Nikki looks nice. If I were you Rob, I would need a CHAPPER-on, just to be on the safe side haha ;) Anyway, thanks for sharing your vids from NAMM 2013
this invention has huge benefits, if the tensions are perfectly equal, that is. no more having to compensate your nut slot positions for each string to reach better intonation in the lowest frets (if you like higher action, like me), and you will be able to bend chords in tune with your vibrato system.
I'm one of those guys who really don't care what gauge strings I play as long as they are "close". I can play with 9's 10's 11's and the normal hybrid sets. I even use 9-50 on E and 10-60 on D on some of my 6-string guitars so haven't had to get used to certain gauge. But those who "have" to use certain gauge to feel comfortable fine by me nothing wrong with that. I loved that honesty on this video.
won't matter if they do or don't make these sets - you can always buy singles and make your OWN set, either balanced, or progressive, or even regressive (tension lowers as sting gets fatter). heck, i've put together a set of 10-70 (6-string) for kicks for a weird but fun tuning: 10 17 26 30 46 70. pitch (high) E, A, D, D, G, (low) C.
been using Medium guage XL Chromes for about 15 Years. I bought a white 61 Hofner Galaxie from a retired GI that got it in Germany, It had Medium Guage Flatwounds on it. Been Using Chromes on Most of My guitars since then, I love Flatwounds.
That man in the D'A tent is an inspiration to all marketers. i am 100% sure that he has never picked up a guitar in his life, and gets paid very well not to get caught when he's on PR quests.
Strings aren't a small change, they r a big change, especially tension of the string. Tone is in the fingers - you touch the strings with your fingers - so therefor any change to the feel of the guitar is going to change your tone. One of the reasons good guitar players are good is because they have gotten use to the feel of the guitar through familiarity (and repetition) and if you change something like string tension then you have to adjust your playing.
Props to you Chappers for being honest about being a tad bit skeptical about those strings. Most people would have been like "Oh yeah, they are great, best string ever go buy 5000 packs". Nope, not you, your just honest and I applaud your honesty :)
Ah. At last a seemingly logical innovation in the realm of guitar strings. While not being as expensive as any of the other gear demo-ed by Chappers, it is every bit as revolutionary in my opinion. This question has been on my mind for a while and D-Addario has addressed it.
Great! I've been ordering my own custom balanced sets for almost 10 years now. At last there is a company that would make it simpler for me. On normal sets low E is always flappy, and G is always too stiff (on some EB sets, for ex. Not Even Slinky, G has almost 30% more tension than adjacent strings). Thank You Lord Chappers, the bringer of good news and awesomness.
Well dang me, I wrote about this subject in depth in an article for Acoustic magazine published in July 2006. In preparation for the article I contacted most of the major string makers, D'Addario included, and asked them why their strings sets were tensioned so unequally and why they did not make a balanced set. I later revisited the subject in my book GUITAR Mechanics by Terry Relph-Knight - available from most eBook stores.
I've been playing D'Addario as well for a long time. Mostly 9-42, and 10-46. I hadn't thought once about the string tension because I assumed all manufacturers balance the tension on all sets. But now I'm curious. I'll have to try a set.
How would those strings measure up against the Ernie Ball Cobalt strings??? I use the Cobalt strings for my Les Paul and they sound great. I could get more sound out of them than an ordinary nickel strings.
In reply to Michael Lawrence's question about stealing the idea from Alex at Zachary guitars - No, Alex has a different theory. he talks about it being obvious tensions should be equal and then says even this is not optimum. His ZOG sets are selected for gradually increasing, or progressive tension across the set.
How do you micro adjust the tension as you glide across the strings? The tension of a string at pitch is what it is and logically cannot be what it is not. By tension do you mean pressure of the pick stroke itself? If so how is that not breaking away from what economy picking/sweep picking intends? As an economy picker myself it seems that using reduced picking motion and not having to vary any pressure these strings should be a help not a hindrance.
dumb question, but if i currently use 10-46 on a 25inch scale to yield roughly 103lbs total tension (and my main composition guitar is always on the verge of intonation detonation) Would i have to completely re-set my action to test drive a set of these?? I love the idea. In theory.
