Double Bass Velvet Garbos double bass strings megathread part I

[Uncletoad]

Man, the fact that they are pricey and not as smooth as their price should make them...I woulld stay away.
I just dressed 2 basses today w. those things on there and it's hard to get a clean non-buzzing sound after the work is done. Talk about paying twice...IMO these are one of the big rip offs in the DB world.

So are you thinking that their lack of smoothness indicates a substandard construction with an inflated price? Do you have an alternative to suggest? They do sound very good to my ear. I don't much like that feel but have yet to find anything else that sounds big round and organic like the Animas do. I'd consider other alternatives if there are any.

 

[TroyK]

Man, the fact that they are pricey and not as smooth as their price should make them...I woulld stay away.
I just dressed 2 basses today w. those things on there and it's hard to get a clean non-buzzing sound after the work is done. Talk about paying twice...IMO these are one of the big rip offs in the DB world.

You're going to get some flack for this. Not from me, but there are some seriously loyal users of these strings. I've stayed away so far, but do have a solidary Anima G that will try on my bass one of these days. I get what you're saying and respect hearing it from someone who is doing the work to accomodate. I think it's a valid point to be made. My reason for not going there yet (in addition to price) is that I think they require some gettings used to/adjustment to playing that I haven't been willing to invest.

The best reason not to care and to use them anyway: Because you love the sound and aren't getting it from other strings. I think this is true for people who use them. I have heard people play on them and gone home and read every TB post I could find because I was sold on the sound, so I get it. But in the end, I've resisted so far and am weighing "the sound" with practicality.

Both choices have their arguments.

To the original poster: I'm sorry to be the one to say this, but search the archeives for the answer to your question. It's been pretty well documented. My quess is that people who could compare and contrast for you aren't motived to do so because they've already done it on this forum pretty thoroughly. If you reply back and say "I read all of this and still have this question", sometimes you get a better response.

 

[Bobby King]

I bought an early set of Animas when they had a gut core and the D&G had a silver colored wrap.

Recently I bought a set and noticed differences. The core is a different material, all four stings are copper colored, they seem to leave less black on your fingers ( but the stings themselves tend to darken), the tension is perhaps a little less as well. They aren't entirely smooth, similar to Pirastro Pizzicato, but nothing like roundwound gut.

I enjoyed playing on the new set more than the old ones, the pizz is excellent. It's darker and punchier than most steel strings, but with more sustain and growl than gut. I felt that the arco was improved, but they're still not a very satisfactory arco string. The tone is somewhat scratchy, they are slow starting, and the response is inconsistent from string to string. OK if you only do a small amount of arco.

All in all, a great string for primarily pizz, IMO.

 

[Pcocobass]

I'm wondering what the state of Animas is nowadays. I had heard that they were reformulated sometime in the last few years. I tried them about five years ago and found that they left my fingers all black and the windings were rough enough that they chewed up my fingerboard and my fingertips. Yet I see so many people raving about them, I wonder if they are different strings.

Would anybody be kind to post some close up photos of the strings?

Thanks

Adrian

Hey Adrian,

I've had this type of experience with my Animas, except they turned my fingers green, not black. They didn't bother my fingertips, but I did need to get my board planed after about six months. I still think they are a great string, but I'm currently using steel again because of the convenience and improved arco capability.

Pete

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Man, the fact that they are pricey and not as smooth as their price should make them...I woulld stay away.
I just dressed 2 basses today w. those things on there and it's hard to get a clean non-buzzing sound after the work is done. Talk about paying twice...IMO these are one of the big rip offs in the DB world.

Mark, it's interesting to hear your take on the Animas. It seems that many players love them, and bass tech guys, not so much. I think I remember Arnold Schnitzer (who built and set up my bass) saying something to the effect that most of his clients who tried Animas eventually wound up back on Spiros or whatever they were using. I don't remember him being overly in love with the Animas. (Sorry, Arnold, I hope I'm not putting words in your mouth here.)

