Loose E-string? Noob has doubts...

[terribilino]

I bought a used Leduc Pad 4 about 8 months ago and have been practising away ever since.

This July I was back in Canada for a month. and on a whim I went to check up on rental prices at Long and McQuade. I ended up renting a used Squier Jazz for 16 bucks for the whole month (!). One thing I noticed right off was that the E-string seemed much tighter than my Leduc's. I kinda got used to it, so when I came back to my Leduc it seemed a bit floppy. Is it a setup issue, or do different basses have different tensions on the strings? The strings also seemed to be a heavier gauge on the Squier (I've got D'Addario custom lights (.040, .060, .080, .100) on the Leduc which I'd like to bump up to medium gauge once the strings go dead): would that make a difference in string tension?

Thanks!

[Turnaround]

Absolutely the string gauge will make a difference in tension. The heavier the string (all else being equal) the more tension it will take to bring it up to pitch. I recommend you try a set of .045 to .105.

[RickenBoogie]

+1 but, could also be partially a set up issue.

[terribilino]

Originally Posted by Turnaround

Absolutely the string gauge will make a difference in tension. The heavier the string (all else being equal) the more tension it will take to bring it up to pitch. I recommend you try a set of .045 to .105.

I'll be able to afford new strings. Hunting for someone to do a decent set-up in Switzerland without mortgaging the house (again)... well, that had me worried.

Thanks!

[kraigo]

Put up a note looking for other Swiss bassists. Perhaps someone would be willing to help you sort your gear out.

KO

[JustOpenYourMind]

There are a few factors that come into play for the feel of the string.

Yes, heavier strings are stiffer, if you go up in guage you'll notice that.

Another very important thing to take into account is the type of core used in the manufacturing of the string, there are two types:

Round-core, wich means a more flexible string and less perceived tension.

and

Hex-core, wich means a stiffer string overall.

In my experience, the type of core used is the most defining factor as far as strings feeling stiff or loose.

[bass player 48]

String gauge is probably the biggest factor when it comes to string tension. (IMO)

I used to have trouble getting my head around it - then one day, I just imagined what would happen if I tuned my A string down to E. (It'd be really loose) That is an exaggerated example of what going to lighter strings means. Also, to that effect - imagine tuning your E string UP to A (So tight it would probably break) that's an exaggerated example of what heavier strings would be like. (tighter)

Also -scale length matters too. This is why high end basses, especially the 5+ stringers are so often 35" scale (if not more) to avoid the dreaded "floppy B".

If your bass is short scale (I'm not familiar with "Leduc") then the same strings that were on the Squier would be floppy on the shorter bass.

I'm really not sure why most short scales I've picked up came with light strings, but heavier strings seem to make them play better. (for me, IMO)

(note: this post contains more parenthetical phrases than I typically use in any one TB post)