Chappers, you should do a review on these puppies. I just strung my Les Paul with 11-50's (in Eb tuning- also go drop Db at times too) and found them to be really good overall. Transitioning from one string to another (after playing them for about 10 minutes or so) was relatively effortless. Overall pretty happy with these strings, especially since D'addario has priced these strings below their regular tension strings!
I was actually thinking about this yesterday, how come we are stucked with the old fashion convention of the unevenly tensioned strings, which is clearly bad for the guitar neck in the long run... then D'Addario saved the day!!!
Balanced tension seems like a really cool idea for playing ease and I bet that helps with intonation but I love for my bass strings to be super taught. I prefer the tension to be biased really high on the low notes so I can dig in. Picking softer at the bottom and harder at the top always seemed to feel natural any ways.
a few years ago D'Addario said ON THEIR OWN WEB PAGE that they did try to make a balanced tension set in the past but it didn't sound good so they ditched the idea. NOW all of a sudden balanced tension is the new great exciting thing and EVERYONE will be convinced and turned into a believer??? yay marketing... seems they're eager to bump up their sales figures bu peddling more stuff. what they SHOULD do is make ALL sets have a wound G string, and ditch the coloured ball ends.
I've been on the balanced 10s for a while now, and, for a while now, I've been saying I'll never go back to anything else! lol Might have to amend that slightly now that they've got balanced 11s, but yeah, the difference was instant for me:) Love 'em!
unlikely - i've had guitars set up with 10-46, 11-56, 12-53, and nylons, all side-by-side, and i've sucked just as badly on each of them regardless of scale length or string gauge. if you're good enough or suck really bad, those small changes won't throw you for a loop at all.
I actually wrote a really long message but deleted it cuz it indless babble, but i feel that being guitarists, we should be knowing what we're doing. You get used to how far strings bend to get pitches regardless of gauge n all that jazz.
been a gtrst, The dad balanced set is very good attemptwise, the wound .022 for D ( only a coupla nano seconds ago on my Yam Pac 112V DAD se t of 9- 11,5-15-24NOW 22!-32-42 MADE A world OF differ!!! I tried my other Yam and the D 24strings fine...GUITARS ARE INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE STRINGS are really the six ones too! haha..., !!!IHAVE COVERED MY YAMAHA PACIFICA112V STRING OPTIONS BY NOW, buttt i m still at o with the classical hi e s tension..., help meeee : )......! i begin from a point where every string has its own character, a standard guitar has six strings , so six string chords are quite limited for human hand size, therefore I conclude this analysis by tempting players n makers of strings revealing tension and listening by OUR EARS, FEELING BY OUR FINGERS, AND LOVING OUR GUITARS! k : ), ps.., i ORDERED 22s a bit many cuz i got two older yam pacs that methinks could handle a thinner D..., then again maybe not, BUTT FOR my latest aqcuisition Yamaha Pacifica 112V Silver the 22 is a hifi hit!
hey, have they stolen this from zachary's optimized strings? that would kinda suck in a big way. he designed compensated string gauges YEARS ago, & has been making/selling/distributing them for just as long. i've used them, & they're quite mind-blowing. he's quite proud of his design, & i'm pretty sure he's be upset if d'addario copied it...
Why would you be fucked? I have tried a set of 10-46 'balanced' strings they were fine, I went to another guitar with normal 10-46 D'Addario and they were fine. If you play well you shouldnt be fucked in any way, shape or form.
Good lawd, that Morningside gal is charming as fuck. How is it that gregarious blonde women do not rule the world? I'm guessing they just haven't thought of that yet.
Blah blah blah blah Brian! More bullshit to justify making you pay twice as much for the bloody things than what they're worth. Good on you Chappers for having your say and sticking up for yourself, man! You're living it, every day, day in, day out, and when a guitarist who's played as long as yourself, you know what's good and bad. By the way... "Deathwish" strings rock! Greeting from Sunny Australia!
