Hi-Beams too floppy on short-scale bass?

[hellboy]

I've been using DR Hi-Beams for a few years now and I like the way they sound and feel a lot, but the other day I was playing my Starfire and I noticed that the E string had a lot of fret rattle (even with the saddle raised) and I was getting some really deep booming frequencies that seemed to be overwhelming and muddying up the notes. My other basses were significantly tighter at the bottom with the same amp settings. Previously I'd assumed this was due to the short scale or the semihollow body (and I'm sure in part it is), but I started to wonder if the combination of slinky round-core Hi-Beams with a short scale (30.75") might be contributing to both the fret rattle and the booming sound (I have two short-scale six-string basses with a 30" scale length, both have hex core strings and neither has the same problems).

I swapped out the Hi-Beams for some SS Lo-Riders and while I still prefer the feel and scooped sound of the Hi-Beams, the Lo-Riders definitely seem tighter both in terms of tension and low frequencies. I'm going to let them break in some more and see what I think, but at the moment I'm leaning towards keeping them on this particular guitar. I suppose another option would be to get a heavy set of Hi-Beams (110-90-70-50) instead, but I don't know if those would be tight enough. Anyone else experience anything like this? Any suggestions?

[eateachother]

I was wondering something similar. So I'll give you the warning I got, and someone else can straighten me out. I just got my Hellcat VI yesterday, and I don't like the floppiness of the low E & A strings, or the high tension of the high B & E strings it came strung with ~ D'Addario set 24-34-44-56-72-84. I was told by one guy today that it would need to be set up differently to put some heavier strings on the bottom. I like the two in the center, but I find the thump missing especially on the E. The guy at Highland Music said it would certainly screw with the neck a little over time to put the 95 on the bottom. But I thought the Hellcat VI was supposed to be like a Fender Bass VI, which has the 95 on the bottom. I wish I had suggestions for you, but maybe if someone else comes through we'll have an in depth discussion on the matter.

[JustDavid]

Changing total tension WILL shift your neck relief, so that would then want a truss rod adjustment to restore the previous relief. How much & is it objectionable varies.

If you are asking if what you plan will twist the neck by having "uneven" or "off-design" tension, I'm not sure. If no joy from replies here, a thread in Hardware/Setup/Repair might get you some good answers.

[hellboy]

I saw your other thread asking about the Hellcat - you will probably need to adjust the neck for the heavier strings, but the heavier strings are not bad for the Hellcat, it's designed to use (and comes with) a 25-95 set, which is what I have on mine.