Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II

[oystein]

hello, i am curious how the Velvet Blue strings are compared to Anima. As much as I loved the Animas volume, woody sound, low tension etc. I went back to Spiros. I found the Animas too full of noises at somepitches, and also found their surface a bit too rough on the fingers.
Misses the acoustic volume though....


rgds Oystein

 

[AndreasH]

hello, i am curious how the Velvet Blue strings are compared to Anima. As much as I loved the Animas volume, woody sound, low tension etc. I went back to Spiros. I found the Animas too full of noises at somepitches, and also found their surface a bit too rough on the fingers.
Misses the acoustic volume though....


rgds Oystein

I will try out velvet blues on a friends bass as soon as he gets it from the luthier. I play Garbos and I am not willing to give up the acoustic volume
I will report about the volume on blues as soon as I've tried them.

 

[gor-gy]

hello from france, Chorda string are the best string if you looking for an authentic 40's / 50's sound like Paul cambers, doug watkins, carson smith... if you looking for a bright sound fom the 60's I think gamut it's cool. Chorda have a BIG BIG sound ,very deep, and a good articulation but it's have a large diameter, so some people don't like it, but it's perfect for me , I play only gypsy swing and hard bop and NEVER amplified so with this big gauge you can relly atteck the string. If you like ben wolfe , carlos henriquez mathew ribbicky or hans andersson sound don't hesite. CHorda are very popular in europe, the arco sound it's just amazing, with a soft arco sound and No varnished. Personnaly I don't like Gamut, too bright for me. Try dlugolecki or chorda. The best price for chorda : [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Adrian Cho]

I've played almost entirely on gut or gut-like strings and currently play on an mix of Garbo and Anima. I played on Olivs and Eudoxas for many years and also tried the Pizzicatos for a while. The Chordas are in an entirely different category and I personally I did not like them. The G was OK. The D was dead as anything and I thought the A and E were pretty unplayable too. I can personally get way more sound out of my Velvets than I ever could out of a set of Chordas.

 

[Gearhead43]

As always, it depends on the sound you are going for - that sound in your head. Everyone has different tastes in the sound they want for their bass, for their music style.

The only real way to know if a particular string is the one for you, is to buy 'em and try 'em yourself.

 

[.matthew e wengerd.]

Just ordered some to check out. Tell me about them.

[[[Thanks to whoever moved me here...hadn't discovered this thread in a search (searched for velvet compas blue, I think).]]]

 

[Leigh]

Thanks fellas!

 

[Uncletoad]

I thought the Chordas were pretty lame too. Having played both those and Gamut Guts I can tell you regardless of Carlos' sentiment (and he sounds way better than me on ANY bass) I prefer the Gamuts by a mile.

If you want to experiment get a plain gut D/G from Gamut and mix them with your Garbo bottoms. Not as much bread or commitment as a full set.

Wound gut bottoms are a true PITA. You really have to want to go there to do that. My second bass is a ply Cleveland that has Spiros on bottom and Guts on top. When it was my primary bass I moved to all steel after living with Gut tops for a year. Gut's a lotta work.

 

[Toy Sun]

Here's an (I hope) interesting question: I'm thinking of trying Velvet Garbos after 25 years of playing Spirocores (not 25 years on the same set

My bass - 1857 Jaquet, very french, flatback, a bit nasal, very singing, nice high end - used to belong to Henri Texier, if anyone knows this bass. My style - jazz, coming out of Ray Brown (hence the Spiros - to me that's what bass sounds like) then to Peacock et.al, but the last few years, as I get older appreciating the warmth and complexity of gut.

Ok, so here's the thing - I don't play much or that often. Because of life/family realities, my DB playing is ending up being a few hours a month spread over weeks, to do a bit of recording of grooves, etc... with an occasional ramp up of a month of practicing every day to get ready for a gig, doing the gig, then putting the bass away. Strange, but true!

My 7 year old Spirocores are pretty dead, and I'm tempted to try the Garbos. How do you think they'll do with that kind of playing pattern? Worth doing?

Thanks,

John

 

[Bobby King]

I'd recommend the Garbos or the Velvet Animas. They're similar in some ways, the Animas are somewhat less "gutty", but they still have a lot more of that kind of sound than Spirocores. The Garbos have a thicker diameter and on some basses the low strings can be a little muddy. I like both sets but the Animas might be a better transition coming from Spiros. Also, neither set is much good for arco, but Anima is better than Garbo.

 

[M Ramsey]

I'd recommend the Garbos or the Velvet Animas. They're similar in some ways, the Animas are somewhat less "gutty", but they still have a lot more of that kind of sound than Spirocores. The Garbos have a thicker diameter and on some basses the low strings can be a little muddy. I like both sets but the Animas might be a better transition coming from Spiros. Also, neither set is much good for arco, but Anima is better than Garbo.

