About D'Addario Instrument Strings
Strings are one of the most important elements in making sure your guitar is ready to play. The fact is, you could be the greatest guitarist in the world, but you need quality strings to make sure you sound your best. D'Addario guitar strings definitely go the extra mile to give you that quality, and a huge number of musicians have refused to settle for anything else, making D'Addario one of the top string makers around.
The company itself has origins from the early 20th century, when brothers Rocco and Carmine D’Addario immigrated to Queens, NY, from the small Italian village of Salle. The family had been making traditional gut instrument strings for years in Italy, but decided to expand the business abroad. And when guitar became increasingly popular in the coming decades, they shifted production. Later, when rock ‘n’ roll exploded and electric guitar popularity eclipsed the traditional, classical-style guitar, the company saw the writing on the wall and started producing steel-string sets.
After many decades, countless production revisions and an emphasis on quality, D’Addario is one of the biggest names in the musical-instrument world, especially for guitar strings. D’Addario makes some of the most beloved strings around, with sets for all types of players. Players from heavy metal to electric jazz to classical to folk acoustic — they all use D’Addario. And there’s no shortage of varieties from the legendary brand.
XL Electric Guitar and Bass Strings
D’Addario’s “XL” lineup is a broad one that has several different varieties, each with notable differences. Because of the wide range and great sound, it’s one of the most popular series for guitar and bass players.
XL Nickel strings are what many to be an industry standard. They feature a nickel-plated steel wrapping around a high-carbon steel core. The tone is balanced, and works with a wide range of playing styles.
XL Chromes have an emphasis on low-end projection without losing clarity or warmth.
XL Pure Nickel strings aim for a retro sound, like the rich, warm tones of 1950s and ‘60s blues and surf rock.
XL ProSteel use a stainless-steel wrap wire, instead of the standard nickel steel. As a result, they produce a brighter tone that will help cut through a band mix.
XL Half Rounds deliver a similar tone to the standard round-wound variety, but with a smoother feel.
NYXL Electric Guitar and Bass Strings
As an update to its hugely popular XL series, D’Addario has produced the NYXL family, which takes its performance and tone even further. These high-quality guitar and bass strings are designed to last longer, offer more tuning stability, bend farther and project louder than any of their other strings. They feature a plain steel alloy over a high-carbon steel core for balanced tone and natural feel.
D’Addario XT Guitar and Bass Strings
D’Addario’s XT series of guitar and bass strings are based on the popular XL line, but given an upgrade for maximum life. Just as with the nickel-plated XL strings, they feature a nickel-plated steel wrap around a high-carbon steel hexagonal wire for great tone. But they’re treated with an anti-corrosion coating to help them withstand natural humidity and the sweat from your hands, so they don’t tonally dull over time, as standard metal strings do.
The XT treatment also branches into the company’s acoustic and classical string families, including the XT 80/20 Bronze, XT Classical and XT Phosphor Bronze sets. It provides the same great sound and feel that made these sets so popular, and ensures that they’ll hold their tone longer.
D’Addario Acoustic Guitar and Bass Strings
D’Addario makes strings for just about every type of instrument that uses them. And the acoustic guitar is no exception. From steel-string dreadnoughts to delicate nylon classical guitars, D’Addario has high-quality sets for them all.
Phosphor Bronze strings are the standard for acoustic tone. They deliver warm, rich, balanced sound that works for a huge range of players and styles.
80/20 Bronze have a more focused, projecting sound that is great for cutting through when playing in a band.
Nickel Bronze sets are rustic, old school and as natural as it gets. They’re uncoated, and neutral in tone, so they let your guitar speak in its own voice.
EXP Series strings are coated versions of the traditional sets. They carry the same tonal and feel qualities of their non-coated counterparts, but with extra longevity.
Silk & Steel strings deliver a warm, mellow tone that’s perfect for fingerpicking and folk styles.
D’Addario Classical Guitar Strings
The company’s massive range of styles and tones extends to classical guitars as well. Even in this relatively small segment of guitar playing, D’Addario offers several different tensions, gauges, materials, tonal qualities and more to choose from.
Pro-Arte Nylon strings are geared toward a warm but precise sound, with nylon trebles and wound basses.
Pro-Arte Carbon sets are made with a more modern sound in mind, one that’s higher in the spectrum for better projection.
Pro-Arte Dynacore strings also aim for a contemporary but unique classical sound. And D’Addario’s unique engineering ensure these strings will last a long time.
Pro-Arte Composite strings feature bass strings with a silver-plated copper wrap over a composite core and clear nylon treble strings. They’re incredibly popular with today’s players because of their powerful, warm tone and smooth feel.
Classics strings are great all-around performers for players of all levels. The balanced tone of a silver-plated copper wrap over a nylon core delivers a warm, projecting tone that’ll last.
Folk Nylon sets feature silver-plated wrap over a nylon core and black nylon treble strings. And the included ball end makes them easy to change or put them on a steel-string guitar.
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