New strings to increase tension? MM Sterling

[Michael Currie]

I've just put on new strings, stupidly thinking that it'd maybe give me more string tension, but it so didn't! What gauge should I buy, so that it'll be increased, but without having to change the nut/damage the bass etc?

Thanks

[Michael Currie]

Oh, and my strings are currently 45-65-80-100 gauge Super Slinky's, thanks.

[rmshaw37]

Clue is in the name - slinkys!

I tried a set and took them straight off, no where near the tension of rotos or boomers

You could always go for a 105, but I still didn't find them to have anything to them

[Spike Vincent]

There's a section on the Daddario home page about string tensions,although I haven't looked at it myself.

[gafbass02]

Do I recall hex core strings having higher tension?

[Soliloquy]

Hex core strings generally have a higher tension that round core's.

Try D'addario ProSteels, they've got the highest tension of any strings that I've tried.

[Wil]

+1 for D'Addarios. Elixers are fairly high tension too as far as I recall.

[gafbass02]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1218246' date='May 3 2011, 12:58 AM']Hex core strings generally have a higher tension that round core's.

Try D'addario ProSteels, they've got the highest tension of any strings that I've tried.[/quote]

Cool, glad the memorys not gone fully yet then!

[Sibob]

Get in touch with Malcolm at Newtone strings!
They'll do whatever tension you want with whatever gauge you you want, custom wound, for no more money than a set of rotos.

But u're right, it's all in core size/shape

Lovely
Si

[BigRedX]

If all other factors remain equal changing the core shape of a string will not change the tension of the string.

Tension is derived from the weight, vibrating length, and pitch of the string. Taking an unfretted E string as an example. The vibrating length is fixed at the scale length, the note is E, therefore in order to change the tension, you have to change the weight of the string. You can do this two ways, either by using a heavier gauge (thicker string), or by making the string out of a material with a higher mass. Simply changing the core from round to hexagonal won't achieve this.

What it might do is to change the Compliance or "stiffness" of the string, but this is not the same as changing the tension.

Have a look at these articles for a full explanation of [url="http://www.liutaiomottola.com/formulae/tension.htm"]tension[/url] and [url="http://www.liutaiomottola.com/myth/perception.htm"]compliance[/url].