Really thinking about my strings

[iriegnome]

For years, I really just threw any set of strings on my basses as I found them on sale or they were a great deal. Recently (10 years or so) I have pretty much stuck with D'Addario. I used to love .050 G strings and .105 E strings. However, lately, I have been buying the .045 to .100 sets and I am not really liking my high end.
I am looking for someone to help decipher the difference (other than size) of what is going on. Is there such a big difference? Also what about cutting the nut for the bigger strings? My sound is a modern Jam band style. Dead/Phish. Big fat lows with clean clear highs and a smooth mid. I use a Modulus Bassstar 5 string through a SWR Bass 750 and Schroeder (Original series) cabinets.

 

[bumperbass]

Maybe the lighter gauge is sounding tinnier to you; more like a guitar, I don't know. Stick around TB for a while and you'll really get the feeling that you'll never pick the right string for you. I am trying new things...like flats...this weekend. I am looking at it as a fun, learning experience. It's both fun AND sometimes frustrating to find the right string, but when you find it, you'll wonder why you didn't experiment in the first place.
BTW, I've always used the 45-65-85-105 XL's.

 

[eriky4003]

I'm going to go bass string hunting this year. Started with DR Fat Beams and using the review section of TB settled on D'Addario Chrome Flats. You may want to read through some of those reviews. In some cases, I've found reviews that give you a sense of what you can expect from the string's sound. Maybe not so much on the engineering side of the string but feel and sound.

 

[bumperbass]

Chromes are on the agenda this weekend, eriky! Hope I like them.