I don't know that you should just take my word for it.  But I do know that if I pick up a bass that I haven't played in some time, I'll often find it's still perfectly in tune and that doesn't happen with the guitars.
 
But I've wondered if string tension might be a part of the explanation why some guitarists seem to have endless problems with trems and tuning while others don't seem to complain much, given similar usage.

drewfx1
I don't know that you should just take my word for it.  But I do know that if I pick up a bass that I haven't played in some time, I'll often find it's still perfectly in tune and that doesn't happen with the guitars.
 
But I've wondered if string tension might be a part of the explanation why some guitarists seem to have endless problems with trems and tuning while others don't seem to complain much, given similar usage.

That's because you don't have one of my custom built guitars :)
I have a '57 Fender Custom Shop Strat and so many Strats that I'm embarrassed to say and it's the only one that has given me fits. All of them but one have tremelos (or vibratos for Steve :) and I couldn't get it to hold a tuning...until a few days ago...it makes no sense to me but I put 5 springs on it, reset everything and now it's doing great. All my others have 3 springs and not the common V arrangement...all straight.
All of them have the same gauge and make of strings.
I refret it, new nut and knew there were no tuning machine issues etc. I have no idea why 5 springs corrected the problem.
I wound the pickups for it (staggard magnets) and when I adjusted them is when I started wondering about string tension to address volume balance...which caused this thread LOL.
 
 

drewfx1
tension=(frequency*(2*Length))^2 * linear density

I thought that was the Am formula.

bapu

drewfx1
tension=(frequency*(2*Length))^2 * linear density

I thought that was the Am formula.

That's density not destiny.
 
 
Where's the smiley face?...I put a smiley face...pftt...forum software

The higher the better as far as I'm concerned. I've never had a light touch and anything lower than 11's my fingers just keep squeezing out of tune. For electric I use the heaviest strings I can bend without difficulty. Plus I use 13's (sometimes 14's) on my acoustic and switching from acoustic to electric would feel too weird if I had extra lights my my Tele.

It really depends on your playing style. Personally I think my playing has more character and feeling when I'm fighting with the instrument a little, which is why I prefer my action on the higher side as well. Oh and I hate fret buzz with a passion.

I'm not surprised that players use gauges for feel.
I am surprised of a limited selection of gauges for those
striving for more than just overall feel. (but I'm still searching)
I'd have to purchase three different sets to have a set with the gauges I'd like just because of the
limited choice in singles.
 
 
"It really depends on your playing style" -Sharke   
And I'll add "hand strength".
 
 

I think this is whatever meets your requirements and works for you.
 
Personally I use 9/42's, d'Addario make from Thomman. They suit me fine and I keep them clean (using a wipe after each rehearsal or gig). As for using gauges - it it doesn't buzz then that's fine. (For me).
 
What is the advantage of using feelers ?
 
The guitar i have with the lowest action is a Stagg LP copy. The neck is one of the straightest I've ever seen (made in China !). Fenders are a b**ch to set up (I prefer a Jeff Beck height on the vibrato) and my LP is, well, it took 6 months to get it set up correctly.
 
My 2 Euro cents !
 
Cheers,
Jerry
 
 
 

Elixir Phosphor bronze 12 to 53 on Acoustics.
 
GHS David Gilmour Blue gauges on electrics.

I actually had to edit this... I don't know what I was thinking re my acoustics...I just changed strings on two and had a ...DOH...moment. Sorry.

I have been most consistent with electric guitar strings.  For 25 years I played Super Slinky 9's.  Maybe about 5 years ago I switched to Slinky Hybrid 9's to keep the lighter strings the same, but add more chunk to the E and A string.  Now I am playing Hybrid Slinky Cobalt's because I like the tone better.  Maybe there isn't much tension difference between the 25 1/2 and 24.75 guitar neck lengths, but my hands handle the shorter length better in tension and feel.  I played both scales about the same number of years.  One thing that I do on my Les Paul is top wrap the bridge, it seems to give the guitar a little "slinkier" feel as well.  I do most of this for ease of bending.  Fret wire is also a big factor in bending.
 
On Bass, my Rick 4003, I used 45-105 for round wound for many, many years; settling in on Ernie Walls as well.  They have a nice growl to them with a Rick.  Just in the last 6-8 months I have been experimenting with flats.  The first set of flat wounds that I bought was Rotosound 45-105; the tension on those was really high, much more than the same gauge in rounds.  I was actually concerned because they seemed to be bowing my neck slightly.  I took them off after a couple of days and then started really doing some research and reading up on rounds.  I began to regularly hang out at TalkBass and read every thread that I could on flats.  Someone eventually posted string tensions and rated the feel of most brands and gauges.  I settled in on a lighter set of La Bella flats and really like the tension and feel of these strings.  I miss that biting growl sometimes that I get with the round wound bass strings on the Rick, but I have a real nice McCartney-esque thump going right now.  I guess I need a second 4003 to have strung with rounds as well.
 
What was said about Basses staying in tune better than electrics or acoustics, I have found to be true as well.  When I grab the Rick 4003, 9 times out of 10 it is still dead on in tune.  If its off, its not but by a couple of cents.  The electrics and acoustics always need tuning.  It has been that way for me on Deluxe Fenders, Gibson LP Standards, Rickenbacker 330's, Larrivee acoustics, virtually every guitar I have owned in the last 35 years. 

I tend towards heavy. I use a 115 for the bottom (E) string on my bass, which is similar in tension to my 50 top (G) string. The guy at Rotosound says that 115 gauge is intended to be used as a low B string, but tuned down to B it would be ridiculously slack.