Double Bass Gut Strings: Are They Worth It To Try? (part I)

[Marcus Johnson]

I suppose it'll only be "old school" until someone becomes famous with that BP-100 direct, fresh-Spiros-at-3mm-string-height sound. Then, it'll be "new old school", and "old old school". I get what you're saying, though... to my ears, that vintage sound is more fresh than the one that I just called "modern" in my last post. Plus, hearing great modern gut players like Ben Wolfe and Carlos Henriquez gives me a lot of hope for the future.

I don't begrudge anybody the sound they're after. I'm just trying some stuff on my current bass. Every other string on this bass has been very good... so it's really just a road I need to go down, check it out a little bit.

 

[AndreasH]

Plus, hearing great modern gut players like Ben Wolfe and Carlos Henriquez gives me a lot of hope for the future.

+1

Gut's not dead at all! Alot of players are playing gut or very gut like strings like Velvet Garbos. There is hope

By the way, I measured my Chorda E today. All the string charts I've seen have listed Chorda E at .140 inch. When measuring with micrometer today, at different places on the string, I got numbers between .149 - .153 inch This is a thick bastard... Damn hard to play...

 

[Marcus Johnson]

+1

Gut's not dead at all!

Tell that to the sheep!

 

[Stephen Edwards]

Sheep or pigs?
If so, do you think that they would understand your justification for killing them?
Because I understand your justification, GOOD TONE, and amen to that. (Oh and gut is dead literally)

 

[Marcus Johnson]

uhhhhokaymajorbuzzkill.

Had rack of lamb for dinner last night. Wrong tree.

 

[Mark Perna]

Sheep or pigs?
If so, do you think that they would understand your justification for killing them?

Nope. They're animals. Can't say as I've had any meaningful conversations with livestock lately, though.



Mark

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Tell that to the sheep!

So... anyway.... Tell that to the sheep! The sheep, I say, because...

Okay... thanks, you've been beautiful. Please tip your waitress....Tony Orlando and Dawn will be up next.

 

[MT Spaces]

I've lost track of this Gut Extravaganza for awhile .... It's Summer (finally) ... Time for me to camp-out and play bluegrass and old-timey every night until at least 2 AM of every weekend . I just wanted to comment on The Life Of Guts .....

..... the "short lifespan" of gut strings has been very exaggerated. They can last for years if taken care of properly, IMO. Oil them, clip the hairs .... The wound strings can be a problem in dry climates though, so maybe thats where the stigma comes from ....

.... My double bass never leaves the humid climes of the Hawai'ian islands, so I don't think that the wound lower strings would pose a problem .... just checked.... relative humidity here in Ha'iku is presently 78%..... I think I'd be okay....

Well Marcus ..... To You . My state averages about 50% less humidity than yours ..... That's why I didn't do wound guts on A & E and went with Garbo / Anima. You should be way-fine .... Pony-up and get the guts.

As far as "life" in dry climate goes, I bought my first varnished Gamut Pistoy plain G & D over 18 months ago, have played them a fair-amount, and haven't done a thing to them. I play indoors, outdoors, hot, cold, sometimes it's real dry, sometimes there's dew. I've had no hairs and I've done no oiling / re-varnishing nor sanding ...... Nada . Plus .... I think they just keep sounding better ... I fully expect these strings to last at least 5 years. The best part ..... So Easy on the hands, fingers, and wrists over long stretches of playing.

P.S. On the Epiphone I just got back from Jake The Luthier .... With more playing and learning the ropes .... I have discovered that the Pistoy G & D do some fine growling and Maui-Wowing just like the Animas do . Mighty Fine.

..... Can't say as I've had any meaningful conversations with livestock lately, though.

Well I have . Don't get me started on sheep jokes Pal.

 

[Stephen Edwards]

Nope. They're animals. Can't say as I've had any meaningful conversations with livestock lately, though.



Mark

I'm glad someone understood I was joking.

