Released during NAMM’s Believe in Music week in January, D’Addario introduced their XS series, a true technological breakthrough in coated strings. This groundbreaking innovation offers players maximum life, an unprecedented level of strength and stability—all without sacrificing our iconic D’Addario tone. The great news is that they’ll be available in Australia in April this year.
Led by Chief Innovation Officer, Jim D’Addario, the team incorporated D’Addario’s proprietary manufacturing processes and well-known innovations—like NY Steel high-carbon cores in the wound strings and Fusion Twist technology in the plain steels—to give XS incomparable break strength and tuning stability.
Setting XS apart from other strings is the new, impossibly thin film coating (1/10 the thickness of a human hair) that completely protects the wound strings from corrosion, without dampening the tone. This new film covering is combined with D’Addario’s proprietary dispersion coating, used in our XT line, to protect the plain steel strings as well.
“Several years ago, I posed a simple question to our team of engineers and product designers, to create the world’s greatest coated string with no tonal compromise and no slick or slippery feel,” says Jim D’Addario. “I am proud to say our team rose to every one of these incredible challenges with the new XS strings, providing the most advanced and effective defense possible to lock in your string tone.”
With the addition of XS, D’Addario now has the complete and definitive extended life string offering: The X-Series. Players can choose between XT—for enhanced life and a natural feelor XS—for maximum life and a smoother feel. The entire X-Series represents the pinnacle of tuning stability and rich, D’Addario tone.
“These new XS strings are perfect for the studio ––super smooth while reducing finger noise without sacrificing tone,” says UK fingerstyle guitarist, Mike Dawes. “They have the perfect tension, making vibrato and expression on acoustic guitar much easier. I can’t wait to take them on tour!”
XS will be available beginning in April 2021 in Phosphor Bronze string sets for acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, and mandolin in the most popular gauges.
D’Addario is the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories, marketed under several product brands: D’Addario Fretted, D’Addario Orchestral, D’Addario Woodwinds, Promark Drumsticks, Evans Drumheads, and Puresound Snare Wires. A family-owned and operated business with roots dating back to the 17th century, D’Addario now has over 1,100 employees worldwide, and manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. while utilizing Toyota’s Lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario musical accessories are distributed in 120 countries, serve more than 3,300 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and are the preferred choice of musicians worldwide such as, Keith Urban, Zac Brown, Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews, Gary Clark Jr., Chris Thile, Ry Cooder, Joe Satriani, Julia Fischer, Anderson .Paak, Kacey Musgraves and more.
XS Australian pricing:
XSAPB1047 Phosphor Bronze 10-47 $37.99 RRP
XSAPB1152 Phosphor Bronze 11-52 $37.99 RRP
XSAPB1253 Phosphor Bronze 12-53 $37.99 RRP
XSAPB1356 Phosphor Bronze 13-56 $37.99 RRP
XSAPB1047-12 Phosphor Bronze 12-String $59.99 RRP
XSM1140 Phosphor Bronze Mandolin $37.99 RRP
Contact – D’Addario Australia Pty Ltd https://www.daddario.com.au