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Double Bass Velvet Garbos double bass strings megathread part I
- Thread starter mic_j
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after playing on these for almost a year, i'm just getting to the point that i can bow them. occasionally a note or two gets away from me and just sounds as the overtones, but most of the time i can get a decent fundamental. the lower strings are tougher than the higher, with the A being the toughest for me.
i can get them going pretty fast, but it takes lots of rosin, and again it took me a long time to adjust to them. they sound pretty good for jazz (kinda PC gutty tone), but way too bright and breathy for orchestra.
i can get them going pretty fast, but it takes lots of rosin, and again it took me a long time to adjust to them. they sound pretty good for jazz (kinda PC gutty tone), but way too bright and breathy for orchestra.
Disclaimer: arco novice here ...
I find them relatively easy to bow to get an acceptable sound for my stuff (pop / folk / country / rock). I wouldn't want to use them for orchestra, obviously, as others have said. Regarding overtones, I find them to be pretty sensitive to bow position, and I have to bow a bit farther away from the neck as my left hand moves up the neck in order to avoid the overtones. What I find cool is how many great overtones I can get, since I use them in my playing for effect sometimes. It's only fairly recently that I even discovered that you can do this, i.e., get those cool overtone / Jimi Hendrix feedbacky sounds that I love and most of you probably hate ...
Cheers,
Liam
I find them relatively easy to bow to get an acceptable sound for my stuff (pop / folk / country / rock). I wouldn't want to use them for orchestra, obviously, as others have said. Regarding overtones, I find them to be pretty sensitive to bow position, and I have to bow a bit farther away from the neck as my left hand moves up the neck in order to avoid the overtones. What I find cool is how many great overtones I can get, since I use them in my playing for effect sometimes. It's only fairly recently that I even discovered that you can do this, i.e., get those cool overtone / Jimi Hendrix feedbacky sounds that I love and most of you probably hate ...
Cheers,
Liam
Ive been playing animas for about a year now and to tell the truth I have been using the bow less and less. I think you can get a passable sound but its hard work with the anima. My bass is in the shop for a couple of months and I got another bass to use for the time being. This other bass was strung with spiros and after trying and old set of obligatos then a used set of animas I put the spiros back on the bass. They sound better on this particular bass.
I find the spiros to be incredibly easy to play and Im using the bow (and listening to the Slam Stewart) again. Lots of fun, but my wife is getting that look on her face...
I dont plan on putting spiros back on my main bass again, but I can see where having two different setups would be nice.
I find the spiros to be incredibly easy to play and Im using the bow (and listening to the Slam Stewart) again. Lots of fun, but my wife is getting that look on her face...
I dont plan on putting spiros back on my main bass again, but I can see where having two different setups would be nice.
- May 6, 2003
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- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
The last several days I've been experimenting with string height. It makes a bigger difference with these Animas. Usually on a string I find an optimum height for how I like things pretty quickly and leave it. With these there are several usable spots that have pros and cons.
At 6mm to 10mm there is more boom and they are easier to play. I have more of a propensity to overdrive the string into a rattle. They are warm and I can "sing" better. They sound more gutlike or more like the dominants. Overall they have shorter notes.
Up just a mm at 7mm to 11mm they are taught-er, have more sustain, more overtones and less bottom end. I tend to have a cleaner note but not quite as much poof to the note. They are harder to play but have a more defined attack. Almost a ping. Moving toward a honk. More like a spirocore.
Does anybody else have a sense of this? Where do you put your height on these?
fwiw I used the spiros at 4mm to 8mm and dominants at 5mm to 9mm.
I should probably have somebody who can play do so and I listen from across the room.
Feel free to tell me to just pick a spot leave it there and go learn more tunes.
At 6mm to 10mm there is more boom and they are easier to play. I have more of a propensity to overdrive the string into a rattle. They are warm and I can "sing" better. They sound more gutlike or more like the dominants. Overall they have shorter notes.
Up just a mm at 7mm to 11mm they are taught-er, have more sustain, more overtones and less bottom end. I tend to have a cleaner note but not quite as much poof to the note. They are harder to play but have a more defined attack. Almost a ping. Moving toward a honk. More like a spirocore.
Does anybody else have a sense of this? Where do you put your height on these?
fwiw I used the spiros at 4mm to 8mm and dominants at 5mm to 9mm.
I should probably have somebody who can play do so and I listen from across the room.
Feel free to tell me to just pick a spot leave it there and go learn more tunes.
So I got the replacement string and the tailpice gut, installed, and the bass sounds kick-a$$.
