help me please.

[JamasC]

I have a fender American special p bass. Had it just under a month. I traded in a ltd fb204. The strings that came on the fender are not cutting it. I don't know what was on the ltd but I loved them. I play in drop D or standard. My issue is when I play I use a pick and I have a pretty heavy attack. The strings I have now are very "floppy" I would say and lose lots of clarity when I pick to heavy. So I don't know what I need or what the solution to my problem is. My drummer keeps telling me to use a lighter pick. I keep telling him to stay in time but he doesn't listen to me.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Most likely just need to get the right gauges... Drop d something like a 110 or 115 on the bottom string. 85 65 45 on the others.

 

[JamasC]

Yeah but the A,D,G all have the same floppy tendency when I play them. I know on guitar I play .13 ( or real thick ) so would moving up in gauge solve the problem or do I need higher tension strings. Or should I be like so many posts I see on here "throw some flats on it" ?

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Then you would choose strings that are not known to be floppy. If you don't know what is on it you can't compare to other strings.

 

[JamasC]

I was hoping someone could tell me. I would be leaping to conclusions to say they are probably fender brand strings ( no clue ). Or of someone knows what ltd basses come stock with that would be a start because I liked whatever was on the ltd. They did seem to be a larger gauge than what the fender came with. I have only played bass for 7 months and I don't even know where to start when I comes to bass strings.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

There I a lot you can use. What kind of music are you playing... Kind of tone you are after? This will help narrow it down. If you like the overall tone you have now we can just get you strings more ideal for your playing style.

 

[JamasC]

I guess tool / a7f. Not metal but heavy rock.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

They are both 34" scale instruments so should feel pretty similar.

For Tool / that hard rock kind of tone I would look at brighter nickel plated steel or stainless steel strings... Rounds. The OEM Fender strings are nickel plated steel but also lighter feel than some others.

Some more rigid feeling NPS with a .115 are GHS boomers, daddario XL nickel and La Bella. For the A D G strings you can go higher... .085 .070 .050 if you would like.

Stainless steel. GHS Super Steel, daddario pro steels and la Bella again. Same gauges.

 

[iiipopes]

Have you considered the D'Addario balanced tension '50's set? Across the board, they are one step heavier than the typical 45's set, and may be what you are looking for. Once the zing wears off, they have the clarity for the drop tuning.

 

[JamasC]

Thanks I'll Have To Check Those Out