FourT6and2
Well-known member
After some trial and error with various brands and gauges, I settled on D'Addario 10.5-48. I like the feel of 10-46 in E Standard, but for my guitars tuned to Eb, the next gauge up is too heavy and 10s are too floppy. The XLs in this half size maintain almost the exact same tension when tuned a half-step down, which is perfect.
The only catch is D'Addario only offer this set in XL, but I prefer NYXL strings. Slightly less string/finger noise, better tuning stability, and they last a bit longer. So I tried their custom order option and I'm impressed.
The strings don't come with their usual color-coded ball ends and I'm not sure if it's because they're made on a different assembly line or because these strings are a non-standard size, so they're made "fresh" for custom orders. But they arrived in about 5 days without a hitch. And compared to another set of standard NYXL, they appear to be shinier and more "fresh", if that's possible. As if they were just wound.
If you want specific odd-ball string sizes, the custom order option seems great. The price is a bit higher though, that's the only drawback.
The only catch is D'Addario only offer this set in XL, but I prefer NYXL strings. Slightly less string/finger noise, better tuning stability, and they last a bit longer. So I tried their custom order option and I'm impressed.
The strings don't come with their usual color-coded ball ends and I'm not sure if it's because they're made on a different assembly line or because these strings are a non-standard size, so they're made "fresh" for custom orders. But they arrived in about 5 days without a hitch. And compared to another set of standard NYXL, they appear to be shinier and more "fresh", if that's possible. As if they were just wound.
If you want specific odd-ball string sizes, the custom order option seems great. The price is a bit higher though, that's the only drawback.
Last edited:
