Head to head

D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic vs Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic

The short answer is that they are different gauges (.012-.053 against .012-.054), and only one of them is coated, which is what decides how long it lasts. Below, every specification we hold for both is lined up, with the 11 rows that actually differ marked out.

D'Addario

XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic

Light .012-.053

A coated string that does not feel or sound like a coated string

7.8/104.7 (3,294)

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Ernie Ball

Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic

Medium Light .012-.054

A light set with a heavier bottom end, for a guitar that needs driving

7.3/104.7 (14,275)

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Score profile

The editorial axes for strings, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where it gains ground.

D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic7.8
Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic7.3

Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.

Specification by specification

D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic compared with Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
	XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic	Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
Brand	D'Addario	Ernie Ball
Model	XS Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic	Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
Type	Strings	Strings
Fretline score	7.8 / 10	7.3 / 10
Value for money	7 / 10	9 / 10
Amazon rating	4.7 / 5 (3,294)	4.7 / 5 (14,275)
Price	$15 - $30	Under $15
Gauges	.012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053	.012, .016, .024, .032, .044, .054
Alloy	Phosphor bronze	Phosphor bronze
Winding	Roundwound	Roundwound
Core	Hexagonal high-carbon steel	Hexagonal high-carbon steel
Coating	Ultra-thin film on the wound strings, with treated plain strings	Uncoated
Strings in the set	6	6
Sets included	1	1
Brightness	8 / 10	7 / 10
Sustain	7 / 10	7 / 10
Durability	9 / 10	6 / 10
Feel	8 / 10	7 / 10
Tuning stability	8 / 10	8 / 10
Suits	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Professional	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Professional

A marked row is one where the two differ. A highlighted cell is the stronger figure where one can be judged objectively — which, for most accessory attributes, it cannot be. Empty cells are specifications the manufacturer does not publish, never estimates.