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Twist of Question about strings

brianerwin

brianerwin

Oct 21, 2012
120
0
#1
Many of the players on here will have a good answer, maybe some won't be so exciting...
But I have been thinking about strings for my bass and
I think I might have a good one here.
I am not talking brand names here because this will change the thread completely, but I am curious about
string gauge and the medium, light, heavy categories.

First I got some new strings for my bass. They were all mediums 45 - 130 ( 5 string).
I notice that some of them resonate very well while a couple
others are sort of Duds. I get the correct pitch out of them but they don't ring out like the others.

Also my B string, even though it is the right gauge, it seems very thick and heavy. nothing like the one I took off of the bass when I changed the strings.

This has got me thinking about strings being light, medium, and heavy.

I see some bass players use light gauge and then I see some with all heavy and the same with medium.

Ok here is my thoughts:
1. Is it possible to mix weights of strings (light, med, heavy)
2. Are there gauges for my bass that cover the correct nut sizes ( 45 65 85 105 130 ) in all three weights?
3. Would it hurt the bass if a person mixed the weights?
4. If I got 45 - 105 mediums and a light 130 would that actually work out and sound good?
5. Is this an intelligent thing to do?

or am I just wasting my time thinking about this?

Thoughts?? Suggestions??
 
#2
You can definitely mix them. Many of us have been doing just that for years, welcome to the world of balanced strings! For instance, my preferred set is 40, 55, 75, 100, 135.

If you were to look at the tension range of pre-packaged strings, the tension is all over the place. I have no idea who decided on those gauges to package and why people just accept them, but luckily companies like D'Addario and Circle K sell balanced sets.

More info:
Invalid Link Removed
 
#3
Light, medium and heavy IS the gauge of the strings. So, no there would not be a set of 45-130 in light, medium and heavy.

35-105 is Super Light
40-125 is Light
45-125 is Medium
50-130 is Heavy
55-135 is Extra Heavy

These are generalizations and can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

But yes, you can mix and match.
 
#5
1) I wouldn't look at terms like medium, heavy or light. I just want to know the tension. 30 to 60 pounds is about the playable range. Thinner strings tend to vibrate with a larger amplitude, fatter strings have more material swinging in the magnetic field. Many players, including me, like to feel (almost) equal tension across the board.
2) Brands do matter, as strings of different brands have different feel, sound and sustain.
3) If some strings on your bass have less sustain, it doesn't have to mean that the string is the cause. It may be the bass itself. A miserable tuning peg or a saddle having lack of contact with the bridge could be the cause. Sometimes it's a combination of a certain string on a specific bass. On my bass the Ernie Ball Flatwound 0.130 B string rang almost unstoppable. I left it on while swapping the other strings, so it's a lot older now and having sustain like the other strings.
 
#6
brianerwin said:
The set of strings I purchased were actually a Medium Set
That was indeed 45 - 130.

So I am a bit confused then
Click to expand...

That's just what that particular string company calls them They have a lighter set, and they have a heavier set...so those are in between...or medium.

They could call them 'gargantuan' if they wanted to, it means about that much.
 

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