Tension

[Calvin Marks]

I currently have Pirastro Flat-Chromesteel (loaner set) on one of my basses, sounds good but I find the tension too high. Does anyone know if Permanent or Flex '92 or Belcanto is lower tension? Basically, for steel what is the lowest tension/soft on the left hand string for bowing?

Thanks a lot!

[Ken Smith]

I currently have Pirastro Flat-Chromesteel (loaner set) on one of my basses, sounds good but I find the tension too high. Does anyone know if Permanent or Flex '92 or Belcanto is lower tension? Basically, for steel what is the lowest tension/soft on the left hand string for bowing?

Thanks a lot!

Flat-Chromesteel or Original Flat Chrome? White/Blue ends at the TP or white/red?

Flex 92 I think is lower than OFC but FC I think is thin and low tension as well. The red/wt ones are thin. I think all the ones you list are higher tension. Does this bass have a c-extension? Most Ext e/c string are higher tension/thicker gauge than regular Es.

If your bass fingerboard has next to zero camber (1mm or less per octave) then most of these are soft feeling with 5mm g-height to 9mm e-height at the end of the fingerboard. Some bass set-ups make even solo strings feel tight. I have used all of the sets listed above and do not think any of the top strings are high tension at all. The Flex 92 reg E and the regular Bel E are softest. The Perm E and A are tightest. If FC/red these are like weichs to me. If OFC, the E is soft on some basses and the G might feel tight. These are in between the 92s and Orig flex in size and feel.

I hope this helps but let me know the type of FCs you have, red or blue stripe at the bottom

[Adrian Juras]

You can get the Flexocore('92) in Weich or Thin gauge as well. Or you could buy a set of Belcanto Solo and tune them down to Orch. pitch.

[Ken Smith]

You can get the Flexocore('92) in Weich or Thin gauge as well. Or you could buy a set of Belcanto Solo and tune them down to Orch. pitch.

On the Bel solo's since the regular Bel E is soft within the set would you advise mixing the regular E with the Solo G-D-A tuned to Orchestra pitch or is the Solo E tight enough to work tuned down by itself?

The regular Es in many sets feel softer than the rest of the set. Also, the E usually has the least amount of bridge height off of the Top while might also be why the are softer. Testing tension on a machine without the normal bridge curve assumes the E is pulled as tight as the D or A which I think it is Not. What I do often is put the E on the upper post and switch the A lower to te E post. This added afterlength I think helps the tension or softer Es in general.

[Adrian Juras]

I am not sure how that set would balance(Reg E with Solo A D G). Only one way to find out I guess... In my experience the Thomastik Solo strings do feel great tuned to Orch pitch, and aren't too loose.

[Calvin Marks]

Ken, these are the Pirastro FLAT-CHROMESTEELS, not Original Flat-Chrome. They are Ruby windings...

[Ken Smith]

Ken, these are the Pirastro FLAT-CHROMESTEELS, not Original Flat-Chrome. They are Ruby windings...

I don't know why they feel tight then. These are lighter strings than the other Pirastros. Maybe your bass needs some adjusting. What is the neck camber like from nut to end of neck root? Is the neck under the fingerboard perfectly straight or bowed under the fingerboard along with it? These things will make any bass feel tight.

[Calvin Marks]

I don't know why they feel tight then. These are lighter strings than the other Pirastros. Maybe your bass needs some adjusting. What is the neck camber like from nut to end of neck root? Is the neck under the fingerboard perfectly straight or bowed under the fingerboard along with it? These things will make any bass feel tight.

Hey, thanks for the reply. I'm unfortunately having a hard time understanding the camber concept.

[Ken Smith]

Hey, thanks for the reply. I'm unfortunately having a hard time understanding the camber concept.

Camber is 'bend' by design hopefully. Press down the e string ON the fingerboard at the nut and at the heel of the neck on the e side. Look under the string. How much space is there at the highest or middle point around the a note on the e. That space is camber IF the neck under the fingerboard is a perfectly straight line. If not, the neck has bowed forward. Measure it first.

Make a trip to Pa and see me. You will return a different person in half a days visit.

[Calvin Marks]

Hey Ken, thanks for the taking the time to reply. Sorry for the inconvenience about this issue but it seems to be a bit of a learning curve for me.

