I have to agree about D'Addario. I've never pulled a dead string out of their sealed packaging and I can't say the same about any other brand I've tried that comes in unsealed packaging (always a good idea to check out the wound strings in paper packaging for oxidization when you can) plus they come 3 sets in a pack at a good price. Then, it's been so long since I've tried other brands that they might have caught up with D' for all I know.