What is your preferred guage?

[SGT. Pepper]

What guage do you like?
I posted the popular 4 string guages. If you play a 5 or 6 choose the guage closest to yours.

[NecroticImbecil]

None of them. All too thick.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by NecroticImbecil

None of them. All too thick.

you tuning ADGC or something?

[DavePlaysBass]

I have found I really like an 80 for the A. If it is an 85, my right hand works too hard and things can get boomy. I also have found that I prefer 45 and 65 on the D and G otherwise it is too thin sounding.

As for the E I am not sure I have noticed a big difference between 100 and 105. The 105 can be a bit deeper but also can be a bit boomy.

B strings I think I prefer 130 over 125. 130's are tighter and deeper. 125s have some higher end growl but the flop on a 34" scale can be quite a bit. Not sure on the taper thing yet. I think I may prefer an untapered 130 as I can play it all the way up the neck without weird stuff happening.

I just tried a set of Ken Smith "Balanced" medium lights 44-63-80-102 with a 128 B thrown in. Not a bad way to go.

Dave

[DrSmaggs]

I always used 45-65-85-105 and I tried bigger and smaller gages and I just feel comfy with what I use.

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Originally Posted by DrSmaggs

I always used 45-65-85-105 and I tried bigger and smaller gages and I just feel comfy with what I use.

+1

[crazybassist601]

I like the snap and thick sound I get from 115's. They are perfect for my style of playing and for me. A lot of people dong like them because its like playing a suspension bridge (as I have heard some people refer to it as in GC ).

Its all in personal preference though. I also like the sound and feel of bending a thicker string.

[MysticMichael]

I played 45-65-85-105 for years - and liked 'em just fine. Back in the day, I played a lot of power classic rock (Foghat, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent), mostly using GHS Boomers on an old P-bass...and it totally ruled.

But since trying 40-60-80-100, I can't go back. It's so hard to play with any nuance or tonal inflection using thicker strings. They just feel so rigid and insensitve. I may even try out 35-55-75-95...

MM

[Mudfuzz]

40-60-80-100 and a 132 B for five and on a four string 40-60-80-100 or 105. I use Cromes on most of my basses and I have to get them in singles to get "my set", to me 45-65-80-100 [or any other set with the same offset in gauge between the low and high strings] feels unbalanced with a floppy E & A and a tight D & G. It cost a bit more but I like the sound and feel better.

[Figjam]

45 65 85 105

[Alistair R]

45 65 80 100

[seanm]

For rock I like Chromes: 50-70-85-105

For country, I am trying out Rotosound 88s: 65-75-100-115
But I may go back to LaBella Flats: 43-60-82-104

The Rotosounds are nylon wound. Don't let the big numbers scare you, they are not as stiff as the Chromes.