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D'Addario EXL120
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D'Addario XL Nickel Wound Electric Guitar strings are world-renowned as "The Player's Choice" amongst players of all genres and styles. XL's are precision wound with nickelplated steel on a hex-shaped core, resulting in strings with a distinctive bright tone and excellent intonation.
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Searched D'Addario EXL120 in Reviews
One of the most consistant strings out there 
| Comments |
Back when I started playing acoutic guitars a lot there was a local shop that carried Taylor guitars. Every guitar sounded great and had a well balanced tone, I ended up getting a used Taylor that wasn't so blessed, so I went back to the store and asked what strings they had on them. The salesman said D'Addario's. I thought great so I put them on and Voila, great tone.. So I also gave there EXL 120's a try and again was very pleased with the tone and consistency as I took an old set off and put the new ones on. This was probably almost 15 years ago. Around 5 years ago I got a guitar that had the Buzz Feiten tuning system installed and went to the Buzz Feiten to see what I needed to know, to no surprise he said he tested every string he could and found through extensive testing that the D'Adarrio strings were the most consistant from pack to pack.
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| Liked about it |
Long lasting strings. I put a little lemon oil on my strings when I first put them on which may sound weird but it has almost no effect on the tone and seems to make my frets last longer as well. I can use a set of these for a couple months as long as I clean them with a little lemon oil about once a week.
Price... Not the least expensive but you get a great string for a few more bucks per set in a 10 Pack.
Easy to find.. Almost every local store carries them if I run out in my stash.
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| Didn't like |
A little more tension (stightly stiffer) than other strings in the same guage which makes it hard to go from another brand without much of a setup.
Price.. while I list this as what I like about them, they could be a little less expensive.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.5 |
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Great product, One of the best strings out there
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Im not sure if you noticed but with Active pickups they sometimes catch vibrations created by the strings, Tremelo springs and other bridge parts resulting in a dirtier sound. This is due to Actives having a higher output which enhance the oscillation of certain strings resulting in a dirtier sound! "Dean Markley-Blue Steel" are notorious for excessive string vibration, So the solution? D'Addario Strings! For some reason these strings ignore the vibrations coming from the bridge and have a more linear oscillation. Keep in mind that Nickel wound strings sound entirely different from Stainless strings and remember that Passive pickups behave and sound entirely different and sound great with almost any string brand!
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| Liked about it |
The A'addario Strings have a bright powerful sound! Very well suited for heavy music! They respond great and are probably one of the best sounding strings for active pickups but even better sounding from Passive! For only $4 a pack, you really cant beat it! These strings give the cleanest and most defined sound, especially while distorted and the intonation is dead on. Whats great is these strings do not intonate differently with every new pack(Unlike Dean Markely, after every new pack you have to re-adjust the intonation) and Did I mention you can bend the crap out of these strings!? :)
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| Didn't like |
The only other string I would recommend(For Actives)is "Ernie Ball-Slinky" strings, They are just like D'addario but with more define sound
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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Excellent price for Excellent quality
| Comments |
I remember first day that I bought my RG370DX. The guitar was equipped with them. The Strings are awesome. They are very durable. They feel smooth all the way you go from top to bottom, from the start to the end. The tone is awesome and the strings are high quality made. The last time I remember changing strings was 8~9 months ago because I cut out the "B" string and it was my fault.. COMPLETELY MINE (tuning the guitar with the locking nut is locked). So I decided to change the whole pack.
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| Liked about it |
- Very smooth and comfortable.
- Very durable under killer use of Tremolo, either Divebombs or Pull-ups.
- After changing strings, they get stretched quickly and you can tune your guitar easily (if you've a floating tremolo)
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| Didn't like |
- Nothing actually, They just became very rusty when I traveled to a place that humidity is high in open air (That is normal for any type of metal. No exceptions). Even though they were at their full potential and don't affect my tone at all.
- D'Addario could paint the strings with a very thin layer of zinc to prevent oxidation, so prevent rusting in such places with high humidity. That is just a suggestion. :)
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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my standard strings from the start
| Comments |
During my first few years of guitar playing, I didn't think much about which strings I would put on my guitars. Other strings were either too prone to corrosion, too brittle, too soft, etc. The day I strung my guitar with my first set of D'Addario EXL120 strings, I instantly knew that they felt right and sounded great. Even today, I judge other string brands against D'Addarios. They're that good for me.
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| Liked about it |
1. New D'Addario strings on a guitar have that certain firmness that makes playing both enjoyable and challenging. Especially when doing really fast runs on the guitar, that little extra resistance the strings exert on my pick helps me know exactly where I am whenever I play. Playing chords is also easy with these strings, with just enough lightness for you not to have hand cramps from exerting too much pressure on them. Gauge 8 strings are just too light for me, they drag your pick too much when playing fast, which would slow you down slightly. Gauge 10 strings kill my fingers both with soloing and chording, and I only use them on my training guitar for stamina drills. 9s are just right in this respect.
