Heaviest feasable strings?

[Man with an Axe]

Hey all.

I got a Warwick Corvette 4-banger. I want to put as heavy of strings as possible on it because I really like the feel and tone of thick, meaty strings. Anybody got an idea as to how big I can go?

[knuckle_head]

What are you tuning to?

Warwick is or will be soon selling a Black Label .175 that is intended to be tuned to F# (the 4th beneath a B), but can certainly be tuned up if it is tension you are after.

If it is a thicker E string that you are after GHS offers a 4 string set that has a .115 on the bottom.

There are so many options.....

[snowdan]

take care if you play fingerstyle, high stirng tension puts a lot of stress on fingers, tendons and what not.

a .110 bassboomer set from ghs is cheap and will tell you if you are on the right trai with tight strings.

[Roland777]

Heaviest feasible string? Depends on what you mean by feasible. I've tried a .50-.110 plus a .145 on my "35 BTB555, tuned one step down. Briefly in standard as well. If tension is your thing - go right ahead! If you like tone dynamics, steer clear of them, however. Fingerstyle works good, if not great, but the slap is VERY clunky and bland with gauges those size. (.105 is the maximum for an E/D IMHO).

[notduane]

Rotosound RS66LH ?

130-105-80-65 . They're meant to be tuned E-A-D-G

The tension's no worse than a "regular" set of RS66's

[Man with an Axe]

Whoops. Yeah. I tune E-A-D-G.

I didn't realize heavier strings would make such a crappy slap sound. I was under the impression that more tension would make an incredibly brisk, clear slap sound?

[knuckle_head]

The thicker a string gets the more limited the overtone structure is going to be - it ain't the tension, it's the string's ability to vibrate.

Instead of the thickest possible string, perhaps an incremental bump up in gauge is in order.

[Man with an Axe]

Yeah, but I'm already at Elixer Mediums here, and I don't know if they get much heavier.

[Roland777]

Originally Posted by Man with an Axe

I didn't realize heavier strings would make such a crappy slap sound. I was under the impression that more tension would make an incredibly brisk, clear slap sound?

Personally, I like loose strings better for slap, since they seem to recoil better, but I guess that heavier strings, up to a limit, can do that too. I say .105 is the upper limit for tuning to E or D. A .110 is too heavy, and clunks very nasty against the fretboard once you get down and dirty, not to mention it seems to lack that top-end in a way.