When buying bass guitar strings certain factors can be taken into consideration such as type of string, gauge of string and scale length of string. These successfully combined will provide the sound sought by the player.
Types of Bass Guitar Stings
Bass string construction is a result of the combination of the core string and the winding string. The core string is a thick wire which runs through the middle with the smaller winding string being wrapped around it. The different types of bass string refer to the winding string, the two main ones being flatwound and roundwound.
Flatwound Bass Guitar Strings
Flatwound bass guitar strings have a smooth winding which produce a sleek, velvety sound with very little finger noise. This tends to provide a comfortable playing style with less wear on the fretboard and a longer life as less dirt and oil can amass in the smaller number of grooves. The smooth sound flatwound string is ideal for jazz but perhaps not as suitable for funk or rock.
Roundwound Bass Guitar Strings
Roundwound bass guitar strings have a round shaped string spiraled around the core which results in a very bright sound. As they have more grooves than the flatwound they feel rougher to the touch and produce more friction with the fretboard. Ideal for rock or the slapping, popping style of funk they will need to be changed more often than flatwound strings.
Groundwound or Halfwound Bass Guitar Strings
Groundwound or Half Wound bass guitar strings are a mixture of flatwound and roundwound. Constructed by polishing or grinding a roundwound until almost flat, it combines the smoothness to the touch of the flatwound with the tonal variety of the roundwound.
Bass Guitar String Gauges
The gauge of the string relates to its diameter with the thickness measured in inches. As a guide, a typical E string is .105 inches with a G string .045 inches. A lighter gauge will be easier to play but may lack the tone of the heavier gauge. In general terms, the lower pitch the player prefers the heavier gauge required.
Scale Length of Bass Guitar Strings
The length from bridge to nut is the scale length of a bass guitar. It may seem an obvious statement but the player should buy the length of string relevant to the scale of the bass guitar. The majority of bass guitars are of a 34 inch scale but some are shorter and therefore require a shorter string.
Buying Bass Guitar Strings
Buying bass guitar strings is ultimately a personal choice. The player should experiment with different types and gauges and take into consideration the style of music being played. A period spent investigating how the sound and feel of the bass guitar change with different strings is time well invested and ultimately rewarding for player and listener alike.
Related Articles
Readers interested in obtaining information on buying strings for electric and acoustic guitars may find the related articles informative - Choosing Electric Guitar Strings and Choosing Acoustic Guitar Strings.
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