Construction of Bass Strings
Every bass string is comprised of two strings – the Core string and the Winding string.
The Core string is a thick wire from one end of the string to the other. Around the core string another smaller string is tightly wound in a spiral all the way up the length of the core string. If you look closely at a bass string you will see little grooves all the way up the string. That is the tiny winding string. The winding string adds brilliance to the string’s tone. If you have an old set of strings, try unwinding one to see how it looks.
The technique used to wind that wrapping, as well as the actual material used, creates the essence of any string.
Winding
There are two main types of windings, Roundwound and Flatwound and some that fall in-between them.
Roundwound strings involve a metal wrapping, generally made of stainless steel or nickel, around the core that is not ground down or smoothed out. You can actually feel the rough, metallic ridges in these strings when you touch them. They represent a more modern sound and are capable of producing a wide range of tones that are distinctive to many styles of music. They are probably the most commonly used types of strings today. Roundwound strings are used in almost all styles of bass playing, and are essential for slapping, popping and tapping where you want a nice bright tone.
They produce a very wide range of frequencies and carry much more of the high end- where words like brightness, clarity, even metallic or “clanging” come in. They also have a longer sustain than more “old school” bass sounds, which more often came from Flatwound strings.
These high-end frequencies are strongly emphasized in the clear, percussive effect of slapping and popping in players like Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Larry Graham, etc. Other players to take full advantage of their bright, full sound are Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, John Entwistle of the Who, Geddy Lee of Rush, Chris Squire of Yes, Billy Sheehan, Stu Hamm and countless others. My favourite bassist Jaco Pastorius had a legendarily expressive sound, which was the result of Roundwound strings singing directly against the wood of his fretless bass.
Flatwound strings have a ribbon-like winding wound along the core string. Flats have a mellow sound to them. They feel smooth and have very little finger noise since they have fewer grooves up and down the string. Flats also have a longer playing life, since there are fewer cracks where dirt and oil can build up. A lot of fretless players prefer them. I don’t. You may find Flatwound strings to be a little too mellow for rock, R&B and funk. But you might like them for jazz and reggae where you may need a more mellow sound.
Halfwound or Groundwound strings are a nice compromise between round and flat. Halfwounds are essentially Roundwounds that are partially ground-down and smoothed out, to providing a middle ground between brightness vs. deadness in sound, and metallic roughness vs. smoothness in feel.
Tapewound strings are more common on acoustic bass guitars or basses that use a piezo pickup system, and are often used when a player is looking for something closer to an upright bass sound. Paul McCartney used them on his Hofner Bass.
Do not get confused between Nylon Tapewound, which is an actual winding type, and Taperwound or tapered, (like the strings inside a piano) which is something that could technically apply to any winding or material type. A string that is “taperwound” gets either progressively, or suddenly smaller as the string gets to the bridge. The idea is that more, or all, of the core wire is making direct contact with the “saddles” at the bridge. The effect of this tapering is a longer sustain and a brighter sound.
Material
Nickel and Stainless Steel are the most popular for Roundwound and Flatwound strings. Some Flatwounds also may use Ribbon or Nylon. Different materials have different sound and “feel” characteristics.
Nickel sounds more mellow than the brighter sounding Stainless Steel. It feels a little softer on the hands and has less of the metallic high end treble in the sound than steel strings. This also equates to less finger noise coming through and a smoother, mellower sound than steel while still falling on the bright/clear end of the spectrum.
Stainless Steel Roundwound strings fall furthest on the bright, “metallic” end of the sound spectrum. Observing the comments of numerous players, the consensus seems to be that stainless steel are the clearest, brightest strings out there. They often increase the perceived volume output in sound from the bass, but also tend to be rougher on the fingers and instrument. The aggressive, cutting, sound in hard rock and metal is generally the sound of stainless steel Roundwound strings played aggressively with a pick.
The Right Strings For Your Style
Coated strings have a super thin advanced coating on the wrap wire. This make the string last longer. I use coated Rotosound, Nexus Bass strings for the richness in mid-tones on all my basses.
Double Ball End strings have balls on both ends and fits on Steinberger-type, or other “headless” basses.
String Gauge
The diameter is measured in inches. A very standard middle ground is .105 for the E string and .45 for the G-string. Names such as “light,” “extra-heavy” etc. are assigned by the makers and are not industry standard markings.
In general, the thicker the string, the fatter and more low end in the tone, but this also will increase tension and require more endurance to play.
If you like to tune your E string down to D, definitely go for a thicker string.
Lighter gauge strings are very popular in players who use a lot of slapping/popping. My preference is .125 (B) .105(E) .85 (A) .65(D) .45(G) .25(C) on 6-string Bass
Scale Length
Scale refers to the distance between the bridge (where the strings rest at the bottom of the bass) and the nut (where the fingerboard meets the headstock). Most basses are 34″, though 35″ is not uncommon for 5 or 6 string basses.
Long Scale (MOST COMMON) – 34″
Super / Extra Long Scale – 36″
Medium Scale – 32″
Short Scale – 30″
String Tension
Tension, or how stiff or loose the string feels, is determined by a variety of factors.
Gauge – Thicker strings have more mass and therefore more tension, but it is only one of the factors in the overall feel- two different brands the same size can and will have different tensions, and even one brand with the smaller gauge could feel more tense after the other components come into play.
Scale Length – Longer scale = more tension. The same brand of strings will feel more or less tense if the scale length is longer or shorter.
String Height or Action – Higher string height or “action” will make strings feel tenser. Adjusting the truss rod and changing the height of the saddles on the bridge can adjust this.
Core – A string with a “hex” core will have more tension than one with a “round” core. The core is the wire in which the wrapping (nickel, steel) etc. wraps around. “Hex” or “Round” refer to the shape of that wire and thus how the contact with the string is made.
Finding the right strings could a long process of trial and error. There are just too many variables to consider – playing technique, pickups, bridge, body wood, etc. The same set of strings can sound different on various basses and under different fingers. You just have to experiment in order to find what you like. It took me years to find my “dream” strings.
Till next time, LET THERE BE BASS!!!
Connect with Muse