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Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part III
- Thread starter Dudie
- Start date
Hey guys, first post here on Talk Bass.
I recently bought a Christopher 7/8 size 5-string bass. I absolutely love it, but I'm having trouble finding strings and info on 5th strings in particular. I put my old set of Velvet Blues on it, but I am keeping the D'Addario helicore B-string on it until I can find something that matches the tone of the Velvets.
Any recommendations? I'm looking for good bow response, but more so a darker jazz tone. I personally really like the sound of the Velvet Blues when they are bowed. It took about a month of really tinny scratchiness, but they sound great under a bow on my bass.
I recently bought a Christopher 7/8 size 5-string bass. I absolutely love it, but I'm having trouble finding strings and info on 5th strings in particular. I put my old set of Velvet Blues on it, but I am keeping the D'Addario helicore B-string on it until I can find something that matches the tone of the Velvets.
Any recommendations? I'm looking for good bow response, but more so a darker jazz tone. I personally really like the sound of the Velvet Blues when they are bowed. It took about a month of really tinny scratchiness, but they sound great under a bow on my bass.
Spirocore? I don`t have any experience on Velvet strings yet but basically Spiro low C works great with anything on top of it, both bowed and plucked. Needs a good break-in perioid but does a fantastic job afterwards.
A Spiro Weich 4/4 Low C tuned down to B or a Spiro Solo 4/4 low C# tuned down to B might do the job tensionwise.
The sound really doesn't matter so much on a low B, but a synthetic core string like an Innovation braided low B might be closer in sound but probably with a bit more tension than the Spiro strings mentioned before.
The sound really doesn't matter so much on a low B, but a synthetic core string like an Innovation braided low B might be closer in sound but probably with a bit more tension than the Spiro strings mentioned before.
Depends on the bass and it`s mensure but at least on my 104cm scale the downtuned Spiro C would go too floppy, even when set at +11mm height.
Too floppy at all, too floppy for other Spiros or too floppy to match Velvet Blues at about 25kg?
Too floppy in general. Spiro Red Mitchell weich 3/4 worked ok at 12mm height but any lower the conventional 3/4 weich C was a lot better. I`m wondering how I´m going to get used to Anima`s tension. Propably takes some time, I have now Spiro42W EA with downtuned Belcanto solo DG.
Hi Reiska,
My recommendation was for Parry Lopez, who wanted to use a low B with Velvet Blues at 25kg per string. So the low B needs to have less tension than a Spiro Weich low B.
I didn't think of the fifth tuning low C which is indeed lower tension (Weich at 27.5kg). I was rather thinking of the five string fourth tuning low C (which exists as well as the common low B) with 30kg on 105cm and 33kg on 110cm (might be the same string construction for both).
Tuning your Red Mitchell fifth tuning a half step down (about 8% less tension if I remember correctly) the tension will be very closer to the Velvet Blues. These kind of strings are rather floppy, not my taste either, but should fit to the downtuned Red Mitchell low C better than my original recommendations.
I assume the fifth tuning sets are lower tension because of the 4-finger system that makes a lot of sense when playing a bass tuned in fifths. I cannot do this on the normal forth tuning Spiro Mittel tension, but it works more or less on Spiro Weich.
My recommendation was for Parry Lopez, who wanted to use a low B with Velvet Blues at 25kg per string. So the low B needs to have less tension than a Spiro Weich low B.
I didn't think of the fifth tuning low C which is indeed lower tension (Weich at 27.5kg). I was rather thinking of the five string fourth tuning low C (which exists as well as the common low B) with 30kg on 105cm and 33kg on 110cm (might be the same string construction for both).
Tuning your Red Mitchell fifth tuning a half step down (about 8% less tension if I remember correctly) the tension will be very closer to the Velvet Blues. These kind of strings are rather floppy, not my taste either, but should fit to the downtuned Red Mitchell low C better than my original recommendations.
I assume the fifth tuning sets are lower tension because of the 4-finger system that makes a lot of sense when playing a bass tuned in fifths. I cannot do this on the normal forth tuning Spiro Mittel tension, but it works more or less on Spiro Weich.
Hi Doublemidi and thanks for your insight. I`ve been wondering too why the Red Mitchell sets are lower tension than reqular Spiros. 5ths tuning is techinically different than 4ths but can`t really say if it`s four finger technique why the tensions go like that -Not all 5ths tuned players use four finger technique and as far as I know Red Mitchell didn`t either. Someone more specialized could have some answer on this one.
Anima`s -first impressions and a question.
They arrived really fast -Thanks to Bassico.eu for the rapid delivery! I installed them very carefully, widened the G and D string slots and lubed both bridge and nut slots with fair amount of graphite. Tried to be as careful as possible because of the horror stories written on TB for Velvet`s snapping during or after installation. No problem so far, I even left them tuned a little less than semitone higher, to let them stretch overnight and hopefully stay in tune a little faster.
Awesome pizzicato sound straight out of the box! Very close to gut but they still have their own, a bit metallic character which I quess is coming from the copper winding. No other string, but gut, comes close.
