Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What’s wrong with stiff strings?
- Thread starter Raman
- Start date
'Feel' is subjective. I also think Fenders are sort of overlooked as a choice for inexpensive strings. I really like their 'pure nickels' as a great old school choice on my 4string Jazz Bass (their 7150 Vintage Nickel set).
In the end, I'd rather play with stiff strings than stiff musicians.
In the end, I'd rather play with stiff strings than stiff musicians.
NYXLs from d'addario. Single stiffest strings I've ever had the displeasure of using. Couldn't even get the g string up to pitch and it snapped. Played two notes on the D and it snapped. Sweetwater sent me another pack. The G string once again snapped before up to pitch. Daddario sent me ANOTHER new pack. They all tuned up and we're so stiff I dare not bend or stretch them at all, or they were definitely prone to break. They seriously tore up my fingers and thumbnail as well, like almost as bad as Ernie ball strings.
As for their bigger strings, I ordered an XL .145 tapered twice and they sent me an untapered both times, it wasn't as bad as the NYXL but it kinda sucked sonically and I can't really stand non tapered bigger than .120 anyway
I much prefer stiffer strings because they return to their at rest position quicker.
I also learned strings feel stiffer with a Babicz bridge. Sounds odd I know but when I installed a Babicz, the XL Nickels i use felt noticeably stiffer, more planted if you will. The only thing I can attribute this to is the strings break over a knife edge on the Babicz rather than a barrel or sloped flat. When I first saw this I was concerned about maybe cutting the outer wrap, but so far so good. I play really hard when it’s a quick tempo so the stiffer the better.
I also learned strings feel stiffer with a Babicz bridge. Sounds odd I know but when I installed a Babicz, the XL Nickels i use felt noticeably stiffer, more planted if you will. The only thing I can attribute this to is the strings break over a knife edge on the Babicz rather than a barrel or sloped flat. When I first saw this I was concerned about maybe cutting the outer wrap, but so far so good. I play really hard when it’s a quick tempo so the stiffer the better.
2 packs from Sweetwater and one pack straight from Daddario double checked to be of a different batch, and every pack has the same problems? I doubt they were defective as I've talked to others w/ similar experiences, but qc issues do exist. Either bad strings or bad qc. Either way I will never give that company another cent.
For me i can ultimately use all strings and do see value in various tensions/gauges. If i go heavier i might simply lower the string a tad to compensate for the increased stiffness. If i go lighter i raise it a tad. With that said i do like some things about lighter strings that i don't get with heavier strings, which is the ease of string bending. Now i don't really NEED to be able to bend strings easily on the bass since i have also gone through periods of never bending a string, but there are certain styles, primarily funk, where i like to be able to do it.
Semantics. Defective products can be due to mistakes in string design or engineering, bad constituent materials (e.g. core wire), and in manufacturing. I'm sure metallurgical engineering is rather critical.
I just had three packs of Dunlop 45-105 stainless flats with G strings that would not intonate. The rep from Dunlop sent me three replacement packs; same problem, bad G strings. Then the Dunlop rep indicated there was likely a wider problem with bad core wire in a production run.
About a week ago they told me they were going to send me new replacement G strings from a whole new production batch. They assured me they were pre-testing them to be sure they're good. I've yet to receive them even though we're both located in California where deliver by USPS should take a few days at most.
For all I know now, they might have an even bigger problem.
What would you call that?
I prefer stiffer heavier strings. I simply like how they feel and sound (for lack of a better term it's sort of "percussive"). Same for both flats and rounds. There are extremes though--the Labella 1954 Jamerson, while it sounded killer, was a bit too much for me!
My #1 concern with stiff strings is how much do they stress my neck and truss rod.
With stiff strings, I can go with lower action (with not fret buzz) but it does take more hand strength to fret notes.
With stiff strings, I can go with lower action (with not fret buzz) but it does take more hand strength to fret notes.
While I defer to someone like @michael_t for specifics, tension and stiffness are different. Most necks can handle most strings pretty-darn well.
