D'addario XT Coated Strings are the big improvement over the EXP thanks to their much thinner & durable coating, as well as all the strings being coated.
Thanks Tim for these incredibly helpful videos you take the time to put together. I've found them an excellent source of information that has guided my purchases. Totally agree with your preference towards the XTs - I too used to be a fan of the EXPs.
Some of the most natural sounding and best feel in your fingers, of all the other strings I've tried. Great volume and projection. Perfect amount of brightness. Don't feel too hard on your fingers at all. I am using the "bluegrass" set, medium bottom 56 light top 12. I have a Martin D-16GT dread, Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
Thanks Tim, you always have something worthwhile to offer. I need this kind of advice about which new strings are worth a try. I appreciate you sharing your years of experience.
@@TimGuitarLessons …oh it sounds great with any kind of strings…but certain strings will sound even better. Some times the nano-webs will sound dull right out of the pack and with some playing start to sound good. Lately though they haven't been all that great. The XT's are the way the old D'Addario's use to sound back in the day. Very full bottom end. The guitar came from the original owner who bought the guitar new on Christmas day in 1940.
Man. I’m envious! Not many ‘39s floating around out there. You should throw a video of it up on your RU-vid channel some day if you find time ... if be interested in seeing it and hearing it!
@@TimGuitarLessons ….A long time ago and the video and audio sucks. The guitar on the left is a 1990 HD-28 and the guitar on the right is the 1939 D-28. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rWvmAcxjaLM.html
I’ve used D’Addario on my classical but Elixirs on my steel string for the last 7 years . I love elixirs but I will give theses new XTs a try. You have to respect D’Addario as they invented phosphoric bronze so I’ll give them a try
Tim, this is an excellent video. I do have a few questions. 1. How often do you change strings with these coated strings? 2. Do you prefer these to Elixir strings? 3. What kind of tuner are you using for this video? Thanks, as always, for your time and tutorials.
Hey Ross! You always have great questions, so thanks for commenting with them! 1. I am terrible at changing strings regularly. If I know I have a gig coming up I'll make sure to have fresh strings specifically for that, so I'll change them the day or so before the gig... but otherwise I tend to just play them until they're unbearably dead. I feel like I get a good 2 1/2 or 3 weeks out of coated strings before I "should" change them... then by MONTH 3 I usually can't take it anymore and change them. 2. I definitely prefer D'Addario to Elixir... Elixirs are too bright and feel too slippery to me. I do think Elixirs last longer, so that's a plus... but they just don't feel good under my fingers. I'll throw Elixirs from time to time on a guitar that I don't play much just so that when I do eventually pick it up again it might sound "fresh"... but I prefer D'Addario tone and feel. 3. I'm using a D’Addario NS Micro Clip-On Tuner. Honestly, they're a bit finicky and sometimes it takes a few plucks for it to pick up the vibration of the guitar string and read the note... but they're small, and a relatively inexpensive, so I've learned to make do and just keep one on the headstock of most of my guitars.
@@TimGuitarLessons omg I feel you so much, I thought I was like an alien or something because everytime I tried Elixirs I would feel like im on a skating ring, and no one would mention that, especially since my hands can get sweaty sometimes. They also sound too bright and broken to me. Will these XT's be an upgrades from the EJ11's? I haven't changed strings for 5-6 months now so thinking of doing so.
Hi Tim, have u done a video on the XS series? I would like to see a comparison video of the XT vs XS. I hope you and your family are doing well in this pandemic
Tim- I'm loving you videos. Just getting into Jason Isbell, and your teaching videos are giving me inspiration. Nothing to do with that inspiration, but I just bought a Collings 0M1T, two weeks ago. I believe that it came with the same d'Addario strings that you demo'd. Glad to see your demo as I wasn't sure if the incredible sound that I'm hearing from my guitar is totally the Collings or contributed by the strings. I'll likely try different sets and different manufacturers, but as of the moment, I can't imagine anything sounding better. There is a little more squeak as you slide up and down the neck on the new ones..., but I am attributing that to their newness. Thanks for everything!
Thanks so much Nicholas! And, the Collings guitar is definitely much more responsible for the overall tone you’re hearing than the strings... strings will feel and sound differently, but difference in string sound will usually be more subtle and ultimately come down to personal preference.
thanks, Tim. I have to admit that I didn't expect an answer so quickly. As for the Collings..., it was a surprise that I picked it. I'm kind of a Taylor guy (810e, G3 Mini, 414ce) and I needed a new guitar. I'd given my 414ce to my son (who is sooo much better a player than me) and I needed to replace it. I love the 810, but its dreadnought body is hard on my right arm. I decided on the 814ce DLX and my wife suggested I play some other non-Taylor models before I pulled the trigger. NOw, I love that 814, but this little Collings really packs a punch for a small body guitar and has a sweet tone. I haven't put on board electronics on it, yet. Do you have a recommendation on an active pickup to have installed? (You seem to know your guitars and tone). Any recommendation will be appreciated and can allow me to focus on a couple choices. Thanks!
Nicholas I have an LR Baggs i-beam pickup in my Martin HD35 and a K&K Pure Mini in my Collings. I think they’re both great pickups but I personally prefer the LR Baggs.
Tim - Again, thanks for the quick response and the information. I am aware of both pickups and your opinion will make me focus a little more on them before I take the plunge. Importantly, to me, both seem to be relatively less intrusive, other than drilling out the endpin hole, nothing that can't be reversed should I ever change my mind in the future. Thanks, again. Headed out to the office shortly, but look forward to getting more Jason Isbell practice in over the upcoming long weekend. Cheers!
