EADGC - What is the most natural sounding brand of string for this

[SteveC]

I am thinking about changing up my 5'er and going E-C instead of B-G. I know on 6 strings the C can sound more "guitar-like" than a higher "bass" string. For those that do this, what strings have you had success with?

[Meatrus]

I'm using Rotosound (66, steel) on my 6er, and it doesnt sound guitar like at all to me. Maybe its the gauge causing the guitar like ones to sound that way?

[The modifier]

Have you considered a flat wound C ?

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by SteveC

I am thinking about changing up my 5'er and going E-C instead of B-G. I know on 6 strings the C can sound more "guitar-like" than a higher "bass" string. For those that do this, what strings have you had success with?

I am primarily a 6 string player, and like exposed core strings such as LaBella.

The core going over the saddle allows the strings to be very soft, like you are playing light gauge strings, but the string vibrating over the pickups is round wound and thick, giving the instrument, including the C string, a fuller bass sound as opposed to a thinner guitar sound.

Also, for years most basses were 34 inches in scale length, and we were all fine with that...

Until B strings started appearing on basses.

Addressing the problem of floppy Bs, bass makers started making 35 inch scale length basses.

The problem is, that doesn't just tighten the B string, it tightens ALL the strings.

Well, no one cared about that until C strings started appearing on more basses... C strings which sound tinny and un-bass-like.

Now the 35 inches which tightened the B string was bad for the C.

In other words, if your bass is 35 inches in scale length, you might always be more satisfied with it string BEADG instead of EADGC, even if you use exposed core strings.

[darkstorm]

When Ive has a fiver Ive allways ended up restringing it for eadgb or eadgc. The fomer more often just like the top 5 on guitar. Your not going to get guitar like tone, its the wrong octave. However you can get nice bass guitar sound with heavy overdrive and some distortions. Rotosound and GHS have wroked well for me when Ive had fivers strung that way. Getting a fiver with very narrow string spaceing would also help with a more guitar like sound since such requires multi string strumming a lot and closer string spaceing gives closer to guitar like note stacking since each string is struck sooner as you strum up or down across them. More like a guitar. Take a guitar and give it a neck with more bass like string spaceing and it too wont sound right guitar wise for chord strumming due to too much delay in string to string sounding.