but it is the unit weight and not the scale length that determines the tension.
(For Llewellen's insight: Scale length
of the strings, not the instrument.)
And thank you for introducing unit weight (a function of the string gauge,in simplest terms), because it finally reminded me of the term that was escaping me yesterday:
Ductile Strength.
Let's point out that that unit weight is derived in part from the actual material the string is made of as well as the gauge of it.
Any given material, be it nickel, bronze, or gut, has its own unique
ductile properties, the ability to
stretch and bend.
Gut for example, being much less dense than alloys, will always have a lighter unit weight for a given gauge than an alloy.
And it's correspondingly much more ductile.
THAT'S what gave me pause earlier: when I wondered if the wrap or extra winding on a string at the ball end could affect its ductile properties for that length of the string, and if in turn that might actually affect "feel" or even vibrational characteristics of the speaking length? Even if that portion of relatively greater unit weight was behind the bridge?
That's what I was getting at earlier when I said this:
"I wasn't sure if you meant the silk wraps present on the ball ends of some bass strings or even just regular metal windings, but they may be creating a sort of density variation at the anchoring point, or simply a variation in the stress (or tension) exerted on the string at different locations.
So maybe that does have some sort of subtle effect on total tension required to achieve pitch or just to fret the strings, which is really where you feel it, right?.
Maybe being "stiffer" at at least one anchoring point allows the string to be "floppier" between the stops of the nut and saddle?
That could be an independent function of the tension required to achieve pitch at the speaking length. "
But bottom line for your specific goal(s), "tighter feel" on a shortscale instrument:
The answer is a string with appropriate ductile characteristics, whether derived from using heavier gauge, or different alloy, or most likely the appropriate combination of your own discovery.
I can see that it's possible that an appropriate combination of gauge and alloy for
tension may not yield the tone you desire.
That's where drugs come in.
:highly_amused:
Ok, joking aside, I note your instincts are good and Hieronymous endorsed those La Bellas you mentioned, so that's probably a good place to start.