D'Addario EXL117 Nickel Wound Electric Guitar Strings, Medium Top/Extra-Heavy Bottom, 11-56
Any guitarist who has ever tried to lower their tuning by a whole step or switch to Drop C knows this dilemma: maintaining a comfortable feel without the strings becoming slack, while preserving a precise attack and stable intonation. This is exactly where the D’Addario EXL117 set, in 11-56 nickel, truly shines. It offers a bright midrange for the treble strings and a really solid base for the bass strings, resulting in a balanced feel at higher tension and impeccable sustain when tuning down.
We're talking about a hybrid setup. The three treble strings offer a feel similar to a standard 11-49 set, meaning bends remain manageable, vibrato is easy to control, and there's enough resistance for confident playing. The three bass strings are a different story: 32-44-56 is a solid gauge, which is exactly what's needed to keep the notes tight and clear when tuning down.
Internal Reference:
EXL117
Main features
· Tie rods (gauges): 0.011″ (plain) · 0.014″ (plain) · 0.019″ (plain) · 0.032″ (wound) · 0.044″ (wound) · 0.056″ (wound).
· Type: hybrid set, designed for a tuning lowered by a tone (for example in D-) while maintaining a fairly comfortable playing feel.
· Materials & construction: Hexagonal high-carbon steel core (“Hex-Core”) + nickel-plated steel wrap wire (“Nickel-Plated Steel Wrap”).
· Winding: “Round Wound” type.
· Finish: untreated (uncoated).
· Recommended use: Ideal for electric guitars set to low tuning (Drop D or equivalent), thanks to its reinforced bass strings (32-44-56) offering more tension while maintaining reasonable upper gauges for fast playing.
· Made in the United States.
Main features
· Tie rods (gauges): 0.011″ (plain) · 0.014″ (plain) · 0.019″ (plain) · 0.032″ (wound) · 0.044″ (wound) · 0.056″ (wound).
· Type: hybrid set, designed for a tuning lowered by a tone (for example in D-) while maintaining a fairly comfortable playing feel.
· Materials & construction: Hexagonal high-carbon steel core (“Hex-Core”) + nickel-plated steel wrap wire (“Nickel-Plated Steel Wrap”).
· Winding: “Round Wound” type.
· Finish: untreated (uncoated).
· Recommended use: Ideal for electric guitars set to low tuning (Drop D or equivalent), thanks to its reinforced bass strings (32-44-56) offering more tension while maintaining reasonable upper gauges for fast playing.
· Made in the United States.