Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 6 stores. Prices updated .

Sweetwater
5.0 (5)
$8.49 $6.49 $2.00 · All time low
Guitar Center
5.0 (21)
$8.49 $6.49 $2.00 · All time low
Amazon
4.8 (199)
$6.49
Musician's Friend
4.0 (18)
$8.49 $6.49 $2.00 · All time low
Thomann
4.7 (599)
$6.90

Price History

Based on price data from 4 merchants for "D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.

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Description

Unleash your musical potential with the D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings, the perfect match for guitarists seeking a robust and versatile sound. These strings are engineered to deliver a bright and versatile tone suitable for blues, jazz, and rock, making them a staple for countless musicians worldwide. Crafted with a nickel-plated steel wrap wire wound around a hexagonal steel core, they promise a snappy attack and smooth sustain while ensuring excellent tuning stability and intonation.

Designed for electric guitars, the D'Addario EXL115 strings offer a balanced tension that facilitates smooth bends and vibrant performance. Their medium gauge configuration (11-49) strikes an ideal balance between playability and projection, allowing you to explore a dynamic range of musical expressions. Whether you're performing on stage or practicing in the studio, the EXL115 strings maintain their tone and feel, thanks to D'Addario's precision winding technique.

With corrosion-resistant packaging and color-coded ball ends, these strings are as convenient as they are reliable. Embrace the tradition and innovation of D'Addario, a name synonymous with quality and craftsmanship since 1680, and elevate your guitar's sound to new heights.

Key Features:

  • Nickel-plated steel wrap for bright, versatile tones
  • Hexagonal steel core for enhanced stability and intonation
  • Medium gauge (11-49) for balanced playability and projection
  • Roundwound construction for a familiar playing feel
  • Precision winding for consistent quality
  • Corrosion-resistant packaging for freshness
  • Color-coded ball ends for easy string changes

Product specs

Guitar Type Electric Guitar
Number of Strings 6
Coated No
Gauges .011, .014, .018, .028, .038, .049
Core Material Steel
Winding Material Nickel Plated Steel
Winding Type Round Wound

FAQs

What are the benefits of using D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings for electric guitars?

D'Addario EXL115 strings offer a balanced tone with a bright sound and excellent intonation. The nickel-plated steel winding provides durability and a smooth feel, making them ideal for a wide range of musical styles.

Are D'Addario EXL115 strings suitable for drop tuning?

Yes, the medium gauge (.011-.049) of the D'Addario EXL115 strings offers more tension, which can be beneficial for maintaining tuning stability in drop tunings.

How do the D'Addario EXL115 strings compare to lighter gauge strings?

The D'Addario EXL115 strings, being medium gauge, provide a fuller tone and more volume compared to lighter gauge strings. They require more finger strength but offer greater control and sustain.

What type of winding is used in D'Addario EXL115 strings?

D'Addario EXL115 strings use round wound nickel-plated steel, which contributes to their bright tone and smooth playability.

Do D'Addario EXL115 strings work well for blues and rock music?

Yes, the D'Addario EXL115 strings are well-suited for blues and rock due to their bright tone and the ability to handle aggressive playing styles.

Rob Chapman

Rob Chapman

D'Addario String Gauge Shoot Out - Can You Tell The Difference??

Video thumbnail for D'Addario String Gauge Shoot Out - Can You Tell The Difference?? by Rob Chapman

D'Addario String Gauge Shoot Out - Can You Tell The Difference??

Rob Chapman

Rob Chapman

Video thumbnail for D'Addario Nickel Wound vs D'Addario Pro Steels! (is there a difference in tone?) by Liam MacLean

D'Addario Nickel Wound vs D'Addario Pro Steels! (is there a difference in tone?)

