higher gauge, thicker string

[1dgbass]

I know it's a newb question, but I had to ask. I recently put new strings on my bass and used regular nickel wound ernie ball strings with a gauge of 50, 70, 85, 105. This means that the e string is 105, A is 85 and so on?

Also, I read somewhere that nickel is the second brightest material that can be used on round wound strings. The brightest is aluminum, no?

Thanks in advance.

Douglas

[Slappin'Da Bass]

You are correct about the string gauges, but the brightest string material is stainless steel. Voila!

[DUC1098]

I am not sure but isn't the numbers actually a diameter rather than a gauge?

On my DRs it gives the strings as .105, .085 etc. which would be diameters rather than gauges? Especially since the gauge increases as the diameter decreases.

This may not be true with instrument strings, but is as far as any other "wire" measurements. Like the difference between 12 gauge wire and 22 gauge wire.

[knuckle_head]

Gauge works as it refers to a standard unit of measure - in our instance the measured diameter of the string.

I's suggest that alloy then steel then nickel plate then nickel have decreasing degrees of inherent sonic brightness.

[DTF]

it refers to circular mils

[knuckle_head]

... or the number of shot pellets that fill a barrel.

[ixlramp]

'Gauge' when referring to guitar strings and stated 105 85 70 50 is indeed the diameter in thousands of an inch. Also when gauge is stated .105 .085 .070 .050 that is inches.