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Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II

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#862
The other advantage over unwound gut is that the Velvets are a lot easier on your fingers. They are also easier to bow too. I think the silk core definitely is a critical component but I think those ground windings are pretty key too. The warmth of the copper is likely also a contributing factor. Having tried the first generation Animas from like seven or eight years ago, these ones are a huge improvement. I've had my current set on for at least a year now and they still sound and feel amazing.
 
#864
Marcus Johnson said:
Plus... they look really cool. :D

I'm still thinking of pairing Animas with my Gamut tops.Just seems right to me, and I kind of miss them on the low end.
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I have Garbo bottoms with guts on top and am really diggin this setup. My beer-budget plywood bass is friggin booming right now. Loud enough to rattle the windows in my house. They sound great amplified too, but I could see playing all-acoustic gigs with these, depending.
 
#865
I haven't done much time on the Garbos. But the Animas always just had that great balance of growl and warmth, new and old school if you will. And the stability could really help on the bottom of a gut set up top. Not a budget setup, but that big s*** - eatin' grin every night on the bandstand could be worth it.
 
#867
I had animas on my Shen and loved them, although the "E" was a little weak. Went to spiro weichs because they were easy to bow and I was doing a lot of bow practice. I've been using Velvet Blues for a while now. They are sort of in between the weichs and the animas. Better "E" string, slightly stiffer feel. Might switch back to animas with something else on the bottom.
 
#868
I bought velvet blues and just put on the E string to see what it would do. The way you wrap it in the peg is different, velvet gives a pic that shows how to wrap it. The end of the string is, well, string, not metallic. At first, it went out of tune almost immediately. It has gotten better, but still goes out of tune quickly. I am constantly retightening as if the string is stretching. I am wondering if it is like nylon guitar strings that take awhile to settle in and stop going out of tune like they needed to stretch awhile to become stable. Or, it could be I need to wrap the metalic part of the string first around the tunning peg and the string is slipping a bit in the peg. anyone experience this with velvet blues strings?
 
#869
englehardtblues said:
I bought velvet blues and just put on the E string to see what it would do. The way you wrap it in the peg is different, velvet gives a pic that shows how to wrap it. The end of the string is, well, string, not metallic. At first, it went out of tune almost immediately. It has gotten better, but still goes out of tune quickly. I am constantly retightening as if the string is stretching. I am wondering if it is like nylon guitar strings that take awhile to settle in and stop going out of tune like they needed to stretch awhile to become stable. Or, it could be I need to wrap the metalic part of the string first around the tunning peg and the string is slipping a bit in the peg. anyone experience this with velvet blues strings?
Click to expand...

The strings will need some time until they stretch,thats perfectly normal that they will go out of tune, be a little patient, if you need something or have trouble shoot me an email at [email protected]
regards

Nuno
 
#870
Ok, it is definately doing better. Glad I didn't put all of them on all at once, I would be going crazy. Thanks. Otherwise, it sounds interesting. I am doing everything I can to improve the sound on my M1 Englehardt (1993). In a few years when I have improved I will be able to work on getting something nice but until then I will just be working on keeping it well set up and with really good strings.
 
#872
Marcus Johnson said:
I'm still thinking of pairing Animas with my Gamut tops.Just seems right to me, and I kind of miss them on the low end.
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I've had this combination on my bass for almost a year now.
It's a good sound but the Anima's are a little quieter than the Gamut's for pizz playing. For arco the anima's on the bottom with the G and D gamut's is a wonderful even match. I wonder if the Garbo's would match the gamut's better pizz.
 
#873
Curious if anyone here has used a set of Velvets with a Low B? I've got a 5 string BSX Allegro EUB on the way, and was contemplating ordering a B String from Velvet to go with my basically-new set of Velvet Garbos. Before my previous URB broke, it was sounding AMAZING with the Garbos on it. Just want to know if that usual lower tension that Velvet is known for would translate to a muddy sounding B?

Also, when I installed the strings on the previous bass, instead of looping the silk end on the tuning peg like Velvet recommends on the packaging, I actually tied it in a double knot before tightening. Helped tremendously with holding tuning.
 
#874
I wonder if any string would really match the Gamut tops when played pizz. They're just so faaat.

The Animas were pretty farkin' loud on my La Scala. I think they're louder than the EPs that I have on the lowers now. They were the loudest strings I ever played on that bass. So maybe they would be close enough. I think the overall feel and character would be compatible with the Gamut tops. Just the right growl, and good stability and presence.

Funny; I was just driving home, and an old coiled-up Anima E string just appeared on the floor of my truck, it slid out from under the seat. Maybe it's a sign! :D I was just sitting there looking at it.... thinking "damn, what a beautiful string".
 
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#878
Marcus Johnson said:
I wonder if any string would really match the Gamut tops when played pizz. They're just so faaat.

The Animas were pretty farkin' loud on my La Scala. I think they're louder than the EPs that I have on the lowers now. They were the loudest strings I ever played on that bass. So maybe they would be close enough. I think the overall feel and character would be compatible with the Gamut tops. Just the right growl, and good stability and presence.
Click to expand...
I think the whole equal tension thing isn't just a marketing gimmick. When used as a set they were the loudest string I've ever used on my bass. Once I started trading out G and D strings, they seemed to lose some of there magic. If the Anima G and D started as easily with the bow as the Gamut's, I never would have messed around with changing the tops. Once I can afford it, i'm going to give the A and E Gamut's a shot. I must say after having the Anima's on my bass for a year there intonation is rock solid.
 
#880
I've got a Strunal hybrid bass. It came with D'Addario Helicore Orchestra, which I liked both for arco and pizz. I thought I wouldn't be bowing at all, so I changed to Velvet Blue, which gave me a more open and louder sound. I really like these strings, but now I need to do a little bit of arco sometimes, and I just can't bow that A string. It probably has to do with me being a terrible arco player, but I just can't see how I can get this right. I'm wondering if I have to change and wonder what could come closest to Velvet Blue and be more bowable. Could Animas be the solution?
 
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