Guts

[Owen]

I had a very odd experience last night. I went to do a session and the singer turned up with a Double Bass in tow. I had done something for her before and she liked my playing but could not get the sound she wanted during mixing. To say I was taken aback is an understatement but I bit my tounge and went with the flow. The bass was the horrible-est school plywood bass you ever saw with one weed-whacker G, gut D and A and a REALLY thin metal E. I tried it and what do you know it recorded fantastically (after I reset the bridge). The guts just went down beautifully, nice weight and girth to the sound and no annoying sustain, just a well articulated low frequency event. Obv they bowed like.............um....... something unpleasant, but the recorded pizz sound was pretty addictive. The action was really low as well. The neck angle was a lot more shallow than mine and the whole thing seemed to be effortless to play. Projection? Nope. Acoustic tone? Nope. Recorded using an AKG 414? Just yummy. I have never played guts before and it was a revelation

I would pay SERIOUS coin to get a response like the gut strings but with easy bowing. My bass is pretty well set up, but the ease of playing on the guts was quite something. There were rumblings about a DB bash recently. Is it still on? I think I need to try some other basses. Maybe mine just needs a different set up.

Comments?

[BassBod]

I'm trying really hard to pretend I didn't read that. I can't afford to get experimental with DB strings..and I've just got used to Spirocores again, just so I don't have to think about strings!!

But you might want to PM Greg Cordez on here - he's got some lovely gut things going on......

[geoffbassist]

I just can't let myself go there! It sounds like a world of pain!

...intonation...bowing....expence....breakable etc

.... But I do LOVE the tone!

Edited April 17, 2012 by geoffbassist

[gcordez]

Geoff speaks a lot of sense, but I've been on gut G and D Golden Spirals now and I love it.

It certainly takes a lot of getting used to, particularly with the right hand attack, but I love the sound...

[Hector]

The idea of guts often marches around my head, but I'm loathe to stray from my spiro weichs because they're comfortable and sound fine, guts would cost a lot more than I have (especially as they're relatively higher maintenance), and guts wouldn't sound as nice under the bow. I fear change!

But still. Y'know. What if I tried some velvet animas? What then?

[fatback]

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1334706351' post='1620203']

But still. Y'know. What if I tried some velvet animas? What then?
[/quote]

Ooh, slippery slope! Just a little drop... just a little one.

[Owen]

If only the arco thing was not an issue. Apparently Bottesini used to have G made of silk for arco tone but I cannot see that being a long term option. Perhaps I can have a seperate bass for guts! Surely that would be the BC way!

[BassBod]

That's the spirit...but don't forget that each bass may also need different preamp/amp types to get the most out of those expensive strings. I think vintage tube mic pre is the only way to go, personally. If you're going to do it, do it Prropperr, as they say here in Brizzle.

[Hector]

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1334745451' post='1620503']
Ooh, slippery slope! Just a little drop... just a little one.
[/quote]

Urgh, I've been teetering on the precipice for ages. Just can't justify the cost of new strings (and likely set up tweaks) when my spiro mittels sound fine, and I'm familiar with them.

But, then again I bet guts would sound lovely!

[TheRev]

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1334706351' post='1620203']
But still. Y'know. What if I tried some velvet animas? What then?
[/quote]

I love Velvet strings, particularly the Garbos. I'm using the (much cheaper) Velvet blues on my 50s ply and they sound really good. The feel is a bit different from the Garbos, but the sound is very similar.

I'm quite interested in the Cordes Lambert strings, but I suspect that way lies madness.

[Owen]

I have been looking at the Cordes Lambert site but cannot actually make it work

[iiipopes]

"Gut-like" tone with tuning stability, easier arco, and a little lighter tension? Innovation 140B and Velvet Blues come to mind.

[Owen]

I am on the 140B road at the moment. I honestly thought that they were Honeys but it turns out I was wrong. Oops. They are great and so far what I am happiest with. I just put a new set of Honeys on before the Gut experience and Daf suggested I tuned everything down a 4th and stuck a C on the top for a G to get the low tension thing. I did that tonight and am really digging it. The bow "grab" is slightly compromised, but I will let them settle before coming to any conclusions really.

[iiipopes]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1334870158' post='1622810']Daf suggested I tuned everything down a 4th and stuck a C on the top for a G to get the low tension thing. I did that tonight and am really digging it. The bow "grab" is slightly compromised, but I will let them settle before coming to any conclusions really.[/quote]
On this side of the pond, that is called, "Bumping," and it is also really popular to get a soft feel with slap for both bluegrass and rockabilly. You may have to raise the action slightly for good clean intonation and a crisp slap.

[JonnyGee]

I've a cheap old plywood bass (that I love) and - to my ears at least - it sounds great with La Bella plain gut G & D plus Obligatos on the A & E (though I drop it down to a low D, which sound nice, but is a plucking pain in the arco, especially in Ab)

[PaulKing]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1334764124' post='1620874']
I have been looking at the Cordes Lambert site but cannot actually make it work
[/quote]

Yeah, those guys are not the best at technology... Ivan put up that website ages ago and has never got round to finishing it. To say it's a cottage industry is putting it mildly.
I've lucked out and got a few sets on various basses (actually that's me on their website, plucking away in my bedroom, madam).

They are great strings, it has to be said. Latest version are higher tension than earlier versions, and pack a harder punch - though that makes them more effort to play. I've played them alongside Lenzner guts and the G and D are indistinguishable, at least on my vintage ply basses.

Depending on the bass, you can get a reasonable approximation of the tone from Innovation strings, Velvets, Prestos etc ... but the acid test is always arco 9if that's your thing) or slapping (if that's your thing). Lamberts, to me, really pay off when it comes to slapping, because they have no clatter or twang or nasal honk.

[artisan]

i really want a set of Lambert's but the website has been saying "site under construction" for ever with no obvious way to order any.
my band plays nothing but 50's music now & although i like the super silvers i'm using now they just don't have that authentic gut sound to me.

Edited April 30, 2012 by artisan

[Owen]

Been pretty busy with the bumped Honeys last couple of weeks. It has become clear that for me when it is time to ramp it up that the bass just cannot give like it can at normal tension. Of course, you all know this but it is new to me so I am just noting it.

[RonM]

I'm currently using a set of weedwhacker synthetic gut strings that I got off eBay. Having been a user of gut strings for many years, I was amazed to find that these (for me, anyway,) behave like a good set of guts but without the string prep needed for Arco, not only that, but as they're synthetic theY're not affected by changes in temp and humidity.
I'll be staying with these strings, I mean at about £45.00 a set compared with the £150 - £200 a set for guts it puts a lot of pennies back in my pocket

[Owen]

[quote name='RonM' timestamp='1337204553' post='1657237']
I'm currently using a set of weedwhacker synthetic gut strings that I got off eBay.
[/quote]

Do you have a link?
Thanks

[gcordez]

I'm still loving the guts.