NAMM 2021: D’Addario announces XS, a “breakthrough in coated strings”

NAMM 2021: D’Addario has introduced XS, a range of strings with a new approach to coating.

The XS’ wound string’s protection from corrosion comes in the form of a new “impossibly thin film coating,” reportedly a tenth of the thickness of a human hair. The ultra-thin nature of the coating means that the tone is far less affected than it would be by a heavier coating, according to D’Addario. The new coating is combined with D’Addario’s dispersion coating (also found in its XT range) to also protect the plain strings.

At the core of the wound strings is a high carbon core, while D’Addario’s own Fusion Twist technology is used for the plain strings, a combination that the brand says leads to “incomparable break strength and tuning stability.”

Jim D’Addario said of XS’ introduction: “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.

“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 defence possible to lock in your string tone.”

The strings will be available beginning in April 2021, coming in the form of Phosphor Bronze string sets for acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, and mandolin. Prices will range from $17.99 for a 6-string acoustic and mandolin set, and $24.99 for a 12-string acoustic set.

See more at daddario.com. For more from NAMM 2021, see our hub here.