Best Sounding Guitar Strings (2024 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

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 was excited to try out the Blue Steel acoustic guitar strings. I got them in the mail and strung up my guitar with much anticipation. They were good at first, but after only about 20 minutes, my hands smelled like cheap metal, and the tone had already dulled. These strings made my high quality guitar sound like a tinny, cheap First Act Guitar. I would not recommend these strings to anyone. However, I would highly recommended Elixer nanowebs or polywebs. They are a far superior string. They are worth the extra price and will make any guitar sound great.Paul B.

Played guitar for 9 years. Have always picked and fretted with excessive force. My hands sweat and ruin strings. I've tried many strings, Elixrs were the best but too expensive, DR, D'addario, Ernie Ball, RotoSound….nothing felt like home. Somebody told me about these strings, I bought two packs of 12s and fell in love. Unlike the coated strings (Elixr) these are super-cooled so that the molecules lock together tighter. They stay in tune better than any strings I've played. These strings can take a beating. The tone is great for 4 or 5 weeks and it still sounds decent 2-3 months later. They are cheaper than most strings so you're crazy not to try them.TheCapitols

I've been using these strings for years. I love a wound 3rd string. They last up to a month for me where other brands only lasted a week tops. I just bought a new Les Paul with a Bigsby. It came with 9s on it and the intonation was way off. I had a set of 9s by EB and put them on to see what would happen. After a couple of days I could see it wasn't going to work out so I replaced them with a set of these 11s and the guitar locked right in tune.OleJazzer

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

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

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

For many years the Martin M140 ruled the acoustic guitar world, then sadly one day they disappeared. Now the sound that you've heard on many (many) Woodstock era recordings is back. You MUST give these a try. You'll be a believer!Rocky G.

I was out on the road when I broke two strings on my acoustic guitar. As luck would have, I was visiting one of those lovely European countries, whose stores close on Sunday. Understandable. Store owners also want to go and visit the festival where things are happening. So, a fellow guitarist introduced these to me. I felt silly, because I had never up to that point associated the Martin brand with strings rather only their (quite popular) acoustic guitars. After trying these, I've been purchasing from the Martin line of strings ever since. Martin strings now adorn my mandolin as well.Boyan P.

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.

I have used these about 3 years… they have great tone.. I get positive comments every time I play —about my tone– it is the strings and the Laravee' together, I would highly recommend them.. I buy 10-20 packs at a time..RC

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.

Put these on today. Mellow clear sound. The bass response especially so. Feel grippy to pick with and the strum is warm and lush. Good note separation. Not as bright as as J16s.timbospirit

Usually I play coated strings to make them last longer since I teach a lot. However, I needed to stop compromising my sound and my student had an extra pack he insisted I try. Now, I am not usually one to write a review – but this is a great and relatively inexpensive way to improve your sound. Have not tried round core strings before, though I do like DR Tite-fit for electric. But on an acoustic, they really add a lot and the round feels so much more flexible, playing 12's feels almost like 11's but gives you a thundering volume. I've been through 2 sets in what a coated string would normally take in 2 sets, so I am saying it is definitely worth checking out and not bothering with coated strings!!! Finally!!! I am a convert.Walt

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

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

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