Description
The EXL117 set from D’Addario’s XL Nickel Wound line takes a hybrid approach to gauging, pairing lighter plain strings with a beefed-up wound bottom end. It’s a smart choice for guitarists who tune down a whole step to D and want their low strings to hold pitch and tone without going floppy, while the top strings stay comfortable for bending and lead work.
Every string starts with nickel-plated steel wrapped around a hexagonal high-carbon steel core. That six-sided core shape isn’t just tradition — the flat edges bite into the wrap wire during winding, locking it in place so the string resists slipping and holds its tuning stability over long sets or heavy drop-tuned riffing. The nickel plating itself is what gives XL strings their signature bright, articulate voice, a sound that’s become a reference point across rock, blues, and countless other styles.
Construction is round wound, meaning you get that classic textured feel under the fingers that most players grew up on — familiar, grippy, and responsive whether you’re picking cleanly or digging in hard.
- String gauges: Plain steel .011, .014, .019 / Nickel wound .032, .044, .056
- Hybrid gauging designed around whole-step-down (D) tuning
- Round wound nickel-plated steel for a bright, defined tone
- Hexagonal high-carbon steel core for a tight, durable wrap
- Corrosion-resistant packaging keeps strings fresh until you break the seal
- Made in the U.S.A. on D’Addario’s precision winding machines
Every set is produced on D’Addario’s proprietary, computer-controlled winding equipment with rigorous incoming wire checks, so the pack you open plays as consistently as the last one — and the next.
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