Guitar strings for bass players?

[ras52]

Dare I talk about guitar strings here? The backstory is that I'm playing again after a l-o-n-g layoff blah blah blah. I've hooked up with a band and am now starting to write again: cue digging out the g**t*r and making some rudimentary demos (demoes?).

Last year I dipped my toe into jazz guitar and put a set of 12s on my Strat. A strange combination, maybe, but that was before I [s]was corrupted by[/s] joined BC - if I was a member then, I would have just given in to the gas and bought a nice semi-acoustic!

The relics of my previous collection are the aforementioned Strat (a regular 3-single coil floating-bridge jobby, and rather tasty) and an 80s Japanese Strat with twin humbuckers and locking trem, which I don't see me ever playing again. So... trade the JapStrat for a semi with 12s, and put 10s or 11s on the regular Strat? I know I don't need two electric guitars, but you know how it is... (I know, the "correct" answer is probably to trade the JapStrat for another bass.)

Most of this is just gassing aloud, but I'm interested in your thoughts on what gauge cheese-wire for those of us used to big manly bass strings. (On bass I'm a regular 45s kind of guy. Style-wise, all over the place, so no help there I'm afraid.)

Cheers!
Richard

[Dom in Dorset]

The more time I spend on bass the less comfortable I am on gu*tar. I use a 12 string for writitng and find the feel moch nicer.

[Matt P]

As a G**t*rist-turned-Bassist i find that I fit the same gauge strings to all my electrics (10's)
(DR pure blues on a solid body and DR HI-Rollers on my semi-acoustic)
my acoustics always have 12's (dr sunbeams with no exceptions)
on gibson scaled guitars i have used 11's with no problem.
I'd say that 11's on a strat should work well for you, and a semi with 12's will be great,
maybe you need a nice acoustic for writing? (i find myself playing my McIlroy acoustic quite a lot of the time and it always inspires me although i've never written a song in my life)

[EssentialTension]

13 to 56, D'addario Chromes

Edited March 9, 2011 by EssentialTension

[RhysP]

After trying lots of different guitar strings I've settled on the GHS David Gilmour signature ones. They do a "Fender" & a "Gibson" set that mimic the gauges that Gilmour uses on his Strats & Les Pauls.

I like them because the top strings are heavy but not too heavy & the bottom strings are quite a bit heavier than you'd get with a standard set of strings. They last a long time too.

The "Gibson" set are 10.5 - 50, the "Fender" set are 10 - 48.
I use quite heavy bass strings (45-110 & would use a much heavier G if I could get them) & don't find these gauges too flimsy at all.

They're pretty cheap too - Stringbusters do them for about £4.30 a set.

Edited March 9, 2011 by RhysP

[chrismuzz]

personally anything around the 12+ gauge mark would be ideal, everything else just feels too flimsy!

[Mog]

Hendrix line from Dean Markley are a nice string. 13's with a wound G.
I use D'Addario 11's on the tele. The Zakk Wylde sig Dunlops are a nice string also. Great tension/feel.

[ras52]

Hm, so I think I need - at least - a solid-body, a semi, and a nice acoustic. And a 12-string.

The 12s currently on my Strat are EB "not even slinky" with a plain .024 G, which I love in a weird sort of way.

[Ian Savage]

I've been using LaBella Heavy Blues 12-54 gauge on my Tele for a good while now, sounds great; I've just picked up a load of Rotosound 'light-top/heavy-bottom' 10-52s for not a lot of money though so shall give those a try soon.

[ahpook]

d'addario 11's on my tele and jag.