Favorite Strings

[DaveH]

Curious what everyone else is using. That, and I've never started a poll before! Anyway, I've been using GHS Boomers for quite some time, usually 10-46 sets and sometimes 10-52 skinny top/heavy bottoms....they sound good, wear reasonably well, and have a somewhat solid feel to them. Good all-around strings. What's your preference?

[MCChris]

Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys 9-46. Nice girth from the wound strings, nice shake from the plain strings. I've used 'em for more than 10 years now; can't remember the last time I broke one.

[elduave]

I'll play any brand of 10-52's but I appreciate a manufacturer that uses individual envelopes for each string (GHS) as opposed to a plastic pouch for all six (D'addario).

[pesocaster]

D'Addario ..... 11-49

went through a DR phase.... but after paying top dollar and having too many bad sets switched back... the D'Addarios are just way more consistent.... for me at least..

I agree with El though... the packaging sucks .. although I do think the sealed plastic bag keeps them fresher longer ....

Edited to add: I think body chemistry has a lot to do with longevity of strings ... I kill GHS's in about an hour of solid playing... dead as a doornail...

[bruce919]

I buy pure nickel wrap string because they seem to last quite a bit longer the plated strings. I HATE to cahnge strings.

The Nickel string seem a bit brighter sounding.

Ernie Ball or Fender seem to be the cheapist of the pure Nickel wraps.

[lonote049]

D'Addario strings almost all the way. I use 10 - 52's on the Echotone and Chromes (flatwounds) on my fretted basses. I still prefer GHS Brite Flats for my fretless Jazz Bass.

[Caddie]

GHS Nickel Rockers™ 10-46

Rollerwound Pure Nickel

Wrapped with a round, pure nickel cover, which is slightly flattened by metal rollers during the winding process.

Bright sounding, great feeling strings.

I like the feel of the slightly flattened strings and it reduces the noise from fingers sliding.

Noonan

[edgar_allan_poe]

Snake Oil Vintage 10-46

Best strings I have ever tried...

They are expensive though....

[Jeff R]

D'Addario 10-46 on my bucker guitars (Centaura and the Jackson camostrat). I don't mind the single package and I think that corrosion bag gives them much better shelf life.

DR Pure Blues 10-46 on my hotrodded G&L Legacy.

[HamerHokie]

Snake Oil Vintage 10-46

Best strings I have ever tried...

They are expensive though....

I'm using the Rock version of those now and have to say I'm extremely pleased with tone and feel. Longevity test underway.

[thecajunboy]

Ernie Ball 10s on everything I have.

[wyldbil]

My fingers cause any strings I use to die pretty quickly (and I have tried all but the hi$$$ strings like Snake Oil & Elixir) so they are all the same to me. I buy whatever is on sale for <$2 per set and stock up. So it's all about price to me.

Edited to add:

My string drawer is a virtual flea market of various bargain priced strings.

[elduave]

I agree with Peso. It's all about how your fingers react with wire and wood. I can have a set of strings on for a month + of regular playing and they will retain their chrome color. But, if I hand my guitar to Carlos (cuz and co-guitarist/singer in Down With The Man) for 5 minutes the strings will come back black.

[JohnnyB]

I like different strings for different guitars.

I have a hollowbody Gretsch (MIK) jazz box; I like D'Addario Chromes (real flatwounds) on that.

I like pure nickel wrap strings (especially Ernie Ball Classic Rock'n'Roll) on Tele-style single coil guitars like the G&L Legacy and ASAT/ASAT Classic

I LOVE Elixir 11-49s on the Phat Cat Newport -- they last a long time, but the main thing is there's a synergism between that string and that guitar when it comes to tone. I'll go to D'Addario Chromes 11-52 if I want the jazziest sound, but it makes blues bends on the G-string well nigh impossible.

My favorite for the Anniversary (and for dual humbucker guitars in general) is the Tomastik-Infeld Power Brights. They're more money but I like them for several reasons -- they're never harsh, but they have great clarity, they have a softer feel to them, even the plain strings are brass coated, and they last a long time.

Add me to the list of ex-DR users. Their performance doesn't give back nearly what they cost.

[JES1680]

DR Pure Blues 10's on everything.

