Do heavier strings growl more?

[shoulderpet]

Hi All
Have recently gone up a gauge with my flatwounds from Ernie ball group iii to group ii.
I was considering changing back to group iii and just keeping the heavier E string until I played at a gig last night, the heavier gauge Ernie balls growled like a beast, like really growled, never experienced this with the lighter Ernie balls.
Was wondering if heavier strings create more growl? One explanation could be that due to the heavier gauge I had to use a heavier attack when playing, also possibly of note is that I used the p/j setting on my bass rather than my usual p setting, what do you think?

 

[skwee]

In my experience, the relationship of pickup configuration to string is where you get growl. I only get it when using the J-bass pickup configuration on my Jag. No growl in the P-pass pickup setting (and this is true no matter what string I use, nylon wound, nickel rounds, etc).

 

[michael_t]

Was wondering if heavier strings create more growl? One explanation could be that due to the heavier gauge I had to use a heavier attack when playing, also possibly of note is that I used the p/j setting on my bass rather than my usual p setting, what do you think?

I've experienced something similar with the Fender 9050 flats on my Jazz bass.

Started out with the 9050L set (45-60-80-100) and found the 100-E to be slightly weaker both in tension and tone.
When I switched to 9050CL (45-60-80-105), I did notice I could dig in a bit more, resulting in more growl.

 

[Linnin]

Heavier gauge strings present heavier moving mass through the magnetic field of the pickups and should yield more of everything.

 

[shoulderpet]

Am hoping they keep the growl,they seem to be broken in (Eb flats tend to break in quite quickly) so hopefully they will keep this quality as they age (recommendations welcome for other growly flats in case they don't), they are quite growly on my Jaguar bass as well but i always thought this may be due to the bridge pickup being a quarter pounder

 

[tzohn]

I think its everything. Pickups (number, placement, type) and the strings (alloy, gauge) and the technique (attack, muting, position) and the amp settings.
There must be some P basses that growl more than some Jazz.

 

[ixlramp]

Heavier gauge strings present heavier moving mass through the magnetic field of the pickups and should yield more of everything.

More mass might cause more signal, but not necessarily growl or a particular tone character. You could certainly have growl with less signal. Growl is not necessarily 'more' of something.

 

[GlennRH]

Heavier gauge strings tune up at higher tension.

Because of this, there's less amplitude (back-and-forth motion) when you pluck a heavier string for any note and use the same amount of plucking force.

Because of this, you get more 'fundamental' (more center-frequency vibration) when you pluck a heavier string with any given plucking force.

This could make growl more prominent from the combination of woods and EQ settings with your bass than if you played lighter-gauge strings on the same bass with the same EQ settings and plucking force.

In other words: Yes. Heavier-gauge strings can provide more growl.

You might have to tighten your trussrod, though, and adjust your set-up to keep the action where you like it and to get the intonation right under the increased string tension.

 

[tlc1976]

I guess everyone's interpretation of growl is a little different. I'd think the opposite. BECAUSE of the reasons that GlennRH just posted, you get more fundamental and less harmonics with heavier strings. And to me, fundamental gives boom, harmonics give growl. So all else equal, IMO lighter gauge strings should growl more.

Also I consider the bridge pickup more growly than a pickup closer to the neck, so that could have something to do with it. Growly or not, it should have sounded different in some way.

 

[shoulderpet]

Have gone back to the 100-45 group iii EB Flats , the 105-50 are just too tight feeling, anyone thats considering going from group iii to group ii EB flats, the group ii are a lot stiffer feeling