Classical strings come in different tensions with “Normal” and “Hard” being the most common options and, sometimes, “Extra Hard.” D'Addario are one of the most popular string masters in the world. They have built up a reputation of making incredible stringsthat not only last a long time but sound and feel great as well. This new set of NYXL 10-46strings are set to be even stronger and even more stable than any other D'Addario string yet. With classical strings, the material of the top three treble strings may differ from the material used on the bottom three bass strings. D'Addario’s exclusive New York manufactured, high carbon steel alloy for unprecedented strength - play fearlessly Phosphor Bronze is the most popular acoustic string material, ideal for all genres and playing styles.

Stainless Steel, which you’d find on ProSteels, is brighter, which affords more presence and crunch to cut through the mix. Pro-Arte’ Nylon is our archetypal classical set, featuring clear nylon trebles, which deliver sweet, mellow highs, with silver-plated copper wound basses that deliver an exceptionally warm and consistent response. The wrap wire, or winding, used to make D’Addario bass guitar strings varies from set to set. The alloy used gives the set its unique tonal characteristics, as well as its name. An additional caveat to the above explanation is that some windings have a different texture, not merely a different alloy. So, while standard bass strings are round wound, we have a few sets which have been ground down or polished in some way to change the tone and feel. These include flat wound sets, like Tapewounds and Chromes, and half round sets, like Half Rounds. Wound strings with enhanced mid-range frequency response in the 1 - 3.5 kHz range - more presence and crunch to cut through the mix The amount you'll need to change your strings will also vary. Regular performers will want to change strings for every show to ensure their guitar sounds the best it can. Ditto if you're spending time in the studio. On the other hand, if you're only playing at home you'll probably look to change them once a month or so.

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Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product. Related buyer's guides Lighter strings mean there is physically less string to move, so bending is easier. For some, light strings are too easy to bend, and find themselves going too far with it – it really is about matching your left and right hand touch with the right gauge, which might take a little trial and error. Coated strings, like XT Classical, increase the lifespan of the strings, so you don’t have to change them as often. In the last issue of GI, I reviewed a new range of strings designed for acoustic guitar. I also posed the question, how often do you change your strings? And are you loyal to a particular brand? So the question for this review is: are you as particular when it comes to electric guitar strings? It's possibly easier to hear a difference with an acoustic guitar as its tone isn’t going to be masked by various other factors such as amps and effects. However, we all know how different your electric sounds with a nice fresh new set of strings on! And it gets particularly intriguing when you hear the claims being made for a new design of strings made by one of the very biggest in the business, D'Addario. Time to try a set of the new NYXLs! Things that can affect this include temperature and humidity changes, sweat and other corrosive materials, and your own playing technique. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the best electric guitar strings on the market today.

Once electric guitar strings have been constructed, they may also undergo an additional process called “coating.” Coating adds a chemical substance to the outside of the strings to prevent corrosion. D’Addario has two main lines of coated strings: XS and XT. XT provides extended life with a natural feel, while XS—our premium coated string—provides maximum life, plus a smooth feel. Both will give you more time between string changes.

The best electric guitar strings at a glance:

Flat wound sets like Chromes or Tapewounds, afford a warmer, more mellow tone to blend into the mix.

I noticed a difference in the studio and hopefully that difference comes through to you. String gauge is the same as the standard set of 10's. In a straight-up comparison, to my ears the NYs sound brighter, with better tonal consistency across the range, whilst also delivering more bite and punch. I also noticed a difference in output, this is probably due to the fact these new strings have 6% more magnetic permeability for higher output, essentially making them a little louder but still maintaining dynamic control. Combining high carbon steel cores with an advanced corrosion resistance treatment, D'Addario XT strings are designed to give you enhanced break resistance, pitch stability, and long-lasting performance––all while preserving the tone and feel of your favourite uncoated strings. So, just how good are they? Here's Tom Quayle with the verdict. For years now, string manufacturers have been experimenting with coated strings, designed to add longevity to their existing products. The idea is to make them feel newer for longer and thus like a better value proposition to the army of guitarists out there who hate changing strings but love the sound and feel of a fresh set. But coated strings have historically dulled the high-end tone, and feel very different to regular strings thanks to their ‘slipperiness’ and increased tension. As such, many players have shied away from them as too much of a compromise, preferring to settle for more regular string changes than altering their precious tone and feel. Flat wound sets like Chromesor Tapewounds, afford a warmer, more mellow tone to blend into the mix. Read our feature showing you how to restring an electric guitar. Can you use electric guitar strings on an acoustic?Now, how good a set of strings sounds is very important to every guitar player. To test the tone of the strings, we make sure to play a wide variety of styles to see how the strings handle the different musical genres, paying close attention to how the overall tone of our guitar has changed with the addition of the new strings. For us, testing electric guitar strings is a rather enjoyable process, as it involves, well, playing our guitars! Therefore, we put them through several everyday situations to make sure we are thoroughly testing the strings. D'Addario are one of the most popular string masters in the world. They have built up a reputation of making incredible stringsthat not only last a long time but sound and feel great as well. This new set of NYXL12-60 strings are set to be even stronger and even more stable than any other D'Addario string yet.