So... I have a Schecter Omem 5 Extreme, a cool little 5 string I picked up used a while back. It has stwndard gauge stings (.130 to .45), but tuned to standard, the strings sound like I tried to tune my 4 string bass to drop A.. The strings are really really loose. My 4 string Stingray with .115 to .45 gauge stings can handle the BEAD tuning significantly better than my 5 string, which is a joke to me. I've thought about getting a . .135 gauge sting set for it to compensate, but is there any way around this? I'd recently taken it to guitar center for a setup and left it overnight, but because I wasn't actually there, I didn't exactly get to specify much other than that I wanted low action... Any ways to fix this, short of thicker strings?
You can purchase strings based on tension instead of gauge. manufacturers have some good charts that will help you decide. Here's a pretty good read: http://www.daddario.com/DAstringtensionguide.Page?sid=ff9e32d9-01c5-4197-9af0-77e0fec050a8
Sorry, no. The only things governing string tension are distance from nut to bridge, pitch the string is tuned to, and string gauge.