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why do so many famous Elect. Bassists use such light gauge strings?

#21
I personally use light strings because I need a low action and as little fretting pressure as possible, due to pain in my wrists/arms.

It sucks, if I was not physically limited by certain factors, I would a much different bass player. heavier strings, higher action, and I would attack much harder with my right hand, playing in a much more rhythmic style. I feel like my playing would be much better, tighter, and funkier if only my body would allow it :(
 
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#22
I'm not famous :) but here are the reasons I use light gauge strings.

  1. I like to string bend, and I can bend farther with light gauge strings.
  2. I like to slap, and I don't like the sound of popping a heavy G-string. To my ears, it lacks the "snap" I desire... it's too thuddy.
  3. I feel I can get lower action with light gauge strings, and I like low action.
  4. Light gauge strings allow me to change my sound dramatically by varying the pressure of my strokes. If I stroke the strings lightly it sounds like a "regular" bass, but if I dig in hard I can get that pseudo-slap sound like Stanley Clarke gets.
  5. Wear and tear – digging in on heavy strings make my right-hand fingers hurt, and I want to be able to playing as long as possible. If it hurts now, you're eventually going to end up with injuries. No thanks!
  6. On a fretless bass, I feel that light-gauge strings tend to "sing" a bit more than heavier strings.
 
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#23
I think bass players fall into two distinct categories...

Those that want to make their bass sing, using lighter roundwounds and doing more solos and chordal work.

And those that use heavier gauge strings and just want to punch you in the face sonically all night long so when you wake up the next day you don't know if your pounding headache is from the hangover of drinking too much or from the band.

Famous bass players today tend to be in the former camp mostly, though some have made their mark by being in bands that are famous so they fall in the latter group.
 
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#25
Like others have said, the bassists you looked at for sting gauge guidance are all more technical 'spotlight' players who probably prefer lighter gauge strings for all of their technical noodling. If you look at most rock or blues players, the overwhelming majority are using heavier 45-105 gauge strings in my experience. You just picked a weird sample to look at.
 
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#26
I would think that Marcus Miller plays 45-105 not 40-100 since his signature set of strings is 45-105, but you never know. Just because his name is on them doesn't necessarily mean he uses them. Anyhow, I use the DR miller signatures (45-105 or 45-125). The B string seems a little light to me, but I like the rest. Never really could get into lighter strings, but I play pretty heavy handed.
 
#28
I bought my first real bass (a 58 Precision) from a guy named Tim Bogart when I lived in North Jersey (1971) It was strung with these flat wound Fender strings from the Baritone Fender 6 string bass. The action was so low you couldn't get a business card under the strings. The bass almost played itself. I was sooo spoiled.

Then the Rotosounds came out. I played them in a store thru this Sunn Coloseum head driving two 2x15 JBL "Sugar Scoop" horn-loaded cabs. It was a small store. And the sound was very large. Very John Entwistle. I was sold.

Now in my geezer years, with gimpy paws, I say "damn the torpedoes" I find, IMHO, which I consider the Gold Standard, that the heavier the string, the more potential energy it can store, with richer harmonics, all members of Prof Fourier's harmonic series, and then, when the bassist releases the string like the arrow from the archers bow, projects into the tangible realm every nuance of timbre harvested from the unseen world of The Superstrings! Try it yourself at home for yourself! If I err in the theory I'll buy your strings from you.

I can be visited on weakends now. My current address is Ward 6, Chatahoochee State Hospital for Mentals, Miscreants, and other assorted misfits and kooks, Chatahoochee, Florida. Please, no get well cards, although I do accept PayPal and USPS money orders.
 
#29
I could be way off but among many other reasons I think it could also be because a lot of these guys use there bass as a solo instrument and I think lighter strings are clearer more guitar sounding...I use light strings when I want to play around with slapping and taping...but if I just need to lay down a solid bass line I go to heaver
 
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#31
We should make a chart now with the lightest SS strings on one end and heaviest Nickels on the other. Light end is Pop and Slap solo recording session for my never to be actually released CD and heavy end is We don't need no stinking 6-strings, we have to gig every night for like $80 bucks if we're lucky.

I have a hunch that the weight of the strings is proportional to the weight of the rig. Light strings equals Made in China bass head with a switching power supply from a PC that weights 7 lbs, and those cute little 10" speakers that have aluminum cones. Whereas the 060 thru 120 Nickel strings made from used arresting cables off aircraft carries tend to be used by the bass player who looks the part. Gold's Gym T. Tattoo that says F*U if you don't like Fenders. Two SVT heads that have the original Tungsol 6550's. And only one cabinet. But that one cabinet has 8 McCauley 15"s in it.
 
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#32
Buster666 said:
We should make a chart now with the lightest SS strings on one end and heaviest Nickels on the other. Light end is Pop and Slap solo recording session for my never to be actually released CD and heavy end is We don't need no stinking 6-strings, we have to gig every night for like $80 bucks if we're lucky.

I have a hunch that the weight of the strings is proportional to the weight of the rig. Light strings equals Made in China bass head with a switching power supply from a PC that weights 7 lbs, and those cute little 10" speakers that have aluminum cones. Whereas the 060 thru 120 Nickel strings made from used arresting cables off aircraft carries tend to be used by the bass player who looks the part. Gold's Gym T. Tattoo that says F*U if you don't like Fenders. Two SVT heads that have the original Tungsol 6550's. And only one cabinet. But that one cabinet has 8 McCauley 15"s in it.
Click to expand...

:D LMAO!!! :D
 
#33
I use Labella 43-104 Light Flats on both my basses. I chose lights cause I found them for sale on another site than the site that had them for sale and 49-109s for sale, I went the less expensive route. Very happy with them, I'm a flats man for sure. That's why they on my P-Bass now too.

To each his own ya know? Maybe I'll try the mediums and like them too, but that would mean these would have to come off, ain't time yet haha.
 
#36
coreyfyfe said:
I would think that Marcus Miller plays 45-105 not 40-100 since his signature set of strings is 45-105, but you never know. Just because his name is on them doesn't necessarily mean he uses them. Anyhow, I use the DR miller signatures (45-105 or 45-125). The B string seems a little light to me, but I like the rest. Never really could get into lighter strings, but I play pretty heavy handed.
Click to expand...

The DR Marcus Miller signature strings DO come in other thickness sets than the 45-105, I just bought a 45/65/80/100 set today. Who knows what Marcus uses? He doesn't say in the FAQ on his website.

Roger
 
#37
I switched to lighter guage strings on my old Music Man, its amazing how much easier it is to play faster. If you're bread and butter is fast, soloing stuff, ala Wooten or Marcus, its hard to believe they'd handicap themselves with heavier strings. Soon as the current set of .045-.125s go dead on my new bass, I'm trying the light ones on it too.

Bending, slapping, fast fingers, all easier with lighter guage strings. Significantly.

And as far as low end goes, a light tough gives you plenty of low end. Just as much as heavier strings. If you play hard, you may not like them... It is hard to keep a light touch when you're excited and start getting into it.

Randy
 
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#39
The Birdman said:
The DR Marcus Miller signature strings DO come in other thickness sets than the 45-105, I just bought a 45/65/80/100 set today. Who knows what Marcus uses? He doesn't say in the FAQ on his website.

Roger
Click to expand...

I assumed the since the 45-105 were listed as his signature set while the other variations are listed as light or medium or whatever, that he used those. To be honest, I actually haven't seen a store that carries anything other than the signature and 45-125 5 string sets, but I usually get strings at GC so I'm sure they aren't carrying the whole range.
 

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