Best Silk And Steel Guitar Strings (2024 Update)

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

I use these on my Takamine G series Jumbo bodied Acoustic electric both 6 and 12 strings. I get a ton of mid-range and bass and substitute .015 for 2nd (B) and .012 for first (E) strings so the treble isn't so brassy. It works terrific for the contemporary church music I play both with and without an amp.9376roberth

after trying many makes and gauges for my guitar I have settled for the steel silk strings that give the perfect tone for what I want. I have found the balance between low end depth and high end clarity that suits my playing. The Martin Steel Silk may be slightly more expensive than the Bronze varieties but the difference is more than worth it. I recommend any acoustic player should give them a try.kenuphog

Terrific strings for markedly reducing the jangles on my Taylor Sitka/Rosewood 12-string. Full but warm tone. On top of that, owing to the low tension of these strings, I am no longer forced to tune my 12-string a half-step flat to ease fingering! Highly recommend.Phaedrum

I prefer the crisp tone of 80/20 bronze strings. They sound great on my Seagull S12 CH CW Spruce Sunburst GT Q1T. Rock n Rollphifan_24

Love these string… Guitar formerly used brights and always had a buzzy sound in it performance. With Silk and Steel Silver wound.. the Guitar has been transformed into a very pleasant yet still full 12 string sound. No more undesirable noises.Greg

Of all the steel strings I've used in over 40 years of playing guitar, these strings are the easiest on your fingers. If you're a beginner, or if you haven't picked up your guitar for a few years, these are a perfect set of strings to get you going. The down side of these strings is the tone. I find them to dull the sound of my guitar. Some may find them to be just what they like however, I like a bright clear tone, with a punchy bottom end. These are more balanced, and don't have the bright highs and robust lows that I like. Like everything else, it's all about personal preference.bluesman59

I needed a lighter than light set of strings for a 1975 Ovation I bought from Guitar Center. The truss rod was near the end of adjustment so these strings worked perfect for the setup. They sound brighter and louder than I expected from reading other reviews. I used the strings when gauging the slot depth for the new nut I filed in place. I tightened and loosened each string maybe ten times without any breaking. Eventually I will install Fishman active electronics in this guitar as it pre dates the use of electronics by Ovation. That review forthcoming. They play like butter.Jonathan Storms reverbnation

Ernie Ball produces excellent strings, most people know. These strings are no exception. They sound beautiful, on my dreadnought. Low end is nice and warm. While the high end sounds crisp. Perhaps what I don't like, is they loose their brightness in about a month (of course depending on how much you play). And I know they will keep sound if you clean them. But their price is comparable to their string life. And they don't break easily. I will keep using these sets for as long as they make them. And I would recommend them to any player.litlmooserichard

I highly recommend these strings for darker sounding acoustics. I installed them on my new Epiphone DR-100, and they sound amazing. Much better than the factory strings, in my opinion. I normally like phosphor bronze acoustic strings, but I've found that the DR-100's sound better with the brighter 80/20 bronze strings. Full disclosure, I'm a big fan of Ernie Ball strings in general. I use exclusively the RPS Hybrid 9-46 strings on my electrics. Also highly recommended. Great price on the 3 packs of these. I also really like the 11-52 gauge, vs 12-54. Both sound great, but the slightly lighter gauge works best for me, since I play electric much more often than acoustic. Enjoy!!waterboy411

I've been playing guitar since 1969, and have used countless brands and varieties of acoustic guitar strings. My first go around with Earthwood strings was less than impressive, as I had the ball end fall off of the high E as I was removing it from the package. This put me off Earthwoods for a while, but when I came across an inexpensive project guitar a while back the only acoustic strings available to me at the time were Earthwoods. I bought that set out of necessity and strung the guitar up. I love the gauge of this set since it's only slightly heavier than the sets I've been using on my electrics for years and very comfortable to play, while not sacrificing much in the bottom end of the tone. I was thoroughly impressed with these strings to the point that they're now my go to acoustic strings. Naturally every guitar is going to sound slightly different and every player will have different taste in the way a set feels and sounds to them, but these are my favorite right now. Definitely worth a try if you've never tried them and are looking to replace a set.papastratomaster

