Gut Thoughts for Orchestral Bowing

[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.