D'ADDARIO 'BALANCED TENSION' STRINGS... gimmick or worth a punt?

[Greg.Bassman]

Hi all.

'Balanced tension'? Trying to work out if they could be the ones for me, anybody else using them out there that can shed some light please? Pro's and con's (if any)?

Cheers.

[discreet]

Worth a punt, I like 'em. Makes you realise that every string set you've used so far has had a wildly tense 'D' and 'G' string and that you've been sub-consciously compensating for it all this time. Nice strings.

Edited March 13, 2016 by discreet

[Greg.Bassman]

Awesome.

[iiipopes]

I like the feel of the "balanced" tension.

The reason that bass string sets are usually 45-65-85-105, or 45-65-80-100 instead of this particular set of 45-60-80-107 is that the fingerboard is crowned but most pickups are flat, and the strength of the magnetic field varies as the square of the distance from the magnet. So heavier gauges on the D and A strings are used to get more balanced output string to string, and the E string is made lighter so it is more flexible and retains similar overtone characteristics to the other strings.

Of course, if you have a Precision that you can adjust each string's distance from the pickup, or something like a Rickenbacker with the same crown to the pole pieces as the fingerboard radius, then the balanced set should do very well indeed.

I've been using custom ordered 45-60-80-105 GHS Precisions on my Rickenbacker 4002 (yes, "2", not "1" or "3") since Progressives were a new string in the late '80's or early '90's to get the "balanced" feel.

Edited March 14, 2016 by iiipopes

[BigRedX]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1457860072' post='3002315']
Worth a punt, I like 'em. Makes you realise that every string set you've used so far has had a wildly tense 'D' and 'G' string and that you've been sub-consciously compensating for it all this time. Nice strings.
[/quote]

It's all about taste. IMO the D and G on a standard set are about the right tension and then everything else feels more and more floppy the lower you go.

It sounds as though for me a "balanced" tension set would all feel to loose.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1457860072' post='3002315']
Worth a punt, I like 'em. Makes you realise that every string set you've used so far has had a wildly tense 'D' and 'G' string and that you've been sub-consciously compensating for it all this time. Nice strings.
[/quote]

Yep, pretty much all that. I was dubious before i got my first set, now i have them on all my basses (and have done for quite a while.). I probably wouldnt worry if i didnt have them, but i do prefer them given the choice.

[thodrik]

In terms of 'normal' bass strings in the 45-105 ballpark I have never felt that the strings were completely unbalanced. The 50-120 set though are fantastic if you want to tune to D standard/C# standard and are in my opinion much more suitable for downtuning than the DR or Dunlop 55-115 strings that are designed for lower tunings.

[mybass]

I'm getting on fine with them

[dave_bass5]

I would never have thought of using a .107 for E if it had not been part of the blended tension set. Now that's the one string I notice a difference on if I play someone else bass with a normal .105.

[Dood]

I see no cons whatsoever. Yeah, really nice. In fact, D'Addario make such a wide range of superb strings, I sometimes struggle to decide which ones I want to try next heh!! Right now I have the new NYXL's on a PJ bass, ProSteels on my 6 string bass, NYXL coated on my electric guitars, 80/20's on my acoustic and balanced tension on my P!

[iiipopes]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1457968543' post='3003475']It sounds as though for me a "balanced" tension set would all feel to loose.[/quote]
Not necessarily. As a matter of fact, the tensions are actually geared with most "balanced" sets to the tension of the G string. For example, scroll down to the bottom of D'Addario's page to see that the string tension on their XL "Balanced" sets in all three "standard" gauges, i.e., 40, 45 and 50, is adjusted a bit on all of the sets a bit to equalize everything, especially to keep the low E from feeling floppy:

http://www.daddario.com/balanced_tension.page?sid=ca8402ef-45f4-45f3-9f06-3339d9cf48c0

[BigRedX]

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1458578423' post='3008768']
Not necessarily. As a matter of fact, the tensions are actually geared with most "balanced" sets to the tension of the G string. For example, scroll down to the bottom of D'Addario's page to see that the string tension on their XL "Balanced" sets in all three "standard" gauges, i.e., 40, 45 and 50, is adjusted a bit on all of the sets a bit to equalize everything, especially to keep the low E from feeling floppy:

[url="http://www.daddario.com/balanced_tension.page?sid=ca8402ef-45f4-45f3-9f06-3339d9cf48c0"]http://www.daddario....06-3339d9cf48c0[/url]
[/quote]

But they still haven't managed to make a 5-string set.

[D'AddarioUK]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1458600252' post='3009067']
But they still haven't managed to make a 5-string set.
[/quote]

We don't do 5 string sets because you'd have to pair an extremely heavy low B with the set to make it truly balanced tension. We have a very wide range of singles available and a tool for working out which string you need [url="http://www.stringtensionpro.com"]www.stringtensionpro.com[/url] if you want to build your own.

[verb]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd post here.

D'addario currently have 50% off their Balanced Tension strings when paying with Players Circle Points, use code BALANCE50.

[fretmeister]

I kind of make my own sets for this.

Prosteels

40-60-85-105-135T

 

Feels a lot more even across the board for me.

[Delberthot]

I usually do something similar for my 4 string but 45, 60, 80, 110. The 110 is so that it is high enough tension to drop it to D and according to D'addario's tension guide this is as close tension that you can get using the gauges that are available separately rather than the specific balanced tension ones