String Gauge

[rickm]

I am a Bass noob. I'm going to put my first new set of strings on my Warwick Corvette Standard.
In general terms, what is the difference in playability in the different gauges of strings?

I'm getting Warwick Black Labwl strings and these are the gauges:
4-string Set M* (.045" .065" .085" .105")
4-string Set ML* (.040" .060" .080" .100")
4-string Set XL (.030" .050" .070" .090")
4-string Set L (.035" .055" .075" .095")

[back as a wolf]

The lighter the gauge, the easier it will be to play. However, with light gauge strings some tone is sacrificed due to the lower tension and lighter gauge strings have a higher tendency to break. The heavier the gauge, the better tone you will get but it takes more effort to fret the note because of the increased tension. Your best bet would be either the M or ML sets I think.

[Baleen]

I've actually found I break higher tension strings more frequently than lower. I think higher tension makes me pull harder - maybe I over compensate. Or maybe I over compensate on the lower tension strings.

I've also noticed that most larger gauge strings I've used are louder. Flats also always seem louder. The more mass moving over the pickups, the more volume?

While I've generally defaulted to heavier gauge strings, I've discovered that some of my basses sound clearer and more resonant with lighter strings.

Just keep experimenting.

[MarkMyWordsXx]

Originally Posted by back as a wolf

The lighter the gauge, the easier it will be to play. However, with light gauge strings some tone is sacrificed due to the lower tension and lighter gauge strings have a higher tendency to break. The heavier the gauge, the better tone you will get but it takes more effort to fret the note because of the increased tension. Your best bet would be either the M or ML sets I think.

thats a bad generilization. the guages have different tones, not more or less tone, and even that depends on how you tune it.

agreed that you should start somewhere in the middle and go from there

[SpankyPants]

FWIW, I hated the Warwick strings a lot. Love the basses, but those strings sucked. I felt a lot of drag when I was playing them.

[Shoewreck]

Originally Posted by back as a wolf

The lighter the gauge, the easier it will be to play.

Don't agree! Easier to fret, yes (I fret much stronger than needed, so it's not an issue for me at all). I love .45-.105 or .50-.105 sets for tighter feel. My plucking hand sinks into lighter gauge strings, making my tone uneven...

[Gene Leone]

I didn't like the Warwick strings either. Tried them all and they felt too tight and too abrasive.

I've been switching some basses to 40-60-80-100 which seem to feel a little more even to me. Haven't really noticed a loss of tone. Could be there but miniscule.

I've been using Pedulla Nickle and SS on two basses and they are a rather nice string.

Two get DR's, two get TI's, one gets Roto's (for a Ric of course) and a couple get D'Addarios.

Oh yea the DeArmond gets those rubber thingies.

A couple of basses are still undecided.