Why don't more manunfacturers make balanced tension string sets?

[SunByrne]

honestly i think it's as simple as people like numbers that end in 0 or 5. 40 60 80 100 is easer to say, to see, to remember, and to hear, than 43 56 72 101. Also when sending specs to manufacturers making them it's easier for them to decipher. SO EASE OF USE

45-60-80-105 is all 0s and 5s and for most constructions, that'll be pretty close to balanced tension. (Some might need 45-60-80-110 to be more on target but I digress.) Yet pretty much nobody makes this as a standard set. And while sure, there are sets where all of them are +20 relative to each other like in your example, there are lots of sets that aren't. Regular Slinkys are 50-70-85-105; Super Slinkys are 45-65-80-100; most other sets are similarly not the same from string to string. Those aren't any easier to remember than 45-60-80-105.

 

[Ritter667]

45-60-80-105 is all 0s and 5s and for most constructions, that'll be pretty close to balanced tension. (Some might need 45-60-80-110 to be more on target but I digress.) Yet pretty much nobody makes this as a standard set. And while sure, there are sets where all of them are +20 relative to each other like in your example, there are lots of sets that aren't. Regular Slinkys are 50-70-85-105; Super Slinkys are 45-65-80-100; most other sets are similarly not the same from string to string. Those aren't any easier to remember than 45-60-80-105.

D'Addario makes a .107 - .080 - .060 - .045 set.

As about as close to balanced tension as you can get.

 

[SunByrne]

D'Addario makes a .107 - .080 - .060 - .045 set.

Yes. Several of my basses routinely wear these, but that’s not my point. My point is that having sets that gauge ends in 5 or 0 is not the reason for lack of balanced sets.

As about as close to balanced tension as you can get.

They’re good—but less good since D’Addario changed their process recently which changed their unit weights—but it’s possible to do even better. If you get a Curt Mangan custom set of 45-60-80-110 it’s even better balanced. But doesn’t cost the same, of course.

 

[Vinny_G]

Also, a string set doesn't necessarily need to be balanced in tension (as in pulling weight) to FEEL balanced (as in stiffness/flexibility).

Sometimes they are both.

 

[Gopherbassist]

The difference in perceived string tension is negligible to me. Is it there? Yes. Does it effect anything? No.

So why don't more manufacturers address it? The juice isn't worth the squeeze. Most players don't care. Not caring, they're not willing to pay the inevitable price premium. Not being able to extract said price premium, retailers and manufacturers have little to no incentive to order or make such strings.