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Double Bass Velvet Garbos double bass strings megathread part I

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#262
I'm still really confused about the construction of the Animas. The current Lemur catalog still lists them as wound gut, but Velvet never states that anywhere in their literature. I think Lemur's wrong.

I'm about ready to give them a shot. I don't really care if the core is made out of grape jelly, as long as they work as well as most people say they do. I'm hoping that I get more longevity out of them than I currently get from Obligatos.

I just Emailed Rufus about Animas, and bugged him with a bunch of questions. He's been using them for quite some time now, so I guess he'd know.
 
#263
Questions, questions...thanks for the info, Phil and everyone. Couple more...did you have to reslot the nut for the Animas? And how about string height?...guessing it's going to have to be raised to allow the strings to oscillate? I can imagine them moving around any more than my Oblis!?

Mahalo, guys.
 
#265
I was just working on Bach's Double from his 2nd violin sonata, and these strings bow very well, for me at least. I used D and G plain guts, with Chorda's usually as the E and A for a while before I got the Garbos about a year ago. The Garbos don't bow well at all, espcially the G string. Remeber too, that I love the way plain guts sound bowed. The Anima G is much better to bow than the Garbo G, and the Pizzicato Nylon G for that matter too. The Animas sound just a tiny bit "scratchy", but they bow clear and loud. I dig the scratchy thing too though.

Marcus, if I took a blind fold test I would guess these were the real deal gut string. They have slightly more tension than real gut gut strings though, so your action doesn't have to be insanely high, and they'll still project a lot. The nut slots on my bass have always been wide enough to accomodate gut strings, so I didn't have to change anything there. They seem to stay in tune much better than real gut strings, but give a much more defined sound and these bad boys really have me fooled. Worth every penny, IMO.
 
#266
i'm looking for some new strings.. i got obligatos atm, but the e and a don't bow to well... they mainly twist and don't produce sound :)
i was told compas 180 would be great... but i don't know which version too choose... there are 27kg and the suit version and i don't know which will bow the best...
considering that those strings are really really expensive and i don't got too much money, i don't want to guess :)
and i'd really like to know how long they last.. if i pay about 300euro for a set of strings i expect them to last quite a while...
so if anyone could tell me something about compas 180 in any version i'd be really happy

philipp

p.s.: please excuse my bad english :(
 
#269
Hi Everybody...

I'm currently playing a german 1970´s fully carved bass strung with Velvet Garbos, which is about one year old.

At first I liked the sound of the Garbos but now I don't really dig it anymore. I don't think they articulate very well and they tend to get very boomy amplified with my MB-150 and a realist. Add to that, that they don't hold pitch very well and are quite hard to play in tune. Is it because they are worn out??

My plan is that this semester at school, will be dedicated to practicing with the bow so I obviously need to change the garbos. I'm considering myself a jazz player but I do want the upportunity to use the bow for more than a long note at the end of a ballad :)

Well I need suggestions for a replacement string that:
- Has the meaty feel of the Garbos
- Bow well,
- and has a long life span (I'm a student... :rolleyes: )

I don't really care whether they are steel strings or synthetic as long as they fulfill all of my wishes listed above...

Mr. Engberg, Denmark... (The land of NHOP. RIP!)

P.S.: Sorry for the bad grammar and spelling, but I hope you get my point!
 
#271
Hi Marcus...

Animas you say?

What is the difference to the Garbos? Thinner? Better bow response? Material?

I must admit that I like the thickness of the Garbos very much, but I'm shure I could get used to a thinner string. I wouldn't mind to give up some thickness for a better bow response.

Keep 'em coming...

Mr. Engberg, Denmark. (The land of NHOP. RIP!)
 
#274
erm.. i got pirastro obligato atm... they play quite gut-like i think.. but the e and a don't bow to well..
i had original flat chromes on my bass before the obligatos but they practically choked the sound of my bass, it sounded like many pounds of pure metal lying on the top of my bass :)
the obligatos openend up the sound of my bass really nice... but considering i play 90% arco i'm not to happy with only half the strings beeing bowable...
i got an email from my maildaemon today saying that the velvet infoadress doesn't exist... but why should velvet never answear emails? don't the want any customers???
 
#275
I've played both on someone else's bass. The animas are not as thick as the Garbos, but still thick. They have a metal wrapping, but if I remember correctly each indivicual string is wrapped a little differently. I liked the Animas better...they felt more "normal", but still had the sound of those strings. I thought the Garbos didn't sound like gut strings exactly...and were so thick and unusual feeling that they just weren't for me.

On the other hand, Eric Revis (Branford's bassis) uses the Garbos. I think it's advertised that he uses the Animas, but he switched. He said they are the best string he's ever used, and loves them. He gets a great sound.

I hope that's correct. Even I doubt my information after the Corelli debacle.

Lincoln
 
#278
I like the Velvet strings quite a lot too. However I am not a big fan of the Garbo G. It sounds like plastic to me. If you want to try some new strings that bow well and have good life, I would go for Dominant solos tuned to orch pitch. They are soft, have great volume and a very smooth tone.
 
#279
Hi everybody...

Thanks for your advice! I just found out that I have a set of steel string laying in a drawer. I think I will put them on the bass until I decide what strings I want to buy... The Garbos are getting worse at holding their pitch, and I have to play my final exams on may 11th, so something has to be done.

I would like some help with identifying the steel string I have. I tried to use the string id link in the newbie post, but I didn't get a match.

Colors:

E-string: Ball end is black w. red ring. Peg end is black w. blue ring.

A-string: Ball end is black w. red ring. Peg end is all black.

D-string: Ball end is black w. red ring. Peg end is black w. purple ring.

G-string: Ball end is black w. red ring. Peg end is black w. golden/yellow ring.

Thanks in advance!

Mr. Engberg, Denmark. (The land of NHOP. RIP!)
 
#280
Funny, I have a set of Garbos which i have played the heck out of, and they still sound great after two years. Of course, in the winter there is a problem with tuning when the temp goes from -20c outside to +20c inside. I mean, they are guts, after all. There some sacrifices we have to make. I just now switched to Animas, and i love them, too. They are louder and more exact with their pitch. But loved the thick, warm sound of the Garbos, too. I suspect I'll be swiching back and forth. Of course, if a particular string starts out sounding good, but doesn't please you later on, it could be other problems with the insrument creeping up on you, for instance the sound post could be constricting due to climactic conditions.
Also, these strings won't function well if the bridge is too low!
 
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