D'addario EXL140-8 Nickel Wound Strings

[matisq]

Hey,

Seems that D'addario decide to put some 8-string set on the market

[WarriorOfMetal]

With, of course, useless gauges.

[DavidLopezJr]

The gagues for anyone who doesn't know are:

.010/.013/.017/.030/.042/.​054/.064/.074

[celticelk]

Originally Posted by DavidLopezJr

The gagues for anyone who doesn't know are:

.010/.013/.017/.030/.042/.​054/.064/.074

IIRC, those are the same gauges that came with my Schecter Omen-8, and I'm satisfied with that tension in F# standard. I like D'Addarios (I generally play XL115s on my 6-stringers), so I'll probably make this my regular set.

[shitsøn]

Originally Posted by DavidLopezJr

The gagues for anyone who doesn't know are:

.010/.013/.017/.030/.042/.​054/.064/.074

thank you for posting.

that doesn't work for me. a .064 is just too thick for a B or A# on a 27" neck. not to mention .054 for E or D#. a tension calculator would have helped to put something together, that is at least more balanced than this.

[MaxOfMetal]

That set looks like it would work pretty good for my 25" - 27" fanned 8. I dig D'Addarios so I'll definietly give these a try.

[Dvaienat]

It is good that string makers are branching out into areas like this, however, they could at least put a little thought into how the sets balance out in terms of tension.

An 8 string set of 10 gauge strings should be 10/13/17/24/34/46/62/84 not 10/13/17/30/42/54/64/74.

[Guitarholic]

Just put a set of these on my Mayones Regius 8 (27" scale). Works just fine. The guitar is tuned to F, Bb, F, Bb, Eb, F, Bb, Eb. I will have to switch the ​054 (E-string) though, that is the one string that's too thick.

[Cheesebuiscut]

Originally Posted by DavidLopezJr

The gagues for anyone who doesn't know are:

.010/.013/.017/.030/.042/.​054/.064/.074

Thats so worthless I can't even stand it! I seriously want to know what the logic was behind this!??!!?

[urklvt]

Originally Posted by DavidLopezJr

The gagues for anyone who doesn't know are:

.010/.013/.017/.030/.042/.​054/.064/.074

God, that's dumb.
I use a 7 string 9-54 set with a 74, or a 10-58 and an 80.
The jump from 0.017 to 0.030 makes absolutely no sense.
The set from LaBella/Rondo makes a lot more sense than the ones from D'Addario or Ernie Ball.

[Cheesebuiscut]

Probably because labella (mtech) took the time to ask extended ranged players what they want out of their sets before making them.

Who would think asking the consumers what they want out of a product before making it could yield good results!?!?!??!

[rekab]

Those gauges feel and play great for me. Same as the schecter/Ernie ball sets. I don't see why the don't make sense. Just because the tension isn't completely balanced and the strings aren't the exact ones you would want doesn't mean they are stupid or that the companies didn't take time to figure these out.

[urklvt]

Originally Posted by rekab

the tension isn't completely balanced

Nuff said.

[Lothar]

Originally Posted by rekab

the tension isn't completely balanced

Exactly. That's the reason.

[LOLAND]

Guess I'll still be getting grab-bags from juststrings.com.

[WarriorOfMetal]

Originally Posted by NatG

It is good that string makers are branching out into areas like this, however, they could at least put a little thought into how the sets balance out in terms of tension.

An 8 string set of 10 gauge strings should be 10/13/17/24/34/46/62/84 not 10/13/17/30/42/54/64/74.

Almost. Tension-wise, what's closest, from D'Addario, at least, to a normal "10" set would be:

10 13 17 26 36 46 62 80

If you want to even out the tension a little bit, make it:

10 13.5 17 26 34 46 62 80

[rekab]

Originally Posted by urklvt

Nuff said.

Originally Posted by Lothar

Exactly. That's the reason.

So you're playing improves noticeably on perfectly balanced strings? Or you can't intonate unbalanced sets? Or what?
This whole idea that the strings should be perfectly balanced is pretty ludicrous considering most strings on the market aren't and great music can be made either way.
If they feel good, play them. If they don't, try something else. Internet rockstars all up in here acting like an unbalanced set is the end of the world.

