Best Acoustic Electric Guitar Strings (2024 Update)

Try them, they're great. Feel nice, sound wonderful, last a long time. I've been through so many brands and so many different types of string, and these are the absolute best (for me). Even better than the expensive Austrian and German brands. I play many acoustic gigs, most are three sets a night. Some mainstream brands don't even last for one gig, going dead too soon. And if you try to squeeze a second gig out of them, it's normally the wound third string that disintegrates, regardless of manufacturer or price. But these White Bronze strings hold up well. My acoustic guitar is also stiff to play (yes, I should get an easier-playing guitar), but these feel perfect and my fingers aren't beat up by the end of the night. The singer-songwriter I often work with heard these strings on my guitar and immediately noticed the difference, and then wanted a set on her guitar.Colin

I have my favorite strings for acoustics, electrics, and classical guitars. But I needed something that would work well with the pick ups on my new Ibanez arch top Expressionist. I've tried several. These are a great option. I like the wound 3rd string. There's a set of D'Addario with a wound 3rd string I also want to try. The D'Adarrios have a slightly smaller gauge 3rd and 6th string, but these ghs white bronze will definitely be on my favorites list.Coca-Cola Cowboy

These strings are great for archtop guitars that carry a magnetic pickup. I play my Gretsch archtop unplugged every now and then and the flat wound jazz strings just don't have much acoustic presence. I tried the DR Zebras and they are pretty weak when plugged in. These guys are the best of both worlds. Sound great unplugged and are nice and clear through the amp!Riverrat123

reliable, strong guitar strings. shipping was fast. Have purchased them before and am very satisfied with the brand and durability. I've been playing the guitar for years. These are good.Sophi

Tried these on a friend's recommendation and I'm not disappointed. I put these on a nearly new Gibson J45 Studio and was happy the strings that came new on the guitar were gone. These sound so much sweeter. It's only been a few weeks but I think they'll last as long as most strings (usually a D'Addario user). A normal set is 12-53, for some reason these are 12-54 but I couldn't notice much difference on the larger 6th string. Try a set.mmall001

I just recently picked my guitar back up after about 20 years of not playing. I have Gibson Hummingbird that I always had and the did use Martin strings on. I really got the bug about playing and ended up buying a Yamaha R 700 as well as a Seagull S6 (with a Seagull Artist Mosaic on the way). While talking to Josh on MF one day about strings he told me about these Earthwoods–lighter gauge–.11-.52. He swore by them. I had a credit with MF so I bought two sets. They are as good on my Seagull S6 as the Martin's ever were and easier to play (I finger pick mostly) and the combination of the full sound of the S6 and the Ernie Ball Earthwoods is a perfect combination. I've had them on for three weeks already and play sever hours every day and they still sound bright and full of tone. I put the other set on my Yamaha just recently and they sound as good as the Martins ever did. Whether they will remain crisp remains to be seen (each guitar is different). But in anticipation of getting my Seagull Artist Mosaic soon I've decided to buy four 6 packs of the Ernie Ball Earthwood Strings with my certificate from Backstage pass. I couldn't ask for a sweeter deal than that.KB

I loved speed, a good delivery! I'm building my own guitars and I would like to do a lot more business with you as long as the Price is Right. So far you have impressed me. Could you send me a catalog that would be great. What I mainly need is good hot pickups for both country and Rock dual coil and single coil and pickguards if you would happen to have any I'm building them in my own signature style of course, of course they are called Reed Guitars. I can get to Nick already made with fretz and truss rod for $14. But I would like to buy bodies that I can work with to give you an idea of what I looking for. Also need 3-way switches and a 5 way switch and of course potentiometers and knobs. Thank you very much. Until then you will need a friend George Reed.reedgeorge

I bought these strings today because my local store was sold out of my usual Elixir brand. I just put them on my old Gibson acoustic, and all of the ball ends are color-coded wrong, and the strings are turning my fingers black after 20 minutes of playing. They sound OK, but really? I used to be a big fan of D'addario strings for my electric guitars. These changed my mind.Page

I always get this brand of strings. They are the best! The strings are color coded for easy restringing. I usually purchase the ultra light bluegrass style and was happy to see that these are the same top notch quality. The ultra lights are a must if you want easy on the fingers. I can’t say enough good things, and you can’t wrong in buying these!Ginabug

I've been a D'addario guy for a long time, and use them on all my guitars. I like the phosphor bronze tone on my acoustics, and use the extra lights because I have hand and finger joint issues. Actually 10s are pretty heavy for me, I use 8s on my electrics. Anyway, they sound great, are easy to play and have always been reliable for me.James

