D'Addario Beta Testing

[vindibona1]

I'm not sure they can claim "thinnest coating in the industry" as Santa Cruz uses "vapor coating". How much thinner can you get than vapor????

[rlb9682]

Originally Posted by Blueser100

I’ve tried to like D’Addario strings but they turn my fingers black. I hope the coating prevents it. I’ll stick with Elixirs and Martins in the meantime.

lol, Elixirs do that to me but not the D'addario strings. It's funny how to me the different reactions of strings to players.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I'm not sure they can claim "thinnest coating in the industry" as Santa Cruz uses "vapor coating". How much thinner can you get than vapor????

Vaporized vapor? [emoji3]

Best,
Jayne

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

Vaporized vapor? [emoji3]

Best,
Jayne

Oh oh, the secret's out!

[dkoloff]

Just approved for this testing.....done it several times over the years, something fun to do and forces you to get some extra playing time in.

[Blueser100]

I’m loving them so far. [emoji4]

[kathyson]

D'Addario sent me some EXP16DCB. I'm assuming these are light guage. I don't have a guitar that uses light guage, so wondering what to use them on. My OM uses 19's, my Dread uses mediums. Only guitar I can think of using these on is my wifes little Larrivee. We'll see.....

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by T Texas

Mine came in the other day. They say EXP11 something or other. I sure hope that doesn't mean they are 11's. I feel obliged to keep them on for the month that they ask and I really don't want to play 11's. I haven't opened the package yet.

These are the ones I got - EXP11DCB. Looking at the D'Addario website, the current EXP11 set is 80/20 Bronze, 012-053, Light Gauge, so I expect this beta set will be the same.

[Photojeep]

I received mine a couple days ago and put them on my Martin DRS2. EPX16DCB is the model #. At first they had a very harsh sound, almost too abrasive but then after letting them sit for about 5 minutes they mellowed out very nicely.

It's been a while since I've used the "old" EPX16 strings so I can't say if they have less string noise but I THINK they have less. At the very least, I'm not too bothered by the string noise I'm hearing so far.

So far I'm liking them a lot but it is early yet...

Best,
PJ

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by kathyson

D'Addario sent me some EXP16DCB. I'm assuming these are light guage. I don't have a guitar that uses light guage, so wondering what to use them on. My OM uses 19's, my Dread uses mediums. Only guitar I can think of using these on is my wifes little Larrivee. We'll see.....

I got the same ones. I use mostly lights anyway as I no longer have dreads. I think most acoustics can take lights.

[Dave Abrahamson]

Just got selected for Beta testing Elixir strings,
Anyone else get the email from them?
I applied and was selected...again! :-)

Congratulations! You’ve been selected to become a guitar strings product tester.

As a strings product tester, we will mail you a free trial set of .012-.053 gauge, 80/20 bronze acoustic guitar strings to the address you provided in your online survey. We will be mailing these trial sets and you should receive them within the next 2 weeks.

Once you receive your trial set, please put them on your acoustic guitar and try them out! Once you’ve had a chance to play them for about a week, we ask that you complete a brief 5-minute online survey at the address printed on the cover letter with your trial set.

At the end of the 4 week trial period, we ask that you complete a second brief 5-minute online survey at the address printed on the cover letter with your trial set.

Once you have completed the survey the strings are yours to keep!

Thanks again, and we look forward to hearing your feedback!

[Wildgift]

Originally Posted by Dave Abrahamson

Just got selected for Beta testing Elixir strings,
Anyone else get the email from them?
I applied and was selected...again! :-)

Congratulations! You’ve been selected to become a guitar strings product tester.

As a strings product tester, we will mail you a free trial set of .012-.053 gauge, 80/20 bronze acoustic guitar strings to the address you provided in your online survey. We will be mailing these trial sets and you should receive them within the next 2 weeks.

Once you receive your trial set, please put them on your acoustic guitar and try them out! Once you’ve had a chance to play them for about a week, we ask that you complete a brief 5-minute online survey at the address printed on the cover letter with your trial set.

At the end of the 4 week trial period, we ask that you complete a second brief 5-minute online survey at the address printed on the cover letter with your trial set.

Once you have completed the survey the strings are yours to keep!

Thanks again, and we look forward to hearing your feedback!

I am a players club member. How does one apply to be a beta tester?

Thanks!

[kathyson]

Installed the EXP16DBC strings on my Collings OM-42G. Not sure as to why they sent a light guage set as I normally use EXP-19's on the OM and Mediums, (EXP-17) on a Collings Dred. The only guitar in the house that uses light guage is my wife's small Larrivee. Anyway, my impressions so far are.
Slightly less fingering noise;
Stiffer feel. I bend the snot out of strings and these are deffinately stiff in feel.
Slightly brighter than the EXP-19's. Could be due to the lighter guage.
Jury is out so far. If I had to choose right now, at this time I'd prefer the standard EXP's.

[jaymarsch]

I put the EXP16DCBs on my Wingert E - 12 fret deep body grand concert. To my ears on this guitar, they sounded full and balanced right out of the gate. They felt stiffer than the EXP16s that I have used before and still felt rough to me. String noise seemed just about the same to me maybe a hair less. The trebles feel more like the trebles that I tried from the Santa Cruz sets - nice, fat feel - but the wounds feel rougher and stiffer. There was a brilliance that I enjoyed with the Santa Cruz strings that I had tried on this guitar that I miss. These strings seem closer to that tone than regular EXPs. I am looking forward to hearing how they settle in over the next several weeks.

Best,
Jayne

[markrj]

Another set arrived for steel string. Installing them today.