D'Addario Balanced Tension Strings

[MiltyG565]

And just to say- If the differences in volume were coming from the gauge and the tension of the string, surely it should be more even with a set of BT's?

[Dood]

Time to try the strings out!

http://blog.basschat.co.uk/competition-daddario-introduce-new-balanced-tension-sets-for-guitar-and-bass/

[iiipopes]

A player will feel it most over time with the D and A strings being a gauge lighter, 60 and 80 instead of 65 and 85. I did starting over twenty years ago when I first started ordering customs, and still do. I agree that the difference between 105 and 107 is not really the issue.

[Dood]

Hopefully I have read the document correctly. I have copied the tensions for a Nickel Wound D'addario XL string tuned to E. I would say that there is quite a big difference in tension between that of a 105 and 110, so it seems on the face of it raising to a 107 does make a bit of difference. Certainly a massive change between a .095 and .120! Have I understood this correctly?


[font=Helvetica][size=2][size=2]XL - Nickelplated Round Wound[/size][/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]Long Scale[/size][/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]Item# Unit Weight Tension[/size][/size][/font]

[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]XLB095 .00169349 27.3 [/size][/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]XLB100 .00179687 29.0 [/size][/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]XLB105 .00198395 32.0[/size][/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]XLB110 .00227440 36.7 [/size][/size][/font]
[font=Helvetica][size=1][size=2]XLB120 .00250280 40.3 [/size][/size][/font]

[Dood]

Oh - I've got a set on my bass already and will be gigging it at the weekend. So far, things are feeling pretty good!

[MiltyG565]

If the .105 set now has a .107 gauge E string, shouldn't it be called a .107 set now?

[iiipopes]

Why not! Oh - BTW: It's not a "balanced" set per se, but GHS has made their 45-105 Boomers set in short scale as actually a 45-107 for, well, decades.

Using the same math, that would make a low B string at @ 142 for those who care about such things.

[Dood]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1363357281' post='2011749']
If the .105 set now has a .107 gauge E string, shouldn't it be called a .107 set now?
[/quote]

The set is known as EXL170BT although 45-107 or, 'Regular Light' would probably suffice in the absence of the former.

[iamtheelvy]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1363613109' post='2014701']
The set is known as EXL170BT although 45-107 or, 'Regular Light' would probably suffice in the absence of the former.
[/quote]

So 107 is considered 'light' nowadays?

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1363613682' post='2014721']
So 107 is considered 'light' nowadays?
[/quote]

I find D'Addario tend to be a bit silly. A regular gauge set (45-105/107) they will call regular light, and long scale for 32" scale basses. they call 30" scale short scale. In the world of guitar, a set of 9's are called super light gauge, but where do you go from there? You can get 8's, so are they called super super light gauge?

Fantastic strings, but their naming of sets based on the scale and gauge is mad i find.

[thodrik]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1363614896' post='2014744']
I find D'Addario tend to be a bit silly. A regular gauge set (45-105/107) they will call regular light, and long scale for 32" scale basses. they call 30" scale short scale. In the world of guitar, a set of 9's are called super light gauge, but where do you go from there? You can get 8's, so are they called super super light gauge?

Fantastic strings, but their naming of sets based on the scale and gauge is mad i find.
[/quote]

Yes and then the 120-50 set is apparently a 'medium' but there isn't a heavy equivalent.

I find the 'light/super light/medium' descriptions of strings to be essentially useless. Just tell me the gauge and let me decide on whether its light etc.

[iamtheelvy]

I think Elite strings got it about right:

30-90 - Extra Light
35-95 - Light
40-100 - Medium
45-105 - Standard
50-110 - Heavy

At least, this made sense to me when I was younger. Nowadays, the picky side of me would prefer 'Regular' to 'Standard' but still...

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1363620276' post='2014828']
I think Elite strings got it about right:
[/quote]

I agree, I've always liked their strings too!

[Dood]

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1363619790' post='2014822']
I find the 'light/super light/medium' descriptions of strings to be essentially useless. Just tell me the gauge and let me decide on whether its light etc.
[/quote]

Yup, there's more important things in life to worry about!

Whilst I have 5 minutes spare in between 'jobs', I can tell you that the EXL170BT set performed really well at the weekend. I've really nothing negative to say, though my own performance was hampered due to cutting the tip of my finger off accidentally whilst moving house on the day of the gig. I spent more time trying not to keep re-opening the wound throughout the 2 hour sesh!

