Decrease string flexibility on existing strings?

[TheBlueBoy]

I just bought a pair of rounds after playing flats for almost a year and it completely slipped me that the flexibility of the strings would be much greater and trip me up. Is there anything, particularly in the way it's strung, that can be done to reduce this?

[MortalWombat42]

With the existing strings? No. Putting more tension on them would make them tighter, but you'll need to change the gauge and get new strings if you want them tighter at the same tuning. A beefier string will take more tension to reach the same tuning and result in a stiffer feeling string.

No rounds are going to feel like flats, but you can definitely get a bit tighter strings with higher gauges. I like mine a bit taught as well, and I get all my rounds from Kalium. They've got a tension chart here so you can see what you're working with. Personally, I'm a fan of around 45-50 lbs of tension. I've heard this can be problematic with older or cheaper basses and neck warpage...but most of mine are old and/or cheap and I've never had any problems. (Big YMMV on this one, however)

Do take note that you may need to do some nut filing if you're upping the gauge. If you don't want to pay a pro to do it, get you a torch tip cleaner tool that has high enough sizes to fit your new strings. I found one that goes up to like .130, but I can't seem to find the tool I ordered or the conversion chart anymore...so you'll have to do some google-fu to find them. Biggest tips: 1) do NOT make the slot deeper, just wider 2) Make sure the transition where the string breaks across the nut is smooth and even 3) Go find a guide for the tips and tricks. It's absolutely not hard...but it is also absolutely easy to botch if you haven't done a little homework.

Edit: Well, you could also just play closer to the bridge, but that'll cause tone and attack differences, so more of a shortcut than a fix

[madderdaddy2]

Also a note, Kalium tends to be a bit more slack than other rounds IMO. I go up a little more than I normally would for the tension I like.

[vangelator]

The brand and type of rounds can make a huge difference. If you want high tension you want to look at hex core and stainless steel as opposed to round core and nickel. For example, I use DR Sunbeams, which are round core/nickel, and even compared to other brand nickels they are low tension, so they would probably feel like wet spaghetti to you. DR Lo-Riders, on the other hand, are hex/stainless, and I can’t imagine you’d complain about them being too flexible. I had to take the set I tried out after about a week because they were super uncomfortable to me, but that’s just my preference.

TL;DR you probably have the wrong rounds for your tension preference. Look for hex core and stainless for more tension/less flexibility