D'Addario NYXL... Yikes!

[Mustard-Cutter]

I've been a lifelong Ernie Ball Slinky user but I decided to give some D'Addario NYXL strings a go since so many of my favorite modern-day guitarists use them, and man, it sent me into a frenzy for a couple days...

Immediately my tone got notably brighter, like what I would genuinely consider to be a night and day difference—not subtle at all. The NYXLs have a more metallic-sounding quality which can be a good thing, but on this particularly woody-sounding Riviera, it's not the direction I want. I thought to myself, "OK, your old strings were just really dead and you got used to it. I've always preferred broken-in strings on guitars so I probably just need to play it for a couple days and it'll get better..."

I soon came to the realization that I've never disdained new strings as much as this time around. Everything sounded off. There was an extended high-end that I didn't need or want. The mids sounded less full and almost slightly scooped, which is likely a side-effect of the additional highs putting less focus on the mids. It really seemed like the note fundamental wasn't as round and punchy. All things that the amp EQ couldn't quite fix correctly.

The wound strings were also rattling around and causing too much fret noise so I had to raise the bass side of the bridge a bit. The strings were a bit harder to bend even at the same gauge but nothing I couldn't get used to. Nonetheless, the feel was off and this is my number one guitar by a country mile, so I'm familiar with it almost to the point of contempt (kidding, I love the thing.)

The NYXLs also didn't feel as comfortable under my fingertips. Like the wound strings were slightly more abrasive and textured in a way I couldn't get along with. I'm aware this could be just as much a chemical reaction to my skin oils than an actual physical difference between the strings. I have no idea.

The first day I plunked around on it for about an hour and decided to let them settle and come back to it with fresh ears. That next day it became even more apparent that something wasn't right. I clipped the strings and laced it up with some good ol' EB Slinkies and everything was back to normal. It was like one of those little insignificant things that makes you feel inexplicably grateful.

I think many of us are aware that when you spend hours a day for many years on one instrument you easily begin to notice even the smallest adjustments. I can do not even a quarter turn of a pickup height screw and hear a difference. These strings made it practically feel and sound like another instrument. I'm still a bit surprised by this. I'm thinking back on all the guitars I've tried in stores that came stock with D'Addarios and how that may have swayed my opinion in one direction or another without realizing it. Although I don't recall the classic D'Addario XL strings (not NYXL) being this egregiously bright and I don't think many guitars out there come stock with NYXLs, so I'll digress.

I will however conclude that I think there are certainly guitars and fingers out there that would benefit from the NYXLs, BUT old habits really do die hard. I gotta stick with the Slinkies.

 

[sammy1974]

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

I’ll be honest, I hate coated strings of any type. Ymmv. In my experience they make a mess and they sound worse than fully oxidized 2-year old well used strings being played. I have bounced around string brands and types from time to time. But I always come back to the standard DAddario Nickel wound .09s for electric and EJ-16 .12-.53(or .54s I don’t remember at the moment.)s for acoustic. Best playability:tone:lifespan for me. I have thought about going up to .10s on my telecasters because I have developed a tendency to break D, G, and B strings, sometimes even A strings, And always mid-song part way through the second set, and it’s always just one string that snaps randomly mid-shuffle or something. Problem is I have a ton of .09 sets around. When I get low maybe I’ll go back up to .10s. We’ll see.

 

[sammy1974]

I disliked them as well... and they oxidized on me. Back to Elixir Nano's.

 

[Mustard-Cutter]

I’ll be honest, I hate coated strings of any type. Ymmv. In my experience they make a mess and they sound worse than fully oxidized 2-year old well used strings being played. I have bounced around string brands and types from time to time. But I always come back to the standard DAddario Nickel wound .09s for electric and EJ-16 .12-.53(or .54s I don’t remember at the moment.)s for acoustic. Best playability:tone:lifespan for me. I have thought about going up to .10s on my telecasters because I have developed a tendency to break D, G, and B strings, sometimes even A strings, And always mid-song part way through the second set, and it’s always just one string that snaps randomly mid-shuffle or something. Problem is I have a ton of .09 sets around. When I get low maybe I’ll go back up to .10s. We’ll see.

I don't think they're coated, but I can see how they give off that impression. I found this bit in the product description:

So, what really makes NYXLs so much different than standard D’Addario strings? First, they’re built with an exclusive high-carbon steel core wire for greater durability and a higher tolerance for alternate tunings. The other difference found on NYXL strings is the reformulated nickel-plated wrap wire, which delivers a subtle boost in output between 1kHz and 3.5kHz. With NYXL strings, you get a modernized sound and ferocious durability without sacrificing the easy playability you know and love.

I think that "subtle boost in output between 1kHz and 3.5kHz" is what's not agreeing with me and/or this guitar. It detracts from the mids too much for my liking. I can see it being desirable with certain guitars though.

