ABOUT BASS ROSIN - Pops, Kolstein, Petz, Wiedoeft Rosin, etc. – Quantum Bass Market

ABOUT BASS ROSIN - Pops, Kolstein, Petz, Wiedoeft Rosin, etc.

Quantum Bass Center is (as it should be) staffed by insatiably curious bassists, and yes, we give a thorough trial to anything that may offer even the smallest advantage to the challenge of playing the bass. We've tried every brand of bass rosin we can get.

YES! Always use bass rosin for the bass. There is a difference between it and violin rosin

Pops' Rosin: as one of the world's largest dealers of Pops', naturally, we advocate it for most bass playing, all brands of strings, and all types of bow hair. There are a couple of things to know. First, it works well as bass rosin because it's sticky, and it will mercilessly adhere to your bass, bridge, the inside of your bass case etc. If you're going to choose Pops', you MUST also exercise good rosin hygiene and clean it off your bass every time you play! Secondly, one of its other great features is that it contains no wax. Putting wax on your bow hair is counter to the purpose of using rosin, so this makes good sense - however, the purpose of wax in rosin is to prevent its volatile oils from evaporating, and the rosin drying out and becoming powdery. IN SHORT: no wax = great rosin with short shelf life. We also advocate keeping your Pops' in a second, sealed container, such as a Rosin Saver, to preserve it. It really helps!
USE POPS:
- if you play every day
- if you are fastidious about cleaning off rosin dust
- if you are able to replace your rosin a couple of times a year
- if you are careful about keeping it put away in its container and upright so it doesn't melt
DO NOT USE POPS:
- if you only occasionally use your bow
- if you are a slob who never cleans off your bass
- if you aren't going to replace it frequently
- if your rosin is stored in your case, your car etc.

Kolstein Rosin: it's a great bass rosin! They also make a great cello rosin. We prefer Kolstein Soft over All-Weather, as it offers more friction. It produces a nice sound, the cake is long-lasting, and it comes packaged in a flexible silicone container that (so long as you don't lose the lid) further preserves the life of the cake. Kolstein is easier to clean off your strings and your bass, and it won't melt and adhere to the inside of your case. It is a great choice if you fall into the DO NOT USE POPS category described above.

Petz No. 2: bas(s)ically, everything we can say about Kolstein Soft is true about Petz No. 2. It's extremely similar in character, though it doesn't come in a silicone container. Don't confuse it with Petz No. 1 ("Petz Premium") or Petz No. 3 (hard), which is essentially cello rosin. If you obtain your rosin here at Quantum Bass Center, as you should, the problem is solved for you, as we only stock Petz. No. 2. It has been on the market a long time, and is an outstanding, under-hyped product!

Swedish rosins: we find them to be hard and waxy. We use Swedish bass rosin on violin and cello bows.

Hypo-allergenic rosin: the bass rosin is good, though we can't say it would be a first choice over the most popular bass rosins, unless you need it for its hypo-allergenic properties. It's between a soft and medium grade.

Wiedoeft Rosin: recently re-introduced to the market, this is a high-quality rosin that produces a very nice, refined sound. It will also require more frequent replacement than the harder rosins.

WHAT IS "POPSTEIN"? It's a user-made combination of Pops' and Kolstein rosins melted together. We have not yet tried to make it in-house, but have tried customer-made Popstein, and it works exceptionally well. We have been told the procedure is to melt the rosins at the lowest possible heat on a stove burner, in a pie tin, just enough to get them to combine and be fluid enough to pour back into their containers. There is some wastage. We are not suggesting you try this if you're going to set your house on fire and sue us.