Electric guitar strings

[OhSh1rt]

What do you use? What style of music? What size?

go go go.

edit:

For me: D'Addario 10's for practice, Ernie Ball 10's for gigs


I love the feel/sound of ernie ball's but they break to easy. I've tried thicker strings but my locking tuners don't seem to hold on to well to 13's


-jeffrey

[faderbug]

i've always been content with fender bullets, 009 or 010, depending on my mood.

[Henry Mars]

I have been using Darco's and Dean Markley's for years they work well for me.

I also used to use DiAngelica Electric Gold Flat wounds ... I don't think that they make them any more ... these were the best flats I ever used.

[travelin travis]

ghs boomers, 10-46, strat. blues / rock / folk........some where in there. love the sound, hate the breakage. my bend/slide ratio is 90/10. slinkies and d'addario's snap much quicker for me. maybe time to try bullets again but they sound alot different than the boomers.

[Track Rat]

GHS 10-48. Absolutely the best strings, overall, that I've ever used. I'm a string breaker (heavy left hand). The Boomers last longer than any other string I've ever used and I've been through them all. When you're playing out a lot, nothing will piss you off more than chronic string breakage. The Fender Bullits were by far the worst strings I've ever used (sorry faderbug ). It seemed I could just give them a dirty look and they'd snap.

[travelin travis]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

GHS 10-48. Absolutely the best strings, overall, that I've ever used. I'm a string breaker (heavy left hand). The Boomers last longer than any other string I've ever used and I've been through them all. When you're playing out a lot, nothing will piss you off more than chronic string breakage. The Fender Bullits were by far the worst strings I've ever used (sorry faderbug ). It seemed I could just give them a dirty look and they'd snap.

I'm glad someone is on the same page with me on the string breaking thing. I listened to too much SRV when I was younger and as a result my hands think they have to push strings until my fingers are in my eye.

[_brian_]

now i always use fender bullets, used to use roto pinks - might try them again for old time sake. Fender bullets last ages with me & i use strange tunings?

[David Katauskas]

I play mostly metal on my electrics. So far, the GHS Boomers 10-52 have done me good.

[nevome]

ernie ball power slinkys. blues and alt-rock/punk. Until recently I wasn't aware they made anything heavier, next time I change strings I'll go up to not even slinkys. I found heavier strings to have a smaller oscilation and can get my action lower without buzzing.

Also thats strange man, the locking tuners on my strat and mustang never had a probelm with thicker ernies, well I guess I've only gone to 11 so far .

[scrubs]

D'Addario 10's for recording. Elixir 10's for just general. I don't like the tone of the Elixirs very well, but they last much longer than the D'Addarios.

[grindpaul]

i used to use DR 10s, but then i was like damn this is emptying my wallet. then i bought a 10 pack of slinkys for 30 bucks.. the best thing about DR's though is that u dont have to strech them and they stay in perfect tune. i'd get DRs all the time if money wasnt an issue.

oh, i tried to put d'addario 13-56 on my gibson sg and it sounded like vomit. i thought it would just be much bassier, but it was to the extreme.. clean sounded decent, but distortion...

now i just get slinky 10s and im content

[Dogman]

Big ole heavy shit, tuned to Low B....have no idea what size really, but I think they are Ernie Ball.

[CIRO]

Dean Markley Blue steel (0.10 - .46)

is the best to me .

[Anfontan]

I have used 10-46 gauge for years now...I think since about 1974. Ernie Ball slinkies were my brand for a long time, now Darco or whatever I can get in bulk for a low price. When I have tried thinner I have regretted it, my hands would overstretch when bending strings, I need the string to fight back a little as I stretch it!

[mop93]

Ernie Ball slinky, different gauges for different guitars. I like Extra and Regular mostly though.

For acoustic I use Takamine Lights on my Yamaha.

[beezelbubba]

Al dente vermicelli for my six string,steamed asparagus for my electric bass!

[vcgeetar]

For recording and gigs I use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 10-46 for practicing or doing more jazzy or blues type stuff ill use Power Slinky 11-48. I just like the heavier strings for building up strength in my fingers then when i switch back to 10's i just feel like im playing on air. :-)

[Bondo]

On my Gibsons I play Dean Markley Med Nickle Steels (11-52)

On my strat, hollowbody and old Peavey I play D'Adario or Balls. (10's)

I use this for rock, country, and anything else.

[gvarko]

Slinky 10's = For everything

[cephus]

I use green slinkies, too (10-46) and break them, especially D strings. I play your basic rock and roll/rockabilly.

What strings don't break as easily? I had a box of D'Addarios and I never noticed a difference, but hated the packaging. Give me one envelope per string please.

[hungovermorning]

Looks like I'm the only, but Gibson Vintage Reissue 10-46s for shows. They sound incredible for about a week, better thgan any other string, then they start to lose tone pretty steeply. I change them so often it really doesn't matter though. If you're going to record though, try a set, I've had the exact same set up with different strings and couldn't figure out what was wrong with my tone and sustain. They make that much of a difference.

[Tadpui]

D'Addario 11s. I just love the sound of a Les Paul strung with 11s. There's something about that open A string that just can't be imitated.

I've bounced around to several different brands over the years and the D'Addario electrics have been my go-to string for about 5 or 6 years now. Before that, the only brand I was true to was Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky. I played on those for several years, but yes I had problems with chronic breakage. The D'Addarios don't seem to do that, but I don't play out anymore so its not really a fair comparison.

I kinda like D'Addario's packaging. Less trash left over when I'm done, and its all recyclable (we have curb-side recycling and a limit of 2 trash bags/week, so every bit of trash saved is a plus).

[Dumby]

Ernie Ball's yellow(.10-.46 I think)on my Jackson...I used to put the pink ones on but I'm busting the high E way too much. I'm due for a change again soon...Once in a while, I find it's good for your fingers to play with a little stiffer strings, kinda like a heavy workout here and there.

[Track Rat]

Originally Posted by cephus

I use green slinkies, too (10-46) and break them, especially D strings. I play your basic rock and roll/rockabilly.

What strings don't break as easily? I had a box of D'Addarios and I never noticed a difference, but hated the packaging. Give me one envelope per string please.

GHS Boomers.

[metalhead28]

I used an Ernie Ball hybrid set, 10-52, for the longest time.
I used these in both standard tuning and sometimes a full step down. Lately I switched to 9-46's and I play in standard tuning all the time.
I've never had significant breakage issues and I am a frequent 2 step bender so go figure.
The only strings I occasionally broke were the low E or A just from agressive picking when I was gigging. I never noticed that any brand fared better than any other in that department. These days, I always change strings before they have a chance to break, (usually a few weeks, maybe a month on a set).
I have also never noticed an advantage to heavier treble strings. Heavier bottom strings obviously play and sound tighter, but with the treble strings I greatly prefer the feel of lighter strings and I don't notice a difference in the sound. I like my guitar to work with me instead of against me. I also like to do big bends without ripping the flesh off of my fingers after a long playing session. That's why I think hybrid sets are a must. I suppose if I was still tuning down at all I'd be using the 10-52's but it's the 9-46's for now.