Thinking of going lighter guage?

wyleeboxer · #1 01-27-2009, 11:55 AM

I use D'addario EXL165 45-105 nickles and love the all around sound, but the sting tension can still work my hands for some of the faster runs, slappin", and 3 hour sets... So, I was wondering if any of you have tried lighter 040, .060, .080, .100 strings on your L2000, any loss of low end or punch, short life span, or maybe to much fret buzz?
I might just grab a set of the LaBellas' nickles at Carvin on the way home to try out, of course a quick truss rod adj on my L2000 may be in order. I play this bass in a funk/Disco/R&B 5 piece cover band with my RS115 combo and ext 115 cab..

Nedmundo · #2 01-27-2009, 12:08 PM

I've used a few sets of the D'Addarios in 45-100, and I've always liked them. I have a set on my DiPinto semi-hollow now. I'm not sure I'd like the lighter gauge on G and D strings though.

For an MFD bass, you should definitely check out DR Lo-Riders 45-105. I have some on my L-1500. They sound great, and have lower tension than just about any other string I've tried. It took a bit for me to get used to them for that reason.

BKing · #3 01-27-2009, 12:52 PM

I use 040, .060, .080, .100 DR Lo Riders on my L2K. I love 'em. Very easy on the fingers and they sound fantastic.

Ben

Mike151 · #4 01-27-2009, 12:54 PM

I use 40 - 95 and am very pleased with the sound with the exception of wanting for more bass on the D and G string mainly when the guitar goes to lead.
I'm going to try to compensate for that with a SWR Big Ben.

wyleeboxer · #5 01-27-2009, 01:01 PM

I'll probably give the d'addario EXL170 45-65-80-100 a try? I like the 45-65 on my current set, I just never wanted to give up any bottom by using 80-100's, but Im sure were splitting hairs here and if they can give me more ease on my hands without sacrificing low end then Im all for it!

Nedmundo · #6 01-27-2009, 01:21 PM

Yeah, you won't be giving up much low end. Some, but not much. And an L-2000 would probably have plenty of low end with chicken wire for strings anyway!

When I got back into playing six years ago, I always used 45-100, but switched to .105 or even .110 E strings to use with drop-tuners. I figured the extra tension would help there, and it seems to. The heavier strings do sound thicker (or thicker strings sound heavier, however you want to phrase it

), but it's not like night and day. The type of string seems more important IME. YMMV, etc.

The DR's are lots more expensive than the D'Addarios, but if you want low tension you should give them a try.

BobaMosfett · #7 01-27-2009, 03:52 PM

My L2K wears DR Sunbeams (45-105), and after trying Nickel Lo-Riders I can say the Sunbeams have even lower tension. Liked the Lo-Riders, but I love the Sunbeams!!

wyleeboxer · #8 01-27-2009, 04:34 PM

well I through on the EXL170's and yes the light guage is obvious, they feel more manageable already, but not sure about the sound yet? I was playing through my tascam bass trainer and headphones, first impression is that the E & A dont sound as heavy?? but a little tweakin' with the bass tone should fix it live.. thanks guys for your imput

unclejane · #9 01-27-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyleeboxer

well I through on the EXL170's and yes the light guage is obvious, they feel more manageable already, but not sure about the sound yet? I was playing through my tascam bass trainer and headphones, first impression is that the E & A dont sound as heavy?? but a little tweakin' with the bass tone should fix it live.. thanks guys for your imput

I used the EXL170 5-string sets on my L2500 for a while and actually didn't like them. The B was 10 times louder than all the rest of the strings and would just blow up the amp anytime I touched it,. They were also too bright for my tastes even a month after putting them on they had too much zing.

I use the .100 Chrome flats on it now and it's perfect with those, the B is perfectly even with the other strings, I get a good dull pop when I pluck over the bridge PU and they don't tear up my fingerboard.

As for my L2000, I ran EXL220's on it for years, those are .95 guage and they sounded really, really good once they died down. Very poppy and agressive. The only problem was the intonation was really touchy with them (and being rounds they were grooving the fingerboard pretty bad). I have .100 chrome flats on it now and it's still pretty good (tho I actually don't play my 2000 that much anymore).

