A Question of String?

[DaLi]

Hi all! I'm having a little string trouble and would like some opinions on it. Recently I got a 35inch scale bass after only playing 34inch the bass came with some rusty strings so I swapped them out with what was available and cheapest at the time Elixir 130-45 nickles and while I both sometimes love sometimes hate the slickness of them one thing I've grown to dislike is how floppy they are! Now my main bass has some unknown flats on it (they have purple silks so I'm assuming they're GHS) but I love how stiff they are, I can dig in and not be afraid of fretbuzz or accidently bending a note. So now I'm thinking how can I get that kind of stiffness on my extra long scale without putting flats on? Also would there be any unforeseen problems by having stiffer strings? 

Thanks in advance,
Matt   

[asingardenof]

The easiest way is to buy heavier gauge strings

[LeftyJ]

Stiffness is inherent to flatwounds because of the way they're wound: the square wire surrounding the core won't allow for much movement in the string. 

 

I've been using thinner strings on my 5-strings for the last couple of years, with a .125 B-string, and I've been having great results with them - and I only have 34" scale 5-strings. I have Status Hotwire strings on my S2 Classic, and Elixirs on my Warwick Streamer LX5 and Ellio Martina Forza and love them. The Warwick can get a little floppy but the Forza is by no means, despite using the same strings. No idea how or why! They're set up similarly. I just don't like a thicker B-string because to me anything thicker loses definition and note separation on the lower frets. 

[chris_b]

14 hours ago, asingardenof said:

The easiest way is to buy heavier gauge strings

 

. . . . and don't hit the strings so hard.

[Bolo]

DR strings like the low riders are a bit stoffer. Gauge has very little to do with it, the shape of the core of the string however is relevant. 

A hex core string feels different than a round core even though they are identical on the outside.

Any strings that have something like "higher stiffness" in the description will work nicely.

[MartinB]

GHS Pressurewound strings might be worth a look. The 44-106 set (M7200) is slightly higher tension that bog standard rounds (and the E is good amount tighter, which is great since that's usually the floppiest string), but their construction also makes them feel stiffer. Unfortunately, being GHS, they are a bit spendy 💸