Plain gut and Spiros of any age are scratchy. Consider it incentive to improve your technique.
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Double Bass Time to change it up.. what strings should I get next
- Thread starter unbrokenchain
- Start date
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
Could always do dead-ish Mittels (or your 3885 Weichs) with a gut G.
I mentioned this in a previous thread, but a sound post adjustment led formerly tight feeling S42 mittels to feel oh-so-loose now, allowing me to crank up my string height a bit and giving the strings a very nice bounce. Having played guts (full sets) during my formative bass playing years and for the 15 or so years thereafter, I'm able to pull my sound from 'em no problem. Also, my Gamuts just felt way too loose on my hybrid German bass I put 'em on after I sold my Kay, and as stated, the chance I took on these used Spiros has paid off mightily.
I mentioned this in a previous thread, but a sound post adjustment led formerly tight feeling S42 mittels to feel oh-so-loose now, allowing me to crank up my string height a bit and giving the strings a very nice bounce. Having played guts (full sets) during my formative bass playing years and for the 15 or so years thereafter, I'm able to pull my sound from 'em no problem. Also, my Gamuts just felt way too loose on my hybrid German bass I put 'em on after I sold my Kay, and as stated, the chance I took on these used Spiros has paid off mightily.
But life is short..
Should take a couple days to arrive, but in the meantime, someone point me to a thread where I can learn the best way to tie the tailpiece loop or knot?
Hey, that's what the donut house is for!!!
(BTW, I still want you to next-day some boutique maple bars my direction sometime!)
...and unbrokenchain begins searching for a way to write off gut strings as a "business expense.."
*edit... wait... I don't need donuts for that.. why haven't I been doing that all along?
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Yes, unwrapped guts can certainly sound scratchy arco, especially in the lower positions, and more so if your technique is not great. Slap? Wonderful.
I think he was referring to Spirocores, which can be scratchy when bowed, but not overly so with hard rosin. I don't think Spiros are anyone's favorite slap string though, maybe I'm wrong?
Gollihur's string site talks about slappers using TI SuperFlexible.
IF I were going to go with TI metal core strings, I'd probably start tryouts with SuperFlexible Solos. Next would be Spiro 4/4 Solos (tuned orchestral). But that isn't going to be in my Alcoa's future...
When (in my dreams) I get a wooden DB (the new Upton Suitcase, since we're dreaming), it would be setup for jazz with SuperFlexible Solos.
IF I were going to go with TI metal core strings, I'd probably start tryouts with SuperFlexible Solos. Next would be Spiro 4/4 Solos (tuned orchestral). But that isn't going to be in my Alcoa's future...
When (in my dreams) I get a wooden DB (the new Upton Suitcase, since we're dreaming), it would be setup for jazz with SuperFlexible Solos.
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Gamut has an image somewhere (definitely on the sting envelope) that explains loops. I think Upton has a YouTube video...
good call on the lenzner set.
i gave up on them only because i kept breaking the A string. the silver winding stops before going over the saddle of the tailpiece, leaving thin plain gut in that spot. that weak spot has broken twice on me....luckily while at home and not during a gig.
i put Evah mediums on the bottom instead....tried the weich but were too flubby (low tension) for me
@KUNGfuSHERIFF - still using those tynex wrapped red-o-rey D/Gs and still loving them. found similar labellas? for my backup bass.
considering putting lezners back on my backup bass. such great tone and feel! maybe i have a softer touch these days and won't be breaking $80 strings
i gave up on them only because i kept breaking the A string. the silver winding stops before going over the saddle of the tailpiece, leaving thin plain gut in that spot. that weak spot has broken twice on me....luckily while at home and not during a gig.
i put Evah mediums on the bottom instead....tried the weich but were too flubby (low tension) for me
@KUNGfuSHERIFF - still using those tynex wrapped red-o-rey D/Gs and still loving them. found similar labellas? for my backup bass.
considering putting lezners back on my backup bass. such great tone and feel! maybe i have a softer touch these days and won't be breaking $80 strings
I am thinking of Spiros under guts on a darkish-sounding 3/4 Eastman Hybrid that is loosening up with a bunch of Simandl and Essential Elements for Strings bowing work in the practice room. I have access to deadened 3885's (used occasionally for 5 years and a lot in the last 6 months) and much older Mittels.
Which set's Spiro EA would you recommend I try first for this application?
Hey they're a lot easier to find (and often much less expensive) than an aluminum one! You just need an extra corner in the house
Went ahead and put the Spiro weichs on the carved bass so I could get it set up and just have one bass to mess with at a time. I put the Flex Deluxe solos on the Kay as a place holder. It's amazing how much the basses retain their own sound despite the string swap. Also, the solos actually sound pretty good on the Kay at orch tuning, must be the extra inch of string length, because it totally works. Makes me think this bass will like the low tension the guts will bring. Looking forward to trying them out!
Welcome to the dark side!!! I use knots on my DG, no rocket science here, just make a mess big enough not to slip out of the tailpiece. Loops are a very small tad more complicated, check the Gamut site for that. You need to cranck the strings up for the guts to speak clearly, think 9 - 10mm under the G. Especially gut D`s are pretty unforgiving with that, the more the better. They do take a while to settle in, as you do as well if you haven`t played guts too much, it`s gonna be different. Anyway, enjoy!!!
I`ve tried 4/4 solos, weichs and mittels and my bass likes mittels the best. That said, higher tension EA you go, more complicated will setting up with guts be. I have flatter curvature on my bridge, there`s smaller than reqular height difference from string to string, such as G 9,75mm D 10,25mm A 10,5mm E 11mm. This way I get the gut GD high enough without having to wrestle the low strings with my left hand, and maintain bow clearance with the fat D string. I very recently switched the mittel EA to Evah weichs as my bass seems to hate each and every steel A when there`s guts on top.
I'm currently using a 4/4 Spiro Mittel E tuned down to D with plain gut A, D & G - high action on 110cm string length. Works great!
I like this combination as the tensions are matched, the sound is fat and no tuning issues !!
Loving the weichs on the carved bass. Every time I string up a spirocore, until the string settles down it reminds me of the sound of a basketball being dribbled on an indoor court.. anyone know what I mean?
It's also proven to me that the Flex Deluxe's weren't getting harder to bow, but that the bass has gotten wolfy AF over the winter. Both Ab-G and Bb are howling.. meh the Spiros are way louder though, so I got that goin for me..
It's also proven to me that the Flex Deluxe's weren't getting harder to bow, but that the bass has gotten wolfy AF over the winter. Both Ab-G and Bb are howling.. meh the Spiros are way louder though, so I got that goin for me..
