Tension and the right hand.........

[lukaas]

I have this problem with the tension of strings under mt right (plucking) hand, I find it a little sloppy at the moment, when you talk of tension in this section are you referring to right hand or left hand perception or both?

I saw a pro tips book where the author recomennded slightly lengthening the scale by using small tubes(PC Board spacers in this case)between the end of the string and the bridge therefore increasing the tension of the strings.....

Has anyone tried this? What affect did it have, if any, on Intonation, tone,sustain et al....

I play a G&L bass , which has a particular bridge which locks the string terminations together....does this pose more problems for me....

I just want a faster, tighter feel under my right hand and would appreciate any tips you would share.......

Cheers.... Lukaas

[hujo]

I don't really understand that part with the tubes, but have you tried changing your strings? There are lots of strings out there, all with different feel. http://www.bgra.net has some string reviews you might want to look at.

[wulf]

If you want a tighter feel, play very near the bridge - for a looser feel and a fatter sound, play nearer the neck.

That should solve your problem much more effectively than fiddling around with adding 'tubes' to the strings - all I could see this doing is muting them by causing the vibrations to die down quicker.

Wulf

[alexclaber]

This is something that really bothers me - I like to have a nice tight feel under the right hand. What gauge are you using? I've found that LaBella Deep Talkin Rounds in 44-110 gauge are taut and balanced across the strings, and last for ages.

Alex

[jdombrow]

The earlier post about varying the position of your plucking hand is right on. It will affect how the string feels under your hand, as well as affecting the tone of the strings.

If you want more string tension overall, try DR Lowriders. They have a hex core that makes them stiffer than strings wound on a round core, and they come in both stainless steel or nickel windings.

jd

[lukaas]

Thanks for the advice......You are right on as far a hand position goes....i play a p bass though and need that pickup to put my thumb on...

I knew that tubes thing was wacky....

Off to buy some strings......

L.

[wulf]

You don't need it - you've just come to rely on it

It might be worth practising either resting your thumb on the lowest string (when not using it) or working on the 'floating thumb' technique so that you're not locked into just playing where you can find a pickup to rest your thumb but can take advantage of the whole range of available sounds.

Note that it probably will feel awkward to start with, but the results are definitely worthwhile.

Wulf