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Do you have a favorite (or least favorite) string?

M

Milk

Guest
Sep 16, 2013
1,095
141
Montreal, Canada
#1
I mean not brand, but between E, A, D, G (and B and C if you play 5 or 6). It's just for curiosity's sake mind you. It's just that it occurred to me at some point that in about half my band's songs I don't use the E string at all. Even in those I do its usually only for a very small part of the whole tune. As for the string I use the most, it's close to a tie between A and D but probably A. Even G is still used probably ten times more than the E. The fact that I tend to EQ based on the sound of the lower three strings though does mean that I don't quite like the tone of my E...which then I suppose probably leads me to use it even less often.

Obviously different styles of music will yield different answers (for example if you play metal and you don't touch the E....or B.... string, you're probably playing metal alone...). Maybe you use them all equally too.... Also if you play mainly covers you probably don't have much a say in what string youll use (well, yeah you can sorta if you decide to transpose songs to different strings but you're still limited eventually...unless you think all your covers should be played a octave lower or higher...in which case, good luck with that...that could be a great theme for a cover band...all your favorites songs....played two octaves higher...or does that band already exist and is called the chimpmunks? Though its just the singing)

I just thought it could be a fun thing to ponder
 
#3
I use the G the least.

I've actually joked when I tune up to play with others, why am I bothering to tune the string--I never use it...

Although I do, and I don't hate it.
I use it when I noodle.
 
#5
Love the A string from about 3rd to 5th fret for the sound of it. Love the E string around B for the fatness of it.

I have been working a lot of 2 note chord stuff on the D and G but that A is the fav.

Ya know this is a weird subject!
 
#13
I would say the G string on a 4 or 5 banger. I play on them a LOT but... I dont like that most bass necks have them string really close to the edge of the neck. If you get too aggressive in bends and such youll be....*kick* *kick* *kick* YOULL BE LIVING ON THE EDGE!

Ive done some fun things with tones moving the strings over the edge but, yeah.

I made a 4 string first act setup like Alex Websters old tuning with a 5 string set (half step down from B, E, A, D). On that bass I NEVER use the B. I dont know why I even put it on there. I did it so I could play old cannibal corpse stuff quicker and more accurately to how it was written but I never friggin use it.
 
#15
People ask the strangest questions. Fortunately, there's plenty of us strange folks to answer them...

Actually, it depends on what kind of strings on what kind of bass for me. On my Breedlove fretless, I hated the D with the supplied D'A rounds, and the E was kinda muddy; having switched to nylon tapewounds (D'A and/or LaB), I'm really liking all the strings. The LaBellas especially have a beautiful E, good volume relative to the other strings, good focus, not muddy.

I think the tapes' more balanced tension has a lot to do with this. But back when I had a fretted Fender Kingman w/D'A rounds, I liked that sound too. For some reason, the tension imbalance doesn't bother me as much on a fretted bass.

When I had Chromes on my Squire 70's Jazz, the E and A probably got the most love.
 

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