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.

[Pete George]

Update -- I've ordered a set of the Genssler/Sonores Drago Basso wound guts for my Elias 5-string. I will be very interested in how the B string plays. Will post more once it arrives and I've played it a bit.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Pete George

Update -- I've ordered a set of the Genssler/Sonores Drago Basso wound guts for my Elias 5-string. I will be very interested in how the B string plays. Will post more once it arrives and I've played it a bit.

Guts on a 5er? Wow, that's brave. They couldn't get a sound out of the E some 200 years ago and you're gonna try a gut B?

Well, depending on the 'gut core/wound silver' ratio it might work but even with full steels we have trouble with B strings..

Good luck.. let us know.

Also, new basses do not speak as clear on the bottom as older more seasoned instruments do.

A double challenge in my mind but then again, I don't know your bass at all. Just a guess.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Also, new basses do not speak as clear on the bottom as older more seasoned instruments do.

Evidence? Or just opinion?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Also, new basses do not speak as clear on the bottom as older more seasoned instruments do.

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Evidence? Or just opinion?

Well, let me put this in better words then.

In my opinion, most new basses do not sound as well as they can as they will when they get old.

I have seen most new basses improve in tone and depth as they mature. Better made basses out of the 'shoot' are good on day one. On year 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 or 30, they are even better if maintained and played.

Older basses that are restored and have new wood in them mature and sound better than off the bench within 1-3 years. If rescued from older bad repair work, they can sound better straight off the bench. Still in that case, they will be even better after a few years when all of the repairs have 'gelled-in' with the older parts of the bass living as one.

I would have to say Arnold that my comment is part un-clear, part opinion and part experience.

If I didn't believe in the possibility of new Basses, I wouldn't have ordered one!

But hey, I have more experience with older basses and sometimes these sound best just before they are about to fall apart. That's where you come in... lol .. Heelllppppp

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Well done.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Well done.

Thank you Maestro..

[Pete George]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Guts on a 5er? Wow, that's brave. They couldn't get a sound out of the E some 200 years ago and you're gonna try a gut B?

Well, depending on the 'gut core/wound silver' ratio it might work but even with full steels we have trouble with B strings..

Good luck.. let us know.

Also, new basses do not speak as clear on the bottom as older more seasoned instruments do.

A double challenge in my mind but then again, I don't know your bass at all. Just a guess.

I've had the Genssler strings on the 5er for just a couple of days now, but so far, so good.

The low B works just fine. I'm not prepared yet to say it's the best low B I've played, but it's better than most. A lot of power, and pretty easy both to bow and finger.

And Ken, I don't know what new 5-strings you've played, but my 5-string Elias both speaks more clearly and is louder on the bottom than any other 5-string I've ever played, including a Prescott, a couple of Pohlmanns, and some other 5s by good makers, old and new. It's easier to play and sounds better than most good 4-strings.

I might end up liking the Spiro Mittel low B more, but I doubt it will be by a lot (if at all). The rest of the strings are what I expected of Genssler strings -- very, very good if that's the kind of string you want.