Ernie Ball Hybrid - question about balance in tension

Pier_

Pier_

Dec 22, 2013
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Roma, Italia
#1
hi there! here's the point of this topic:

on one of my basses I'm back to nickel plated strings in 45-105 gauge, due to the fact that this is my favourite gauge for slap, and on this particular bass I prefer nickel over steel, because it's pretty bright on it's own.

right now it's strung with an old-but-still-working set of Elixir Nanoweb 45-105, but I find them unbalanced in tension, with a tighter A string, and the E string is a bit loose.
the tension chart on their site says it: G 41lbs, D 46, A 48, E 40

I like the smooth feeling, but I'm not in touch with the sound, it's a strange "bright but muffled" sound...

years ago I was a D'Addario user, but stopped using them because the D was too tight and the E too loose. same story, tension chart: 42, 48, 45, 38...
I was thinking of buying them because Amazon sells them for 17,90 euros, and maybe I'll try the 170BT set (45-107) at 19,90 euros.

GHS is one of my favourite, 45-105 set, but still there's a tighter G with a loose E.

I've tried Dunlop Super Bright months ago, but I didn't liked them in any way, and I don't want to spend on expensive strings.

another choice could be the Ernie Ball Hybrid set (22 euros), but I can't remember how the tension was! I've used EB Slinky many times, I know their sound, but the last time I've used the 45-105 set was in 2010...
in the last years I've used the 40-95 set a couple of times, but it's the least balanced set on Earth... 40-60-70-95... the A string extremely loose, and the D is too tight for the entire set.
one time I've used the 45-100 set, but the A and E were too light for my taste. I've never been a fan of the 40-95/45-100 sets.

I can't recall if the 45-105 set was balanced or not, so I'm here asking :D

sorry for the long post, but I don't want to blind-try strings right now, and if I can't decide, probably I'll put the Thomastik JR344 set back on, and leave the slapping behind... (I can't slap light strings... I've tried, but nothing... the "slap" is too thin, and the strings are too loose in the "popping" movement...)
 
#3
I'd do it if I lived in the USA. Shipping times are long, and in Italy we add 26% of taxes for shipments from foreign countries (added to the entire price, with shipping cost)... I can't spend a lot, and I'd like to use them soon (buying from Amazon, I'll recieve them the day after the order)

I need to know if I should or not try the Hybrid :D
 
#4
come on :D anybody?

I just need to know if the D or the A are too tight compared to the other strings in the 45-65-85-105 set :p I can find this kind of information about virtually every string in this forum, except Ernie Ball!?
 
#7
If the Ernie Ball Hybrid set is 105 85 65 45 it will have unequal tensions and be middle-strings-heavy, because it's a traditional-tensions set made to be middle/top heavy.
For more equal tensions you will have to buy singles 105 80 60 45, there are places in Europe you can buy a large range of singles by mail order. Amazon will only stock popular sets so the D'Addario 170BT is the only tension-balanced option, better to shop elsewhere where you can buy singles.
 
#8
For sure, but as stated in my first post, there are differences between brands.

D'addario has a tighter D, Elixir a tighter A, and the difference is clear under the fingers. The A on the Elixir set I have right now is pretty rigid, with a loose D.
When I used d'addario, I hated the tighter D, that made the set feel unbalanced.

GHS also have different tension and balanceing (IMHO the most balanced of these standard sets, even if not perfectly balanced), and I was wondering how was the ACTUAL tension and balance on Ernie Ball sets.
 
#9
Pier_ said:
that's what I said in the first post :D however, it would be my last choice, because D'Addario EXL are almost my least favourite strings...
Click to expand...
Then I'm not sure what you want...to answer your question again, yes, the EB Hybrids are unbalanced. The only way to get them that way is custom-order. If you don't like the D'Addarios (I don't either) then you are, as we say in Oklahoma, "up a crick!"
 
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