D'addario and Taylor Guitars

[personatech]

Originally Posted by skouri1

i never thought i would see this, particularly after HD light development with elixir.
are taylors no longer coming with elixir at all? (can't watch video out loud, at work)

The email I received was from Taylor. not D'Addario. The USA Select models get XS first, then the rest of the American line, then the Mexican Taylors. So, for a while, you can still get a Taylor with Elixers.

FWIW, I've tried both Elixer Nanowebs and D'Addario XS's on my FGX3, and I much prefer the D'Addarios. Months later, they still sound fresh. The swap may have been driven by the bottom line, or it may have been because of some intercompany snafu, but I'd like to think it's simply because the D'Addarios make Taylor's guitars a little bit better.

[Carolina Blues]

I don't know this for a fact but I've read it many times over the years, that Elixir strings are actually made by D'Addario. Elixir coated them, but the actual strings were D'Addario. If that's true then this is very interesting.

Also these are purely my ponderings and mine alone:

I think D'Addario developed the XS strings because they did indeed supply Elixir, but they changed suppliers so D'Addario said 'well we will show you!'

OR

During the pandemic, Elixir stopped producing strings to concentrate on other things as strings are not their primary product (that part is fact). This made folks like Taylor upset because all of a sudden they couldn't get strings, so they reached out to see if anyone else could do something similar.

Again, just guessing here.

[beninma]

I changed my Taylor over to the XS strings last year, then proceeded to put them on my electric guitars as well over time.

They're really fantastic strings, this doesn't surprise me.

They last so long I forget when I put them on and then the guitars get grungy cause they haven't had a deep clean since I usually do that at a string change. Not so much the Taylor cause of it's finish but the electric guitars get dirty.

I have always felt like the Elixirs always feel a little stiffer in the same gauges then D'addario. If Elixirs are actually D'addario strings with an Elixir coating that's rather interesting.

NYXL -> XT -> XS are all using new alloys if you believe D'addario so they are going to be different from the Elixirs in that regard that if they were keeping the new Alloys to themselves.

To a certain extent I don't see why this is that big of a deal, if you like Elixirs you can always change a Taylor that came with XS strings to Elixirs and vise versa.

I'd also be curious about environmental impact of the different coatings.. Gore has used a lot of really nasty chemicals over the years, they are in a position where they are having to transition off those for some other products they make, the strings could theoretically have to change too. Strings might not use that much of the chemicals but they get tossed a lot more frequently than Gore-Tex garments or boots.

[fedexnman]

Yeah , I got emails from both Taylor and D'addario today or yesterday.... I thought Taylor owned Elixir ? Guess I was wrong . Lol .

[guitararmy]

As an aside, the early Taylor guitars were strung from the factory with something like the D’Addario EJ 16 strings…

[1neeto]

My 214 has the elixirs I put about two years ago and they still sound great. Before the elixir I was using Daddario EJ-16’s and it sounded great too. Mine is an older 214 with solid sapele b/s and made in USA if that matters.

[usb_chord]

Originally Posted by TBman

I wonder who messed up that business relationship (Taylor/Elixir). I'm sure there was a lot of finger pointing going on at Elixir's HQ when that went down.

With the XS strings, D'add has finally created something of an "Elixir killer", as far as I'm concerned. Since the Nanowebs, Elixir has been sorta resting on their laurels.

[fedexnman]

I usually don't ..... But..... I think I'm going to give XS a shot next string change . I've always liked D'addario before I used Elixir.

[TiffanyGuitar]

I am in the midst of using up some Elixirs and switching to XS. I believe the XS strings are better and last longer than Elixirs and I was a huge Elixir fan for years. 2 of mine have XS on them, one, the 12 string, has had the same set for 9 months and they still sound fresh. And no shedding. Amazing.

[martingitdave]

I switched to XS on all my guitars. Not sure I switched for the same reasons as Taylor. I presume their decision was price first and innovation second. My reasoning was that the XS sounded good and we’re easier on my fingers than Martin Lifespan 2.0.

[luecack]

Came stock on my AD27e back in 2020, but the rumor mill said it was due to supply chain issues. Now It appears they were testing the waters.

[4-string]

I love most things D'Addario, the classical strings in particular, and will surely give those XS strings a go at some point. Not a fan of coated strings usually, but suspect these are 2.0.

Taylor's marketing flannel on the other hand is really a huge turn off. Always has been, and with Andy Powers it is totally incorrigible.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by luecack

Came stock on my AD27e back in 2020, but the rumor mill said it was due to supply chain issues. Now It appears they were testing the waters.

When they released the GS mini bass years ago, D’Addario made a special string set for them. I think that may have been the genesis. Perhaps supply chain was the impetus to switch?

[sinistral]

This has to be a huge blow to Elixir. This is like McDonald’s changing ketchup suppliers.

[TBman]

I like both the Elixir and D'Addario's XS. I'm wondering, are they the same string, just put in different packaging?