D'addario EXL160 BT Balanced Tension Strings for Standard Tuning

[Delberthot]

I have been using D'addario EXL165 strings with a 110 E string for the past couple of years now.

The reason I use the heavier E is that I often detune to D or B during the course of a gig and the heavier E means that the string is less floppy when detuned than the standard 105 would be.

I've been thinking about getting a set of EXL160 balanced tension strings as it has an even heavier E meaning that the string would be even better tension when detuned. 

The gauges I use are 45, 65, 85, 110 and the BT set is 50, 67, 90, 120. The strings I am using have an overall tension on the neck of 182.41lbs and the balanced tension set is 201.68 which is only an increase of 19.27lbs and about the same as the tension on a 5 string neck. It's a Musicman so I don't foresee any problems with the neck.

I should get away without touching the nut to accommodate the new strings, I'll have to adjust the truss rod and as a bonus I will be able to lower the string height.

 

Has anyone on here been using these strings and is there anything else I should know before getting them?

[The59Sound]

I don't think it will be as balanced as you think according to the D'Addario tension calc...

[Delberthot]

The tensions are 50.3, 51.9, 51.05 & 49.24 which is pretty close as far as packaged sets of strings go.

 

The standard 45, 65, 85, 105 sets are way off  with the A & D being higher tension than the G & E- when I made up my own set of Chromes using individual strings, the most balanced set I could put together was 45, 60, 80, 110

[The59Sound]

And with the .120 tuned to D, it drops to 38.3.

If you wanted to make it work, you could order a custom set of XLs?

45 - 60 - 80 - 120

41.3 - 40.9 - 39.6 - 38.3

Tuned to drop D. But - when you retune to E that .120 goes up to 48.3.

[Delberthot]

Ah I think I get your thinking but 90% of the songs we do are in standard tuning so the balanced set makes sense for most of the gig.

For the songs that require a low D or B then it is easier for me to drop the E than to change basses which is virtually nigh on impossible during a wedding set. If I drop the E to B then the tension is 28.6 which is still low for a B string but a better compromise and less floppy than the 110 string that I am currently using. Dropping to D would give me 40.3 which is the same tension as a 105 string tuned to E