A string set designed specifically for Strat lovers by Carl Verheyen.
Dean Markley and Jeff Landtroop of Dean Markley Strings got together with Carl Verheyen to develop the Carl Verheyen Balanced Bridge Helix HD™ Electric set of strings. It is the perfect set to to balance the 6 screw or 2 screw bridge of the Fender Stratocaster: .009 .012 .016 .026 .037 .046 .
They started with the Helix nickel-plated steel bass strings. Well, here… Let Carl tell you in his own words.
"My goal was a strong, solid bottom end that would also react to the back pickup and become twangy when needed. The integrity of a .037 A string seemed to beef up the bottom, and the smoother finish of the Helix winding assured a fast playing surface.
"Next I concentrated on the top three strings. I do a lot of 1st finger bends on the high E string, so to insure there was still flesh on that fingertip at the end of a gig, I went with a .009 for the high E. The B string is where I experimented the most, because my ultimate goal is a balanced bridge, where string tension on the top equals spring tension on the underside of the guitar. In the end, I found that by utilizing Dean’s special Gold Series™ treble strings, the tension was a bit lighter than the same gauge in the usual tinned, plain strings—subtle, but just what was needed for perfect balance and feel. When the gauges are right the bridge is balanced, which guarantees tuning stability. And with the springs adjusted correctly I get a return to perfect pitch for each string.
"Leo Fender’s original patent diagram shows the Stratocaster bridge floating, and he intended it to be played this way. Some of us more devoted Strat players have found a very musical end to this invention, by setting specific intervals for each string and using the bar to achieve melodic lines with the confidence of both knowing those intervals and a guaranteed return to pitch. These strings make that goal possible."
