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Double Bass hybrid gut string choices 2024

#42
I’m ***thiiiiiiiiiis*** close to experimenting with trying the heavy + Gamut pistoy D and even maybe trying to get them to custom cut a wire wrapped low G string for me, even. I don’t think the Spiro low C is going anywhere, though. With guts it’s all sunshine and rainbows while I’m playing acoustic, but guaranteed once I start amp’n again a lot I’m going to be itching for those higher tension strings again for the sake of that clarity, though.
 
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#45
I just switched my 5 string back to Flexocore Deluxe since I'm going to sell it pretty soon and that will probably fit most potential buyers needs better. I think they may be the opposite of gut. And they are a totally different pleasure to play! They sound like clean, powerful bridge cables. Loud! And they just start with no fear of squeaks and squeals. Not better, just different.
 
#47
groooooove said:
keep going back and forth on whether or not to try gamut...

it seems good in many ways...

does anyone have demos of specific gamut strings?
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I don't have any arco demos of Gamut strings, sorry.

You want Gamut "Academie Contrabass" strings. Unless your mensure is unusually short or long, just go with medium gauge, and pay the extra $4.50 for varnish and leather washer. If they don't work for you, they're very easy to resell here.

The cheaper Red Diamond strings are not suitable for arco, because they are wrapped in plastic.
 
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#48
AGCurry said:
I don't have any arco demos of Gamut strings, sorry.

You want Gamut "Academie Contrabass" strings. Unless your mensure is unusually short or long, just go with medium gauge, and pay the extra $4.50 for varnish and leather washer. If they don't work for you, they're very easy to resell here.

The cheaper Red Diamond strings are not suitable for arco, because they are wrapped in plastic.
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yeah, i definitely need the best arco response.

in many ways, the tempera string is as if it was designed for me. going away from it seems like a silly idea, but at the same time, i just really want to experience gut for a while...

i heard back from Gamut that they are in fact designing a flatwound e/a with a gimped (wound with copper or silver) D and G. apparently it was demoed at namm some time ago with good reviews. I think that may be the set for me? but, it won't be available for a while.
 
#51
@LouisF, I hesitate to bring this up here except that synthetics are also part of this gut discussion...

Some time ago under a different topic you mentioned at least slightly positive experiences with SBW Deluxe Dirty Guts specifically under the bow. And, they've received pretty positive comments from lots of pizz players and also for arco from at least one known DB outlet (ie: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] [NFI]).

I know, they are a super el-cheapo wacker string solution compared to the quality names talked about here so far, but they are synthetics and they do have some raw gut characteristics. I'm not dedicated enough with arco to really speak up here, but are Deluxe Dirty Guts at all worth any air time in this hybrid gut string discussion?
 
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#52
Don Hergert said:
@LouisF, I hesitate to bring this up here except that synthetics are also part of this gut discussion...

Some time ago under a different topic you mentioned at least slightly positive experiences with SBW Deluxe Dirty Guts specifically under the bow. And, they've received pretty positive comments from lots of pizz players and also for arco from at least one known DB outlet (ie: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] [NFI]).

I know, they are a super el-cheapo wacker string solution compared to the quality names talked about here so far, but they are synthetics and they do have some raw gut characteristics. I'm not dedicated enough with arco to really speak up here, but are Deluxe Dirty Guts at all worth any air time in this hybrid gut string discussion?
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i've never heard of them, but all talk is welcome here.

I'm also a bit puzzled on life span of gut.

in my chats with bozo p, he always says how the gut strings last forever sonically. they "sound new," despite being 15 years old on some of his instruments.

is this exclusive to his experience / sonores gut, or is this generally the case?

i will say, my rental viola da gamba has strings that must be years old - and they definitely sound as if they were just strung up. not sure which gut string maker they are from, but im sure they are good quality strings.

thoughts?
 
#53
groooooove said:
i heard back from Gamut that they are in fact designing a flatwound e/a with a gimped (wound with copper or silver) D and G. apparently it was demoed at namm some time ago with good reviews. I think that may be the set for me? but, it won't be available for a while.
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To my knowledge, these would be the only ribbon-wrapped-gut alternative to Pirastro's offerings. While Oliv and Eudoxa are fine strings, they do not act or sound like "traditional" guts (other than taking a long time to stretch); moreover, do you see in your NAMM photo that the E and A have half-sleeves under them at the bridge? I can only infer that the Gamut people discovered the fragility of ribbon-wrapped guts. Wire wrappings are substantially more robust, and I find that they actually start easier, with a nice grunt.

If you want to try gut - and we know you do! - why not go all the way?
 
#55
AGCurry said:
If you want to try gut - and we know you do! - why not go all the way?
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i suppose i have a few reasons. the cost is certainly not prohibitive, but it is a lot of money, so i'm trying to choose wisely.

i'm also not sure if i want to go through the trouble of having my basses bridge and nut filed larger. i doubt i'd use gut forever/always, and im sure sometimes i'd switch to a thinner diameter set - should i have a seperate nut and bridge for gut strings? now we're getting crazy (do many of you just switch and find the wider string openings are not an issue?)

my other thing, back to my question for this thread, is i'm not sure how well a gut string would suit everything I do. as a busy teacher i'm teaching festival solos regularly and having a hard time imagining playing things like koussevtizky on such strings (though, he did - right?)

I'm regularly playing jazz which would be fine with guts, and as far as orchestral playing i'm still unclear on how much bow response i'd expect from gut sets.

a lot of "not sure what to expect," and my current set up does work very very well with the tempera hybrids.

all of this also intersects with that i know that there are some aspects of the sound and playing experience that i will love. which leads to... a lot of indecision!

I also heard back from Dlugolecki, who will not have bass strings available for some time but will email me when he does.
 
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#58
It may be my imagination, but if I recall correctly, Bass Cellar set up an American Standard I used to have to be a switch-hitter gut/steel on the D and G. It’s just a matter of filing a very shallow groove within the larger gut-sized groove.

My take on the gauges is that, if the intention is to blend with Spiros, heavier gut is better. You can always sand it down a little (and you will, over time, as you take care of loose hairs) but you can’t ever add thickness or tension…. Get the Gamut Heavy or Heavy+. Pistoy D is pretty neat string and unique to Gamut. I’ve tried it Heavy and it was marvelous, but suspect if I try again I’m going to get them to custom cut a Heavy ++ for the aforementioned reasons.
 
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#59
well, i finally heard back from gerold.

I was able to order a set of gut core "basso" from him.

they are really a classical string but work fine for jazz.

he "does not" work with gut anymore, but i guess rarely has enough for a single digit number of sets. I think i just got lucky with timing.

i won't have them for a while, but of course will post my thoughts once i've tried them.
 
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#60
groooooove said:
well, i finally heard back from gerold.

I was able to order a set of gut core "basso" from him.

they are really a classical string but work fine for jazz.

he "does not" work with gut anymore, but i guess rarely has enough for a single digit number of sets. I think i just got lucky with timing.

i won't have them for a while, but of course will post my thoughts once i've tried them.
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I am jealous. Gerold's work is incredible. (I keep thinking about the string he developed for Rabbath.)
 
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