Liam MacLean

Liam MacLean

Video thumbnail for Heavy Vs Light guitar strings - featuring D'Addario NYXL and XL by Adam Steel

Heavy Vs Light guitar strings - featuring D'Addario NYXL and XL

Adam Steel

Adam Steel

Reviews

PROS

  • Perfect balance for C# Standard and Drop B tunings

  • Long service life and exceptional tuning stability

  • Fat, bright tone suitable for rock, blues, and country

  • Reliable and rarely break, even with heavy use

  • Affordable with bulk buying options to keep strings fresh

  • Versatile across multiple guitar models and tunings

  • Easy string identification with color-coded ends

  • Excellent for both electric and some acoustic guitar applications

  • Maintains tone well over extended use

CONS

  • May cause buzzing if setup isn't adjusted for gauge change

  • Packaging inconsistency can be confusing

  • Not ideal for some metal music styles

  • Might require adjustment for players switching from lighter gauge strings

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49.

Setup and maintenance

  • Slight setup tweaks may be needed due to minor tension differences between 11-49 (117.11 lbs) and 10-52 (119.68 lbs) sets.

    Source
  • Players recommend using 11-gauge strings for down-tuning, as they maintain tension better than lighter strings in lower tunings.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • 10-52 sets are preferred for archtop guitars to maintain pressure on floating bridges without feeling too massive on high strings.

    Source
  • 10-52 strings are favored for tremolo picking and bashy rhythm parts, especially in D standard tuning.

    Source
  • 11-gauge strings are favored by some for heavy riffing in metal due to their ability to handle hard picking without losing pitch.

    Source

User experience

  • Fast picking on lower strings is facilitated by the 10-52 gauge, while achieving 1 1/2 step bends on higher strings is also feasible.

    Source
  • Some users report difficulty bending 11-gauge strings in standard tuning, suggesting 9s or 10s for beginners.

    Source

Comparisons

  • While 11s are used by some for sludge metal, players note that 10-52 sets offer a balance for heavy riffing and soloing across multiple tunings, from E standard to drop C.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Heavier string gauges like 11s can enhance attack and sustain, though they require more effort to play, impacting playability for beginners.

    Source
Add

5.0 out of 5

Based on 14 Reviews and 67 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
faber_fdm

After 25 years of playing, I can surely say that these are my favorite strings ever!

I'm not very faithful when it comes to strings. I've used several brands and gauges, alternatively. After 25 years, I can say it: these (and the EPN115, which are very close) are by far my favorites. This is not something that you realize when you play them on a day-to-day basis but opt for anything else for a few months and when you finally get back to D'Addario, you really feel the difference. These strings are reliable, they sound good from day 1 (not shiny bright like some competing brand I will not mention). They never break (and by NEVER I mean that I've never broken one during all these years). And they're cheap. In fact, I feel sorry for D'Addario but they have plenty of high-end strings that they advertise as having more durability and playability but these, the cheapest strings in their line, are already so satisfying that I see no opportunity for an upgrade. Also, what I like about the 11-49 is that they work for all my guitars: they're as good on my 21 frets Fender, 22 frets Gibson or 24 frets Cort, and they're as good whether I use a EADGBE or a DADGAD tuning.

D

The best strings for electric guitar I've tried so far.

I'm using these strings for over a year now and they didn't show any bad sides. They stay in tune very well, which is a thing I very much appreciate, because that way I can pick up the guitar just for a really quick few chords or something and I don't need to worry that it sounds horrible. They keep their tone very well and it's not a too big fading in tone between new and used string. They offer a good feeling, which is very important. I find when you are using the guitar a lot, you don't want to be unhappy with the feeling the string gives you. You can fingerpick them as well what makes you feel a little like Mark Knopfler ;)

A very cool side-effect of using these. You can redeem points on D'Addario's player's circle.

ignatiusshow

Bright, durable and hold the tension well

I'm a huge Ernie Ball lover, but I must say this is durable strings with bright glass tone and they keep the guitar in tune very well. Perfect for both electric and acoustic guitars in E-flat

cat_is_queen

Great

These are actually really good for the price. They sound good too. I like these

fuzzbox8

EXCELLENT STRINGS

You can’t go wrong with D’Addario strings. I used to play with Dean Markleys but I found those breaking too easily. I play punk rock and these survive all the constant fast downstrokes. Highly recommended.

solusash

Best Strings

These are what are on all my electrics. I mean, I'm not sure what you can say about this, other than they're amazing strings. They have a great sound, they feel great to play on them, they don't die for AGES... And as a bass player mostly, these let me do my bends on a guitar without fear of a break.