 

[Mark Perna]

As far as "life" in dry climate goes, I bought my first varnished Gamut Pistoy plain G & D over 18 months ago, have played them a fair-amount, and haven't done a thing to them. I play indoors, outdoors, hot, cold, sometimes it's real dry, sometimes there's dew. I've had no hairs and I've done no oiling / re-varnishing nor sanding ...... Nada . Plus .... I think they just keep sounding better ... I fully expect these strings to last at least 5 years. The best part ..... So Easy on the hands, fingers, and wrists over long stretches of playing.

I clipped a (that's one, singular, as in not two) hair on my G string last month. My G and D are varnished so I don't expect much in the way of problems and I never have to oil them.

+1 on the climate thing. Western PA isn't as harsh as Montana but it does vary from 25% humidity in the middle of March to mid-50's today and I haven't had any problems other than some tuning issues when the temperature gets really hot. You learn to adapt to it and it isn't so bad.

My big dilemma now is I've been using Lyons and Dan just sent me a Pistoy G and D (not for free; I bought them from him although with all of the evangelizing I'm doing for him on here, you'd think he'd throw me a bone once in a while). The Lyons sound great but what if the Pistoys sound better? Could I screw things up taking the Lyons off to try the Pistoys. Should I just leave well enough alone until the Lyons wear out and I need to switch them out. But that might not happen for YEARS. I'm conflicted.

mark

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I'm glad someone understood I was joking.

Ohhh... bwahhaha.... I knew that ....

My brother lives in Vancouver.... my jokes never work there either...

Mark..... the Pistoys look like the smoothest finished guts I've seen to date. So just from an aesthetic standpoint, I'm anxious to see how that works out.

 

[MT Spaces]

.... I haven't had any problems other than some tuning issues when the temperature gets really hot. You learn to adapt to it and it isn't so bad.

My big dilemma now ... Dan just sent me a Pistoy G and D .... you'd think he'd throw me a bone once in a while.

The Lyons sound great but what if the Pistoys sound better? ..... I'm conflicted.

Yeah .... There is that tuning thing but adaptation is a good thing to learn ... Applies to Life In General.

A Bone from Gamut Dan ?? No Way Pal. If I was Dan and had to squeeze sheep-doo-doo out of intestines all-day-long and then make quality bass strings out of those innards ... I would throw No Bass Player A Bone ... No matter how much we talk-up his Product ... I might even charge Us-Loud-Mouths Double !!

Just put the damn Pistoys on there Mark . You can always re-install the Lyons ... I've changed the plain-gut Gamuts back'n'forth and in'n'out several times ... They take it in stride .... Unlike some Designer Wound Strings . They are pretty-good right-out-of-the-(poop)-chute.

Of course a few (like a dozen) hours of over-tuning-stretching and playing-work-outs before The Big Gig In Question would be Good too. Don't be Conflicted ... But if you are ... I believe Dan at Gamut may have a Shrink on-retainer to talk Folks through their troubles .

 

[Marcus Johnson]

They are pretty-good right-out-of-the-(poop)-chute.

 

[Mark Perna]

Mark..... the Pistoys look like the smoothest finished guts I've seen to date. So just from an aesthetic standpoint, I'm anxious to see how that works out.

Actually, in the package, the Pistoys are kind of like twine. The Lyons are really smooth. I don't know how the Pistoys are going to stretch out though.

I'm not going to be able to change them out until late next week at the earliest but I think I will give them a try. Bob, you convinced me. You're right, I've had the Lyon G on and off the bass at least 3 times so far and it still sounds great. Maybe I'll swap them out one at a time.

Here's the thing. Marcus, pay attention, this is important. The D starts thumpy but gets better and more focused every day. It takes about 3 weeks to get really good and then it's good for a long time. My D is just smokin' right now. It sings. I can play melodies in thumb position with it. That was something I really couldn't do when it was new. I don't want to go back to thumpy when I have heaven already sitting there. The G sounds good pretty much right away so most likely, I'll give that one a whirl first. If it is totally smokin', I'll give the D a shot right away. Otherwise, I'll wait until the Lyon is need of swapping. The other option is I could put both Pistoys on the steel string bass and let them stretch out a bit and then put them on the gut bass. .

mark

 

[MT Spaces]

Actually, in the package, the Pistoys are kind of like twine. The Lyons are really smooth ....

