They sound purer harmonically to me. They seem better in thumb position. I'm sure I'll have more descriptive phrases later, but for now I'm just happy.
Got an Efrano plain A on. Pretty happy with that. It's only about a year old, still juicy, and not too muddy as you get higher on it. Def. better than the Labella plain A, which is thinner and less tense.
Most people seem to be all about the steels or steel/synthetics on the E and A. I'm sold on wrapped gut E strings. I definitely think players like PC and Sam Jones sound more like they're playing wrapped gut on the low strings than straight steel. For example - "Late, Late Blues" on Bags and Trane, first couple of solo choruses, PC really goes down there and gets some big notes that sound like high action wrapped guts to me. And I love it!
That said, this crusty Labella wrapped E is just not cutting it anymore! Someone said something about them being really pitchy. It's true. I can not get the Ab down there to ever sound fully in tune. I know it's been asked before, but what are people's experiences with wrapped gut Es? In particular, how do the Eudoxa, Oliv, and Pizzicato compare down there? I do bow a lot, so that's a factor, but obviously not much delicate work on the E string. Mostly just the last note of ballads down there =). OR, has anyone tried the wrapped Gamut A or E strings? I'd hate to buy an expensive string and have the winding go under heavy pizz action.
Enlighten me! Sorry to retread old ground! Happy 4th!
SP,
I was a little hesitant to get wrapped gut on the bottom because of the windings issue - I've dealt with that too much with Obligatos and can't afford to deal with it on gut. Anyhow I finally decided on the E & A from Gamut because Dan Larson offers a rewinding service which claims to be essentially a new string but at a very reduced price.
Just got them today will put them on and break em in soon, look for a report in the Gamut mega-thread.
I was a little hesitant to get wrapped gut on the bottom because of the windings issue - I've dealt with that too much with Obligatos and can't afford to deal with it on gut. Anyhow I finally decided on the E & A from Gamut because Dan Larson offers a rewinding service which claims to be essentially a new string but at a very reduced price.
Just got them today will put them on and break em in soon, look for a report in the Gamut mega-thread.
- May 6, 2003
- 5,272
- 160
- 64
- Disclosures
- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
I have tried all those and vintage gut E strings. They all have about 3 to 5 useful notes. Gamut E is the best of the bunch although I hear the Dlugoleki is also good and maybe even better.
I need more E string to work with myself. I can't live with so few notes even though they are great sounding ones.
If I had two or more usable basses I'd string gut all across one but I only have one good one so I mix metal and gut.
I use a Spirocore Mittel E. I've used a Permanent E and a Dominant E and like them both as well. The Spiro Stark E is also fantastic but doesn't speak as well on my bass as the mittel.
If you want all gut across buy the Gamut or the Dlugloleki.
Thanks for the help. I look forward to the report, Dave.
UT, I know what you mean about the poverty of notes on the E. The sustain can get pretty silly, and the higher you go up the string, the more muffled the sound. Anyone ever try a plain E in a jazz context? I had one for a few months playing in a trio on a cruise ship. I really loved the feel, texture and resistance-wise, of that set. I remember one tune where the guitar player and I would always hit a low G on "4" in a certain place in the form. I would crack up every time because his would sustain for the whole next bar until he played something else, and it sounded like I was hitting a bass drum. So at least I've graduated to the wrapped E!
UT, I know what you mean about the poverty of notes on the E. The sustain can get pretty silly, and the higher you go up the string, the more muffled the sound. Anyone ever try a plain E in a jazz context? I had one for a few months playing in a trio on a cruise ship. I really loved the feel, texture and resistance-wise, of that set. I remember one tune where the guitar player and I would always hit a low G on "4" in a certain place in the form. I would crack up every time because his would sustain for the whole next bar until he played something else, and it sounded like I was hitting a bass drum. So at least I've graduated to the wrapped E!
- May 6, 2003
- 5,272
- 160
- 64
- Disclosures
- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
I've been listening to the Springsteen record with the Seeger Sessions band in my van as I drive around over the last several days. The DB sound is very electric but unmistakably DB. He has that gut string through a pickup sound going. Some I'm sure would find it offensive or non DB like but I think it's cool. I can't seem to get that sound with Spirocores. Deep, round, big as hell. Short notes like a tuned drum. The biggest baddest electric bass ever made.
Can't use that for every style though.
Not very acoustic. Can't really pull it off for jazz. Not long enough of a note for rock. But in that context halfway between bluegrass and rock it's perfect.
Can't use that for every style though.
Not very acoustic. Can't really pull it off for jazz. Not long enough of a note for rock. But in that context halfway between bluegrass and rock it's perfect.
I listened to that CD last night in the car, speakers blaring.. I can hear the gut type sound as his fingers come off the strings. Now, I have my Bisiach with very old/used Flex Starks on it and they sound a bit deadish. The also sustain with pizz but an older type of fundamental sound. I think that it is possible for old steel strings to sound guttish if the strings are up a bit off the FB and you dig in as well. Still, I could swear the G and D sounded like Gut on the CD. Also, on the picture, they were not recording in a club. No one was clapping! He still could have recorded with Guts and the Italian Bass as well but maybe not..
Like I first said earlier and made a bet that now I thionk I maybe have one..
I am with you, KSB. I hear the steel (Spiro?) sound. The response is too quick for gut, and he's all over the high register.
As far as the wide, fat, non-pointy sound, well that's one thing that makes Ray so very great. It's never the gear so much as the player. I have used spiros a lot, and you can work the string to get that sound.
