Have you got the guts?

[leroybasslines]

Hello all,

I currently play with the ubiquitous Tomastik Spirocores and quite enjoy them. I was inspired to play bass by Reid Anderson from the Bad Plus and I read somewhere that he uses them on tour, so I got a set and put them on. They make a big sound which I enjoy, but I'm beginning to feel like I need to try some new things to find my own sound a little. I just put a complete set on the bass and I noticed that lots of players mix and match different tension strings and even types of string and I feel inspired to experiment!

So, I was watching this video...

[media]http://youtu.be/x7-4TH7yWrA[/media]

...and I was most intrigued by Chris Wood talking about guts. I've never played a bass with guts before and therefore I'd love to hear your opinions on them. How are they to play compared to steel - lighter/heavier, quieter/louder, brighter/darker? Also, do they require more maintenance or care than steel strings? And finally, recommend me a reasonably priced intro set!

[mtroun]

The only gut string I've ever used on my bass was the Pirastro Oliv G, it's about £80 for one string, rather pricey and it didn't last all that long on my bass before it lost its characteristic richness of tone. I used it on top of a set of regular guage Evah Pirazzi (synthetic core, steel wrapped strings) The Oliv is a wrapped gut set - so it feels like a steel string but has gut underneath the steel windings. I have also played unwrapped guts on my friend's bass (Gcordez here on basschat). Guts, particularly the unwrapped variety, have a very soft feel under the arm and are quite supple, meaning you can really pull back on them like elastic bands.

The actual size of gut strings tends to be larger than steel or synthetic strings, though the lower tension makes it easier to handle. Gut strings also have to be set up much higher than steel so they have much less accurate tuning and are harder to play fast passages on.

The sound of gut strings is considerably darker than steel and synthetic core strings tend to try to emulate that sound and feel by having a darker sound and lower tension. In addition to the necessarily higher action, gut strings also go out of tune regularly, are extremely vulnerable to breakage and last about six months.

The silk core strings made by Velvet and the synthetic core strings made by Picato (Innovation strings) are perhaps the closest in characteristics to gut strings available without going for actual gut. Larry Grenadier, Ben Street and Larry Grenadier are examples of players who use Velvet strings (sometimes mixed with spirocores) while a large number of UK jazz and rockabilly players use Innovation strings to get close to the sound of gut.

If you get the chance, try gut strings on someone else's bass, it's the best way to find out what they're like, though personally (and I'm sure plenty of people will disagree with me) I think unless you absolutely feel you must use gut strings because you want that sound, then don't! They are incredibly expensive, easy to break, last no time at all and hard to play on. Wrapped gut strings (perhaps mixed with synthetic or steel strings) offer something of a compromise in that they are generally less massive and the action can be set lower, plus they are less likely to break. For me, though, the Oliv as a top string was too much hassle to constantly retune and it didn't last long on my bass, plus it cost a fortune! The Evah Pirazzi set are designed to be a compromise between some of the characteristics of steel and gut and they are my preferred set. Some players use a mixture of Velvet strings on the G and D strings with Spirocores on the E and A, allowing for a 'gutty' sound on the higher strings, with the clarity of steel on the lower strings.

There might be some 'cheap' gut string sets out there but they aren't likely to be of any quality, you definitely get what you pay for with gut and you get incredibly expensive strings!

[leroybasslines]

Thanks for that; that was exactly the kind of sage advice I was hoping for. A real help.

I guess the problem for us DBers is that the cost of the strings prevents us from just giving them a whirl! I pretty much try a new type of string every time I restring my EB, but £80 a string definitely makes you think twice before taking a punt! I think Gcordez is a fellow Bristolian...maybe I need to get in touch!

Thanks again though - really helpful stuff. I shall definitely investigate the Evah Pirazzi, Velvet and Picato options further...

[sarah thomas]

Have you put yourself on Daf Lewis' list to trial Innovation strings? I don't think there are any gut strings, but plenty of others to try.

Edited June 24, 2012 by sarah thomas

[TheRev]

I'd recommend giving Velvet strings a go - particularly the cheaper Velvet Blues. They're a touch brighter than Garbos (my personal favourite) or Animas, but at £130 vs £250 a set, I can live with the difference.

You're welcome to come over and have a go if you like? The Blues are off my bass at the moment while I'm taking advantage of Daf Lewis' Innovation String trial, but I'll be putting them back on in a week or so.

[mtroun]

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1340548598' post='1705959']
Larry Grenadier, Ben Street and Larry Grenadier are examples of players who use Velvet strings
[/quote]

Whoops I meant Matt Penman as the third person on the list!
GCordez is indeed a Bristolian, well actually he's moved to Bath recently but he's a very approachable guy and loves his strings!