The difference a string gauge makes

[BassAdder60]

My PBass stock have all got 40-100 nickel RW and they sound great

 

My recent addition Sterling Ray34 was also fitted with new 40-100 RW strings and I struggled with the tone ( too mid focused )

Popped 45-105 Elixir RW on the Ray and it changed the tone drastically.

More deep bass and the weak G string is way better

More balanced across the strings and seems a better gauge compared to the factory stock gauge.

The PBass didn’t alter much from 45-105 but made it a tighter full sound

The Ray came alive in comparison with the larger gauge strings. Might of also been the Elixir strings adding to the warmth 

Just shows you the smallest change can make a bass a keeper or up for sale !!

[skidder652003]

elixir rool...

[OliverBlackman]

Try something like the Rotosound flats. It’s such a deep warm sound but like trying to move a boat

[paul_5]

Whenever I’ve used Roto flats I drop 0.005” per string and the tension is pretty much the same as rounds.

[Lozz196]

Yep string gauge really makes a difference, I used to use 50-110 and when I bought a set of 45-105 it seemed like all my low end had gone. I’m used to the 45-105 now after many years but it was a fair surprise at the time.

[Supernaut]

Going to a lighter gauge produces a more articulate sound to my ears. Rick Beato made a great video covering this subject:

 

 

[Clarky]

Cliff Burton and Mark King - to name two players from very different genres - used really light gauge strings (35-95 IIRC) and noone ever accused them of having a weak bass sound.

[Munurmunuh]

I'm sure that no less important a opinion could be found than mine, but I don't like Cliff Burton's bass tone, precisely because I don't like the sound of loose strings jangling away.

 

I've a weird situation where literally the same 4 strings not just sound  great on one bass and a bit underwhelming on another, but feel it, too. What's going on there, I've no idea. I can see there are plenty of variables, but have no idea which are the ones making the difference. 

[Clarky]

1 hour ago, Clarky said:

Cliff Burton and Mark King - to name two players from very different genres - used really light gauge strings (35-95 IIRC) and not many accused them of having a weak bass sound.

OK, edited Ricky!

[Munurmunuh]

19 minutes ago, Clarky said:

OK, edited Ricky!

 

I was expected something more like "....only inconsequential fools...." 

 

[lownote]

Gauge - and brand.   I have been trying to replace the flats on my cheap Revelation fretless, which i love but they're old and getting weak at the head end through repeated bending back and forth.  After taking advice on here based on the silk colour (black both ends) I thought they must be Dunlops.  £68 !!!!!! later I put the Dunlops on and found they sounded and felt nothing like my old strings. Belatedly Lee at Strings Direct said they could be Picato. Result! Now I can come out as a Picato lover.  Incidentally, I also love La Bella RX nickel rounds which no one seems to know about but I and a few others have diiscovered and are far better than anythinbg else I'ce tried (YMMVobv).  At my persuasion Lee is now going to stock the RXs. 

[uk_lefty]

Changing strings is a great way to change your tone. It's easy to just buy what you always had but changing gauge, material and shape of strings can really breathe life into a bass you're not bonding with.... Then you can go through the whole process again later :). Over the last twenty years my fretless has probably had everything except those weird neon coloured strings and each time it gets new strings it sounds different.

[miles'tone]

8 hours ago, lownote said:

Gauge - and brand.   I have been trying to replace the flats on my cheap Revelation fretless, which i love but they're old and getting weak at the head end through repeated bending back and forth.  After taking advice on here based on the silk colour (black both ends) I thought they must be Dunlops.  £68 !!!!!! later I put the Dunlops on and found they sounded and felt nothing like my old strings. Belatedly Lee at Strings Direct said they could be Picato. Result! Now I can come out as a Picato lover.  Incidentally, I also love La Bella RX nickel rounds which no one seems to know about but I and a few others have diiscovered and are far better than anythinbg else I'ce tried (YMMVobv).  At my persuasion Lee is now going to stock the RXs. 

Yes Picato. Fun fact - the Revelation warehouse and the Picato factory are close by to each other in South Wales 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[Supernaut]

On 08/07/2022 at 11:18, lownote said:

Gauge - and brand.   I have been trying to replace the flats on my cheap Revelation fretless, which i love but they're old and getting weak at the head end through repeated bending back and forth.  After taking advice on here based on the silk colour (black both ends) I thought they must be Dunlops.  £68 !!!!!! later I put the Dunlops on and found they sounded and felt nothing like my old strings. Belatedly Lee at Strings Direct said they could be Picato. Result! Now I can come out as a Picato lover.  Incidentally, I also love La Bella RX nickel rounds which no one seems to know about but I and a few others have diiscovered and are far better than anythinbg else I'ce tried (YMMVobv).  At my persuasion Lee is now going to stock the RXs. 

