Senility and string tension

[whvick]

So today I am sorting through my guitar stuff and find these
Photo on Dec 15, 2019 at 9_53_31 PM.jpg
Santa Cruz low tension strings in their shopping package. Sadly, I do not remember ordering them, but am confident that I must have done so, as I have been worrying over the strings for my very old Harmony Broadway. Yes, senility hits hard. I fear that I may have asked about this in a post about the time I must have ordered these.
The question is how do I compare these parabolic low tension strings to regular strings and their tension? Are they comparable to a set of light, custom light, or extra light strings?
Thanks for you patience with Grandpa. 🧔🏼
Whvick.

[Spyvito]

Santa Cruz Strings

Low tension:

.012, .016, .023, .032, .044, .056

GAUGE - TENSION in pounds

.012 - 20

.016 - 22.5

.023- 27.9

.032 – 30.5

.044—28

.056 – 27

Total tension – 156 lbs



Mid tension:

.013, .0165, .024, .033, .045, .056

GAUGE - TENSION in pounds

.013 - 22.5

.0165 - 24

.024 - 28.5

.033 - 28.5

.045 - 32.5

.056 – 27

163 – mid tension

[guitararmy]

I have a set on one of my guitars, and they feel slightly tighter than a regular set of 12-56 strings.

Those aren't cheap, and I think they sound nice!

[Silly Moustache]

Mm, I am closer to 72 than 71. I use medium gauge strings on my dreads, Jumbo (RS) National, and archtops.

I NEED tension in order to play properly.

I use light gauge on my 000 and smaller guitars, but find I cannot perform so well with them as I tend to over play them, but fine in a small group, or at home.

I don't really understand this thing about low tension. Why?

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Mm, I am closer to 72 than 71. I use medium gauge strings on my dreads, Jumbo (RS) National, and archtops.

I NEED tension in order to play properly.

I use light gauge on my 000 and smaller guitars, but find I cannot perform so well with them as I tend to over play them, but fine in a small group, or at home.

I don't really understand this thing about low tension. Why?

Me too Andy, with you on every point (except I’m closer to 73 than 72!).

A properly set-up guitar with mediums should present no more difficulty to play than one with lights. My Dreads have mediums, my Lowden and Brook have lights, they all feel very similar in play.

Like you, I have a tendency to ‘over-play’ the guitars with lights, because lights are easier to cause to buzz, so I play those mostly at home, and use the Dreads with mediums when I play out.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[Rosewood99]

This isn't scientific but for me they were somewhere in between light and extra light.

[whvick]

Thanks guys. This is helpful.
The reason I am going low tension is that the old Harmony is not an adjustable rod, and although it is pretty beat up, I do not want to have the neck bow so it is unplayable.
I just did a neck reset on a D-15 and I have a light hand and mostly play and sing in my bedroom. I don’t need medium to drive the sound as you guys who play in public do.
My 20 year old Taylor 414 has done well with light gage. I know the Martin dread would probably sound better with mediums, but the reset has me a little paranoid.
The post that I should assume somewhere between light and extra light sounds like what I was asking.
Thanks
whvick

[Spyvito]

Just go by the overall tension number. If you look on something like dadaddario.com (sp) they give the string tension of their sets. Martin does too, I think.

In terms of feel, they seem like a light + to me and don’t have any wispiness in the unwrapped strings.

You have them, mount them and see.

[colins]

If you like the low tension strings you might consider Newtone Heritage - https://newtonestrings.com/shop/heri...stic-6-string/

Similar tension to the Santa Cruz, very nice sound (IMHO) and a much lower price. And they are easy to order direct from the maker.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by whvick

Thanks guys. This is helpful.
The reason I am going low tension is that the old Harmony is not an adjustable rod, and although it is pretty beat up, I do not want to have the neck bow so it is unplayable.
I just did a neck reset on a D-15 and I have a light hand and mostly play and sing in my bedroom. I don’t need medium to drive the sound as you guys who play in public do.
My 20 year old Taylor 414 has done well with light gage. I know the Martin dread would probably sound better with mediums, but the reset has me a little paranoid.
The post that I should assume somewhere between light and extra light sounds like what I was asking.
Thanks
whvick

In a nutshell: All plain steel strings of the same gauge will be the same tension. There is no getting around that unless the string is made of a different metal.

