Possible just to buy the strings individually now. Thinking of going for the d and g.
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Double Bass New Gamut Red Diamond Gut Strings
- Thread starter Earl
- Start date
I know this is late-to-the-draw, but recently a question struck me about your status at the time you wrote this...
How did you find that the Golden Slaps E and A match up with the Red Diamond D and G for tone, volume and feel? That would be a helpful gauge for me since I'm using SilverSlaps E and A (and they are supposed to be functionally the same as Golden Slaps).
Also, how well did the newest generation that you had of the Red Diamond D and G last for you? Now that these strings are available as singles, the Red Diamond D and G might be within my scope, if they last well enough. I'm going on 15 months with my SBW Deluxe D and G and nearly a year with my SilverSlaps E and A, and there is no significant wear showing anywhere yet. If the newest generation of the Red Diamond D and G will last at least a year, I'd be tempted.
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They are mating up well. I've recorded some stuff and the volume/tone seems close enough. Obviously the complexity of gut isn't there with the Slaps. The E is maybe a bit weaker, but that could be me, my bass, or the Slaps being old. Hard to say. The tension is a nice match, better than the match with the copper wound E and A with the remainder of the nylon wound set.
I've pretty much had it with the copper wounds. About a week after I got the A rewound and back on, the E crapped on me. I've been using the Golden Slaps ever since for E and A. Also the round wounds are tough on hands and the board, and super noisy to play slides and shifts.
I still like the D and G, but the E and A are officially dogs to me. I gave them a good run, but there are just too many drawbacks about them.
Just to be clear, I don't find the Slaps to be a home run either. However they are functional, and I'm busy, too busy to shoot for a whole sale string change right now.
Conclusion - the D and G are really nice.
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Great, thank you for this comparison. I'm extremely glad to hear you're still using the Red Diamond G and D with the GoldenSlaps A and E. That's a very good testimony even if it isn't a perfect match, and I may go that direction sometime in the future. I'm already sold on the Slaps for E/A on my Alcoa, so when I'm ready to go gut, Red Diamond D/G sounds like the right way for me to go.
Thanks again!!!
Thanks again!!!
This came up in a thread about a different nylon wrapped brand, so I thought to ask Gamut:
Good Morning Gamut,
Is it possible for you to describe the difference in tone, timber, tension & bow-ability between the Red Diamond and the nylon-wrapped Lyon?
Compared to each other and/or compared to plain gut?
Thank You,
=JR=
And in response:
The nylon Academie and the Red Diamond are the same, except for the red color.
The nylon wound string has a brighter tone than the plain gut string, which has a more substantial fundamental sound wave. The nylon wound string is a little stiffer than the plain gut, so there is a slight intonation difference between the two, but most players don't notice that, and the plain gut string bows more efficiently and better than the nylon wound string. That is about it.
Regards,
Dan Larson
Good Morning Gamut,
Is it possible for you to describe the difference in tone, timber, tension & bow-ability between the Red Diamond and the nylon-wrapped Lyon?
Compared to each other and/or compared to plain gut?
Thank You,
=JR=
And in response:
The nylon Academie and the Red Diamond are the same, except for the red color.
The nylon wound string has a brighter tone than the plain gut string, which has a more substantial fundamental sound wave. The nylon wound string is a little stiffer than the plain gut, so there is a slight intonation difference between the two, but most players don't notice that, and the plain gut string bows more efficiently and better than the nylon wound string. That is about it.
Regards,
Dan Larson
I suspect that he did not intend his comment the way I think you are interpreting it. I think he meant that the octave point of the string when pressed to the fingerboard relative to the harmonic octave are slightly different between the strings. ...at least that's what I thought he meant. It's open to interpretation, I guess.
I find it interesting that the gut source is not mentioned during this discussion. I visited the Gamut website and also saw no mention there, but I might have missed it. My understanding is that Red Diamond are beef gut, while the Acadamie are sheep gut. Is that the main difference?
Rd strings are wrapped too, the D and G have some clear coating sleeve wrap stuff on um, and the E and A are copper round wound. So no oiling or care is needed, but my E and A have both unwound. He rewind then for like $60/steing I think. I won't be bothering tho.
To set the record straight, I was kidding (or at least trying to...). Sorry if it did not come off so well.
I have heard of a lot of RD strings unwrapping? Is this just the e and a strings or are the d and g strings dogey too?
I've not heard as much about the clear coating failing on the D and G strings. Unwinding is not specific to red diamonds either, any wound guts can have the same issue.
Anyone can comment on Red Diamond G and D tension and sound ? I'm tempted to try them if they are not loose as most gut strings are on my bass. Golden spiral for example are too loose for me. In this period i use Presto Nylonwound for G and D and their tension is perfect for me (maybe still too loose but much better than gut) with Spiro E and A. So: does RD G and D can work with Spiro E and A without moving too much the bridge adjusters? Do RD have the clarity that in general gut strings have ? Thanks
Hi massimo, what kind of bridge setup are you sporting? My past trials combining reqular tension steel and plain gut were doomed to failure as I allways found either guts feeling too loose or steels too tight. Quite recently I started experimenting with individual string heights with flatter than usual bridge curvature and found a way that delivers as balanced feel as possible between gut tops and steel lower strings. The string heights are G 10mm D 10,5mm A 10,5mm E 11mm. It took some time to adjust my technique but this way pizz feels and sounds balanced and even, without sacrifising bowability. I know I`m not completely lost with this as I found out that mighty bass magician James Condino of TB sets Spiro mittels / plain gut -combo the same way. I have now Gamut Pistoys on top of Evah weichs and never thought that gut / steel combo could bow this easy. And that on top of very nice pizz tone and feel.
Hi Reiska, at the moment i have Presto Nylonwound lights for G (10mm) D (11mm) Spiro weich A (12mm) and Spiro red 3/4 E (14mm). This seems very high action for the Spiros but on my bass it feels good, not too tension(i hate tension) and it gives a full warm sound that its what i like without beeing too dark or muddy (If its all red Spiros i would have 7mm to 11mm G to E ).My fingerboard is pretty flat ,not a lot of clearance and that's another reason why i need to keep the Prestos high or they'll buzz on the fboard.
I discovered those Presto by hazard (nobody i know plays with them) and i was surprised at how much they sound like gut without the problems ( the sticky feeling that gut has some days,the slow answer and the floppyness: if i want the right tension i have the action too high and then i have problems with precision and to keep time ) I would like to experiment with Red Diamonds and Presto Jazzicato (only D and G as for me Spiros work well with E and A).
PS:If you bow forget the Presto Nylonwound.
PS: often i go back to all Spiros....
I discovered those Presto by hazard (nobody i know plays with them) and i was surprised at how much they sound like gut without the problems ( the sticky feeling that gut has some days,the slow answer and the floppyness: if i want the right tension i have the action too high and then i have problems with precision and to keep time ) I would like to experiment with Red Diamonds and Presto Jazzicato (only D and G as for me Spiros work well with E and A).
PS:If you bow forget the Presto Nylonwound.
PS: often i go back to all Spiros....
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I found the D and G tension to high for me personally....they just didn’t feel good under my left hand. I loved the feel of the A and E.... Switched to plain Lyon G and Pistoy D and wound E and A and love the feel, sound and they bow/slap nicely.