D

Buzz

I've been using Ernie Ball 2223 on my Les Paul Studio and wanted to try EXL115. The low E started to buzz a lot. I thought it was due to the gauge change (.9 to .11). I thought it needed some adjustments on the bridge, truss rod... But before trying that, I removed the strings and restring my guitar with Ernie Ball 2720 (also .11). Where is the buzz?! Gone! And more: it nailed every string tune. Maybe someday I will try EXL 115 againg, but any time soon. Now my favorite strings are Ernie Ball 2223 and Ernie Ball 2720. I know not setting up the guitar when changing the string gauge is an illusion. But that was my experience.

lucio_alexandre

Good

I use it on my les paul with tuning half step down or C or drop D or C.

metal_messiah

My strings of choice

These are one of the sets I use when I play. Except I customized this set by adding a .42 for the A-string and .60 for the E. It gives me a much more beefy sound since I have a heavy_pick_hand. Dave Grohl uses this exact set that's why I use it also. \m/

dragoz292

Good.

Well every string is good and unique in its own way. this is not a fit for me mainly because I play metal music but it ain't a bad string.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Bill Frisell uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Bill Frisell

Guitarist

The Bill Frisell Band

...
Verified via Jazzguitar

The Jazzguitar article "Bill Frisell Guitars, Amps & Effects" details that Bill Frisell uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings (11-49) as part of his setup.

See how Kurt Ballou uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Kurt Ballou

Guitarist, Music Producer

Converge

...
Verified via Angelfire

According to a source on Angelfire, Kurt Ballou uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings with a gauge of 11-49.

See how Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman

Guitarist

The Offspring

...
Verified via Premierguitar

All his guitars are sttrung with D'Addario .011-.049 strings.

See how Sam Fender uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Sam Fender

Singer, Guitarist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified via Twitter

Visible in this Twitter post by Fender. The strings were mentioned in the 2021 Premier Guitar interview.

See how Josh Middleton uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Josh Middleton

Singer, Guitarist

The Architects

...
Verified via YouTube

At 0:32, Josh says he uses 11-49 D'Addario strings.

See how Nergal uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Nergal

Guitarist

Behemoth

...
Verified via Daddario

According to the D'addario website Behemoth uses these strings

See how Vince Gill uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Vince Gill

Guitarist, Singer

Eagles

...
Verified via Daddario

Vince Gill uses D'addario strings per D'addario website

See how Poison Ivy uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Poison Ivy

Guitarist, Composer

The Cramps

...
Verified via Vintage Guitar® magazine

In this article from Vintage Guitar Magazine (November 2003), Poison Ivy states that she uses D’Addario XL115 strings (.011-.049 gauge).

See how Nancy Wilson uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Nancy Wilson

Guitarist

Heart

...
Verified via YouTube

At 23:03 in the video "Heart's Nancy Wilson Rig Rundown with Ryan Wariner & Ryan Waters," Nancy Wilson's guitar tech, Nathan McMurdo, confirms the use of D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49 on her Hard Knock Flying V guitar, as documented by Premier Guitar on YouTube.

See how Jim James uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Jim James

Singer, Guitarist

My Morning Jacket

...
Verified via Photo

According to an article in Premier Guitar, Jim James uses D’Addario EXL115 sets to string up his electric guitars. Original article, dated June 2011, can be found here.

See how Jade Puget uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Jade Puget

Singer, Guitarist

AFI

...
Verified via Uberproaudio

Jade Puget uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings (11-49) as part of his guitar rig, as detailed on Uberproaudio.

See how Joel Stroetzel uses D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49

Joel Stroetzel

Guitarist

Killswitch Engage

...
Verified via Premierguitar

In Premier Guitar interview done with members of Killswitch Engage, it has been mentioned that Stroetzel uses D'Addario EXL115 guitar strings.

Album Usage

The D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49 has been featured on the following albums:

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use D'Addario EXL115 Nickelwound Guitar Strings 11-49, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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