For years I refused to replace one of the low E machines on my Guild 12-string, as much on principle as anything else. I could only find a full set when I only needed one. The folks at Sam Ash knew my feeling and enthusiastically referred me back to the shop. Not only did I get a single machine, the price was more than right. Now I will be going back there not so much for their merchandise as for the people. That's where they put their investment.Mediaman.2

A friend of mine put light gauge electric strings on his acoustic guitar so it would be easier to play. I did like the feel but the sound was too thin so when I came across the Extra Light D'Addario's for acoustics I was excited to try them. My preferred style of playing an acoustic has recently become almost all finger-picking without finger picks. I tried them on my vintage classic dreadnought Yamaha F335ii and they sound good with a little less low end and a little more thin high end which you would expect. Also there is a tendency for the little E string to rattle as I use an upward stroke with the index or middle finger to play it. I will try switching that string out with a little higher gauge to alleviate that problem. Your style (light or heavy) of playing may determine whether these strings are right for you. They are great for strumming light rhythm with a balanced bright sound using a Fender thin pick so I would definitely use them for recording rhythm parts. For recording finger-picked parts I will continue using regular light gauge strings on a Martin. The D'Addario extra lights are easy on the fingers and good for practicing any style. They would also be a good choice for beginnersdhughe1

Try them, they're great. Feel nice, sound wonderful, last a long time. I've been through so many brands and so many different types of string, and these are the absolute best (for me). Even better than the expensive Austrian and German brands. I play many acoustic gigs, most are three sets a night. Some mainstream brands don't even last for one gig, going dead too soon. And if you try to squeeze a second gig out of them, it's normally the wound third string that disintegrates, regardless of manufacturer or price. But these White Bronze strings hold up well. My acoustic guitar is also stiff to play (yes, I should get an easier-playing guitar), but these feel perfect and my fingers aren't beat up by the end of the night. The singer-songwriter I often work with heard these strings on my guitar and immediately noticed the difference, and then wanted a set on her guitar.Colin

I have my favorite strings for acoustics, electrics, and classical guitars. But I needed something that would work well with the pick ups on my new Ibanez arch top Expressionist. I've tried several. These are a great option. I like the wound 3rd string. There's a set of D'Addario with a wound 3rd string I also want to try. The D'Adarrios have a slightly smaller gauge 3rd and 6th string, but these ghs white bronze will definitely be on my favorites list.Coca-Cola Cowboy

These strings are great for archtop guitars that carry a magnetic pickup. I play my Gretsch archtop unplugged every now and then and the flat wound jazz strings just don't have much acoustic presence. I tried the DR Zebras and they are pretty weak when plugged in. These guys are the best of both worlds. Sound great unplugged and are nice and clear through the amp!Riverrat123

I’m actually really glad that I’ve been given the opportunity to write this review… I recently had my main Breedlove acoustic looked at by our local tech here in Gibsland Jon, I have been trying different string types for about two months and couldn’t quite get the sound I’ve been chasing. I don’t use the other bright brand that cost a bit because it sheds and I find other things I don’t like about the big E John told me you’ve gotta have a go at these mate… After considerable pressure I brought a set and I still can’t believe how great my guitar sounds every time I play which is every day. The people I work with have all been saying to me that I sound great all of a sudden. So I’ve just found my absolute go to new set of strings. And I buy from Mannys out of principle, because I’m 62 and they’ve been around… Just like me ha ha hahMark M.

I waited a few weeks before submitting this review because I wanted to see if these strings lived up to the promises. I have to say I am not disappointed. They sounded great (as you would expect) when I first restrung my guitar. However here I am, several weeks later and there is no noticeable deterioration in the sound quality, whatsoever. For the past year or so I have been using Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze which are excellent but these are better. Yes, at first glance, they seem expensive but given their longevity, they are a good buy.Mr T. J.

