Strings: Choosing a Light or Ultra Light String Set to Save Your Hands from Pain
Okay - I'm going to throw a curve ball at you, here... You thought you were getting a list of light strings, but instead, I'm going to hopefully help you find a better solution.
I'm sorry to hear that you’re having difficulty. Perhaps you've tried some various "light" strings, and you're still dealing with strain and pain shortly after you start playing. So you've come here looking for solutions in our string section - maybe an "extra light" string set can make things better?
However, before I would provide a list of strings to try, I’ll first mention two other things that are each a very common cause of the issues you may be having that are not string-related. If you’ve tried (and presumably spent a fair bit of money on) a few "light" string options, it might be worth checking these other things before you keep chasing strings as a solution – especially if those light strings still aren’t helping.
So… I’ll ask both of these things because, frankly, I don’t know what you do (and don’t) know. So please, if you’ve already addressed these things, let me know and we can talk about strings, or whatever.
- Have you ever had your bass properly set up? A luthier would be able to give a full instrument work over to improve the playability of your bass substantially, if it’s a bit out of whack. They would do this by adjusting the string height, sure – but they’d also ensure that the “scoop” (relief) on the fingerboard was properly cut into the fingerboard to allow for low action all the way up the neck. It shouldn’t HURT to play the bass. Here’s a list of luthiers sorted by US state and by country: https://gollihurmusic.com/upright-bass-luthier-repairperson-directory/
- Have you had any instruction for playing the upright bass – specifically, have you been shown how to properly address (hold) the instrument? It’s a very common oversight – especially for those jumping from electric bass to upright – that they are using their left (fingering) hand to also HOLD the bass in position. One should use the upper bout of the bass against their body to steady and hold the instrument with their body, leaving their left hand free to PLAY it without having to support it. And not knowing this is a VERY common reason for strain and pain in the fingering hand.
So again, I ask these things simply because I don’t know what you don’t know – and they are common reasons for hand and wrist strain when taking on the upright.
So, with that said, consider those points, and if we want to delve further into giving you insight on lighter tension strings, we can.
If your pain is caused by Arthritis, Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel, Fibromyalgia, or some other chronic pain condition:
Well now... that's a horse of a different color. For sufferers of chronic pain conditions, who still want to be able to play, we do have some lighter string options available. A very popular string for this is the Corelli 370.
They are an excellent choice for dealing with hand and wrist pain. My father, Bob, found that they helped a TON when he was dealing with a fibro-myalgia type of pain in his hands and wrists; when he'd have a flare-up, he would still usually be able to play a full set without wincing in pain. They are steel strings that are considerably easier to play, but that still create a very satisfying tone.
They do this in three ways:
- They are lighter in tension than a typical medium string set
- Their core is wound is a more flexible “rope-wound” fashion that improves their “bendability” – making them “softer” even at similar tensions to other strings
- They use a tungsten-based steel, which is higher in mass than regular stainless; they can therefore use less material to get the needed mass, and the strings are physically thinner as a result. This makes them even more flexible and easy to play.
The strings are made in France and were developed with the help of Francois Rabbath, and are a very nice, well-made string – and they just so happen to be pretty affordable as well.
https://gollihurmusic.com/corelli-370-upright-bass-strings/
If you want to go REALLY light, they are also offered in a solo tuning option, which is intended to have standard tension at F#-B-E-A tuning - and you could tune them down to standard pitch for an extra low tension.
I hope that helps!