In days past, I too shared your concern.
I would call that bad strings or bad qc, just like I stated in my other replies. Lol
There’s nothing wrong with high tension strings. But they aren’t for me. I’ve used them in the past but my preference is low tension for several reasons, and that’s all it is, just preference.
1. I feel that with lower tension my instruments are more free to vibrate, I feel that high tension strings choke it from vibrating as freely as it could. Some instruments are way overbuilt and need the extra tension to really get going. Those instruments aren’t for me.
2. With lower tension strings I feel that the strings can vibrate with a richer harmonic content that the higher tension chokes out. I feel I have a much fatter and richer tone with low tension strings played with a light touch.
3. It’s more comfortable for both hands, I’ve had some pretty gnarly hand and wrist injuries.
4. I like the feedback that lower tension strings provide. Digging in and really snapping them just feels good sometimes.
5. Related to #4, I feel like I have a wider dynamic range with low tension. I feel like with medium/high tension strings I’m like Dave Chapelle playing Samuel L. Jackson in the Sam Jackson Beer commercial. “I’m not yelling, this is my normal speaking voice”. With lower tension I feel it’s easier to go from a whisper to a shout.
These are just my kooky opinions based on what’s probably a flawed understanding of something or other. The end result is the same though, low tension makes me happy and it’s a better paintbrush for the way I think of and approach bass.
1. I feel that with lower tension my instruments are more free to vibrate, I feel that high tension strings choke it from vibrating as freely as it could. Some instruments are way overbuilt and need the extra tension to really get going. Those instruments aren’t for me.
2. With lower tension strings I feel that the strings can vibrate with a richer harmonic content that the higher tension chokes out. I feel I have a much fatter and richer tone with low tension strings played with a light touch.
3. It’s more comfortable for both hands, I’ve had some pretty gnarly hand and wrist injuries.
4. I like the feedback that lower tension strings provide. Digging in and really snapping them just feels good sometimes.
5. Related to #4, I feel like I have a wider dynamic range with low tension. I feel like with medium/high tension strings I’m like Dave Chapelle playing Samuel L. Jackson in the Sam Jackson Beer commercial. “I’m not yelling, this is my normal speaking voice”. With lower tension I feel it’s easier to go from a whisper to a shout.
These are just my kooky opinions based on what’s probably a flawed understanding of something or other. The end result is the same though, low tension makes me happy and it’s a better paintbrush for the way I think of and approach bass.
Dunno - I started using Chromes as well as Fender flats specifically because they were stiff. After 25 years of playing with an underpowered amp, I’d developed a heavy handed string attack, and the stiffer strings helped me tame that substantially.
I used to play more rock music, but today it’s more lighter fare, some jazzier things. It’s more a difference in setting, used to be more in a multiple guitar, multiple vocalist band with keys, etc. Today it’s just one singer, one guitarist and me.
I haven’t changed my strings though. I’m a big guy, and I’ve always played with a heavy touch. Not sure if it’s due to playing with weak amps back in the day. Anyway, I’ve always liked stiffer, higher tension strings.
A change in string type usually requires a setup ie. intonation, neck adjustment, to 'feel' and sound right. May take a little time until things settle down with strings stretching and minor tweaking.
I’ve got 9050L (45-100) on my CV70’s p, Chromes (45-100) on my fretless telebass, and EB Cobalt flats (light gauge) on my foundation. They all feel different. I had tried some 50-105 fenders and Cobalts, but I found them to be so stiff they hurt under my fretting fingers, especially on a bass with jumbo frets making so that all the pressure is focused on the string rather than dispersed onto the fretboard s it would be on a fretless or small fretted bass.
Really stiff strings are great for gigs where you don't have to play many notes and you want a thick old school sound. I used to use some deep-talkin flats, which were like DB strings, just shorter. Great for Americana, bluegrass, etc. For all-round use, I prefer roundwounds, medium-gauge. If you mute them and eq them right, they fill in for flats reasonably well.
