Emerald X20 Strings

[B. Adams]

I use the same strings on both of my X20's that I use on my other guitars, Elixir PB 13-53, or HD Light. I've considered switching, but I'm not quite close enough to being out of strings yet. And they sound great on all my guitars, so I don't really have a compelling reason to change, but I'm still thinking about it. Whatever I pick, it needs to work for all my guitars. I don't want to have lots of different strings around.

The D'Addario XS look appealing, but I'll have to try them sometime and find out. I wish they made a set comparable to the 13-53 that I've been using for years. They make a light top/medium bottom set, but not the other way around. I guess they can't please everyone.

D'Addario was kind enough to send me a set of XS strings, since I have several Taylor guitars, apparently. However, they sent me a set of mediums, and I'm not sure I want to go that route. All my Taylors are GA's, and Taylor ships their GA's with lights now.

I might give the mediums a shot one of these days. I just added up the total listed difference in tension between Elixir HD Lights and D'Addario XS mediums, and it's a little less than 7lbs, which is a much smaller difference than I expected. D'Addario's XS wound strings appear to have less tension than Elixir's. Interesting.

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by B. Adams

The D'Addario XS look appealing, but I'll have to try them sometime and find out. I wish they made a set comparable to the 13-53 that I've been using for years. They make a light top/medium bottom set, but not the other way around. I guess they can't please everyone.

D'Addario was kind enough to send me a set of XS strings, since I have several Taylor guitars, apparently. However, they sent me a set of mediums, and I'm not sure I want to go that route. All my Taylors are GA's, and Taylor ships their GA's with lights now.

I might give the mediums a shot one of these days. I just added up the total listed difference in tension between Elixir HD Lights and D'Addario XS mediums, and it's a little less than 7lbs, which is a much smaller difference than I expected. D'Addario's XS wound strings appear to have less tension than Elixir's. Interesting.

I’m not normally a huge Elixir fan, BUT the HD Light set for whatever reason sound glorious on my OF660. So after owning this guitar for over 5 years and trying everything under the sun on it, I’m back to what the guitar shipped with just a different gauge.

The new XS are outstanding, I actually like them better than Elixir in both tone and feel. Since Taylor is now shipping their guitars with XS strings, and because they were behind the partnership with Elixir to develop the HD Lights, I wrote Taylor’s CS dept and they have no plans as of now to have D’addario make a similar set. I’ve also reached out directly to D’addario and they said the same thing (before Taylor even switched over to them).

I wonder if Elixir will discontinue the HD Lights now that the partnership ended? I’ve seen sets that even say “Developed Exclusively for Taylor Guitars”.

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

I’m not normally a huge Elixir fan, BUT the HD Light set for whatever reason sound glorious on my OF660. So after owning this guitar for over 5 years and trying everything under the sun on it, I’m back to what the guitar shipped with just a different gauge.

The new XS are outstanding, I actually like them better than Elixir in both tone and feel. Since Taylor is now shipping their guitars with XS strings, and because they were behind the partnership with Elixir to develop the HD Lights, I wrote Taylor’s CS dept and they have no plans as of now to have D’addario make a similar set. I’ve also reached out directly to D’addario and they said the same thing (before Taylor even switched over to them).

I wonder if Elixir will discontinue the HD Lights now that the partnership ended? I’ve seen sets that even say “Developed Exclusively for Taylor Guitars”.

I have a OF660 and run the Elixir mediums 13-56 and really like the sound.

As far as the 13-53 set goes I have taken the light set and replaced the 12 & 16 with 13 & 17. Elixir does sell them separately through Strings by Mall. You can also use other 13 & 17 strings of course.

Sorry for the thread jack but it's still string info

[moondoggie999]

Originally Posted by 121

To me the Magma Flat Phosphor Bronze 10-48 sound brighter than
D'Addario Flat Top Phosphor Bronze 10-47 strings. I can't comment how
the Magma may sound compared to Elixir, it's been years since I've played Elixir strings.
If you are concerned if the Magma Flat strings sound dull or muddy, they do not.
They are clean and ring out very well.
The flattened polished wound string surface on the Magma strings is very smooth,
noticeably smoother then D'Addario Flat Top but not quite as smooth as D'Addario Chromes which to me feel slippery smooth.

Hey 121 thanks for the heads up on these. I’ll have to try them.