However my favorite strings of all time that I can't get anymore were Kaman Performers All Stainless. Those things were Shrederific back in the 80's. The slinkiest eaily bendable strings I ever used. Not sure when they stopped making them. I still like stainless strings, but they tend to rapidly accelerate fretwear.

[anotherfreak2]

I use boomers, they seem to have a very consistent winding at a great price, I have always bought them in bulk(48sets at a time) and kept them sealed up in a rubbermaid locker with some chicklets to keep them from tarnishing.

for flatwounds I like the D'Addario 12's

and for bass I like the D'addario flats as well!

bill

[Eric Weston]

GHS Boomers 11-50 on everything- anything less and I start breaking 'em- I'm not really loyal to the brand but I always use the same gauge (or larger, but my knuckles have been killing me lately....whine, whine).

[LarryC]

When I was playing my Les Paul back in the *COUGH* 70s I used Ernie Ball strings because that was what most of my guitar playing buddies were using at that time. I was pretty ignorant back then (and still am in some regards) as to the best strings beyond what just felt good to me. After I sold all my electric guitars and rig I was playing strictly acoustic guitars and purchased strings based on the tone that was best fitting to my ears for the style of music I played. For a long time I used Martin Marquees on my Gibson Flattop, La Bella silk & steel on my Yamahas, KAMAN Adamas strings on my 84 Ovation. After I purchased my Gibson Starburst in 92 I discovered D' Addario strings and up until recently I used 80/20's on both my Starburst and my 63 Flattop.

Some months ago I decided to get back into playing electric music and bought an SG Standard. I wanted to put some new strings on it but wasn't sure which kind I sould buy. I have a friend in NY who gigs almost every weekend and I asked him what kind of strings he uses. He told me about a website, http://www.webstrings.com (sorry don't mean to advertise, nor offend anyone). I was quite intrigued by what I read on that site about there being only a very few factorys in the US which make strings...but the bottom line is you can get some really decent strings from them for less than $3.00 per set...some as low as $2.35 if you purchase more than 12 sets. My first order was for 6 sets of Memphis Electric 10-46's, 3 sets of Portland Acoustic (phosphor bronze) and 3 sets of San Diego Acoustic 80/20's. Basically I got a dozen sets of strings for under $30.00 and if you buy 6 sets or more you don't pay shipping...and they ship fast! AND they sound pretty good! The 80/20's sound every bit as bright and crisp as the D'Addarios on my Starburst. The Memphis Electrics are nickel and steel and they are very comfortable.

There are a lot of people on the "what they are saying" link on the webstrings site who play regular gigs and have switched to webstrings. I like them pretty well, and the best part is you get decent strings and it doesn't break the bank. If you change strings more often than twice per month you may want to consider giving them a test drive...it won't cost you much to try them out...$2.85 for one set if you get fewer than 6 sets (but you pay shipping). Visit their site! That much is free!

[bobbymack]

Snake Oil Vintage 10-46 for the last 6 months or so, I like 'em alot.

Used to use Elixir Polyweb 10s, I like their longevity and I never had a problem tonewise with their "coatedness"...

[BCR Greg]

DR Pure Blues on the electrics, except those with Floyds run Dean Markley Blue Steels.

Acoustics, NOTHING but Dean Markley Alchemy strings.

[sirDaniel]

+1 pure blues

.009 on "fast" hamers.

.010 on newport and artists.

[tobereeno]

Snake Oil Rock Formula 11-52. They are simply the most musical strings I've ever tried.

[JohnnyB]

Acoustics, NOTHING but Dean Markley Alchemy strings.

Have you tried John Pearse for acoustics?

If so, how do they compare?

[atquinn]

I have GHS Boomer 10-46's on all my guitars. I'm sure there are better sounding strings, but these sound good to me and are Easy To Get! (a choice you left out of your poll) Price isn't really a consideration since I hardly ever break strings and my body chemistry doesn't wear them down fast. Also, I like whatever strings came on my Special (D'Addario something-or-others, I forget), but I wasn't able to find them locally so...GHS Boomers baby!

I might check out webstrings tho' sounds interesting...

-Austin

[BCR Greg]

Acoustics, NOTHING but Dean Markley Alchemy strings.

Have you tried John Pearse for acoustics?

If so, how do they compare?

Far superior. The Alchemy strings are gold plated, to protect the bronze from oxidation better than Elixirs without the tone loss.

I've known John Pearse for years, used his strings back when they were consistent.