Double Bass 3/4 vs 4/4 gauges- is there a difference?

[DoubleMIDI]

There is nothing complicated downloading something from the Dropbox. Click on the link and you get a directory listing, then click on the file in that listing to download it. No login, no passwords, just two clicks (or more if you want to download more than one file). Don't be afraid, try it.

The 3/4 Weich have only a little bit less tension than the 4/4 Mittel. A lot less than downtuning the 4/4 Mittel by a halftone. The 4/4 Weich will have a tension similar to 4/4 Mittel but downtuned by a halftone, maybe even a bit less than that (specially on the E).

 

[Sam Dingle]

Ah I thought I had to input my scale length or something. I didn’t know if that affected the results.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You can enter the scale length to get the recalculated tension for that length, but it is preset at 105 cm which will fit most instruments rather well.

Scale length doesn't matter if you want to compare strings, because absolut tension is not important but relative tension comparing the tension of one string with the other gives you the information you need. As long as the tensions are recalculated to the same scale length which is what I did there.
But if you want you can enter your scale length at the top on the right side. You can even enter an imperial length in inches and it gets recognized and recalculated (at long as it is in a meaningful range for double bass).

 

[Pat Harris]

This has been an interesting thread as I purchased some 3885 Weichs by mistake.

If I'm reading everything correctly, on a standard 3/4 bass, the tension of sets would go something like this with the highest tension set on top:
3885 Mittel
S42 Mittel
3885 Weich
S42 Weich

Yes?

 

[Sam Dingle]

This has been an interesting thread as I purchased some 3885 Weichs by mistake.

If I'm reading everything correctly, on a standard 3/4 bass, the tension of sets would go something like this with the highest tension set on top:
3885 Mittel
S42 Mittel
3885 Weich
S42 Weich

Yes?

Yes but to be even more accurate:

4/4 Stark
3/4 mittle
4/4 mittle
3/4 weich
4/4 weich
3/4 solo (tuned to standard)
4/4 solo (tuned to standard)

 

[DoubleMIDI]

For numbers have a look at my Excel file in my Dropbox (link in signature and string sticky).