Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
- 6,349
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- Owner of The Bass Spa, String Repairman at Long & McQuade Vancouver
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Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II
- Thread starter PB+J
- Start date
- Status
The blues have a copper winding on a synthetic core on all four strings.
The tension is 25 kg per string.
I used them for a couple of months and them I sold them to a guy who plays mostly slap bass who liked them a lot. I really liked playing on them on my 4/4 bass. Nice, low tension, great for my left hand, maybe a little too low tension for my right hand. Took me a little while to get use to the gauge. They sounded fat and organic. Not too muddy in the lower registers, but I do like an even clearer sound on the E-string than they could give me. I think that description is the best I can give. I put the Spirocores back on and sold the bass to get me a 3/4 bass, which came with D'Addario Helicore Orchestra Mediums. I really like those strings and will continue to use them. Good for my wallet too. 
Does anyone know of any recordings with bassists using these Velvet Blues strings? Im still waiting for mine to come, but Im guessing that they will sound similar to the Animas. Id be very interested in hearing anyone here's own recordings of their bass with these strings on it.
Hey AndreasH, I just checked out your myspace page and listened to your recordings. They sounds great! Im wondering if you are using these Velvet Blue strings on your piece Gula Prickar? Really sounds good, very interesting playing.
Hi, so I've consulted the other threads pertaining to this problem but it didn't really answer my question. I have no problem in identifying the which end goes where etc, I just can't figure out how to actually install these strings...
1) Do you install the top first?
2) If so, do you wind these strings and THEN tie the not? If so how many times should these strings be wound around the peg and how much fabric should there be exposed from the hole before winding it?
3) Do you knot the strings and THEN wind it?? If so where should the actual visible beginning of the string be in relation to the playable part of the end (end of nut) ?
4) How much string should there be threaded through the tailpiece? Should the string be pulled through to maximum taughtness and then tied?
It seems that there's no possible way to get all four strings at an equal length...Also how are these strings not going to break? They're going to be under tension and just held together by a single knot.
I consulted the photos but they're as good as useless.
Help please.
Thanks!
1) Do you install the top first?
2) If so, do you wind these strings and THEN tie the not? If so how many times should these strings be wound around the peg and how much fabric should there be exposed from the hole before winding it?
3) Do you knot the strings and THEN wind it?? If so where should the actual visible beginning of the string be in relation to the playable part of the end (end of nut) ?
4) How much string should there be threaded through the tailpiece? Should the string be pulled through to maximum taughtness and then tied?
It seems that there's no possible way to get all four strings at an equal length...Also how are these strings not going to break? They're going to be under tension and just held together by a single knot.
I consulted the photos but they're as good as useless.
Help please.
Thanks!
To tell you the truth, when I had a set of these it took me about 2 hours to get them on. I really cant even tell you what I did - its a trial and error process. Its terribly annoying and unbelievable that there are not clearer instructions.
Remembering back...I believe I tied the tailpiece end first in order to have a uniform length. The peg end was the toughest part and I dont even really remember what I did. Hopefully someone who has done this more recently can chime in.
The instalation process with these almost makes them not worth trying.
Remembering back...I believe I tied the tailpiece end first in order to have a uniform length. The peg end was the toughest part and I dont even really remember what I did. Hopefully someone who has done this more recently can chime in.
The instalation process with these almost makes them not worth trying.
Do the tailpiece part first. I just messed around with wrapping around and around and making a good knot. Try to measure out the string so that at the scroll end the metal won't be getting wrapped around the peg - just the string. Then do the tailpiece end accordingly. The string is very strong - don't worry about it breaking.
The first time I put them on I didn't measure out the E string well enought and I ended up wrapping some of the metal around the peg. They say that you're not supposed to do this, but it worked fine, so it's not the end of the world. It's a bit tricky on the E because that tuning peg is the closeset to the fingerboard. If you don't leave enough length at the tailpiece the thread will start before the nut. If you leave to much length at the tailpiece then the metal of the string wraps around the peg. Just try to make your knot well and that will keep you close to your inital length estimate.
At the peg end, I just pulled a bunch of string thru the hole, twisted the excess back and around itself a few times, then wound up the string.
I really like those strings. After you get them one once it's eaiser. If it's worth the learning curve only you can say.
The first time I put them on I didn't measure out the E string well enought and I ended up wrapping some of the metal around the peg. They say that you're not supposed to do this, but it worked fine, so it's not the end of the world. It's a bit tricky on the E because that tuning peg is the closeset to the fingerboard. If you don't leave enough length at the tailpiece the thread will start before the nut. If you leave to much length at the tailpiece then the metal of the string wraps around the peg. Just try to make your knot well and that will keep you close to your inital length estimate.
At the peg end, I just pulled a bunch of string thru the hole, twisted the excess back and around itself a few times, then wound up the string.
I really like those strings. After you get them one once it's eaiser. If it's worth the learning curve only you can say.
How I did it recently for the D and G: Lay the bass down on its back, and put the tailpiece end on first. To be safe, start tying it so that the green (or red, or whatever color band around the tailpiece end) is no more that 3" from the tailpiece.. of course, this will depend on your bass and on which string you're installing. Next, install the peg end, and you'll get an idea whether or not the metal part will wrap around the peg. I had it so that before I started tuning up, the point where the metal turns into the red wrapping is right at or barely above the nut (this after tying the knot at the bottom and doing the wrap around thing up top). Only once did it look like I'd wrap the metal. It took me about a half hour to do both. Fun!
