They don't need to be deeper just wider, a narrow string works just fine in a wide slot as long as it is making good contact with the bottom of the slot.
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Double Bass GUTS ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!
- Thread starter Marc Piane
- Start date
They don't need to be deeper just wider, a narrow string works just fine in a wide slot as long as it is making good contact with the bottom of the slot.
It depends... Part of the reason for enlarging the nut and bridge slots is so strings won't flop out of the slots -- frequently, especially with plain guts and most fat synthetics, the strings aren't just fatter, they are lower tension too, so it's really easy when playing hard to make a string escape a shallow string slot. An insert in the slot might not take care of that issue.
Unfortunately there's also more to setup than just the string slots though. Fingerboard dressing for relief (aka scoop) is necessary when going from thin high tension strings to fat low tension strings in order to avoid buzzing. Unless a person is pretty advanced with double bass setup, that's pretty much a luthier's job. And, once the new strings are in place, having a luthier check out sound post position would also be a good thing.
P.S. After those setup changes are made for fat, low tension strings, fingerboard relief is the main reason not to go back to to thin high tension strings, which require significantly less relief than fat low tension strings. Having too much relief makes the instrument hard to play for the left hand.
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Dropping in to spread some love for these new Gamuts!! Surprised by the smooth surface of the Pistoy D (had previously tried a used Med which was “bumpy”) probably I should have waited but threw them on yesterday for the start of a 7 day run- put a new battery in the tuner
.. G string needed really nothing for the Nut& bridge (had oliv on since the new nut and bridgework last yr), D string took minimal filingBut Don you’re spot on with the camber, since it was done for low strings Iam getting a bit of buzz- nothing unbearable but will definitely need some adjustment if I stay with them.
The E &A Tempera Hybrids are a great match!!
how many of you cats use the Pistoy G?? I am noticing how much easier it is to get notes out with the bow on my Pistoy D vs Lyon G.
I use Pistoy G and D on one bass. There's no question in my mind that the Pistoy is much better for bowing.
I had a full Gamut set with a Pistoy G and D on my bass for a bit, but I think I prefer low twist style gut strings. I am terrible with the bow, and have a crappy fiberglass one currently, but noticed a lot more squawks and shrieks (than usual
) when bowing the Pistoy G on my bass. I would place the blame firmly on the player, and not the string in this instance. They are lovely strings, had to be set a couple turns higher to sound their best on my bass, but they're so flexible that it wasn't uncomfortable. I hope your experiences are more in line with the positive ones here if you give it a shot!Does anybody have experience using or use a gut core string for their c extension string? I have some NOS Long E gut strings that I think are for an extension.
When you say "gut core" do you mean wrapped (silver/copper etc)? I don't, but I wasn't crazy about wrapped A & Es. I would be concerned about the capos or keys banging down on gut, wrapped or other wise.
Some of the plain gut E strings are in the neighborhood of .180" thick, and even a wound gut E can be around .130" thick. That's pretty thick. I'd be surprised if a long C version of either of those would work with the capos on an extension, and if they did work, I'd be concerned about longevity.
I'm willing to listen though, if someone has found that there's a way to make them work and last.
I'm willing to listen though, if someone has found that there's a way to make them work and last.
I use plain gut GDA with either a Spiro Weich or Jargar E/C - for orchestra work
Yes, silver/copper wrap. a bassist I know from orchestra gave me his leftover gut strings recently, he switched to steels in the 70s and kept his extras, Artone and Roth. He has an extension, and I assume anyone who played on extensions(mechanical) in the early/mid 1900s played with a wrapped gut long E.
I would like to hear this setup. Any recordings? I take it you get plenty of volume since you're using this setup in orchestras?
I have an early 1900s German flatback and a set of pure guts that I haven't had the guts to put on yet. Acoustic volume is a bit of a concern, among others.
Don’t be concerned. I played a unamplified outdoor gig on a similar old German flatback with a tall straight bridge and a full set of guts and was told I was audible 50 yards away.
I use a gut string setup as well in orchestra, plain gut g+d and oliv e+a. The strings are set high and I have no problem hearing and the sound carries well.
A little history: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/artone-gut-strings-history.1090419/
The only time I had to change out my guts for orchestra work was when we did the Shostakovitch 5th -- and I just wasn't getting what I wanted in the exposed thumb position passages. Otherwise, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Copland, Bernstein -- all good on guts!
The only time I had to change out my guts for orchestra work was when we did the Shostakovitch 5th -- and I just wasn't getting what I wanted in the exposed thumb position passages. Otherwise, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Copland, Bernstein -- all good on guts!
I don't even have my strings set particularly high and still haven't had any issues being heard.
Don't be concerned about volume!
I have been practicing (arco) on my 1957 German "orchestra" bass, strung with steel, for months. Yesterday, for some reason, I decided to use my Krutz 300 "jazz" bass, three plain Pistoys and a Spiro E. WOW LOUD.
