Still tempted by guts...

[thisnameistaken]

I've got Silver Slaps on my laminate bass at the moment and while I've been generally impressed with them I find the sound a little bit twangy at times and so I'm considering trying guts instead.

Can anyone recommend a good and not-so-expensive brand, and a retailer that sells them?

[BerryTheBass]

Presume you've tried 'em already, perhaps, but just to mention the Super Silvers.

Not as low tension as the Slaps, so much less twangy. Also, cheap as chips. :-)

[thisnameistaken]

I haven't tried them no. I always thought the Slaps were a little too low tension for me and thought the Super Silvers would be a good fit tension-wise but expected them to sound just like the Slaps.

My thinking is that if I'm after a gut sound I should probably try gut. Although I jam a lot with a vegan singer/guitarist which is why I've resisted guts for so long!

[thisnameistaken]

Does anyone know how available the Cordes Lambert Gut Twin sets are these days?

The vegan came over for a jam tonight and as much as I'd like to try guts it seems like a bit of a dickheadish thing to do to him. So if I can get a set of those I'll try them.

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1367076083' post='2061035']
My thinking is that if I'm after a gut sound I should probably try gut. Although I jam a lot with a vegan singer/guitarist which is why I've resisted guts for so long!
[/quote]

You're playing an instrument held together with hide glue and have a horsehair bow at hand (unless you don't do arco). If those haven't offended his sensibilities, you're probably OK with gut strings. Myself, I couldn't live with the reedy arco sound when I tried a gut D and G, but I use the bow a lot.

[AndyBass]

Score some second hand guts off here, Talkbass or DBC. You can try them put for less cash and you're not directly supporting an animal product-based industry. That's your best solution to defensibly ethically source guts, I'd say. Or just tell him they're Cordes Lamberts anyway if you're feeling devious.

[AndyBass]

...and my experience to date is you might as well try and get your hands on unicorn gut strings as Cordes Lamberts these days. I've certainly had no joy. Let me know if you do!

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='AndyBass' timestamp='1367134245' post='2061485']...and my experience to date is you might as well try and get your hands on unicorn gut strings as Cordes Lamberts these days. I've certainly had no joy. Let me know if you do![/quote]

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket. I emailed Ivan last night to ask if I could go on their waiting list and he emailed back just now to say he could have a set ready to ship on Wednesday, so I've gone ahead and ordered the full set (wound E, wound A, plain A, plain D and three gauges of plain G).

So hopefully I should have them on my bass by next weekend.

[fatback]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1367105703' post='2061432']
Does anyone know how available the Cordes Lambert Gut Twin sets are these days?

The vegan came over for a jam tonight and as much as I'd like to try guts it seems like a bit of a dickheadish thing to do to him. So if I can get a set of those I'll try them.
[/quote]

Don't you wear shoes?

[Clarky]

Hey, TNIT. This TalkBass thread has contact details for Cordes Lambert and it seems they reply quickly to emails
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f17/cordes-lambert-n-dubouchet-strings-631595/

And an excuse to see some of the talent of endorsee Nicholas Dubouchet

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQTISGj6Qzk&list=UUEYblvGcvjJkf7e_eCj13EQ[/media]

Edited April 28, 2013 by Clarky

[thisnameistaken]

He's got a great feel hasn't he, really nice playing.

[sarah thomas]

It's interesting that he ignores the conventions of upright playing, at times gripping the neck like a bass guitar, with his thumb over the strings. Yet 2.58 onwards, he plays with his thumb completely clear of the neck. That's hard!

[thisnameistaken]

The Cordes Lambert set turned up today. I've put on the wound E and A, plain D (there is only one D) and the medium G. Unfortunately by the time I'd got it all up to pitch it was nearly 9pm - the time I stop playing bass because I'm a nice neighbour.

First impressions: The G is pretty nice. The D has considerably less sustain. The A and E are very very bassy. Although the bass I've put them on is extremely boomy at the best of times so I can't really blame the strings. I think this thing needs a soundpost adjustment.