These strings have great acoustic volume, even with their low tension. I was even able to turn the bridge adjusters a half turn lower and now have the strings at 7mm - 10mm height. I was afraid of their equal tension across the set but no problem -very easy on both hands and lots of sound with little effort, but still theres the change to dig in and they can take it.
I also bent my endpin today and even when there`s plenty of things to adjust myself to -new tension, sound and stance, playing was effortless and completely pain free.
The E, A and D are ok under the bow, actually the E is great, but with the G-string I had problems. Hard to get started, whiny sound and very wolfy around or over the octave harmonic. What sort of break in-perioid Animas have and does bowing the G-string get easier at some point? The poly...plastic part of the winding propably is the reason for this? I have black hair on a german bow and two types of rosin, hard Petz and soft red container Pop`s, which I used now. Might try another rosin tomorrow. It`s stupid if this becomes an issue cause the pizz sound of that G is marvellous and it blends really well with the rest of the set. But, if it does become a problem I will replace the G with plain gut, that would propably be great match both tension- and sound-wise.
Is this what I have been warned about -The gradual slipping to gut addiction?
Kinda liked the arco sound of the rest of the set, it`s no sweet classical / orchestral arco sound but powerful and rough folk / jazz -solo sound, which suits me very well.
So, what sort of break in-perioid do Anima`s have and do they mellow down later? Does the G become easier under the bow?
Great, great strings otherwise, tomorrow I`ll get to try them amplified and in a band.
EDIT: I do understand that my bass needs to adjust to the lesser tension.
Anima`s -first impressions and a question.
They arrived really fast -Thanks to Bassico.eu for the rapid delivery! I installed them very carefully, widened the G and D string slots and lubed both bridge and nut slots with fair amount of graphite. Tried to be as careful as possible because of the horror stories written on TB for Velvet`s snapping during or after installation. No problem so far, I even left them tuned a little less than semitone higher, to let them stretch overnight and hopefully stay in tune a little faster.
Awesome pizzicato sound straight out of the box! Very close to gut but they still have their own, a bit metallic character which I quess is coming from the copper winding. No other string, but gut, comes close.
These strings have great acoustic volume, even with their low tension. I was even able to turn the bridge adjusters a half turn lower and now have the strings at 7mm - 10mm height. I was afraid of their equal tension across the set but no problem -very easy on both hands and lots of sound with little effort, but still theres the change to dig in and they can take it.
I also bent my endpin today and even when there`s plenty of things to adjust myself to -new tension, sound and stance, playing was effortless and completely pain free.
The E, A and D are ok under the bow, actually the E is great, but with the G-string I had problems. Hard to get started, whiny sound and very wolfy around or over the octave harmonic. What sort of break in-perioid Animas have and does bowing the G-string get easier at some point? The poly...plastic part of the winding propably is the reason for this? I have black hair on a german bow and two types of rosin, hard Petz and soft red container Pop`s, which I used now. Might try another rosin tomorrow. It`s stupid if this becomes an issue cause the pizz sound of that G is marvellous and it blends really well with the rest of the set. But, if it does become a problem I will replace the G with plain gut, that would propably be great match both tension- and sound-wise.
Is this what I have been warned about -The gradual slipping to gut addiction?
Kinda liked the arco sound of the rest of the set, it`s no sweet classical / orchestral arco sound but powerful and rough folk / jazz -solo sound, which suits me very well.
So, what sort of break in-perioid do Anima`s have and do they mellow down later? Does the G become easier under the bow?
Great, great strings otherwise, tomorrow I`ll get to try them amplified and in a band.
EDIT: I do understand that my bass needs to adjust to the lesser tension.
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I wouldn't tune them higher for faster break-in. This might be a bit risky. These are not Spiros.
Personally I only have experience with Compas180 and Classico, both steel wound strings and even these ones are a bit tricky to bow. I once tried the Garbo on a friends bass and this was not my taste. Low tension gut isn't it for me either, higher tension gut probably, but only the Efrano high C I have might be OK for me, the normal Efrano set is lower tension than the high C and I wouldn't like to throw out more mony for strings than I already had yet.
The tension for Compas180 on the standard 105 scale is about 27 kg. On my 110 cm scale the Compas180 have about 29 to 30 kg tension per string which gives a powerful pizz sound. If the bowing would be a bit easier and the high C didn't have quality problems (in general and a ridiculous high price too) I might have stuck to them.
The Innovation Braided (and some of the Innovation Studio prototypes that I even like better) that I play now have a bit less power, but the string cores are really good for synthetics (rather quick in tune because they don't stretch as much as most other synthetic core strings) and they bow like a dream compared with Velvets and Spiros. I even like them better than Evah Weich (which I have used with the Efrano high C gut). They simply work wonderful on my bass, I got a lot of compliments for the sound and playing feel of the instrument with them. For me a good pizz/arco mix string. One of the Studio prototype high Cs I got is the best one I have played yet (the Compas180 theoretically close, but not acceptable because of the problems mentioned before).