2. The strings are fairly easily magnetized, which keeps your playing nice and clear. Newer strings sound nice and bright, and as they wear down the tone would round up nicely, which is really nice. I don't like changing strings too often, and I really like the rounder tone of the worn strings, so it's all good for me.
3. The smooth surface of new strings make it really easy to slide up and down the neck, even without using lubricating oil. Just wipe them up before and after playing, every day and they'll stay that way for as much as two weeks.
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| Didn't like |
I live in a country where metal things get rusty real quick in open air, and the D'Addarios (and other string brands, for that matter) are no exception. With a little more care, though, they could last for quite a while. It would be great if D'Addario could come up with a sort of strings technology for tropical countries such as the Philippines, but other than that, it's great.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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Always Used On My Guitars
| Comments |
I always put them on all my guitars. They play great on every guitar I've had and played. They just have a smooth and consistent feel. I've never had one break on me. The quality is always great and I've never had a problem with a bad pack or poor quality. The colored ball ends are helpful for identifying strings and they look cool if they are put up on the headstock. I've tried Ernie Ball super slinkys and although they are good they just don't compare. I've always been able to find them at a great price as well. They also have a very cool program called players points that be redeemed for cool things on their website. They have the points located on the back of the pack as well as on all planetwaves prducts as well. The packaging is easy to get into and clearly marked. Another plus is they are made in the US.
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| Liked about it |
-The ball ends are helpful
-They are smooth and consistent
-Long life don't rust easily or quickly
-Great bright sound
-Great price
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| Didn't like |
-May buzz a little but that can be fixed with adjusting the bridge
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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My pick for ages
| Comments |
Since I started to play guitar in the late 80's I've mainly played D'Addario EXL 120. I think I've tried everything under the sun just to make sure I didn't miss something better (with guitar strings that's one of the few opportunities you have to have that mindset in life) and I always come back to these.
The feel of the strings is ideal to my style of playing and also my musical style (hard rock and heavy metal).
I've also tried a few of D'Addarios heavier gauges, both 9-46 and 10-46, when experimenting with down tuning but for normal tuning this is my go-to choice.
My hands sweat quite a bit when I play over time, and I tend to play for a few hours at the time so that leads to the strings corroding faster then usual, and even with normal good string care they don't last all that long. I tend to change them after approximately 20 hours of playing. But then again; I love the feel of brand new strings on my guitar and these strings are reasonably priced especially when bought in bulk.
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| Liked about it |
- Excellent feel and tone.
- Reasonably priced.
- The coloured balls helps identifying the strings.
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| Didn't like |
- Everyone else is praising their durability, but I'd like it if they were even more durable.
- The plastic they are packed in is hell to open if you don't have anything sharp nearby.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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EXL's, what else ?
| Comments |
I've been using d'addario stings since I started playing guitar. I never ever felt the need to change. They sound great, and I like the way they feel under the fingers. Their sound is balanced, as with all the strings they are quite bright when they are new but they mellow in a nice way over time. I never broke one while playing, so I consider them to be very reliable. They also are nicely priced, for such a good product.
One important thing to remember, is to wipe them with a cloth when you stop playing. They will last longer that way and this will prevent dirt from building up on them.
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| Liked about it |
- feel
- sound
- price
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| Didn't like |
- can't find a thing
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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Excellent all around strings.
| Comments |
I've used a lot of strings in over twenty years of playing, and I always come back to these. They're just great really. They sound fantastic, aren't prone to breakage and have a great feel. The tension is perfect on these. I like .9's for any Floyd rose based bridge system. D'Addario's have an excellent price for quality ratio. I'm sure there are some better strings maybe out there, but are they so much better that high prices are justified? I've never found that to be the case. If you want a good set of strings and don't want to break the bank just buying strings, you cannot go wrong with D'Addario's.
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| Liked about it |
Tension and feel. Long life and tone. Price is great too, they're usually one of the less expensive string sets you can buy.
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| Didn't like |
What can I say that I don't like? The only thing that comes to mind is that it'd be great if someone else would change strings on my floating bridges.. other than that nothing. Good strings, good price, good tone.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.0 |
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Great Strings
| Comments |
I usually use coated strings on my main guitars. I have several guitars, each with different attributes, and I am regularly trying different strings on them. These are some of my favorites and are my reference point when comparing the quality of other strings.
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| Liked about it |
1) I really like their consistency. From pack to pack I have never had a dead string. The tension is always equal and intonation is always accurate.
2) They work with tremolo systems well. D'Addario makes trem-specific sets, but these work fine for me. They stretch quickly and I seldom have to even make fine tuning adjustments before my next string change.
3) D'Addario has managed to keep their strings competitively priced.