But yeah I agree, .105 is too heavy, they weaken the sound a fair bit. .100's or even .95's will give a really hot, agressive attack...

LS

cbass1 · #10 01-28-2009, 09:08 AM

I use DR nickel loriders 40-100's and that is it. They are aweome (for me) and anytime I play a bass that has 45-105's my hands turn to mush. I get no less sustain, tone, low end, They Sound the same, so why play a heavier guage?

vroc38 · #11 01-28-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyleeboxer

I'll probably give the d'addario EXL170 45-65-80-100 a try? I like the 45-65 on my current set, I just never wanted to give up any bottom by using 80-100's, but Im sure were splitting hairs here and if they can give me more ease on my hands without sacrificing low end then Im all for it!

I have EXL170s on my L2000 and my ASATs. No shortage of booty here.

ljazz · #12 01-29-2009, 02:31 AM

Or......

Try the TI SA's. Still standard .105-.045 gauge, but a lot less tension than even the lighter gauged DA's. About the only drawback for me is that I too detune the E, so I have to be careful when dropped. But honestly.... I have to be just as careful with the .105 Loriders. (DA's, even in the .100 variety handle the hipshot a lot better).

I love DR SS Loriders, and have used them for ever on my Jazz Bass (and still do... ooohhhh the sound of SS rounds on a jazz bass!), but I absolutely hate them on the L2K. The neck MFD is just too much for them, and they get boomy. It almost has a "chorus" effect on the E string, and the higher notes sound kinda "compressed". The nickel version wasn't much better. I do need to try Sunbeams on it one day.

Ljazz

wyleeboxer · #13 01-29-2009, 10:36 AM

I'll get a better perspective on the 170's at practice tuesday, and trying to play them as much as I can to get them to "Die" a little bit! DA's take forever... tho I'm really liking the lower tension so far, and there isnt as much fret buzz as I thought, hence no truss rod adjustment either...

wyleeboxer · #14 02-09-2009, 11:27 AM

Well ive had the strings on for about 2 weeks now and I havent noticed any drop off in bottom and the sound is actually more open, of course Im still waiting for the strings to die down a bit.. but they are much easier to play since I pluck over the bridge pup.

The one thing Im still trying to get used to is the D and G strings, they are the same guage as my previous sets 45-65 for the past 20 years

. The tension feels a bit unbalanced now compared to the A and E strings 80-100, maybe its something I need to just get used to? I may try the 40-60 strings to see if there is a big loss or not in tone?

Second question: why is lighter guage strings better for lower action, atleast thats what I hear?

Mike151 · #15 02-09-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyleeboxer

Second question: why is lighter guage strings better for lower action, atleast thats what I hear?

Think about it this way.
If you take a very large fat cable and string it tight next to a fine wire and pluck each one of them, the mass of the larger cable is going to flop around alot more than the fine wire.
Put this into the scale of bass strings and the bigger the string, the more mass to flop it around. The smaller strings won't smack the frets as much due to their light mass.
Have you ever seen a high speed video of a guitar string?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFXFkgqYkck

Nedmundo · #16 02-09-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike151

Think about it this way.
If you take a very large fat cable and string it tight next to a fine wire and pluck each one of them, the mass of the larger cable is going to flop around alot more than the fine wire.
Put this into the scale of bass strings and the bigger the string, the more mass to flop it around. The smaller strings won't smack the frets as much due to their light mass.

But, assuming you're comparing different gauges of the same string type, won't the additional tension of the heavier gauge reduce the excursion, and thus counterbalance the additional mass? I really don't know. I'm just curious.

Mike151 · #17 02-09-2009, 02:56 PM

That would be a physics question so I guess I shouldn't have gone there.....
I've just seen high speed video of a bass guitar and the big strings just seem to have so much wobble compared to the thin ones. I used to run my action really low when I played progressive metal with alot of scales and the thinner strings just had less buzz smack.

wyleeboxer · #18 02-09-2009, 03:01 PM

thanks mike151... sounds good in theory, but Im wondering if there is something else to it? I've always thought that a heavier gauge/higher tension string would be more like striking a steel fence post as opposed to a buggy whip, meaning less movement with the fence post.