At the start of the month, I tried D’Addario XT strings for the first time. With the end of the month almost here, I thought I’d write a quick follow-up about how I’m getting on with them.
They’re coming off both guitars, just as soon as I’ve got replacement strings.
The Tension Is Too High
This is a deal-breaker for me: the 9s feel like a heavy set of 10s, and the 10s feel like 11s.
I pick string gauge, first and foremost, for comfort. I prefer 9s on longer-scale guitars (Fender), and 10s on shorter-scale guitars (Gibson). And I’m just not comfortable at all with the tension of the XTs.
It’s also messing up the setup on both guitars a bit – especially on the Gibson. It’s not a good time to be taking guitars to a tech right now, what with the global pandemic and all.
No Idea How Quickly They Dull
I’m not playing either guitar since I put the XTs on them. I’ve no idea how long it takes for the top-end I talked about in my original First Impressions to be tamed.
The strings aren’t getting dull simply from being exposed to air. They’re still as zingy as when they first went onto the guitars. No idea if that information is of any use to anyone 🙂
Where They A Waste Of Money?
No, no they weren’t.
First off, I think it’s always good to try new things. They may have turned out to be a great string choice for me. There was ever only one way I was going to find out.
Second, putting them on two guitars (rather than just one) made it easier for me to compare them to the strings I’ve been using for years. I feel a lot more confident that my experience is down to the strings, and not the guitar.
So Are You Done With XT Strings?
Sadly, I am. For now, at least.
I would love to try a set of 8s on my old 80s super-Strat, but D’Addario don’t seem to make XTs in 8s. If they ever do, and I can get hold of them, I’ll definitely give that a go.
I still think they could be a great choice for that kind of guitar.