Best Guitar Strings For Jazz (2025 Update)

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 tried all kinds of strings on my Martin guitars. Used coated strings for a while thinking it would be smoother on my fingers and stop the squeal as they slide on the strings.. but that's not cool !!! I'm totally on natural strings ., no boatings., I feel the string more .. I realized I want that !!! I don't get the screech as my ginger slide on the strings except fir when/if I want it . Yep !! I bought several 3 packs of these EJ16's. Great sound and you have !! Go gif it !!Chuck

I have an acoustic archtop guitar, and found a long time ago that phosphor-bronze strings produce the best tone for my playing style and the instrument I use. I've used a different brand for a long time, but I thought I would give these D'Addario a try. I'm glad I did. These strings produce a nice warm tone, and take a lot of punishment. I have a pretty aggressive rhythm style, and have snapped a lot of strings in my time and had to buy a lot of extra G-strings (it's always the G-string), but these D'Addarios hold up well. I'm very happy with them. and they are around half the price for a 3 set pack of the brand I was previously using, which is why I decided to give them a try.Noah

I use John Pearse acoustic guitar strings exclusively and for good reason- they are the best sounding and playing strings period. They also stay brighter and last longer than any other major brand I have tried. For me- John Pearse strings are the best value for quality and tone.buzzman39

Its my favorite strings I love them and Ive been playing them about a hour a day for two months and they still play like new!frankiemarkmark

I have tried many brands of guitar strings over the years, and usually use Martin on my acoustic, and D'Addario's on my Les Paul. This is the first time using Pearse strings. I cleaned and dressed my frets, installed an under the saddle pickup with an equalizer, a new bone saddle and nut, then the new Pearse strings. I couldn't be happier. The old early 70's Alvarez now sounds better than it ever has. I highly recommend any acoustic players that have not tried the Pearse strings, to do so.usaf_retired

D'addario EJ26 Phosphor Bronze guitar strings are very good. I have played this strings for years. D'addario is a very trusted brand among guitar players. They are always consistent great sound and playability. They are comfortable on the fingers and they last a good while. The longevity of strings all depends on how much and how often you play. Phosphor Bronze have a warm smooth tone. If you are looking for great sounding strings look no farther than D'addario EJ26 Phosphor Bronze strings.Travis

I have used various D'Addario strings since the early 80s. I was 'aware' of them in the 70s but I typically used Fender strings on electrics and Martin on acoustics. I have always maintained that D'Addario strings are cheap, plentiful, and get the job done. The argument could be made that there are better strings out there ("boutique" strings) but D'Addarios are available in any music store and they are consistently good. I think I only had one or two sets where the unwound strings were nasty…. they looked 'kinked' and didn't sound right. One or two sets out of how many hundreds of sets?? As to these particular strings, I have a 1947 Gibson L-5 and it just feels more 'right' with caveman strings. I'm not one of those 30s rhythm players that go runka chunka all day long, I play it like any other guitar, and it begs for heavy strings. D'Addario has them available….not everyone does, ya know. I'm happy with the company's products, across the board.ksdaddy

Like buying a string you need but it's buying six strings you need. I did indeed recieve six different strings, each one able to create the appropriate string sound I needed.customer

Elles sonnent très bien, et sont très agréables à jouer. A voir dans le temps, si elles résistent a la corosion dans le tempsStéphane E.

You cant get a better deal. 3 sets for 15 amazing. They sound crisp, clear,and after a whole week playing everyday still sound new. Other brands stay new for about 3 days then they die out, not these! They shock me everytime i pick up my acoustic thanks GHS.thejackofvocalandguitar

I just got a brand new Taylor(615ce) and i was like nice these strings sound good. These sound great 3 days later they sounded dead i was really disappointed. Then i went to go buy the same pair 15 dollars every time i want that new string sound. NO WAY! Goo Goo dolls lead singer Johhny R. uses these so i tired them. BLOWN AWAY!!!!! at there tone and clarity, 3new sets for the price of 1! sold and i am a GHS customer for life.thejackofvocalandguitar

Use them on my Martin DX-1. Great tone, last long time. Tone not as good on my D-28. Maybe the rosewood? Overall great strings. GHS has a great product.bro.banjo

Not the best strings. There were already some rust when I opened them when they were supposed to be sealed. I don't blame Mightyape as I've bought these strings from other stores as well and had some rusty as well.Kevin

the box sets cost more than individually packaged string sets which are much easier to handle over time – this is a raw deal – do the math – $5 a set x 25 sets is $125 – this is BSfrankie-no-neck

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'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

This is the first time I have bought Fender strings. I feel like I have a new guitar. Fantastic sound. They will now be my first choice.iahort0