However, half an hour ago the replacemnt E broke. ARRGGGHHH
How annoying. This does not bode well for velvet strings...
EDIT: the spooky part of this was that i was practicing in the same room, playing the same warm-up study in round about the same place when the stirng broke. And again, I wasn't playing the E when it broke.
However, half an hour ago the replacemnt E broke. ARRGGGHHH
How annoying. This does not bode well for velvet strings...
EDIT: the spooky part of this was that i was practicing in the same room, playing the same warm-up study in round about the same place when the stirng broke. And again, I wasn't playing the E when it broke.
Are your nut slots wide enough? (sounds like a personal question 
)This is from Lemur's catalog regarding gut strings and probably applies to Animas as well:
<<A note about broken gut strings: We often hear about gut strings breaking above the nut. Dont let this happen to you. Since gut strings are thicker than steel strings, the nut slot needs to be widened. If the slots are too tight, tension above the nut can be much higher than below resulting in failure.>>
)This is from Lemur's catalog regarding gut strings and probably applies to Animas as well:<<A note about broken gut strings: We often hear about gut strings breaking above the nut. Dont let this happen to you. Since gut strings are thicker than steel strings, the nut slot needs to be widened. If the slots are too tight, tension above the nut can be much higher than below resulting in failure.>>
I bought a full set of Animas and I am really enjoying them. I don't find the A&E any harder to bow than Superflexibles. The G isn't quite as smooth bowing as the Olive G, the D is better than the Olive D. To me the E and A Anima are no better or worse than the D&G Anima, arco-wise.
Of course, I think these strings excel more as pizz strings, but I play much more pizz than arco, and the arco I play is usually more lyrical stuff. I don't think orchestral players could use these -- they aren't fast starting enough and staccato effects, etc., are a lot harder. But they really aren't too bad.
I like a gut pizz sound and feel but still want to be able to do some arco so I think these are a good choice. I hope I still feel that way in a week or two!
Of course, I think these strings excel more as pizz strings, but I play much more pizz than arco, and the arco I play is usually more lyrical stuff. I don't think orchestral players could use these -- they aren't fast starting enough and staccato effects, etc., are a lot harder. But they really aren't too bad.
I like a gut pizz sound and feel but still want to be able to do some arco so I think these are a good choice. I hope I still feel that way in a week or two!
Very interesting to note...I knew you needed to widen the slots, but I thought it was just so they'd seat nicely.Bobby King said:Are your nut slots wide enough? (sounds like a personal question
<<A note about broken gut strings: We often hear about gut strings breaking above the nut. Dont let this happen to you. Since gut strings are thicker than steel strings, the nut slot needs to be widened. If the slots are too tight, tension above the nut can be much higher than below resulting in failure.>>
Excuuuuuse me! I think my nut slots are nice and big!
And these are the compas 180s, not guts. Seriously tho, I will check it out, thanks.
Velvet Strings did agree to send me a free replacement string, and have already sent it UPS express at their own expence, which is real good of them.
And these are the compas 180s, not guts. Seriously tho, I will check it out, thanks. Velvet Strings did agree to send me a free replacement string, and have already sent it UPS express at their own expence, which is real good of them.
Okay, so my Velvet Animas have been on the bass for 3 weeks now. They've changed somewhat as they are breaking in, and they just keep getting better. Initially, I lilked them, but wasn't completely convinced. Now I'm convinced. I love the level of tension, and they have just the right sustain ... not too much, not too little. I got these wanting something that was gut-like but more stable and with a little more sustain. These seem to fit the bill quite well. And they haven't broken (yet, knock on wood).
Just thought I'd post an update. Thanks to all of you who recommended them!
Liam
Just thought I'd post an update. Thanks to all of you who recommended them!
Liam
what strings did you have on you bass before and how did they compare in terms of sustain and brightness?
what have you (and other anima users) found the optimal string heights to be?
i want to try the animas but i'm just too happy with the flexocors for now. the main reason i want to try the animas is because of how loud people have said these strings are pizz. and that they get call "gut like" and things of that nature.
what have you (and other anima users) found the optimal string heights to be?
i want to try the animas but i'm just too happy with the flexocors for now. the main reason i want to try the animas is because of how loud people have said these strings are pizz. and that they get call "gut like" and things of that nature.
martinc said:
Hi, Martin,
They're on the Christopher 100-series that I'm renting. I think I'm going to put a set on my old german plywood bass as well, when I'm home in Kentucky this summer (where that bass lives). Or I might try garbos on that one ...
Cheers,
Liam
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