Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Velvet Garbos double bass strings megathread part I
- Thread starter mic_j
- Start date
- Status
You know what's strange about that? Remember the "Animas and green/black stains" thread? I was one of the folks who responded that I'd never experienced any staining. Then, out of the blue, I noticed one night that I had a HUGE black stain on my right hand, first time ever. I've had it from time to time since then. It bothers me not a bit, since the strings are so fantastic. But I'm puzzled as to why it would start all of a sudden, after months of playing them. The only thing I could think of; I've recently been drinking the occasional espresso on breaks; the rest of the time, it's bottled water. Do you suppose that would be enough to change my body chemistry and cause the reaction with the strings?
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,737
- 8,953
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
I'm thinkin' they'll cure the fungus under my fingernails after a few days. Vinegar didn't work. Oh, Sorry Marcus.. didn't I play your bass 
? 
? 
Hi guys. I got some Anima's from Quinn Violins on monday. So far so good. Funny thing tho, ever since I put them on, I've been slowly jacking up my strings to new heights. Tonight I broke out the ruler and measured the difference on the bridge adjuster. Something like 5mm higher than before.
I think they have the same amount of tension now as the Spiro's I had on before. The gauges are so big, it seems like it doesn't really affect playability much though I still need to adjust to the added tension. I got louder and clearer the higher I went. It just sounds so good up here!
Hopefully the strings will loosen up tension-wise in a couple weeks and make it a little easier to play. No floppy E string here!
So how much higher have you put your action up since you started using these things?
Thanks.
I think they have the same amount of tension now as the Spiro's I had on before. The gauges are so big, it seems like it doesn't really affect playability much though I still need to adjust to the added tension. I got louder and clearer the higher I went. It just sounds so good up here!
Hopefully the strings will loosen up tension-wise in a couple weeks and make it a little easier to play. No floppy E string here!
So how much higher have you put your action up since you started using these things?
Thanks.
I have a very reactive bass, and when I put the Animas on I didn't change the bridge adjusters at all--the top raised because of the lower tension and everything worked out just fine. However, now that winter temperatures have finally come to the midwest, the strings are ridiculously floppy and buzz like crazy when I use the bow (and even when I pizz) so I will be cranking them up some this week.
I actually tend to play the Animas lower than they should be anyway--when at the proper height, they sound PERFECT but are slightly more cumbersome to play than I want; when a bit lower than optimum height, they play ridiculously (absurdly, shamefully) easily but they buzz and rattle too much. When higher than "optimum height," they sound humongous and are awesome, but are a little too unwieldy to play.
They are such sweet strings, though; every time I play them, I'm thinking "Jeez! Where have these strings been all my life?" I hope Velvet never goes out of business.
I actually tend to play the Animas lower than they should be anyway--when at the proper height, they sound PERFECT but are slightly more cumbersome to play than I want; when a bit lower than optimum height, they play ridiculously (absurdly, shamefully) easily but they buzz and rattle too much. When higher than "optimum height," they sound humongous and are awesome, but are a little too unwieldy to play.
They are such sweet strings, though; every time I play them, I'm thinking "Jeez! Where have these strings been all my life?" I hope Velvet never goes out of business.
Johono5 said:
At 250 bucks a set or whatever it is I don't think they will.
Man, if I didn't practice with the bow more than I play pizz (I'm a double classical/jazz major) I would try these strings. Too bad they don't really fit into the big orchestral or soloistic sound that I want/like.
Over a year and a half, I've had my Animas on and off between 2 basses with no problem. I just put them on after 3 months in a drawer, and the D is totally dead. The rest of the set is fine.
As a rule, I replace entire sets, but the cost of these makes me wince.
Does anyone have experience replacing one Anima out of a set? Is there a tonal imbalance?
Thanks.
As a rule, I replace entire sets, but the cost of these makes me wince.
Does anyone have experience replacing one Anima out of a set? Is there a tonal imbalance?
Thanks.
Don, just think of it this way.... if you buy a new set, then you'll have 3 replacement strings ready and waiting. Just don't break the same one again. 
I'm quite tickled with my animas. Before these strings, I had thought that my bass was doomed to not be loud enough to play without an amp. Too new, too small, etc. After jacking the string height sky high, not only do get a real nice punchy and woody sound but yesterday I found out that I didn't need to lug an amp to a rehearsal. I'd buy again.
I'm quite tickled with my animas. Before these strings, I had thought that my bass was doomed to not be loud enough to play without an amp. Too new, too small, etc. After jacking the string height sky high, not only do get a real nice punchy and woody sound but yesterday I found out that I didn't need to lug an amp to a rehearsal. I'd buy again.
Looks like my anima's have settled in and I've lowered the heights down about a mm or so. Very easy to play now and still has good volume.
But as I mentioned in the Revolution Solo thread, I get a sort of twanginess on the upper register of the G string. I wouldn't say it's nasal but it doesn't sound even like the rest of the string/strings. Not sure if I like it yet. Very prominent if I pull hard on the strings and the twanginess gets even more amplified with the RS. Does anybody get this?
But as I mentioned in the Revolution Solo thread, I get a sort of twanginess on the upper register of the G string. I wouldn't say it's nasal but it doesn't sound even like the rest of the string/strings. Not sure if I like it yet. Very prominent if I pull hard on the strings and the twanginess gets even more amplified with the RS. Does anybody get this?
- Status
