Why do you use the tension you do?

[Liam Wald]

I like high tension flats.

 

[BassGreaser]

I prefer medium tension and a gauge set of .049, .069, .089, .109

Oh I only play short scale these days.

 

[shawshank72]

I keep trying to understand it as well.
I try and try again but always go back to heavier.
Recording wise i love light gauge but when its go time i prefer my heavy

 

[Fondsdale]

After playing DR Sunbeams I can't play regular tension strings any more. D'Addarios feel like bridge cables to me now.

 

[jmetcher]

Lighter gauge strings (all else being equal) are more flexible, which means more even harmonics, longer sustain, and less pronounced attack. If you're into a percussive thump that last point is a disadvantage, but if you like just stroking the strings you can get closer to a bowed-sounding onset with light strings. Then again, ideally you want to go lighter gauge without reducing tension, which means increasing scale length - not an option on most basses.

I've played .40-.95s for years, but a couple of years back I switched to .45-100s in a somewhat forlorn attempt to pass as a "real" bass player - that is, someone who holds down a groove with authoritah, as opposed to what I really am, which is someone who just noodles melodically at low pitch. Even just that tiny increment in string gauge and tension produced a noticeable increase in attack and reduction in sustain. I couldn't stand to go any heavier than that. I play *extremely* lightly (when not impersonating a bass player), so a really responsive string is nice to have. And a nice side effect of *that* is I have a pretty wide dynamic range at my disposal, to the point where I have occasionally had to take a sound guy aside and explain the concept.

 

[mkfanforever58]

I like light gauge because I believe you can go faster with less effort. Light gauge also leaves for k00l bends.

 

[AndreasR]

Because I like not writhing in pain.

 

[WhenTheDrumsStops]

I can't for the life of me understand why some bassists use light tension strings. For me, high tension strings allow me to put less energy into each pluck and move my right hand faster across them, as well as do things like triplets and sixteenths. I've played many a bass with light strings and always felt like I was trying too hard... In fact, this is what led me to flats in the first place and I've been using them exclusively for close to the last ten years (760fm).

I can understand, I suppose, if a person is big into slapping - although I slap on my steel cables just fine, I can totally see how having something lighter would make that style easier to play for longer periods of time but for the most part, picking, or plucking, gimme my high tension strings.

So, for those of you who prefer light strings, what is your reasoning?

I am the other way around. I can't understand why people play on thick strings (besides for tonal reasons). All my basslife I played on a very thin set, because it gives so much more playability (specially those bends and vibrato's) and less sore fingers. Playing on thick strings makes me feel playing handicapped. And I really like the sound of the thin strings if you really yank them with slapping or with your fingers. Specially at the neck pick-up you get a bit of the Stanley Clarke vibe and sound which I don't get with thick strings.

I tried Piccolo strings for the first time a few days ago and I found it more or less unplayable with the insane high string tension!

 

[WhenTheDrumsStops]

I play super high tension flats because they are easier to play. How so you say? The higher the tension the lower the action can be - completely effortless fretting. For plucking it's easy too if you have a powerful enough amp. I use a little pillow feathers as picks. Ok, not really, but that is how lightly I touch the strings.

But does a super low action not result in less dynamics in the sound? As a string has less room to vibrate with a low action? Maybe thats a myth, but I used to got told that... that a to low action results in a more flat sound.

 

[superheavyfunk]

But does a super low action not result in less dynamics in the sound? As a string has less room to vibrate with a low action? Maybe thats a myth, but I used to got told that... that a to low action results in a more flat sound.

I had read something along these lines before, here on TB but that's never panned out for me in real life.

 

[Doner Designs]

But does a super low action not result in less dynamics in the sound? As a string has less room to vibrate with a low action? Maybe thats a myth, but I used to got told that... that a to low action results in a more flat sound.

If you are talking about dynamic range - playing loud vs playing soft at different times in a song - I think the key is to have the action set in such a way that you can play sufficiently soft or hard to get the necessary range. The tighter the strings the lower you can go.

Less string movement does require the amp to be turned up higher. How that impact the quality of the tone I do not know. Good experiment to try.

 

[CatSquare]

stroking a quintet of noodles.

Pretty much sums up the feel I'm looking for (and have finally achieved)