Thank you for the great advice. The tailpiece length aren't exactly uniform but the strings seem to be holding fine...The E string was BRUTAL to get on...Honestly, It was a game of cat and mouse trying to get the correct measurement!
I got the set today and strung the bass up. They sound and feel great. I havent played a job or a rehearsal with them on yet, but I think I finally have found what I have been looking for all these years. I have only tried pizz so far. Tomorrow I will see how they sound with the bow. They are less tension than Weichs (but not too much less), they are really a perfect thickness - not too thick, but they feel like what a bass string should be. The G string is very nice. They have just as much sustain as any spirocore if not more, but they have the punch and warmth of gut. These are beautiful strings from what I can tell so far. This is what a bass should sound like. It doesnt sound or feel like you are pulling steel cables. There is a bounciness and punchy warmth and a real character to the note that steel strings do not offer.
They stretch a lot at first and you must be carefull that your bridge doesnt tilt upward when first installing them. Maybe they will be even better but if they only bow as well as the Weichs -these are the strings I have always wanted.
For $160 try these strings.
UPDATE: It takes a few minutes to get used to bowing these strings, but they are about as easy as the Weichs once you make some adjustments. They sound good arco. The pizz sound and feel are absolutely the best Ive ever experienced as a bass player. This is what Ive always wanted, but never been able to find. They are the perfect compromise between gut and steel strings. Its like the best of both worlds-at least in my living room. I wont have an actual playing experience with them on till the weekend, but they sound and feel so good, that unless something unbelievably drastic happens to change my opinion of them they are staying on.
They stretch a lot at first and you must be carefull that your bridge doesnt tilt upward when first installing them. Maybe they will be even better but if they only bow as well as the Weichs -these are the strings I have always wanted.
For $160 try these strings.
UPDATE: It takes a few minutes to get used to bowing these strings, but they are about as easy as the Weichs once you make some adjustments. They sound good arco. The pizz sound and feel are absolutely the best Ive ever experienced as a bass player. This is what Ive always wanted, but never been able to find. They are the perfect compromise between gut and steel strings. Its like the best of both worlds-at least in my living room. I wont have an actual playing experience with them on till the weekend, but they sound and feel so good, that unless something unbelievably drastic happens to change my opinion of them they are staying on.
Can anyone compare the Blues to Anima's? I see that they are thinner but what about sound, volume, and tension?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Dammit! I hadn't visited the string forum in a LONG time, I settled on spiro weichs and stopped thinking about strings, and then I open this thread and BAM! Now I've ordered a set.
The Weichs were getting pretty dead. I had a set of animas a while back that i really liked, but they were hard to bow. Now my bowing technique is much better, and I needed new strings...
I'll probably have the weichs back on in six months
The Weichs were getting pretty dead. I had a set of animas a while back that i really liked, but they were hard to bow. Now my bowing technique is much better, and I needed new strings...
I'll probably have the weichs back on in six months
I just sapped them on and screwed around for a little bit before my daughter went up to bed and put an end to screwing around. They're a lot like the animas but thinner and the "E" string is much better--the anima E really made me work to get a good sound. A soft attack but less soft than the animas, probably less volume than the animas but 'm not sure. Less volume than the Spiro Mittels that were on there before, or maybe it just seems like it because the attack is so different
I may have to raise the action. I've got a gig tomorrow night and will put them to the test. So far I really like them
I may have to raise the action. I've got a gig tomorrow night and will put them to the test. So far I really like them
Keep posting...
How about the brightness compared to anima's/mittels? Decay? Arco? From reading the other posts, it sounds like they are a bright string. I am always bouncing back and forth between anima's, dominants and oliv's. The Blues, as far as I am reading, fit in there as well.
Damn, i should just buy some....
How about the brightness compared to anima's/mittels? Decay? Arco? From reading the other posts, it sounds like they are a bright string. I am always bouncing back and forth between anima's, dominants and oliv's. The Blues, as far as I am reading, fit in there as well.
Damn, i should just buy some....
Probably brighter than animas, but still not brittle--with kind of a soft attack. A little twangy but I assume that will work itself out. Animas had a more complex sound to my ears, as I remember--it's been a while. Arco they are about the same as animas, maybe a little easier to start because they're thinner. I got used to bowing the spiros and came to like them--they really roar. I haven't had a chance to do much bowing yet
Lots of sustain, and some growl. Long, even decay, smooth attack without a lot of heavy thump. Lots of difference between side of the finger walking groove pluck and fingertip "now I'm soloing" pluck. The fingertip pluck is really bright, the side of the finger pluck is fat and smooth. I'm really loving the feel. Maybe I'll hate it after the gig
I haven't had to raise the action. In fact, the action seems a little higher than it did with the Mittels on.
They're still settling in and drifting out of tune
Lots of sustain, and some growl. Long, even decay, smooth attack without a lot of heavy thump. Lots of difference between side of the finger walking groove pluck and fingertip "now I'm soloing" pluck. The fingertip pluck is really bright, the side of the finger pluck is fat and smooth. I'm really loving the feel. Maybe I'll hate it after the gig
I haven't had to raise the action. In fact, the action seems a little higher than it did with the Mittels on.
They're still settling in and drifting out of tune
I just bought a G and D. Thanks for the posts. Keep em coming. I will chime in when I slap them on.
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