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Low tension strings

Started by artswork99, March 06, 2009, 07:18:34 AM

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artswork99

From experience can some suggestions be made for low tension strings in 35 scale?  
Thanks kindly for any input,
Art

crgaston

Seems like DR's (I've tried Sunbeams and Nickel Lo-Riders) are significantly lower in tension than Alembic CX3's. I use .045-.130's

olieoliver

Now that I'm playing more and will change my strings much more often I'll probably go back to Boomers. They inexpensive and sound good for the price.  
I prefer John Pearse but you just can't get the gauges I prefer, 40-125. The Pearse were probably the lowest tension strings I've used and still didn't flop around everywhere.
The DR's are great as are the TI and Alembic. I agree the DR's were lower tension but all three are $$$. cha-ching!
 
Finding the right gauge-tension-price combination is getting harder to do these days.
 
OO

olieoliver

On a side note I beleive John Pearse died last year. Not sure if the company is still going or not.  
OO

artswork99

Thanks thus far.  
I always like the sound and feel of moder Dave's basses (Thomastik-Infeld strings in a light gauge).  
I may have to spring for a set of those.
Agree Olie, extra long scales are much harder to find locally.  
I'm currently using DR's on this bass which are available locally.

olieoliver

That's whats on my 35 MK at the moment, DRs. I like them but they aren't cheap. I like TI's but $$$$ wow!  
I've been ordering my strings from juststrings.com Good price an they get them to me in a couple of days.

flaxattack

ti;s would be the lowest tension

artswork99

Yea, TI's are def $$$. Thanks for your suggestions Olie.  I'm trying to control neck setup with no truss, therefore tension is so critical.

artswork99

Thanks Jeff.  I had a feeling that the tension on the TI's may win out over others.  They make a 36 set (no 35) that would most likely be a very relaxed set on a 35 scale.

David Houck

I would think a 36 set of low-tension strings on a 35 bass would be too relaxed.  Perhaps a 36 set with a higher tension would work.  For instance, TI makes a string called the Infeld, a round wound that has a bit more tension than the same length TI Jazz Rounds, but at about the same string gauges.  It's also significantly less expensive than the Jazz Rounds.

artswork99

Thanks for the additional info Dave.