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

I have been playing out for over forty years. These strings are so much easier on the fingers for long gigs. More of a mellow tone too if you like that. I have used these strings for my acoustic guitars for over ten years. These or the light set would be perfect for beginners. You remember how heavier bronze strings felt the first time you picked up a guitar.troxil-09

I am an aging arthritis sufferer. Been trying a wide variety of strings to mitigate the pain associated with playing my collection of high end acoustics. I know I could switch to nylon classical or electric guitars, but they just aren't my style. The GHS silk and steels give me the comfort I need with less pressure required for fretting and still retain a full, high quality acoustic resonance. Have yet to find a better set for my purposes. I used Elixirs exclusively for years, so I know a good string when I play it.Phil P.

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

Smooth to play, definitely less tension but tone? Not sure! The tone has certainly changed and maybe not for the better. May go back to my normal Martin strings.John A.

At 79 I'm looking for maximum comfort – the MA130FX silk&phosphor strings allow me to continue playing large steel strung accoustics when conventional strings no longer worked for me..C. T.

I bought these strings for an inexpensive Jasmine dreadnought guitar. After installing the new strings and tuning it, I struck a few chords and that cheap entry level guitar rang out like a two thousand dollar Martin D 35. That is not an exaggeration. I am very impressed and pleased with these strings and highly recommend them.cadillac-cowboy

They sound good and they save my hands. They enable me to play better. Im an older woman with small arthritic hands. These strings allow me to get better at guitar.larusita

These strings sound great for my gigs. I dont own a martin guitar but they're durable in the heat, and thats exactly what i was looking for.Jake

I cant state enough how good this nut worked. It fit perfectly with a little minor sizing. The guitars tone opened up dramatically. The notes literally come blossoming out. And that annoying plink while tuning is gone. Great product. 2017 Breedlove Studio 12-string.jhs60061

These strings are definitely easier on the fingers, though there was a notable decrease in sound. I'm thinking there are trade-offs between the softer core, dynamic output of a string. With that said, I found these strings to be very easy to play on, as I usually tune down my 12 string to compensate – though I was able to tune these without issue at the desired pitch, and play for longer periods of time without resting the fingers.John

My first time using GHS strings. I have used Silk & Steel on a number of occasions made by other manufacturers. Not only do the look quiet different but they take a bit if getting used to. However with the GHS strings they looked like ordinary phosphor bronze. I wasnt sure at first, but having fitted them, they are wonderful. Clear, precise, comfortable, my guitar seems have have a much more mellow sound to it.Robert

I love GHS Silk and Bronze strings. If you are a hard strummer or like big strings that are bright and tight for bluegrass, I don't think these are for you. These strings offer a sweeter tone that isn't so bright as regular strings tend to be, and they have a slightly softer feel to both hands. Great for finger-style players or light pickers. Give them a try if that sounds like what you are looking for.Aaron

These strings are definitely easier on the fingers, though there was a notable decrease in sound. I'm thinking there are trade-offs between the softer core, dynamic output of a string. With that said, I found these strings to be very easy to play on, as I usually tune down my 12 string to compensate – though I was able to tune these without issue at the desired pitch, and play for longer periods of time without resting the fingers.John

My first time using GHS strings. I have used Silk & Steel on a number of occasions made by other manufacturers. Not only do the look quiet different but they take a bit if getting used to. However with the GHS strings they looked like ordinary phosphor bronze. I wasnt sure at first, but having fitted them, they are wonderful. Clear, precise, comfortable, my guitar seems have have a much more mellow sound to it.Robert

