My new theory on tension 'secrecy'

[iiipopes]

Balanced sets have been around for a while. It is hard enough getting stores to stock short scale sets let alone something other than 45-100 D'ADDARIO (the highest selling set)

Kind of like Italian harpsichord strings from all those centuries ago where the bass notes were foreshortened: you would think they would increase the diameter to get more even tension. Nope! They went the other way, thinner strings, to retain flexibility and therefore match overtones to the shorter strings, going for overall consistent tone instead. That's the big deal behind the "traditional," like, 50-100 sets.