I tried RXs in 2016 and used them for around six months or so. Great strings that have become harder to find here since Brexit. 

[Lozz196]

Could also be as a result (or combination) of the pandemic, I use Elixirs and luckily they last a long time as for a while they were really difficult to source.

[Supernaut]

Ha. 
 

No. 

[Lozz196]

Elixir are based in the US.

 

The US also had problems with supplies of these over the last couple of years - read about it on Talkbass.

 

Covid affected the whole world.

 

It’s not outside the realms of sensibility to think that a worldwide pandemic may affect supplies of items worldwide.
 

Couple this with the changes that the b-word has undoubtedly brought items could be doubly affected, depending on where companies are based, items manufactured, supply chain routes etc.

 

But in the case of musicians in the US unable to source strings made in the US, by a US company?
 

Blaming the b-word for  that, really?

 

And aren’t LaBella based in New York? 

 

[4000]

On 08/07/2022 at 09:15, Clarky said:

Cliff Burton and Mark King - to name two players from very different genres - used really light gauge strings (35-95 IIRC) and noone ever accused them of having a weak bass sound.

MK actually uses 30-90, or did in his heyday. Stuart Zender also used 35-95 in Jamiroquai. Wonderful tone IMO. 
 

Had to be said though that changing string manufacturer or type will often also make a huge difference, it’s not just string gauge that does. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by 4000

[Munurmunuh]

On 07/07/2022 at 18:30, paul_5 said:

Whenever I’ve used Roto flats I drop 0.005” per string and the tension is pretty much the same as rounds.

 

The jump up in tension between their 40-100 and 45-105 flats is unusually big, much bigger than the jump between their 45-105 and 50-110 rounds:

Roto Bass 45-105 — 185 lbs
Roto Bass 50-110 — 197 lbs

 

SM77 flats 40-100 — 179 lbs

RS77LD flats 45-105 — 215 lbs

 

The tone of the heavier flats is very tempting, but that 215 lbs.... eeekhhhh. 

[Munurmunuh]

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

It’s not outside the realms of sensibility to think that a worldwide pandemic may affect supplies of items worldwide.

 

I think it was the flat wire for the outer layer of flatwounds that was in short supply for a while, if I'm remembering what was being reported on TB correctly.

 

America has been in very short supply of Indonesian Yamaha basses recently, poor mites.

[4000]

I’ve just checked and Zender actually used 35-90, so an old interview says. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

On 08/07/2022 at 08:46, Supernaut said:

Going to a lighter gauge produces a more articulate sound to my ears. Rick Beato made a great video covering this subject:

 

 

Although I have had favourite bass string sets ever since I started playing flats around 2000, I have never had a 'favourite' guitar string until recently. After trying various brands and gauges recently I have standardised on Fender 'super 250' .009–.042 on my (electric) guitars. This was based on feel as much as the sound. The super 250's come in a handy pack of three sets for £10.80 from amazon. The vintera mustang I bought recently has unknown strings on it which I think are 10s, so I'm looking forward to hearing how it will sound when I put on a set of the fender 9s.

 

It is interesting that to my ears the 9s sounded best in the video with the 10s and the 11s having a slightly more 'muffled' quality. I have tried 8s previously but for me the high E breaks far too often.

[40hz]

I've experimented with all gauges over the years, settling on 40-95.

 

IMO, gauge makes zero difference to tone. My 35-95's were just as powerful and bassy as a standard 45-105 set. 

 

You could get a slightly twangier tone if needed, due to the pliability of them, but IMO, Wrap material, core construction, etc, are the real sources of tonal differences. 

[Rib13Bass]

I use roundwound .40s -- my attitude is "Theyre bass strings: they are already big!" 🤣

[4000]

8 hours ago, 40hz said:

I've experimented with all gauges over the years, settling on 40-95.

 

IMO, gauge makes zero difference to tone. My 35-95's were just as powerful and bassy as a standard 45-105 set. 

 

You could get a slightly twangier tone if needed, due to the pliability of them, but IMO, Wrap material, core construction, etc, are the real sources of tonal differences. 

IME it typically makes a big difference. Not necessarily better or worse either way, just different. But you can always compensate to some degree with eq.