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Double Bass Gut Strings: Are They Worth It To Try? (part II)
- Thread starter Gearhead43
- Start date
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
I had a 'Pretzel' gig at a retirement center last evening. I say evening because they did the ball drop at 9:00 pm! We were interrupted every fifteen minutes while the host announced the raffle prizes: fleece blanket, picture frame, etc. It was quite a trip down two beat lane. Ever play Emily at snail's pace?
Anyway, it was the perfect gig for a gut experiment. I am trying Anima E,A,D with the Gamut Lyon G on the flatback. I used the same combo on the old plywood for a bit, but that bass works best with Mittels. The flatback is a very responsive bass with lots of growl and punch. I believe Mittels may be too aggressive for that bass so it has undergone string experimentation.
So far, I'm thinking that the Lyon G kills! It has it all: punch, clarity and great feel well up into thumb position. Arco is scratchy, so I don't know if I can deal with that. Time will tell.
The Animas are bowing pretty well now. I had them on this bass for a minute last summer and found arco to be a problem so dunno why it's working. I am now using a new bow with black hair and Oak rosin, so that probably helps. Regardless, although not as easily as EPW, the arco is passable.
I have a rehearsal today and 4-tet gig tomorrow, we will see how this works under under real gig conditions.
Leader: "Go ahead and take the bridge. Straight two or four and don't trip the dancers".
The apple cider was good though.
Anyway, it was the perfect gig for a gut experiment. I am trying Anima E,A,D with the Gamut Lyon G on the flatback. I used the same combo on the old plywood for a bit, but that bass works best with Mittels. The flatback is a very responsive bass with lots of growl and punch. I believe Mittels may be too aggressive for that bass so it has undergone string experimentation.
So far, I'm thinking that the Lyon G kills! It has it all: punch, clarity and great feel well up into thumb position. Arco is scratchy, so I don't know if I can deal with that. Time will tell.
The Animas are bowing pretty well now. I had them on this bass for a minute last summer and found arco to be a problem so dunno why it's working. I am now using a new bow with black hair and Oak rosin, so that probably helps. Regardless, although not as easily as EPW, the arco is passable.
I have a rehearsal today and 4-tet gig tomorrow, we will see how this works under under real gig conditions.
Leader: "Go ahead and take the bridge. Straight two or four and don't trip the dancers".
The apple cider was good though.
OK, first here's a clip with the Dlugolecki wound A string...
Next is a clip of the Gamut plain A...
I took the Gamut off this afternoon. The bass feels and plays more balanced with the wound A string. I'm really grateful to Bob for letting me try it out but I really like the balanced sound and feel of the full DD set.
-J
Next is a clip of the Gamut plain A...
I took the Gamut off this afternoon. The bass feels and plays more balanced with the wound A string. I'm really grateful to Bob for letting me try it out but I really like the balanced sound and feel of the full DD set.
-J
I've uploaded two versions of a funky little thing I wrote for my wife to my myspace page. The "C" section has an open A as the 2nd chord and you can really hear the difference between two strings.
The full Dlugolecki set is 1st.
The Gamut Plain A is 2nd.
Link Removed
The full Dlugolecki set is 1st.
The Gamut Plain A is 2nd.
Link Removed
Hey Jeff. Nice. That plain A sounds better than I thought it would. I was really hoping it stunk up the place so I wouldn't have to consider one. Now I'll have to think about it.
mark
mark
Hey Mark,
It sounds better than it feels for sure. The playing response compared to the other strings was slower and unfocused. Thunky is the best word to describe it. Tuning stability was better. Both the Lyon version and the Dlugolecki version might be quicker especially for pizz as they seem to be made to be stiffer.
Regarding the feel of playing gut strings, it is definitely a big part of it for me. At this point I can get the "gut like" attack even on steel strings but I just love that feeling under my fingers. I like the sound of my bass better with the lower tension as well.
-J
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
Olive G in-Gamut G out! I was given an Olive G to try out and it sounds and feels great. Dunno if it's been tried before with Animas but the tone and feel seem to be a pretty good match. The tension is just a bit higher, but not by much. Although the Anima G is a great string the winding bothered me when shifting. It's definitely the roughest string in the set.
Compared to the Gamut G I find the Olive to be much darker and punchier. Maybe the Lyon is worn out, but it doesn't have much volume either. It also buzzes and is scratchy under the bow.
Will see how the Olive does over an extended time, but right now I'm really digging it!
Compared to the Gamut G I find the Olive to be much darker and punchier. Maybe the Lyon is worn out, but it doesn't have much volume either. It also buzzes and is scratchy under the bow.
Will see how the Olive does over an extended time, but right now I'm really digging it!
Haven't been much action here in a while. I haven't really been around here in a while either.
Just a quick update about my latest string adventures.
I used reg. Garbo E+A, Garbo light D, and an Artone G (The very same combination which is available as a choice from Velvet nowadays!) the last 6 months. This works very well tension-wise and the Garbo light D is a damn fine string and makes the transfer between plain G tension, down to regular Garbo A very comfortable. I'm also a bit tempted to see what a whole set of Garbos lights would feel like.
But I'm no longer using that combination as I stumbled upon the Carlos Chordas. I am very pleased with these strings. They're meaty and very much old school sounding gut strings, yet versatile and fits very well in to nearley every musical context I've encountered so far. They're also great under the bow. Each string is a different character and I like to treat them that way. The D, for instance, is thick and powerful but you can easily play above 5th position. The G is more elegant (still that meaty gut sound though
) and sounds good, without choking, way up in thumb position. The E and A has a really quick response (still talking arco here) and LARGE bottom. It's just amazing how they fill the room from underneath. Anyway, I'm really happy with these strings and I'm not really tempted to try anything else right now.
