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Double Bass Velvet Garbos double bass strings megathread part I

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#422
In searching this forum about the only thing that I have found concerning the differences between these strings is that the Garbo G string is difficult to bow due to it's nylon wrap and that it has a metallic sound to it. Anyone have opinions on how these strings sound or feel different from each other?
 
#424
They are both very similar to each other. I think the diameter of the Garbos may be a bit bigger than the Animas. The Anima G bows just fine. The Garbo G is difficult(similar wrap to Golden Spirals). I think the Garbos might be a bit darker sounding. I have Animas on my bass right now....I sold my set of Garbos before I bought this bass so I can't compare them on the same instrument. I like the Animas a lot more than the Garbos still. They are more versatile.
 
#425
if i may intrude, i bet he meant "lush". the bowed sound of the Velvet Animas was very un-lush when I tried it. I've gotten lushier sounds out of several kinds of strings; the Animas I wouldn't want to bow in public, but what a pizz tone!
:smug:
 
#431
Don Higdon said:
I've watched alot of Chambers bowed solos, sometimes 10 feet away. They never sounded like Animas
Click to expand...

I wish I could say that I had watched Paul Chambers play live! Alas, my parents were just beginning a-courtin' when he died...
So, here's my clarification, with an emphasis on the subjective: the way that Paul Chambers' arco tone sounds coming out of my stereo speakers is exactly the way Animas sound to me on my bass from my standpoint slightly behind/above it (i.e., playing it). Especially his arco solo on "Well, You Needn't" (can't remember the original album, it's on the "Miles and Coltrane" Columbia Jazz Masterworks re-issue)--that's the sound I'm thinking of in particular (and it wouldn't surprise me if that isn't representative of "his sound;" that might have been recorded oddly, and the bass is very mid-rangey on that one).
 
#432
I feel compelled to add to this thread regarding Paul Chamber's bowed solos and sound in general. If you listen to the classsic Mile's "cookin, steamin , relaxin and workin" sessions you can notice that there is a great deal of different Paul Chambers tones throughout ALL those recordings which were all done over a 4-5 day period I believe. The first thing to keep in mind is that if you have a MIC set up in a booth and you record 5 tunes- take break - come back in ten minutes and so much as breathe on the mic wrong, you can change your tone and how your bass is being recorded. we need to pile on top of this another very important fact; Gut strings - are and have always been wildy inconsistant. Back then - almost everyone had unwrapped gut - as in - plain guts and they would dry out, get scratchy and were in general, extrememly tempremental strings. It must also considered that some days the bass just sounds different than on others and is can be a different instrument due to humidty changes etc..
Paul's sound in general differs on many albums. If you listen to his sound on the Hank Mobley albums - SOUL STATION & ROLL CALL - he has a big huge lush sound that is all balls and even a quite pleasing arco sound (on roll call) - if you listen to his sound on relaxin w/miles davis quintet - it's totally mid rangey and nasal - it sounds like A$$ to me - all due respect to his brilliant playing. so my point is that it can be really hard to use only ONE example of any of these old greats playing and or sound - because it truely varies from album to album.
the Velvet Garbo's in my opinion are the best bowed sound - OUT OF all those TYPES of strings- but they will never ever be as nice as bowed metal strings. or olives or eudoxas or even thomastiks etc... by this I dont mean that Velvets sound horrible - but by today's orchestral standards and also the basic bowing demands on bass players..the Velvets are better if you want that old school bowing sound -i.e scratchy
 
#433
since we're on the dicussion of PC, who has the john coltrane with the red garland trio cd? "traneing in"
PC's sound is so big and fat, tons of overtones whether it's arco or pizz......that's the sound of plain gut? or thats the sound of PC's bass with plain gut?
i see people relate gut to a big fundamental and not much sustain or overtones. the overtones of PC's sound is what is so awesome, sounds totally complex and brittle almost.
what is the common day gut string that will sound close to that?
 
#434
A quick thing on Animas and the bow: They take some getting used to, but I like them. For classical, my guess is only for Baroque stuff, but for jazz, and with some patience, they rock. They're very even, I find I can get good sound all the way up the fingerboard. I love these strings, after 7 months of steady use.

As for PC and his varying sounds, I also think that there were situations where his bass might have been in the shop, or for some reason not available, and so he is forced to play something else. Reggie Workman told me that this was the case when he recorded on Adam's Apple (Wayne Shorter's record). Who knows? Of course, PC also had a nasty drug habit, which affected his reliability.
 
#436
I've tried both, and I prefer animas. They're more consistent, better sounding with the bow (the Garbo G-string, Yuk!) :scowl:
But, on the other hand, I just got a record with me on it playing Garbos, and ....I sound great! (This coming from a guy who usually lacks self confidence!!!) -Old school, but sweet.
 
#437
I just put a set of Anima's on the Shen plywood bass. I was wondering what I should expect as far as stretching, breaking in period, etc.

These things growl more than I thought they would, and more than I'd like actually. The G and D seem very close in gauge. They don't bow too bad except for the E. Nice tone, but I'm yet undecided on their being an appropriate choice for my bass.

Thanks.
 
#438
I've found the break-in period for Animas to be longer than some other strings. I had a new tail gut installed when I got the Animas because they were too short for my bass (43" string length) and between the new tail-gut and new strings I was re-tuning about every 5 minutes for the two weeks. I think the tone is still changing after 3 weeks but the pitch has stableized. There was a slightly metalic ring to these strings at first but that seems to have receded. Bowing is getting easier every day but that's probobly just me getting used to the strings. They require a a more firm bowing technique than Obligato's for instance.

Thanks,
Phil
 
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