I'd actually changed sets from Steels to the BT Nickels, so the feel this time round was a more noticeable difference as D'addario Nickels tend to have a firmer feel due to the higher tension.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1363620544' post='2014839']
I'd actually changed sets from Steels to the BT Nickels, so the feel this time round was a more noticeable difference as D'addario Nickels tend to have a firmer feel due to the higher tension.
[/quote]

I never knew that! I always imagined it would be the other way round

[thodrik]

Since Stringbusters are pricing them at £16 quid a set, I decided to buy a couple of 120-50 sets. Its less than half price of the standard DR DDT 115-55 strings. If these strings are halfway decent then they will probably become my go-to strings for D standard/Drop C. I think for bassists who tune down, D'addario could be onto a winner here just in terms of gauge and price alone.

[Dood]

I've been using a balanced set on my Shuker headless for a bit now - played some gigs, did a bit of recording and some private practice time. I've also just slapped another set of strings on my bass to compare to as well that are 'part worn' verses using a brand new set.

I have to say that although subtle, it was mainly when I put a set on after taking the BTs off that I noticed the differences in string tensions. Now, I don't know - I have a feeling that I have been SO used to my standard gauges for years that I probably couldn't tell you for sure what is spot on even and what is not. I can definitely feel that the set I've just pulled out of my 'spares box' doesn't quite feel right. I'm already thinking about putting a nice new set of Pro Steels on right away (I would put BTs on, but I gave all of mine to you lovely people to review!!!!)

So, as usual, I love the tone. They are still XL Nickels so last exactly the same time, so no differences there. In my head that E sounded a bit fuller and certainly using a pick across the strings seemed firmer across the board between strings. - Now, I reckon I'll be wanting some balanced Pro Steels next then D'Addario.

I can't fault the strings - and, as thodrik has said above - it's not as if D'Addario are breaking the bank. Good stuff. I genuinely like 'em!

[voxpop]

Thanks Dood for the info / review.
I would also like to try a six string balanced Pro Steel set on my Shukers. Let's hope they will make them soon.

[Jellyfish]

Just wanted to add my little review here...

They're awesome! I put a set on my new Fender Precision and played it through an old Carlsbro amp (lovely sounding amp to my ears) and they've got that quality 'new-string' zing from them. I've always found D'Addario's more pleasant sounding to the ears over other branded Nickel strings anyway.

The difference in tension isn't huge, but when it comes down to it, I could tell when I paid attention and looked/felt how tense they were but when I just carried on playing I didn't think about it and didn't notice it as much. For the foreseeable future, I think I'll be purchasing these for all my 4-string basses, but only because it gives me a "peace of mind" knowing they're balanced tension.

I agree with Dood as well, bring on the BT Prosteels please!

[BigRedX]

And a 5-string set!

Personally (looking at the 4-string gauges) I don't think they'll be able to do it. Either the whole set will be floppier than a really floppy thing or you'll need to get the nut re-cut for the thickness of a low B that actually matches the tension of the other strings.

However I'm more than happy to be proved wrong.

[skej21]

Got a complimentary set from D'Addario which I put on my Geddy. Didn't really notice much of an advantage to having the balanced tension. D'Addario claim it makes strings easier to bend but I didn't notice any real difference. My friend slapped a guitar set on his USA Deluxe Strat and has had nothing but problems. The guitar needed a complete set-up and the balanced tension really through off the way he had set his micro-tilt neck. This would be fine as a one off but as he rightly pointed out, if an emergency string change was needed before a gig and he couldn't get hold of a BT set, he have to set the guitar up again from scratch which would be hugely time consuming. We both agreed the BT sets were not for us.