Personally I only have experience with Compas180 and Classico, both steel wound strings and even these ones are a bit tricky to bow. I once tried the Garbo on a friends bass and this was not my taste. Low tension gut isn't it for me either, higher tension gut probably, but only the Efrano high C I have might be OK for me, the normal Efrano set is lower tension than the high C and I wouldn't like to throw out more mony for strings than I already had yet.
The tension for Compas180 on the standard 105 scale is about 27 kg. On my 110 cm scale the Compas180 have about 29 to 30 kg tension per string which gives a powerful pizz sound. If the bowing would be a bit easier and the high C didn't have quality problems (in general and a ridiculous high price too) I might have stuck to them.
The Innovation Braided (and some of the Innovation Studio prototypes that I even like better) that I play now have a bit less power, but the string cores are really good for synthetics (rather quick in tune because they don't stretch as much as most other synthetic core strings) and they bow like a dream compared with Velvets and Spiros. I even like them better than Evah Weich (which I have used with the Efrano high C gut). They simply work wonderful on my bass, I got a lot of compliments for the sound and playing feel of the instrument with them. For me a good pizz/arco mix string. One of the Studio prototype high Cs I got is the best one I have played yet (the Compas180 theoretically close, but not acceptable because of the problems mentioned before).
Hey reiska,
So anima g string has the same winding as my light garbo d. Get a gut g string, you'll be happy with this setup for a while, the switch to guts ))
So anima g string has the same winding as my light garbo d. Get a gut g string, you'll be happy with this setup for a while, the switch to guts ))
Sasha, you have a pair of goat horns groving on your forehead and a long whipping tail
? I can see that coming but still try to live with that Anima G, the economy ain`t strong at the moment ( wonder why 
).These are awesome strings, really good amplified sound! Just as easy to hear myself than with Spiros and the bass sounds like double bass thru the crappy BG amplifier we have at the rehearsing room. My band teacher is a bassist too and I got to hear him playing my bass, great sound and finally I have what I`ve been hearing in my head for some time now! Very, very happy!!!
EDIT: Has anybody experienced with sanding the G string with fine paper a little on the bowed part of the string? I quess the bowability might have something to do with the winding beeing slippery for the bow?
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Get urself a single G string off ebay, I've come across some Hungarian strings recently that look too good for the price.
One of my friends tried some sanding on la bella nylon strings but it didn't do much difference, to me. Just play them in some and try to get used to how the G starts, that was the key with my garbo d.
One of my friends tried some sanding on la bella nylon strings but it didn't do much difference, to me. Just play them in some and try to get used to how the G starts, that was the key with my garbo d.
Thanks for the advice Sasha, I`ll give it some time. Lenzner and Efrano G strings aren`t too pricey and when it`s only one string and not the full set I could go Garbo gut or Chorda G. But at first I enjoy that awesome pizz sound and feel , try to learn to bow it and check out if I manage to live with that Anima G.
Hey since you like animas you probably wanna go velvet gut g. You might want to email Nuno directly. That guy ru s the company, and he also replies to all the email. When I had problems with my A string he replaced it t no cost, no shipping cost no nothing. I took some pictures of my pegbox for him in process and he thought I might have problems with my E string so he replaced it too. I didn't even ask him to do that! Man, I wish everybody in the business were like him
Nuno only runs the customer support, not the company, but this really well.
The Efrano G should fit well tensionwise.
It's just too less tension for my taste at all. But I have a larger instrument with a thick top that wants some tension, so don't care about what I like or not.
The Efrano G should fit well tensionwise.
It's just too less tension for my taste at all. But I have a larger instrument with a thick top that wants some tension, so don't care about what I like or not.
Thanks, both of you 
I sanded the G string on the bowed area with a xtra fine paper and I don`t no if it`s more of a mindset thing but it might have helped a little. At least the color changed, from brown-ish to more copper-colored. I will go on playing the string in and bow it like crazy. It has a nice fundamental in it`s bowed sound but it`s way too unpredictable, like a brand new spiro high A exponentially, scccccrrrrrssqueeeeeeek!!!
Maybe I`ll send some mail to Velvet`s Nuno, if there is something ( in addition to bowing in ) I can do to make it more bowable.
A bent endpin really makes a difference, btw.
I sanded the G string on the bowed area with a xtra fine paper and I don`t no if it`s more of a mindset thing but it might have helped a little. At least the color changed, from brown-ish to more copper-colored. I will go on playing the string in and bow it like crazy. It has a nice fundamental in it`s bowed sound but it`s way too unpredictable, like a brand new spiro high A exponentially, scccccrrrrrssqueeeeeeek!!! Maybe I`ll send some mail to Velvet`s Nuno, if there is something ( in addition to bowing in ) I can do to make it more bowable.
A bent endpin really makes a difference, btw.
Thanks man! I sent Nuno a mail, let`s see. If the Anima G needs to replaced it`s definently goin to be a gut string of some sort. No other will do.