Just a quick update about my latest string adventures.
I used reg. Garbo E+A, Garbo light D, and an Artone G (The very same combination which is available as a choice from Velvet nowadays!) the last 6 months. This works very well tension-wise and the Garbo light D is a damn fine string and makes the transfer between plain G tension, down to regular Garbo A very comfortable. I'm also a bit tempted to see what a whole set of Garbos lights would feel like.
But I'm no longer using that combination as I stumbled upon the Carlos Chordas. I am very pleased with these strings. They're meaty and very much old school sounding gut strings, yet versatile and fits very well in to nearley every musical context I've encountered so far. They're also great under the bow. Each string is a different character and I like to treat them that way. The D, for instance, is thick and powerful but you can easily play above 5th position. The G is more elegant (still that meaty gut sound though
) and sounds good, without choking, way up in thumb position. The E and A has a really quick response (still talking arco here) and LARGE bottom. It's just amazing how they fill the room from underneath. Anyway, I'm really happy with these strings and I'm not really tempted to try anything else right now.
Now you did it. Just when I was happy with what I have on, you have to go and put the bug in my head. Carlos Chordas. Carlos Chordas. Carlos Chordas. Gotta try Carlos Chordas.
Thanks a lot.
mark
Thanks a lot.
mark
Man, Andreas, I was just thinking about you.... good to hear from you.
Oh, and yeah... thanks a lot.
Oh, and yeah... thanks a lot.
Mark
On my bass, the Gamuts sounded better than the Chorda Carlos. But, I like a heavier set than the Chorda Carlos. John
On my bass, the Gamuts sounded better than the Chorda Carlos. But, I like a heavier set than the Chorda Carlos. John
D
Has anyone noticed that Gut Strings From Global Upright Double Bass GUT STRINGS -EADG-One sets from India buy it now 125$ 
, Tiplop Double Bass Gut Strings EDAG 1set for 175$ 
Clef Gut Upright Double Bass GUT STRINGS Upton Bass USA buy it now215$ ON EBAY THEY SPORT THE SAME PICTURES OF THE SAME SET OF GUT STRINGS!!!!!!!!!! EXCEPT THE BACKGROUND IS MANIPULATED BY PHOTO SHOP! WELL DONE UPTON!!!:
, Tiplop Double Bass Gut Strings EDAG 1set for 175$ Clef Gut Upright Double Bass GUT STRINGS Upton Bass USA buy it now215$ ON EBAY THEY SPORT THE SAME PICTURES OF THE SAME SET OF GUT STRINGS!!!!!!!!!! EXCEPT THE BACKGROUND IS MANIPULATED BY PHOTO SHOP! WELL DONE UPTON!!!:Attachments
- May 6, 2003
- 5,272
- 160
- 64
- Disclosures
- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
Did you ever consider the others might have manipulated Upton's photos?Has anyone noticed that Gut Strings From Global Upright Double Bass GUT STRINGS -EADG-One sets from India buy it now 125$
I would like to write something that i think (i dont know, didnt read all pages right now
) that no one posted is that gut strings will stretch and will get thinner with time, so the tension will get lower. Im noticing this with the G Gut string that we now have, the gauge of the string is 2,25 mm, after 3 months of being on the bass, the string has a bit less than 2,10 mm and feels a little lighter now. its pretty stable now for a couple of weeks.
Nuno
) that no one posted is that gut strings will stretch and will get thinner with time, so the tension will get lower. Im noticing this with the G Gut string that we now have, the gauge of the string is 2,25 mm, after 3 months of being on the bass, the string has a bit less than 2,10 mm and feels a little lighter now. its pretty stable now for a couple of weeks.Nuno
No I didn't! I am not a detective, but frankly wouldn't put it past any major name to outsource even use cheaper products as their own. I have to admit that I did purchase a full set of gut strings from India and I have used it for nearly three years (only D&G though) before I sold it on Ebay! I payed something ridiculous at the time and I absolutely loved it, one of my buddy bought a whole heap of them, prior to that he only used Clef Gut!!! We both reckon that its the same for quarter of the price! Look, just because its not made in USA it still could be good! The best example? My machine heads for one of my bass I have ordered from China, I payed 70AU$ for it and that was with postage! When my luthier installed it he asked me where I got it from cos they not just well made but beautiful too! When I told him that I got it from Ebay I had to show him on line cos he didnt believe me! So God knows mate if they used the image or not! But I can tell you that when I got my strings from Global they had the same picture then!!!!!! I only noticed Upton strings was using the same picture cos I spend most my time either practicing, eating, sleaping or on Ebay whats under Double Bass or Upright Bass, or Contra Bass 
I didn't mean to offend the greatest nation with the greatest workmanship in the world!!! 
Just an observation!!
I didn't mean to offend the greatest nation with the greatest workmanship in the world!!! Just an observation!! Attachments
Unfortunately that is the nature of all natural gut strings! I have used gut strings on and off since I started playing, I only use D & G gut E&A Spiros and yes the gut were marginally thinner over nearly 3 years! I sold it to buddy interested in making weird instruments and he was very happy! So just live with it! Depends what style you play, I switched to Velvets (Anima, Garbo) they are similar to gut specially the Garbo and totally stable after couple of days if you tune it every !/2 hour like me! But surely nothing else will give you that sweet sound that you get from gut! Not even Pirastro Corda and thats probably the closest to gut.
I would like to write something that i think (i dont know, didnt read all pages right now
Nuno
