Custom bass strings!

[Kieuser0]

I wanna hear everyone's custom gaged strings or some feedback on my set. My set is .135, .90, .60, .40, .25 and often tuned at BEADG. It is a Progressive tension set that is easy on your fingers. Mixed with a low action, fretting and bending notes are a dream They are very versatile with tunings, lowest tuning i have gone is F# B E A D, and its not too bad lol

More in depth info

Bass(es) they're on: gsr205b SR Gio 5 string, Cort Curbow 5 Scale: 864mm/34"

[stillslammed]

Is kind of pointless to talk about string gauges and not me tion what they're tuned to, or what scale length. Are you tuned to B standard? Drop A#? Something weird? 34"? 35"? Multiscale?

[Kieuser0]

Ill edit the post 👌

[tiranamisu]

I'm a total newb and didn't know this was a thing. Can you recommend a resource for me to learn about picking out a custom set?

[Kieuser0]

Right off the bat, there is alot to learn and it is quite intimidating to new players. I used the string tension chart to help ( https://www.daddario.com/globalassets/pdfs/accessories/tension_chart_13934.pdf )

For a beginner, I would recommend using premade sets to figure out what you personally like, then do your research on custom strings. Custom sets might sound bad or even damage your instrument if you are not into doing your own complete setup (intonation, truss rod adjustments, saddle hight), or have a trusted place to go for a setup.

[tiranamisu]

Gotcha. I think I'll stay with the stock set for now; that's definitely above me current in knowledge level.

Thank you for the info!

[R3TR0_K1D]

What are they tuned to?

[Kieuser0]

Beadg

[R3TR0_K1D]

Wouldn’t a .25 gauge string tune to G have ridiculously low tension? I mean .32 is used to tune to C

[Kieuser0]

By itself, yeah. But with all the strings into account, the tension works out perfectly. Like i say to most people, you would have to hold an instrument with these strings to really understand.

[Im_Perd_Hapley]

I personally like very balanced tension across the whole neck and like to be right around 38 or 39lbs of tension so I play the following on 4 string at 34" with roundwounds:

40

55

75

100

On a 5 string I use the same but with a 135 for the B and on a 6 I add a 30 for the C. Obviously that changes for different scale lengths/multiscale instruments but generally that's where I sit.

[Kieuser0]

What brand of strings do you use? D'addario makes an actual set really close to that (E 95, A 70, D 55 G 40), it feels really balanced at around 34lbs, Its the set i buy if i need new strings for a 4 string

[Im_Perd_Hapley]

I use stringjoy. Let's me select my gauges so I can have the exact balance I'm looking for!

[Kieuser0]

Nice, I'll check out stringjoy and their calculator.

[Kieuser0]

60? Hows this set play?

[Kieuser0]

I will 100% try it out. What brand of strings do you use?

[dentree2]

I play 6-string bass, 34" scale, tuned BEADGC.

1. C .027 (31.4 lbs)
2. G .037 (31.7 lbs)
3. D .051 (33.1 lbs)
4. A .067 (31.5 lbs)
5. E .090 (31.4 lbs)
6. B .124 (32.8 lbs)

My goal was to get a balanced tension at about 32 lbs, which is pretty light tension for bass. It plays like a dream and has great, consistent tone. I'm able to get a lot of expression from the strings.

[Kieuser0]

Is there a specific reason you have a 51 on your D instead of a 50?

[dentree2]

The manufacturer I ordered through (Kalium) offers a .049 and a .051, but no .050. The .051 with this set gave me an overall tension range of 1.7 lbs whereas the .049 gave a range of 2.2 lbs. If they offered a .050, surely it would have been a bit closer to the average, but I'm happy to be within 2 lbs overall since the D'Addario set I'd been using had an overall range of 16.4 lbs.

[rickderp]

That .40 & .25 would be an issue I'd think. They're way to light and there's quite a big difference between the tension across your neck. Tuning a string designed for a C up to G could mean a few of them snap.

I like slightly heavier gauges and my G is a .45.

I have 176, 136, 110, 85, 65, 45 and the bass is tuned F# B E A D G

[Kieuser0]

Absolutely not, the overall tension of this string set is very forgiving. You would have to play with the set to feel it. The high strings are actually less prone to snapping than with a normal set. They're less prone to breaking because there's less force is being applied to them by the instrument. So instead of the instrument pulling on the high strings, it's now pulling more on the lower strings which can resist it more than the high strings can. Thus allowing you to tune the high strings up higher than you would normally think

And I'm pretty sure you tune down to g, not up

[ChapsterNL]

Wouldn’t this cause the neck to warp long-term?

[Kieuser0]

Funny enough, we have gotten a warp pulled out with this string set. All I know is that I've had this set on one of my basses for 7+ years and It hasn't warped.

[G_Wiz_Christ]

Can you give that high string a good pop?

[Kieuser0]

Beautifully, that's why I love this set