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Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II

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#501
You can see here what Andreas pointed out. The strings from left to right are Anima extended C, Anima A, Garbo D and Anima G. You really have to look quite close at the Garbo D and also from a certain angle and in the right light, to see the polyamid there.

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#502
Take a look at this photo of the afterlength of my mixed Anima and Garbo set and tell me if I should be concerned. I only noticed this the other day. Notice how on the Anima extended C, Garbo D and Anima G, there is a section of the string that appears thinner as if it is stretched? The Anima A doesn't seem to have this issue. My concern is that the stretched section will stretch further and get thinner and snap. Is anyone else seeing this on their Velvets? My Anima G and Garbo D are only a few weeks old. The Anima extended C was obtained from someone else and they only had it on their bass for one month. For those that have had breakages, is this where the string broke?

VelvetStringAfterlength.jpg
 
#504
I do think that my Garbos are looking like that (stretched) but they're more even, it doesn't look that weird on my bass. The one that is closest to the bridge (most stretched) is, like your extended C, My E-string. I've had my Garbos for almost 7 months (except for the A-string) and they're fine.

I'm not in the same place as my bass right now. I will check up on that as soon as I get home.
 
#505
I had three sets of Animas, and they all did this sort of stretching to some degree. I called Rufus Reid when my first set did it, and he assured me it was normal. It still made me uncomfortable, though. I stopped using them when two successive D strings came apart at the top where the string goes into the part that goes around the peg (the nut slot was cut properly and lubed w/ graphite). Lemur, BTW were very helpful, sending two replacements and eventually a full refund. I guess my only advice would be to have spares.
 
#506
Yeah, looks freaky but it's ok from what I remember. Mine were like that too. The thicker sections of where the windings go into the machines is where my E broke, but that material was more similar to the colored (blue, pink etc) parts in the photo above.
 
#507
Thats normal Adrian, all strings as they stretch get thinner on that part , some not so thin, some even thinner, the material is pretty strong and you shouldnt have any problems at all, i cant lie to you and say that we never had a breakage on that part, yes we had, but very few, and on the couple of strings who broke there , the problem was the end of the string which cuted the cloth, very rare indeed but it happened. i wouldnt loose my sleep though.
i will try to make some pictures next week on a bass that has Garbos and ill post them, but honestly, you shouldnt worry. And the strings have a 1 year warranty:D

Nuno
 
#508
Nuno, is that part of the string that is photographed, actually a continuation of the core of the string that is inside the windings? In other words, the silk? I have often wondered about the connection between this part of the string and where the windings begin. That "connection" would appear to be under the coloured sleeve as can be seen in the photo. It occurred to me recently that perhaps what I am seeing is just the core anyway.
 
#509
Adrian Cho said:
Nuno, is that part of the string that is photographed, actually a continuation of the core of the string that is inside the windings? In other words, the silk? I have often wondered about the connection between this part of the string and where the windings begin. That "connection" would appear to be under the coloured sleeve as can be seen in the photo. It occurred to me recently that perhaps what I am seeing is just the core anyway.
Click to expand...


The string finishes where the fat part finishes, after its just the cloth which makes the loop, that cloth is enlarged and the string goes inside some cm .Depending on which model of string we're talking about, the part of string which goes inside the yellow cloth can have metal winding or the metal winding can be took away for better resistance.
i hope im clear...:rollno: its hard to explain all the procedure here.

Nuno
 
#510
what I'm trying to understand is whether on both ends of the string, the "coloured fabric part" is the material that is the core of the string or whether the string and the those coloured fabric parts are three separate pieces joined together (under the coloured sleeves) and if so, how are they joined together.
 
#511
According to Nuno "The string finishes where the fat part finishes, after its just the cloth which makes the loop" which I interpret as meaning that the skinny part is just the woven sheath. That probably accounts for the low tension and free vibration of those strings.

Adrian, can I ask you why you have a Garbo D with the rest Animas? Does it sound/feel significantly different?

Thanks, Jake
 
#512
Jake deVilliers said:
According to Nuno "The string finishes where the fat part finishes, after its just the cloth which makes the loop" which I interpret as meaning that the skinny part is just the woven sheath. That probably accounts for the low tension and free vibration of those strings.
Click to expand...

