Double Bass Relationship of string tension to volume?

[ColdEye]

So can anyone explain to me their relationship? When I first got my bass it had Evah Pirazzi mediums. The volume was ok from what I can hear while playing the bass. My friend lent me a G gut string. When it settled it was very loud compared to the previous G I removed. Then tension between the top and bottom strings were very different and bugging me. So after some advice from my teacher and reading I replaced the E and A with evah slaps and the D with a Gamut. They are a lot lower tension than the previous strings but also a lot. I can feel the whole bass vibrating and I can really feel the thump. My teacher agrees too, tho the guts sounds different when I bow it. Is this usually the case? Low tension strings are louder? Or is this a technique issue? This is with pizz playing unamplified. My bass is a hybrid bass if that is factor at all.

 

[bassmanbrent]

I don't think there is one answer to either of your questions. Some basses like higher tension strings, and really need them for the instrument to speak, while other basses need lower tension strings to sound open and unchoked. I am not a gut string player, so I can't offer up any insight there, but I'm sure there's a lot of variation in tension between the various brands of guts out there that would have an impact on the volume of some instruments too. So, the short answer to your question about whether low tension strings are louder is... 'That depends...'

 

[Remyd]

Some string types just sound better on some basses. I don't think it's in relation to tension, but it could be a differing action. My bass is setup for roots (silver slaps, low tension) with about 9 mm on the G and 11 mm on the E - that's really high, but I like a bunch of volume for the roots gigs. My old jazz upright (spirocore) had numbers more like 3->6 and was much more expressive, but notably lower volume.

 

[Sam Dingle]

There is a sweet spot on my bass that has the right tension for my bass. Spirocores sound good at about 4mm but if I have evah weich I jack it up to 5 (this is the g string side).

 

[groooooove]

at the end of the day, all basses and players are unique so that's always a part of this.

i think lighter strings can often have a fuller sound. i suppose this goes back to the reason for 3 string basses in the old days, less tension on the top gives a more open and full sound. heavy strings can have more horespower, but at the expence of a certain aspect of the tone. not better or worse, just a certain type of sound, when the top isin't choked.

each bass has it's happy place though- evah weich may be perfect for one bass, but not enough tension to excite the top of another. my plywood bass sounds much better with heavier strings on it. my two carved basses definitely have a fuller sound with ligher strings, and something like spiro mittel seems to choke the low end a little.

not claming to be an expert, this is just what i've seen with my basses and my string choices.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

I recently installed gut strings on my German hybrid and they are lower tension than anything I've used on this bass previously. The bass seems louder to me, but that could be because of the sound characteristics of gut or the fact that I raised my action a bit to compensate for the lower tension. Within a specific type of string (steel, synthetic) I've never noticed a big change in acoustic volume between sets.

- Steve

 

[ColdEye]

Thank you all for the information. Such a fascinating instrument to me who is so new to it (my first time making sounds using arco was a joy too). I raised the adjusters on my bridge a bit higher. I think my G is at 7.5mm. I will check again tomorrow. On a side note, how high can I raise the adjusters before they get damaged? From all the tension on the strings I guess raising them really high will be bad for it.

 

[Jeff Kissell]

It depends on your adjusters but you definitely wanna keep a few threads in the bridge.
FYI, when I had guts on my bass the G string was around 8.5/9mm and the E was around 11.5/12mm but I don't have adjusters.
-J

 

[The Spanier]

I had normal Evah`s on my bass. I changed to weichs and I lost a lot of volume. I had to go back to normal tension.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

There's volume, and then there's "punch". I find that tension adds punch and makes the note speak more quickly, but often at the expense of warmth.