I've been using these strings for years. The 4 wound strings last at least twice as long as other un-coated strings I've used. The 1st and 2nd strings are not coated so I buy single strings to replace these as needed without replacing the whole step. Also, I replaced my strings a couple of weeks ago and wiped the 1st and 2nd strings with a lubricant called Tuf-Glide by Sentry Solutions for protection against corrosion from oils from my fingers. This stuff is designed for guns, knives, etc. Time will tell if it makes my guitar strings last longer. Anyway, buy these strings. I think you will like them.Jack-JGUBF

These strings are not cheap but still very good value. I've always liked the tonality of D'Addario strings and used them for many years. The EXP15s have the same tonality but last much, much longer. As someone who does not enjoy the string changing rigmarole, that's a bonus in itself. However, if you take the life of non-coated D'Addarios and compare it to these, these work out cheaper in the long run. Win, win – that's what I like!bluelemmy

I put these on my grandson's acoustic guitars . He's 14. Regular bronze strings rust pretty fast on his guitars. Wiping the strings off doesn't seem to help very much. These coated strings are the only way to go.TP

Definitely the best strings at the price point lately. They have a thinner or smoother wind than Ernie Ball slinkys or Daddarrio exl and this results in less finger noise and a zingier tone IMO. I'm into clean and classic rock, and I doubt you would like these over the former two names if you were into more modern and metal sounds. It depends on the guitar for me, on my strat I could use just about any strings. My guitars with humbuckers seem more picky, at least to my ears. I prefer these over the other two as far as cheap strings go, and these are often cheaper. Win win. Used to be I would never have preferred Fender strings so either my tastes are changing or these strings have changed over the years.Joelish

Overall: Don't pay any attention to the low price these are great strings. Have used Fender 7250's on all kinds of bass guitars they always sound great and feel good. Years of use have proved quality. I put them on my Jazz bass, my PJ, and my Squire, have used them on Samick, Music man, OLP, and Epiphone basses, all good.Scott

According to a Fender rep, these are what came on the Fender PJ bass I ordered from Musician's Friend. They produce the classic Fender tone I wanted. I eventually replaced them with a set of Fender 7250L (.040, .060, .080, .100) to make it easier to play on the guitar's 9.5" fingerboard radius. I stayed with Fender because of the tone that the 7250M strings produce. The Light's have slightly less oomph on the low end, yet all the tone while the lighter gauge makes for nice melodic work on the high end of things. If you have a Fender bass and want Fender tone…Vice

I put these on my 2019 j45 and they sound absolutely magnificent! The guitar already sounded great but these are indescribably beautifulDanny

These are great strings be not for everyone. They are different in that they aid the upper register of vocals. I've put them on a 00-27 and a J 200; tow very different guitars. The affect is magical for those musicians who want a harp-like tone from their steel strung axe. They have an interesting configuration. From e to E; 12, 16,12,16, 23 W, 30 W. The result is crisp, clear highs and rich lows. These strings are different, but wonderful.goeller2006

I have tried countless strings over the years, and these John Pearse strings are fantastic! You name it, I've tried it. Everything from D'Addario, Elixer, Martin, Gibson, DR, Cleartone and even Dean Markley. Cheap and expensive, I have tried them. All I can say is that these are the best acoustic strings I have tried to date. I just went from a set of Elixers (which I thought were expensive, but good) to these, and these strings won out hands down. As soon as I installed these, my guitar absolutely came ALIVE! It was almost like night and day. Everything was better! Immediately what I noticed was the added volume and projection I was getting, but most of all, it was the tone that absolutely sold me on these. With these strings I heard more woodiness, percussive body, clarity, string to string definition, harmonic overtones, and resonance than any other acoustic strings I have heard to date. The top end also opened up and became even more tactile and transparent. These strings are just more organic, yet highly defined and less sterile than anything else I have heard, and they also have a very balanced output from string to string that is excellent. In no small measure, these strings have been a bit of a revelation. These strings are also very smooth, and I also noticed less finger noise between fretting notes and bar chords as well. However, regarding that smoothness, I also noticed something interesting as well. Just try to follow me with this: These are the first set of John Pearse strings I have ever installed, so I don't know if this is a "one off", but as smooth as they are, I also noticed that the unwound strings have an ever so slightly uneven and wavy finish to them in spots when you shine them in the light. I don't mention this as a negative IN ANY WAY, but just purely as an observation. Besides, I could care less because they sound so darn amazing. Anyway, my point of mentioning this (and this is based purely on conjecture), is I wonder if the barely perceptible finish inconsistencies contribute to the overall tonality of these strings? TBH, I have never seen strings that had this kind of "inconsistency" to their finish before, and I am wondering if this has anything to do with the great tonality of these strings? All the other strings I have bought over the years have been extremely smooth and consistent in their diameter and finish. Again, I don't mention this as a negative in any way because you never feel this while playing in the least. The only time I noticed it was when I looked at them under direct light. These strings sound fantastic, and obviously their specific alloy and construction plays a great part to their sound, but on the other hand, I have never seen strings with this kind of finish before, and yet I have also never been so excited about a set of strings before either. There has to be something to it. The only other thing I can mention is that these strings also have excellent string life as well. I have had these on my acoustic after about a month and a half of use, and they still sound fantastic! Anyway, all I can say is that I have tried A LOT of strings, and these ones are the standouts by far. Buy with confidence. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Peace. 🙂Eywa Dude

