thebigyin

Hello again just wondering if anyone knows of a good Luthier in or near to Grimsby who could do a professional set up and string change on my Bass. Thanks in advance cheers Bob

[quote name='keeponehandloose' timestamp='1472142904' post='3118859'] If your curious about guts you will never be truly happy until youve tried them on your own bass for yourself.There will always be a niggle in your mind while you spend a small fortune on other strings first. Buy the guts and then decide.IMO. [/quote] Yeah i agree in some respect because you have to make your own judgement otherwise like you rightly said you will always have that doubt and never satisfy ones curiosity....but i-ve only been playing Upright a week....played Electric for many years. So obviously a bit wary and seeking a more knowledgeable and professional opinion thanks for your reply Cheers Bob

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1472125142' post='3118702'] Gut strings are lovely, but expensive. Try them on someone else's bass. The main reason I like them is the lower tension. At the moment I am using Velvet Garbo, which are an alright compromise. [/quote] Thanks will check the Velvet Garbo out on youtube because of some of the negative comments and maintenance and expense i'd be happy with an alternative of strings similar to gut....watched a clip of gut-a-like strings someone suggested and quite liked the sound and price of them cheers Bob

[quote name='Blartfactor10' timestamp='1472113570' post='3118550'] Yes to the J-Tone, cheap and every bit as good as the KnK Bassmax. (Better made IMO) [/quote] Thanks

Great stuff well done

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1472052903' post='3118048'] Didn't Mingus stick with gut, at least until his very last couple of years when he just did whatever was necessary to keep playing? I guess Charlie Haden did too, though I don't know how different his Golden Spirals were from plain gut and he still had steels on the bottom. But otherwise, not many. I tried a plain gut G and D very briefly. I could have got used to the G, but the D was just to flubby and inharmonic on my bass. If I had the space and cash for two basses I might think about some sort of mixed gut set on the second one, but as it is I can't really see myself moving away from steel. [/quote] Cheers a lot of interesting points and opinions have come up on my thread cheers Bob

[quote name='The Jaywalker' timestamp='1472050092' post='3118021'] Tried guts - hated them. I've used Velvet Garbo, Anima and Blue at various points before going back to spiros. I think all bassists go through this as a natural phase. It's a lot of fun and a learning experience. If anyone wants an old-school sound then I would recommend Velvet Anima or Super-Sensitive (the expensive ones); both do the job really well. As food for thought: how many bassists from back in the gut days actually stayed with gut strings when other options became available? [/quote] Thankyou for your reply some good points cheers Bob

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1471975588' post='3117419'] I think the [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/J-tone-Big-double-Bass-Pick-up-/201498506263?hash=item2eea3f3417:m:mMv8R28HOczqgXmXPBsADZw"]J-Tone pup on ebay[/url] gets some favorable reviews. It's pretty cheap and if it sounds good too, bonus [/quote] Thanks for your reply i will take a look cheers Bob

Thanks for the reply i will take a look was just curious that's all and trying to save a few quid lol cheers Bob

Hi Folks apologies for the constant questions but as some of you are aware i'm new to the world of Double Bass although I played Electric Bass for many years. I had a Shadow pick up fitted to a Acoustic Guitar kicking around somewhere would this be suitable to use with the Upright just wondering because if I can find it might save me a few quid buying a new one.Not sure of the actual model as it came fitted to the Guitar which as since been sold but i'm sure i kept the p/u thanks in advance cheers Bob

[quote name='zbd1960' timestamp='1471907667' post='3116959'] I don't play DB (yet) but I do play two instruments that use gut strings - the tenor and bass viola da gamba, the large bass version of which, the violone, is the ancestor of (viol shaped) DBs. You have to use gut strings on viols as they cannot take the tension of metal strings. There are several issues with gut strings. The sound is good and has a silvery sound which blends very well and which you do not get with metal strings. The key point is that as a natural fibre, it breathes - it absorbs and releases water vapour as the humidity changes. During this time, the mass of the string is changing, which means the tuning is changing. Once equilibrium has been reached, they stabilise. Gut strings are prone to going 'false' more so than metal strings over time. This means that the same fret on adjacent strings may not be in tune with each other. Cost wise, for my bass viol, which is cello sized, strings are cheaper than cello strings - about £6 for the top D and about £50 for the bottom D (it has 6 strings), whereas a set of decent modern cello strings is about £140 - £240 (my bottom C string cost £105). I have no doubt that it is worse for DB players given the extra string size. [/quote] Thankyou for your reply i have a lot of things to consider

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1471905629' post='3116948'] Gut strings on DB is a similar issue to all-tube bass amps: plenty of things get close, plenty of things are cheaper, and plenty of things are less hassle, but nothing quite does the job. The pure joy of those whispy, almost fragile tones up the board on the one hand and powerful rootsy thumps on the other is worth all the grief. I'll never go back to steels or synthetics. [/quote] Confused lol....read so many bad reports then yours. Thanks beedster food for thought

