How does string tension affect string's?

[Bobbo 77"]

Órale,
How does string tension affect a particular brand of string's? Tone?, playability?, feel? Is a certain tension of string's better for a particular Bass? (P-Bass, Jazz, Music man, ect).
Bobbo 77'

[knuckle_head]

There are many sides to your question and no short answers.

In general a looser string has comapratively a stronger fundamental than a tighter one. At the same time a thinner string presents higher registers better than thicker strings. Tension differentiations affect thinner strings more readily than thicker strings.

Playability and feel are oh so very subjective - I like my strings tighter than most, but I am heavy handed and am prone to using picks. I know some touch style players whose basses I cannot play because I lack the technique to get around on their loose tensions.

There is no optimal string set or brand for any particular bass.

You'll need to put time and money into finding what works best for you, or be more specific as to what you want from what you have. There is no getting around the former and the board might be able to assist with the latter.

[RedsFan75]

Is there a certain tension or gauge that would prevent that flabby B on a 34" 5 string?

[Roland777]

RedsFan75 - go .130 minimum.
But you know, sometimes "34 basses have really good B's too, Warwick's $$ Corvette comes to mind. I don't know if I would dare to tune a "34 down to A, however... Though surprisingly enough, I've managed to get a really good A out of my BTB ("35) with comparatively light gauges (.130, trying a .135 now), which I prefer rather than going really heavy (.145) since they're very anemic when slapping.
Though I must say, longer scales and thinner strings is something which appeals greatly to me... Wonder what an A at 39 inches with a .125 or so sounds like... Skip? :P