Why are String Gauges What They Are?

[PatrickJ]

What's the science behind string gauges being what they are, I.e  why did 45-65-85-105 become the norm for 4 string bass and what makes the .20 the optimum distance in gauge string to string.  I.e. a typical light gauge set would be 40-60-80-100.

Why not a .18 variation such as 42-60-78-96.  What would the implications of such a string set?  Surely the sound would be more even string to string if the gap was lower?

[itu]

How about the raw material choices? How about the modern technology, that can produce a balanced set, if needed? D'Addario has a book of strings, where tensions are listed to certain tunings. It is of interest, please study it a bit. You can buy a ready set, or build your own, just do some research which suits you best.

http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf

[hooky_lowdown]

Why is the standard bass scale 34inches???

[Maude]

Why is my 🐓 so small? 

 

 

 

 

 

That is a very small Cockerell, you have to agree. 

[Delberthot]

I use D'addario Chromes and always buy them as single strings so that I can get the gauges that I want which are 45, 60, 80, 110. They feel the most balanced to me.

In a 45, 65, 85, 105 set the A & D are a lot higher tension than the G & E with the E being the lowest tension of all

But to answer your question I have no idea why these are accepted gauges unless those were all you could get back in the day so they stuck with them to give bass players continuity.

 

[BigRedX]

There are many different factors at play here. It's not just about tension but also about the compliance of the string which is dependent upon the string construction as well as what happens to the non-speaking length of the string - things like break angles over the nut and bridge saddles. 

You'll notice that string manufacturers don't talk about "equal" tension but "balanced" tension. This is where the compliance factors in with the tension to hopefully make the strings feel roughly the same stiffness. 

In a normal bass guitar string set the D string is by far the highest tension, and then the tensions reduce as you go higher and lower, with the difference in tension being more pronounced the thicker the string is. So for a standard 4 string set the order of tensions from highest to lowest is D, G, A, E.

Remember that an increase in string thickness of 20 thousands of an inch isn't much when you consider that under normal tuning each string is 5 semi-tones apart from its neighbours. Also it seems odd that string length to pitch is a logarithmic function (the frets get closer together as you get higher in pitch) but manufacturers still produce strings with equal differences in thicknesses (linear). Ideally the difference in string thickness should increase from the G string to the E.

However, strings generally get less compliant as they get thicker, so the increase in compliance will tend to compensate for the decrease in tension. However this doesn't take into account the other factors that affect compliance such as the break angles which are out of string manufacturers control, so standard "balanced" tension strings sets are only really balanced on a Fender-style bass without through body stringing and a 4-in-line head arrangement with variable break angles over the nut for the E and A strings and for the D and G strings. If your bass doesn't follow this construction you make need to play with the gauges to achieve a "balanced" feel - usually by increasing the gauge of the E string and maybe the A as well depending on how picky you are.

[itu]

7 hours ago, BigRedX said:

...the other factors that affect compliance such as the break angles which are out of string manufacturers control, so standard "balanced" tension strings sets are only really balanced on a Fender-style bass without through body stringing and a 4-in-line head arrangement with variable break angles over the nut for the E and A strings and for the D and G strings.

How is through body stringing affecting string behaviour after it crosses the bridge?

How is tuner layout affecting string behaviour after it crosses the saddle, or the finger that presses it to the fretboard?

How do you see double ball end strings different compared to our usual suspects?

[Geek99]

25 minutes ago, itu said:

How is through body stringing affecting string behaviour after it crosses the bridge?

Pass the 🍿...

[Skybone]

I always assumed it was something to do with the gauges of the wire they used.

[BigRedX]

18 hours ago, itu said:

How is through body stringing affecting string behaviour after it crosses the bridge?

How is tuner layout affecting string behaviour after it crosses the saddle, or the finger that presses it to the fretboard?

How do you see double ball end strings different compared to our usual suspects?

Useful information on compliance here.

[itu]

Yes, the paper is good, I remember reading it some years ago. A bass has pretty small amount of string behind the saddle and the bridge. If the string slips a lot and some extra length is coming to play, the string will be out of tune while vibrating. I do not see that the paper gives many tools to discussion on electric bass. If the overlaps would be long, like over 1/4 of the playing string length (over 20 cm or 8"), and the brake angles would be very minute, the tuning and feel could change substantially while playing. During my years playing bass I have heard bigger changes in tune only with very light string sets (30 - 90, double ball end!) and really hard playing. Yes, some change in tuning is there, but I can not see (or hear) that it is that big.

If the perceived feel of the same string in two different basses is soft or hard in a blind ABX test, I would love to read such research. Another bass should be with double ball end strings to reduce the overall length to minimum.

Perceived feel and psychoacoustics play probably far bigger role here. If it feels good, it is good. Usually this type of stuff is next to impossible to measure, as the details have a lot to do with habits, experience (like muscle memory), and sensations that can not be measured with any measuring machines. It is as hard as to simplify some song or sound to one number. "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune is 8 and Free Bird is 8 and So what is 8." Say what? This is probably the reason why people try to describe many sensations with unscientific and fuzzy words that can be interpreted in many ways: "The taste is round and fruity", so what it actually is?