Strings & Neck Tension.....Silly Question Alert!

[theevilplankton]

I used to use 45-105 roundwound strings when I played Rics, until I read that it's better to use 45-100 gauge as it puts less tension on the neck.

Is there any truth in this? I've been use that gauge ever since (although I no longer play a Ric).

My Geddy Jazz recently needed the action tweaking - I've never had to adjust a bass in my life - nothing to do with the gauge?

My most recent bass, a MIM P - I stuck a set of 45-105 on there as they were gathering dust, but when I re-string I was going to got for the 45-100's - is this okay, or will it play havoc like on the Ged?

Apologies for this question - bit dopey of me I know, but I thought I'd better check in with the experts!

[CPplaysBASS]

45-100 would have slightly less tension than a 45-100 set of the same brand ... but a Ric (or any bass with a truss rod for that matter!) can EASILY handle 45-105 of the highest tension brand. I'd consider 45-105 regular "medium" gauge.

Just have the bass set up properly by someone who knows what they doing if / when changing gauges.

Going back to 45-100 after having 45-105, may reduce the amount of relief in the neck resulting in fret buzz. Going from lighter to heavier will increase the relief making it more difficult to play, especially around the middle of the fretwork. Either way, the neck on your bass will be fine and just needs very minor adjusting.

[theevilplankton]

That's great info, thanks for that!

[GizmoTheOne]

Originally Posted by CPplaysBASS

45-100 would have slightly less tension than a 45-100 set of the same brand ... but a Ric (or any bass with a truss rod for that matter!) can EASILY handle 45-105 of the highest tension brand. I'd consider 45-105 regular "medium" gauge.

Just have the bass set up properly by someone who knows what they doing if / when changing gauges.

Going back to 45-100 after having 45-105, may reduce the amount of relief in the neck resulting in fret buzz. Going from lighter to heavier will increase the relief making it more difficult to play, especially around the middle of the fretwork. Either way, the neck on your bass will be fine and just needs very minor adjusting.

+1

There's no such thing as a "must-have" string gauge. It depends of what you like, what your tuning is, and even what kind of music you play/what kind of player you are. Every bass has a truss rod, which is there mainly to counterbalance the tension put on your neck by your strings.

45-105 is the "standard" gauge for "standard" tuning (EADG).
However, you can use lighter or heavier strings, depending what you like. Heavier strings will usually sound fuller and rounder, but will require a bit more strength to pluck. You may lose some tone with lighter strings, but they will feel a lot easier on your hands.
So you can try different gauges or just go with what you feel is the best. Just make sure you get it adjusted by someone who knows what he/she does to make sure your neck relief is adjusted properly, as CPplaysBass said.

Also, IF you drop tune often, I suggest sticking with a heavier gauge to make it a little bit easier for your neck to handle the tension.