Started out with D'Addario half-rounds on my LP copy until my fingers toughened up, then moved to XL. Moved to Fender Super Bullets, because that's what came on my '78 Strat. Went to EB Super Slinky until the late 80s, when I switched to Dean Markley Blue Steel. Noticed that they increased fret wear, so I went back to EB Regular Slinky. Stuck with those until last year, when I went to DR "Pure Blues" 9-46. I like the feel and sound from the nickel strings. I have no problem with D'Addario, and if EB's were not in stock when I needed strings in the 90s, I buy them, but I don't like the colored ball ends on my top-loaders.
LOL...I would feel the same way, and it makes perfect sense that you wouldn't want your bridge plate to look like a Christmas tree. I would say that is the perfect, indisputable reason for not using the D'Add's in that case.
Been playing since 1971. I've tried them ALL ! "Lay's" S-I-T 10's DO stay in tune, keep great tone, hardly ever break. Small company here in Akron, Ohio...Dan Auerbach endorses them, the word is getting out, try them. https://sitstrings.com/
I know for sure that there are many fewer string manufacturers than there are string brands. It's a closely-guarded secret as to which strings are exactly the same, just in a different package. I get strings in bulk from webstrings.com If you read his website (and I've spoken to him several times), it has language to the tune of, "I get my strings from a major manufacturer...you know their name...but I'm sworn to secrecy."
This is what I was going to point out but wasn't sure about this in this industry. But this is the case in pretty much every industry. There are many times a few manufactures making things for several people. But they aren't always the same spec or the same thing. I'm sure most of you guys know that but for the younger folk.... I used to install furniture and in northern suburb of milwaukee I installed some office furniture one time at a gasket manufacture. They had files on all the big three car companies plus some imports. I recall seeing Acura. Which kind of made me feel better about imports. In that case they were giving business to a local company. Although I still buy Fords.
Thats great! 2 Bucks a set. I'm paying almost double that for the Sting Joy. And I have a set on every guitar except one, I ran out of strings and could only finfd the D'Adario's NYXL around here. (Have to order the String Joy's) Can get a bit expensive stringing up every guitar with those.
