Anyone else try lighter gauge flats?

[Prodigus Filius]

No wonder you're bringing up Steve Harris! You just got the same set that he uses (but without his signature on the package or the red and blue colored silks)!

I heard here on TB that the heavy gauge 77s are comparable in tension to the 1954 Original La Bellas. Both sets have been around for decades. But you can't get more "old school" than La Bella. Rotosounds are usually brighter than most other strings, especially their rounds and pressurewounds.

Yeh, I went for the RS77LE 50-110 set because they are cheaper than what is essentially the same string set as the one with SH's mug on the packaging which costs a little more because of it. Got them for a $84 aussie bucks domestically, which is pretty good for down here. I'm curious to see if the 110 can function as a useable B. The tension would be 29lbf, which is a tad light. Bout the same as a standard 105 on a Mikro, which I found ok. It will be a good way of comparing the R77 110 and the La Bella 110, which I found a little too slack for what I would have liked for a B

 

[MrAB4003]

I had the La Bella Blacks, Whites, and Gold Whites on various basses last year when I experimented with tapes. I decided to tune down to D Standard and there was very little tension, if any at all. I was recording a song one day with the Gold Whites. When I played it back, the bass was so out of tune that I decided to switch to D'Addario nickel rounds (50-105 gauge). That fixed the lack of tension problem and showed me that tapes are not the strings for me.

I've tried Rotosound 77s and La Bella Gold Flats (both 45-105) in the 2010s and I didn't like how tense they were for standard tuning. I also tried the 77s in D Standard back then and they were still too tense. Given the music I play (hard rock and heavy metal), I don't think flats are the right strings for me. But I also have a desire to continue experimenting and trying new strings for some reason. My next frontier is flats because I have limited experience with them and I keep hearing amazing things about them.

To answer the original question, no, unless you consider 45-105 as "lighter gauge".

Update - I put light gauge (45-100) Chromes on one of my Rickenbackers. But I tune all my basses to D Standard, so the tension is like extra light gauge (40-95) Chromes in standard tuning. I have medium gauge (50-105) D'Addario Nickel Rounds on my other basses, so I'm changing my answer to "yes".

 

[Prodigus Filius]

I gave Chromes 095 075 050 and 032 a whirl today as a light EADG. Unlike the la Bella orig 54's 095, which I use as E, I found the Chrome 95 as E didn't quite gel with the other strings. So I replaced it with a 100. Liked it better. I'm still waiting the set of 50-110 Rotosound 77 in ordered. But the place I got them from isn't exactly into customer relations by the looks of things and it could be headed to disputation if they don't pull their finger out

 

[andare]

On my 69s reissue P bass I just switched from Fender 50-100 to the Labella Jamersons 52-110. The E string is finally acceptable but I don't know, it always has less tension than the other 3.
Could never stand how floppy the Fender 100 was. I don't think I could go below that gauge if I went smaller than the Jamersons.

I have 45-100 Chromes on my Mini P and Bronco. Totally different acoustic sound and feel. On the Mini P they are rubbery and warm. On the Bronco they sound like an upright. I enjoy the low tension and bigger frets on these.

 

[maturanesa]

try roundcores

 

[Geepers]

I swapped out the 50-105 flats that came on my Birdsong short scale fretless for lighter gauge 40-100’s. I’m about to swap back. The lighter gauge are just a little too floppy at this scale length. I like a very straight neck and very low action (play with a light touch) so the higher tension of the heavier gauge strings works better for me. I also find the G string sounds a bit thin in a 100 gauge on this bass.

 

[Dominic D]

I’ve always used standard and heavy gauge strings. Last year I tried Billy Gibbons 7’s on my guitar and I was surprised how easy and fun they are to play.

Last month I decided to try the same on one of my five strings. I got a set of Daddario Balanced EXL220BT (40, 55, 70, 95) and a Daddario Single XLB125 (125). I absolutely love the feel. They feel so much easier to play it feels like cheating. I’m able to play with a much lighter touch and it still sounds full.

My only problem is that I prefer coated strings. There’s not a lot of options at those gauges. The closest I could find was from Elixir, which I just ordered and should have tomorrow. I went with the set of Super Lights (40, 60, 75, 95) and a Single Super Light B (125). I’m hoping the heavier A and D strings aren’t too noticeable as I really like the feel the Balanced set. If they are, I’ll probably try the light sets from Kalium and Newtone and see if either last longer than the Daddario.

I’d like to try light flatwound on my Squier 50s P. I currently have La Bella 760FS (45, 65, 85, 105). I’m considering the La Bella Low Tension FTL-4A (42, 56, 75, 100).

 

[maturanesa]

Depends on where you pluck generally. Lighter kills when playin at the bridge or sweet spot area.
For P bass or neck pickup area its better go heavier i think. Light on a musicman and medium for a P, for example..

 

[Pier_]

in the last months I tried the GHS Precision flatwound 45-60-75-95, and I liked them much both on a Stingray and on a Precision reissue 51.

having heavy gauged flats on other basses, I can say that the main difference is related to the attack and "snappiness", exactly like on roundwounds.
a lighter flat is a bit "snappier" and with a more "precise" fundamental, and it's easier to slap it on the frets (both slapping or hard fingering).
the heavier flat is stronger on the basses, mellower and with an higher dynamic range.

I do prefer one? it depends on the bass.

 

[rtslinger]

I have Chromes 45-100 on my P and although they sound great I find a bit too much tension especially on the G string so I ordered a set to try 40-95 gauge and was wondering did anyone else try these. My other bass is a Mustang which also has 45-100 Chromes but due to the shorter scale it plays easier and that got me thinking.

I am using 45-100 as will on my P basses