As far as the wound strings go: The core & the winding can be varied so as to reach a particular 'gauge/diameter/tension', and that's what Santa Cruz is setting the hook with. How they came up with the term 'Parabolic' as it relates to their string winding formula I haven't a clue, but I know what a parabola is.

As mentioned you should look at the tension gauge on the D'Addario web site. All their strings list their gauge and tension. THAT is what you were asking for as it relates to comparing Santa Cruz strings with other strings.

Of course you may not find a given individual string on the D'Addario site that matches the parameters of a particular individual SC Parabolic string.

The best way for you to figure out what the difference is would be by using a machinist's caliper/micrometer and measuring the core wire and the diameter of the wrap wire when it's stretched straight.

Of course they need to both be made from the same materials, namely stainless steel and phosphor bronze for a fair comparison.

The differences in the core & wrap diameters will 'tell the tale'.

After that it's marketing, pure & simple. One man's light is another man's medium.

Howard Emerson

[Strings By Mail]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Mm, I am closer to 72 than 71. I use medium gauge strings on my dreads, Jumbo (RS) National, and archtops.

I NEED tension in order to play properly.

I use light gauge on my 000 and smaller guitars, but find I cannot perform so well with them as I tend to over play them, but fine in a small group, or at home.

I don't really understand this thing about low tension. Why?

Here's a little interview at NAMM 2018 that explains what they are going for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaICdO8RQZY



Here's a longer podcast with Richard Hoover and Rick Barto of Santa Cruz about the strings:

https://soundcloud.com/rnewman-1/lun...ith-rick-barto

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I don't really understand this thing about low tension. Why?

Playing style for one reason. Flat pickers like tension for picking speed as they often slide over a string while picking. They need that immediate response. Others pluck differently and grab a little more string and don't need that immediate response. As other's mention the guitar may dictate how much tension it can handle. Then there are others that hold large chords and let the guitar sustain when playing. Not to mention those that don't have large or strong hands or long fingers. Or even physical problems with their hands.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

…A properly set-up guitar with mediums should present no more difficulty to play than one with lights.

Hi JB1
As a former teacher (for 39 years locally) there are many players who need a reduction of the weight of strings to extend the playability for enjoyment as they pass age 60. If you don't be thankful, and enjoy the extended ability to not have to adapt your playing as you age.

Whether age, injury, disease, or deterioration hands, wrists, elbows, backs, knees and shoulders and their health affect which changes people need to make when playing guitars.

Also, not all guitars need mediums to produce good tone (which is why one of my guitars wears X-light .011 strings and the other two light gauge .012). I'm an all flesh fingerstyle player (with a hint of nail for emphasis now and then). This affects the tone of strings by thickening the sound. I never use flat picks. My main guitar actually gets muddy sounding in the low end with mediums or medium heavy strings.

I cannot accomplish full step bends (two frets worth) with mediums, nor even ½ step bends below the 5th fret. I never could so it's not a matter of reduced strength.

So I'm an advocate of lightening strings when the guitar or physical needs call for it.

[whvick]

Originally Posted by Spyvito

Just go by the overall tension number. If you look on something like dadaddario.com (sp) they give the string tension of their sets. Martin does too, I think.

In terms of feel, they seem like a light + to me and don’t have any wispiness in the unwrapped strings.

You have them, mount them and see.

So 5 months ago Spyvito said mount them and see. A month ago I did finally put them on my Taylor 414, and it really does sound good. I had a very old set of either Elixir nano light or D’addario EXP light on the Taylor and it was not sounding too good. I even posted that I was liking my Indonesian Orpheum OM-26 better than the Taylor. ( But these new parabolic strings have really brought it back to life. )
I really hate changing strings so I will have to see how long these last. And I am a cheap-skate, so they will have to last a while to justify the price over the the D’Addario coated strings, and/or the longevity of the Elixir.
So thumbs up for the Santa Cruz Parabolics.

[Doug MacPherson]

I know this is illegal but I am using 12's on my hog gs mini due to arthritis. Ej11's 80/20's/ On bad days I tune them down to 432. You do'es whats you gots to do.