The temptation of gut and gutlike stings grow stronger with each day. I've told myself that I'll make the transition when one of my Spiros break, which will probably be never 😎
It's definitely something worth to try out. However, as someone who also switched from steel strings to gut strings, I can tell that it takes some effort (=days to weeks) to adapt to the different feel of gut(-a-like) strings in order to bring out a good sound. They are thicker, have much lower tension and, thus, feel quite different in both left and right hands. I'd also recommend to try some thinner gut strings first, maybe Olivs (D+G only) or Evah Pirazzi Slap (gut version), since the gut-a-like strings, in particular the E and A string, are very thick and require modifications to the nut. Otherwise the wrapping will break.
Hi Hervé, thank you very much for the great demo and great playing! Actually the darker sound of the D string immediately stood out to me and would bother me. The rest of the strings sounds very good in my opinion.
Nice demo 🙂 I've been using the Gut-a-like 'Hebcat' set for a couple of years now, very content with them. They are great for slapping, easy on the fingers. The arco sound is also very nice, a bit hoarse. I'm glad you demonstrated that with these SwingKing strings.
Encore une superbe vidéo. Excellent je trouve que ces cordes te vont très bien. Je pense que c'est le genre de son que tu aimes, après ça peut-être agréable aux oreilles mais pas forcément sous les doigts 😁 à l'archet ça sonne je trouve (quoique peut-être un peu faiblard dans les aigus). PS: j'adore la ligne de basse au passage "groove", et le solo en fin de vidéo est savoureux 😉
Great review and demo as always. I recently saw this set pop up online recently and was curious how much they differed from the Swingmasters. They sound excellent. Your reviews were actually the reason I made the switch from Innovations (Psycho Slaps) to Gut-A-Like. I went with the all plain 'Vintage' set, as I do primarily slap, and they've been great. Funny though, they have the same low tension quirk with the D string. Must be a Gut-A-Like thing I guess. Anyway, thanks again.
Hi, really love your channel its super informative and inspiring! I wanted to ask if you've ever tried or would consider doing a video on the UptonBass Clef Gut strings and what they sound like in both a Pizz and Arco context? Thanks for the great videos!
Thank you very much for your feedback. I am open to testing any string a manufacturer would send me. If you have a possibility to recommend me to Upton Bass that could be helpful (some manufacturers I contacted in the past didn't respond to my suggestion of testing their strings.) PS : I don't know these strings, never tried them.
Do they offer a heavier gauge D string that would more closely match the tone and tension of the G? Also, i really appreciate your videos. Excellent playing and information.
Are these “soft tension” strings. I’ve never used guts before!!! Am considering buying a set of the swing kings. I’m currently playing evah pirazzi weich on my Upton bass. Thanks for any advice. Dave
I'm looking for a simple effects pedal to link to my double bass with gut strings, i only want a couple of different effects, ie;dirty sound, distorted and a clean or heavier sound, can you advise on what would be best as I'm struggling to find anything.
Hi, I have nearly zero experience with effects on double bass. I own a Zoom B3 but never really use it. Still, I think it is a very good multi effect device.
They look and feel a little different than Garbo and Anima, it's difficult to describe. But after playing 10 years Garbo, I changed for a while to Swing master, and I liked that. It's a more old school sound, less harmonics in the tone but very punchy.
Unfortunately, there is no string on the market that can replace Garbo. You can go in a more old school direction and play real gut strings or gut-a-like. Or you go in a more modern direction and use something like Innovation Silver slaps or Pirastro Oliv G+D/Evah A+E. But Garbo was really half way between these concepts. Gerold Genssler hat a set called J-Roque, that was a good replacement but my last information is, that he doesn't make them right now.
Bonjour, je Slap sur des Superior (musique country blues rockab psycho), je voudrais comparer avec les Gut a Like pour ma contre semi massive, pour vous quelles cordes de la gamme Gut a like ont le meilleur "sustain" notamment sur le mi pour éviter le côté un peu flat du mi sur ce type de jeu. Merci d avance. Super vos vidéos !!