Had a pesky b and e string on short scale 000. Solution was it wanted more tension to ring true. The 13 and 18 did it; short scale so they play like lighter strings! The 22w g is awesome, the rest balance nicely. 52 is lite for E but not much of a sacrifice; drop D tuning still do-able. SO HAPPYJohn

Strings sound good so far. 3rd wound string felt strangely weak whilst attaching then broke at ball end whilst tuning. Replaced now and sound good. Would get 5 stars if no breakage.Alan T.

ok my goal. get tension balanced, and lighter tension strings. have the metal but naturally corrosion resistant, no coated strings. these strings achieve that with a sparky gret sound. lively, sounding great feel in your fingers, balanced tension and lighter than typical tension with great sound! I love them!lvmarc42

Excellent sound, they hold their tuning once tuned. Quality strings i as many do stick to Ernie Ball for sound and quality. Very much recommended.paucop_0

I have used various strings on my old Guild over the years and have generally been satisfied…until now. I had ordered another Martin string set (Tommy's Choice) that worked well on my guitar but the vendor was perpetually out of stock so I agreed to receive these Eric Clapton light gauge strings instead. What a mistake. These strings ruined the sound of the guitar. Contrary to some other reviews,there is no warmth to these strings on my guitar, only an over-the-top brightness. The strings are also noisy and unforgiving…even the slightest mis-fretting results in buzzing. These are absolutely the worst strings I have ever put on a guitar and they'll be coming off as soon as I receive my Tommy's Choice strings from a different vendor. Until then, I am avoiding my go-to Guild guitar as there's no joy in playing it with these strings.Old player

Very articulate and resonate strings, they take some getting used to after using some of the other strings. I've played and sung my own and other peoples songs for thousands of hours and I like these strings.rainele1

I am quite happy with the Stringjoy Acoustic Strings and I'm still deciding which ones are my favorite. I recently put on the Foxwood and am now needing to record an "original guitar only song" with it on a direct track and a high end microphone track. Then I will do the same with the Naturals and also the Brights. At least I can then do a comparison but my suspicion is the I might prefer different strings for various purposes. Such being the case, I am not currently positioned to supply anyone with a FAVE RAVE!!!David F

Love these strings. I’ve had them on my Ibanez AC240 for just a couple weeks but I’m blown away! They started unremarkable (in the best sense of course) but have opened up to a nice, full, vibrant sound. They don’t feel coated, but they don’t feel fully natural either which I love. Best of both worlds! I’ve been using your string cleaner with them as well and I’m convinced these will last a good long while before needed a swap out. Going to put these on a couple other guitars as well! Thanks guys! You rocked the park with these!Garrett G

I bought both coated and uncoated versions of the Stringjoy acoustic strings in regular medium light. I now have these on 3 different guitars and plan on installing on 2 more. Have to say I don’t know how you do it but the tension on these strings seems different than anything else I’ve ever used. They just seem “comfortable†and sound fantastic. They’re pricey but worth it. Only con I can think of is they’re a bit noisy when sliding but I’m sure I’ll get used to that.David M

Fitted these strings today on my yamaha f 310 & noticed the difference straight away. The flat top strings stops noise when sliding your fingers up & down the strings. They sound amazing. Quality acoustic guitar strings. Would recommend giving them a try667johnk

First time looking for acoustic flatwounds, plus needing them for a Yamaha JR1 (FG Junior). Was pleased to find that such a thing existed. So far, so good. They sound great, minimum string noise.Roger

These came installed on my new Epiphone J-45 and man do they sing. Nice bass response and they are not tinny sounding, got the just right acoustic sound. They are coated and to me they make it easier to play. As I haven't played them for that long I'll have to see how they hold up. One other reviewer gave them 3 stars but if you read the review, he was complaining about the shipping time and even said he hadn't tried them. I find it hard to believe that it was AMS's fault for the delay, they always ship super fast. We were (and still are) getting slammed by Covid and delivery times by carriers were way behind in September when that review was written.Greg 'Purple' Hays

I like to keep my J45 Gibson guitar all "Gibson", so I use Gibson coated strings. They sound great and last a long time. Other coated strings are nice too but the Gibson strings just seem to sound brighter and louder.Guy

