Hey all, what strings do you use and why?

d'addario EJ21 Nickel Wound, Jazz Light, 12-52\


because they feel good and they have color coated ends so I can tell which string is which.

^ ditto. Nice sound, the gauge is built for detuning, third string is wound (big plus), and the price is reasonable.

currently i have the d'addario exl 148 ( .012-.060) on my SG (tuned to c#)
and and the exl116 (.011-.052) on the strat (tuned to Eb)

I think next week, Im gonna order one o those cheapo Rondo teles which I'll probably put in open G, and the string hunt will once again begin.

Dave Gilmour GHS boomers 10.5 - 50, My les pauls neck need something to help straighten it out ended up with these now I love em, nice and chunky.

Ernie Ball, light top, skinny bottom 10- 52. I play slightly dropped so bending them isn't an issue and they take the lead and riff playing really well

I havent restrung my guitar since I got it, and now its time, im confused with the amount of options, can anyone recommend roughly what gauge they think would suit this best: tuned down to G#, lots of bass, switching between overdrive and delay, lots of bending, solo, heavy handed playing, sustain is the most important thing to me, if it was you what would you use? I was thinking of going for a standard medium set...

I'd get something with a heavy gauge, should hold the tuning better, and because your tuned low bending the strings etc shouldn't be that tricky as there's less tension anyway

I've had the same set of Ernie Ball Beefy Slinkies on my guitar for well over 2 years. I can alternate between a B Standard/Drop A arrangement and a Drop E# tuning that I use pretty much exclusively for original material just by taking out/putting back in one of the springs on my floating bridge. Couldn't be easier.

I definetly wanna try the beefy slinkys! Just got some Skinny top, heavy bottoms to try for now to give me more of an idea of what I want, thanks for the advice :)

Keep telling us what you use, its pretty interesting!

I've been using DR strings by default the last 2 years.

Wound up with several sets after a guitar tech gig, then found a bunch of other sets in the garage of the old place that a friend had left behind long ago.

But they are all weird guages, 9-42 (way too light) or 11-50 (which I really like, but only had a few sets rather than dozens). The old friend stash was all 10-52's.


The only company I have tried and absolutely abhorred are Ernie Ball strings.

I use Dean Markley Mediums. .11 - .52 with a wound G.

If you are planning to use a drastically different string gauge than before you might want to check the intonation of your guitar to make sure that it is still in.

good call hadnt thought of that :)

Also you may need to get the nut filed out if you going 52's or anything thicker. One time restringing just before a gig I busted my nut on my V cause it was factory set up for 46's and couldnt handle the girth of a 52

DR .52's... although I'm a terrible guitar player :(

this thread has been really helpful :)

been using the skinny top heavy bottoms, 10-52. I like the 52 it could maybe go heavier but the 10 is just way too tiny, it broke while I was stretching it, put on another and the lead sounded like a mouse squeeking amidst the doom riffs ;)

whats the difference in your opinion between the different materials e.g steel or nickel, and wound/unwound?

i like to use Ernie Ball Super Slinkies .009's. i dunno why, they're just really easy to bend and i like the tone when i put them on my SG.

I used to tune to G# in a fender-scale guitar, so the only strings that worked were those GHS Zakk Wylde Signature (GBZWLO .011 - .070)



I was told I should use baritone guitars (subsonic maniac here) but now I enjoy the saggy/dynamic sustain of a small-scale Les Paul.

Why?
Im using the "not even slinky" set (12-5x) and find it quite workable.

I prefer unwounded third, as bending doesnt sound shrieky enough with a wounded third.
Early string sets (think Buddy Holly) were sold with wounded third. Early hard rock guitarrists used to customize to a unwounded third (adding a thin string and discarting the heaviest achieves that, today we have plenty of options).


Yep, checking the intonation after switching gauges is mandatory. And fun as well.

hey frater you got any recordings of your G# stuff?

Im loving the beefy slinkies now, even though every time I see the yellow packets on my dresser saying beefy on them I can taste beef flavoured super noodles :)

EB Not Even Slinkys on the guitar, tuned to D/drop C/drop A. Okay strings, nothing special though in my view.

On the five string I have been trying the DR DDTs 55-135 tuned to A standard. Quite an improvement on the standard 45-130s, but given the increased gauge that was to be expected though. Still, too expensive.

Four string basses are strung with Rotosounds 45-105 or 50-110 (standard/drop D/drop C#)

I generally alternate between Rotosounds/Ernie Ball/D'addario/Dunlop, depending on what is available and the cheapest in the shop I am in at the time.

Haha, I am same with Ernie Ball - probably my dodgy technique, but snapped the B and E strings for too often using them.

11-50 DR tite fit nickels is my set of choice too.

Felt the same way.
A little bit on the metallic side, I think.



here´s how it sounds live. Attemps with strings any lighter than those GBZWLOs failed miserabily concerning tuning stability.

I want to use bicycle brake strings in a bass-like acoustic device like a tampura.