Bonjour, perso je trouve que les Swing King (E et A) ont le plus de sustain. Comme j'ai dit dans la vidéo, elles ont aussi une tension relativement élevée pour du "boyau", mais dans certains autres jeux de boyau (p.ex. Pirastro Chorda) c'est similaire.
....thanks for these string reviews herve ...i bought a set of gut-a-like swing master strings about 5 years ago, the wound e / a smelled so strong of glue (had glue residue on them too) that i could not use them and had to throw them away ....i kept and used the plain nylon d / g and like them very much, they are still on one of my basses with e /a evah pirazzi slap ...gut-a-like website says that swing master / swing king no longer use glue ...is this true ? ...i just can't use toxic smelling strings ! ...please advise
Thanks for sharing your experience. I will try to get some information from the manufacturer. (You could also try to contact him directly). I once also had a set with residues, it was still okay but of course it would be better without residues.
Loving the sound of these strings along with the atm 35. Your string matrix recordings database is amazing. Thank You.
Thank you Simon!
Very good description of all of the strings, Herve’. Now, it’s just a matter of picking one😀!
You sound really great with these strings! Thanks for the video!
Thank you very much Johannes!
Great stuff! Also wonderful version of You And The Night And The Music. I forgot what a great tune it is!
Thank you very much!
The temptation of gut and gutlike stings grow stronger with each day. I've told myself that I'll make the transition when one of my Spiros break, which will probably be never 😎
That's very possible, spiros can last forever. And they sound good too, but in a very different way.
@@stringmatrix Very true. I also guesstimate them to be 15 years old, so they're nice and dull now
It's definitely something worth to try out. However, as someone who also switched from steel strings to gut strings, I can tell that it takes some effort (=days to weeks) to adapt to the different feel of gut(-a-like) strings in order to bring out a good sound. They are thicker, have much lower tension and, thus, feel quite different in both left and right hands. I'd also recommend to try some thinner gut strings first, maybe Olivs (D+G only) or Evah Pirazzi Slap (gut version), since the gut-a-like strings, in particular the E and A string, are very thick and require modifications to the nut. Otherwise the wrapping will break.
Hi Hervé, thank you very much for the great demo and great playing! Actually the darker sound of the D string immediately stood out to me and would bother me. The rest of the strings sounds very good in my opinion.
Nice demo 🙂 I've been using the Gut-a-like 'Hebcat' set for a couple of years now, very content with them. They are great for slapping, easy on the fingers. The arco sound is also very nice, a bit hoarse. I'm glad you demonstrated that with these SwingKing strings.
Thanks! Yes Arco is quite pleasing on those strings!
Encore une superbe vidéo. Excellent je trouve que ces cordes te vont très bien. Je pense que c'est le genre de son que tu aimes, après ça peut-être agréable aux oreilles mais pas forcément sous les doigts 😁 à l'archet ça sonne je trouve (quoique peut-être un peu faiblard dans les aigus).
PS: j'adore la ligne de basse au passage "groove", et le solo en fin de vidéo est savoureux 😉
Merci Romain. Oui tu as raison, elles sont un peu faibles dans les aigus à l'archet, mais quand même étonnamment agréable à jouer arco.
Great review and demo as always. I recently saw this set pop up online recently and was curious how much they differed from the Swingmasters. They sound excellent. Your reviews were actually the reason I made the switch from Innovations (Psycho Slaps) to Gut-A-Like. I went with the all plain 'Vintage' set, as I do primarily slap, and they've been great. Funny though, they have the same low tension quirk with the D string. Must be a Gut-A-Like thing I guess. Anyway, thanks again.
Thank you very much, I'm glad I made you discover this company!
Hi, really love your channel its super informative and inspiring! I wanted to ask if you've ever tried or would consider doing a video on the UptonBass Clef Gut strings and what they sound like in both a Pizz and Arco context? Thanks for the great videos!
