DR Handmades (low tension)

wrinkleygit · October 2016

hello, always used Newtone Heritage classic (12-51)strings on my acoustics for their lower tension, however I spotted that dr now produce dr sunbeams & dr rare acoustic strings in 12-54 gauge, the only fault with the newtones is they are a little light on the low end, anyone tried the dr's although I have had a bit of a search I can't find the actual tension in kg or lbs that they tune to concert pitch, from memory the newtons average out at about 19 lbs per string, mike

AliGorie · October 2016

Newt’s has option on their site for NC’s u could just email them and ask for a ‘custom’ set of Heritage - never know.
BTW Newt’s site is at present being updated - expect glitches
another option is Eagle Music which sells Newtone PB strings in various gauges and even a ‘pick u’r own gauge.

DR Rares’ are ‘low tension’ - they play with the gauge of the core wire to achieve this - again just email them and ask bout lb’s tension.
Pay attention to key words like ’Normal’ / ‘Low’ / ‘Flexible’ on the string sites.
note their Sunbeams are normal tension but on a round core - making them (as they say on the site) ‘slightly’ more flexible, folk’s ( in the stats) get confused with flexibility / lower tension - they also call ‘alternative (tuning from standard) ‘alternate tuning’ and cant distinguish between an ‘Authentic’ guitar and a reproduction (read copy) when it means -
genuine, original, real, actual, pukka, bona fide, true.

Then theres string life - longevity - they think the strings ‘kill’ themselves - nothing to do with the players skin excretion’s - sweat / oil..

Lewy · October 2016

Newtone will indeed make you a custom set for about the same price as a set of DR's and there's no minimum order. They're making me some light bottom, medium top sets at the moment (replicating the Elixir HD Light gauges).

I've emailed DR in the past looking for tension info and never got a response - let us know if you try and hear back!

ICBM · October 2016

The core-to-wrap can make a big difference to the tension - don't assume it's all down to the outer gauge. The core supplies the tension, the wrap just adds mass.

To take an extreme example you could have a 40-gauge wound string with a 10-gauge core and a 15-gauge wrap, or another 40-gauge string with a 20-gauge core and a 10-gauge wrap. The second one will have four times the tension of the first because the tension is related to the square of the core diameter. OK that's unrealistically extreme, and in practice there are reasonably standard ratios, but you can see that even changing the core diameter by a couple of thou and the wrap to compensate could make a substantial difference to the tension.

wrinkleygit · October 2016

thanks for replies, think I will stick with what I know works, which are the newtones heritage classics, although I might move up to a 13 gauge set, what I like is they string up with an even "poundage" across all 6 strings, mike b.

Lewy · October 2016

What's the impact of tension on volume? Would a low tension .056 for example, automatically be quieter than a normal tension string of the same gauge? I ask because one of the things DR say about Rares is that they are loud, which doesn't seem to make sense to me....

ICBM · October 2016

Lewy said:

What's the impact of tension on volume? Would a low tension .056 for example, automatically be quieter than a normal tension string of the same gauge? I ask because one of the things DR say about Rares is that they are loud, which doesn't seem to make sense to me....

I haven't done any proper comparisons, but I think that volume is dependent on the resonating mass driving the top, not the tension. Obviously, normally a heavier-gauge string has more mass so it will be louder.

But with some guitars very heavy strings can actually reduce volume because the extra tension stiffens the top too much and stops it vibrating as freely. So a string of the same gauge (ie mass) but lower tension because it has a thinner core and thicker wrap should give more volume than one with a thicker core and higher tension, because the top can move more. At least in theory! Although that fits with what DR are saying.

AliGorie · October 2016

Lewy, I’ve used DR since the later ’80’s(?) or early ’90’s when they advertised “thinner core softer feel, thicker wrap - more tone” now whither the “more tone” equates to more volume I couldn’t say but they do sound ‘full’ toned particularly when compared to the ‘big brands’ PB & 80/20 offerings.
Thing about strings is a lot depends on the actual guitars ‘voice’ combined with the strings ‘tone’ - what u hear is the sum of both, then theres u’r ear / brain and what u think is a good sound.
I’ve written bout this before - somewhere, the string is somewhat like the stylus assembly on a vinyl playing Hi Fi system - so ya have - e.g. cartridge / tonearm / deck / pre amp / power amp / speakers oh and don’t forget cabling.
some ’systems’ - be they Hi Fi or acoustic guitars you won’t notice much, if any difference in the qualities of the ‘input’ device through to systems that are extremely transparent and revealing where u can actually hear the coatings effect on tone or the different ‘alloys’ used for ‘winding’ material.
All of this can be fun to investigate and relatively cheap compared to hi fi cartridges.
Whither u can actually notice the difference of the equivalent drop in gauge between a norm set to a ‘Lower Tension’ set will depend on U’r guitar and u’r ears, u MAY notice a difference in amplitude - who knows.
When alls said ’n done - in the real world we don’t play guitars in laboratory conditions and far less when ‘performing’ - the ambient noise, PA systems and distractions don’t allow for that level of analysis.
I use DR’s & NT MC’s in a variety of tunings - so the whole ’tension’ thing is further confused - I just don’t notice that aspect of my sound - whilst saying that I may be unconsciously compromising for amplitude variances with my picking strength, no ones ever said ‘Oi I couldn’t hear u’r notes from u’r ‘D’ string (because it was tuned to ‘C’).

Lewy · October 2016

Thanks @ICBM and @AliGorie ;

I put some bog standard mediums on my Collings OM and loved the feel and projection but did feel that the guitar became a little less lively as a result so I wondered whether maybe the additional tension was having a detrimental effect in some way.

Got some Rares on order. Will see how they sound on the OM. I tried them on my Dread a long time ago. Can't remember why I didn't stick with them. Probably got my head turned by something else. As you say, it's fun and relatively cheap to play around with this stuff.

ICBM · October 2016

I've had a couple of duff strings from DR, and it did put me off them - they're expensive, and it's not as easy to just grab another pack as it is with say D'Adds… and you have to use another DR or the difference is very noticeable, whereas with other brands it isn't so much.

I should give them another go really.

AliGorie · October 2016

I recall there was an issue with (unsealed) packaging a while back which DR rectified and then on a big US forum there was a period when whole sets were showing signs of degrading - that one turned out to have been old stock stored in a ‘damp’ warehouse.
I tend to buy from high turnover retailers and have never had any issues.

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DR Handmades (low tension)

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