Sorry but I still don't understand this. I think I understand the part of Nuno's post that you quoted about but I don't understand "woven sheath." As far as I know, there is no sheath. The core of the string is silk and around it is either copper or polyamid and/or copper. Unless there is some damping material and that could be sheath since it covers the core.

Jake deVilliers said:
Adrian, can I ask you why you have a Garbo D with the rest Animas? Does it sound/feel significantly different?
Click to expand...

You'll find the answer to that in another thread here. Basically I found that the Anima D didn't have enough mass on my bass. The volume and fullness of tone did not match the Anima G on my bass. Perhaps I am also just used to a larger string since I'm coming from an unwound gut D. Regardless, the combination sounds bloody fantastic and there is no way you can tell the strings are from different sets. Since the tension of the Garbos and Animas is the same, I also see nothing wrong with mixing the strings (it still "complies" with Velvet's principle of even tension).
 
#513
Adrian, the string has 3 components: the core, the windings and the tubular woven fabric sheath that's used to attach to the tailpiece and to the pegs.

"Basically I found that the Anima D didn't have enough mass on my bass."
Thanks Adrian.

The Velvet site makes it sound as though the Anima is the fatter string. I haven't played either yet so that's good information. :)
 
#514
I've played (in this order) Garbos, Animas and now have a mixed set of them on my bass. All of these strings stretched like yours. I've had the A on the first set of Garbos to break in the region you have in your picture.

Since that time, I've had the E and the G on the Animas to break above the nut. Actually 2 G strings have broken there. So, I've had 4 string breaks with Velvet strings in about 4 years.

It happens. I keep spares (older strings) in my bag. Lots of people throw away old strings when they change them or have setup work done in a shop. I save all of mine. You never know....
 
#516
M Ramsey said:
Since that time, I've had the E and the G on the Animas to break above the nut. Actually 2 G strings have broken there. So, I've had 4 string breaks with Velvet strings in about 4 years.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. You know, that is kind of scary. I mean I've used a lot of different strings and I'm a pretty heavy-handed player (although trying to become less so) and I've never broken any strings before. I used to carry spares but stopped doing it and I can start doing it again however, my view is that if you have a breakage on a certain kind of gig such a concert gig, especially one where you are playing written parts, you are screwed. Alternate positions and fingers can only get you so far and newly installed strings, even pre-stretched ones, will require time and constant retuning to get them up to concert pitch. Kinda scary.
 
#517
Jake deVilliers said:
Adrian, the string has 3 components: the core, the windings and the tubular woven fabric sheath that's used to attach to the tailpiece and to the pegs.
Click to expand...

OK I get that. Your use of the word "sheath" means to mean that it wraps around the core and is underneath the windings. What's good to know is that the material runs the full length of the string. Unless I am misinterpreting what you are saying...
 
#520
Adrian Cho said:
Thanks for the info. You know, that is kind of scary. I mean I've used a lot of different strings and I'm a pretty heavy-handed player (although trying to become less so) and I've never broken any strings before. I used to carry spares but stopped doing it and I can start doing it again however, my view is that if you have a breakage on a certain kind of gig such a concert gig, especially one where you are playing written parts, you are screwed. Alternate positions and fingers can only get you so far and newly installed strings, even pre-stretched ones, will stretch after initial installation. Kinda scary.
Click to expand...

Adrian, you're probably not as heavy-handed as me. I only play pizz and in the bluegrass context, focusing on solid rhythm, good tone and volume.

My son says I play TOO hard sometimes and he's a really good bass player. But, that's just me and my style and it works for the type of music I play. Aaron (son) used to be pretty heavy handed as well. I remember him breaking a Helicore Orchestral Heavy E string years ago, not too long after I had put them on my bass (maybe 2-3 months). They're a bit softer underneath the left hand than Spirocores and I used to play Spirocores as well. But they're still a braided steel-cored string, much stiffer and seemingly more durable than the Velvets.

The only drawback that I don't like about the Velvet strings (Animas & Garbos) is the long stretching period after installing them. They sound good to me but that infernal stretching can go on for a couple of weeks. I know you know what I'm talking about.

But, with all that being said, they're still my favorite strings for playing in varied environments. Guts are my fav for controlled environs.
 
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