Double Bass Gut-a-like hepcat vs deluxe strings db and velvet garbo strings

[GeorgePanta]

Hello to everyone! I'm playing a couple of months now, a new set of double bass strings. On G I play gut-a-like deluxe and on D gut-a-like hepcat. On A and E I have some spirocore solo on. The problem is that gut a like hepcat D string, has very low tension for me and I want actually to change it, but keep the gut a like warm sound. Maybe someone used the gut a like deluxe D string in comparison of the hepcat?
Has the same tension or actually deluxe has more tension on it? The g deluxe string seems quite ok in terms of tension for me. Also, I read a lot of good words about velvet garbo g and d strings. They say that garbo are actually more playble than synthetic guts strings on thumb position but lack of the warm sound of gut in general. Any thoughts? I play in gereral jazz and classical stuff.
Thank you in advance.

 

[Jay Corwin]

I think Velvet has gone out of business. Might not want to go down that road.

Try plain Gut on G and D. Tons of players roll with plain gut on those two, then something else on E and A.

 

[GeorgePanta]

I think Velvet has gone out of business. Might not want to go down that road.

Try plain Gut on G and D. Tons of players roll with plain gut on those two, then something else on E and A.

Thank you for your reply! What plain gut do you suggest? The thing is that gut strings are expensive in general and I am satisfied with the value/money of gut a like strings..I played spirocores for years and I tried synthetic gut strings for the first time, as a start. The thing is that sound is good but tension is awful in d string..The string is slipping e.t.c. Have you ever used gut a like strings in general? Thanks!

 

[Don Hergert]

Not necessarily a suggestion because they may be hard to acquire in your location, but I'm using Superior Bassworks Deluxe medium tension over GHS/Innovation SilverSlaps E and A. I've been lucky, on my double bass it's a very good acoustic mix for tone, feel and volume; this mixed set does at least ~90% of what I need. You may be able to find a similar mixed set with other wound synthetics / weed-wacker type stings that are more easily available where you are...

But I wouldn't discourage you from using real guts D and G over "compatible" synthetic E and A as suggested above -- and some folks really like real gut D and G over metal strings (ie: Spirocore, Perpetuals, Polychrome) E and A.

The underlying point is of course that any given strings may sound different on each bass they are installed on, so you can easily spend a lot of time and money trying to find strings for "the best sound". At least for myself, it's been better to spend my resources working on my touch in order to find those qualities.

Best of luck, ymmv...

 

[AGCurry]

1. Yes, gut strings are more expensive, but plain gut will last for years if treated with respect.

2. D strings are usually the most difficult to "get right."

3. I have found Lenzner plain guts to be good and not too expensive. I think that in Europe you have several reasonably-priced choices.

4. The only "gut-like" strings I've experienced are Innovation Rock-a-Billy. Other than the fact that they are almost impossible to bow, they're good and not too low in tension. Innovation, now under the corporate ownership of GHS, makes several gut-like strings.

5. You may want to keep looking at the classified ads here to reduce your cost.

 

[Earl]

Why don't you just go with the Deluxe D to match the G?

 

[Ludwig]

With Gut-A-Like, the Vintage, Swingmaster, Deluxe and Swingking G and D strings are identical, the difference in the four sets is in the E and A strings. The tension of the D and G string in the four sets is much higher then the tension of D/G Hepcat version, which doesn't have enough tension for my liking.
With the E and A: Vintage are just thick synthetic strings, tension gets lower as strings get thicker. I still like the A string, but the E is too thick and too floppy. Swingmaster E and A are synthetic strings covered with roundwound copper. Deluxe have nylon wound A (almost as thick as the Vintage A, not much better and too expensive) and copper wound E (Twister). The newest Gut-A-Likes aimed at pizz/arco are the Swingking, similiar to the Swingmaster, but using flat wound copper. The Swingking E/A are the best with the bow.
My own preference with the identical D+G is a Vintage A combined with a Swingking E, but Swingmaster/Deluxe/Swingking work pretty good as whole sets.
If you are more into Slapping and not Pizz/Arco, the Hepcat D+G combined with Evah Pirazzi Slap E+A works good and is cheaper then the complete Evah Pirazzi set. I do not like Hepcat E + A, the strings get extremely thick.
At least for germany I can order any gut-a-like string as a single string in the online shop, never checked about international shipping (the company is less then an hour drive from my place).
If you like the tension of the deluxe G and don't like the tension of the hepcat D, just order a gut-a-like Vintage D.
Material of the strings are identical, tension corresponds to thickness: Gut-A-Like Slappers Delight D string has 2.4 mm thickness, Hepcat D has 2.7 mm and Vintage/Swingmaster/Deluxe/Swingking D have 3.0 mm.

