Best Beginner Guitar Strings (2024 Update)

(Guitar there were placed on is a Tom Murphy Painted and Aged Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul Standard w/ Brazilian Fretboard) Back in the day, Ernie Ball strings weren't packaged well; they weren't even sealed. If you haven't tried them since their packaging was reinvented, they're definitely worth a look now. Tried D'Addario pure nickel strings, found the wound three to be too low output. I swear the core wire looked like it belonged in acoustic strings. Maybe I got a factory defect, who knows. Gibson strings sound great initially but the 'G' starts to sound dead after a week and the wound strings sound dead and filthy in three weeks. These on the other hand sound marvelous. They sound great out of the package, stay balanced, and sound good for longer than I thought possible.MidnightRiderInTX

I have recently come back to playing the guitar, Sax is my primary instrument but I have had my Gibson RD Standard since 1978. I have since increased my heard of guitars to 10 electric guitars and 3 bass guitars. I have come to favor the Ernie Ball lights and super lights on almost all my guitars. I play the 9's on all of my Stratocaster copies and the super lights on the 3/4 size guitars. I love the feel as far as tone, intonation, flexibility ease of bends and how the strings hold up as a whole. I would definitely recommend to a friend or buy this produce again.Antonio

I have been using the Power Slinkys (11s) for a few years now. I had switched from another brand because the Slinkys made my Strat sound more Straty. After watching a few videos on YouTube about string gauge, I thought I would buy the Regular Slinkys (10s) and see what difference that would make. When I got online to buy I saw that Guitar Center had a sale on 12 packs and since there is a pandemic, I thought it prudent to hoard strings. My logic was that while I may run out of TP, I would never run out of strings for my guitars. Long story short, you cannot go wrong with the tone of 10s. I do like them better than the 11s. They are much clearer in the low end and you get more definition. I have to do less EQing when recording and they just seem to pop better in a mix. The only downside is that they are taking me time to get used to, I play very heavy handed and these are much easier to bend. But I can already see that I have less hand fatigue.Richard

I used to have to buy the Skinny Top Heavy Bottom and Power Slinky set in order to get the low and high strings that I preferred but ever since Ernie Ball came out with this set I don't have to. It's my go to set of strings for standard because I like tight strings that I can chug or shred on. Plus they last forever. Get these!Rollin

The biggest selling point for Super Slinky strings is their magnificent tone. There really aren't any strings that sound better than these for hard rock. But as others have noted, they are sometimes prone to premature breakage of the unwound strings at the ball end. It you use a locking tremolo like a Floyd Rose, then this isn't an issue, as you'll be cutting off the ball ends anyway. But for everyone else, he's a trick that I (and many other players) have been using for Super Slinky's ever since the 80's. Just grab your soldering iron and solder the string down where it's twisted around the ball. Just be sure that the twisted part is nicely coated with solder and you shouldn't have any more problems with early breakage. Don't worry, it won't mess up their tone of anything like that… not if you do it right. Try it and see!Rasterburn

These are really nice! They deliver very warm and round tones when playing clean; however, when using overdrive or distortion, the tone becomes pretty monstrous! Because of their thickness, understand they're not made for easy bends and jazzy licks. Additionally, if your guitar is set-up for 9's, or even 10's, you'll need to make slight adjustments in your action, especially if you're using a trem.Shane S.

It has a very fundamental tone, good for mahogany guitars. But on rosewood guitars, it may kill off the overtones, which may not be right for some people. Recommended on larger guitars rather than small ones. They do last quite a long time, which helps justify the high price to an extent.J A.

recently asked curt mangan to make me up a custom set of round core monel strings in 12 string configuration. What a great set of strings. I loved monel strings on my maple bodied guitars. But when i saw they had round core available i ordered a set of 6 string strings. They were so good ,i asked about a 12 string set. They dont offer them as of yet, but rep. said they could make me up a set. i askedfor 10- 48,s round core monels, …What a great set of strings. My guild F 412 has always been a stunner tone wise with monel strings. But the round core monels enhanced that 5 x,s .. Btw, ive got over 26 hours of playing on the 6 string set. and no noticeable fall off .Dave Gover

I put these on my Gibson J-55 and man what a difference over the phosphor bronze that came stock. I have yet to put them on my '29/'31 L3 or Custom Shop martin 0018, but I really adore the sound on my J-55. The J-55 has an Adirondack top, mahogany back/sides and is essentially a Gibson version of a Martin D-18 without the super boomy low end. I love these strings and they really bring out the natural woody tone of the guitar, which is how it should be in my opinion. After using these I really like the sound, and in a weird way I'm closer to that guitar than I ever was before, the phosphor bronze that were on the guitar were just too bright and metallic, I prefer the natural earthy tones. I put this guitar in different tunings and these strings really open it up there and in standard tuning as well. I can't wait to put these on my Martin 000, I just got it so the strings on it are fresh but they're 80/20s and I really don't like them. You can't go wrong with these strings. I'm going to be using them on my acoustics forever. Just vintage, natural, woody earthy tones and I couldn't be happier!Antonio

