What do I gain (or lose) going to lighter strings?

[roccobass]

I switched to La Bella Lo Tension 42-56-75-100 last year on my fretless Jazz. Slightly lighter gauge then my the medium Chromes but made worlds difference in feel and tone. I’m getting a nice old school Motown sound. No longer fighting it also. My hands are digging it too.

 

[kesslari]

Thanks for all the input. I'm going to try a set!

 

[elpancho]

Try some DR Hi-Beam .40-.100, my SR4 loves them. The punch and tone comes from your fingers.

 

[pbass888]

40-95 D'Adarrio nickel so that I can sometimes play chords on a 4 string. They sound just like the 40-100 I played for a decade, and the 45-105 the decade before that.

 

[micguy]

More knowledgable users will surely chime in shortly, but from what I understand, there's two sides to this: tone and playability. A bit counterintuitive maybe, but from what I understand thicker strings have more overtones, while thinner strings have more fundamental and more sustain (?).

This idea runs around a lot, but at some point, you will also read that (when you get to big strings, like B's on 5's), thicker strings are duller. So, which is it - are thicker string brighter or duller?

I use light gauge strings (40-55-70-95-130 - all about 35 pounds tension) on my 34" 5's. Compared to 45-60 etc, the strings are "twangier" - it's easier to get the strings moving more, and when strings move more, the tension shifts a bit at the initial part of the note - the note goes up a tiny bit in pitch. It's something that's somewhat subtle - it doesn't sound like you're out of tune, it just adds "energy" to the proceedings. Thicker strings don't have as much of this - if I play a bass with thick strings, it feels like I've lost access to dynamics. When I play hard, it doesn't sound like it.

Thinner strings also make it easier to do a bit of controlled fret "bounce" on the initial transients - there's more zing in the note as you dig in a bit. Given that, the way I play, thinner strings are definitely brighter sounding - they have more (not less) harmonics.

And yes, you'll have to turn up your volume control a little bit. Less metal means a little less output from your pickups.

Thinner strings are also kinder on your neck. As someone who does setups for a bunch of people, if you want a stable setup that lasts a while, thinner strings are your friend.

 

[Bass4Brkfast]

I like lighter gauges because I find them easier to play in a lot of ways.
Like for the LH easier to fret, easier to slide over, for the RH easier to hear tonal difference from where I pluck and easier to hear inconsistent plucking dynamics and timing.
Tone-wise, I almost can't hear a difference...if anything, the lighter strings have a bit more clarity to them..but it's hard to tell when playing alone, in a mix it's harder still.

 

[JRA]

I'm going to try a set!

have you been thinking of anything in particular?

 

[bassdude51]

I think that lighter strings sustain longer. They are easier to fret, less tension. The truss rod usually gets loosened a bit which is a good thing because lighter strings have less pull. I find that I usually have to raise my action a micro higher because lighter strings are usually a little more flexible and I can get "fret bang" when I'm plucking. YMMV

I have a set of GHS Pressure Wounds 40-96 on a J. Casady bass. Love 'em!

 

[sgiacomo]

I find lighter gauge strings don’t work as well with my finger plucking when tuned to drop D because they seem floppy.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

If your RH depends on the tension of a heavier string to make a vibrant sound, then moving to a lighter string will move some of the responsibility onto your RH.

My RH doesn't enjoy that, at all. I get the impression that this is very much a minority position, but still, there it is, one of the possible answers to the OP's Q.

 

[Mastermold]

I play Pressurewounds (GHS or Smith) - .044 to .106 (I stick a different B on them because I haven't bonded with the B in the sets).
What do I gain or lose by switching (besides some time resetting intonation)?
I'm intrigued after learning that "thicker strings = better tone" is not necessarily true (from this thread - How does Vic Wooten get such a FULL sound with such THIN strings? )

Talk to me.

So my experimental experience is almost exclusively with flatwound strings. Thicker strings have more tension which sometimes results in more percussive playing but the tone doesn't change that much, especially over time. For example, with La Bella flats, the FL set will sound a little brighter than the FS set out of the box but over time they sound the same to me.