Edited April 6, 2013 by skej21

[Dood]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1365270937' post='2037518']
Got a complimentary set from D'Addario which I put on my Geddy. Didn't really notice much of an advantage to having the balanced tension. D'Addario claim it makes strings easier to bend but I didn't notice any real difference. My friend slapped a guitar set on his USA Deluxe Strat and has had nothing but problems. The guitar needed a complete set-up and the balanced tension really through off the way he had set his micro-tilt neck. This would be fine as a one off but as he rightly pointed out, if an emergency string change was needed before a gig and he couldn't get hold of a BT set, he have to set the guitar up again from scratch which would be hugely time consuming. We both agreed the BT sets were not for us.
[/quote]

I'm a bit mystified about the comment about making string bending easier. I'd not expect that to be the case, but rather the tension between strings being more even and thus the amount of effort required to bend a string being more even across the set from string to string. Technically if the tension went up instead of down then naturally it'd actually been harder to bend. I've not actually seen or heard that advice in your context so expect that was a misquote or wrong info.

If your mate had gone for a heavier set of strings ( or just higher tension than his usual set) then yes i'd expect a floating trem to need readjusting. I've done a few myself and a total set up would be a rip off unless of course he was switching from 9's to 12's! I hope he didn't pay any more than the price of a coffee for it! Totally unnecessary, unless there was a problem with the guitar to begin with.
If it helps him any, i really do not think that changing a single string of a similar gauge will mean another complete set up either, he'll be just fine and not to worry. It won't effect playability. If he's worried, then grabbing a few sets to keep in the case as spares, prepared has gotta be the way forward, whatever his choice of brand.

Hope that helps

[Dood]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1365263200' post='2037394']
And a 5-string set!

Personally (looking at the 4-string gauges) I don't think they'll be able to do it. Either the whole set will be floppier than a really floppy thing or you'll need to get the nut re-cut for the thickness of a low B that actually matches the tension of the other strings.

However I'm more than happy to be proved wrong.
[/quote]

Fair assumption i reckon. The gauge would go up, but I'm not sure by how much without looking back at the charts i posted earlier. It'd be worth it for a nice big fat B string tone though? Everyone loves a girth-some B string tone heh heh!

[skej21]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1365380417' post='2038900']


I'm a bit mystified about the comment about making string bending easier. I'd not expect that to be the case, but rather the tension between strings being more even and thus the amount of effort required to bend a string being more even across the set from string to string. Technically if the tension went up instead of down then naturally it'd actually been harder to bend. I've not actually seen or heard that advice in your context so expect that was a misquote or wrong info.

If your mate had gone for a heavier set of strings ( or just higher tension than his usual set) then yes i'd expect a floating trem to need readjusting. I've done a few myself and a total set up would be a rip off unless of course he was switching from 9's to 12's! I hope he didn't pay any more than the price of a coffee for it! Totally unnecessary, unless there was a problem with the guitar to begin with.
If it helps him any, i really do not think that changing a single string of a similar gauge will mean another complete set up either, he'll be just fine and not to worry. It won't effect playability. If he's worried, then grabbing a few sets to keep in the case as spares, prepared has gotta be the way forward, whatever his choice of brand.

Hope that helps
[/quote]

When I have access to it, I'll quote the email that our D'Addario rep sent us about making bending easier. I think he meant it makes the tension more even and is therefore a more universal approach to string bends (ie strings bends should be as easy/difficult on all strings, rather than the expected easier bending on thinner strings)... I think this may have been a misunderstanding of the official blurb 'Even effort while bending, strumming, plucking and slapping delivers improved dynamic control' or maybe got mixed up as his email was initially rushed as he tried to get the trial packs out to us and give us a speedy summary of the advantages.

As for the set-up, it was definitely necessary and my mate did the set up himself as he is a guitar repair technician and does repairs/set-ups all day. The evening out of the tension hugely affected the way his guitar was set up, as it was not set to accommodate the reduction in tension across the middle strings. Normally, his D and A were around 17lbs tension and his G and low E were about 14lbs. With the BT set, this brought the tension of the low E, A, D and G down below 13lbs and a setup was needed to ensure this reduction didn't affect the playability of the guitar.

[iiipopes]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1365389640' post='2038919']

As for the set-up, it was definitely necessary and my mate did the set up himself as he is a guitar repair technician and does repairs/set-ups all day. The evening out of the tension hugely affected the way his guitar was set up, as it was not set to accommodate the reduction in tension across the middle strings. Normally, his D and A were around 17lbs tension and his G and low E were about 14lbs. With the BT set, this brought the tension of the low E, A, D and G down below 13lbs and a setup was needed to ensure this reduction didn't affect the playability of the guitar.
[/quote]It sounds to me like he bought the wrong set.