So, are you saying that in half position if I press down on the E string, that the under part of the string should have the same string height (distance between board to under part of string) all the way up the board? Ie. Once the string is pressed down in half position, the note a or b etc on the same string should almost be flat to the board? On my bass there are several mm's in string height between the note A while the string is pressed in half pos.

[Ken Smith]

Hey Ken, thanks for the taking the time to reply. Sorry for the inconvenience about this issue but it seems to be a bit of a learning curve for me.

So, are you saying that in half position if I press down on the E string, that the under part of the string should have the same string height (distance between board to under part of string) all the way up the board? Ie. Once the string is pressed down in half position, the note a or b etc on the same string should almost be flat to the board? On my bass there are several mm's in string height between the note A while the string is pressed in half pos.

Ok, you press the string down to use it as a straight edge over about 14 inches of the Fingerboard over the Neck. Looking under it you have space. The space is less at the ends and greater in the middle. Looking 'down' the neck sighting the fingerboard you will see the curve as well. I have maybe 1mm of space/curve/camber on my basses in this area. Several MMs as you describe sound like a banana curve! This is maybe the reason that light strings feel tight. Also, your neck might be warping/bending forward under the fingerboard or along with it. The Neck under the FB on a DB should be straight. Most of my Basses get carbon fiber bars inserted for strength before a new thick ebony FB is glued on and them made almost straight end to end with less than 2mm from the Nut to the end of the FB. If I need more height, I raise the bridge! Your bass sounds like it's set differently than I would desire. I would have to see it to point these things out. The neck under the FB should be a straight line with no curve in it as all if possible.

[Calvin Marks]

Ok, you press the string down to use it as a straight edge over about 14 inches of the Fingerboard over the Neck. Looking under it you have space. The space is less at the ends and greater in the middle. Looking 'down' the neck sighting the fingerboard you will see the curve as well. I have maybe 1mm of space/curve/camber on my basses in this area. Several MMs as you describe sound like a banana curve! This is maybe the reason that light strings feel tight. Also, your neck might be warping/bending forward under the fingerboard or along with it. The Neck under the FB on a DB should be straight. Most of my Basses get carbon fiber bars inserted for strength before a new thick ebony FB is glued on and them made almost straight end to end with less than 2mm from the Nut to the end of the FB. If I need more height, I raise the bridge! Your bass sounds like it's set differently than I would desire. I would have to see it to point these things out. The neck under the FB should be a straight line with no curve in it as all if possible.

Thanks a lot for the detailed information, much appreciated.

[Calvin Marks]

Thanks again to Ken for all the helpful information. It seems that this bass needs to have the fingerboard plained and re-profiled. It's a wonderful sounding instrument, it really anchors the section but the fingerboard is a bit off in design.

I've had to raise the adjusters up to 9mm on each side just so the G string gets 5mm of string height. It's a bit strange...The G and D string has virtually no "scoop" (perhaps the incorrect term), it's very flat... G (5mm), D (6mm)...But then the A is (10 mm) and E (11mm). So, there is a massive dip between the D and A strings. This means that the E and A strings are under a heck of a lot more tension than the D and G. That's why the bass feels so tight on the bottom two strings.

Basically, I need the G string side of the fingerboard to be lower (rounded), or perhaps the fingerboard has warped or sunken on the bass side.

[Ken Smith]

Thanks again to Ken for all the helpful information. It seems that this bass needs to have the fingerboard plained and re-profiled. It's a wonderful sounding instrument, it really anchors the section but the fingerboard is a bit off in design.

I've had to raise the adjusters up to 9mm on each side just so the G string gets 5mm of string height. It's a bit strange...The G and D string has virtually no camber, it's very flat... G (5mm), D (6mm)...But then the A is (10 mm) and E (11mm). So, there is a massive dip between the D and A strings. This means that the E and A strings are under a heck of a lot more tension than the D and G. That's why the bass feels so tight on the bottom two strings.

Basically, I need the G string side of the fingerboard to be lower (rounded), that way I could bring down the entire bridge.

How much fingerboard thickness will be left once this is done and set-up properly? This should be a concern as well.

[Calvin Marks]

Took it to my repairguy, the fingerboard is warped, not sure how this happened. Luckily I have enough board for it to be re-planed.