Zachery strings -- Any opions?

[fearceol]

I read about these strings on their web site. They claim that all other brand's tension is wrong because it is not the same on all strings. Has anyone used these strings?

[tplyons]

The guy's up there with Ed Roman as far as insanity goes.

I'm all about trying new things, but to go as far as saying everything else is wrong, and anyone who uses what's conventional is a moron won't be getting my business.

In theory it sounds fairly decent, however, waht about the people who are used to, and happy with our current sounds? According to Zachary, we're still idiots.

[fearceol]

Yes, he does seem to have an attitude problem. Though the idea of evenly tensioned strings seems logical when you think about it. There must be a valid reason why the various string manufacturers have not produced one.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by fearceol

Yes, he does seem to have an attitude problem. Though the idea of evenly tensioned strings seems logical when you think about it. There must be a valid reason why the various string manufacturers have not produced one.

Ask yourself: how well would it sell?

It goes against the norm. Nuts are made for 45-100 or 45-105. You go to the store and ask for your gauge strings.

And basically, unless this idea comes out of a big, reputable manufacturer, or gets one BIG endorsing artist, I don't anticipate it ever succeeding.

[fearceol]

Is there a difference between tension and gauge? I'm a little suspicious when there are no gauges shown for these strings.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by fearceol

Is there a difference between tension and gauge? I'm a little suspicious when there are no gauges shown for these strings.

Yes and no. Depending on core, they can change the tension. However, the reason they don't show the gauges, IMO, is probably to keep people from buying singles in their favorite brands to create a set of similar tensions. Even though, it can be done.

[tplyons]

BTW, from D'Addario XL's, a .045/.060/.080/.105 would be along the same lines.

[The Craw]

Stringmaking as a craft has been around since the early 1400s. For nearly 600 years, successful stringmakers have been making string sets that are balanced for tone and gain. Musicians buy them because the tone and balance please them.

Now some pencil necked geek with a calculator comes along and "proves" them wrong. Yeah, right. Whoever said that equal pounds of tension on each string is the way it ought to be? Nobody with good ears, that's for sure.

So ask yourself: do you want to buy a string set because it sounds good, or because some mook with a tin ear and a calculator makes absurd claims about what's logical?

[neptoon]

if he's anything like ed roman, the gods help him...even tension sounds pretty cool, and some manufacturers post their tensions, and you can go to juststrings.com and get most singles to suit your needs...i just get whatever i'm familiar with

[Keith Guitars]

Originally Posted by The Craw

Stringmaking as a craft has been around since the early 1400s. For nearly 600 years, successful stringmakers have been making string sets that are balanced for tone and gain. Musicians buy them because the tone and balance please them.

Now some pencil necked geek with a calculator comes along and "proves" them wrong. Yeah, right. Whoever said that equal pounds of tension on each string is the way it ought to be? Nobody with good ears, that's for sure.

So ask yourself: do you want to buy a string set because it sounds good, or because some mook with a tin ear and a calculator makes absurd claims about what's logical?

This is precisely my opinion as well...

This is a good example of one-dimensional "engineering"
being applied to a very subjective arena - equal lbs. of tension
from string to string may well (read: probably will) equate
to a set that is not ideal, sonically or otherwise.

Take an example as follows:

The windings of a string do not support weight.
They only add mass, and by doing so, control the pitch
at a given tension.

You could stretch 4 equal-diameter core wires all at
the same tension, and then wrap each one with winding
until you got an EADG set. Would this then be the
'perfect' set of strings? Probably not.

Here's why - the 'feel' of strings is governed by many
factors - IMO, the flexibility of the string is equally as
important as the tension, since they both contribute
to the 'bendability' of the string, as well as how well
it performs musically - a string that is too rigid will
not intonate properly.

By applying different amounts/gauges/# of layers
of winding to make your 'perfect' set, you are changing
the flexibility - therefore, though it may be totally
equal tension, the strings will not 'feel' the same...they
probably won't even 'feel' equal in tension, since one
will necessarily be more flexible than another. It's physics.

Furthermore - and this is really the point - many, many, many
people have spent a lot of time, energy, and money
developing string sets that will sound uniform, last a long time,
feel good to the player, and not torque a neck unnecessarily.

These people have gravitated to a fairly common set of
gauges, which (with minor variations) seem to be doing
all of the above for most players out there.
D tends to be the highest tension string, then G,
then A, then E. For the most part, this is the case for
most people.

I've seen the Zachary guitars site a few times over the years,
and I would suggest that anyone considering his strings
first get a general feel for this guys approach, attitude,
and...general level of "self-confidence" before giving
his information too much weight.

One of the classic definitions of a crazy person is the guy
who can explain in great detail why he's right and everybody
else in the history of his field is wrong. One out of a million
times, that guy is a genius. The other 999,999 times....

