Tim Henson's guitar strings: the Polyphia rig, sourced
Polyphia · reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
Tim Henson uses Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky strings and has a 2025 signature set announced at NAMM that combines Cobalt wrap with Paradigm core-wire technology. Henson quote: he 'has been playing Ernie Ball strings since he was a teenager, specifically chose Cobalt strings because they were strong enough to handle aggressive playing.' His primary guitar is the Ibanez TOD signature, 25.5-inch scale, tuned to F standard on some Polyphia material and E standard on others.
What's on the guitar
Tim Henson's rig has been evolving through the Polyphia signature era:
- Guitars: Ibanez TOD10N (nylon-string signature), Ibanez THBB10 (signature electric). 25.5-inch scale on the electric.
- Strings: Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky (historical, multiple gauges). Signature Cobalt + Paradigm hybrid set (NAMM 2025 forward).
- Tunings: E standard on newer Polyphia material; F standard (whole step down) on earlier catalog.
- Pickups: Ibanez signature humbuckers voiced for his clean-into-lead dynamic range.
- Amps: Primarily in-the-box signal chains; Neural DSP Quad Cortex and custom profiles in live use.
Henson is one of the younger players on the defensible Cobalt user list, and his signature set is the first significant product-development collaboration Ernie Ball has done around the Cobalt line in a decade. That's a vote of confidence in his string engineering feedback.
Endorsed vs. verified use
Henson is a documented Ernie Ball endorser with a 2025 signature string set. His relationship is on the record in both Guitar World and Guitar.com coverage of the NAMM 2025 announcement. He has discussed his string choice in direct quotes tied to Ernie Ball marketing.
Why Cobalts for the Polyphia voicing
Polyphia's arrangements are dense. Henson's parts frequently layer harmonics, tapping, and full chord voicings within the same passage, the kind of playing where note clarity at speed matters more than raw aggression. The Cobalt output and upper-mid presence helps those passages read as articulate rather than smeared when mixed against programmed drums and heavy bass, which is Polyphia's signature production aesthetic.
The Paradigm core-wire addition in his 2025 signature set addresses a separate problem: Cobalt's longevity. Uncoated Cobalt sets die in 1–3 weeks like uncoated nickel sets. Paradigm's plasma-treated core extends that tone life to 6–10 weeks. The signature set gives him both magnetic voicing and durability.
Sources
- "Tim Henson on heavy Polyphia, solo album, and Ernie Ball signature strings." Guitar World, 2025. https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/tim-henson-heavy-polyphia-solo-album-ernie-ball-signature-strings
- "Ernie Ball new signature strings at NAMM 2025." Guitar.com, 2025. https://guitar.com/news/gear-news/ernie-ball-new-signature-strings-namm-2025/
- Ibanez TOD and signature guitar product pages.
Re-verified whenever Polyphia announces a rig update or Ernie Ball releases new signature-set specs.
If you want this rig
Regular Slinky Cobalt (.010–.046)
Why this one: Henson's documented pre-signature set. Cobalt wrap gives the upper-mid definition Polyphia arrangements need to sit clear against programmed drums.
Next steps
- Full Cobalt line breakdown: Cobalt Slinky review.
- Drop D tuning guide.
- Adjacent technical rigs: Jason Richardson, Mark Holcomb, Wes Hauch.