ufobass

I understand that to many who post here, gut strings are preferred to steel, and the gut sound is meant to cut through the band without amplification. But in today's loud stage environments, the challenge is to get everyone to play softer. Often I have to ask the sound guy to either unplug my monitor or point it away from me. Currently using Thomastik Spirocore 'weigh' (light) gauge on an old Czech flatback. My ears miss the punch of Mediums, but I want to be kind to the bass. Old basses were made with gut strings in mind, no? Doesn't an old bass 'prefer' gut for their lighter tension? But can they be bowed? Gut strings a re a significant investment. How well do gut strings (or Lycons) amplify, with a pickup like a Gage Realist?