Low Tension Electric Guitar Strings For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

Initially I bought LaBella 760FS for my Squier classic vibe P Bass. I had them on my bass for about a year. I loved the tone and everything but the high tension of those strings meant that I couldn't play for long periods of time. My fingers hurt and also it put a lot of tension on the neck so after a bit of research I found out that LaBella also makes low tension flats so I decided to give them a try and boy I wasn't disappointed! Very similar tone and feeling to it's cousin but lower tension. Much easier to play. You can even bend the strings and they are not floppy or anything. Awesome.Andy

I bought these for my recently purchased Toby 4-string. The action was not quite what I was looking for so I decided to try the low tension strings. Just what was needed. I was able to drop the action just slightly (it was already nearly bottomed-out) and in conjunction with the low tension strings, it plays very nice now. Sounds very contemporary to me. I am primarily a guitarist BTW. I play bass for my worship group. I give a solid 5-stars, all around good strings. Hopefully, will sound great for a while.Bruce

I typically dont like low tension strings. These however, arent too floppy. I can play like normally do and they dont get buzzy. Had to loosen my truss rod by 1/4 turn, but thats it. Also, very versatile. I played these on a top 40 gig and they excelled. For flats, they even slap pretty well, tootinmanfunk

My Mitchell MS450 (single cutaway LP style guitar) came with D'Add's, which sounded decent. When I switched them out, I went with the GHS 10's on a hunch based on things I've heard. Great move! Nice, brilliant tone, rings out for eternity if you let them! I have heard that the GHS 9's are really good on Strat style guitars, so GHS might be my go to on my Squier Strat Classic Vibe next string change.Joe

I used 11's from D'Addario for years and I would break a string consistently for every show that I played. I do not know why I kept with D'Addario for so long. I figured I needed to have a heavier string gauge for durability and better tone. Searched around and came across these strings in the heavy gauge, and I could not be happier with them. These strings have great sustain, are durable, do not corrode as quickly as other brands I have used in my professional career playing music, and, despite their heaviness, are easy to play in standard tuning. Along with playing well with a pick and fingers, these strings also sound terrific when playing slide. You can get the same great tones out of these strings that Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks have with their lighter gauges, as well as channeling the fat tones that you hear from Duane Allman from the Fillmore East show. Great Garcia tones can come from these strings as well. Basically what I am saying is that you can still get those classic guitar sounds on these heavy strings without feeling like your losing tone or playing opportunities utilized by the players that inspire you who may use lighter string gauges. These strings also (as far as I know) have a round core instead of a hex core. I think that might be a reason why these strings have so much sustain, especially when you have some distortion or overdrive keeping them warm while playing lead. If you are on the fence about getting these, I recommend you give them a try just see how they work for you. They are no that expensive and its worth it to figure out what works for you as a player. Feeling confidence in the gear you use is so essential to being comfortable on stage. Buy a pack and see what happens. You might find yourself just what you've been looking for.JFromJUNCO

I used to use Boomers for about 10 years, on all my electrics (9s). Until arthritis started creeping in. Switched to EB slinky 8s, and playing became much easier. Everything still had a huge sound, but previous order added a test set of the Boomer 8.5s for my Gibson Les Paul goldtop with P90s. Took a while to get used to the rougher feel compared with the EB 8s. But will probably order another set for the goldtop, and a set for my ES295.Joe S.

I tried these strings on copy of an ES-335 style guitar. The pickups are not as alive as I would like. The strings appeared to add energy to the pickup and resonate well. I enjoyed the new sounds and power when playing. I was able to bend the strings to my heart's content and pretend that I was a blues master. Do not be afraid to give these strings a go.Ed

The best sounding and feeling strings I have ever used. Most of my guitars have vintage powered pickups and these strings are extremely clear sounding. They sound great on my Strats and Teles. They sound fantastic on my '61 RI SG and LTD PB 500 (Duncan Alnico II pickups). They still have the "slinky" feel of regular Ernie Ball strings. They seem to last a little longer too. If you are a bedroom player, you will like them. If you are a gigging player you will love them. I have always used EB strings, these are now the only strings I use.ShaneC