I don't think they're quite as loud acoustically as the Silver Slaps I took off. The G definitely sounds better slapped though - it has a nice brisk click back against the fingerboard where the Silver Slaps have a bit of a furry-edged twang to them. I can only really give an opinion of the G so far because it was the first string I put on and I've played it more than the others.

[Hector]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1367076083' post='2061035']
Although I jam a lot with a vegan singer/guitarist which is why I've resisted guts for so long!
[/quote]

Just don't say anything about it. If he tries to bring it up, loudly start talking about the weather.

Edited May 11, 2013 by Hector

[thisnameistaken]

Well the bass I play with him is the one I put the Lamberts on. I do have a couple of guts on the way but they'll be going on the nice bass.

[thisnameistaken]

Update on the Lamberts:

I didn't have any time to pick up the bass today except for ten minutes to tune it - the strings stretched a lot while I was putting them on so I assumed they would be well out again today, and most of them were out by a tone or so.

Anyway, I got it back up to pitch to see if the sound had changed any, and there is an improvement across the board. I liked the G in the first place so I wasn't really paying attention to that, but the D sounds much better now too, and has the same sustain as the G, it no longer sounds like the duff one in the set. Also the A and E have lost some of their boomy quality.

Overall the set is starting to sound more even, and the bass has a generally nicer tone about it. I also noticed when I first put them on that they weren't as loud as the Silver Slaps I'd taken off, but I think they have got louder. Right now I'd say overall I prefer the sound of the Silver Slaps for pizz, but I prefer the feel of the Lamberts particularly the wound E and A, although they are a bit abrasive on my plucking fingers I'm sure I'll get used to it. The Lamberts definitely sound more authentically rock 'n' roll when slapped.

I'm hoping they'll improve further as they settle in. If they don't then I'd have to declare the Slaps the winners because I play a lot more pizz than slap, but time will tell.

[steve]

Have you had chance to try them with a bow at all? I'm using golden slaps, which I'm happy with for pizz and slap, but arco sounds too nasal.

[Clarky]

Keep us in touch here Kev as I keep thinking about guts/ gut-alikes. I now have Spiro Mittels on my old German 3/4 bass which are superbly growl-y but I can't help but love the old school sound. I don't slap though - its pizz all the way for me - so maybe I should stick with what I have and just be happy!

[thisnameistaken]

I haven't tried bowing them yet, I'll give it a go tonight and report back.

Clarky I keep one bass for 'best' and one for busking, these have gone on my busking bass which either gets slapped or doesn't want a bright sound because I'm playing old songs ('60s rocksteady tunes usually). I have spiro weichs (and a medium E) on my nicer bass but I am going to try guts on that and see how I like it. That bass I usually use in duos with singer/guitarists but the one I most often play with does a kind of klezmer/blues sound so a gut strung bass might be a better fit than steels anyway.

If I do decide to stick with the spiros I'll be swapping the G out for something softer anyway, maybe an Evah weich, I find the spiro is a bit too ringy.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1368399518' post='2076719']
Have you had chance to try them with a bow at all? I'm using golden slaps, which I'm happy with for pizz and slap, but arco sounds too nasal.[/quote]

I just gave them a little go, just for you, but I am terrible with the bow. I think they'll want plenty of rosin - the E and A particularly didn't want to pick up at first but they got going in the end. I know what you mean about the slaps, the G just sounds hilarious in the higher positions it sounds like a kazoo, but the Lambert G is definitely much better, it can sound good all the way up so long as you adjust the position of the bow towards the bridge.

It seems they work best with a light touch but that might be my fault. The strings have a coarse surface so they can sound a bit scratchy, and I found I got that effect when I used more pressure.

So like I said I'm no expert but they are definitely much better than the Slaps for bowing. I think with enough talent they could sound really good, but they take more discipline than the smooth steels and steel-wound hybrids I'm used to, and I definitely ran out of talent.

