Gut Thoughts for Orchestral Bowing

[Pete George]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

...look back at how the wound E-Gut was developed 200 years ago and you will see that it was not easy to get a note to sound at an even volume under the A. Now wound Gut Es are ok on some Basses but a B? That will be a challenge in two ways. First, find one! Second, try playing it. Did I mention a third way? Well if you think it's difficult finding a Bass with an even volume steel/metal low B bowed then good luck doing it on Gut.

Ken, I've been wondering the same thing. I got in touch with Gerold Genssler in Berlin (the Velvet Strings alum and bassist behind the new -- and fantastic -- Sonores line of gut bass strings), and Gerold would be happy to make a low B. Having played for a few months on his long C/E on my 4-string, I'm very interested in trying it.

The Sonores "Drago Basso" (modern orchestra) wound-gut C/E is a very loud string, easy to bow, and no thicker than the Evah C/E.

If anyone can meet your challenge on a low B, my guess is that it's Gerold and Sonores. I'm sure it won't be cheap, but I expect that it will be well worth it.