Double Bass Gut String Advice Welcome

[unbrokenchain]

Contrary to what I've read and expected, I've found hard rosin to work better than soft stuff. I use cello rosin actually. And also tight hair. Another counter-intuitive thing for my all-gut set, and it might just be my bass/particular string combo, but for some reason I've also found the lower wound strings easier to start closer to the bridge than the bare G&D, especially for lower notes and open strings. So you might try just a little closer to the fingerboard on your G&D? A little more bow pressure at the beginning of the note, slackening off immediately to sustain.

 

[AGCurry]

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!

I don't want to presume anything about your arco technique, but...

I have Oliv over Eudoxa on my carved bass, and Lenzner guts over Spirocore weich on my plywood bass.

I am almost a year into learning to use the bow. I too had trouble getting a pleasing sound from plain guts when I first installed them about six months ago.

The sound I'm getting now from bowing the plain guts is quite nice; I actually prefer it to that of the Olivs. So all I can really add is to keep working at it... it's frustrating, and hard work, but the sound is in there somewhere; you just have to find the keys to unlock it.

For what it's worth, I use Carlsson rosin on a CodaBow "Revelation" carbon-fiber stick, not tightening hair too much. I find that the plain guts do not need as much weight from the bow as do the Olivs.

 

[LouisF]

I've posted this elsewhere, but it may be useful here:

 

[Bigbassguy]

i want to thank everyone for such insightful and helpful suggestions. i think i really have difficult strings combined with lousy technique. very frustrating,
more or less pressure. i didn't really understand the comment on being in front of the string, or maybe on the top. would love to hear more.
be well!

 

[The Biz]

i didn't really understand the comment on being in front of the string, or maybe on the top. would love to hear more.
be well!

 

[Bigbassguy]

very helpful

thank you