What kind of strings do you use?

[greywolf]

DBW    The Blue steel Markely's are ctryo treated and do have a longer life in my experience than their Regular strings.
I've used various Markleys over the last 30+ years , they all ways have had a good product.


I recently tried some Rotosound swing bass , I had used Rotosounds years ago , I wasn't impressed with them anymore compared to the DR's and Alchemy's.  Feel and tone just wasn't as nice.

 

[Tonar8352]

It depends on the guitar.
Start 1 GHS Boomers 11-50
Strat 2 tuned down 1/2 step D'Addario 12-52.
Tele tuned down 1 whole step  Dunlop 13-56.
Gibson Les Paul GHS Boomers 11-50
Gibson ES 350T  GHS Boomers 11-50
Alvarez Yairi acoustic D"Addario EJ17 phosphorus bronze.
Taylor 955 12 String tuned  to open G or D I use the heaviest phosphorus bronze D'Addario strings I can get my hands on.

 

[T.L.]

Some of you guys are just NUTZ with those heavy string gauges...
:tard:

 

[Mor Paul]

I mostly get what's cheap, because of my budget. I have 10's on my tele and my acoustic (my other acoustic needs strings), and I might string up acoustic #2 with 11's or 12s. I need my calluses back. And I need to build up finger strength, especially in my ring and pinky.

 

[dwayneed]

Wow, I was kinda hoping there would be a clear favorite at this point that I have been 'missing' and it would bring wonderous new tone and playability to my gear.... I guess the good 'ol DRs stay!  :guitaristgif:

 

[m4rk0]

I mainly use EB Slinky's too..
9s and even have a set of 8s on some.
and NO I am not ashamed.. I have tried heavy strings and think that the tone difference is overrated anyway!

 

[Soylent]

I'm an ernie ball freak, use 9's on my tele and strat (and strat styles) and 11's or 12's on my SG and LP.. love the heavy's on those, awesome tone. On my bass I use DR's tapewounds.. so warm and smooth, great tone as well. (Elixer's on the acoustic, mediums.)

 

[m4rk0]

on the topic of string thickness, I keep on seeing on different boards that light strings are frowned upon and that everybody should play 13s like SRV!!

well I did some research on some great guitarist and found out the following:

Steve Vai - 0.09
Eddie vH - 0.009
Toni Iommi - 0.008
Paul Gilbert - 0.009
Trevor Rabin - 0.008
Marko - 0.009
Yngwie Malmsteen - 0.008
Billy Gibbons - 0.008 (!!)

I read somewhere that Brian May even played 7s at one point!! (didn't know they existed)

 

[Rick]

Whatever's free! 
Generally, 10's.
Though if i have to buy them it's either dean markleys or d'addario's.

 

[dwayneed]

Whoops, I am officially a noob. I didn't notice the polls forum!  :dontknow:

 

[hannaugh]

I like Elixirs because I like the feeling of the coating and I don't like changing my strings constantly.  Corrosion and rust feels absolutely disgusting to my fingers, so I always get coated strings because even when they get old and gross looking, they usually don't feel like that.  They sound nice too, in my opinion.  Some people hate coating though, both tone and feel.  But to those people I say "Then get Nanowebs instead of the Polywebs". 

I have Cleartones on my new bass.  They are basically a different brand of Elixir Nanowebs.  They sound alright I guess, but I don't really have enough experience with bass to have an opinion on them yet.  I bought a set for my acoustic guitar just to try them out, but I haven't changed them yet. 

 

[T.L.]

on the topic of string thickness, I keep on seeing on different boards that light strings are frowned upon and that everybody should play 13s like SRV!!

well I did some research on some great guitarist and found out the following:

Steve Vai - 0.09
Eddie vH - 0.009
Toni Iommi - 0.008
Paul Gilbert - 0.009
Trevor Rabin - 0.008
Marko - 0.009
Yngwie Malmsteen - 0.008
Billy Gibbons - 0.008 (!!)

I read somewhere that Brian May even played 7s at one point!! (didn't know they existed)

Yes, but Yngwie uses a 046 for his low E.

I use the Hybrid Slinkys (009-011-016-026-036-046. To me, it's the best of both worlds.

For Acoustic, I used DiAddario 010-047 for years, but I now have some Elixirs on there...

 

[TexxasJam]

I clicked Ernie Ball because I could only click one.  I myself (along with most of you, probably) use different manufacturers' strings for different guitars. I've used most of the major brands over the years, but the last 20 years or so I have stuck with the same strings. Maybe I need to shake it up a little and branch out and try something different.

I currently use:

For acoustic:  Steel String: Dean Markley Blue Steels
                    Nylon String: D'Addario Pro-Arte
                   
Electric:  Ernie Ball Super Slinky

Bass: GHS Boomers

:guitarplayer2:

 

[Robertocaster]

Electric guitar : D'addario 9-46, 10-52
Acoustic: Martin 12-54
Bass: ???? (still original string... i've bought last month)

 

[kboman]

Trying new strings now. Ditched the "meh" Fender .010 stainless strings and am now trying some .011 US-made no-label strings sold by one of the big music store chains here in Sweden (Jam). They cost about half of the Fenders (39kr vs 89kr if memory serves me right) and I didn't really have any high expectations.

And, well... Wow. I can't pinpoint exactly what the difference is, but it's pretty dramatic. The feel of the guitar has changed dramatically - it just sounds better, and I find myself being able to actually play faster than with my previous strings. With less practice! Now it just needs a good setup and this guitar is born again.

Needless to say, these strings are here to stay. Why did I ever move away from .011's in the first place?

 

[Tempest]

I use GHS Boomers and D'addario XL's, I honestly can't tell much of a difference between the two.  I've got really oily fingers so I go through strings really fast,  I tried some coated DRs a couple of times, definitely lasted longer, not sure if the tone was much different.

Oh and I use 10-46 on both of my guitars, 9s feel like rubber bands to me

 

[dwayneed]

I tried some Dean Markleys last week, immediately switched them out and gave the other 2 sets I bought to a bud. DR pure nickel is still the winner for me.

 

[MUYFUE]

Dean Markley on the LTD Viper
RotoSound on the Gecko and the Acoustics
DR on the rest

 

[ACELUEK]

Ernie - .008s

 

[back2thefutre]

fender silver bullets 350