Really light gauge users: How is your tone?

[4-string]

No compromise in tone once you've lightened up the touch IMO, only snappier.

 

[ixlramp]

I don't tune EADG but if i did it would be inverse tension roughly .080 .055 .040 .025.
I use bass strings at roughly half of 'standard' tension, which i consider stupid tight and a bad tradition perpetuated by commercial forces. The tone is not lacking or worse, it is simply different.
I have spent years searching for the lowest practical tension and discovered this increases as you go lower, this automatically produces an inverse tension, and is the reason inverse tension is optimal for guitar or bass. Bass B strings need 30 pounds but a thin plain steel string is fine at only 10 pounds.

 

[Right_Butterscotch64]

I believe now he does, but back when he had good tone that everybody knows and loves (instead of the chainsaw clank he has now) it was light gauge strings.

Aww but I like his chainsaw clank, It sounds killer through his washing machine and sausage maker Rig.

 

[dedpool1052]

And I thought I liked it low aiming for the 1.5 to 1.8 mm region.

yeah. pretty low, i know. one of my basses is at .9mm which is the lowest action on any of my basses.

 

[mmbongo]

Aww but I like his chainsaw clank, It sounds killer through his washing machine and sausage maker Rig.

The Gefilter is the key to Ged's sound.

 

[experimental bassist]

I use 45-100 D'Addario XL's on my Precision.

Just to add what's already been said, plenty if not more tone when one goes lighter.

Play an open D string on your bass, then play a D on the fifth fret on the A string, then on the tenth fret of your E string.

That's pretty much an overexaggerated but accurate example of the difference in tone between heavy and light gauge strings.

The lighter the gauge, the more "piano" overtones. The tradeoff (?) is lighter tension, which could be a problem if you are a fast finger style player, or want really low action, for example.

All IMO, YMMV etc.

 

[Jeremy James]

Common misconception! Lighter strings can be more aggressive usually. The bigger the string, the more mass and tension. The more mass and tension, the less they vibrate. The less they vibrate, the less tone they produce.

Hmmm, more metal, more mass, more vibrational energy transferred to the pickup. Higher tension stays in tune better when fingering.

Jimmie Vaughan: "More string, more tone."

BUT then having said that, tone is subjective. Sometimes a thinner tone is what is required. Also it depends on your playing, if you can't finger heavy strings properly then they will never sound better to you, or anyone.

To say lighter strings have more tone has more to do with your playing strength than anything else.