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I'm beginning to understand 40-95 and 45-100 strings
- Thread starter Iristone
- Start date
I typically play 45-105s but was gifted a set of 30-90 roto nickels and put them on my bullet bass deluxe. I would never buy strings this light but was curious and it's just silly. It feels like you can bend them to the moon and you have to use a light touch. Interesting for sure and it feels a lot more dainty to play.
I'm not a fan of RotoSound short scale offerings whatseoever. To my ears, they sound nothing like their LS siblings. Not even like the (long scale) Funkmaster 30-90 sets that I used to play back in the '80s.
When it comes to short scale basses - which is what I play 90% of the time - I have a very strong preference towards heavier gauges since I enjoy the way they feel under my fingers. Mind you, I play with a very light touch.
To each their own.
I used to have a set of medium-scale RS77 flatwounds, and they were not the same as long-scale 77s. It wasn't bad, it was supple, warm and deep but I remember to prefer the clarity and intonation of long-scale 77s. I can see the short-scale 66s not sounding as good, though.
40-95 have become my go-to since first trying a set (on a whim) back in 2013.
Standard gauge always felt like I was fighting the bass.
After I adopted low action, and later, lighter strings, things lined up for me.
Standard gauge always felt like I was fighting the bass.
After I adopted low action, and later, lighter strings, things lined up for me.
To be more precise, I'm not exactly talking about light gauge strings, although I'll likely migrate to them, too. I'm talking about the relative balance within each string set, in that I used to prefer 40-100 and 45-105 gauges over 40-95 and 45-100 gauges.
Love that gauge on my Cort bass, using Rotosound funkmaster. I still use BS66 on many of my basses, but indeed I find the aggressive snarl of the Roto 66s comes through even better at that super low tension. Have no problems with using a Xtender either. Plucking them a certain way, as you stated, makes every note ring clear and "aggressive" (it's not for everyone to be sure, as not all love that kind of tone-but one can play "normally" with these as well.)
There are differences, IME, as a thicker E, while generally less clear high on the neck, is also thicker sounding (obviously). Nothing wrong with preferring higher gauges, and I myself do not plan to quit BS66 on the other basses, but will definitely keep using 30-90 for the foreseeable future on this Cort Modern-it's a great marriage. Going for snarl, clarity, and high definition in this case, more than maximum thickness at the bottom end (plus they have plenty of bottom as it is, for my needs.)
That, and lower tension, is what I prefer about the light gauge sets I use.
I currently am using the funkmaster set-love them really, but indeed somehow the Roto 66s for short scale basses are rather strange, and are not as solid sounding or feeling. Not a matter of touch, as I also love a light touch (therefore the funkmaster set.) On one of my shorties, I have the EB Group I flats-thickest I can use, because I love their feel on that bass. Would not use Ernie Ball Group I on a 34 scale bass, though.
The Funkmaster should be able to wrap around the tuning posts of most non-Höfner short scale basses, wouldn't it?
Yes indeed-and referring to the short scale, "normal" Roto 66, which are 40-90, rather than 30-90. I did try them and took them out shortly after, and I AM a Rotosound fan. Funkmaster are more than fine on long scale, but anything close to that on short scale wouldn't work for me (which doesn't mean it does not work for others, as it must have a following if it's still produced to this day.)
Some helpful info here in this thread. I had previously been on a balanced tension quest, but have recently found myself on more of a balanced timbre quest instead. Coincidentally I found my way back to some stock sets and lighter B strings, instead of pushing the lower string/two up to a higher gauge. My idea of "sounds better" has been shifting, more on all of the frequencies of the notes. Thinner gauges on lower strings than I had been doing brings more "zing" and more string-to-string consistency (and more joy). As always, instrument setup for the specific tuning and strings is key, the difference between "just right" and horrid.