In my case, I didn't change my setup at all, and I have no buzzes anywhere on the fingerboard. I get very even response in all registers, and lots of volume. I also haven't seen any fingerboard wear. Though they may be pricey, for someone who makes a decent living playing bass, it isn't excessive to me. It's the only way that I've found to get the sound that I like, and like Phil, I'm always open to better alternatives when they appear.

 

[Tom Baldwin]

Nuno,

What type of winding is on the Compas strings? Material and construction (flat or roundishwound?)

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Mark Carlsen]

You guys are very kind in your responces..... I know there are alot of loyal users and I do admit there is a quality to the sound of Velvets that is apealing.
Frst I would say I have heard 2 basses that not only feel good, but the sound was great.Both had Anima's, one was Dan Greenspan's main bass a big Ol 'german roundback,and a flatback that Lou Deleone finished owned ny Barry Smith.
That being said I would guess that 2 out of 13 or so I have worked on that were strung w. Velvets sounded good. Now the ratio with lets say Spiro Orch's would be 11 out of maybe 15.Lets put the ease of arco factor into the the mix, hands turning Black, breakage, Etc. I am a user of Spiro',Obligato's Olive's,and Helicore Hybrid's. The Euro is killing us w. string prices ,so as a working bassist I want alot of bang for my buck, plus a good sound
But the luthier part of me gets alittle miffed...one client today left a Kolsien Flat back for fingerboard dressing.He put on an Obligato G string to replace the Velvet G.After I dressed the board as you go across the board from string to string the G was clean all the others buzzed.The client went back home and put on the other Obligato's.Everything is fine now..No buzzes.I know it takes many weeks for these strings to settle in.Why so long?The client had a hard time paying me for my work even though I told him it wae the strings.He later called me after he changed the strings to thank me for my work and to tell me I was correct.
There is always an exception to the rule and there are many TBer's who have had no problems w. Velvets and love every thing about them.That's great,you have a bass that is a match..I'm just saying the odd's are not in most of our favors...Again just my .02 worth and you Cats are very Cool !!

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Yeah, we've all discovered that patience is a virtue when it comes to Velvet strings ...they do take a while to pay back. If I didn't play every night, I don't know if I would have waited long enough...like a lot of folks trying them for the first time.

Thanks for your feedback, Mark. I'm a happy Anima user at the moment... but I am definitely waiting to hear about the new Thomastiks when they get into circulation.

 

[Nuno A.]

The compas have a chrome-steel winding, and they are flat wound, of all the velvet strings, they are the ones with the smoother winding.
Thanks.

Nuno

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I'm pretty new to Double Bass, but I put Animas on my bass, myself recently and had no problem - no buzz and they sound great!!

Maybe the people with problems, are those who like a really low action...?

 

[M Ramsey]

I'm pretty new to Double Bass, but I put Animas on my bass, myself recently and had no problem - no buzz and they sound great!!

Maybe the people with problems, are those who like a really low action...?

These strings DO require a bit more action to allow them to ocillate. Bigger string, bigger vibration.

I love guts, but hate the problems with humidity and temp change. I still DO play them ony older bass. Now, I just do it when I'm going to be playing in a stable, climate controlled environment. They record so good as well. Randy Kohrs (session dobro man in Nashville) loves my bass in a studio.

Animas and Garbos solve that problem for me.

There ain't no steel string that will sound as good on either of my American Standards as guts or Velvets. I've tried Heilcores, Spirocore, Ropecores, Dominants (not bad) and many others.

I get more volume and better tone with these lower tension strings. My basses love that as do my hands.

End of rant. They work for me.

