Which D'Addario XL gauge? 6-string set.

[snowdan]

torn between XL NPS :

32-45-65-80-100-130

or

32-45-65-85-105-130


pros and cons?

which is more consistent? ist the .135 b much better?

[fretless Bob]

FIrst set, the D'Addario's are a little high tension and having the lighter set is gonna help compensate for that, plus they are a little springier as well.


Dave

[snowdan]

i see. but (since c-d are the same) is the 1st set still well balanced in terms of feel and is the B good enough?

in other words:

how do you like the XL 170-6 set??

[fretless Bob]

that is the only gauge i use when i buy D'Addario's, i personally think that 135 is way too big for a B and would even go as far as saying that a 120 is probably best but that is just me.

buti do find it a very balanced set, i find that with the heavier low strings i always end up getting too much ow end and i dont find it great to play either, just my experience but i find it a bit too much like hard work with the heavier B, E and A


Dave

[snowdan]

i think i'll give the 170ers a try. as a last resort i can order a thicker single B.

[snowdan]

here we go:

low B is quite good! better than .130 lo rider, far better than bass boomers.

string balance good, too.

although the set could also work well with a .060 D string.

overall a stiffer feel than GHS supersteels, stiffer than 40-100 fatbeams.

mids are softer and less growly than fatbeams, but they are there!

fundamentals/deep bass is nice, not too much not too little.

i am planning to create a custom set from single strings:

0.028-0.042-0.060-0.080-0.100-0.135

that would have bendable high strings, and a thunderous low b.

[greenboy]

Hey snowdan,

Among low B my two faves for roundwounds are probably tapercore Labellas and tapercore D'Addarios. So many others seem murky or "unsnappy" or lacking in midrange or something.

Anyway, I've been putting together "balanced tension" sets from separates for a couple years now based on figures from D'Addario (seems to work with any strings of like construction) and went from heavy to way way light over time to feel and hear what the differences were. Here's where I'm currently at on my Six:

gauge  |  tension in pounds
===========================
  .028            30.0
  .040            33.7
  .055            35.3
  .070            33.7
  .095            34.4
  .130 tapered    34.5

Here's a balanced tension nickel set in .045:

gauge  |  tension in pounds
===========================
  .032            38.9
  .045            42.8
  .060            42.9
  .080            42.0
  .105            40.3
  .145 tapered    41.5

Balancing the tension seems to help necks and I love having a more consistent feel from string to string and not always getting the impression that the low E and B and the G don't match the A and D in most sets in terms of dynamics/punch. Standard sets often vary 10 or 12 pounds, these only a few.

[snowdan]

that sound sensivble and is about what i am planning.

well, right now i am struggeling with the tension of my d'addario set...

D G C are def. too high tension. i seem to like low tension G, because i bend alot when soloing.

i wonder whether i could go as light as a .095 E ? or is that already flabby?

[greenboy]

Well, I've gone a lot lower than that .040 set I posted above. And I acclimated fairly quickly. After experimenting so much the conclusion I reached was that if all the strings feel about the same one's technique will not have a hard time adjusting to playing a gauge that in an ordinary set seems too damn light.

After awhile it feels so natural, really.

The other route a lot of ERBers are taking (I include myself) is to graduate the sets as smoothly as possible so that as you go up in pitch the tension goes down, so that you can do what you are talking about with G, C, F, etc. Actually you can go only so light on the low pitches, but here's a set that is pretty great for touch style playing - tapping - as well as string bending:

gauge  |  tension in pounds
===========================
  .024 *          20.4
  .034 *          22.9
  .045            24.0
  .065            28.8
  .090            30.5
  .125 tapered    31.4

        * from D'Addario Fender VI set

[snowdan]

i just removed the EXL170 set from my bass. too much tension, it really affected my playing, and started to hurt. i have developed quite a light plucking style.

now i can either create a custom set from XL's or from pyramid ss strings.

or try a fatbeam or hibeam set in the ordinary 30-130 gauge.

or get GHS supersteels again. and add soem B.

damn...

[snowdan]

for the record: i stickes with the XL's, but changed A-C.

so now i play:

28-40-55-75-100-130. that feels very balanced to me and sounds fine. next time will include a 135 b though.