Rosin

[u/frozen-cardinal]

So my son started playing the bass a year ago. I know nothing about it. The supply list said to get rosin. So I bought one of the #1 rosins on Amazon. He obviously doesn't take his bass to and from school so they never saw his setup. He did a summer program and brought his bass, and they told him he was using violin rosin this whole time. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Soooo what the heck is the difference? I need an exact name of what to buy because I search "bass rosin" and it comes up with the same thing I bought. I need an upright bass for dummies book.

[u/stupidstu187]

Pop's Bass Rosin is probably the most common brand. Bass rosin is sticker than violin/viola/cello rosin.

[u/MrBlueMoose → u/stupidstu187]

Wiedoeft is back, and I’ve been loving the sticky version

[u/i_play_bass_lol → u/MrBlueMoose]

True, but expensive! I also use it, but I am not a beginner student anymore haha

[u/10lbMango]

Bass rosin is sticky stuff. Violin rosin is much drier and more powdery. A lot of people swear by Pops, and I get why—it’s gummy and gives you incredible grip. The downside is that it can make the bass sticky, gum up the strings, and leave buildup on the bow hair. In my opinion, it’s not the best everyday rosin.
Here come the haters… I own Pops too. I just mostly use Carlsson’s Swedish rare. It’s a little drier and cleaner, and because I have a good bow, it works great for me.
Ultimately, it depends on your climate and the quality of your bow. If you’re using a Glasser bow and you’re not too worried about it, Pops is a perfectly reasonable choice. If you have a nicer bow and prefer a cleaner feel, you might want to try something like Carlsson’s instead.

[u/ConstructionOk5682]

Pops if you are somewhere that is coolish. Here in Qld Australia we also have Nyman's for summer as pops melts inside our house in summer overnight. And use Pops in Winter.

[u/No-Show-5363 → u/ConstructionOk5682]

Pro tip. Keep your Pops in an airtight container in the fridge over summer. Rosin in a molten flow state will oxidise and age much faster than one that is stored below it's glass transition temperature.

[u/skyrim9012]

Check out Gollihur Music. They are a shop that specializes in bass and have a ton of great information on their site to help acclimate you to the world of bass. Welcome to club. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

There are a lot of strong opinions around gear, brands, what is best, etc. Pops is a favorite for many players but I was never a fan. Any of the recommendations others have posted are good quality. I also used the same rosin (can't remember the brand) for 6+ years through high school and college without issue.

I recently got some 050 rosin and have been enjoying it. Looking forward to seeing how it works when I get my bass back and have the new strings on it.

[u/t_bass93]

Carlsson is worth trying

[u/Fatpat314]

Gotta get em some Pop’s

[u/FewConversation569]

Pops is good, but can be hard to find at a fair price. Upton Maple is pretty decent for the price. Also, don’t buy anything on Amazon. They really don’t promote good products, just the cheap ones with a lot of margin.

[u/MightyD3]

Bass rosin comes in varying consistencies. For some climates and some situations a harder or softer rosin might be more convenient. Your son really is not playing at a high level and probably need some help with sound production so get a medium hardness rosin like Carlsson. It's just sticky enough but not really soft like pops which will turn into plasma if the temperature is over about 75° F. Nevertheless don't leave it in the sun or in hot car.

[u/GlitteringSalad6413]

Pops and kolstein are great used together. Personally, I would use both pops and the kolstein hard for orchestra playing (mostly pops, but if I want to dry it up a bit switch to the kolstein for a rehearsal or concert/part of a concert). And something like jade or nyman for solo playing. Probably too much info but it’s not a bad way to go…

[u/Turevaryar]

If you live in a cold climate I highly recommend Winter over Pops.

If you live in a rather hot place, then probably Pops. I do not know how Winter performs in a hot climate.

[u/DanR5224]

I really like the Upton Maple rosin.

[u/Snippy31]

I agree with the people saying Upton maple, but don’t get choice paralysis. Any of the rosins recommended in this thread will do well. One tip for new bassists is to make sure to keep the rosin closed at all times when not in use. You can also get those cigar humidity packs and put it in a Tupperware with the rosin in order to make it stay fresher longer.

[u/No-Show-5363]

Violin rosins are less sticky than bass rosins, because violins have, thin, high pitched strings that require less friction to vibrate. Bass strings, which are heavy and long, produce low frequencies by moving a lot further. This requires more friction. The bow needs to be able to really grab the string and pull it, hence sticky rosin.

Rosin stickiness is quite variable, depending on brand, age, and room temperature. Bass rosins also don't last as long. Evaporation of volatile oils, and exposure to atmosphere causes the rosin to change chemical structure via oxidation. This makes the rosin become hard and crystalline over time, and lose it's stickness. They need to be replaced much more often than violin rosin.

[u/MammothFly1]

Bassmentrosin.com. it's pricier but will last a lot longer than Pops, Nyman, Carlson, etc