Strings

[Jarick]

What's everyone using for strings nowadays?

I've been using D'Addario XL 9-42 on most of my guitars in standard tuning, and they are fine but sometimes a bit buzzy. Tried the same string in 10's on a few guitars and they are again fine, but I don't love the higher tension and they still can sound a bit buzzy.

This weekend I tried some DR Pure Blues 10-46 on my PRS (round core, nickel wound), and I really like the feel and sound. Feels a bit more meaty but still easy to bend. Sound seems a little more mid focused with less buzzing. But I hear a lot of horror stories about DR's and round core strings in general.

Also kicking around trying out a set of Elixir Optiwebs for longer life, but their 9-42 sets are a bit too thin and I hear the 10-46 sets are pretty stiff feeling.

 

[sleewell]

boomers 10-52s. currently tuned to drop C.

 

[JiveTurkey]

D'Addario 10-46 Nickel XLs. Ernie Balls are all gross high end for one playing session then dull break targets because of my full body corrosive sweats and heavy handed playing style.

 

[-BOOGIEMAN-]

I used to use GHS Boomers exclusively when was I gigging, now I use Ernie Ball Extra Slinky’s. Probably gonna go back up to their .009’s when I’m finished with what I have in the drawer.

 

[Sleezy E]

I've been enjoying the guitar fetish Xavier hybrids
9-46

 

[metropolis_4]

Stringjoy Broadways

I tried them at the beginning of the year and almost wish I hadn't. They're expensive and I have to have them shipped, and the round core makes it a little scary changing strings. But they sound and feel soooooo good. Also they keep a consistent tone for a long time and I have yet to break one.

I had been using Ernie Ball Paradigms for a long time before these

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I've been having a love affair with NYXLs 9-46 for the past few years. They've torn up the nickel frets on my PRS S2 but will dull to death before they ever break. They sound too bright on my Strat so I use my old fallback, EB Hybrid Slinkys in the same gauge.

Now that I've got my first guitar with SS frets (the AZ) the NYXLs tend to have a shorter lifespan and even break. For 3x times the price of other strings it makes me a little uneasy knowing they'll only last as long as the cheaper EBs on my other guitars.

Anyone care to chime in on their experiences with this kind of thing?

 

[DrewJD82]

NYXL’s on everything these days. I used Blue Steels and Boomers for the first 20 years I was playing, tried the NYXL’s on a whim one day and loved them. Great snap and top end without missing anything in the low end. Gauges depend on the tuning, but it’s 10’s for standard, 10-52 for drop C (and AGCFAD), 10-59 7-string sets and I think I’ve got 12’s on a guitar I have in drop B or drop A…..been a while since I picked that one up.

I’m considering 11’s or 12’s on my newer Strat because it can be too easy to play at times, even after I removed some neck relief. On the days my fingers are good and warmed up I’m bending sh*t out of tune nonstop.

 

[Blix]

Boomers and D'Addario is my go to's for over the counter, those 10 packs from D'Addario are hard to beat for the price.

But I prefer Stringjoy as I can order custom sets, so I try and get in a few orders from them every year. Very reasonable international shipping too.
The Broadway 9-40 EVH gauge set is the only strings my old Kramer gets, just perfection! :)

 

[la szum]

Depending on guitar and scale length, it is either DR Pure Blues for more of a vintage
feel (.010-.046), or Ernie Ball Power Slinkys (.011 to .048) for a more modern vibe.

I also run some Boomer .011 to .050 on a couple of Jazzmaster style guitars I have tuned
to C and C#.

 

[metropolis_4]

I've been having a love affair with NYXLs 9-46 for the past few years. They've torn up the nickel frets on my PRS S2 but will dull to death before they ever break. They sound too bright on my Strat so I use my old fallback, EB Hybrid Slinkys in the same gauge.

Now that I've got my first guitar with SS frets (the AZ) the NYXLs tend to have a shorter lifespan and even break. For 3x times the price of other strings it makes me a little uneasy knowing they'll only last as long as the cheaper EBs on my other guitars.

Anyone care to chime in on their experiences with this kind of thing?

For string breaks IME Ernie Ball Paradigms have been even better than NYXLs. I've broken an NYXL before, but I've never broken a Paradigm. It's the only kind of string I've never broken

 

[Fireproof]

Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkies = 9-46. On all my guitars.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

I‘ve been using Dean Markley Blue Steels for ages, but switched to Elixir Optiwebs two years ago (10-52 tuned to D Standard).

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

What's everyone using for strings nowadays?

I've been using D'Addario XL 9-42 on most of my guitars in standard tuning, and they are fine but sometimes a bit buzzy. Tried the same string in 10's on a few guitars and they are again fine, but I don't love the higher tension and they still can sound a bit buzzy.

This weekend I tried some DR Pure Blues 10-46 on my PRS (round core, nickel wound), and I really like the feel and sound. Feels a bit more meaty but still easy to bend. Sound seems a little more mid focused with less buzzing. But I hear a lot of horror stories about DR's and round core strings in general.

Also kicking around trying out a set of Elixir Optiwebs for longer life, but their 9-42 sets are a bit too thin and I hear the 10-46 sets are pretty stiff feeling.

Love the DR Pure Blues for all the reasons mentioned above. Been using them for a few years with no real problems? But I'm not hard on strings generally

 

[SymphonicDischord]

For my guitars without any specific tuning needs I use the Elixir Optiweb 10-52. For my Les Paul tuned specifically for Drop C or D Standard the Ernie Ball coated 12-56 and for my 7 string tuned ADADGAD Ernie Ball 10-62. As a former co-worker put it, I like to string up with rebar.

 

[Stone]

Yamaha Revstar	DR Pure Blues 9-42
Charvel Pro DK22	Elixir Nanowebs 9-42
LTD EC-1000	D'Addario NYXL 10-52
Godin Summit P-90	Elixir Optiweb 10-46

 

[Mooselake]

At the moment I use either D'Addario NYXL or Ernie Ball Paradigm .010-.052 on my strat clone, .010-.046 on my tele clone. Getting ready to switch my Ibanez AT to .009-.042 as an experiment to see if I can lower some of the wear and tear on my aging hands.

 

[Baba]

Elixir Nanowebs, 9-46, tune to E flat

 

[TSJMajesty]

EB Slinkys, same as what came on the guitar, except I use the heavy bottom set so I can drop tune. I stay in standard and use pitch transpose for other tunings.

 

[Fireproof]

Pictures make all threads better…. LOL.