What does an Eric Johnson episode mean? WTF is this? Do you work for D'Adarrio or something? I was only expressing my opinion. My point being, once you get use to something then you have to change back, it can be hard so it's better not to create that issue. If it doesn't create an issue for you cause u suck then that's cool but some people get use to things, like string tension.
I don't care what D'Addario does to their fancy new strings, you still couldn't pay me to play them! I have friends that won't even take them when they're free. D'Addario is by far the worst string company EVER!
Yeah she really is ;-)
Thanks dude ;-)
Nikki looks nice. If I were you Rob, I would need a CHAPPER-on, just to be on the safe side haha ;)
Anyway, thanks for sharing your vids from NAMM 2013
welcome back Rob! UA-cam has missed thee! :)
I need to try some of those strings.
I like her. Sparkling personality
I'm in love
this invention has huge benefits, if the tensions are perfectly equal, that is.
no more having to compensate your nut slot positions for each string to reach better intonation in the lowest frets (if you like higher action, like me), and you will be able to bend chords in tune with your vibrato system.
I gotta try that.
Awesome videos and content, cameraman did well too, thanks.
I'm one of those guys who really don't care what gauge strings I play as long as they are "close". I can play with 9's 10's 11's and the normal hybrid sets. I even use 9-50 on E and 10-60 on D on some of my 6-string guitars so haven't had to get used to certain gauge. But those who "have" to use certain gauge to feel comfortable fine by me nothing wrong with that. I loved that honesty on this video.
won't matter if they do or don't make these sets - you can always buy singles and make your OWN set, either balanced, or progressive, or even regressive (tension lowers as sting gets fatter). heck, i've put together a set of 10-70 (6-string) for kicks for a weird but fun tuning: 10 17 26 30 46 70. pitch (high) E, A, D, D, G, (low) C.
been using Medium guage XL Chromes for about 15 Years.
I bought a white 61 Hofner Galaxie from a retired GI that got it in Germany,
It had Medium Guage Flatwounds on it.
Been Using Chromes on Most of My guitars since then,
I love Flatwounds.
They could make them for specific radii
My daughter is such a cute little ham. :)
I can second that.
I live in Morningside... that is, in Scotland.
That man in the D'A tent is an inspiration to all marketers. i am 100% sure that he has never picked up a guitar in his life, and gets paid very well not to get caught when he's on PR quests.
Strings aren't a small change, they r a big change, especially tension of the string. Tone is in the fingers - you touch the strings with your fingers - so therefor any change to the feel of the guitar is going to change your tone. One of the reasons good guitar players are good is because they have gotten use to the feel of the guitar through familiarity (and repetition) and if you change something like string tension then you have to adjust your playing.
Props to you Chappers for being honest about being a tad bit skeptical about those strings. Most people would have been like "Oh yeah, they are great, best string ever go buy 5000 packs". Nope, not you, your just honest and I applaud your honesty :)
Ah. At last a seemingly logical innovation in the realm of guitar strings. While not being as expensive as any of the other gear demo-ed by Chappers, it is every bit as revolutionary in my opinion. This question has been on my mind for a while and D-Addario has addressed it.
Chappers! I'm not sure if Brian appreciated how honest you were about the tension strings !!!!! BUT WE DO :D !
Why? I love my D'Addarios, been using them forever.
So is anything in life... if you know what you are doing.
Great! I've been ordering my own custom balanced sets for almost 10 years now. At last there is a company that would make it simpler for me. On normal sets low E is always flappy, and G is always too stiff (on some EB sets, for ex. Not Even Slinky, G has almost 30% more tension than adjacent strings). Thank You Lord Chappers, the bringer of good news and awesomness.
It's actually rather easy to adjust to new strings when you know what you're doing
awesome ;)
Why? Just curious.
