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Varnished plain guts

Discussion in 'Strings [DB]' started by Ruuumble, Apr 22, 2012.

  1. Apr 22, 2012 #1
    Ruuumble

    Ruuumble

    May 8, 2011
    2006 is the last thread specifically on this subject I wonder if we can refresh this??
    I play a '59 Kay w all plain guts and I love 'em. But every day is a struggle against flub e dub dub. Played a friends Upton - (not even sure what year or model) its a very nice bass. He plays varnished plain A-D-G and a wrapped e. Man I love the way this thing sounds! Everything is very clear and defined - very clean - the notes are real punchy - clean and defined. The final straw is like to play high on the G string the notes are still clean and easy to find - man I don't even venture past a C on mine! I would if they sounded like that!! Ha - I get that the varnish is kinda to keep string from fraying but does anyone think they do anything for tone! Or clean tone? Especially in a slap style? Thank you in advance
     
  2. Apr 23, 2012 #2
    Nathan Levine

    Nathan Levine Supporting Member

    Apr 25, 2008
    Anchorage, AK
    Damien D described it to me this way. You can varnish your strings if you want to, but it is kind of like going running in a snow suit. Squashes the tone and ability to move around with any agility. Why would you want to do something like that? Having problems with sweat? And this is an exact quote "Try meditating."

    For the record, my varnished Gamuts seem to be just fine when they are on my bass. It is when I compared the unvarnished pistoy D I picked up on TB that I began to understand what Damian was getting at. There were was a small but noticeable sense of clarity to the unvarnished string that the varnished string seemed to be missing, though you might not miss it if not specifically comparing them within the same hour.
     
  3. Apr 23, 2012 #3
    Ruuumble

    Ruuumble

    May 8, 2011
    Thanks Nathan! So I'm getting that you felt the varnished strings deadened it- interesting ..... So that was not my experience but i thought that would be my experience. I do think alot of it is the difference in the basses. But also the varnish does keep string clean and is easier to keep clean- whereas my unvarnished are permanently black! Haha -