Thank you very much for your feedback. I am open to testing any string a manufacturer would send me. If you have a possibility to recommend me to Upton Bass that could be helpful (some manufacturers I contacted in the past didn't respond to my suggestion of testing their strings.) PS : I don't know these strings, never tried them.
@@stringmatrix Okay awesome thank you for the reply, am thinking of leaning towards an Efrano set at some point mainly for jazz and a good bit of Arco
You’re an excellent player as well…I wanted to edit my prior comment and include this, but oh well…
Do they offer a heavier gauge D string that would more closely match the tone and tension of the G? Also, i really appreciate your videos. Excellent playing and information.
Thank you! No, I don't think they do. I was also wondering why the tensions don't match the way I am used to. I don't know the reason, sorry!
Are these “soft tension” strings. I’ve never used guts before!!! Am considering buying a set of the swing kings. I’m currently playing evah pirazzi weich on my Upton bass. Thanks for any advice. Dave
Yes the top strings have a low tension. You will have to adapt compared to Evah weich!
I'm looking for a simple effects pedal to link to my double bass with gut strings, i only want a couple of different effects, ie;dirty sound, distorted and a clean or heavier sound, can you advise on what would be best as I'm struggling to find anything.
Hi, I have nearly zero experience with effects on double bass. I own a Zoom B3 but never really use it. Still, I think it is a very good multi effect device.
Would they look like Velvet Garbo / Anima? (Sorry for my English...)
They look and feel a little different than Garbo and Anima, it's difficult to describe.
But after playing 10 years Garbo, I changed for a while to Swing master, and I liked that. It's a more old school sound, less harmonics in the tone but very punchy.
@@stringmatrix I got it, thanks. For you who used Velvet Garbo, which rope do you think would be an approximate replacement?
Unfortunately, there is no string on the market that can replace Garbo. You can go in a more old school direction and play real gut strings or gut-a-like. Or you go in a more modern direction and use something like Innovation Silver slaps or Pirastro Oliv G+D/Evah A+E. But Garbo was really half way between these concepts.
Gerold Genssler hat a set called J-Roque, that was a good replacement but my last information is, that he doesn't make them right now.
hello can you tell me something about the gauges of this strings??
They are quite think, similar to a gut set. G/D might be even thicker.
Bonjour, je Slap sur des Superior (musique country blues rockab psycho), je voudrais comparer avec les Gut a Like pour ma contre semi massive, pour vous quelles cordes de la gamme Gut a like ont le meilleur "sustain" notamment sur le mi pour éviter le côté un peu flat du mi sur ce type de jeu. Merci d avance. Super vos vidéos !!
Bonjour, perso je trouve que les Swing King (E et A) ont le plus de sustain. Comme j'ai dit dans la vidéo, elles ont aussi une tension relativement élevée pour du "boyau", mais dans certains autres jeux de boyau (p.ex. Pirastro Chorda) c'est similaire.
Where can i get a set if you be so kind
Right now they are not available. But soon via this website: www.slap-strings.com/gut-a-like-swingking/
@@stringmatrix tanks soo much o love yours vids congratulaciones!!
....thanks for these string reviews herve ...i bought a set of gut-a-like swing master strings about 5 years ago, the wound e / a smelled so strong of glue (had glue residue on them too) that i could not use them and had to throw them away ....i kept and used the plain nylon d / g and like them very much, they are still on one of my basses with e /a evah pirazzi slap ...gut-a-like website says that swing master / swing king no longer use glue ...is this true ? ...i just can't use toxic smelling strings ! ...please advise
Thanks for sharing your experience. I will try to get some information from the manufacturer. (You could also try to contact him directly). I once also had a set with residues, it was still okay but of course it would be better without residues.
Sounds awesome, except... for that D string. Not just it's volume, it's the tone - it sounds like a bad ('dud') string. Like, it's pre-choked. :^{
OK. D strings are often more dark (or sometimes more dull) than the others in gut sets.