I love GHS Silk and Bronze strings. If you are a hard strummer or like big strings that are bright and tight for bluegrass, I don't think these are for you. These strings offer a sweeter tone that isn't so bright as regular strings tend to be, and they have a slightly softer feel to both hands. Great for finger-style players or light pickers. Give them a try if that sounds like what you are looking for.Aaron

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

These strings are definitely easier on the fingers, though there was a notable decrease in sound. I'm thinking there are trade-offs between the softer core, dynamic output of a string. With that said, I found these strings to be very easy to play on, as I usually tune down my 12 string to compensate – though I was able to tune these without issue at the desired pitch, and play for longer periods of time without resting the fingers.John

My first time using GHS strings. I have used Silk & Steel on a number of occasions made by other manufacturers. Not only do the look quiet different but they take a bit if getting used to. However with the GHS strings they looked like ordinary phosphor bronze. I wasnt sure at first, but having fitted them, they are wonderful. Clear, precise, comfortable, my guitar seems have have a much more mellow sound to it.Robert

I love GHS Silk and Bronze strings. If you are a hard strummer or like big strings that are bright and tight for bluegrass, I don't think these are for you. These strings offer a sweeter tone that isn't so bright as regular strings tend to be, and they have a slightly softer feel to both hands. Great for finger-style players or light pickers. Give them a try if that sounds like what you are looking for.Aaron

I usually use brands that cost more – I decided to try these out on my 12 string because I like to try out different strings and they were cheap. As I was putting them on, I immediately noticed that the strings needed to be stretched out a lot more than the brands I usually use. As I was tuning them up, the small G string snapped. Later one of the high E strings snapped. I was afraid to keep tightening the strings to get them up to pitch because they did not stretch out like normal ones. When I finally got ten strings tuned, they kept going flat. Eventually they stretched out & actually sounded nice (with ten strings on a 12 string guitar). I ended up taking them off the next day and throwing them out & putting a new pack of nicer strings on. I've been changing guitar strings for 32 years so I know how to do this – I've worked with many different brands & types of strings (80/20, phosphor bronze, silk & steel, coated, etc). I say that to emphasize that I'm not a novice at putting strings on a guitar. Maybe they'll work for you but I won't try them again.10nhm69

Nice extra light gauge but still with more bass than I expected which is a bonus. Very little pull on the neck, so action stays low. Nice feel and tone when playing.DuncanW

Kept getting sore fingers after playing on my Taylor, but then put these on. They are so soft and playable, I can play all night. Highly recommend these strings.S

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

Very nice strings apart from the "G"string snapping on both sets, but this was promptly resolved by the company with replacements.ior o.

I have been playing out for over forty years. These strings are so much easier on the fingers for long gigs. More of a mellow tone too if you like that. I have used these strings for my acoustic guitars for over ten years. These or the light set would be perfect for beginners. You remember how heavier bronze strings felt the first time you picked up a guitar.troxil-09

I am an aging arthritis sufferer. Been trying a wide variety of strings to mitigate the pain associated with playing my collection of high end acoustics. I know I could switch to nylon classical or electric guitars, but they just aren't my style. The GHS silk and steels give me the comfort I need with less pressure required for fretting and still retain a full, high quality acoustic resonance. Have yet to find a better set for my purposes. I used Elixirs exclusively for years, so I know a good string when I play it.Phil P.

I use these on my Takamine G series Jumbo bodied Acoustic electric both 6 and 12 strings. I get a ton of mid-range and bass and substitute .015 for 2nd (B) and .012 for first (E) strings so the treble isn't so brassy. It works terrific for the contemporary church music I play both with and without an amp.9376roberth

after trying many makes and gauges for my guitar I have settled for the steel silk strings that give the perfect tone for what I want. I have found the balance between low end depth and high end clarity that suits my playing. The Martin Steel Silk may be slightly more expensive than the Bronze varieties but the difference is more than worth it. I recommend any acoustic player should give them a try.kenuphog