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light string guage user

Randyt

Randyt

RAAPT Custom Wood Productions
Jul 21, 2010
1,532
275
Barrie, Canada
#1
I have been playing for quite some time and have found myself evolve or change from Stock guage strings to heavy guage to now Im playing my 5ver and 6er with 0.110" on the B...(the sixier is more for Jazz.)
And to be quite honest, my ability to do complex runs has increased, although Ive had to change my Eq setting a little bit...but there hasnt been any degradatioin in tone what so ever...in other words no complaints from Band and audience members.
on another note...I dont tell band mates when I change anything..I usually ask after!

**Have any of you guys/gals found the same results for playing over the many years?**
 
#2
I have made the change to lighter gauge strings as well, usually a med/light. I too find the playability much better, especially in my quest to use a lighter touch due to joint pain. Higher volume, lighter gauge and soft touch give great nuance and tone in my oppinion and I think it sounds more full and detailed than when I was more aggressive.
 
#5
I wonder if just changing out the lighter strings in your set(s) would net you the same or similar results - do/did you find that you fought or had the hardest time with all your strings or just some?

I ask as sets are traditionally notoriously tighter on the treble side.
 
#6
knuckle head...I always fought with the B primarily and sometimes the E...for me it was strictly the diameter...saying that..the set I bought off you, have not gone on the 6xer yet...I ordered the .124 set as per your recommendation.
 
#7
I've been using light gauge for the last year, together with low action and I got the clanky-clank tone for a while there. Now I'm using the same strings but with a higher action to reduce the clank.

It's hard finding a sweet middle between light tension, low action and no clank.
 
#8
I'm using light GHS flats on my Douglas sixer ...low action and no real noise issues. I have noticed the need to tweak the neck relief a bit from warm to cool months, but nothing dramatic.

My set runs from a .128 low B to a .28 high C.
 
#10
I'm surprised that there's no decrease in the quality of the notes for you guys with the lighter strings. The bass at my school has light-gage GHS flats on it, and I own GHS medium-gauge strings. The tone difference between the light and medium sets is stark. And both basses with the strings on them use p-bass pickups and are played through similarly priced amps. So it's not so much of a difference in electronics.
 
#11
blindbassist said:
I'm surprised that there's no decrease in the quality of the notes for you guys with the lighter strings. The bass at my school has light-gage GHS flats on it, and I own GHS medium-gauge strings. The tone difference between the light and medium sets is stark. And both basses with the strings on them use p-bass pickups and are played through similarly priced amps. So it's not so much of a difference in electronics.
Click to expand...

The P-bass pickups I can dig, but the sound produced by 'similarly priced' amps can differ like day and night.
 
#13
blindbassist said:
I'm surprised that there's no decrease in the quality of the notes for you guys with the lighter strings. The bass at my school has light-gage GHS flats on it, and I own GHS medium-gauge strings. The tone difference between the light and medium sets is stark. And both basses with the strings on them use p-bass pickups and are played through similarly priced amps. So it's not so much of a difference in electronics.
Click to expand...

I use my bass at school on their amp, and it's painfull to play through. I'd bet that it could be a big difference because of the amp.

.110 for a low B? I can barely imagine trying that, I'm on .125 right now and am going up to .135 with my next set in a little bit
 
#15
I've played lights since my first issues with joints and arthritis began about 10 years ago. I like a .40-.100 or .45-.100 in four strings sets and a .120-.125 B. I also like to use a low action with lites, which runs contrary to the opinions usually expressed here, but it works for me.
 
#16
Started with light gauge, 40-100, went to regular med gauge, 45-105. Ive occasionally thought about giving the lighter set another. Might give a more 9's on guitar qaulity to the bass strings. Other day saw that dr neons are now available in such a gauge. So may give them a whirl again. Would still be with low action like I use now. Since thats what I did action as back when I did use lighter gauge.
 
#17
My 6er Fretless is strung .028 .040 .060 .075 .095 .120T... I love the feel of it... helps get a little more Mwah out of it too...

It does require a less effort to play, you can give a little less on your plucking hand and get the strings to speak out a little more.

I had a similar setup on my Fretted 6 for a while but have been experimenting with a few other sets, but for Jazz especially, I prefer lighter gauge strings...
 
#19
Kind of opposite for me. I went from Light to Medium to Heavy to Light and back up to Heavy. Unlike other players, light tension fumbles me up due to the way I play (technique), the strings "stick" sort of speak with my pulling and heavy gauge w/tight tension is perfect for my play style. I also found a difference from my experience playing with all 3 sets of GHS flats. Not to much difference between the .040-.090 set and the .045-105 set, the same could be said comparing the .045-.105 to the .055-.105, but the .040-.090 did lack that extra bit of "punch" the .055-.105's thicker strings had. The tone was all there though, regardless of the set - tested on the same P-bass through the same amp head & cabs. I currently made a transition from La Bella's .036-.093 set to Ernie Ball's .055-.110 heavy set & love it. :smug:
 
#20
Heavier strings without a doubt are easier to play but your bass has to be setup properly.

I've been experimenting and I went from Jazz Ti Rounds to Circle K set with teh .130 B string and now I'm using D'addario .135, 105, 85, 65, 45's.

What I found is that my right hand articulation and speed greatly improved when i went to heavier strings because I can play with a much lighter touch; I did have to tighten the truss rod because it was alot tougher to fret notes but it's silky smooth again and even easier to play than it was with lighter strings.

I've been training myself to play with the absolute minimum pressure on my right and left and I can definitely say that when set up properly, using heavier strings allows you to do less work, although, yes, you do have to turn up the amp to compensate.


What spawned all this was changing my right hand technique to handle all the dampening and incorporate my third finger (ala gary willis) and he recommends using heavier gauge strings for the reasons I stated above, I was skeptical at first but yeah it's true.
 

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