So I ended up with Garbos on top of Evah Pirazzi weich E in my search of gut-sounding and -feeling setup, coming from plain guts set high with some low tension E-string. ( Multiple reasons for switching that I won`t write here, post gets too massive ) I decised to use these and to try to live with the bowability. I messed with my bridge a little and adjusted the individual heights for maximum bowability and great feeling tension between different strings. G is now at a hair under 8 mm`s, D is a hair under 9 mm`s, A is a hair under 10 mm`s and E.P weich E at 10 mm`s. Set up like this I get this bouncy feel with punchy oomph pizz tone. It`s loud, and as much bowable as possible with Garbos. Now I can lay my bow arm,heavily on any string without distraction from other strings. I find the D to be the most challenging with the bow, and with the high thumb positions on the G string. Not your orchestral arco sound, but I`m seeking for fairly different world of using the bow in improvisational and free stuff. If you let go the idea of getting a great clean tone you might end up with multiple different, and very usable sounds for different situations. In improvisational circles these might be the best arco string. I will keep my classical etude routines, no matter what, they sound like I played it. And have some fun with the arco too with the conventional serious practise.
Pizz and slap is almost to die for with Garbos. Smooth, bouncy, very gut-like tone and string gauges. I love that fat G string, great feel. Harmonics and intonation are spot-on with Garbos, not messy like they can be with all gut setup. The whole idea of my setup project was and is to be able to play with felaxed hands, and especially right hand. This one delivers a lot of gut stringy-tone when played with relaxed right hand and right techinque. Higher tension E string has a role in this too, it`s just easier for me to play with great tone. It`s set low enough that it doesn`t get overly growly and I can get some thumping out of it too. Then with the arco it gives a great starting point for rest of the strings, which I bow with similar technique as i was learning with full gut set, full hair and bow speed, lot`s of arm weight and more powered sounds closer to the bridge.
All in all, I was happy enough of what I heard of reharsal and gig recordings. Nice bouncy projective gutty sound and all this with lesser effort for the hands. This setup delivers truly great pizz sound and feel. It slaps just fine as I am learning more and I will wretsle the arco bear until the bear gives up
Not for everybody, but for what I do and wan`t to get out of a double bass, these are good. A fat old school tone that holds up acousticly whatever the electric guitarist is blowing from his tube amp, effects and diy cabinets. Loud enough fat pizz tone with a powerful beast as a dummer. Small venues, amped and on the house occasionally should be great after my switch from guts to Velvets. These amplify well and micked it`s just wonderful. Very organic and natural tone with some sustain and precision that guts just can`t handle before some serius time in the shed. And, if I ever go again to plain guts / Garbos EA / set high -setup, the lower strings will be garbos.
Now it feels motivating, can`t wait until tomorrow when it`s approppriate to start playing the thing. I have a great double bass sounding like real doghouse, and it`s a blast to play it. So easy to play in tune! So easy to play fast with strong tone. Easy to ger the fat pizz tone, I don`t have to overdo anything, just play the damn thing! Feel is very similar to all gut setup, but I can get a lot easier with slightly higher tension strings set up at reasonnable heights, not like I had my guts with G at 11 mm`s. I practised the setup a lot, but loud group sessions tore my right hand apart, it become literally a bloody mess with aching wrist.
So, Garbos and Evah E`s have become go to strings when something unespected happens. Now it`s about getting the best out of these strings, pizz, slap and arco. I love the idea that I now have my setup, rest is about making it sound great without physical damage of any kind. Kinda happy with it
I feel that this might kick me forward to beeing the bassist needed / I wan`t to be.
Give Garbos a try if you`re looking for old school sound and relaxed playability!