I've tried many string brands out there and have come back to Ernie Ball in the last couple of years. They sound and feel great, stay in tune (assuming you have a guitar that stays in tune), and are durable (no strings last forever). You can simply depend on them.Frank

Getting back into guitar after a few years off, decided I don't really have anything to prove to anyone and dropped down from 12's to these 10's. Negligible sound difference, if any at all really. But wow are my fingers so much happier. Less pain = more practice. Get you some!ZACH

I have used Ernie Ball Slinkys since I started playing guitar (time that can be measured in decades, that's all I say). I have been through other top brands, and just don't like them. I have gotten to know EB strings to the point where I can nearly predict when they'll break. That's good in my book. The lively tone and intonation stays for a LONG time. And they're good enough to scrape clean and, in the word of Billy Idol, Start Again. Well, that beats boiling them (RIP EVH). What's even better is all these new, attractive hybrid sets, allowing you to easily find your groove without having to get two packs for your ideal set! EB just keeps getting better.Guy lll

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

Absolutely can't tell that these are coated strings at all. They are bright without being super honky that you have to break in, they are smooth to play, and only sound better the longer you have them. They last an insanely long time with heavy use while still sounding fresh as can be, I play every day and change mine once every 10 months to a year. I guess I'll have to give Elixirs a fair try because they are the only brand I haven't used on bass yet, but have no idea what the last review was about saying these strings aren't good. They are downright amazing. I don't do reviews but I stand by the products that stand by me. The price is absolutely worth every last penny. Try them and you'll never look back!Mike B

My personal favorite coated strings, they have a great balanced tone perfect for rock and roll. They last forever, and keep their tone for months even with heavy playing. They have a warm low end and snappy responsive highs. I typically don't like coated strings as I find they impede my playing, however these strings feel like there's nothing there! These are truly excellent strings. This is an Employee review by Cgray at Sam Ash store 57Moose

I really like the tone and flexable feel of these strings. They have a good sound that does sound to bright or feel to slick, unlike elixers. I will probably purchase again if i find a great deal on them but unfortanatly i didnt get my moneys worth because the g string broke in two weeks. The only other thing i didnt love is that the big e string has so much wrapping at the ball that i had to jam my pin in a little more than was comfortable to hold it in. All in all the positives outway the negatives, the biggest thing to improve on would be durability.tyrw21

I usually use Elixir Lights or Mediums which is the recommended brand for all Taylor Guitars but I always wanted to try out Cleartone. Picked up the Cleartone Grand Lights which is a mix of medium and light strings and they do not disappoint. They sound beautiful on my Taylor Grand Auditorium! I highly recommend picking up a set of these and try them out on any acoustic guitar. If you like the crisp bright tones of lights with the rich and loudness of medium strings then these are the strings for you! They are corrosion resistant and have a thin flake free coating on them like Elixirs do. These just might be my new favorite strings! I will have to check out some different sizes and see what else they have. But as of now I am happy with my very first set of Cleartone acoustic guitar strings!mccaseyfresh

Although I was not throughly impressed I still say they are worth a shot if you are curious. If you don't like them, hey, go back to what works. I am unfortunately stuck with a stack of these strings (and intend to use them), but I'm not going to complain because I got an incredible deal on them. There's too many complainers out there today. Cleartone strings appear to be a well-manufactured, quality product, and I recommend them on the grounds that you try them to see if they are a good fit for you and your guitar. All the best! Cleartone coating versus other brands' coating – this is what the package touts. I notice the coating to be thinner but a good quality "coated" string has never bothered me much. In other words – it advertises a thinner coating and a more natural feeling product, but unfortunately it doesn't matter to me much. I'll rate this category a 6. The strings seem to be well made and are even packaged nicely in a durable poly wrap package, I admit I was pretty impressed just seeing what was underneath the pouch. Strings are color coded, which will be appealing to those who are familiar with D'Addario strings. Nice touch. Each string tips off with a long straight steel core. Strings tuned up fast and after a few stretches only needed one or two re-tunes. The area where I am dissatisfied is not in the durability or the feel of the strings. I am dissappointed in the sound. These strings replaced an old set of D'Addario EXL's on my Yamaha FGX720SCA Acoustic/Electric, and although they were brigher (as new strings tend to be), they were lacking a certain fullness and richness that the EXL's provided, both new and used, when played on my guitar. The EXL's have always been my go-to coated string, simply because they sound better to me than other coated competitors, so I may be partially biased here. But I know what I hear and I know what I like, and I don't feel these Cleartones are the best fit for my guitar. I want the readers to know that every guitar responds differently to strings. I have played guitar for quite a few years and have realized that some brands/gauges/lines of strings work better on some guitars, both acoustic and electric, than do others. So don't let this review scare you away from trying a set of strings that you might just fall in love with. On my particular guitar I wasn't impressed, but perhaps on your Takamine or your Martin these strings will shoot rainbows from your fingertips. It's all subjective. If you can find a special, I'd say give them a whack. You may not be dissapointed, and you'll know for yourself if these are for you or not. There's a lot of buzz about these strings, why not try them for yourself? Peace.zippidydoo