The balanced sets dont cost more than regular sets
Well dang me, I wrote about this subject in depth in an article for Acoustic magazine published in July 2006. In preparation for the article I contacted most of the major string makers, D'Addario included, and asked them why their strings sets were tensioned so unequally and why they did not make a balanced set. I later revisited the subject in my book GUITAR Mechanics by Terry Relph-Knight - available from most eBook stores.
I remember calling D`Addario a couple years ago about doing this. Wonder who took credit for this.....
I've been playing D'Addario as well for a long time. Mostly 9-42, and 10-46. I hadn't thought once about the string tension because I assumed all manufacturers balance the tension on all sets. But now I'm curious. I'll have to try a set.
How would those strings measure up against the Ernie Ball Cobalt strings??? I use the Cobalt strings for my Les Paul and they sound great. I could get more sound out of them than an ordinary nickel strings.
Im in love with Nikki... god damn :P
Not sure what to think about those strings. Quite skeptical.
In reply to Michael Lawrence's question about stealing the idea from Alex at Zachary guitars - No, Alex has a different theory. he talks about it being obvious tensions should be equal and then says even this is not optimum. His ZOG sets are selected for gradually increasing, or progressive tension across the set.
do they do them in 9.5
Ok, so Chappers, if these strings are a different tension then would the truss rod have to be adjusted at all?!
YOu shouldnt have to reset the action unless the gauges are very different...in which case you will probably need to do a quick set up.
How do you micro adjust the tension as you glide across the strings? The tension of a string at pitch is what it is and logically cannot be what it is not. By tension do you mean pressure of the pick stroke itself? If so how is that not breaking away from what economy picking/sweep picking intends?
As an economy picker myself it seems that using reduced picking motion and not having to vary any pressure these strings should be a help not a hindrance.
What did you think about the strings after you got to play them when you got back home
dumb question, but if i currently use 10-46 on a 25inch scale to yield roughly 103lbs total tension (and my main composition guitar is always on the verge of intonation detonation) Would i have to completely re-set my action to test drive a set of these?? I love the idea. In theory.
I had a set of D'Addario XL and had three strings snap at the ball ends. I think I'll stick with Elixrs.
I'll stick to Rotosound strings.
what strings do you use brotha?
Chappers, you should do a review on these puppies. I just strung my Les Paul with 11-50's (in Eb tuning- also go drop Db at times too) and found them to be really good overall. Transitioning from one string to another (after playing them for about 10 minutes or so) was relatively effortless. Overall pretty happy with these strings, especially since D'addario has priced these strings below their regular tension strings!
Nikki is awesome :)
then just use .10's
I would think that premature failure would be likely.
Wonder how many bends does it take to reach instability...
For guitars I like Gibsons vintage strings. But I did pick a pair up D'Addario balance bass strings.
wound g strings ( lol ) i always have break and once fucked up a fret and the color ball ends are there thing
I won't knock it until I try it but it seems like another case of solving a problem that doesn't exist. At least it's a low cost experiment.
Only one problem, due to radius differences of fretboards, the tension still will never be perfect for bends from guitar to guitar.
I was actually thinking about this yesterday, how come we are stucked with the old fashion convention of the unevenly tensioned strings, which is clearly bad for the guitar neck in the long run... then D'Addario saved the day!!!
The guy seemed somewhat concerned
Balanced tension seems like a really cool idea for playing ease and I bet that helps with intonation but I love for my bass strings to be super taught. I prefer the tension to be biased really high on the low notes so I can dig in. Picking softer at the bottom and harder at the top always seemed to feel natural any ways.
a few years ago D'Addario said ON THEIR OWN WEB PAGE that they did try to make a balanced tension set in the past but it didn't sound good so they ditched the idea. NOW all of a sudden balanced tension is the new great exciting thing and EVERYONE will be convinced and turned into a believer??? yay marketing... seems they're eager to bump up their sales figures bu peddling more stuff. what they SHOULD do is make ALL sets have a wound G string, and ditch the coloured ball ends.
Seems like D'Addario have fixed a problem that never existed to begin with.