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1471881463' post='3116668'] I use Gut-a-like as they are more stable for tuning. I can't imagine ever using steel again. https://www.thomann.de/gb/gutalike_vintage_double_bass_strings.htm [/quote] Thanks Burrito i will check your link out cheers Bob

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1471880811' post='3116661'] Though I've not actually played gut strings myself, I've heard others complain about maintenance, having to re-tune frequently etc. I use Spirocore Weichs myself, and quite like them. However, on my first DB, I fitted a set of Innovation Silver Slaps, and now I find myself wanting to play with these strings again... They are nylon type material, or something very similar. And I've heard people describe them as similar to gut strings in some ways - but without so much hassle... Innovation Silver and Gold slaps are certainly lower tension than steel strings (Weich's are quite low tension for steel strings, as they have a synthetic core). I'm hankering after using Innovations again, as I want to try a bit more slap style playing, but find the Spirocores are tougher on my fingers. I've got a piezzo pickup, and a mic pickup, so I'm not worried about metal strings. But if you have a magnetic pickup, the Innovation strings won't work (though someone previously mentioned wrapping that small part of the string in foil, to make the mag pickup work.... Unlike Bass Guitar, DB is a whole can of worms regarding strings & string types - it all seems a bit daunting at first Also - this is important to note, as you may not be aware - when changing strings on a DB, place the bass on its' back, and change one at a time - or the soundpost will fall over... you don't want that! Good luck [/quote] Thanks Marc i like the sound of the innovation strings you describe i will check some youtube clips ect....i have a lot to learn about the Double Bass i've had it less than a week but hopefully find my way soon just trying to get as much information as i can cheers Bob

[quote name='invicta59' timestamp='1471875205' post='3116591'] I think the thing to remember with gut strings is that, back in the day they were the cheapest option. Steel strings were available from the mid 50's but were expensive in comparison. Today, anything non-synthetic is expensive Personally, having played all manner of strings over the years, the last string I would ever put on my bass would be a gut string. I find them to be ludicrously expensive, difficult to keep in tune (I've spent a night having to retune after EVERY song, which gets kinda boring after an hour), fragile and no sustain (at least, not enough for me). Horses for courses with this. The only way you'll know if you like them is to try some. [/quote] Thanks i think i will avoid to be honest a lot of negative comments still got an awful lot to learn in the Double Bass world cheers Bob

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1471865354' post='3116440'] I would love a gut strung DB, but bottled out on making that string choice on the basis that it would be adding an extra learning curve(maintenance, coping with humidity/temparature swings on gigs etc) on top of getting to grips with the instrument. In the end I went with spirocores to give myself the option of using a mag pickup, but there are some pretty good sounding artificial gut substitute strings that might get you close soundwise without the expense or maintenance hassles of natural gut. I'm tempted to try these at some point [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwzcihp0gZM[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbahfFnp-O8[/media] [/quote] Thanks someone else recommended Spirocore strings

Willie Weeks playing on this album is probably the best i have ever heard.....little ghetto boy is my favourite Bassline....like you say sublime

Definitely wannabe hobbyist

Hi Folks new to the world of Double Bass so interested to hear folks views on Gut Strings i have been listening to the likes of Bill Evans Trio and Oscar Peterson ect obviously Bassists like Scott Lafaro, Chuck Isreals, Eddie Gomez, Ray Brown and Sam Jones feature a lot on the late 50's and 60's recordings and it was listening to these Bassists that i wanted to learn Upright Bass i presume that a lot of these earlier recordings were recorded using Gut Strings i maybe wrong just interested to know and hear your views ect cheers Bob

Cheers fellas

Nice one mate

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1471596516' post='3114242'] "Playing Double Bass is either easy, or it's impossible" - love that quote! Gary Karr I think. What it comes down to is finding a way to make all the movements involved in playing come from your core. There's an almost spiritual moment when this starts to make sense and everything is suddenly much easier. Michael's videos explain this better than any I've seen [/quote] Thanks Neil started watching a few vids yesterday a lot to take in but determined to get there eventually cheers Bob

[quote name='Burg' timestamp='1471548521' post='3113937'] The Drive a Double Bass videos by Michael Klinghoffer on YouTube helped me out a lot when I started playing upright. Very classical focussed but helpful nonetheless. He has a great video where he shows how you can finger a note just using the weight of the bass, which shows just how important it is not to grip the neck too hard. I'll see if I can find a link. [/quote] Thanks Burg will check him out on youtube cheers Bob

Loving the new Upright slowly getting a better feel for it going to take a long time but determined to get as good as i can....and certainly improving my ear, suprising how you take for granted the notes and frets but no frets or markers makes you think a lot more and hand strength is improving each go....feeling inspired cheers.

Hi Folks would just like to say a big thankyou to everyone who has contacted me with advice and support on my first Upright purchase i just hope know i can do it justice after many years of playing Electric Bass i've taken the plunge....keep you posted and thanks again for your well wishes ect cheers Bob