 

[Mark Carlsen]

I guess my big pet peeve w. these strings is the quality of the windings [How they are polished/finished off] Even a smooth flat chrome style string w.any type of defect,kink,rough winding,etc, will buzz on a fingerboard.
My issue is more Quality control than the Sound.I think they are telling you they need more action to hide the fact that they are so noisy,not to allow for more room to oscilate.
I forgot to tell you that Obligato G was louder that the other 3 Velvets.

 

[Uncletoad]

My issue is more Quality control than the Sound.I think they are telling you they need more action to hide the fact that they are so noisy,not to allow for more room to oscilate.

So you really do think they are cheap sh-t strings that are sold like snake oil.

Huh.

I've tried to solicit other opinions on this before and people have been mute.

Anybody else want to pipe up on that?

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

To me - the Animas emanate quality, as soon as you get them out of the pack!!

The Spiros I had on before were certainly smoother - but surely that's just personal taste and whether you like an "organic" feel or steel?

They don't cost that much more than other strings in Europe as well!!

 

[JAS]

Where is the cheapest place online to order the Animas?

 

[Mark Carlsen]

So you really do think they are cheap sh-t strings that are sold like snake oil.

Huh.

I've tried to solicit other opinions on this before and people have been mute.

Anybody else want to pipe up on that?

I wouldn't say they are not cheap sh-t strings by any means, just that in the final process of finishing the windings is not to the standard quality I would like to see for the amount of money they charge for them.You must be one of the few lucky ones that have a match w. your bass.Thats cool...
As far as pricing Velvets run about $80.00 USD to even more than Spiro's around these parts.That is alot for most of us, and there is no way to know for sure if they will work on a players bass until they take the plunge.Same is true w.Spiro's , But I like the odd's better.

 

[Uncletoad]

You must be one of the few lucky ones that have a match w. your bass.Thats cool....

I don't want to be perceived as a shill for them at all. Hear my questions as legitimately looking for other options. There are lots of things about these strings I don't like and lot's I do. I don't like the wrap at all. The copper and how it's wound is rough and feels weird under the fingers.

I buy strings for how they sound mostly and feel secondly and then more distantly how they wear my instrument and how much they cost.

I am not in love with these strings any more than Spiros or Dominants my other favored strings. I like and dislike them all for different reasons. So far I dislike the Animas less than Spiros or Dominants.

 

[Mark Carlsen]

I don't want to be perceived as a shill for them at all. Hear my questions as legitimately looking for other options. There are lots of things about these strings I don't like and lot's I do. I don't like the wrap at all. The copper and how it's wound is rough and feels weird under the fingers.

I buy strings for how they sound mostly and feel secondly and then more distantly how they wear my instrument and how much they cost.

I am not in love with these strings any more than Spiros or Dominants my other favored strings. I like and dislike them all for different reasons. So far I dislike the Animas less than Spiros or Dominants.

Fair enough,,,I agree w. you all the way.I just see alot of College kids who spend their hard earned cash on these strings and don't know the stuff you and I know.I guess that's just experience.Man ,I wish double bass strings were $50 bucks like they were back in the 70's,but they are not ,so I try to advise these kids to get good strings that have a sound they like and will last a long time [If they clean and take care of them]. Alot of these kids want an older/gut like sound...So I must try to direct them to some string that will work.I have a hard time recommending Velvets.
Real gut,Obligato's,Dominants, are some of the choices,but cost and feel end up being factors in the final choice.It's not easy being Green...

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I haven't checked recently, but Quinn Violins was always the best price I found. They're really fast, and dealing with Chris Quinn is a pleasure.

 

[PB+J]

All I can say is on my bass

A: I didn't change the setup at all from spiro reds
B: I don't have any rattles or buzzes
C: I don't seem to be getting fingerboard wear
D: I love the tone and the feel

So far no breakages, no more finger blacking either.

People get personally involved in their gear choices, and defensive--I dont' mean to be. It's just I haven't had any of these problems. Yes they are really expensive, but I think the advatages are worth it.

If somebody has a similar sounding and feeling string for less, please let me know.