Underwhelming new set of D'Addarios

skullfunkerry

I restrung my Squier yesterday, put a set of 10s on and put it in drop D, from the 9s and standard tuning that it came with... not too happy with the new strings though; I can't really explain it any better than they feel a bit dead... not even dead, tbh: just not quite as zingy as I'd expect a new set of strings to be.

They're definitely genuine, I've checked them on the D'Addario website. I think part of it might just be me; sound and sustain is fine, although I spent a good while yesterday playing both my guitars and seeing if I could hear a difference (I couldn't).

The other thing I noticed (and this has happened on both my guitars) is that the B string feels tighter than the G when I bend them both together. D'Addarios have been on all my guitars for years and I've never noticed it before: I assumed it was something to do with the Jackson when I restrung that, but now the Squier feels like it too - anyone noticed that before? I've had a look and the B on a set of 10s is .013, which is the same as all the others I checked online.

I'm wondering if it's time to investigate other makes: I saw on fb the other day that @FelineGuitars do strings, and I like the idea of supporting a UK manufacturer.

(Apologies if anyone saw the title of this thread and thought it was going to be me trying a new D'Addario invention!)

Philtre

skullfunkerry said:

They're definitely genuine, I've checked them on the D'Addario website.

Where did you buy them from? The fake set I bought from eBay also checked out OK on the D'Addario website.

chickenchaser

Fake strings? I didn't even realise that they were doing this. 

Voxman

chickenchaser said:

Fake strings? I didn't even realise that they were doing this. 

Sadly yes.   

thegummy

chickenchaser said:

Fake strings? I didn't even realise that they were doing this. 

Pretty much any you buy off eBay that isn't being sold by a named shop is a suspect for fakes

ICBM

skullfunkerry said:

The other thing I noticed (and this has happened on both my guitars) is that the B string feels tighter than the G when I bend them both together. D'Addarios have been on all my guitars for years and I've never noticed it before: I assumed it was something to do with the Jackson when I restrung that, but now the Squier feels like it too - anyone noticed that before? I've had a look and the B on a set of 10s is .013, which is the same as all the others I checked online.

If you've gone from 9s to 10s then the B will always feel tighter - it's not because the B is now too tight, it's because the B in a set of 9s is too loose... it's an 11 instead of a 12, which it should be from a tension point of view. Why 11 has become the standard gauge for B in a set of 9s I don't know - it's also often the B in a set of 8s, where it's correct.

Look how much too light the B is in a set of 9s -

http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=4

And actually *still* lighter than the G in a set of 10s, although much closer -

http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=13

skullfunkerry

Philtre said:

skullfunkerry said:

They're definitely genuine, I've checked them on the D'Addario website.

Where did you buy them from? The fake set I bought from eBay also checked out OK on the D'Addario website.

I'm pretty sure they were from Amazon - actual Amazon, not a marketplace trader.

I've spent a couple of hours playing the guitar today and it feels and sounds fine, apart from that weird tension thing between the G & B strings. I think I'll give the Feline strings a go and see how I get on with them. Annoyingly, I bought a three-pack of D'Addario 10s when Amazon were doing them cheap for Black Friday, and I haven't even opened that pack yet!

ICBM

skullfunkerry said:

I've spent a couple of hours playing the guitar today and it feels and sounds fine, apart from that weird tension thing between the G & B strings. I think I'll give the Feline strings a go and see how I get on with them. Annoyingly, I bought a three-pack of D'Addario 10s when Amazon were doing them cheap for Black Friday, and I haven't even opened that pack yet!

Any set of 10s will feel the same, they're all 10-13-17 as far as I know, and obviously since they're plain there isn't any difference in the core/wrap ratio which can make a difference on the wound strings.

Adji

Sorry you were underwhelmed man.

ICBM answered the tension question for you. The jump from 11 - 13 for the b string is quite a drastic tension change so it does become much more noticeable than the G string. The be string is about a 4lb tension change whereas the G is about 2lbs.

So far as I know @ICBM the reason than an 11 is used in a set of 9s is simply due to historical accuracy, that tends to be the case in a lot of 'unusual' gauge choices. Personally, I actually like the lighter feel for the b string, but I know some players don't. I suppose there is also the fact it was more challenging to draw wire to specific sizes back when steel strings were first being used whereas now we can draw wire incredibly accurately and consistently (hence the increase in popularity of gauge 9.5 etc).

If you haven't tried, and fancy an experiment, you could try our balanced tension sets which are much more even across the string range. EXL110BT would be the set you have but within a balanced tension range of gauges.

