# Bass String vs. Guitar String



## Aerospace274 (Apr 10, 2011)

So, what're the differences between a bass and guitar string? Aside from gauge of course, what sets them apart? I find I like the tension, feel and tone of a .070" bass string over a .074" guitar string and I'm wondering why that is and if a .070" guitar string would sound the same as a .070" bass string. While I prefer the sound of the bass string, I don't care much the ball end sticking out the back of my guitar! Are they wound differently or something?

P.S. Is it possible to swap a bass ball end out and replace it with a guitar ball end?


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## idunno (Apr 10, 2011)

bass strings have thicker cores and winding usually, as you get bigger they start to get multiple windings. Some say bass strings on guitars sound muddy. Also supposedly the mass of them gets pulled on by the pickup changing the sound. Although, I havent tested any of this and do nor make strings professionally.

If you like the bass string use it! You might be able to swap balls depending on how its wound.


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## Ben.Last (Apr 12, 2011)

Yes. Regardless of the physics of it, if you like the sound, that's all that matters. When this usually gets mentioned is when someone is new to having to use large gauge strings and asks if they should just buy bass strings. In that instance, they don't have a pre-existing preference and the best advice is to not go with a bass string because, in general, they don't mesh as well.


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 12, 2011)

One will cost you $9... The other will cost you much less... 

I think I paid $30 last time I bought a pack of bass strings. EFF THAT!!!

Also... Bass string ball ends have always given me trouble on my guitars since I've never used them on a guitar with a floyd...


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## Inception7 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've switched to using bass strings on my lower two strings. I now use a .70 for B and .85 for F# and it works much better for me. The tension is more even and now more floppiness. It does look a bit awkward having the ball end of the bass strings sticking out of the bottom of my guitar but what the heck


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 12, 2011)

Inception7 said:


> I've switched to using bass strings on my lower two strings. I now use a .70 for B and .85 for F# and it works much better for me. The tension is more even and now more floppiness. It does look a bit awkward having the ball end of the bass strings sticking out of the bottom of my guitar but what the heck


 
Oh so it does that for you as well... I thought I was just getting the wrong strings...


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## troyguitar (Apr 12, 2011)

I like the feel of the .080 bass string I have on my 9 but it sounds like crap compared to the regular GHS guitar strings on strings 1-8, duller than dull despite being a brand new stainless steel roundwound string - supposedly the brightest you can get for a bass string.


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 12, 2011)

troyguitar said:


> I like the feel of the .080 bass string I have on my 9 but it sounds like crap compared to the regular GHS guitar strings on strings 1-8, duller than dull despite being a brand new stainless steel roundwound string - supposedly the brightest you can get for a bass string.


 
I had that same problem when I first received my Intrepid except it was with a 72. It was noticeably duller than the other strings in tonality and it even kind of made a flapping noise when I played it reminiscent of a baseball card in bicycle spokes w/o that intermittent choppiness.

I changed to a D'Addario 74 and it seemed to rectify the situation. Unfortunately I wish I had more advice to offer w/ the .080. I tried to put an .080 on my guitar recently and it hadn't been unwound enough which I didn't care to bother with and the ball end was massive and didn't fit into the string ferrule the way I'd assumed it would so I thought I just needed to buy a different string entirely. I'll try again soon and let you know if I find anything out, though.


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## troyguitar (Apr 12, 2011)

Yeah it just sounds like it's made of rubber 

I think the answer is that there is a difference between a guitar string and a bass string beyond just the ball end, but I don't know what it is. I do know that my next string change will not involve using any bass strings


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 12, 2011)

Someone else already mentioned they have chunkier cores... That's probably the main difference. I'd imagine having a fatter core would greatly impact tone/tonality...


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## Setnakt (Apr 13, 2011)

idunno said:


> bass strings have thicker cores and winding usually, as you get bigger they start to get multiple windings.



Well they can't have bigger cores AND winding, or they'd just be bigger strings, in which case what are you comparing them to?
It's the core that carries the tension mostly and bass strings actually have more outer winding, so guitar strings actually carry more tension than bass strings, if you're comparing the same diameter of strings. This is because people expect guitar strings to be thin and snappy and bass strings to be thick and chunky.


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## Inception7 (Apr 13, 2011)

I don't know, they sound great to me. I play mostly clean stuf on my 8 and the Bass strings on the lower two strings made a huge difference. Also, there's no more fret buzz which means I can bring the action lower which is important for the way I play. I do have to unwind the .85 a bit to get it through the tuning pegs but it only takes a few minutes. The .70 on the B goes through nice without any problems. And yes, if you flip the guitar over it looks like two colored rings are sticking out the back of my guitar


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## RichIKE (Apr 14, 2011)

I used bass strings on my 7 for a while and I hated it, It made chords sound super muddy and there was almost too much tension. i could not do bends below the 4th fret. Though when i tuned super low for doom stuff the strings seemed to open up. So if you're going to do it make sure you don't go too heavy for whatever pitch you'll be tuning to.


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## TRENCHLORD (Apr 14, 2011)

I'm only a low tuning 6-stringer, C-D, but when I gave those LO TUNE strings with larger core by GHS a try, THEY SUCKED. Much duller with less "character". They do have a stronger more solid fundamental note, but with less harmonic overtones and texture.


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## Ishan (Apr 14, 2011)

Elixir bass strings sounds great up to .080 (I haven't tried bigger), they are wound almost like guitar strings, great tone.


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## amarshism (Apr 14, 2011)

So no one went drilling out their tuning peg?


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## Ishan (Apr 14, 2011)

I unwind the string myself, to each his own


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## AxeHappy (Apr 14, 2011)

I use a .65 Bass string on my 7 string. 

Largely because I couldn't find a guitar string that heavy in my local town (I didn't look too hard though). 

I drilled out the tuning peg and the ball looks like this gaint monster on my headstock.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 14, 2011)

I do notice my low E being kinda rounder and less snappy, soundwise. I'm getting guitar strings next time.


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## idunno (Apr 16, 2011)

Setnakt said:


> Well they can't have bigger cores AND winding, or they'd just be bigger strings, in which case what are you comparing them to?
> It's the core that carries the tension mostly and bass strings actually have more outer winding, so guitar strings actually carry more tension than bass strings, if you're comparing the same diameter of strings. This is because people expect guitar strings to be thin and snappy and bass strings to be thick and chunky.


 HAHA not what i meant, it was past my bedtime....


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## ixlramp (Apr 16, 2011)

Setnakt said:


> It's the core that carries the tension mostly and bass strings actually have more outer winding, so guitar strings actually carry more tension than bass strings, if you're comparing the same diameter of strings.



For the same gauge, the bass string is likely to have a larger core and less wrap. Bass strings can withstand more tension than guitar strings and usually carry twice the tension. Bass strings are designed be used at 25-60 pounds of tension. Guitar strings are designed to be used at 10-35 pounds.

Using a bass string on a guitar is not a problem as long as you choose a very flexible bass string, for example D'Addario XL / ProSteels or Circle K Strings. The problem comes when using a stiff bass string at the lower guitar tension, stiffness becomes significant in proportion to tension, causing inharmonicity and dull tone.

By stiffness and flexibility I mean the inherent flexibility of the string when under zero tension.


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