[steve]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1368467924' post='2077460']
I just gave them a little go, just for you, but I am terrible with the bow. I think they'll want plenty of rosin - the E and A particularly didn't want to pick up at first but they got going in the end. I know what you mean about the slaps, the G just sounds hilarious in the higher positions it sounds like a kazoo, but the Lambert G is definitely much better, it can sound good all the way up so long as you adjust the position of the bow towards the bridge.

It seems they work best with a light touch but that might be my fault. The strings have a coarse surface so they can sound a bit scratchy, and I found I got that effect when I used more pressure.

So like I said I'm no expert but they are definitely much better than the Slaps for bowing. I think with enough talent they could sound really good, but they take more discipline than the smooth steels and steel-wound hybrids I'm used to, and I definitely ran out of talent.
[/quote]

Thanks for responding so quickly and comprehesively, my interest is piqued to say the least, how much did the set cost?

[Rabbie]

I have never tried Lamberts, but I think I tried every gut-like string out there and I came to the conclusion that if you want a gut sound, you just have to play guts! It's not a nightmare at all: just give them time to stretch to pitch, oil them every week or so or if they feel dry, use nail clippers to snip the loose hair and there you go, bob's your uncle! You do need to raise your action and pull hard, but thats part if the fun. you wont play superfast, but thats for electric bass chaps. They are dearer... Or are they? How much cash have we all spent trying to find a gut substitute?

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1368471062' post='2077513']
Thanks for responding so quickly and comprehesively, my interest is piqued to say the least, how much did the set cost?[/quote]

160EUR for 7 strings: Wound E, wound A, plain A, plain D and three gauges of plain G - all the strings they do, basically. I imagine if you were more selective you could get a set cheaper, but I didn't know what to expect.

I honestly think they would sound a lot better on a brighter bass. The laminate I put them on is very ****ing loud and not at all cultured, it's full of bottom end and I've played it with other basses in the same ensemble and it woofs them all out of existence. I'm hoping to get the post adjusted and calm it down a bit but seriously I've never heard another bass voiced so deep or as loud acoustically. I reckon on a more balanced bass they would sound a lot better.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Rabbie' timestamp='1368477254' post='2077617']
I have never tried Lamberts, but I think I tried every gut-like string out there and I came to the conclusion that if you want a gut sound, you just have to play guts! It's not a nightmare at all: just give them time to stretch to pitch, oil them every week or so or if they feel dry, use nail clippers to snip the loose hair and there you go, bob's your uncle! You do need to raise your action and pull hard, but thats part if the fun. you wont play superfast, but thats for electric bass chaps. They are dearer... Or are they? How much cash have we all spent trying to find a gut substitute?
[/quote]

Personally I have spent about 80 quid on a set of Silver Slaps, and 160EUR on a set of 7 Lambert Gut Twins. I've also just spent £100 on a G and D gut, and I'll judge them when they arrive this week.

So overall I haven't spent a lot, and while I don't currently have any real guts to compare them to, I am impressed with the overall performance of the Lamberts. The G in particular seems to be good at everything. The D may be the weakest of the set but it's improving (and I've heard that gut Ds are usually pretty weak too), and the wound A and E I'd imagine perform better than guts. I doubt you can buy a good set of guts cheaper than a set of Lamberts.

[steve]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1368480229' post='2077671']
160EUR for 7 strings: Wound E, wound A, plain A, plain D and three gauges of plain G - all the strings they do, basically. I imagine if you were more selective you could get a set cheaper, but I didn't know what to expect.

I honestly think they would sound a lot better on a brighter bass. The laminate I put them on is very ****ing loud and not at all cultured, it's full of bottom end and I've played it with other basses in the same ensemble and it woofs them all out of existence. I'm hoping to get the post adjusted and calm it down a bit but seriously I've never heard another bass voiced so deep or as loud acoustically. I reckon on a more balanced bass they would sound a lot better.
[/quote]

hmm, I think i'll send the maker an email - if I do get a set and don't like them, I suppose I'll be able to move them on without taking too much of a hit