I have used these strings for 3 or 4 years now they're really good I chose them because of the size and I found out that they are awesome. Not one ever broke on me as I did expect the 10 to from the speed and pressure I used sometimes. My particular style is metal, the strings work great for that. They are highly pliable. I am a bender and the tuning I think does not go out too much after the stresses I place on the strings. I have used deep standard E standard C standard a also be dropped down tuning no problem with any of the strings at all the sound is crisp and clear it's not a muddy sound and it's not a tinggi sound from the strings like a steel Acoustic sound.Big Mac

These strings work pretty much as advertised. They let you tune absurdly low without sacrificing note clarity or integrity… not perfectly, but reasonably. They also stay in tune remarkably well with little to no breaking-in.Regular DR 10's can handle my guitar tuned down 1 1/2 steps with no problems, but anything beyond that is flub territory and intonation is out by as much as a full half-step. With the DDT 10's, I can go 3 steps down and they still sound tight. If you check with a tuner, the intonation isn't quite right, but the difference is negligible to the naked ear. It's hard to break a DDT string. They are noticeably tougher than your average set of 10's. The feel is quite nice at 1 steps and lower though. They're surprisingly easy on the fingers. You don't have to pick hard to get heavy attack. They just exude brutal tone.Their quality stands true to the DR name. Definitely worth a try if you plan on experimenting with extremely low tunings. They can make your 6-string sound like a 7-string… only it'll still feel like a 6-string!Strizzwald

I typically play a half step down, sometimes drop C#. Guitar I have set up for that was giving me some occasional open string buzz in drop C#, but I didn't wanna go to a higher gauge because I like to be able to go to E standard once in a blue. Took the Daddarios off, put these on. Boom. Problem solved. Also very stable tuning wise and feel great overall. Thumbs up!Dustin J.

The Martin Extra Light 10 to 47 strings work very well on my Martin D28. They sound like Martin and are great for live gigs. Affordable strings for live Musician…Vernon

Definitely easier to play, but a bit lacking in tone( especially base). Big difference to a set of custom lights. Depends on your priorities! Barre chords and string bends noticeably easier to bring off.alex m.

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

Sound just fine. Black coating started coming off after short time playing. Fixed with a sharpie. No biggie. Still a good buyjohnnyb2112

I always used martins and black diamonds. My black diamonds got higher and i saw these strings and thought why not? So glad i did these coated strings sound and feel amazing. These will decently be my sting of choice from now on.thrashedandlost

I hate to give a bad review of Earthwood because I've played and loved the other Earthwood strings; however I tried these Rock & Blues strings on my Taylor as well as my Fender Sonoran and was not happy at all with the sound. For me I think it is the fact that the g-string is like an electric string and not wound like an acoustic string. Because of that, when I strum the whole acoustic sound is "off". Sure the string is easier to bend for lead, but to me it's not worth the trade off of having a bad sound when strumming.Strums the Word

I use to buy Martin Marquis strings but the price went up and I thought I would try these Ernie Ball strings. I put a set on my guitar yesterday evening and they sound good. I like buying the packs of strings instead of single packs. We will see if they have a long or short life. The sound is great.Hunter Dan

I've been playing/collecting new and vintage guitars for 26 years, and regularly try new strings. I noticed that if these strings contact the bridge when re-stringing, the color will chip off immediately. Secondly, they feel like dull plastic. This feels like your fingers are dragging, and seems "cheap". Thirdly, I had to adjust all the pickup heights on the low-E, as the heavier strings sound completely dull and lifeless. I also received a damaged string, and contacted DR customer service. I haven't even received a response in two weeks, which demonstrates how unimportant we are. In this day and age, where online retail is more important then ever, this is unacceptable. This is NOT a reflection on Guitar Center, which always takes good care of me. Ultimately, these strings are a cheesy gimmick that will hopefully fade out. If you want quality coated-strings, try Elixir.DS

I decided to pick up guitar after a 15 year break and found Rocksmith to be a pretty useful tool. I put these on my guitar to help with getting familiar with the fretboard and neck. Because it's been awhile. The first couple of days, the strings sounded great with no issues, but a couple of weeks in, some of the strings sound muted a little bit and are just not as crisp as non-coated strings. i'll probably take these off sooner than later. I would recommend these for RockSmith but if you're looking to just dress up your guitar, I would caution against them.Citiznkain