I've been on the balanced 10s for a while now, and, for a while now, I've been saying I'll never go back to anything else! lol Might have to amend that slightly now that they've got balanced 11s, but yeah, the difference was instant for me:) Love 'em!
unlikely - i've had guitars set up with 10-46, 11-56, 12-53, and nylons, all side-by-side, and i've sucked just as badly on each of them regardless of scale length or string gauge. if you're good enough or suck really bad, those small changes won't throw you for a loop at all.
I'd do that...
I actually wrote a really long message but deleted it cuz it indless babble, but i feel that being guitarists, we should be knowing what we're doing. You get used to how far strings bend to get pitches regardless of gauge n all that jazz.
So lovely girl!
Lovely girl !
been a gtrst, The dad balanced set is very good attemptwise, the wound .022 for D ( only a coupla nano seconds ago on my Yam Pac 112V DAD se t of 9- 11,5-15-24NOW 22!-32-42 MADE A world OF differ!!! I tried my other Yam and the D 24strings fine...GUITARS ARE INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE STRINGS are really the six ones too! haha..., !!!IHAVE COVERED MY YAMAHA PACIFICA112V STRING OPTIONS BY NOW, buttt i m still at o with the classical hi e s tension..., help meeee : )......! i begin from a point where every string has its own character, a standard guitar has six strings , so six string chords are quite limited for human hand size, therefore I conclude this analysis by tempting players n makers of strings revealing tension and listening by OUR EARS, FEELING BY OUR FINGERS, AND LOVING OUR GUITARS! k : ), ps.., i ORDERED 22s a bit many cuz i got two older yam pacs that methinks could handle a thinner D..., then again maybe not, BUTT FOR my latest aqcuisition Yamaha Pacifica 112V Silver the 22 is a hifi hit!
hey, have they stolen this from zachary's optimized strings? that would kinda suck in a big way. he designed compensated string gauges YEARS ago, & has been making/selling/distributing them for just as long. i've used them, & they're quite mind-blowing. he's quite proud of his design, & i'm pretty sure he's be upset if d'addario copied it...
chappers, did these strings ever convince your fingers?
Why would you be fucked? I have tried a set of 10-46 'balanced' strings they were fine, I went to another guitar with normal 10-46 D'Addario and they were fine.
If you play well you shouldnt be fucked in any way, shape or form.
Good lawd, that Morningside gal is charming as fuck. How is it that gregarious blonde women do not rule the world? I'm guessing they just haven't thought of that yet.
I like D'Addario but they wear old quickly...
Ooo!
is it wierd that I play more metal then anything else but I play like a blues or country guy with double stops and lots of bending...
Just checked out her band its def not heavy as fuck.
she cute eh....
"That's good, yeah, say fuck". Chappers showing his sexual preferences...
Blah blah blah blah Brian! More bullshit to justify making you pay twice as much for the bloody things than what they're worth. Good on you Chappers for having your say and sticking up for yourself, man! You're living it, every day, day in, day out, and when a guitarist who's played as long as yourself, you know what's good and bad. By the way... "Deathwish" strings rock! Greeting from Sunny Australia!
there's a big difference between "adjust your playing" and being "fucked". try not to have an "Eric Johnson" episode, m'kay?
It's all fine and well having these strings but as soon as ur on a guitar without them then ur fucked. it's pointless
Iii!
mindless* lol
ernie ball all the way
Mathematical formulas? This idea was stolen from Zacharey guitars and no one really knows his design details so this math is marketing BS.
What does an Eric Johnson episode mean? WTF is this? Do you work for D'Adarrio or something? I was only expressing my opinion. My point being, once you get use to something then you have to change back, it can be hard so it's better not to create that issue. If it doesn't create an issue for you cause u suck then that's cool but some people get use to things, like string tension.
i wanna be nikkis new boyfriend
were you drunk, stoned, or just asleep when you wrote THAT stuff? dude, learn to write!!! or does guitar = illiterate?
I don't care what D'Addario does to their fancy new strings, you still couldn't pay me to play them! I have friends that won't even take them when they're free. D'Addario is by far the worst string company EVER!