 

[GeorgePanta]

With Gut-A-Like, the Vintage, Swingmaster, Deluxe and Swingking G and D strings are identical, the difference in the four sets is in the E and A strings. The tension of the D and G string in the four sets is much higher then the tension of D/G Hepcat version, which doesn't have enough tension for my liking.
With the E and A: Vintage are just thick synthetic strings, tension gets lower as strings get thicker. I still like the A string, but the E is too thick and too floppy. Swingmaster E and A are synthetic strings covered with roundwound copper. Deluxe have nylon wound A (almost as thick as the Vintage A, not much better and too expensive) and copper wound E (Twister). The newest Gut-A-Likes aimed at pizz/arco are the Swingking, similiar to the Swingmaster, but using flat wound copper. The Swingking E/A are the best with the bow.
My own preference with the identical D+G is a Vintage A combined with a Swingking E, but Swingmaster/Deluxe/Swingking work pretty good as whole sets.
If you are more into Slapping and not Pizz/Arco, the Hepcat D+G combined with Evah Pirazzi Slap E+A works good and is cheaper then the complete Evah Pirazzi set. I do not like Hepcat E + A, the strings get extremely thick.
At least for germany I can order any gut-a-like string as a single string in the online shop, never checked about international shipping (the company is less then an hour drive from my place).
If you like the tension of the deluxe G and don't like the tension of the hepcat D, just order a gut-a-like Vintage D.
Material of the strings are identical, tension corresponds to thickness: Gut-A-Like Slappers Delight D string has 2.4 mm thickness, Hepcat D has 2.7 mm and Vintage/Swingmaster/Deluxe/Swingking D have 3.0 mm.

Thank you soo much, I just looking for this answer, I will go buy deluxe d, I have heard good words for hepcat and that was the reason to buy different g and d, but due to lack of tension, it wasn't for me. If D and G is the same in vintage, swingmaster and deluxe, why the deluxe single strings d and g is more expensive than than the others? (at least at thomann) thank you your answer, it was just what I was looking for!

 

[Jay Corwin]

Thank you for your reply! What plain gut do you suggest? The thing is that gut strings are expensive in general and I am satisfied with the value/money of gut a like strings..I played spirocores for years and I tried synthetic gut strings for the first time, as a start. The thing is that sound is good but tension is awful in d string..The string is slipping e.t.c. Have you ever used gut a like strings in general? Thanks!

I have not used Gut A Like. I have used just about every other synthetic though.

I'm using Gamut Red Diamond on D and G currently. My E and A have been Innovation Slaps for a while.

The cheapest, but usable gut I've used are Lenzners. They're a good value for the cost.

 

[Ludwig]

Thank you soo much, I just looking for this answer, I will go buy deluxe d, I have heard good words for hepcat and that was the reason to buy different g and d, but due to lack of tension, it wasn't for me. If D and G is the same in vintage, swingmaster and deluxe, why the deluxe single strings d and g is more expensive than than the others? (at least at thomann) thank you your answer, it was just what I was looking for!

If you check the gut-a-like online shop | Kontrabass Shop| you will find, that the price for the deluxe D is identical to the Vintage D. Not sure, why the strings have different prices at Thomann,I have ordered from the makers shop for a few years now.