Anyone use lighter strings?

[WillyW]

I generally prefer 35-90 or 40-95.

The Nickel Lo-Riders come in 40-95. Perhaps they would be worth sticking with if you had them in a lighter gauge?

I didn't know they made 35-90! I would like to try a set, are these a custom pack?

My usual brand of rounds comes in 40-95 (EB extra slinky) and my usual brand of flats is 40-100 (Pyramid Gold)

A few years ago Billy Gibbons had a signature set of treble geetar strings that were 7-38 and they were cheap and plentiful and I used them exclusively. Now the novelty has worn off and they are more expensive than the usual cheapo strings so now I'm back to 9-42's (EB super slinky).

I actually will change treble geetar strings once in a while, and I like to be able to walk into any music store and grunt and point to the pink package and have readily available strings... mildly pickier with bass strings, but I don't change those... evar...

I DID deviate from my usual roundwounds becasue I needed pink strings...

I'm not positive what the gauge on those is, but they had to be pink... maybe they were DR's?

 

[Lowbrow]

Been thinking about this.... just had a doctor’s appointment this week where I found out there’s an 80% chance I’ll need carpal tunnel surgery on both hands. Right hand is worse than the left.

Anyone switch to a lighter gauge for that reason? And did it help?

Yes. I use a pick and was in some pretty speedy Ramones-style acts that played out often. Lighter strings helped with the impact on my wrist and painful tightening of the pollicis brevis muscles at the base of the thumb, as well as mitigating string breakage as I posted earlier. What also helped me physically was being conscious of how tightly I was gripping the pick, especially during live performances where excitement can make you tense up.

 

[WillyW]

This is one of the few threads where I have read all the responses thrououghly...

Lighter strings >> lower tension >> more movement. That plus super low action increases the likelihood of the vibrating strings meeting the frets. Would you be okay with that?

I set mine low enough that I get really clanky and buzzy when I dig in. I thinkI read on the interwebz that smaller diameter strings ocillate in a a wider circle than fatter strings. there's another useless fact stuck in my head...

The lightest gauge strings I use are flatwounds, which I doubt would make you happy. And, to tell the truth? Even though 21 of my 23 basses wear flats, these don't make me all that happy. If I wasn't looking for a particular tone from 2 of my Danelectros, the 39-96 La Bella 760FX's would not be on them. I don't care for light gauge strings as a general rule; I especially don't care for them on a short scale bass like my Dano Longhorn. And the reason why, is precisely the reason you do like them. But, the light gauge flats are part of "that Dano sound" - which is what I want the Longhorn and one of my long scale DC59 Pros. So, I just grin and bear the flexy flexy flats...Still, if you want really light gauge flats? Give the 760FX's a try. La Bella makes an even lighter gauge set of flats (760FDs), but they're intended for a Dano Longhorn, so - short scale only...

I had used EB cobalts flats before, so when my long scale Danelectro 59 already had them, I left them on there.

I didn't like Labella or roto flats on my short scale danelectros, and I never tried Pyramids or EB cobalts before I traded them away...

BEADGC. My C is a 20 and B is a 100. Essentially I toss the B string out of the usual 6 string set and add the lightest wound string I can find for my C string.

I thought I was pushing the outer limits when I got a 30 for my C

 

[StereoPlayer]

This is one of the few threads where I have read all the responses thrououghly...



I set mine low enough that I get really clanky and buzzy when I dig in. I thinkI read on the interwebz that smaller diameter strings ocillate in a a wider circle than fatter strings. there's another useless fact stuck in my head...



I had used EB cobalts flats before, so when my long scale Danelectro 59 already had them, I left them on there.

I didn't like Labella or roto flats on my short scale danelectros, and I never tried Pyramids or EB cobalts before I traded them away...



I thought I was pushing the outer limits when I got a 30 for my C

I use a 30 for my G

 

[EatS1stBassist]

I’ve switched my basses to light strings. My P-bass and my fretless Pedulla now sport LaBella Low Tension Flats 042-100, and my Stingray is strung with D’Addario EXL 220-BT Balanced Tension roundwounds 040-095.

I’ve developed a much lighter touch, my speed with both hands has increased drastically as a result of that lighter touch, my playing has much wider dynamics, I can play longer without hand fatigue, and my mild CTS and Arthritis don’t bother me when I play anymore.

Just started using La Bella LTFs love them!

 

[SiSoldier]

I really enjoy playing with Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt 40-95! My last set sounded great for about 10 months before I knew they needed to be changed.

 

[Root 5]

For kicks I have an instrument strung 28-45-65-80! It has a clear, full & deep sound.

You don’t need heavier strings for a fat sound.

What is affected is action - it must be raised or else Buzz City. It plays so easily that it compensates for it.