Anyone else like really light gauge strings?

[Angel]

Having experimented with various strings over the years, I came to the conclusion that I much prefer really light gauges. I'm happy with the sound and they just feel so much nicer to play. My current strings are Status 30-50-70-90-115.

 

Anyone else prefer lighter?

[Lozz196]

Over the years I’ve gone from 50-110 to 45-105 to 45-100, which are def my faves to play. Who knows what another 5 or 10 years might bring though.

[naxos10]

I have been using 50 - 110 gauge (roundwound) and have recently changed to 40 - 90 (flat wound) more than a gauge change I know but I really like them.

[Dazed]

 My experience was the opposite.
Back in the 90s I used 30-90 sets all the time. Liked the feel but definitely felt they lacked oomph or heft. Wasn’t until probably 10 years ago I started using more mid gauge set 40-105 etc. Even have flats and tapewounds on some basses now. 

[BreadBin]

I love light gauge rounds on a fretless.

[gjones]

I bought a bass, via Basschat, and the guy I bought it from had fitted 45-100 Elixirs.

 

Up until then I tended to go for standard gauge of 45-105

 

They sounded great and were very easy to play. So from now on they are my string and gauge of choice.

[Lozz196]

45-100 Elixirs are my faves too.

[TheGreek]

My preferred gauge is 35-90 however not many suppliers make them. Happy to buy 40-100 as the next best. 

[Bleat]

I started with standard 45-105 gauge and have been steadily dropping over the last year or two. The lightest gauge I could find as a set are Rotosound 30/50/65/85 which I am currently using and quite like them,  Not the usual gauge for a "rock" bass player but then I'm generally not usual I guess!

[Stub Mandrel]

I've used 90s and 100s. They encourage a delicate touch but I tend towards 105s or even 110s most of the time.

[MacDaddy]

These, light and long. Even though my basses are mid scale (32') they have extended fretboards for the low D, so I need long strings.

[BELA]

What I cannot stand is high tension in my strings thus I go for light gauge.

I do not mind the tension that much on the E and A strings but I cannot play high tension D and G.

 

Playing 35-55-75-95 right now

[MartinB]

Do the nut slots ever become too loose when you reduce your string guage, or does it not matter if they're cut properly?

[BELA]

5 minutes ago, MartinB said:

Do the nut slots ever become too loose when you reduce your string guage, or does it not matter if they're cut properly?

That can be an issue if the bass comes fitted with 45-105 for example and you go to 30-90. If the change is not so drastic, I do not think it can cause a problem.

Anyways, if you decide to go the light route on a permanent basis, consider changing the nut if needed.

I also think it will depend on the bass, as a lot of them come from the factory with the nut cut too high.

[NancyJohnson]

I used to like a lighter set, never gone as light as 30-90, though.  Yikes.  I doubt they'd do the job for me sonically.

 

I was always a bit worrysome about the necks on my Thunderbirds; they were extremely skinny, temperamental and I liked my action nice and rattly; if I strayed outside of 40-95/40-100 gauges, bending notes would start being an issue and I'd experience a bit of front-bow.

 

My Amazon purchases seem to allude to me shifting to a heavier gauge since I waved a cheery adiós to the Gibsons, now favouring 45-105s.

 

 

[Supernaut]

40-100 hexcore or 45-105 roundcore. 
 

Always roundwounds! 

[WishICouldWalk]

I chop and change. For a long time I was a devotee of thomastik jazz rounds and jazz flats. They're super flexible and very easy under the fingers. I'm now on DR lo riders for rounds and Labella flats, both of which are much stiffer than thomastik's. For me thomastik's are very expressive and respond to the nuances of what your fingers are doing but I have to set the action higher. The stiffer strings produce a more consistent sound and for me, lower action makes tough lines easier to play.

[Linus27]

45 - 100 here. I don't like going any lighter for the G string as I tend to find you lose a bit of oomph if you do.

[Delberthot]

I've used 45-105 strings pretty much since I started playing in 1987 with a 130 B string when I was playing a 5 string. I've occasionally used a 110 E or a set of Steve Harris flats but it's been mainly 45s I've used whether rounds or flats.

 

After reading this thread among others I've decided to try Extra Slinkies. I like the sound I get when I dig in but whether I'm getting old or whatever, I'm finding it harder to dig in as much as I need to and am able to.

 

I know that it'll be a full set up required but it's worth a try to see if I like them. They're going on the one bass I own that doesn't have a Hipshot Xtender as I can't imagine a 90 E being particularly good when dropped to D

 

I just got them and am going out tonight but I'll be fitting them tomorrow so I'll see how I get on.

[Stub Mandrel]

Does anyone use groundwounds?

[Delberthot]

I've just spent most of the afternoon setting up my Squier CV 50s Precision with the Extra Slinkies. It normally takes about half an hour to change strings, adjust the neck, saddle height and intonation but this has been an epic set up

 

Ordinarily, using the capo at the first fret and pressing down the E string where the neck joins onto the body I have it set between 0.012" & 0.015" but it's probably closer to 0.02". The saddle height is jacked way up as well.

 

Anyway it's set up for my style of playing.

 

first impression is that it is far easier to play quicker for longer. I started off with Iron Maiden's Killers. Normally I'm starting to get tired about 2/3 of the way through but I made it to the end with no issues. Same with What is Hip

 

I tried the Chili's Dani California and it appears that despite having to press down further to fret each note due to the higher action, the lighter gauge presented no issues.

 

I would say that it's marginal the benefit between my normal lowish action using heavier strings and a much higher action using very light strings. I'm wondering if 40-100 might be a better way to go as I'll be able to get the action lower and still have a relatively light set of strings. I'll keep at these strings until they start to go dead then will probably try something different.

 

There are no 40-100 Slinkies so it gives me the opportunity to try something else - D'addario EXL190 are the obvious choice but I might go for something else. It's a shame because I really like the feel of the Slinkies. I could get individual strings but it would work out at around £35 to make up a 40, 60, 80, 100 set.

 

 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I prefer flats and choose the lightest guage of whatever brand I buy. I try to play with a light touch and let the amp do the work as much as possible and find the reduced tension helps get the string moving easier.

 

I have various different different sets on various basses. EB cobalt flats 040-95 on the thunderbirds, thomastik JF344 on the precisions, Fender 9050L 045-100 on the mustangs, status hotwire flats 040-100 on the Guild starfire, The danelectro-specific LaBella 760 FD flats on the longhorn (.042 - 083) and an ancient set of picato double ball flats on the Hohner B2A. I tried a few sets of old strings on my Squier SS jag to see what worked best after I changed the pickups and the ones that came out on top were an ancient set of TI-JF324 that were previously on one of my mustangs.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Delberthot said:

There are no 40-100 Slinkies so it gives me the opportunity to try something else - D'addario EXL190 are the obvious choice but I might go for something else. It's a shame because I really like the feel of the Slinkies. I could get individual strings but

 

To kill two if not three birds with one stone, you could put together a 40-55-75-100 set of Elites Players for £20 plus £1.95 shipping ...  Which is about 5p more than their 35-55-75-95 and 40-60-80-100 sets.

[Grimalkin]

Elites Stadium 40-100, 125 on a five. Softer tension, I like to try and emulate synth vib and modulation.

[shoulderpet]

I like light gauge strings (on long scale basses at least), my P bass came fitted with TI Jazz flats and has the dreaded heel access truss rod so just as well, taking the neck off to adjust it? Not bloody likely