Double Bass GUTS ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!

[shwashwa]

Get Spirocores.

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[Sam Dingle]

If you have to do it, go with Gamut Pistoys medium guage. I prefer varnished. But, as others have stated, many of us who have been through this for many years have come to the conclusion that a classic steel string is the most practical, sound choice for almost anything unless you are playing a very specific kind of music where gut strings are absolutely essential (as in trying to capture a sound from a period of time or certain player). As fascinating as they are, they are not industry standard, and the times have changed, the demands on bass players have changed. We generally need to play almost everything these days, and dare I say, play it well. If you have a special sound concept that you believe in which demands the characteristics of gut then, go right ahead. But if you are out there working, trying to get, and keep, gigs while trying to use your time wisely, to maximize your potentials, not waste time with gear but putting in the hours and focus you need to become a great player, get some old spiros and get to work. There is no answer outside the basic tried and true that will change your playing or situation...in music...in life. That said, if you have extra basses to mess with throwing gut on one can, I said CAN, get you playing more, experimenting more, which ultimately affects the whole of your playing. But you gotta be honest with yourself, is this just a diversion to keep you from tackling the fundamentals and extended fundamentals that will actually make you a better player than you are now, on any string, in any situation?

Its mostly curiosity. I read a post here years ago about someone saying its awesome to spend a year playing guts, intonation issues and all. Just to understand how to approach the string and deal with it all, getting that sound etc. He said he went back to spirocores after a year and a half and it changed how he played and approached pizzicato for the better. Thats what I'm curious about. I've heard people say this too and have thought "one day i'll stick it out for a year". Maybe thats a bad idea?

 

[shwashwa]

Its mostly curiosity. I read a post here years ago about someone saying its awesome to spend a year playing guts, intonation issues and all. Just to understand how to approach the string and deal with it all, getting that sound etc. He said he went back to spirocores after a year and a half and it changed how he played and approached pizzicato for the better. Thats what I'm curious about. I've heard people say this too and have thought "one day i'll stick it out for a year". Maybe thats a bad idea?

get 2 basses (or more )

 

[Jason Sypher]

I have to agree with that general statement. Playing guts gives you a window into how sound was created before steel, about why players played the way they did. Guts are great. They feel amazing. They sound glorious. But they do not do many things very well. I recently went on a gut lost-weekend. I thought I was in love. I thought I found nirvana. I watched a well-known classical player talk eloquently about why gut is the best for arco. But, as I watched and listened I knew that I just didn't agree. It did not sound better. It sounded interesting, but it wasn't as musical as I had hoped. I found myself spending a week explaining to other players why my gut strings were so great. This is something I have done many times. But I could tell that many players weren't so convinced. The gut were cool, but not as even and didn't mix as well.

 

[Matt Birtchnell]

So what to get?

Gamut? Pistoy or lycon? What gauges for all 4 strings?

The difference isn’t that great between Gamut Pistoy & Lycon I think, but if you bow then Pistoy is easier.

I’ve been happy with Heavy E & G, Light/Medium A & D. I put the A & D backwards through the tailpiece for extra tension.

I’ve also got a bass with Spiro Weichs on but rarely feel like playing it

 

[Sam Dingle]

I have to agree with that general statement. Playing guts gives you a window into how sound was created before steel, about why players played the way they did. Guts are great. They feel amazing. They sound glorious. But they do not do many things very well. I recently went on a gut lost-weekend. I thought I was in love. I thought I found nirvana. I watched a well-known classical player talk eloquently about why gut is the best for arco. But, as I watched and listened I knew that I just didn't agree. It did not sound better. It sounded interesting, but it wasn't as musical as I had hoped. I found myself spending a week explaining to other players why my gut strings were so great. This is something I have done many times. But I could tell that many players weren't so convinced. The gut were cool, but not as even and didn't mix as well.

That is a good point. Were you playing a full set or just a DG?

 

[Jason Sypher]

That is a good point. Were you playing a full set or just a DG?

I was playing a D and G and then I even added a Chorda wrapped A and E to force myself to face the guts to feel/hear what it was I was so attracted to...

 

[Sam Dingle]

I was playing a D and G and then I even added a Chorda wrapped A and E to force myself to face the guts to feel/hear what it was I was so attracted to...

