Heaviest gauge to play EADG

[Casablancas]

I have acknowlege that I have been living a lie for a long time. I though that I would always feel more confortable playing 40-100 because I have small hands.
Now I am wondering what is heaviest string gauge I can use to play in EADG.
Would I be able to do it with a 55-110 or will it be too much?

[kodiakblair]

Rotosound Tru Bass 88 nylon tapesare

G - 65
D - 75
A -100
E - 115

So 55-110 should not be a problem.

[bartelby]

Have a look at D'addario's balanced tension set. Really nice to play. I used to use 55 - 110, but have switched over to the BTs

[color=#4D4D4D][font=Arial][size=3]Wound .050, .067, .090, .120[/size][/font][/color]

[BigRedX]

To the OP. What are you actually after? An increase in tension/stiffness or thickness of your strings?

[Guest Jecklin]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1481302598' post='3191397']
To the OP. What are you actually after? An increase in tension/stiffness or thickness of your strings?
[/quote]

Precisely this.
Just using gauge as an arbitrary guide, the "heaviest" I'd ever contemplate using would be 40-100.
The idea of using my preferred strings in 55-110 gives me tendonitis just thinking about it

We need more detail

[Casablancas]

[quote name='Jecklin' timestamp='1481306841' post='3191426']
Precisely this.
Just using gauge as an arbitrary guide, the "heaviest" I'd ever contemplate using would be 40-100.
The idea of using my preferred strings in 55-110 gives me tendonitis just thinking about it

We need more detail
[/quote]
[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1481302598' post='3191397']
To the OP. What are you actually after? An increase in tension/stiffness or thickness of your strings?
[/quote]

True. So what I intend is to increase the tension. My goal is to have less of this fretbuzz that you cannot hear in the mix, but you can feel in your fingers. It drives me crazy

[Guest ixlramp]

Higher tension will make it harder to press the string firmly against the fret, which will increase this type of buzz, i solved it by going to lower tension and using a more gentle technique.

[Grangur]

[quote name='Casablancas' timestamp='1481358225' post='3191681']

Get your frets leveled and a good setup before spending time and loads of cash on a wild goose chase through string gaugesand makes of strings.

True. So what I intend is to increase the tension. My goal is to have less of this fretbuzz that you cannot hear in the mix, but you can feel in your fingers. It drives me crazy
[/quote]

[Grangur]

[quote name='Casablancas' timestamp='1481358225' post='3191681']
True. So what I intend is to increase the tension. My goal is to have less of this fretbuzz that you cannot hear in the mix, but you can feel in your fingers. It drives me crazy
[/quote]

Get your frets leveled and a good setup before spending time and loads of cash on a wild goose chase through string gaugesand makes of strings.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Grangur

[Casablancas]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1481527207' post='3192849']
Get your frets leveled and a good setup before spending time and loads of cash on a wild goose chase through string gaugesand makes of strings.
[/quote]
They are already leveled, but I play like a beast with my fingers

[LewisK1975]

Use a lighter touch and let the amp do the work. Even the more 'beastly' bassists you could think of play with a lighter touch than you might imagine.

[alexclaber]

The tone changes quite a lot with the gauge, it doesn't just affect the tension. I tend to run balanced gauge strings, LaBella deep talkin' rounds on my 34" scale Streamer (.044 - .110) and a similar gauge on my 36" scale 5-string (with a .140 low B ). Fairly high action too. It's a fairly physical instrument to play!

Edited December 12, 2016 by alexclaber

[Casablancas]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1481556623' post='3193249']
Use a lighter touch and let the amp do the work. Even the more 'beastly' bassists you could think of play with a lighter touch than you might imagine.
[/quote]

Sadly, I was taught to play that hard with my fingers, and now it is difficult to me to focus in order not to play like that. I do all I can do, but I think that raising will compensate my style and the buzz.

[bazzbass]

try adjusting the truss rod for a bit more of a bow, and raise the bridge saddles a tad, matching the radius of your fretboard, ie A and D higher than E and G , this worked for my jazz

[thodrik]

I have used 55-110 for standard tuning. It felt pretty unbalanced though, the E and A strings were fine but there was far too much tension on the 75 for the D and 55 for the G for my tastes.

I think that you could use the D'addario balanced tension set of 120 -50 for standard tuning but you would really have to give your bass a proper set up and adjust the truss rod in order to do so.

I think that a standard 105-45 set is absolutely fine for getting 'heft' at standard tuning. Light gauge strings are fine as well. Once you add in amps. EQ and set up preferences the gauge of strings are just a small part of the equation.