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Double Bass GUTS ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!

#1,961
has anyone tried a gimped A string from gamut?

I used a gimped C on my bass viol - copper wound inside the string, and it serves as an excellent in-between the raw gut and would gut. seems like it would make a very good A string.

I'm definitely happy with the wound A though. I have no reason to try anything else for now. But the gimped string is probably a very good idea for many of us
 
#1,962
After looking at what plain gut a and e strings cost. It makes the Sonores strings make alot more sense.

I played a BoM E string with the rest of the set J-roque and the pizz and arco was really nice. It was on Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten’s plywood bass.
 
#1,963
jmpiwonka said:
After looking at what plain gut a and e strings cost. It makes the Sonores strings make alot more sense.

I played a BoM E string with the rest of the set J-roque and the pizz and arco was really nice. It was on Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten’s plywood bass.
Click to expand...

sonores strings are incredible.

plain gut E and A are super, super pricey. as always though, guts great advantage is sounding essentially "new" until it breaks, which I imagine would be a long time for an E string as thick as your pinky.
 
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#1,964
SOME gut strings are pricer than others. The Toro strings from Italy are reasonable and very high quality:

sol (G) diam 240 ///// 180 cm montone (ram) = euro 72.00
re (D) diam 300 ///// 180 cm montone = euro 90.00
la (A) corda diam 400 di montone / 180cm = euro 165.00
(Postage) spedizione con posta raccomandata euro 15.00

as are Wild strings from Switzerland:
en.wildgutstrings.com

Gut strings for double bass

Plain and wound handmade sheep gut strings for double bass. Low B/C and contra D strings are also part of our standard range.
en.wildgutstrings.com en.wildgutstrings.com

Lenzners and Gotz are probably the least expensive generally available.

Gamuts are Gamuts, but they are not the only choice out there.
 
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#1,965
LouisF said:
SOME gut strings are pricer than others. The Toro strings from Italy are reasonable and very high quality:

sol (G) diam 240 ///// 180 cm montone (ram) = euro 72.00
re (D) diam 300 ///// 180 cm montone = euro 90.00
la (A) corda diam 400 di montone / 180cm = euro 165.00
(Postage) spedizione con posta raccomandata euro 15.00

as are Wild strings from Switzerland:
en.wildgutstrings.com

Gut strings for double bass

Plain and wound handmade sheep gut strings for double bass. Low B/C and contra D strings are also part of our standard range.
en.wildgutstrings.com en.wildgutstrings.com

Lenzners and Gotz are probably the least expensive generally available.

Gamuts are Gamuts, but they are not the only choice out there.
Click to expand...

that is true - I've always just gone with gamut sort of by default since that's what I know, my (viol) teacher uses them, and I do get an educators discount. Even with that, they're still quite pricey.

I'm under the impression that gut from one brand to another, assuming the same type of gut and gauge, will be pretty similar?

My backup/laminate bass could use a set of guts. perhaps I should try another brand for that bass since I rarely use it.

edit- where do you order your Toro strings from? i've gotten some from gabriella's baroque, but she does not stock bass strings.
 
#1,966
groooooove said:
that is true - I've always just gone with gamut sort of by default since that's what I know, my (viol) teacher uses them, and I do get an educators discount. Even with that, they're still quite pricey.

I'm under the impression that gut from one brand to another, assuming the same type of gut and gauge, will be pretty similar?
Click to expand...
I've had Gamut, Aquila, La Bella, Lenzner, Red-O-Ray, Gotz, and two others whose names I can't recall. For pizzicato, they all do the job IMO. You may prefer the windings on one brand over another (e.g., Lenzners use fine wire while Gamuts use thicker; the fine wire wrap gives more surface area to the fingers), but soundwise they're all pretty similar. And, they will last decades given a bit of care.

For arco, the construction details matter more; I prefer Gamut Pistoy over the others because they have the textured surface and dense construction. Other players might like the smoother strings.
 
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#1,967
Life in Italy is always a little bit complicated. You can write (in English) to Beniamino and tell him what you want (diameter etc). They have an English language website: (Toro Strings - c.da Conicelle 65020 Salle (PE) - Ram or ox gut musical strings) or you can email them directly (in English)

+39085928325
[email protected]
Beniamino Toro

You have to pay with bank transfer (use "Wise). I'm not including the bank information. They are very helpful (and vaguely related to my grandfather!)
Louis

Il pagamento può essere effettuato con bonifico intestato a
Eurostylgut di Toro Pietro & c. s.n. Via Tripoli,7- 65020 Salle (Pe)
grazie e buon anno nuovo
chiara
 
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#1,970
So I put a new Lenzner wound A on Friday evening and played a gig Saturday evening, outside, plenty of rain. It was great! Checked the tuning after every song but only needed to adjust a handful of times.

The bass currently has a regular Perpetual E, Lenzner wound A, Gamut Pistoy D and Lyon G. Acoustic sound is pretty epic, the amplified tone is more open and less pinched sounding.

For the last few years I’ve been mostly using steel core strings for tuning reasons but haven’t been particularly excited about the sound. This felt and sounded more comfortable and expressive even under pretty adverse circumstances for gut strings. Still on fence regarding the E but for now the match is good and the tension helps overall.

Final thoughts, I’m really curious about the Wild strings and might check them out. I’ve never been completely in love with Gamut D strings, the Pistoy is very flexible but it’s always been a little clanky pizz wise on this bass, even with the lightest gauge. The Lyon D was pretty dull if I’m remembering correctly. Lyon G is a winner though.
 
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#1,976
So I was a gut string user for many years but over the years I have switched to large diameter low tension synthetic strings. the reason is because the plain gut G and D strings would really tear up my fingerboard. the strings would Sprout little hairs and act like sandpaper. I was getting my fingerboard planed much more frequently. David Gage told me they're tearing up my board faster than a steel string would. yesterday I pulled out my last bass that has an actual gut string on it and I love it again! but I can hear the buzzing under certain notes and see the divots in the board. Does anybody have a plain gut g-string recommendation that's not going to tear up my fingerboard?
 
#1,978
shwashwa said:
So I was a gut string user for many years but over the years I have switched to large diameter low tension synthetic strings. the reason is because the plain gut G and D strings would really tear up my fingerboard. the strings would Sprout little hairs and act like sandpaper. I was getting my fingerboard planed much more frequently. David Gage told me they're tearing up my board faster than a steel string would. yesterday I pulled out my last bass that has an actual gut string on it and I love it again! but I can hear the buzzing under certain notes and see the divots in the board. Does anybody have a plain gut g-string recommendation that's not going to tear up my fingerboard?
Click to expand...
I have heard of this before, but I don't understand how it's possible unless the gut material is as hard as, say, tooth enamel, OR if the fingerboard is made of soft wood.

That said, Gamut pistoy strings tend not to sprout hairs - in my experience.
 
#1,979
AGCurry said:
I have heard of this before, but I don't understand how it's possible unless the gut material is as hard as, say, tooth enamel, OR if the fingerboard is made of soft wood.

That said, Gamut pistoy strings tend not to sprout hairs - in my experience.
Click to expand...
Surprising to me too, but it happened to three of my basses, confirmed by David Gage as common with these types of strings
 
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#1,980
AGCurry said:
I have heard of this before, but I don't understand how it's possible unless the gut material is as hard as, say, tooth enamel, OR if the fingerboard is made of soft wood.

That said, Gamut pistoy strings tend not to sprout hairs - in my experience.
Click to expand...
Surprising to me too, but it happened to three of my basses, confirmed by David Gage as common with these types of strings
 

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