Bass Guitar String Theory

As a bass player, your instrument and amplification are probably high-value purchases that you have saved for and treasure. These are your staple weapons that will undoubtably stay with you for many years and took you long hours of research and thought before you took the leap and bought them.
The little things get forgotten and the consumables that we use regularly and need replacing often, don’t get nearly as much thought or consideration.
One thing i get through A LOT of is strings. If I had my way, I would have new strings on my basses every time I played! Many bass players prefer their strings slightly worn-in and less bright but I love the sound and feel of fresh strings.
Many new bassists are confused about strings and often stick to the brand or type of string that came with their instrument when it was new. It’s worth taking some time to experiment with guages or materials to really find strings that you like and are comfortable with.

Here are some basic string tips…

MATERIAL – Stainless steel are brighter sounding but rougher to the touch. Nickel are softer on the fingers but have a smoother, softer tone. There are other materials such as tapewound or coated strings which are wrapped in fabric or even luminescent material for added longevity or even glow-in-the-dark properties!!

CONSTRUCTION – Roundwound are the standard strings for bass (round wire wrapped around a round core). They are bright and punchy but can cause fretwear over time. Flat wound (flat wire around a round core) are smooth and mellow sounding but have little brightness. favoured by fretless players as they won’t damage the fretboard. There are also strings which combine construction methods such as groundwound where the rounded wrap is slightly ground to replicate the feel of flatwounds whilst retaining some brightness.

GUAGE – Measured in thousandths of an inch, the guage refers to the thickness of the string. Sets of strings are usually referred to by the thickness of the top and bottom strings i.e 45 – 105 (0.045″ – 0.105″). Heavier guage strings will produce more tone but will require more finger strength. Lighter guage strings tend to be thinner in their tone. A medium guage like 45 – 105, tends to be favourited by most players as an all-round solution.

The world of strings is vast and you could easily spend years trying different brands and different materials or guages but you can have fun looking. Check out the strings your heroes use or maybe check out some reviews on the Net.

I have been through many brands and types of string in my career but my current strings of choice are the Dunlop SuperBright Marcus Miller strings. See them here..

Categorised in: Bass guitar