Double Bass Gut String Advice Welcome

[gypsydjango]

I have no experience of gut strings--yet to try.Those of you who have had experience of guts how do 'Gamut Red Diamonds' rate with other makes of guts?
'Red Diamonds' good for both arco & pizz?

 

[Francois Blais]

There has been many threads about them.
You can search the forum.
Here's a good starting point: New Gamut Red Diamond Gut Strings

 

[Reiska]

Nylon winding on D and G ain`t propably too bow friendly but I haven`t tried Red Diamonds, but now discontinued Pirastro Pizzicatos. Those were like bowing Velvet Garbos, doable but very difficult with unpleasing tone.

 

[210superair]

I bow my red diamonds no problem. I've got lezners on my other bass, I like both, but RD's are a good starting point. Like Francois said, there's a ton of info on here for them, I read a lot of it before buying. I'm content with my RD's, but not sure I'll replace them with another set when they puke out...

 

[birgebass]

I probably posted this in the other forum. The red diamonds are high quality strings, but I really didn't like the nylon wound D and G. The E and A are nice, as long as you can deal with the copper wrap. Green fingers and that copper smell...

 

[AGCurry]

I have Red Diamond E and A on one of my basses. They are good strings. I find them stiffer/tenser than other wrapped guts (except Pirastro Oliv), and they offer good tuning stability. They are bowable but rather demanding of my arco technique.

 

[gypsydjango]

Many thanks guys for your replies--much appreciated.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Those are beef gut, not mutton, and have a reputation for being stiff. I’ve had Tynex-wound gut before and they have problems. Hard to get them to speak with the bow, and if the winding comes undone...

If this is your first foray into gut, just buy a good quality G like a Lyon and live with it for a year.

 

[james condino]

They need to quit advertising them as gut and call them what they are: plastic wrapped over a gut core. Playing a natural gut D and G is a completely different thing!

 

[juusokasperi]

I haven't tried the Red Diamonds but if you're looking at bow-friendly strings from the Gamut line then maybe go for Pistoy. I prefer the thumpier/more oldschool sound of the Lyon strings but the Pistoys are easier on the bow. That being said, I think the Lyons are fine for arco too.

 

[birgebass]

For me, the stiffer E and A is a good thing. Not sure I could really play on "regular" gut E and A without a lot of practice. Even as such, the RD E was a bit problematic starting out. As far as bowing went, the E and A bowed pretty well. The D and G were quite difficult. Imagine a more difficult Spiro. The sound is there, but it takes considerable technique to make it work.

 

[birgebass]

I should add to my above post to include this: I would never use the D and G for any kind of orchestral work. I said the sound is there, but I was referring to the Paul Chambers type of jazz arco sound.

 

[birgebass]

Ive said this before, too, but maybe if I keep saying it Gamut will read this and take an interest. I'd love it if they developed a D and G without the tynex wrap using the same formula the Red Diamonds are constructed with currently. Or at least sell the E and A by themselves so I can pair other D and G

 

[james condino]

Dlugolecki.

 

[Sam Dingle]

Ive said this before, too, but maybe if I keep saying it Gamut will read this and take an interest. I'd love it if they developed a D and G without the tynex wrap using the same formula the Red Diamonds are constructed with currently. Or at least sell the E and A by themselves so I can pair other D and G

You can buy singles now. They have them here:

Gamut Red Diamond Gut Bass Strings

 

[birgebass]

Good to know, thanks!

 

[Bigbassguy]

guys help!

i am using plain g and d guts strings and having difficulty getting a decent warm sound. very frustrating sounding like crap.
please advise on any arco secrets when working with guts strings. my bow has dark hair. thanks in advance!

 

[Sam Dingle]

guys help!

i am using plain g and d guts strings and having difficulty getting a decent warm sound. very frustrating sounding like crap.
please advise on any arco secrets when working with guts strings. my bow has dark hair. thanks in advance!

Warm arco sound on guts? Hard to do. I think slower bow helped for me, but if you want a warm sound maybe go back to steel strings.

 

[The Biz]

By personal experience, the nasal sound is exaggerated depending on how much tension there is in the E and A...full gut or gut like synthetic low strings help.

As does really engaging the string from the playing side and not 'on top'.

 

[mittenwald]

guys help!

I am using plain g and d guts strings and having difficulty getting a decent warm sound. very frustrating sounding like crap.
please advise on any arco secrets when working with guts strings. my bow has dark hair. thanks in advance!

It is important I think to listen to the fundamental sound created, as that is what carries into the room. There needs to be big, bassy and warm fundamental, like sub bass almost. The angle of the bow especially on the G string is critical.

It doesn't really matter if there are also overtones and chaff noises, as these don't really carry very far, the conductor or audience won't hear those but will be listening for that fundamental.

If there are only raspy noises though and no fundamental, then you are not engaging the string correctly, and may need more or less of a different rosin, and review fundamental bow technique.

If there is often a whistling noise under the bow, some people say that can be fixed by oiling the fingerboard area of the strings, however in my experience that string is bad and you need to try a better string. Good luck!