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

I don't think they're coated, but I can see how they give off that impression. I found this bit in the product description:

So, what really makes NYXLs so much different than standard D’Addario strings? First, they’re built with an exclusive high-carbon steel core wire for greater durability and a higher tolerance for alternate tunings. The other difference found on NYXL strings is the reformulated nickel-plated wrap wire, which delivers a subtle boost in output between 1kHz and 3.5kHz. With NYXL strings, you get a modernized sound and ferocious durability without sacrificing the easy playability you know and love.

I think that "subtle boost in output between 1kHz and 3.5kHz" is what's not agreeing with me and/or this guitar. It detracts from the mids too much for my liking. I can see it being desirable with certain guitars though.

Maybe it was a different one from them I was thinking about. Either way I stand by everything I said based on my experience. Also, I usually aim for more of a vintage sound anyways.

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

I disliked them as well... and they oxidized on me. Back to Elixir Nano's.

Do you really like those? I had them on an acoustic for a while and they sounded so…dead, and it felt like playing a latex medical glove stuffed with rebar.

I’m not judging just asking.

 

[6stringcowboy]

Not a fan. D'Addario EXL115 XLs for me.

 

[Old Plank]

I've used XLs (not NYXL) forever, but when having difficulty solving a string buzz issue with a Tele, my luthier friend resorted to GHS Boomers which he said would rattle less even at the same gauge (009's), sure enough they did so ... I did notice a slight bit more stiffness in bending, but promptly got used to that. They also have held up well.

 

[sammy1974]

Do you really like those? I had them on an acoustic for a while and they sounded so…dead, and it felt like playing a latex medical glove stuffed with rebar.

I’m not judging just asking.

Their Polys are like that, don't care for them. Their Nanowebs are awesome.

 

[KokoTele]

Man, I haven't seen so much effort put into disdain for strings since people used to like to crap all over DRs.

Strings are the cheapest mod you can do to a guitar and they're highly personal. Try every brand you can find until you find the one you like the best.

 

[laterider7]

Man, I haven't seen so much effort put into disdain for strings since people used to like to crap all over DRs.

Strings are the cheapest mod you can do to a guitar and they're highly personal. Try every brand you can find until you find the one you like the best.

Did the OP say he didn't like them?

I get it, I wanted to like GHS, there is something to them that makes me want to remove them! Took forever to use up that 10 pack and I gave some away!

D'Addario XLs for many years for me and then all of a sudden five years ago or so, its EB nickel or bust.

 

[old wrench]

There was a thread just last week about D'addario NYXLs - the OP ought to read it



.

 

[Mustard-Cutter]

Man, I haven't seen so much effort put into disdain for strings since people used to like to crap all over DRs.

Strings are the cheapest mod you can do to a guitar and they're highly personal. Try every brand you can find until you find the one you like the best.

Well, if you read my post you'd know that I'm not expressing disdain so much as I'm just a bit surprised. I've mentioned twice in this thread that I can see them being good strings for certain guitars and players.

It was really just a stream of consciousness. I'm not crapping all over NYXLs. They're just a stark change from what I was expecting is all.

 

[Scorpio1968]

I am a Ernie Ball Slinky fan for electrics and Martin Lifespans for acoustic.
I have tried several other brands and always come back to these 2 brands.
I now just stick with them because I know what I will get for tone and wear.

FWIW- I do like the Reverend Billy G's Mexican Lottery Strings but man they are super light!

 

[arlum]

Even D'Addario can make a mistake. All of my electrics are strung with D'Addario but not the type you're talking about.
During the 1960s I used Gibson .010's.
During most of the 1970s I used both Fender .009s and Ernie Ball Extra Slinky .008's depending on the guitar. My '71/'72 Gibson SG Deluxe loved the Extra Slinky.
The '80s and '90s were also a mix of Ernie Ball and Fender although at that time I was using all .009's.
The 2000's flipped me to D'Addario and DR. The DR Pure Blues were installed on all of my Gibson type guitars while the rest were set up with D'Addario. By 2010 all of electric my guitars, including the Gibsons, were using D'Addario strings.

My acoustics still use Martin guitar strings. I'm not sure if that's good or bad but I've been using Martin acoustic guitar strings since I installed them on an Alvarez 12 string in 1974.

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

Their Polys are like that, don't care for them. Their Nanowebs are awesome.

I may give them a try next time Inhave to buy strings.

 

[PI Mullard]

I've been a lifelong Ernie Ball Slinky user but I decided to give some D'Addario NYXL strings a go since so many of my favorite modern-day guitarists use them, and man, it sent me into a frenzy for a couple days...

Immediately my tone got notably brighter, like what I would genuinely consider to be a night and day difference—not subtle at all. The NYXLs have a more metallic-sounding quality which can be a good thing, but on this particularly woody-sounding Riviera, it's not the direction I want. I thought to myself, "OK, your old strings were just really dead and you got used to it. I've always preferred broken-in strings on guitars so I probably just need to play it for a couple days and it'll get better..."

I soon came to the realization that I've never disdained new strings as much as this time around. Everything sounded off. There was an extended high-end that I didn't need or want. The mids sounded less full and almost slightly scooped, which is likely a side-effect of the additional highs putting less focus on the mids. It really seemed like the note fundamental wasn't as round and punchy. All things that the amp EQ couldn't quite fix correctly.

