Ultra light string users. Anyone else?

[MacDaddy]

Any other ultra light string users here?

I tend to favour Rotosound. Occasionally I'll try another brand but I always end up going back. Can't say I've noticed a tonal difference with lighter strings, and they suit my playing better as I like to use ramps.

I need my ultra lights to be long scale, because even though my Shuker's are medium scale, I have the extended fretboard on my E string (for a low D).

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by MacDaddy

[Ricky 4000]

I have Funkmasters on my J bass because I wanted it to be really twangy. The twang only lasted a few weeks, and the strings are sooo easy to bend when I don't want to (which is most of the time).

 

I'm trying to make dull sounding Funkmasters a 'thing', but it's not going well to be fair...

[fretmeister]

11 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said:

I have Funkmasters on my J bass because I wanted it to be really twangy. The twang only lasted a few weeks, and the strings are sooo easy to bend when I don't want to (which is most of the time).

 

I'm trying to make dull sounding Funkmasters a 'thing', but it's not going well to be fair...

 

 

Do the hand cream thing?

[rushbo]

I was never too fussed about strings and never really sought out one particular brand, or even a particular string gauge. That was until I stumbled across these bad boys:

 

I know they're not ultra-light, but they're certainly way skinnier than the 40/45 gauge strings I'd used previously. I find they've got plenty of low end, they're easy on the fingers and are so easy to play. Not stupidly expensive either. 

 

Highly recommended - well, by me, anyway!

Edited May 10, 2023 by rushbo

[Ricky 4000]

5 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

 

Do the hand cream thing?

 

Hrm, I could add crushed Viagra to stiffen them up a bit...

[Baloney Balderdash]

Well, not ultra, but I do use a balanced set, composed by individually bought strings, of gauge .095 - .072 - .055 - .040, for regular4 string E standard tuning, regardless of the scale length of my bass (usually regular D'Addario XL strings, the gauge .072 string actually being a guitar string, threaded through the cut of ball end of an old bass string, to not slip through the bridge string mounting hole).

 

I guess you could call the set I used for my just 28.6" scale length Ibanez Mikro, that I have tuned in F# standard tuning, that is 2 half steps abpve regular 4 string E standard tuning, for ultra light gauge, as those are more similar in tension to a gauge .090 set tuned in E standard tuning, namely gauge .080 - .062 - .046 - .036 (coated Elixir Nanoweb guitar strings, threaded through the cut of ball end of an old bass strings, to not slip through the bridge string mounting holes).

 

This works really well with my rather light touch, both fretting and picking.

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[thodrik]

My five string Sadowsky is fitted with a strange range of 130, 95, 70, 50 and 32 strings. I tuned to Drop B (so B, F#, B, E, A), so it is technically 'tuning up' rather than tuning down. I have tried the same strings at standard B-G and found the strings to be a bit loose for my tastes.

 

For standard tuning, generally I find that a 100-40 set is about right, however I have always fancied trying a 90-30 set from some slaptastic stuff. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

4 hours ago, thodrik said:

My five string Sadowsky is fitted with a strange range of 130, 95, 70, 50 and 32 strings. I tuned to Drop B (so B, F#, B, E, A), so it is technically 'tuning up' rather than tuning down. I have tried the same strings at standard B-G and found the strings to be a bit loose for my tastes.

 

For standard tuning, generally I find that a 100-40 set is about right, however I have always fancied trying a 90-30 set from some slaptastic stuff. 

The bass player from Meshuggah does something similar, he has his 5 string tuned in drop Bb, that is the low B string tuned  half step lower than regular standard 5 string bass B tuning, but then has the next string tuned F, 1 half step higher than regular E tuning.

 

He does this so he can play an octave lower for those of their tracks that utilizes 1 half step down tuned 7 string guitars, and then for their tracks featuring 8 string guitar, instead of having an muddy inarticulate lower octave, he actually plays the same octave as the 1 half step down tuned 8 string guitars, that is F, one half step lower than regular 8 string guitar F# tuning, and 1 half step higher than regular bass E tuning.

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[thodrik]

1 hour ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

The bass player from Meshuggah does something similar, he has his 5 string tuned in drop Bb, that is the low B string tuned half a step lower than regular standard tuning, but then has the next string tuned F, 1 half step higher than regular E tuning.

 

He does this so he can play an octave lower for those of their tracks that utilizes 1 half step down tuned 7 string guitars, and then for their tracks featuring 8 string guitar, instead of having an muddy inarticulate lower octave, he actually plays the same octave as the 8 string guitars, that is F, one half step higher than regular E tuning.

Yepp, I was aware that. No point trying to go as low as F on the bass with music that fast.

[Tjhooker]

I've been edging towards lighter strings more and more.

 

Are they more expressive when you dig in🤔

Maybe?

I don't notice loss of low end but do find it easier to play

[Tjhooker]

Just ordered a set of

Rotosound RS665LB Stainless Steel Medium Light Gauge Roundwound Bass Strings (35 55 70 90 120)

 

Yet to try them

[MacDaddy]

9 hours ago, Tjhooker said:

I've been edging towards lighter strings more and more.

 

Are they more expressive when you dig in🤔

Maybe?

I don't notice loss of low end but do find it easier to play

 

I have a low action and a ramp, so don't tend to dig in. It took a while for the adjustment of technique, but now I find it difficult to play basses without ramps. 

[Bleat]

I use Swing Bass 30-85 and have done for quite a while. Not the usual thing for a "rock" bass player but then I'm a rebel very much do what I want 😎. The light gauge and low action allows me to play more lightly and faster if I need to. I also have a bass Xtender with a double stop lever so can drop D and Low B. The D is fine and sounds great, though low B is a tad floppy.