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

#21
Why not just order another Gamut Lyon G? $80 and you're done. Order it today and you'll probably have it by Wednesday.

If you want to try another D, I'd suggest giving the Gamut Pistoy D a shot. $150.

I almost pulled the trigger on a set of Carlos' Chordas a month or two ago but I'm digging the Gamuts so much I figured they'd sit on the shelf until they rotted.

mark
 
#22
Kevin Hsieh said:
the Gamut G shriveled up for some reason after incident involving flash thunderstorm
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:eek: I gotta hear more about that one.

I feel the same way about that Gamut G. I suppose I could think about trying other ones, just for curiosity. Dlugolecki's the only one that pops into my head.

But the Gamut is just killer. When it comes time to send money for for a G (and D) string, I just can't see myself sending it anywhere but to Gamut.

IMHOYMMV
 
#23
Marcus Johnson said:
:eek: I gotta hear more about that one.
Click to expand...

was on my way to gage's this summer, and had just put on a fresh set of gamuts. wanted to get some things adjusted at the shop before a pretty important session. it was starting to get cloudy and i was running late. I knew it was going to rain but decided that I'd rather be on time. Started pouring like nobody's business before I even got to the subway, resulting in me being drenched by the time I got to Gage's. I'm guessing the crazy weather ended up making it shrivel up. I couldn't play a good note between B and F. They all buzzed.
 
#25
Wow, that is a lesson we gutters need to keep in mind. (hmmm :hmm: mind of a gutter?) Thanks, Kevin, for telling 'bout that. No more running around in the thunderstorms with the bass for me.

calivox said:
Why not just order another Gamut Lyon G? ...

If you want to try another D, I'd suggest giving the Gamut Pistoy D a shot...
Click to expand...

Disclaimer: Mark is married to a Lyon G, so it's not quite an objective view. :)

moi, i'm sold on the Pistoy G and D. best G for pizz i ever heard on my bass. D is imo even better than the Lyon. the Pistoys are on there to stay. i'm discovering the Pistoys are better under the bow than the Lyons.

Kevin, if you still haven't solved your problem and don't mind the idea of using a year-old D and G, send me your address. i have a Lyon D and G i played for a year. took 'em off about a month ago.
 
#26
Little update... I think I've pretty much come to terms with the arco characteristics of the Gamuts (within my own limited arco capabilities). I find them really easy and pleasurable to bow, and the arco gut sound is now "in my ear". I look forward to trying a full set of them under the bow at some future date. I don't have any qualms about diving into an arco solo on the bandstand now... for better or worse. :D

I listened back to some tracks that I recorded with the Gamut/Evah combination, and I really liked what I heard. It's probably as happy as I've ever been with my recorded sound. So as much as I'd like to spring for a new set of Gamuts, it really isn't necessary right now, or even desirable. I'm just going to let it ride for now.
 
#27
Oh Wow Man .... Cool Beans ..... Can I be post number 1027 in Part II :D ?? Oh Please, please, please :hyper::hyper: ?

My Gamut Pistoy G & D have been on the '60 Epiphone for 16 months now (and the Animas A / E almost as-long).

Nary a sheep-gut wild-hair poking out to sand off ..... no-oiling since original install ..... They suffered a bit of water-on-the-strings one late-night jamming when the cool-night-sky dropped the dewpoint last Summer. Sticky Fingers but manageable ... Tough tuning. They intonate right-nicely up-and-down the neck when I do my part to help ;) .

Can't beat The Sound on simple root-5 contra-dance fast-fiddle tunes. I did that last Saturday night for 4 hours. The ampped-up sound was great .... Dancers were having Fun. Tonight's bluegrass jam went well. Gamuts and Animas on my bass work out and I have had no major troubles.

I know nothing about the bow ;) .

I'm working on some 4-beat walking on some cowboy-jazz songs. Watch Dennis Crouch play the-crap out of guts on "The Time Jumpers Live" DVD .... He even has a big-old plain A on his bass. Don't know if the strings are Gamuts. I have No-Idea how Dennis can play them guts so-quick and sound so-good. Something to shoot for (but will never achieve) in my own playing.

Who is Post #1028 anyhow ?? Carry On.
 
#28
Bob,

How the heck are you, stranger?

I've been loving my guts/Garbo combo for nearly a year now, but the other day, after playing another bass for a week or so, I picked up the gut-strung Kay and the D string sounded all muddy. Don't know what that's about but I hope it clears up soon. I want my sound back!
 
#29
Bob Knebel said:
I'm working on some 4-beat walking on some cowboy-jazz songs. Watch Dennis Crouch play the-crap out of guts on "The Time Jumpers Live" DVD .... He even has a big-old plain A on his bass. Don't know if the strings are Gamuts. I have No-Idea how Dennis can play them guts so-quick and sound so-good. Something to shoot for (but will never achieve) in my own playing.
Click to expand...

Boy.... Dennis Crouch.... now there's a guy with a great sound and feel. He really knows where to drop 'em.

I was so pleased to have one of my bass guitar students come in with a recording last week for me to check out, he wanted to learn how to get a certain feel in the bass. Yup, Time Jumpers. :cool:
 
#35
PB+J said:
So--I really don't want to read both threads. What's the verdict? yes or no?
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I probably haven't contributed to this thread in quite a while, but here's my take. As long as I have two basses at my house, one of them will always be strung with some gut strings on it.

As Toad said, you can't go off of what someone else determines for you to do. You have to try it yourself.

It's really the only way.
 
#37
I think at some point in a bassist's time with the instrument playing with Gut strings, at least for some period of time, can help the understanding of how the instrument was played originally. The majority of the time these instruments have been in use they have been strung with Gut strings. Steel is still relatively new in the instruments time line. Playing with gut can stimulate a sense of the instruments history. It can deepen a persons connection with the sounds the instrument is capable of regardless of how they choose to play today.

My perspective on the instrument was changed by gut strings and all for the good. I don't use them right now but I'm better for having done so. I will most likely use them again.

Even if you just try them, Sam I am, they will help you appreciate the reason people have moved primarily to steel strings over the last 50 years.

The switch to steel from Gut wasn't without sacrifice either. There is something hard to put into words about the experience of playing on gut that isn't present in steel strings. I think it's a good thing to at least know what you're giving up when you spend the rest of your days playing on Spirocores or Flexocors.

Or not...that's old stuff and not everyone cares about that.
 

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