The wound strings were also rattling around and causing too much fret noise so I had to raise the bass side of the bridge a bit. The strings were a bit harder to bend even at the same gauge but nothing I couldn't get used to. Nonetheless, the feel was off and this is my number one guitar by a country mile, so I'm familiar with it almost to the point of contempt (kidding, I love the thing.)

The NYXLs also didn't feel as comfortable under my fingertips. Like the wound strings were slightly more abrasive and textured in a way I couldn't get along with. I'm aware this could be just as much a chemical reaction to my skin oils than an actual physical difference between the strings. I have no idea.

The first day I plunked around on it for about an hour and decided to let them settle and come back to it with fresh ears. That next day it became even more apparent that something wasn't right. I clipped the strings and laced it up with some good ol' EB Slinkies and everything was back to normal. It was like one of those little insignificant things that makes you feel inexplicably grateful.

I think many of us are aware that when you spend hours a day for many years on one instrument you easily begin to notice even the smallest adjustments. I can do not even a quarter turn of a pickup height screw and hear a difference. These strings made it practically feel and sound like another instrument. I'm still a bit surprised by this. I'm thinking back on all the guitars I've tried in stores that came stock with D'Addarios and how that may have swayed my opinion in one direction or another without realizing it. Although I don't recall the classic D'Addario XL strings (not NYXL) being this egregiously bright and I don't think many guitars out there come stock with NYXLs, so I'll digress.

I will however conclude that I think there are certainly guitars and fingers out there that would benefit from the NYXLs, BUT old habits really do die hard. I gotta stick with the Slinkies.

NYXL plains are not regular steel wire. They are supposed to have stronger output, meaning pickups and amp may have to be re-adjusted. (But if you for some reason cut off your strings each time you replace them, you've wasted a fresh set of strings).

-Do strings make a difference?

Of course they do...sometimes... But the question is -why? (or we could just play the same set of the same brand we're used to without giving it a second thought).

New strings sound different than worn strings, regardless of brand. Strings lose some brightness and mellow over time. Eventually they become stretched out, dirty, rusty and dull. Sometimes they won't intonate, sometimes plains will break. Wound strings typically never break (unless someone is experimenting with open tunings). There's no reason to replace them if you like the mellow sound of worn wound strings, then just replace the plains.

Marketing of strings is almost always about wound strings, because these are typically the only differentiators in a set. Wound strings are designed and constructed differently and got different tension for the same gauge depending on brand and string model. Tension and output is determined by the size/weight of the core. Feel of touch (finger/fret noise), as well as frequency response depends on winding material, plating, polishing as well as any plastic coating of the wound strings. When comparing different sets, there may be significant differences between wound strings.

There's not much variation in plain steel strings; they all got the same tension and output regardless of brand, save for some exotic (expensive) strings, like the NYXL, that got plains made of a different material, i.e these are not regular steel strings and are supposed to provide louder output (higher magnetic strength) for the same gauge and tension as a regular plain steel string. Plain strings are often plated, but never "coated" with plastics like some wound strings.

Different gauges of plains directly affects tension and output, hence the gauges and distribution of tension, is the single most important decision to make when setting up a guitar. The gauge also affects string slots and friction. The construction of the wound strings also affect friction; Uncoated round wounds got higher friction than coated wounds or half-rounds, that in turn got higher friction than flats. Friction has a negative impact on elasticity and tuning stability.

Tension and output affect general performance and many different aspects of tone, like your right hand technique when picking and plucking. Gauges and tension directly affect neck relief and your fretting technique. It's about string deflection, stretching and elasticity. And gauges and tension affect bridge setup. Remember that wound strings of different makes may have different tension even when the gauge is the same. But we like to bend the plain strings...they always got the same tension for a given gauge and sooner or later they'll break, regardless of brand. The NYXL got louder output, meaning pickups have to be re-adjusted and you may also have to re-adjust your amp; Poor string-to-string output balance could result in treble spikes (yikes!).

 

[CCK1]

Do you really like those? I had them on an acoustic for a while and they sounded so…dead, and it felt like playing a latex medical glove stuffed with rebar.

I’m not judging just asking.

Agreed. Elixr strings never sound old, because they never sounded new.

 

[Audiowonderland]

I don't think they're coated, but I can see how they give off that impression. I found this bit in the product description:

So, what really makes NYXLs so much different than standard D’Addario strings? First, they’re built with an exclusive high-carbon steel core wire for greater durability and a higher tolerance for alternate tunings. The other difference found on NYXL strings is the reformulated nickel-plated wrap wire, which delivers a subtle boost in output between 1kHz and 3.5kHz. With NYXL strings, you get a modernized sound and ferocious durability without sacrificing the easy playability you know and love.

I think that "subtle boost in output between 1kHz and 3.5kHz" is what's not agreeing with me and/or this guitar. It detracts from the mids too much for my liking. I can see it being desirable with certain guitars though.

Its not subtle....