Tension

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Charles Stark

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