Anything wrong with using extra light strings?

[Kongo]

Nothing wrong with lighter gauges.
Now this really IS down to feel and use.
I use a hybrid gauge on both 34" and 35" of:

4-string: 45 - 65 - 80 - 100

5-string: 45 - 65 - 80 - 100 - 130

6-string: 30 - 45 - 65 - 80 - 100 - 130

Notice the trebble side be heavier yet the bass side lighter?
Because of my two hand tapping techneque, having strings too heavy at the bass end makes notes duff when I tap them.
Slightly lighter on the bass end works for me.

So try them out and if they work, congrats you just found your gauge!

[wesfinn]

nothing wrong with it at all! I use 30 - 110s on my 5 string, i get a super low action and big tone still..although the bigger bassists still bully me about it

[velvetkevorkian]

To my ear, light strings make the higher strings noticeably sweeter, without losing tone on the bottom. That said, I doubt I would go lighter than the .125 on the B string I use at the moment for tension reasons.

[Kongo]

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='526608' date='Jun 28 2009, 11:50 AM']To my ear, light strings make the higher strings noticeably sweeter, without losing tone on the bottom. That said, I doubt I would go lighter than the .125 on the B string I use at the moment for tension reasons.[/quote]

Good point actually...When I went Drop-B on a 4-string some time ago, I actually found, although I HATED how loose the string was, that the .110 E-string, now low-B, sounded better than a .130 Low-B.
But then what you say is true, a thicker string needs more tension to get to the same note as a lighter string, so you loose definition.

They introduced taperwound strings to allow low-B and thick E strings to freely move but...I don't like em.
Loose at the bridge and tight at the nut...they just don't feel right.

Nice to see a fellow SYL fan around here though.
Got Devy's new album yet? Glad he's back man.

[velvetkevorkian]

Hmm, I didn't know he'd released another. Will have to get it ordered!

[Sibob]

I use:

Standard tuning 40-100
Drop C Standard 45-105 (high tension)
5 string standard 40-125

I get on perfectly with them, never want for anything heavier!

Si

[alexclaber]

Definitely one of those things where you have to find the right balance of compromises for yourself, to get the tone, feel and playability you want.

I've always been annoyed by a lack of consistency between the string tensions, particularly the looseness on the lower strings. My final solution has been a 36" scale (which gives almost exactly the same tension as if you tube a 34" scale up a semitone) plus 38-58-78-104-134 nickel rounds. I had been looking to get 40-55-75-100-130 which would be even closer to balanced tension but have yet to find those gauges in nickel round non-tapered that's long enough.

If you like the sound of thinner strings but don't like the slackness then a longer scale can work wonders, plus it adds more sonic size to those thinner gauges.

Alex

[Golchen]

Well, I finally lashed out and got a 30-115 set for my 5 string after reading enough positive things here. My fretting hand likes them a lot, but I'm still tweaking setup to get things exactly right before making a total commitment to the new gauges.

[mcgraham]

[quote]If you like the sound of thinner strings but don't like the slackness then a longer scale can work wonders, plus it adds more sonic size to those thinner gauges.[/quote]

I like the sound and feel of thicker strings but prefer a slightly looser feel

Mark

[thodrik]

I used to be a 'the heavier the gauge the better' kind of guy. However, in the last year, I've been generally using 45-100 on my Vigier sets which have made it a lot easier to do a lot of the bass gymnastic type stuff and have been a lot kinder to my fingers (though the switch from Rotosound to D'addario nickles also helped ). I don't think my tone has suffered either, and I've been tuning the E string down to D and even B. Of course, the B sounds pretty flabby compared to a tight 5 string B, but that was what I was going for. Obviously if I was tuning any lower, tuning down all four strings or needing a tighter sound, I would need to use a heavier gauge.

That said, when I tried putting lighter strings on my P-bass for playing in standard tuning, it just didn't sound as cool as when I had thicker strings. I do think it depends on the bass. Personally I think P-basses need to sound as big and chunky as possible, even if it makes playing complicated stuff a bit more difficult! So its now 50-110. I would go heavier still, but I don't have a band playing low down-tuned riffs and I would have to do some work on my bass to fit them, which isn't worth the effort.

I would love to have a jazz bass and string it with really light strings, something like 30-90 and a 4 string P-Bass tuned to about A with silly heavy strings, but budget problems, in addition to not having bands where said basses would be needed, means its a no-go just now.

Nothing wrong with using light strings, its just down to what you want to sound like and what you want to do.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='mcgraham' post='527767' date='Jun 29 2009, 02:48 PM']I like the sound and feel of thicker strings but prefer a slightly looser feel [/quote]

Isn't your bass 33" scale? Sorted.

Alex

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='527724' date='Jun 29 2009, 01:48 PM']Definitely one of those things where you have to find the right balance of compromises for yourself, to get the tone, feel and playability you want.

I've always been annoyed by a lack of consistency between the string tensions, particularly the looseness on the lower strings. My final solution has been a 36" scale (which gives almost exactly the same tension as if you tube a 34" scale up a semitone) plus 38-58-78-104-134 nickel rounds. I had been looking to get 40-55-75-100-130 which would be even closer to balanced tension but have yet to find those gauges in nickel round non-tapered that's long enough.

If you like the sound of thinner strings but don't like the slackness then a longer scale can work wonders, plus it adds more sonic size to those thinner gauges.

Alex[/quote]

Why not get Newtone to make you custom sets? Isn't all your other kit top end or bespoke? Surely strings are the first thing after your fingers.

[fretlessguy]

First of all, you should do what's best for you and not concern yourself with what others think.

I use mainly TI Flats these days, but I keep my active 5 string Carvins strung with rounds for then I have need for a modern sound. They are the Fender 7250-5 Lights. Their gauges are .40-.115 and they are tuned BEADG. Since develping joint problems 6 years ago, I have found them to be a god send. I have less trouble playing them than mediums or heavies, and I can play for quite a while before needing an artritis break. They record well and last quite a while before going dead and needing replacing.

So, if light gauges are what you want to try, then by all means do so. It could be the thing you were looking for.

I once was sitting in with a group whose bassist was out traveling on vacation. The rhythm guitarist walked over after the first set and was looking at my bass. He then asked me what gauge strings I was using. "Lights" was my reply. He then went into this long speech about why bassists should use only medium gauge strings and only 4 string basses. The drummer (bless his heart...) told him that he (the rhythm guitarst) seemed to like it while dancing around when I was playing during the set, so sit down and shut up.

I did the gig with them. Money was nice, too. They did fire the guitarst later, from what I hear. The moral of the story: Play with what makes you happy.

FG

[doctor_of_the_bass]

Allo!

Good thread! Anyway, as Mcgraham pointed out, I tend to favour 30's on most of my working basses but do use 45s on my Rickenbacker and one of my Precisions (mainly for stuff that requires the use of a plectrum) - I personally find the 30's don't respond too well with a pick when played hard! However, for most stuff I do, the 30's do the biz (mainly due to my arthritic first finger on my right hand) - there used to be a great debate on this as I recall over on the Level 42 Webdigest as to the benefits of such light gauges! I'm of the opinion `let the amp do the work'! And of course, as has already been said, find whats best for you and you own playing style...

[Chris2112]

I used to play .30-.90 for that Mark King sound and feel...good fun, but I'm using slightly thicker strings these days.