Electric Guitar String Brands

Hey guys, I usually use Ernie Ball or D'Addario, but also Use GHS Boomers. These are the three brands that I can usually get for between 3 and 5 dollars a set when buying a dozen or more sets.

I also use some of the more expensive Ernie Ball Strings like Cobalt and Paradigm.

The Cobalts are a good choice if you have a humbucker equipped guitars that gets mushy sounding with the low end through high gain, especially on the neck pickup. They really tighten the low end up, adding some punch to what was once flub.

Also, I have some guitars that get played only occasionally. On those, I will use the Paradigm sets. Ernie Ball guarantees them against breakage for 90 days, but breakage aside, they don't become dull on the guitar, just sitting in the stand for months.

I have one guitar, that I've had these on for over a year, and the strings show no signs of corrosion or deterioration. And still sound like new strings.

The ones I usually don't use are the Pure Nickel strings, of any brand, as they sound dull within a couple of weeks for me. The only guitar that gets them is my 79 Hardtail Strat. They sound glorious when new, and that guitar doesn't get used much.
 
A million years ago, I used Dean Markley strings because they were the cheapest in the little store I'd buy from. In my more modern lifetime, I've used Ernie Ball strings most of the time. However, my last couple guitars, I've wanted to try something different. On my Dot, I'm using Roto yellows, and on my Gretsch, I'm using D'Adarrio XLs. In both cases, it's my first exposure to those brands, and I'm really liking how different they feel/sound compared to years of "getting used to" the EBs.
 
Hey, welcome! I used to use Dean Markley strings as well, but it was a long time ago. The unwound strings would turn black on me in a bout a week.

That was around 1984. Then the shop got in D'Addarios. They were only a few cents more a pack, and the strings didn't turn black, so I used those for the next 20 years.

As I'm doing a repair business on the side, I typically have around 300 sets of strings floating around in various gauges all the time.

I've used Roto yellows and pinks as well. But, I can generally get Erne Ball, D'Addario, and GHS in bulk for between $3 to $4 a set. When I do setups, I usually include a set of strings with the price of the job.

There really are so few bad strings from major brands anymore. But EB, D'Add, and GHS are the ones that I can usually get at lower cost.
 
PSA: GC, Sweetwater, AMS and Zzounds have 10 pack D'Addario XL110 strings for $38 and change.

I guess they don't do 12 packs anymore. But still, that's less than 4 bucks a set. And, one of the aforementioned has XL 120's in a 10 pack for the same price.

I didn't need the nines. I've got 30 sets of GHS at present. Doing repairs and set ups, I usually use 30 sets of strings a month. I'm getting low on Phosphor Bronze and 80/20 sets, but rarely see an acoustic, other than friends guitars.
 
VictorB said:
I remember when they were $3.99l 😂
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Amen to that. I've always been a D'Addario guy and they sell my preferred half size 9.5-.44 sets. They just had all of the XL nickel wound strings on sale so I was able to pick up two three packs for a little less than $6 a set. For pure nickel strings I prefer Curt Mangan's. He also sells half size sets. His prices are higher but his product is more like the D'Addario NYXLs. String prices have gone up quite a bit so with 8 guitars I'm always looking at longevity. I never feel that I've gotten than from EB Slinky's.
 
3bolt79 said:
Hey, welcome! I used to use Dean Markley strings as well, but it was a long time ago. The unwound strings would turn black on me in a bout a week.

That was around 1984. Then the shop got in D'Addarios. They were only a few cents more a pack, and the strings didn't turn black, so I used those for the next 20 years.

As I'm doing a repair business on the side, I typically have around 300 sets of strings floating around in various gauges all the time.

I've used Roto yellows and pinks as well. But, I can generally get Erne Ball, D'Addario, and GHS in bulk for between $3 to $4 a set. When I do setups, I usually include a set of strings with the price of the job.

There really are so few bad strings from major brands anymore. But EB, D'Add, and GHS are the ones that I can usually get at lower cost.
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They're also who makes the majority of the strings we buy even under other labels. There are nowhere near as many manufacturers as there are brands.
 
