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Double Bass If you had an old Kay......

tomshepp

tomshepp

Jan 11, 2006
1,485
954
Maynard MA
#1
And wanted to try gut strings, what would you get? I've had/played this bass(my only one) for years with Spiros. Now I have a new carved bass and think about what to do with this one,(39' M1W). I know there is a string forum, but thought opinions from folks in here would be helpful. I guess my goal would be to make this my Bluegrass bass! Any thoughts/suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks,
Tom
 
#3
If you want to dip your toe in, grab a plain gut G and D (like the ones Bob Gollihur sells), and stay with steel E and A.

There are a few reasons to do it this way: Most of the gut sound is in the G and D, you can tune to the E and A and gut G and D is cheap but decent gut E's and A's aren't.

Let us know how you go.
 
#5
Something I read in the recent past; Kay basses built before 1959 were NOT designed for the tension of steel strings (like Spirocores). That doesn't mean they won't stand up to the tension, but they were built for a lower tension string & I've found they do sound fuller / louder with a lower tension string. I've also heard the long term problem with higher tension strings on early Kays manifests itself with a sinking top, not necessarily neck trouble as you might think,

If you must have guts, go for it, but if you want the sound & feel of gut without the cost or inconsistent reaction to weather changes of gut, try a set of Innovation Super Silvers. Even gut players claim they sound and play a lot like real gut.
 
#7
I've often heard about the neck issues with Kays. So far, mine has done fine without warping, breaking or the top sinking in. The Spiros have been on for a long time, probably close to ten years. I really don't know much about strings and think the only way to really learn anything is to try lots of stuff. That's expensive though. My reason for asking about gut is that it's the type of string used by a lot of roots, bluegrass etc. players and seemed like they might be a good choice for this bass. IDUNNO:hmm:
 
#8
like Jake said!!
i like the Innovation Super Silvers Slaps on my 39Kay!!.. and they still have volume to punch through multiple fiddles and Banjos e.c.t and i dont have to tune them all the time! like with guts!!

if i had a bass just for just controlled enviroments, id use Guts!! but i am usually playing outside, so the SSSlaps are for me!!

Well maybe actually not guts!! (to much up keep and they sometimes just break and they can be rough on the fingers!) ssslaps are smooth!! my 2 cents.. GL :)
 
#10
I have never played guts but I love the gut sound. I also love Tejano's aforementioned '42 Kay, so much that it bought it from him and have been thanking him ever since. But ...

I found the Super Silvers a little spongy on the attack and with not enough bottom for the sound I had in my head. So I swapped them out for LaBella 7710s and lived happily ever after! I play primarily bluegrass, but I find I can bow them in an emergency (some would say it's always an emergency when I bow) and get a decent sound when I wander into jazz territory. But, in the interests of full disclosure, I usually grab another bass with different strings if I'm planning to bow or I'm going to be amplified.

All of this is to suggest that the quest for a specific sound and the right string is very much a matter of individual preference. It's a matter of trial and error and for some witth a much more developed ear and technique, there might be a lot of trials.

But that search is part of the fun -- albeit a potentially expensive part of the fun!
 
#12
I would like to try a gut-type string on G and D on my Englehardt m1 but the string diameter for these strings are much bigger than the groove my lutier cut in the nut. If I want to try the bigger gut string I have to increase the size of the groove considerably and have half a day of driving to have it done by my luthier. Then, if I want to go back to a Spirocore, the groove will be too big? Anyone experience this or have any thoughts?
Thanks!
 
#13
tomshepp said:
And wanted to try gut strings, what would you get? I've had/played this bass(my only one) for years with Spiros. Now I have a new carved bass and think about what to do with this one,(39' M1W). I know there is a string forum, but thought opinions from folks in here would be helpful. I guess my goal would be to make this my Bluegrass bass! Any thoughts/suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks,
Tom
Click to expand...


I know a gent who has done everything from the top down professionally on the bass. He is a wise old owl. For your agenda, he would recommend a set of LaBella Supernils.

You can get them online at Gollihur Music...I have a set on the way and the total cost is $79.00

Happy PLucking.
 
#14
Thanks for the suggestions folks. Lots of food for thought. I put my kay in the classified FS forum as a feeler. If nothing happens I think it wise to try the Super Silvers or the LaBellas. Save the $ on the gut. I'm in the middle of a theater gig and not having fun the way the bass is now. Arco is tough, pizz is OK using an amp. Volume of the pit (26-27 players) is pretty loud.
Best,
Tom
 
#19
Tom,

If you decide to keep your Kay, here's the setup I switched to last weekend on my Kay -- Lenzner guts on the D and G, Velvert Garbos on the E and A. Before I made the choice, I tried all guts, all Velvets, and every set of strings in the Innovation line, either on my bass or on others in the shop of a very patient shop owner (Jerry Fretwell). The guts replaced LaBella 7710s on the bass I use primarily for bluegrass, but they will probably go back on one of my other basses.
 
#20
Funny,
I was about to call Jerry to order the Super Silvers. But when I think about my motivation for starting this thread, it's because I feel like guts are what this bass would have had on it in the beginning. So I may just follow your advice and go with the gut on top and velvets on the bottom.
BTW, I just got a pm about the bass. Go figure.:rolleyes:
 

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