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Double Bass Velvet strings megathread part III

#141
After much laborious reading and meditating, I am pulling the trigger on a set of Compas 180's. It was really a tough call to get the Compas VS Anima, but since I do a lot of arco, I thought I would give these a try. I would be happy with a string that bows well, is less tension than spiro mittels, is darker than spiros, but still has some growl and sustain and it looks like compas 180 will fit the bill...
 
#143
I got a Garbo Gut G set a couple of weeks ago. They are awesome. It's been a while since I had Garbos (had Animas and EP Weichs on previously) and the first time I've had them on my Upton. Wow, the volume is way bigger compared to the EPs. The guitar player I play with told me to turn down my amp when it wasn't on. I knew it was louder but it must be even more so out in front.

The gut fits in well sound and tension-wise. I might even have to find a gut D since that sound is so right. Someone was asking previously about Velvet tension vs. EPs. EP Weichs are a lot more high tension to my fingers.

I'm having a lot of fun playing on these strings.
 
#145
Ok, here's a really specific arco question for those who are on team "Animas bow perfectly fine." My biggest issue is when working in transition / thumb. I'm having a lot of trouble getting sympathetic vibrations on my lower strings when playing long tones on the G, such as an "E" or "A" in the third octave. This was never an issue with steels or even guts, and a really great tool for my practice room arco stylings. Has anyone managed to get past this? My arco tone is getting bigger and sweeter up there, but I'm still not getting that fundamental that really moves the top.

What do you think? My hands or my strings?
 
#146
I've had Velvet Animas on my bass for 6-8 months now. When I took the strings off to change my tailpiece a few days (perhaps a week) ago, I noticed divots in my fingerboard under the D, A, and E strings in half and first position, each divot is as wide as the string it's under, and is 5 or 6 inches long. There is no marking under the G string.

I've owned my bass for 6 years, and have never had any issues with strings chewing up the fingerboard before (Obligatos, Spirocores, Helicores, Superflexibles, Flexocors, Kolstein Heritage).

Has anyone else had issues with this?

Thanks,
Tim
 
#149
I had read about people's complaints from a few years ago, but also I remember reading that at some point there was a change made by Velvet to alleviate this issue. I'm going to call my luthier, but could this have something to do with my setup or how I play? My action is at a medium height (can't quite fit my index finger under the E string but I have thick fingers) compared to other basses I've played with Animas (or other lower tension/thicker diameter strings), and I play with a very heavy right hand.
 
#150
To be fair, all strings do this to all fingerboards, which is one of the reasons you get your fb dressed every once in awhile. (I was very surprised to see how quickly spiro mittels started putting grooves in a new bass I bought last summer--maybe the fb wood was not as dense as usual).

Animas do seem rougher than most other kinds of strings to me--I lose hair on my bow at a higher rate with them. I will say, though, that the Animas I just put on (new-ish) are MUCH smoother in the wrap than I recall them being when last I used them six or seven years ago.
 
#151
DrBassie said:
I got a Garbo Gut G set a couple of weeks ago. They are awesome. It's been a while since I had Garbos (had Animas and EP Weichs on previously) and the first time I've had them on my Upton. Wow, the volume is way bigger compared to the EPs. The guitar player I play with told me to turn down my amp when it wasn't on. I knew it was louder but it must be even more so out in front.

The gut fits in well sound and tension-wise. I might even have to find a gut D since that sound is so right. Someone was asking previously about Velvet tension vs. EPs. EP Weichs are a lot more high tension to my fingers.

I'm having a lot of fun playing on these strings.
Click to expand...

That's good to hear - I just ordered one of those sets, but I only just read your post. This is what I'm looking for - so I can't wait now! :)
 
#152
Bruce Lindfield said:
That's good to hear - I just ordered one of those sets, but I only just read your post. This is what I'm looking for - so I can't wait now! :)
Click to expand...

I just ordered the set too. A friend of mine loaned me his used garbo E and A, and i was sold. I had heard mixed reviews about the Garbo G, so i figured id try the gut set. If i dont like it, im probably going to keep my Oliv G, or try a Chorda G. Hmmm, the possibilites.
 
#153
Just got my set of Compas 180's after endless deliberation. So far, and they have only been on the bass since Monday, I think they are fantastic! The install however, royally sucked. took me two hours to get them on the bass right. the other drawback is that my bass had medium action with spiro. When I put these on, due to their low tension, the action is pretty high now. I have turned down my adjusters as far as they could go, but I think I am going to have to have my bridge cut down a little bit to get the action where I want it.
They are stretching unbelievably every day. I have a rehearsal with my jazz quartette tomorrow and a gig on Sunday. I'll wait to post more comments until after my gig, but so far, I am really impressed with the tone, the feel and the arco tone/playability.
 
#156
Thinking about switching out my EP Weich G for an Anima. Ive got Spiro Weich on the rest. Ive tried the Blues G a while back and loved the feel for ballads, medium tempo stuff, but at faster tempos felt it had too much give compared to the rest of the Spiro set I had on. I thought that although the Blues G had a fat overall feel, it lacked a fundamental that could compete with the Spiro set. Would an Anima G be much different in terms of the fundamental matching the Spiro Weichs, and how does the Anima tension match up with the Spiros Weichs?
 
#157
The Animas are EXTREMELY different from Spiros. Similar to the blues. I think you should try ordering a G-compas 180. I went from Spiros to the Compas set. The Compas G is similar in diameter to the Spiro G, and it is not so loose, being at 26 kg vs 25 for the Anima. It is also VERY bow friendly and acts a little bit like steel strings. However, it is still quite less tense than the spiros, and has a deeper, thwack to it that I really like. It is like a cross between a gut string and a spiro maybe. I think it would be more accommodating of sharing the bass with spiros than the Anima would be.
 
#158
I thought the Blues G was a great match for the Spiro Weichs in terms of gauge. Having that string on there actually seemed to open up the sound of the bass more and lower the tension of the other stings slightly, but it still lacked the fundamental that the Spiros had and seemed mismatched in tibre especially through a pickup. Maybe I just needed to give it more time to break in though? Any one here using a Spiro Weich set with an Anima G?

The Compas G sounds like maybe a nice option. Overall the Evah Weich G has been a great match with the rest of the Spiro set, sometimes Im just wanting a slightly fatter string with a tension a bit more than the Blues. Maybe Ill just stick with the Evah Weich G.
 
#160
JAS said:
Any one here using a Spiro Weich set with an Anima G?
Click to expand...

JAS,
I'm using the Anima G with Spiro mittels, and they match up great. I've always used a thicker diameter G, I just can't deal with the tactile aspects of a thin diameter G string. I wasn't expecting it to work, but on my bass the tension, volume, and tone, a perfect. I'm happy (for now...!).

I would think the Anima would work well with the weichs too. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Best,
Tim
 

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