And you came to the conclusion that it was too hard to hear yourself in the mix? I wonder is the change in technique worth messing with stuff? Hmmmmmm decisions decisions....I do think it would be fun but do I have the time to mess with it?

 

[Jeff Kissell]

And you came to the conclusion that it was too hard to hear yourself in the mix? I wonder is the change in technique worth messing with stuff? Hmmmmmm decisions decisions....I do think it would be fun but do I have the time to mess with it?

Sam, you obviously have the curiosity (and basses ) to try it. I've been playing on gut for the last several years and recently put a full set of Spiro solos on to force myself to learn to play on steel strings... the opposite of what Jason suggests. There is immense knowledge in understanding different techniques, eventually and inevitably "your" sound will translate and transcend through any bass you play.

 

[Sam Dingle]

Sam, you obviously have the curiosity (and basses ) to try it. I've been playing on gut for the last several years and recently put a full set of Spiro solos on to force myself to learn to play on steel strings... the opposite of what Jason suggests. There is immense knowledge in understanding different techniques, eventually and inevitably "your" sound will translate and transcend through any bass you play.

It would be fun and interesting.

What do you suggest? I would rather not spend $500+ on strings but also don’t want to waste money on the experiment.

Bad comparison but if someone wanted to try steel strings I would say throw down for spirocores rather than D’addarios.

Did you use gamut? Pirastro?

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

It would be fun and interesting. What do you suggest?

I have a LaBella gut D & G I bought from some guy in New Orleans

- Steve

 

[Jason Sypher]

It would be fun and interesting.

What do you suggest? I would rather not spend $500+ on strings but also don’t want to waste money on the experiment.

Bad comparison but if someone wanted to try steel strings I would say throw down for spirocores rather than D’addarios.

Did you use gamut? Pirastro?

You should get a quality gut string if you really want to have the best information under hand as to whether it is something for you or not. If you don't like them you will find no shortage of folks who want to buy them from you at a fairly limited discount. Sometimes Gamut has sales. Make sure you take good care of them in case you want to resell them to someone else.

 

[Jeff Kissell]

My best combo was Dlugolecki D & G and Efrano silver wound E & A.

The classifieds are your friend.

New, I would go with Lenzner D & G with whatever low tension E & A you have laying around. For the full experience get a full set but realize you'll need to enlarge the nut and bridge slots AND there is a steep learning curve for the wound strings.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I have a LaBella gut D & G I bought from some guy in New Orleans

- Steve

Yes but are you using them? haha

You should get a quality gut string if you really want to have the best information under hand as to whether it is something for you or not. If you don't like them you will find no shortage of folks who want to buy them from you at a fairly limited discount. Sometimes Gamut has sales. Make sure you take good care of them in case you want to resell them to someone else.

True. Do you suggest the full set to get the idea or will a D and G work? I was told the evah light EA and gut DG are a good pair. liked it on a plywood I had a while ago.

 

[Jeff Kissell]

When I go back, it will most likely be with the Spiro solo E & A.

 

[Jmilitsc]

My very limited experience with mixing:

I’m just a month in on my first gut experiment with a full set of used plain Dlugolecki‘s. While the E and A are enormous they do sound really good. The volume on the E string isn’t great so I tried a steel E for a week and the gauge difference was much more disconcerting to me with that mix than the low volume gut was. So i went back and I’m sticking with all plain for now... am getting the hang of it finally.

Agree with buying used for your experiment too - I got lucky and bought the full set used for just 100 from a local player my luthier introduced me to.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I tend to like the gut-over-dead-Spiros combination on a plywood bass. That sound is a bit too “live” on a carved top to my ear.

 

[Jason Sypher]

Yes but are you using them? haha



True. Do you suggest the full set to get the idea or will a D and G work? I was told the evah light EA and gut DG are a good pair. liked it on a plywood I had a while ago.

My longest run with gut, a few years straight, was with plain gut G and D and Spiro reds on the E and A. It was a good, if uneven, set up. The best of both worlds I thought at the time.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

With this instrument everything is a compromise.

 

[Reiska]

Guts w Spiros definently has their advantages and beauty, but I`d recommend lower strings that are as close as possible to the gut tension. This allows you to play with string height more and makes it easier to find a balanced setup.