This was a great price on my favorite strings. Shipping was very fast too. Unfortunately, "new" does not mean the same as"fresh" and I have now learned the difference. These do seem to be genuine Elixers, but a few problems which led to broken strings may indicate that these were either sitting on a shelf for a very long time or else exposed to moisture. Normally, brand new strings will be very springy when you first take them out of the sleeve. They generally will uncoil into a straight line, but every single one of these maintained a strong curl or twist in it. But that alone was not a problem for me. The strings installed normally and tuned well, but the tonal quality seemed a little sub-par compared to what I was used too. Still, it's possible I was just imagining that. The strings were fine for a month. Held there notes as well as any, and the tone was at least decent, though I still felt it was missing something. But after one month I had the B string break. I usually keep Elixer strings for 6 months before they finally lose their great tone and I replace them, and because I wind plenty of extra string around the posts, I haven't had a string break on me in over 8 years. Breaking one now pretty much confirmed my earlier suspicions. I went ahead and replaced all 6 strings with the next set, but 2 weeks later and the high E string broke on me. For now I'm borrowing the high E from the final set, but the first chance I get I will be replacing every string with a new, fresh set from a local music store. I don't think I'll buy strings online again because of this apparent problem of freshness.jaredlang85

These strings have been a lifesaver for me. My hands aren't acidic and I easily get a year from them before needing to restring. I use the same brand on my PRS electric, too. (10's). I gig weekly in our church worship band so I prefer a string that holds tone and these just deliver. Super product! I do prefer these over the 80/20 and any poly web version…for tone and I feel the poly version stifles string resonance too much.BradM

Long lasting, great sound. I went to my girlfriends sisters home for Xmas and a few guys got a some guitars out and we played some rock, country and bluegrass on Elixers strung on acoustic instruments. They claimed the strings were three years old. They sounded quite good for their age. After seeing a John Paul Jones interview where he said Elixers were all he used. I already used them but his opinion completely sold me. I even bought an Elixer tee shirt. I use them on all my guitars and mandolins. I won't settle for anything else. I just bought a FX5 that had Addario's on it. No pause, I replaced them with Elixers. Great sound. Long lasting. Stay good looking too. Buy multiple set bundles and save money.easymedicine1

I have been doing a comparison of silk & steel strings from multiple brands, and these are by far the loosest feeling and easiest to play. They really do feel like having nylon strings on a steel guitar. This is great if you want to make playing easier, and it definitely does. The sound is pretty good too, not as loud as regular strings but a more sweet sound. If your guitar has low action you will probably get fret buzz since these are basically extra lights. Also, another plus to these strings is that they are wrapped with silk at the ball end, which is good for delicate or older instruments. I would recommend these for people who want the easiest to play strings. Otherwise the LaBella 710L strings sound similar and aren't quite so light.Chris

Looking at the description, I wasn't sure if it had "silk" threads underneath the wrap wire. On the Martin website, "silked" seemed to refer to the windings at the ball end. I took a string apart and, indeed, it is a true silk and steel. I'm using them on a very old Gibson flat top with many repaired cracks. Also, my hands seem to be degrading where normal strings are too high tension.Roy

Smoother, more comfortable to play than typical wound strings. OK, silky, if you will. Price is higher, though, and they have a shorter lifespan. Before they wear out, they sound good.Ned

Silk ans Steel strings seen to have less tension a smoother feel and sound mellow. I use them on my parlor guitar and they are plenty loud. I fell back in love with my parlor guitar after putting silk and steel strings on. I still use EXP17's on my dreadnought and different sizes on my electrics like heavy tops on my 335 and 10's on the tele and about to try 7's on my strat. I think guitars are all different and need strings that match the guitar and the style of your playing. I have no problem going from one gauge to another. Most of my practice is on the acoustic with the 13-56 tuned Eb, then when I pick up another guitar It seems to be faster and easier along with being more fun if that's possible. I love D'Addario strings sorry now spending so much money on trying other brands. I recommend trying D'Addario silk and steel on any folk/acoustic guitar first!Lewis

I'm no professional. I like to play around the house and I often do solo music in church. I tend to only play acoustic guitar because I love the sound. However, the 80/20's make me want to vomit both in sound and feel. These strings take anything you play and transform it into a smooth and beautiful piece of art. They feel wonderful, very soft but still very present. They sound so warm, but also articulate every sound. If the EJ40's ever get discontinued, I might just hang up my axe and stop chopping down tunes.JC_Broussard