Flats String Guage Question

[shawshank72]

I have been thinking of buying some single strings from juststrings.com
Right now I usually have the .45/.65/.85/.105 setup.
Was thinking of going to a .50/.70/.90/.100 setup.
Is this a good idea? How much of a difference would this make in sound and feel?
I have always felt like the A,D, and G strings needed more meat but that the E could go down a little.
Does a change by .05 make a big difference? or do I need to go to a .10 change in guage?
Would using different brands be a no-no or should I just use one brand?

[Schizoid75]

I imagine you're going to get a lot of "It's up to you; try it and see what you think" replies. And here's your first! One person's major difference is another person's imperceptible change. You may find that .05 is all you need, you may decide it's too much, or you may decide it's not enough. I would start there.

[jessicabass]

I would say go for it, I became a flats user some months back and I love it!
In my experiences you sure can tell the difference in sound and feel with .05 increase. I love having my D and G string at the highest guage the nut and bridge can hold, love that deep thump.

[JustDavid]

Originally Posted by shawshank72

I have been thinking of buying some single strings from juststrings.com
Right now I usually have the .45/.65/.85/.105 setup.
Was thinking of going to a .50/.70/.90/.100 setup.
Is this a good idea? How much of a difference would this make in sound and feel?
I have always felt like the A,D, and G strings needed more meat but that the E could go down a little.
Does a change by .05 make a big difference? or do I need to go to a .10 change in guage?
Would using different brands be a no-no or should I just use one brand?

I'd be worried about a major tension drop when you get to the E. Presuming D'Addario Chromes (only because their tensions are easy to determine), your current set runs (EADG) 42, 50, 52, 46 pounds. Your target set runs (EADG) 38, 54, 60, 55 pounds. I'm not as huge on 'even tension' as some TBers but I'd REALLY mind such a tension difference on the E, & that'd kill the idea for me.

Myself, I'd use different brands cautiously as they can have quite a difference in tone. In some cases that would work great, but in most it wouldn't.

Unclear what you mean by "A,D, and G strings needed more meat but that the E could go down a little". Level? Tonality? Both? It could be you can solve a too-strong E with pickup height (or Setup) & then EQ the whole bass for desired tonality.