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| Didn't like |
I don't get much life from non-coated strings and these are no exception. Although, these seem to last a bit longer than most.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.5 |
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Great strings, good longevity
| Comments |
I only ever use two brands - these, and Dean Markeley. I've come to that conclusion after 25 years of playing simply because I have quite acid sweat. These two brands are the only set that last more then a few days playing. I find these slightly stiffer then an equivalent set of Dean Markeley's, and as a result I think statistically I'm more likely to break the high-E of these then DM's but I still use them.
Recently I fell victim to fake guitar strings off the 'beloved' e-bay. D'Addario were great, and after I reported it sent me free of charge a set of replacements. The difference was unbelievable. The fakes where badly balanced (I though something was up when I had to rebalanced the trem), pre-corroded (!) and sounded dull. Put the real things on, and what a difference...
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| Liked about it |
The colour coded ball ends are a great idea
Easy to find anywhere
Company cares about the reputation
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| Didn't like |
Slightly stiffer then others
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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4.0 |
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Good, but Better Options Available
| Comments |
These are just your standard 9 gauge uncoated option. D'Adarrios come in this neat eco-friendly package now that I prefer, as there's no paper slips. If you don't have tons of restringing experience, the color coded ball ends are great so you can be sure you're fitting the right strings to the right place. I used to use these all the time before moving to EB. When you put them on, they have quite a bright metallic tone, which I an extremely fond of. The only problem is it doesn't seem to last, which is to be expected from uncoated 9s as they stretch and accumulate grime and oil. It almost seems to happen a bit too quickly though. Usually you can resurrect this brand new tone with some string conditioner and elbow grease, but there comes a point with these where that won't do much. The main issue I have had with these is that they seem to tarnish very easily. Once again cleaning will help immensely at first, but after a while it seems that the grime just doesn't come off. I'm guessing whatever formula they use is more susceptible to corrosion.
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| Liked about it |
-Great, bright tone when new
-Color coded if you're unsure which is which!
-Eco packaging is neat. No paper slips!
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| Didn't like |
-Prone to dirt and corrosion, more so than other sets from my experience
-Snappy tone does not last
-When these get old they get really rough and almost sticky, more so than other sets from my experience. Not fun when sliding.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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3.5 |
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An excellent set of strings
| Comments |
I have used D'Addario strings since 1990 and found them to be an excellent string. Whenever I find myself trying another brand out of curiosity, I always end up steering back to D'Addarios. For many years the EXL120s were my favorite gauge, and I found strings that were this light from other companies felt a little flimsy in comparison. The EXL120s are very smooth to play on, and have a great tone to them. I have recently moved on from their Nickel Wounds to Pro Steels for a brighter tone, and less corrosion since moving to a coastal area, however I am still with D'Addario.
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| Liked about it |
-keep their tone for longer than other brands that I have tried
-stay in tune and are durable
-are smooth to play on
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| Didn't like |
-the price in Australia
-corrosion in coastal areas is not the string's fault, however if this is a problem, try Pro Steels.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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The last strings I'll ever need!
| Comments |
I discovered these strings about 5 years ago. Previously, I was a slave to Ernie Ball--but found these D'Addario's to be on par with the popular manufacturer's strings. While the Ernie Balls are great strings, the D'Addario's are a bit less expensive. I buy in bulk, so I save even more. I rarely break D'Addario strings--it does happen, but not frequently.
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| Liked about it |
1. I love the price--they're a bit less expensive than the competition.
2. Durability--These are built to last. I rarely break them, and find them lasting for several months with proper care.
3. Nice bright sound plus the above mentioned pros will keep me a D'Addario fan for life.
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| Didn't like |
NOTHING! These strings are inexpensive, durable, and sound/feel great.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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My strings since I was a kid
| Comments |
I've been using those D'Addario strings since an Ibanez was still a dream to me. The first time I became interested on it was when I was reading Megadeth's "Countdown to Extinction" booklet, then it said Megadeth guys were endorsed by D'Addario strings. Then I bought a package. Today, I have an awesome Ibanez, and I still use the same awesome strings. These strings are high quality, they last really long if you have proper care, and they sound really clear. Also, they play really smooth, not feeling like barbwire below your fingers. The price is good for their quality, even the packaging is well made.
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| Liked about it |
1) Fair price;
2) They last long;
3) Good, clean sound.
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| Didn't like |
There is nothing I dislike on these strings.
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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There are other strings?
| Comments |
For the price and the quality, nothing touches these strings. They are balanced, have a very long life, and sound great, I don't use anything else but these. I buy them in packs of 10, and if you keep your eyes open on the popular music sale site they occasionally bundle 10pks with tuners, winders, chord dictionaries and such.... which makes a great deal even better
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| Liked about it |
balanced
excellent sounds
long life
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| Didn't like |
sometimes I prick my fingers on the cut end :)
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| Overall satisfaction: |
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5.0 |
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