Don't let that fool you Mark .... That is damn-fine Twine you are looking at . Good quality rope for climbing, sailing, hauling heavy-crap out of the swamp, and (maybe) bass-playing is usually multi-twisted individual strands and can be even-more-smooth and strong than a single hank of hemp .

 

[Mark Perna]

Don't let that fool you Mark .... That is damn-fine Twine you are looking at . Good quality rope for climbing, sailing, hauling heavy-crap out of the swamp, and (maybe) bass-playing is usually multi-twisted individual strands and can be even-more-smooth and strong than a single hank of hemp .

I'll take it under advisement, Bob. I do have some outside housework the wife's been after me about. Pulling stumps up etc. The Pistoys might just fit that bill... hmmm.

mark

 

[MT Spaces]

.... the wife's been after me ... Pulling stumps.... The Pistoys might just fit that bill ...

Whatever Works .... But some mondo-rope from yer local Ace-Hardwear store might be Cheaper Pal ! Suit Yer Self.

P.S. .... I'm Off To The Mountains for a weekend of playing Pistoys and Animas. I would really like to further-help everyone with their Current Displaced-Gut-Paradigms. But-Damn ... I ain't God ..... And I can't even help myself.

I'm sure it will be tough not having Me to help y'all thru your little local Gut Traumas ... But Hey ... Rent the "What About Bob" DVD and Carry On as best as you can ... You will feel better.

Persevere .... Until I return ... To Add .... More of What .... I have nothing-useful-to-offer .

 

[MR PC]

Been considering giving gut strings a shot for a while. IIRC most players have steel on the bottom and gut on top.

Is it worth the 200+ commitment? I have strings that I like quite a bit (LaBella Blacks) but something is still missing. If I tried the gut string experiment, I'd have the LaBellas around. My string height can be described as medium-low. Please be aware that I'm on a college student's budget.

Anyways, would to hear your opinions and your suggestions for gut setups. I'm looking at the Dlugolecki with something like Evahs on the bottom. Please help!

Cheers

Yes, gut strings are the real deal when it comes to bass tone. Nothing like it. Historically, just about all of the most important and deepest bass music has been made with gut strung basses.

If it's your sound (and from reading your post's in this thread, it seems like it is) go for it! And NEVER look back.

 

[Menacewarf]

Have your tried Garbos as a set? I found them to be very loud when used as a whole set.

Well I now have some relavent response (weeks later?). Fellow TBer Jim Calhoun hooked it up and sold me some Anima's for a nice price. I think these are pretty comparable with Garbos(?)

Well anyway the animas have been a joy to this point. They seem to fit in as a nice middle road in a bunch of ways. The tension is medium-low but is really tight enough to not ever feel bogged down on the right hand and they also still have some punch.

Yet on the left hand it's all good too...even in thumb position. No rolling or barbed wire feelings.

So yea...again i'm posting in the gut thread about non gut strings:scowl: but when its good its good.

 

[AndreasH]

Well I now have some relavent response (weeks later?). Fellow TBer Jim Calhoun hooked it up and sold me some Anima's for a nice price. I think these are pretty comparable with Garbos(?)

Well anyway the animas have been a joy to this point. They seem to fit in as a nice middle road in a bunch of ways. The tension is medium-low but is really tight enough to not ever feel bogged down on the right hand and they also still have some punch.

Yet on the left hand it's all good too...even in thumb position. No rolling or barbed wire feelings.

So yea...again i'm posting in the gut thread about non gut strings:scowl: but when its good its good.

Velvets are great, especially when used as a whole set! I used Garbos for a while and they're close to gut, but they're not gut.

Don't worry about posting in the gut thread. My Velvets eventually turned into a full set of guts Ehh...