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Double Bass Velvet Garbos double bass strings megathread part I

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#801
Mine get a little funky too when the humidity goes up in this area. I've cleaned the strings with some cotton balls & alchohol and that seems to do the trick. Maybe keep a couple of alchy wipes with you on the gig?

I played in a class tonight and I think the room didn't ventilate so well and caused a couple blisters to come back. Think i'm going to try using some climbers or bowlers chalk to keep my hands dry and keep the blisters away. Maybe this'll help the funk too, but I would imagine i'd have to clean them eventually.
 
#802
Uncletoad said:
I played the first outdoor gig of the season tonight. Of course it ended in a rainstorm that sent us scurrying to put away all the gear.

Before that I noticed the animas getting pretty sticky on my fingers and slowing me down. They are getting kinda black around where I pull. Any ideas about getting rid of that?

Throws me out of the groove and into suck in a hurry.
Click to expand...

This whole thread just sends me into spasms of giggles...
I mean you REALLY gotta be nuts playing these strings
that 'get your fingers sticky, turn them black, cause all kinds
of weird rattles..." But BOY do they sound good, ROFL.
OH, not to mention they cost a bundle and dont last that
long, hehehe.
 
#803
jfv said:
I mean you REALLY gotta be nuts playing these strings
that 'get your fingers sticky, turn them black, cause all kinds
of weird rattles..." But BOY do they sound good, ROFL.
OH, not to mention they cost a bundle and dont last that
long, hehehe.
Click to expand...

My Animas sure do turn my fingers green, but not sticky, they don't cause any weird rattles, sound great, improved my projection to the point that I ditched my pickup in favor of a mic, get great comments from every musician I play with, are still going strong after 8 months of abuse (I expect them to last several years)... Boy, I REALLY gotta be nuts. ;)

I dunno, I guess there are lots of satisfied users out there, but we just don't post every other day about how great our strings are.
 
#804
I've had the opposite effect with the black gunk...I think it feels better when it's there. It actually acts like a kind of lubricant in my case. I leave it on there 'til the gig's over. YMMV, as always.

Talk about a string that polarizes opinions... that's the Anima. Bottom line is, I can't imagine playing anything else. I don't consider them expensive at all.
 
#805
Marcus Johnson said:
I've had the opposite effect with the black gunk...I think it feels better when it's there. It actually acts like a kind of lubricant in my case.
Click to expand...
I could care less about the black gunk thing astheticly but thought it was related to the sticky thing. Could be a rosin reaction to i suppose. Do you get the sticky thing? I couldn't figure out if that's a string thing or a humidity thing or a body chemistry thing.
 
#807
Uncletoad said:
I could care less about the black gunk thing astheticly but thought it was related to the sticky thing. Could be a rosin reaction to i suppose. Do you get the sticky thing? I couldn't figure out if that's a string thing or a humidity thing or a body chemistry thing.
Click to expand...
Nope. Not sticky at all. Humidity? I dunno, I live in one of the most humid climates on Earth. I use Carlsson rosin, so I don't get the stickies as much as I would from Pooooops.

BTW...regarding "weird rattles"....I thought that mine were caused by the Animas for awhile. Then I discovered a very small open seam, down on the bottom, where my old eyeballs failed to catch it. Luthier made house call, seam closed, rattle gone. Life is good.
 
#808
Marcus Johnson said:
Nope. Not sticky at all. Humidity? I dunno, I live in one of the most humid climates on Earth. I use Carlsson rosin, so I don't get the stickies as much as I would from Pooooops.
Click to expand...
I use Carlson too. I think its a body/string relationship thing. Some people have it others don't. Like the green skin watch thing.
 
#811
I am reporting yet another E string breakage, also within the pegbox, at the start of the silk winding. Nut groves amply wide, so that was not the problem. Never had this happen to me in 20 years (this is my first set of Velvets, the Compas 180 suit variety), yet the gig where it happened was the first time I left the spare set at home ( swear!)

An interesting aspect, besides the challenge of doing nearly the entire gig on 3 strings (jazz/world) was that this particular bass really opened up without the E string on it, so I'll be looking into the ramifications of that.

However, the reliability issue regarding Velvets remains, and since these strings have been on the bass for 3 months tops the folks in Switzerland will be hearing from me.

greets
Alexander
Vienna
 
#812
Allright guys, hopefully in a week or so, the velvet support costumer will be working as it should, i already asked Paul to change my acount name user, ill be in charge of the velvet string department here. the velvet website will be updated soon and i will have my own velvet email to answer all your questions, but for now, you can pm here or post any question, i will try to answer it as soon as possible, right now, times is still so short with all the changes.
Alexander, you can contact velvet and they should take care of the business, or if you want to wait a couple of days and contact me, i will take care of you myself.
thanks a lot guys.

NUNO
 
#813
Freddels said:
I don't really know how to clean them (since they're copper wrapped how about Brasso or something). I noticed that the black buildup on my fingers does slow me down too and the fingers just don't slide on the strings as well. I've been trying to wash my hands really well during each break during a gig and it does help a lot.

Haven't tried a baby wipe or something like that on the strings but it might be an option. I haven't noticed any great buildup on the strings yet.
Click to expand...

I asked today Stephan, the owner of Velvet, and he told me that a cloth with a bit of toothpaste is what he thinks its the best to clean the strings. As i posted on other thread, the velvet customer service hopefully will be runing strong in a week or so, i already asked Paul to change my user name to Velvet support and soon i will have my own velvet email adress, at the moment still dont have much time because so many things need to be made, but any question, pm.
thanks a lot.

Nuno
 
#814
Hi Nuno.

I have a question regarding installing compas 180s. The diagram to show how the string should be at the nut is very bad - it's in black and white, so the line indicating where the metal stops could stop anywhere. it says not to allow the metal part of the string go into the machines. does that mean it's ok to go into the machines with the thiker band of material connecting the metal and the thinner part? For such an important part of installation, the diagram should be much clearer! It looks kind of like the thicker 'conncting band' is sitting on the nut, although when i installed the string like this, it did not sound, just buzzed, so i had to put it higher, which i assume is correct.
 
#815
Conor MacCarthy said:
Hi Nuno.

I have a question regarding installing compas 180s. The diagram to show how the string should be at the nut is very bad - it's in black and white, so the line indicating where the metal stops could stop anywhere. it says not to allow the metal part of the string go into the machines. does that mean it's ok to go into the machines with the thiker band of material connecting the metal and the thinner part? For such an important part of installation, the diagram should be much clearer! It looks kind of like the thicker 'conncting band' is sitting on the nut, although when i installed the string like this, it did not sound, just buzzed, so i had to put it higher, which i assume is correct.
Click to expand...

I saw that diagram today too, yes - its not a very clear diagram, i will talk with Stephan tomorrow and i will get back to you, if by any reason you dont listen from me, please pm, theres so much to do at velvet, so many things that need to be improved in the customer service, that i think ill be very busy for awhile, thanks a lot you all.

Nuno
 
#816
Thanks Nuno. And just to say, after my G string broke the last time, velvet sent me a replacement (from switzerland to finland) at no cost to me which arrived the next day - impressive!
 
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