Mostly Ernie Ball cobalts,
#2715 (10-52) on the Masterfield Semihollows and the €pi ES175Premium
#2720 (11-48) on the VFL & JFL SingleCut Customs and the Expert EFL & ERS
#2721 (10-46) on most of the other guitars
#2722 (9-46) on some Strat-type guitars

I will try some D'addario ECG23 and ECG24 on the ES175
 
Earnie Ball cobalt flatwound Slinky on certain guitars,
otherwise EB Slinky, or nickel wound EB Classic Slinky, generally.
 
RustyChops said:
Earnie Ball cobalt flatwound Slinky on certain guitars,
otherwise EB Slinky, or nickel wound EB Classic Slinky, generally.
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Welcome @RustyChops . We are glad that you are here. Please introduce yourself in the Off Topic section in the thread Welcome to our community, if you already haven't. Please give a little bio about yourself and your playing history.

Scott
 
I use whatever I'm feeling at the moment. Could be D'addario, EB Slinkys, DR Blues, or something else I can't think of atm.

I usually stick with standard strings most of the time. Every so often I'll buy full nickels or half rounds. Or I'll use the DR Blues with round cores.

I use anything from 9-42, 9-46, 10-46 to 10-52s skinny top heavy bottoms

I usually don't adjust anything when I change sizes, either. Relief. Action. Intonation. None of it.
 
Wound_Up said:
I use whatever I'm feeling at the moment. Could be D'addario, EB Slinkys, DR Blues, or something else I can't think of atm.

I usually stick with standard strings most of the time. Every so often I'll buy full nickels or half rounds. Or I'll use the DR Blues with round cores.

I use anything from 9-42, 9-46, 10-46 to 10-52s skinny top heavy bottoms

I usually don't adjust anything when I change sizes, either. Relief. Action. Intonation. None of it.
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I just ordered $200 bucks worth of strings yesterday. Got a couple of really good deals. I got a 3 pack of EB Earthwood medium light Phosphor Bronze for $6 a set. I got a 3 pack of NYXL 11-49 for $18. I only bought three sets because I've never tried them before.

I got a 10 pack of XL 110 for $38. Everything else was Classical strings and Acoustic sets. That brings me up to 60 sets of 10-46. I may go back and get some XL 120's.

I need some more 11's. I've only got about 8 sets of those left. Summers are slow for guitar repairs for me. It probably won't pickup until Thanksgiving/Christmas. I've only got two setups to do over the next 2 weeks.
 
Given the fact that my corrosive sweat eats through regular strings way too fast, I use Elixir. They are expensive, but the mileage I get out of a set makes up for the price. I can get an easy six months or longer out of a set of Elixir's compared to like a week from a set of regular un-coated strings. I run 9-46 on my electrics and 11-52 on my acoustic.
 
GrandmaShreds said:
Given the fact that my corrosive sweat eats through regular strings way too fast, I use Elixir. They are expensive, but the mileage I get out of a set makes up for the price. I can get an easy six months or longer out of a set of Elixir's compared to like a week from a set of regular un-coated strings. I run 9-46 on my electrics and 11-52 on my acoustic.
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I find that as long as the plain steel strings are tinned, I don't have a problem with the strings turning black. The old Dean Markley's that I used in the early 80's weren't tinned and within a week, they turned totally black and nasty.

I've had good luck with all flavors of Ernie Ball and D'Addario strings. I also like the Pyramid strings for electric and classical guitars. They just cost a lot more to get them in the US though.
 
3bolt79 said:
PSA: GC, Sweetwater, AMS and Zzounds have 10 pack D'Addario XL110 strings for $38 and change.

I guess they don't do 12 packs anymore. But still, that's less than 4 bucks a set. And, one of the aforementioned has XL 120's in a 10 pack for the same price.

I didn't need the nines. I've got 30 sets of GHS at present. Doing repairs and set ups, I usually use 30 sets of strings a month. I'm getting low on Phosphor Bronze and 80/20 sets, but rarely see an acoustic, other than friends guitars.
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Oh man, I wish we’d get these deals here too. Cheapest option for a 10 pack of D‘Addarios here is around 60€. I’ve been using them exclusively for years now. I love the fact they offer points for rewards. They play and sound great too.
 
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