@@TimGuitarLessons I've just picking a gift to my brother. He just get new 12 strings guitar. (but strings is already old, probably to long been in shop). So i've notised this XT type of string s from D'Addario and wanted to know a difference from standard Phosphor Bronze. And your video has answered all my questions.
The XT’s do not lack volume or high end. In fact from recently using them I think they have accentuated bass and highs but in a well rounded non spikey way
Superb video! I loved stiff, controlled short feelingof EXP . Now I got some regular daddarios bronze something but not happy with them. Gonna check XT. Great playing though... thanks
I just installed D'Addario XT strings. The D'Addario strings I had been using are no longer made. Unless there is a dramatic improvement in sound after they "settle in", they did not sound as good as the original "E" series strings. I guess I will check out other brands.
I just had my chord changed on my Guild D55, they replaced the EXP16 one to EJ16. I wish I have seen your video before. EJ16’s low E string is so sharp and metallic, I lost that warm and deep sound of low E string. I can just hope these chores would turn softer with time.
Hi Tim! I am considering these but I keep seeing reviews saying that the coating is a real pain (comes off onto the fingers a LOT)...and a few folk saying it ends up making the guitar neck a sticky black mess. Any thoughts? Or do they not stay on your guitar long enough to cause any messy issues? Thanks!
I’ve not noticed any coating coming off on the fingers… though, sometimes once the strings oxidize it will leave a dark residue on your fingers after playing… but this is the case with all guitar strings in my experience
Thanks for taking the time to do this side-by-side comparison! I have a Taylor 414 with a set of EXP's I put on THREE YEARS AGO and NOW they're finally starting to sound a bit dead....I only play a few hours a week so. Have you ever tried the Martin Lifespan 2.0's? I will likely just end up getting a set of XT's since my EXP's went above and beyond the call of duty for the $13 I paid for them in 2017. I would like to know your thoughts just the same. Thanks!
Thanks so much for the comment! I have played the Lifespans... They're good strings, but they felt a little too tacky to my fingers. In terms of string feel, I don't know that I've ever found a string I prefer as much as D'Addario, but that's most likely just because D'Addario is what I played when I was first starting out, so the feel is simply what I'm most used to.
@@TimGuitarLessons Hi Tim, I have a (Taylor 224ce-k-dlx special edition) and I either use Daddario Xt phosphor bronze light or Elixir phosphor bronze light. Xt is treated, gunk can still get in but it’s hard to get in.
@@TimGuitarLessons And the Daddario Exp strings only coated wrap wire, leave some spaces between the gaps and windings, oils and dirt still get in and damage the strings sounds, but Daddario Xt is stronger treated and blocking Corrosion&dirt to get in steel core from gaps between the windings, treated means thin coating that invisible to see it.
Hi Tim, I’m also looking for a new string with a warm sound like exp16! Have you tried elixir nanoweb and if so would you say that the xt are warmer? I’ve put on the elixir nanoweb and they sound a bit too bright
In my opinion, the Elixir Nano phosphor bronze are brighter than the D'Addario XT Phosphor bronze. Tried them on my Martin dread D-16GT, sitka spruce top and mahogany b/s...
Hi Tim...thanks for the wonderful review. Sounds amazing. I’ve also just tried these strings (12-53) on my D35 and am lovin it. It tamed the bass a little bit. Definitely prefer this better than elixir. What gauge are u using? Cheers!
Tim I ve just strung a medium Martin authentic phosphor bronze on my D35e. Sounds wonderful, driving the top really well. You ahould give it a try. How ling have you had the HD35?
Tim it must ve aged and sound better by now? I got My D35 in 2018 but its binding has come off which is a bit of a pain really. Im not sure why this happened
@@TimGuitarLessons Thank you so much sir.But i saw a couple comments and people saying these strings are losing their sound in a month.Is that true? Because i do not want to change my strings often.Are there any strings that you can recommend?
@@ardaagn7044 I think that depending on how regularly you play, it's normal for strings to lose their sounds in a month, sometimes less. Elixir guitar strings also only last about a month for me, but again, all this could depend on how much you play. I'd encourage you to just take a shot on the D'Addario XT if they are more in your price range than Elixirs. If they die too quickly on you, at least you'll know those shouldn't be an option for next time. But generally speaking, I wouldn't expect a set of strings to last more than a month before starting to sound worn.
Thanks Louis! And yes, I've played Martin strings a good bit... I think for the value they're great... I think you can get them for under $10 a pack and a lot of times those are my go to on guitars I know I'll just have sitting around probably not getting played much. I'm not a huge fan of Martins Lifespans... I tried them a while back and played them off and on for a while but ultimately decided I didn't like their feel.
I tend to think that they do, but of course it's all preference. This other video I did compares these strings to elixir, both in new and used stages of wear... it could be helpful in displaying their tonal qualities against each other ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v5INOS-DFTs.html
It’s been a while since I looked into it, but I think the XT maybe isn’t coated and that the XS is? I know that the coating on the XS is noticeable to me, and that if the XT was coated, it wasn’t very noticeable
I think it really depends on how often you play... I've had a set on my Waterloo for about 4 weeks now, they could use changing right now but they still have a little bit of life left in them
At 7:34 I'm just playing some random chords that I thought would come together nicely... out of that I do switch up into a song by Derek Webb called "Faith My Eyes"
@@TimGuitarLessons ok thank you for your anwser, continue your video it's verry usefull for all guitar lovers :) excuse my bad english i'm french ... yes i know, nobody's perfect :D :D
I have played EXP strings on my 6 and 12 string acoustics for years. How is the bass response on the D A and E wound strings? It sounds from the video, like the XT's dont have the same depth as EXP's: EXP's being warmer. What do you think about the deeper string differences between EXP and XT's?