In terms of lack of zing, most new strings should be noticeably brighter especially for the first few hours of playing. If you have found this across multiple sets then perhaps our XL strings are just not as bright as you are looking for. You could try NYXL and even ProSteels if you want a brighter sound.

Adam.

fatherchewielewie

How to check that your Daddarios' are genuine:

http://www.daddario.com/upload/DABR_Counterfeit_Strings_LowRes_15727.pdf

DLM

Adji said:
So far as I know @ICBM the reason than an 11 is used in a set of 9s is simply due to historical accuracy, that tends to be the case in a lot of 'unusual' gauge choices. Personally, I actually like the lighter feel for the b string, but I know some players don't.

If you're looking for a silver lining, the lighter B makes bonkers overbend licks associated with old blues dudes who often didn't play in standard (Alberts King and Collins, Buddy Guy) much easier nowadays. EVH has made very good use of it.

lukedlb

I'm trying a pack of NYXL regular gauge for the second time after having tried a pack of Rotosound (awful, hard bending, something must be wrong with my amp or a pedal, type strings). Forgive me for straying. I am happy to be back to my d'addarios (i use the regular xl nickel wound strings on my other strats).

skullfunkerry

Adji said:

Sorry you were underwhelmed man.

ICBM answered the tension question for you. The jump from 11 - 13 for the b string is quite a drastic tension change so it does become much more noticeable than the G string. The be string is about a 4lb tension change whereas the G is about 2lbs.

So far as I know @ICBM the reason than an 11 is used in a set of 9s is simply due to historical accuracy, that tends to be the case in a lot of 'unusual' gauge choices. Personally, I actually like the lighter feel for the b string, but I know some players don't. I suppose there is also the fact it was more challenging to draw wire to specific sizes back when steel strings were first being used whereas now we can draw wire incredibly accurately and consistently (hence the increase in popularity of gauge 9.5 etc).

If you haven't tried, and fancy an experiment, you could try our balanced tension sets which are much more even across the string range. EXL110BT would be the set you have but within a balanced tension range of gauges.

In terms of lack of zing, most new strings should be noticeably brighter especially for the first few hours of playing. If you have found this across multiple sets then perhaps our XL strings are just not as bright as you are looking for. You could try NYXL and even ProSteels if you want a brighter sound.

Adam.

I mentioned the tension thing a couple of times, I think @ICBM posted at the same time as me so I didn't see the explanation straight away. Makes sense though; just something I'll need to get used to    I used to use 11s all the time, as my guitars were tuned lower, that may be why I never noticed it before.

Regarding your suggestions for the other types of string, I've been happy with XLs for literally years, it was just this one set. I'm not going to bin off D'Addario based on that, but I do like the idea of checking out some other strings, so I think I'll be a bit more open-minded next time I'm buying.

Thanks very much everyone for your help!

Sassafras

The ProSteels are definitely zingy. I used to put them on humbucker guitars to liven them up a bit.

Adji

skullfunkerry said:

Adji said:

Sorry you were underwhelmed man.

ICBM answered the tension question for you. The jump from 11 - 13 for the b string is quite a drastic tension change so it does become much more noticeable than the G string. The be string is about a 4lb tension change whereas the G is about 2lbs.

So far as I know @ICBM the reason than an 11 is used in a set of 9s is simply due to historical accuracy, that tends to be the case in a lot of 'unusual' gauge choices. Personally, I actually like the lighter feel for the b string, but I know some players don't. I suppose there is also the fact it was more challenging to draw wire to specific sizes back when steel strings were first being used whereas now we can draw wire incredibly accurately and consistently (hence the increase in popularity of gauge 9.5 etc).

If you haven't tried, and fancy an experiment, you could try our balanced tension sets which are much more even across the string range. EXL110BT would be the set you have but within a balanced tension range of gauges.

In terms of lack of zing, most new strings should be noticeably brighter especially for the first few hours of playing. If you have found this across multiple sets then perhaps our XL strings are just not as bright as you are looking for. You could try NYXL and even ProSteels if you want a brighter sound.

Adam.

I mentioned the tension thing a couple of times, I think @ICBM posted at the same time as me so I didn't see the explanation straight away. Makes sense though; just something I'll need to get used to    I used to use 11s all the time, as my guitars were tuned lower, that may be why I never noticed it before.

Regarding your suggestions for the other types of string, I've been happy with XLs for literally years, it was just this one set. I'm not going to bin off D'Addario based on that, but I do like the idea of checking out some other strings, so I think I'll be a bit more open-minded next time I'm buying.

Thanks very much everyone for your help!

Very bizarre with the one set mate. Drop me a PM?

Adam.