Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part II

[elmer]

I have now my third set of Animas and what a great string it is. My second set was on for 18 months with no problems. I´ve noticed the windings to be less roundwound than on the old sets. So they don´t eat my fingerboard and the strings seem to last.

Arco w. animas is OK. Try it with the Nymans Swedish rosin. Pops doesn´t work with them! It still isn´t a great classical string.

After playing other basses with steel strings and liking the ease of playing them I tried to change back to spiros and dominants. BUT after Animas the pizz sounded so dull with them that there´s no going back. Animas have so much more colour and warmth.

Now I have another bass for pure classical stuff with Bel Cantos and Velvet 180 suit E string on. But for everything else (including slap bass and arco jazz) I love the sound and feel of Animas!

 

[Nuno A.]

Thanks for the kind words, one more time i would like to say that if someone has a problem with Velvet strings to email me at [email protected] or [email protected] and explain what happened, if you want to save time, you can include a picture of the damage and if you still have the serial number that would be even better. and of course dont forget to write the shipping adress too. i just help there some hours a week in the mornings and from monday to thursday so, if you write after thursday noon , you will have to wait till monday morning.

Hey Bill, i bought the strings i sold you maybe 3 months ago, so since the Velvet warranty is 1 year, if you break one, make sure its before august/07 ....

Nuno

 

[B. Graham]

Hey Bill, i bought the strings i sold you maybe 3 months ago, so since the Velvet warranty is 1 year, if you break one, make sure its before august/07 ....

Nuno

You got it my friend. Great strings. Unexpectedly appropriate hybrid choice. Really liking them. Looking forward to seeing how they settle in.

Will I need the serial number?

 

[Ron Lacey]

... if you still have the serial number that would be even better.

OK, I'm a newbie and still on my first set of strings but are you serious? A serial number for bass strings? I knew they were expensive but a serial number? On the other hand, impressive customer service. Gotta love this forum.

 

[Nuno A.]

OK, I'm a newbie and still on my first set of strings but are you serious? A serial number for bass strings? I knew they were expensive but a serial number? On the other hand, impressive customer service. Gotta love this forum.

All Velvet strings have a serial number, sets also have a serial number(usually the date when they were packed) and from that number we can track the individual strings. the serial number is usefull because in case of any problem with the string, you can have the i.d of the string, when it was made, etc.

Nuno

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Wow. Do other string makers do this?.... can't recall.

 

[Ron Lacey]

Thanks Nuno, makes perfect sense. I bet it's tough writing all those little numbers on the strings. I've been considering the Garbos but I'll probably need to go to Sprawl-Mart for some new reading glasses in order to see the serial numbers.

 

[pipeman]

hello bass world. just wondering if anyone knows where to buy animas separately. i only use the d and g with a and d weichs. thanks a lot.......

 

[jallenbass]

http://www.lnrmusic.com/

 

[pipeman]

thanks for the link jallen.....

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Quinn Violins, too.

 

[flyingmarcel]

Hello Pipeman (and everyone else),

I'm curious about your combination of strings, as I am currently using a full set of weichs, but am considering velvets for my D and G strings - how is the balance between strings with this set up? I've been reading on the velvet website regarding their suggestion to not mix strings, but I wonder how and why that is. I'm considering the Garbos, as I'm about a 98% pizz player, but would love to hear your thoughts regarding the animas

thanks,

fm

 

[pipeman]

the main reason i use weichs on the e and a is because of tuning stability. the weichs always stay in tune. the e and a also bow better than the e and a animas.
most basses seem to have more tension on the d and g strings and less on the e and a.
the weichs of course have more tension than the animas so this setup works well for me.
i would say that the animas are a better match for the weichs than the garbos. the garbos have a larger diameter than the animas, and the animas still have a big,round and clear sound. the animas also have a larger diameter than any normal steel string....hope this answers your question.

 

[basss]

How do these compare to the other Velvet strings and other brands in general? I'm looking for more pizz volume, bigger bottom and like what I hear about the softer feel of these strings.

 

[sweet51]

Hey Guys
Has anyone tried a brand of string called "Velvet" The catalog says that you should have a veritable epiphany when you try them but I want to make sure b4 I get some.

Could I get some help here?

Cody

 

[Peck_Time]

Hi, Velvet make a whole range of different strings. The ones most often talked about (on TB at least) are the Animas.

I had a set of Animas on my carved Christopher for 8 months or so, and went from like to dislike. Funnily enough, I can appreciate them more now I've had gut strings on my bass for a couple of months.

Animas are not gut sounding, but they still sound 'organic'. The Animas were hard to bow, but hard in a different way to gut.

They feel different to steel too... but they don't feel like gut.

 

[jallenbass]

To me Animas are like old Spirocores but with a lot more depth to the sound. They also have less tension than Spirocores.

 

[Kevinlee]

I like the Animas alot. The Garbos, not so much.

I'd like to try the 180's one day.

Kevinlee

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Interesting that the results are pretty evenly spaced across the top three categories, with the one "don't even think about it" coming from someone who doesn't even list a double bass in his lineup. So, polls are fun, but you still would want to try to get your hands on a bass with Velvets before you buy them. I know that's not easy, and I didn't do that before I installed Animas on my own bass. I did rely very heavily on the opinions of bassists I respect a great deal, both here at TBDB and out in the real world. I found that they were a somewhat quirky string that may not be for everybody, but, boy, do they sound great on my bass. A lot of disussion regarding Animas and other Velvet strings should all still be archived here.

PS.... just checked.... no DB listed in some of the voters in "are you kiddin' me?" as well....go figgah...

 

[Uncletoad]

I've used Animas, Garbos and 360s on my bass. They all have their strong points and annoying points. Like MJ said they are an aquired taste. They tend to elicit extreme responses in both directions. If you are in a niche market like they are that's probably a good thing.

Animas are my favorite of those I've tried. I've documented my experience with them extensively, use the search function to find those threads. You should read those back threads in detail. It will give you far more insight then you'll garner here.

I don't currently use Velvet strings and I don't guess I'll be headed back any time soon. Never know though. I had a love/hate thing with those Animas.

In a nutshell I think Animas live in a unique spot halfway between Guts and Spirocores. They have to be lived with for awhile before you understand what they are like. After several months of work with them most people either use nothing else or head for the hills.