[WarriorOfMetal]

Having the strings as unbalanced as the apparently-now-standard 8-string gauges will also make tonal differences between adjacent strings, so it doesn't sound uniform across the instrument.

[Krucifixtion]

I use a D'addario 10-46 set and then a 64 and 80. I generally tune F, but use a 64, because I also use tunings where I drop the Bb down to Ab/G# and the 80 for tuning F, E, or Eb/D#.

52 is quite larger for that E string. It if were me the set I would have come up with would be like 9-42, 56, and 70 for a lighter set and then 10-46, 60, and 74 for a slightly heavier set.

[TheBloodstained]

any idea when this set will be on the market?

[in-pursuit]

this is misha from djonk djonk for d'addario

also rekab, can you do me a favour and go take a walk. in a pair of shoes whose soles are of different heights. and tell me how comfy it is. thanks.

[rekab]

Originally Posted by in-pursuit

also rekab, can you do me a favour and go take a walk. in a pair of shoes whose soles are of different heights. and tell me how comfy it is. thanks.

The reason Im in this thread is because I use these and like them. The only change I would make is the 74 could be a 76/78 and they would be perfect for me. That's why this arguement of balanced strings is ridiculous; it's all just preference. The tonal differences are insignificant and the feel of them is subjective to each player. There is no proven fact that having a perfectly balanced set would significantly increase any aspect of the guitar(yes I know balanced sets feel great and seemingly play better to some people, but that's subjective, not fact). If there was, I'm sure the leading string manufacturers would take note. They don't purposely give people what they don't want. They put out a decent compromise of sizes that should work fine for most people and let the obsessive folks buy individual strings to satisfy their need for a set they feel is perfect.

[Greatoliver]

Originally Posted by rekab

They put out a decent compromise of sizes that should work fine for most people and let the obsessive folks buy individual strings to satisfy their need for a set they feel is perfect.

It's a compramise between what? People who like balanced sets and people who like a wide variety of string tensions on their guitars?

These are just a mishmash...

EDIT: I agree that it is subjective, but I am still confused as to why they chose the guages

[urklvt]

@rekab
I'm glad they work for you.
I've been playing the standard 9-42 or 10-46 sets since 1985. They work for me. I will not be buying this set or the one for Ernie Ball. They do not work for me.
Subjective enough?

[in-pursuit]

Originally Posted by rekab

The reason Im in this thread is because I use these and like them. The only change I would make is the 74 could be a 76/78 and they would be perfect for me. That's why this arguement of balanced strings is ridiculous; it's all just preference. The tonal differences are insignificant and the feel of them is subjective to each player. There is no proven fact that having a perfectly balanced set would significantly increase any aspect of the guitar(yes I know balanced sets feel great and seemingly play better to some people, but that's subjective, not fact). If there was, I'm sure the leading string manufacturers would take note. They don't purposely give people what they don't want. They put out a decent compromise of sizes that should work fine for most people and let the obsessive folks buy individual strings to satisfy their need for a set they feel is perfect.

You can't claim that there is no proven fact that perfectly balanced sets don't improve a guitar when the facts are there for all to see. With an evenly balanced set it IS more comfortable to play, and the tone IS more even. These are scientifically based TRUTHS. Whether or not you personally, or anyone else for that matter, can tell the difference is the only thing that's subjective about it. Nobody cares whether these strings happen to be your preference, if you like them and think they're great then use them and be happy that a company happens to make something perfectly suited to you. Just don't go prancing around the internet thinking that because this set is suited to you that anyone who doesn't like it is a nitpicking elitist douche.

The whole discussion about balanced string sets is completely valid for the GREAT MANY people who care about the comfort of their instrument. By claiming that it's not a valid discussion you are completely going against your previous argument of "it's all personal preference". Why shouldn't we have more balanced sets when there is clearly more than a handful of people who want it? Furthermore just because the majority of string sets sold by companies at the moment are completely unbalanced doesn't make it "the way it should be".

Going by your logic, multiscale instruments are actuallly not any easier to play or better sounding than single scale instruments. The differences in tension between the two scenarios are pretty similar I think, and yet there are production multiscale instruments available to all thanks to Agile listening to their customers. I'm not trying to be rude or anything, it just seems like you're trying to walk a mile in your own shoes really.