I'm a beginner and I never learned to read music. I bought these strings specifically to play along with the game Rocksmith 2014. For those who are just starting out, these strings make it easier to learn to play because of the individual colors of each string. I have bought multiple packs of these strings. I've recently bought a electric guitar, acoustic/electric, and a bass. I have put these strings on all three. Love them. As an added bonus, these strings really light up underneath a black light.Mark just starting out

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've tried DR strings with the recommendation of others and found them to be my absolute favorite for my old Yamaha acoustic. The Black Beauties, which these replaced, played great but had premature coating wear. I like the feel of them, especially on pull offs, where the strings stay put until you say go. The Neons are coated much better and everyone wows them and wants to know if they are real (or plastic). I like them a lot, they have that good feel and less finger pain, but the rainbow effect may wear off in months to come. Then I'll get another set of DR Black Beauties.Gregg

Nothing wrong with these strings. Not the best sounding strings I have ever used, but they sound good enough for live gigs.Judson Prof

I was hoping to remove some of the ringing I hear from D'Addario strings. Didn't work. I down tune one whole step so that I can use arrangements for tenors and still sing them. Went to heavy strings but they are too hard on my fingers and they still ring. When I tune up to concert pitch, the problem goes away. Clearly, this is really not a product judgement, but a misapplication.Rex

I wanted to experiment & give these Retro strings a try. I installed these on my '87 Martin HD2832 Shenandoah with V neck (super comfy) which has a warm tone, getting better with age. I was not aware that these Retro strings were all nickel so I love how they bring out the nickel hardware on the head stock (see attached pic). Comparing these Retro strings to the med gauge 80/20 bronze Martin Marquis that I usually play, these Retro strings are just as warm and comfy, especially when finger picking. If bass is at 'noon', so is the brightness, even throughout. (When comparing to another brand, these Retros sound and feel just as great as the med gauge bronze Ernie Ball Earthwoods that I occasionally play.) I've been playing bronze strings for so long that I'd have to hear the nickle and bronze played back to back in order to hear a difference, if any. These Retros have a nice punch when strumming and leads are rich & full. I have no doubt they'll last just as long as the Martin Marquis. Looks like I've found another set of Martin strings that I'll play for awhile…I believe Martin strings play better as they get older.John564Holloway

Better than the other Earthwoods, great sound on all 6 strings, good feel. Silk and Steel Extra Soft sound muffled especially low E plus they vibrate so much, strings hit my fingers on other strings. Extra Light Phospor sound muffled too. Rock and Blues, the 3 high strings sound tinny and G rattles on 2 guitars. No more experimenting, I'm sticking with Earthwood Extra Light 2006.Streetsbolt

At first I didn't like the jingly sound as it was my first time using extra light strings. Best strings i have come across in this price, great natural sound and lasted me a long time(about 5 months). Really can feel the difference after switching back to light gauge. Would highly recommend to anyone who likes that bluesy sound. Definitely give them a try.Sid

I don't recommend these strings for gigs with an amplified acoustic guitar. Should be fine for practice at home. First let me say I am a LOYAL Ernie Ball user – I have used them on my electric guitars for over 35 years. I have tried others and always go back to my Ernie Balls. One of my bands has me playing more acoustic guitar now than before, and I wanted to try some extra light gauge strings so that (a) I could play leads better and (b) my fingers wouldn't be so torn up after a five hour bar gig. So I tried the Ernie Ball Earthwood extra light acoustic strings on my Fender acoustic, equipped with a nice Fishman internal pickup. They are wonderful to play, easy on the hands and very bendable. Unfortunately they sound terrible. My band mates yelled at me the first gig, what happened to your guitar? The strings sounded tinny and distorted terribly. No tone, no volume, no projection. I don't think it is entirely because of the lightness of the gauge. I replaced them with Fender light gauge acoustic strings (11 – 52), barely bigger than the EBs (10 – 50), and the tone is back to what it should be. I still love Ernie Ball – but these Extra Light Acoustic strings just didn't work for me. Nice to play but they don't sound good. Priced right.tbalek

Guys, these strings are AMAZING! Let me tell you, if you put these strings in after having a different brand in, you will totally feel and hear the difference. It makes your guitar sound great. You can easily bend strings and make a beautiful vibrato with these! I watched a TV interview with Slash and even he says that he feels that they are top of the line and just give your guitar great feel and sound. I am totally with him. Please, if you have the chance…BUY THESE AND PUT THEM IN IMMEDIATELY.Luke H.

These strings sound great and retain their great sound for a pretty long time. They are extremely easy to play on as well. I would def recommend these strings to everyone from beginners to professionals.Chris