Eurosonic Lights vs Ultra Lights

[Chris Paget]

I recently popped my low E in the middle of a show, so quickly ordered a replacement, along with a new A string.

I ordered the Eurosonic lights after reading that they may be more versatile than the ultra-lights, but they sent me the ultra-lights instead.

Time being an issue, I'd prefer to just get some strings on there (i.e. the ultra lights I have), but don't want to put these on if these are going to be too floppy (i tried using a full set of weedwackers, and really want to avoid the loss of punch/volume I had with those floppy E and A strings).

I know the eurosonics are nice strings, but could I get by with the ultra-lights vs. the lights? Is there a big difference between them, and would the ultra-lights perform similarly?

Thanks!!!

[moles]

That depends...
There is a fair amount of difference in tension between them. I'd still consider the Lights in the "low-tension" category, at least they were on my bass.

What kind of music do you want them for? If you're talking weedwacker, am I wrong to presume rockabilly or something else with a large amount of slapping?

What strings were you using before?

My quick-and-dirty review of both is as follows:
Ultra lights: Really Low Tension - but just high enough that pizz wasn't impossible....lots of snap on the G and D strings (a la plain gut) but with enough sustain and subtle growl they still sounded a bit like a (warm) steel string. Live through an amp, the E string fell short of acceptable - but an acoustic recording I did with that set on sounded good, so maybe I just didn't work with it enough.
Lights: More tension - a bit lighter than Spiro Mittles - so still easy enough to slap and still with some snap to the G and D...but I could lower the string height a bunch due to the higher tension. They are darker sounding than the UL's - and the E was too dark I thought for pizz (again, maybe I just didn't sit with them long enough). They had more sustain, and slightly less of that muted growl (we're not talking anywhere near what Spiros have, but it was there on my bass) that the UL's had.

Keep in mind this was all on a 44.5" mensur.

I should clarify here: if you're comparing either of these sets to weedwackers, even the UL's are like night and day. Just not as night and day as the Lights.