Ernie Ball Tim Henson Signature (.0095–.046): the Cobalt-plus-Paradigm set, decoded
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
Ernie Ball Tim Henson Signature is the Polyphia guitarist's set, gauge .0095 to .046. It is the first stock Slinky to pair a Cobalt wrap, which lifts output and harmonic clarity, with a Paradigm high-strength core built to resist breakage. The gauge is a hybrid: lighter plain strings than a Regular Slinky for fluid bends and tapping, over a full standard-gauge wound bottom. Voiced for E standard.
What this set is
The Ernie Ball Tim Henson Signature is Tim Henson's electric set, gauge .0095 to .046. Henson is the co-founding guitarist of Polyphia, and Ernie Ball built this set around the one thing his playing asks of a string: Cobalt output that stays articulate, on a core that survives the tapping and bending he never stops doing.
That is the headline. It is the first stock Slinky to combine two separate Ernie Ball technologies in one set. The Cobalt wrap, for output and harmonic clarity. The Paradigm high-strength core, for break resistance. Announced at NAMM 2025.
Tim Henson Signature (.0095–.046)
Anatomy
- Model
- Tim Henson Signature
- Signature artist
- Tim Henson (Polyphia)
- Gauge
- .0095 – .046
- Gauge set
- .0095, .012, .016 (plain), .026, .036, .046 (wound)
- String count
- 6 strings (3 plain, 3 wound)
- Wrap wire
- Cobalt-iron alloy (Cobalt)
- Core wire
- Paradigm ultra-high-strength steel hex
- Surface
- Uncoated wrap, no polymer film
- Intended tuning
- E standard (F standard on older Polyphia)
- Part number
- P03826 (single), P09635 (strings + accessories bundle)
- Price
- $14.99 (single set, MSRP)
- Made in
- United States (Ernie Ball, Coachella, CA)
The Cobalt-plus-Paradigm story
Ernie Ball has two flagship string technologies, and until this set they never lived in the same package.
Cobalt is an alloy story. The wrap wire is a cobalt-iron alloy with higher magnetic permeability than ordinary nickel-plated steel, so the pickup reads more of the string's movement. The result is more output and a stronger upper-mid presence. That is exactly the band Polyphia's dense arrangements need, where tapped harmonics and full chord voicings have to stay clear against programmed drums instead of smearing together. Henson has played Cobalt Slinky for years for this reason.
Paradigm is a durability story. The Paradigm line is Ernie Ball's most break-resistant set, built on an ultra-high-strength core wire engineered so the string survives abuse that would snap a standard core. The Henson set borrows that core and wraps it in Cobalt. You get the magnetic voicing of one line and the break resistance of the other in a single string. Per Ernie Ball this is the first stock set to do it.
The gauge story: a hybrid set
Look closely at the numbers and the set tells you how Henson plays.
The three plain strings, .0095, .012, and .016, sit a hair under a Regular Slinky's .010, .013, .017. Lighter plain strings bend with less effort and snap back faster, which suits a player living in legato runs, tapping, and vocal-style bends. The three wound strings, .026, .036, and .046, are identical to a standard .010 set's bottom end. Full gauge there keeps chords and palm-muted figures tight and defined.
So this is not a uniformly light set. It is a hybrid: a slightly lighter top for fluid lead work, married to a full-weight wound bottom for chord body. The .0095 high E is the tell. It is barely under a ten, just enough to take the fight out of the top string without going to a true nine.
Where it sits: Henson vs the parent lines
The Henson set is the meeting point of two existing Ernie Ball lines. Lining them up shows exactly what you are paying for.
| Tim Henson Signature | Regular Slinky Cobalt (.010) | Paradigm Slinky (.010) | Super Slinky Cobalt (.009) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge | .0095 – .046 | .010 – .046 | .010 – .046 | .009 – .042 |
| High E | .0095 | .010 | .010 | .009 |
| Wrap wire | Cobalt | Cobalt | Nickel-plated steel | Cobalt |
| Core wire | Paradigm high-strength | Standard tin-plated | Paradigm high-strength | Standard tin-plated |
| Break resistance | High (Paradigm core) | Standard | High (Paradigm core) | Standard |
| Signature | Tim Henson | None | None | None |
| Price tier | $$ | $$ | $$ | $$ |
If you want the Cobalt voice and never break strings, the plain Regular Slinky Cobalt gives you the same alloy for less. If you break strings constantly but do not care about the Cobalt output bump, the Paradigm Slinky gives you the tough core with a normal nickel wrap. The Henson set is for the player who wants both at once, in a gauge tuned for lead fluidity. If you want an even lighter Cobalt feel, the Super Slinky Cobalt drops to a true .009 set.
Best for
Modern technical and instrumental players in E standard who tap, bend, and run legato lines all night and want the top three strings to move easily. Cobalt loyalists who keep snapping plain strings and want a tougher core under the same alloy. Polyphia fans who want the exact production set Henson signed off on. Players on a 25.5-inch scale who like a lead-friendly top with a full wound bottom.
Worst for
Drop and down-tuned metal players who need a heavier low string than .046 holds below D. Budget players who never break strings, since a standard Cobalt Slinky delivers the same tone for less. Anyone who dislikes the Cobalt feel or its brighter, higher-output voice and prefers a warmer nickel string. Players who want a true .009 top, the gauge here is .0095, not a full super-light set.
Verdict
The Henson signature set is a real engineering combination, not a celebrity relabel. Cobalt wrap for output and clarity, Paradigm core for break resistance, in one set for the first time. The hybrid gauge, lighter plain strings over a full wound bottom, is a smart match for a tapping and legato style, and the tougher core genuinely helps players who snap thin strings. The catch is the usual signature-set one: you pay a premium, and if you do not break strings, a standard Cobalt Slinky gets you the same tone for less. For technical and instrumental players in E standard who want Cobalt voicing that survives the abuse, it is an easy recommendation. For drop tuners and warm-nickel fans, look elsewhere.
Tim Henson Signature (.0095–.046)
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