Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II

[Marcus Johnson]

My Animas gain a lot of clarity when I concentrate in placing my hand near the end of the fingerboard. I know that's true of all strings, but particularly so with the Animas. I get a nice attack in that position, with a lot of overall warmth to the sound.

Animas perhaps demand a little more exacting technique than Spiros, which I find more forgiving in some respects. The sonic paybacks are worth the extra attention for me.

 

[arnoldschnitzer]

Arnold,

Could the responsiveness of a bowed string be increased with a slight soundpost adjustment? Through three string changes, both high and low tension, my A still resists.

I suspect you have a wolf or near-wolf on your A octave. If you can calm that down your A will stop resisting. Ways to do this include changing the tailpiece afterlength tuning, adjusting the soundpost, going to a heavier tailpiece, or installing a wolf eliminator. Start with the least invasive...

 

[jallenbass]

Animas perhaps demand a little more exacting technique than Spiros

Could you elaborate on this other than right hand finger placement?

 

[Marcus Johnson]

For me, they're less forgiving under the bow, and also in thumb position, in addition to the hand thing I mentioned earlier. The A string in particular is hard to get moving with the bow.

A lot of my difficulties most likely stem from the fact that I'm completely self-taught on double bass, so it may not be an issue for someone who's been beaten into musical servitude by years of formal training. I just use the Animas because they seem to accentuate my strengths and give me the sound in my head.

 

[jmpiwonka]

I got a used Anima D string to test out on my Shen willow 3/4 bass. So the current setup is Oliv G, Anima D, Flex '92 medium A and Flex '92 stark E....the Oliv D came off for me to test out the Anima...I needed to hear and play atleast one before I drop 230 on a set.

My impressions are that the attack is very similar but that is pretty much it. This may be me though, with my right hand I get alot of finger on the string and I get a very similar thump on the front of the note from any of the strings...string height is about 9mm on the g string and maybe 12mm at the E string.
I think the Anima is a little louder, it is clearer, particularly from fifth position on up. the harmonics ring clearer and louder and the string does sound a bit more metallic...i still like it better than any other steel hybrid string i've had on there.
the Anima has more sustain and this is what really differentiates them from gut. Neither the Oliv or the Anima have an attack (thump on the front of hte note...i think that is attack) quite like the Gamut G string I had on my bass for awhile.
With the *edit: string height* where it is rakes and bumps work good on any string.
Maybe you should try raising your strings some if they are kinda low.

 

[Uncletoad]

I can't figure out if these Animas are dead, everything is to humid or my playing has gotten funky but this set is getting spongy and hard to play.

Starting to loose their mids and highs I think.

I don't know....

I just played a bass with fresher Animas on it.

Mine are toast.

Rust color tarnished and thunky sounding compared to the new ones.

Hmmn. I didn't get much mileage out of these.

Time for strings.....

 

[PB+J]

Belcanto!s

OR "CanBelto's" which I think are cheaper and louder

 

[Uncletoad]

Belcanto!s

OR "CanBelto's" which I think are cheaper and louder

Yea. That's what I was thinking.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Wow, Phil... that was quick! I wonder if the climate got to 'em. I can't imagine it would be any more demanding there than it is here (Humidville)....

If you go the Belcanto route, please keep us posted.

 

[Don Higdon]

I just played a bass with fresher Animas on it.

Mine are toast.

You big brute.
You're gonna be relegated to a washtub and a clothesline if you don't lighten up.

You just answered my question about whether to buy a whole set because one went dead.

 

[jmpiwonka]

i just put a used anima d on my bass to see what it sounded and felt like...they are pretty cool strings, so i figure that out and then out comes the Belcanto
if you get some give us all a review please.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I obviously can't comment on the how they'll do for arco, but the tension charts on the BelCanto strings look completely whack for pizz playing. I'll be interested to hear how they actually do under the fingers.

 

[jmpiwonka]

why is that chris?
is it because they are pretty much even across the strings or because they are kinda low tension?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

why is that chris?
is it because they are pretty much even across the strings or because they are kinda low tension?

Personally, I'd say both. Outside of that, the evenness of tension across the board seems pretty counterintuitive. How will the E and A balance with the D & G?

 

[Uncletoad]

This doesn't surprise me. I'm really hard on stuff. I play hard, sweat alot, and we had a stupidly humid summer. I was playing outside quite a bit. Had a couple gigs in the rain and a couple pig roasts. BBQ sauce doesn't mix so well with Anima grunge.

Played at a pool party with a bunch of twenty somethings all hanging around in swimwear. Pretty hot and nasty humid.

On many levels.

Good thing the Cleveland is bullet proof.

Also hides my torso, a fact that makes me look slimmer and creates good camouflage at pool parties.

 

[PB+J]

I'm really interested in the belcantos, cause they're "new and improved" and generally I've alway liked what Thomastik makes, but I have to admit the animas on my bass just seem to keep sounding better and better. Or maybe i've just learned to play them better. It's been about eight months for me, and I still really like them

 

[Don Higdon]

the animas on my bass just seem to keep sounding better and better. Or maybe i've just learned to play them better.

That was my experience,

 

[Anon2962]

So my A string broke overnight. The bass was in a humidity controlled, temperature controlled room, the string was definately installed correctly. Same old story, broke in the pegbox. Ive now had 4 compas-180s break in just over a year.(2 E strings, a G string, and now an A). And i've an audition tomorrow. I'm not very happy. <--- As you can see.

 

[Uncletoad]

I have to admit the animas on my bass just seem to keep sounding better and better. Or maybe i've just learned to play them better. It's been about eight months for me, and I still really like them

My dillemma in a nut shell. Do I get a fresh set or take a slight detour down Belcanto lane?

The Dominant set made a reappearance for last nights practicing. Broke the D string. They don't like to much on and off. So I stayed up late and put on some other things, Stark E, Spiros, Flexocores...

I like the Dominants better than the other things I had laying around the house. I think I like the Animas better than the Dominants on the Cleveland for my playing style. They don't feel good at all like the Pirastro strings. I got used to them but I think they are made really weird. On the other end of the scale those Flexocores are totally sexy strings, bow super easy and sound excellent that way. The pitz sound is not usable for me though. Since I dont wield a bow outside the house that doesn't matter at all.

Spiros don't do it for me anymore. They are temporarily seductive but too bright and buzzy. I lean towards guts more.

Speaking of that I've also been considering going down that road as well. Thinking about Gamut Gut D and G with a Dominant E and A.

So Guts, Belcantos or another Anima set I dunno...

 

[lukaspearse]

I'm sorry to say that my first post here is to report my sad breakage http://www.talkbass.com/forum/images/smilies/bawling.gifof my velvet 180 low-C only 3 days after my luthier gave me back my bass set up specifically for them. And I too really like their sound.

So my string broke on the extension on the brass wheel that is used to guide the string around the scroll. The actual metal wionding was touching the wheel, which seems to me to be a bad idea, whereas having just the fabric end material might be flexible enough to go around the corner created after the extension nut. But I don't know if the string is long enough to do that....

So I'm trying to consider my options: Risk velvet breakage again (very expensive!) or try to find a string strong and flexible enough to go around the corner. I used to have Daddario Hybrids on, but I found that they really were too homogeneous a tone when played pizz or arco for my taste. Hence my attraction to the gut-like velvets.

Any comments would be very helpful.