Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Yet another String Question


JellyKnees
 Share

Recommended Posts

I recently bought a second-hand Ibanez SR505 from crack convertors. I've never had a 5 string before, but I've been thinking about it for a while and this was a real bargain...£300, and apart from a couple of very minor scratches it looked like it had never been played!

Anyhow, it came strung with what I'm guessing were the factory fitted elixirs, which I didn't particuarly like the tone of, so I order a set of Elite roundwounds (40-125). I've been using DBE Elites (40-100) on my headless KGB bass for 20 odd years, so this seemed like a sensible starting point...

They sound great and are very similar to the DBEs, however they feel lower in tension, particularly on the E/A strings, which I'm guessing is possible due to the differences in construction between standard and DBE strings (the action/setup is pretty similar on the 2 basses).

Has anyone got any suggestions for an alternative 5 string set of roundwounds in the same guage which have a little more tension than elites? I know I could go up a guage to get more tension, but I don't particularly like the feel of thicker strings (I've been down that road with my fretless...)

Thanks...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry to be pedantic (again) but ...

Tension is affected only by three things:

(1) mass per unit length of the string,
(2) the vibrating length of the string,
(3) the pitch to which the string is tuned.

So same make strings, same gauge, same scale length, same pitch means the tension must, by definition, remain the same.

The 'feel' of the strings under the fingers is called elasticity or compliance and varies with the ways in which different makes of strings are put together (as the OP noted). Some people believe that elasticity or compliance also varies with:

(1) length of the string between the string anchor and the saddle of the bridge,
(2) length of the string between the tuning machine and the nut,
(3) the break angle of the string at the bridge and/or the nut.

Even if those latter three are true, it's very small IMO.

However , it might explain why DBE strings 'feel' different i.e. are less compliant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...