What Bobby said.

 

[Uncletoad]

Velvet strings aren't gut strings, they don't sound like gut strings, they don't play or feel like gut strings, they are their own animal. Very unique. They are excellent strings. The tension is significantly lower than Spirocores (other than solos, I doubt you have those). They play very different than Spirocores. Some people love them, many hate them and are pissed off they spent the $400 on them.

After 25 years with Spirocores if you still like Spirocores I see no reason to change. At the rate you are going you'd get 21 years out of spirocores for one set of Velvet strings, the won't last near as long...if you like them. If you don't well...

On the plus side, the lower tension would be of advantage when you stop and start playing like you do.

If you are dying to experiment, wait till a full set comes for sale on the list here used and try them on the bass for a month or two. Lot less $ and if you hate them you can just go back to Spirocores.

 

[Bobby King]

Uncletoad,

There are several places where you can get Animas and Garbos for significantly less than $400. LNR Music offers both sets for somewhere around $225. Fretwellbass.com has the Garbos at around $250, I think.

Also, regarding Velvet versus gut: It's a relative thing in terms of their similarities. Real gut is different and nothing else is quite like that, but if you've played steel strings your whole life and then try a set of Garbos (or even Animas) you're going to be much closer to gut in terms of tone, tension and the note "envelope". There's quite a few gut players who will use Velvets on an "outdoor" bass or use the E&A with plain gut upper strings. So I still think that Velvets can satisfy some of the same tastes/needs, and the comparison is valid.

 

[Uncletoad]

Uncletoad,

There are several places where you can get Animas and Garbos for significantly less than $400. LNR Music offers both sets for somewhere around $225. Fretwellbass.com has the Garbos at around $250, I think.

Also, regarding Velvet versus gut: It's a relative thing in terms of their similarities. Real gut is different and nothing else is quite like that, but if you've played steel strings your whole life and then try a set of Garbos (or even Animas) you're going to be much closer to gut in terms of tone, tension and the note "envelope". There's quite a few gut players who will use Velvets on an "outdoor" bass or use the E&A with plain gut upper strings. So I still think that Velvets can satisfy some of the same tastes/needs, and the comparison is valid.

I was misinformed of their current price, thanks for the correction.

I agree with what you are saying there. I have felt like Velvet strings receive a bit closer of a connection to Gut strings than they warrant. So I want to be sure that somebody says they aren't gut strings.

However, to be more precise if you want to move away from Spirocores towards gut without actually going to gut the Velvet strings provide an excellent and unmatched middle ground.

Is that better?

 

[Bobby King]

However, to be more precise if you want to move away from Spirocores towards gut without actually going to gut the Velvet strings provide an excellent and unmatched middle ground.

Is that better?

Spoken like a true Sensitive New Age Guy (SNAG). Chicks will dig it!

 

[Toy Sun]

Thanks for all the great replies.. wow, this is a tough descision!

I'm going to think about it more... another 25 years?


J

 

[M Ramsey]

I was misinformed of their current price, thanks for the correction.

I agree with what you are saying there. I have felt like Velvet strings receive a bit closer of a connection to Gut strings than they warrant. So I want to be sure that somebody says they aren't gut strings.

However, to be more precise if you want to move away from Spirocores towards gut without actually going to gut the Velvet strings provide an excellent and unmatched middle ground.

Is that better?

Toad, you're precious.

 

[.matthew e wengerd.]

The strings are in - I have a couple questions/concerns for you Velvet users:

1|At the tailpiece, I had to install the strings backwards, due to the design of the Upton tailpiece on the bass. There is also significantly less of the fabric available, as the holes in the Upton tailpiece are further from the end than most.




a|Is there a problem reversing the loop as I have done?
b|Is there a greater potential for failure as a result of the length of the tailpiece?

2|The tailpiece length issue also means the extension C is short.

The capo does not touch the intersection of windings and fabric - besides getting pinched, does anyone see major issues here?

There are more pictures of the strings at Link Removed.

 

[Nuno A.]

The strings are in - I have a couple questions/concerns for you Velvet users:

1|At the tailpiece, I had to install the strings backwards, due to the design of the Upton tailpiece on the bass. There is also significantly less of the fabric available, as the holes in the Upton tailpiece are further from the end than most.




a|Is there a problem reversing the loop as I have done?
b|Is there a greater potential for failure as a result of the length of the tailpiece?

2|The tailpiece length issue also means the extension C is short.

The capo does not touch the intersection of windings and fabric - besides getting pinched, does anyone see major issues here?

There are more pictures of the strings at Link Removed.

please email me at [email protected], tomorrow ill send you some info /pics if you want to extend the lenght of the strings, about the loop being reversed, theres no problem at all

Nuno

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

So, how do they sound? Why the black tape?