Cheers,
Martin

[Stuggi]

This is a quote from his website:
"I need to know more about YOU and what kind of person and player you are.

Remember one thing; I do not make custom guitars.

I make guitars as I chose and what I like. Whatever interests me at any particular time.

If you like what I made, then I may sell it to you, if I feel that it suits you and you will be able to appreciate it.
Regardless of how much money you have, I will not sell you any guitar if I feel its not right for you or that you don't deserve to own it.
If its not right for you then you will not appreciate it. This is of no advantage to either one of us if my guitars are not what you need or deserve. "

I don't see the point in buying something I have to deserve. If I'm selling something, I take the money and shut my mouth. If I make something from someone CUSTOM, as this guy claims, I listen to what they want, not as this guy who just does what he wants. I wouldn't buy something from this guy nomatter the price. If for free, then offcource, but otherwise, no.

But I'm feeling kinda interested in checking them out, $ 15 ain't that much.

[vicenzajay]

Not wanting to start a shouting match, but I'm actually a fan of Alex and his products - including the strings.

If you go to the basses forum and search for "zachary", you'll find a long thread dealing with his web site and guitars. The bottom line is that Alex has a reason for making his site so controversial - whether you agree with his approach or not. It generates controversy, emotion, passion, and what-have-you. This reaction fuels his site, and thus it accomplishes the end for which Alex strives. For starters, he posts up anything that gets sent to him about his site or his guitars....especially the negative comments from his detractors. He gives his "opponents" equal time as well as uses his own rhetoric to present his side of the "story" in order to debunk them. As I mentioned in the other thread, I personally wish that everyone's grammar and spelling were better on the site - Alex's included. However, it's his site, and his approach works.

You simply can not argue with the results of his work. His guitars are sold immediately upon completion of each new instrument - 100% of them - the only ones that haven't sold are the ones Alex likes so much that he keeps. (I wish he would sell 231002 as that guitar just speaks to me on any number of levels, btw). And the fit/finish/materials are the best in the business. He posts full-detail picture of every guitar - close to 50 or so pictures of every angle and every detail. His work is flawless...as his commitment to making the ultimate "playing" machine. Whether or not you like his design or his approach...I challenge you - go look for a negative end-user review for a Zachary guitar or bass. On the contrary, every end-user becomes a complete convert to Zachary instruments. Here's another challenge - except for (I think) 5 instruments, none of the instruments he has sold has been offered up for resale. The 5 or so that did were instantly bought at the asking price. Those stats are amazing...and close or better than any "boutique" maker we celebrate here on TB or elsewhere.

The real challenge when looking at his site or following his instruments is to get beyond the hype and actually think about what he is doing when constructing instruments. Does his nut material work? You bet. Does his design integration between nut and tremolo kick the a$$ of every other system design out there - oh yeah...just try to divebomb the heck out of the trem like he and others do in numerous videos on his site and have your instrument remain perfectly in tune. Are his action/truss rod setups insanely low with incredibly straight necks. You bet...always. Better yet, how do his instruments sound and play? Go read the reviews...it's just remarkable what the players say. He is dedicated to handcraftsmanship and the ultimate instrument. That's something I can admire even if I personally wouldn't use the same amount of invective or "style" in my own personal demeanor. If you actually email him and talk to him, you'll find out he is a very reasonable, yet driven, artist who will answer your questions as thoroughly as he possibly can.

Concerning the strings - you really should try them. He makes them very inexpensive to try as well. I'm guessing that these are made by some special order/manufacture to Zachary's specs - it's the way most of his hardware and parts are made for his instruments (small batches/special orders to his specifications)..., and the even/graduated tension simply works. I use his strings both for bass and guitar...and I can tell you that the most visible, tactile, and tonal benefits were noticed on the bass. That makes sense given the relative tensions as contrasted between bass strings and guitar strings. The bottom line is that the instruments just play better...even tension across the neck is just good common sense, both for playability and finger touch as well as the fact that the necks and fingerboards of our instruments (usually) are made with a flexible substance (wood). Even/graduated tension is an idea against which there's really no case. It's actually rather sad watching people argue for the ridiculous tension "exchange" across the D string with respect to the A and the G - never mind the very out of balance (on the low side) low E. These strings are not (in response to earlier posts) "equal in tension"; they are progressive in tension. The interesting phenomena is that a mathematically equal tension set would NOT feel balanced. As the strings get lower in pitch the tension must increase for them to FEEL equal within the set. The idea was not just to come up with some engineering solution that mathematicaly "equaled out" the tension for a set of strings...these strings were made to also feel the most balanced to the player in terms of tension.

In any case, I'll quit typing....not trying to stir up a hornet's nest, but Alex is really nothing like Ed Roman...having met Ed and been in his store several times, I can say that. Alex doesn't bluster, he can back up what he says with his instruments.

Respectfully,
Jay