best strings for...

[tallicabassist0]

well my bass ive noticed makes a click sound due to the strings tapping the pick up

Ive used DRs hi rider but the 2 lowest strings are a spare of some brand i dont know

any recommendations on a string brand/different gauge that may have a lower flexibility so it wont tap the pickups?
ive raised the action but i really dont want it up much higher then itd just be ridiculous

also this clicking occurs when i play on the E string of the bass, usually never the higher ones

[RCCollins]

have you tried lowering the pickups?

[capnsandwich]

You may want to look at your technique. If you're hitting the strings too hard or in a downward motion then you will always make that sound no matter what strings you use. If neither of those two are the problems then you may try to lower the pickups. Still, if that doesn't work then try a set of DR low Riders or Sadowsky strings, since they're both hex-core strings and are stiffer than the round core Hi Beams. Any hex-core string will be stiffer than round core strings IMO and IME.

[Solarmist]

Are you sure its "hitting" the pickups, and not the next fret up? Does it happen the instant you strike the string? Play it unplugged, and check for sure - somebody last week was asking about that same thing. If you have roundwounds, and your treble turned up with a horn - it is quite evident on the E string (less tension/heavier gauge = greater inertia).

[tallicabassist0]

Originally Posted by Solarmist

Are you sure its "hitting" the pickups, and not the next fret up? Does it happen the instant you strike the string? Play it unplugged, and check for sure - somebody last week was asking about that same thing. If you have roundwounds, and your treble turned up with a horn - it is quite evident on the E string (less tension/heavier gauge = greater inertia).

yea ive tried it with and without the amp on, i play a bit around and notice the same clicking i heard in the recording.

also when im plugged in, when i tap the strings purposely on the pickup it has the same click sound, so thats why i assume thats what it is

i also notice when i pluck, the angle of my fingers go in a downward motion, sorta like slapping but still plucking tho not as perpendicular.
it also doesnt happen when i play closer to the bridge, but with that the tone isnt as full


for an audio example here is my bands myspace page, and the song Leave it Alone starts with just drums and bass, and you'll see exactly what the clicking is

www.myspace.com/eraserhead0508

[peakdesign]

I kinda consider that one of the MANY percussive effects a bass can produce . If you don't want to lower the pickups any further, have you tried black vinyl electrical tape over the pickups? It's soft and elastic enough to dampen the click, you could put on more than one layer even, has no effect of course on the magnetics, and is pretty invisible on black pickups. Then again, you could try yellow tape for a special look. You could even cut cute little animal shapes in a top black layer, and have a yellow layer show through.

[tallicabassist0]

Originally Posted by peakdesign

I kinda consider that one of the MANY percussive effects a bass can produce . If you don't want to lower the pickups any further, have you tried black vinyl electrical tape over the pickups? It's soft and elastic enough to dampen the click, you could put on more than one layer even, has no effect of course on the magnetics, and is pretty invisible on black pickups. Then again, you could try yellow tape for a special look. You could even cut cute little animal shapes in a top black layer, and have a yellow layer show through.

hm im actually considering giving that a go

im gonna grab a new set of strings, clean my bass and then put the tape on it

so it doesnt effect the tone either? like muffling it at all

[hasbeen]

another poster asked if you've tried lowering the pup?...I'm not sure if you answered that yet.

[tallicabassist0]

Originally Posted by hasbeen

another poster asked if you've tried lowering the pup?...I'm not sure if you answered that yet.

not yet, im gonna do that when i get a new set of strings, which is whenever i get to guitar center really

[peakdesign]

Originally Posted by tallicabassist0

hm im actually considering giving that a go

im gonna grab a new set of strings, clean my bass and then put the tape on it

so it doesnt effect the tone either? like muffling it at all

No, no effect at all, it's the magnetic coupling that creates the sound, no sound is passed from string to pickup, you could put a half inch stack of layers on and it wouldn't affect the sound except by requiring you to raise the strings . The vinyl electrical tape just dampens the impact when the string or your fingers hit it, and especially it prevents that loud click when the string actually contacts the magnet in the pickup, metal to metal. It works very well and has no side effects other than the tape coming off in time, or the edges lifting up and being sticky. Then you just rip it off, cut a new piece (or two), apply it and it's new as rain. You can experiment to see if one layer does the trick for how hard the string hits, or if you should add more layers. It's very simple and low tech. It obviously helps to clean the pickup with some alcohol on a q-Tip before applying the tape if it's dusty or dirty. Vinyl takes on the shape of the pickup if you press it down with a q-tip, including protruding poles if they don't stick out too much.