String tension and a funk and metal string?

[BanjoChris]

Hi all,

I'm a relative newcomer to bass from guitar and banjo. I'm going to be playing in an 80's metal cover band plus I'm learning slap bass at the same time for fun. I've just upgraded from my first bass a Yamaha rbx270 to my second a BB614 and the 614 came with Dr Neon green medium gauge strings. The 614 also came with a generic set of roundwounds. I'm playing a couple of Maiden songs including The Trooper and with the Dr Neon stings I found that I couldn't pluck the strings fast enough for the Steve Harris gallop because they felt a bit sticky/slow over the finger tips. However they did have a really nice thump when I slapped which I liked a lot. However the two thinnest strings sounded a little dull.

I've put on the roundwounds and now I can get the speed but only when I pluck near to the end of the fretboard where there's less tension. The roundwounds look like a smaller gauge to my eye, no info on the packet, and there's less thump which I miss. Does a lighter gauge mean higher tension?

I think maybe I need to get a set of medium gauge roundwounds. The Elites have been recommended to me. Are Rotosound Swings similar? I'm also using a pick for some songs.

Any advice much appreciated!

Cheers,

Chris.

[thodrik]

I think that a lot of it is down to practice. A lot of funk bassists play light/medium gauge stainless steel strings (40-95 or 45-100/105). If you are playing 80s metal in standard tuning, the same set should be fine. Steve Harris generally uses a 50-110 set of flatwounds though, which provide a different sound altogether.

Lighter gauge strings have less tension than larger strings tuned to the same pitch.

Edited August 20, 2013 by thodrik

[BanjoChris]

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1377014705' post='2182246']
I think that a lot of it is down to practice. A lot of funk bassists play light/medium gauge stainless steel strings (40-95 or 45-100/105). If you are playing 80s metal in standard tuning, the same set should be fine. Steve Harris generally uses a 50-110 set of flatwounds though, which provide a different sound altogether.

Lighter gauge strings have less tension than larger strings tuned to the same pitch.
[/quote]

Thanks Thodrik. The Elites arrived yesterday, 45-105. The thump has returned and I'm able to do the galloping over the p pick up again as the right spot where the strings are not too loose or too tight has moved back from the neck. I think the other strings must have been a lighter gauge as I'm getting a little more bow in the neck again and I was able to drop the action down again at the saddles.

I noticed that the Elites are not polished (shiny) as much as the other strings were and so are a little bit rougher on the fingers but I can get used to that.