Unusual string gauges

[chriswareham]

I've been reading Peter Hook's latest book, Substance, which chronicles his life since the end of Joy Division and start of New Order. There are some "nerd" sections describing with various accuracy his recollections of equipment and recording techniques, including a discussion of his preferred string gauges. He uses 105, 085, 065, 065 on his four string basses - including the Yamaha BB1200 and BB1200S that he recorded New Order's albums with. (Apparently the Eccleshall semi-acoustics he's played live for over twenty years aren't used in the studio).

I decided to try out Hooky's choice of gauges on my BB1200. I found the 065 on the G string to be so over tensioned that it was painful to play, so I switched to a 060. I'm finding the result be a a bit of a revelation. The increased tension on the D and G makes it much easier to play across strings without accidentally bending them or popping the G string off the side of the fretboard as I occasionally used to do. There's also a greater consistency of tone and notes on the high tension G really ring out clearly when playing double stops or with the D as a drone.

[MoonBassAlpha]

Can you be sure the 065 on the G wasn't a typo?

[chriswareham]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1485341175' post='3223203']
Can you be sure the 065 on the G wasn't a typo?
[/quote]

Pretty sure it isn't, as he's also mentioned these gauges in interviews. He also does something similar on his Shergold six string basses. For the Shergold he gets sets specially made by Newtone Strings, who I've just placed an order with for an unusual set of gauges to go on my short scale five stringer. It's an Ibanez AGBV205A that's currently strung EADGB with 030 on the highest string, but I'm switching to 100, 080, 060, 050, 045.