 

[WRM]

It's all about the "tension". As you go "lighter" in mass/diameter you need "less tension" to tune to the same pitch. Not sure how much it affects intonation/saddles, as that's more about "scale length" than "string diameter"?...

Cheers,

 

[jdjk7]

I play Pressurewounds (GHS or Smith) - .044 to .106 (I stick a different B on them because I haven't bonded with the B in the sets).
What do I gain or lose by switching (besides some time resetting intonation)?
I'm intrigued after learning that "thicker strings = better tone" is not necessarily true (from this thread - How does Vic Wooten get such a FULL sound with such THIN strings? )

Talk to me.

You can also get playability issues from going lighter. Lighter gauge strings will be naturally more pliable, and that means variation in fretting pressure will be more likely to put you out of tune. Just as well, if you are a fast player without a particularly light touch, you can actually play too fast for the strings. Playing slap on my lighter-gauge strings is also more likely to cause things like transients from contacting the pole pieces.

All these things can probably be corrected with technique, but these issues also aren't present with heavier gauge/heavier tension strings.

 

[RGerhart]

I play Pressurewounds (GHS or Smith) - .044 to .106 (I stick a different B on them because I haven't bonded with the B in the sets).
What do I gain or lose by switching (besides some time resetting intonation)?
I'm intrigued after learning that "thicker strings = better tone" is not necessarily true (from this thread - How does Vic Wooten get such a FULL sound with such THIN strings? )

Talk to me.

I love Vic's playing as much as anyone, but one thing I've never thought was that he had a "full" sound to me. His tone has never really been a favorite of mine--it always sounded rather thin and percussive, not full. Maybe I'm in the minority here?

 

[Dincrest]

Derek Boyer of Suffocation (a low-tuned death metal band) prefers to use lighter gauges than usual for the genre, because he feels like he doesn't have to mash on a heavy string to get a big tone. He can get a big tone with a lighter touch.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

I've played different gauges and I really prefer lighter gauge strings for feel and playability. I don't think there's any substantial difference in the ability to get whatever tone you're looking for between lighter and heavier gauge strings. If there's a tonal difference, it's subtle and easily accounted for with the controls on my amps. I can easily get deep reggae tones with light-gauge flats on any of my basses, although I need brighter tone with my band.

I can feel the difference in faster fretting with lighter strings, but I don't hear any difference.

 

[Mastermold]

One question to ask here is how light is too light? At some point the strings will become guitar strings so is there a threshold of lightness that ceases to be bass and becomes baritone?

 

[J-Mags]

They both can sound big and aggressive, dark or bright. There are minor sonic differences. Most people, including me, choose based on feel, or on compatibility with a playing style. I find medium sets work best for me because of my aggressive pick attack.

Advantages of lighter strings: Comfort, more fundamental & more high-end attack. Better intonation & fewer odd harmonics if you have a light touch. Easier on your bass neck. More sensitive to changes in picking and tone.

Advantages of heavier strings: If you're used to heavy strings, you may find that you're chasing lighter strings around the fretboard while heavy strings are more predictable. There's a bit more punch in the attack across the lows and mids. Better intonation if you have a heavy hand. More midrange content. Fewer fretboard sounds.

Lighter strings have a slightly more relaxed voice with a marginally more scooped attack, and more natural sustain, but more high end fretboard noise. Heavier strings have a chunkier attack, with more pronounced mids.

I find myself happier around the middle of the range. For roundwounds, I prefer 45-105 sets, and I'm not particularly concerned with balanced tension. For flats, unless I'm going super old-school, I go a little lighter. .050-.105 is usually a little heavy for me, unless it's on a special P-Bass. 45-100 is about right.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I went down a gauge about 5 years ago. Easier on the fingers and less tension on the neck.

 

[Spidey2112]

I don't mind lighter gauge strings... in terms of playability, they feel similar to when we down tuned a half step for our former singer.

We now play at 'normal' tuning, except for 'Love Walks In' (VH), where the E gets down tuned a full step to D... feels way too floppy with lower gauge strings.