Recently did a partial restoration of a 60's era Harmony Moneterey Archtop that belongs to my father. It had been stored in basements most of it's life, back pulled off and what not. Glued the back on, cleaned every part of the guitar and strung her up with these strings. Without the neck reset, I was able to get the action comfortable for playing. The strings seem to stay in tune about as well as excpeted for this guitar. I am able to bend strings, sure not as far as I could a lighter set, but to something enjoyable. The strings have a nice tone to them, and seem to have decent volume with finger style playing (which is what I do 98% of the time). Haven't tried a pick on them, although I'm sure they are even louder than my thumb nail, if using a pick. If one needs a set of decent economically priced strings, these will work. I'm not happy with the excessive squeaks and what not, because it just ruins recordings. It's annoying when practicing too. I'll be replacing with D'Adario or perhaps a cheap flatwound (some could be the guitar and further work needing done). However, I must say that these strings fit the budget, and were priced right for slapping on a guitar that I wasn't even sure I could get the action set for. The tone is very enjoyable, not to figure out how to stop the squeaks giving these strings squeak just doing an alternating pattern with one finger (melody, or bass). These are strings, what features are really necessary? These strings seem to be of good quality. They tune up, and reasonably hold tune on the guitar I installed them on. This guitar needs a neck reset, but I was able to get the action comfortable. They bend fairly easily. The only thing I am not impressed with, is the noisyness of the strings. Lots of squeaks and what not. I generally purchase the D'darrio version, which are priced a little higher. I decided to give Fender a try. Perhaps, with Fender, I should've went with Flatwound. Disappointed in the excessive sqeaks of these strings. Will be replacing with either Flatwounds, or D'Adario version. Near impossible to get a good sound on recordings with the sqeaks, and that's just changing one finger from one string to another (alternating pattern on chording). These strings are a good string for the money. I purchased them because they were cheaper than my normal brand. The purchased was to set the action on a Harmony Archtop I've been working on, and see how badly the neck needed rest. As of right now, with these strings, the neck is setting fine and not pulling any further than without strings. Worked for purpose I purchased them for, but will have to be replaced for a better set that aren't so noisy.bluesmanwithastrat

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

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

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

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 never get involved with commentary of products, but I feel obligated to say WOW, with Martins new Authentic Acoustic line of strings. Installed the PB variety on my 000-28ec, my Gibson sj200, and my Collings CJmh, in each case there was an immediate improvement in all areas of tone. Pardon the cliche', but in every way the guitars came to life. Great sustain, solid bass, and smooth bell like treble. I have tried many strings over the years, and yes there are differences, but never tothe degree I hear with these. A vast improvement in all areas, IMOP. Can't say how long they'll last, haven't had them on that long. Ther worth a try to any guitar out there. And I will always buy from Strings and Beyond. They have always been courteous, professional, ship quickly, and competitively priced. Thanks.Mark

For the last couple years, I’ve been comparing these Lifespan 12-54 against other coated phosphor-bronze sets: D’Addario EXP 12-53 & D’Addario XT 12-53 & D’Addario XS 12-53 & Elixir’s Light nano set. These Martin Lifespan strings have given me no issues, except that my low E string bridge pin doesn’t quite want to press all the way in (due to being cut for a 53 vs 54 gauge string). I didn’t think that small variation would matter, but it seems to! Even with the bridge pin slightly protruding higher than the others, these strings sound great and have lasted quite a long time without degrading in tone or feel. My pick eventually does cut up the coating, which visibly frays and starts to dull the string sound. But, this is after much time and use. I like the sound and feel of the strings, and will now be comparing them to the new D’Addario XS strings, which claim to survive picking better than any other string, while using a thinner coating. We shall see! At this time I can report that I like the Martin Lifespans fairly equally to D’Addario EXPs, which sound and respond better (in my experience) than Elixir’s comparable strings. I have not yet concluded my XT and XS testing to compare, but I expect them to perform as (or more) durably as these Lifespans. I anticipate the XS strings to sound and respond more like uncoated strings than the others listed above (including these Lifespans) while potentially surviving more punishment from my pointy Dunlop Primetone Flow plectrums! I’ll review the XS performance on that listing after finding the results. I have been pretty satisfied with these Lifespans, but not blown away in comparison to D’Addario’s coated offerings. They’re competitive and if you’re a Martin lover, these are an easy set-it-and-forget-it option that give a longer replacement cycle than Martin’s uncoated strings without sounding completely dull. You can get a still good low-end brassy growl on these until their coating starts to fray. However, you’ll definitely also want to try a set of D’Addario’s coated strings to pick a favorite based on their response with your own guitar, picking technique, and sound preferences. I found Lifespans to be pretty stable for intonation and gradually become less strident/bright in tone through use (wear at the picking location). D’Addario lights may have a touch less power (fundamental frequency) on the lowest string. They both respond well and sustain well on my guitar, with the D’Addarios remaining extremely stable with intonation. [For reference, the strings mentioned here were all installed on a very fine Larrivee LV-10 (sitka & EIT) built around year 2000. The guitar has a TON of rich mid-to-high overtone presence and excellent string-to-string balance with good dynamic range and sustain. Most strings sound pretty good on it, but the timbre does noticeably change with different strings. These changes in overtone prominence are difficult to express in a written review…. Larrivee calls for D’Addario 12-53 gauge phosphor bronze strings. Bridge pins are ebony (like the bridge).]Daniel