Double Bass Long E/C extension string metal wrapped gut

[Brian DeJesus]

A fellow bassist from an orchestra I was playing in recently gave me his extra gut strings and some are long E's for an extension that are copper/nickel wrapped. He switched to steel strings in the 70s and these were the leftovers he had that were unused. Does anyone have any experience or know anyone who played/plays on these strings? I found pictures of orchestra bass sections in the 40s who had the mechanical extensions and I assume they were using strings like these. The brands of strings are Artone and Roth.

 

[Eli Brockway]

Someone here on Talkbass (maybe in the Gut Strings Are So Much Fun thread?) talked once about how their teacher (rather, former principal bass, it turns out), who played on guts, used to have a stock of old extended Es to use with an extension. I'll search around a bit and see if I can't find it.

Found them! @Bruce Calin is the man to ask about what they were like hearing someone else play on them.

I definitely liked this bit:

 

[Bruce Calin]

Someone here on Talkbass (maybe in the Gut Strings Are So Much Fun thread?) talked once about how their teacher (rather, former principal bass, it turns out), who played on guts, used to have a stock of old extended Es to use with an extension. I'll search around a bit and see if I can't find it.

Found them! @Bruce Calin is the man to ask about what they were like hearing someone else play on them.

I definitely liked this bit:

View attachment 7116922

I just posted on another thread related to this. I wasn't smart enough at the time to ask the brand of string or if I did I don't remember. I do remember how amazing it sounded. I haven't seen one used by anyone since although they must still exist. He also had a great instrument and wonderful technique but being next to him when he'd play some of those low notes was an experience I'll never forget.

 

[LouisF]

From what I just posted on the other thread: I get that one of the long E/C strings might be an "Artone", but "Roth" gut strings? Made by Selmer maybe? I'm stumped. Photos?

 

[Eli Brockway]

Might ask Bobby King. He's posted about finding old Roth branded strings before.

 

[ctxbass]

Found this in my string box, it's just standard length though. I haven't played a Roth string yet but it's my preferred gauge for a gut E. The back of the envelope is blank.

 

[Brian DeJesus]

I'll post some pictures soon. Thanks for the info so far ya'll! There are two long E's amongst the strings my colleague gave to me, 1 Artone copper wrapped and 1 Roth silver or nickel wrapped. I don't have an extension on my bass and I like playing with gut strings in orchestra, so idk if this is the universe telling me to get one haha although it seems they were used on mechanical extensions and not the capo ones.

 

[Eli Brockway]

So long as you're careful with it I can't imagine a modern gated extension would be any harder on the string than a mechanical extension, so long as it's made to fit the thing. I'm waiting for my second carved to get done getting put together and then I'll see between it and my older one which might be more worthy of an extension, so it's something I've been thinking about (and about asking Pirastro to make me a custom long Chorda E to go with it).

Found this in my string box, it's just standard length though. I haven't played a Roth string yet but it's my preferred gauge for a gut E. The back of the envelope is blank.

That's the PM gauge system, right? So 3.175mm? I remember seeing strings with just a numerical gauge written on the label like that once and going insane because I couldn't figure out what the metric was, and then go figure, I have Pirastro to blame for it all.

 

[ctxbass]

Yes. I think the Dlugolecki string site had a gauge system converter.

 

[Bruce Calin]

This is great stuff. It takes me back several decades. Thanks for the memories.

 

[Brian DeJesus]

So I thought the Roth E was an extended because of the long gut length at the tail for the tuning peg, it was also tied up so I didn't measure until tonight, turns out it's just an regular length E. There's a Artone E, however, that is 17inches longer than the Artone pictured next to it; longer one is on top. These Artones didn't come with packaging, though I think the longer E is for an extension based on the string length and where the winding starts in comparison to the shorter E.
First Picture: Roth E with Artone E length comparison
Second Picture: Roth E
Third Picture: 2 Artone E's, longer one on top
Fourth Picture: Length comparison of Artones.