Why are balanced tension sets so uncommon?

[michael_t]

I believe that a looser G string will sound less twangy (sort of like why short scale basses tend to have a thumpier tone)...

...if possible, I'd always try to get a slightly lower tension G string than the rest of the strings.

This is kind of interesting as my personal experience is the opposite.

My J bass wore a set of D'A Chromes 40-60-80-100 for 4 yrs. The 100E went all thuddy, while the 40G stayed annoyingly bright even after 4 yrs.

Then I tried the Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100) and found the 45G a lot more agreeable as it balanced so much better with the rest both tonally and tension-wise.

Then the Sadowsky flats (40-60-80-100)... Again, just like the Chromes, the 40G did not balance well with the rest.

Meanwhile, my Jazz bass also liked the GHS Pressurewound (44-58-80-102) and the D'A XL Nickels Balanced Tension 45-60-80-107. No problem with a twangy G.

I'm starting to think this could well be bass-specific, though; it's my J that doesn't like 40G's. For example, the same gauges of the Chromes (40-100) sounded great on my old MIM P bass.

 

[Doner Designs]

That's not a matter of tension or balance, it's just the project from the brand. "thumpy flats" are made to sound like that, because the short sustained E string is easier to control in a mix, and it's a typical sound of the 60's and 70's (when the foam mute was also a standard, and the basses came with it already mounted under the bridge cover).

True, but some present day players want a consistent degree of thump without the bridge mute or an Ampeg feeding an 8x10. I have found the 1954 LaBella set to work fairly well for me. The G string if often a problem in terms of sounding too twangy. This is one reason I switched to BEAD tuning on every bass and even try to stay away from the D string, so much that I'm almost tempted to try F#BEA.

I would guess the thing I am describing is one reason that Spector uses a reverse P design (the one thing Leo got backwards) and Warwick sometimes angles their J pickups to accomplish the same thing.

 

[Doner Designs]

This is kind of interesting as my personal experience is the opposite.

My J bass wore a set of D'A Chromes 40-60-80-100 for 4 yrs. The 100E went all thuddy, while the 40G stayed annoyingly bright even after 4 yrs.

Then I tried the Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100) and found the 45G a lot more agreeable as it balanced so much better with the rest both tonally and tension-wise.

Then the Sadowsky flats (40-60-80-100)... Again, just like the Chromes, the 40G did not balance well with the rest.

Meanwhile, my Jazz bass also liked the GHS Pressurewound (44-58-80-102) and the D'A XL Nickels Balanced Tension 45-60-80-107. No problem with a twangy G.

I'm starting to think this could well be bass-specific, though; it's my J that doesn't like 40G's. For example, the same gauges of the Chromes (40-100) sounded great on my old MIM P bass.

Agreed. I always would want to use the thickest G string that could be mounted without breaking. Eventually I switched to BEAD across the board and rarely even play on the D string.

 

[Pier_]

I would guess the thing I am describing is one reason that Spector uses a reverse P design

not only Spector the reverse P is used by almost every "modern PJ", but rarely on basses with only a split coil pickup.

This is one reason I switched to BEAD tuning on every bass and even try to stay away from the D string, so much that I'm almost tempted to try F#BEA.

yes, personal choice. I couldn't live without the G, and I'm a Precision lover never had problems with "too twangy" strings, only with "too twangy amps".

 

[michael_t]

I couldn't live without the G, and I'm a Precision lover never had problems with "too twangy" strings...

As I mentioned earlier, my problem with "twangy" G strings have been specifically with my Jazz.

Meanwhile, I'm loving the La Bella 760FL (43-60-82-104) on my new P bass. Very well-balanced both in terms of tension and tone.

 

[Matthew_84]

Different strokes for different folks I guess... I find tighter G strings to sound twangier and looser ones to sound flubbier.

I find 35" scale basses have a super twangy G string, and short scale basses have a thumpy one. The difference is tension.

35" scale B strings sound clearer/brighter because they have more tension. Same with thicker 34" B strings.

 

[Matthew_84]

As I mentioned earlier, my problem with "twangy" G strings have been specifically with my Jazz.

Try raising the pickup under the G string. May sound counter-intuitive (like all my ideas), but I had a P Bass with a ridiculously twangy G string no matter which string I tried. Someone recommended this and the problem went away.

 

[michael_t]

Try raising the pickup under the G string. May sound counter-intuitive (like all my ideas), but I had a P Bass with a ridiculously twangy G string no matter which string I tried. Someone recommended this and the problem went away.

Hey, thanks for the suggestion. It might be worth experimenting with the pickup height. We'll see...