These are great strings. The feel like Slinkys to me, but are a little more slippery. Sustain is fantastic. I wore out a set of DR DDT (11 bottom) so, I put them on my Ibanez GRG121. This guitar has dinky weak humbuckers, but a pinch holds way longer with the strings…to the point that it feels more like upgrading the pickups. Maybe it's placebo, but I could swear they have a tighter swing too. I went thinner than the DDTs (obviously) putting these on and some of the first moment fret butt I got above fret 15 went away. Maybe it's just bc their thinner, but watching them I think they swing less. Try these strings… *Note: They leave a nasty bitter on your fingers.Steve

BB King famously convinced Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top to switch to lighter strings and Billy never looked back. Tone can be shaped so much by the amp so the primary function of strings is feel and playability. Lighter strings like these mean you can play harder for longer. I also find I'm playing more accurately because my movements needs to be more delicate.Jack C.

You have to try these strings for yourself. No matter what anyone reviews or says, this is a matter of preference. So I say spend the money and try them. I will relate my personal review now. First off Ernie Ball strings are very good strings. I would say that about Curt Magnum, DR, GHS pure Nickels and Fender pure Nickels also. I play pure Nickel strings which are mellow strings btw. I normally use .10s and .11s. This was an experiment for me because I went down a rathole one night on the internet reading about what strings "the stars" use. I read what people said and honestly it is entertainment in itself!!! If you use 10s or heavier, you will have to adjust your neck, action and intonation. These no getting around that. The tension is very different. If you re-adjust your tone settings on your pedals and amplifiers, you'll get a usable tone with these strings. You'll have to play with your pickups also since they respond differently. Don't use these strings if you have a heavy picking hand like SRV. If you have a light hand or can switch it up and play softly, try them. DON'T go out and play a gig if you haven't spent some time with them, especially if you are dropping down from 10s or 11s. If you use 9s, you'll probably be ok. I am all for playing without tiring and playing without hurting my tendons. Maybe I will stick with these OR NOT. I have them on a PRS Custom 22 SE. I use 2mm V-picks. You had better use light picks with these strings. I switched to a Fender medium. So I use 11s when tuned down a half step. 10s up to pitch. If you have tendonitis from playing guitar 3 or 4 hours a day for 50 something years, these will be a refreshing change and you may not have any pain whatsoever. These are certainly the strings to use on a guitar that has a neck issue where the truss rod won't handle 11s or 10s. Nowadays, necks don't seem to be made to handle the medium or heavy gauge strings that I grew up with. Whatever I say doesn't matter. When it comes to strings, you will have to try them yourself and decide if they work for you or not. I purchased four sets to try on numerous guitars. I may get up enough nerve to use them at a gig. These may be strings to put on student guitars so they don't get discouraged.Rick

Ernie Ball has always been a high quality guitar string. Used by beginners, every day pickers, and professional musicians. They provide great sound and a great feel when played on a cheap guitar, or high dollar instrument. Im no professional guitarist , but I do know The Ernie Ball Slinky series string should be your number one choice when looking for a great all around string. There on all my guitars. And let me tell you, they really make my Strat talk like SRV s # 1uskev-xeu3yty9

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’ve used these Santa Cruz Mid Tensions for 4 string changes now on both my D18 and D35 and I continue to be impressed. I don’t think it’s just a marketing gimmick as these strings produce a more balanced and full sound than regular phosphor bronze sets. It’s a more mellow sound right away, almost like Monel strings. These have a great feel under the fingers as well. Great product!Michael M.

I've used Elixirs since they arrived on the market.. tonal response is negligibly different for bats and oscilloscopes, punters will never know – if you disagree you know where the tone controls are on your guitar and amp 😜. Price difference easily outweighed by not having to put a fresh set of strings on for every single gig of a run.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Elixir Nanoweb Coated strings set the standard for the best electric guitar strings. They feel and sound great and, in my opinion, last more than twice as long as other brands. I like the Superlights (9-42) on Fender and Lights (10-46) on Gibson scale guitars.mark from atlanta

Elixirs go on all 7 of my guitars. They last upto a year before I even notice them losing their fresh tone. 6-8 months on my everyday Les Paul's and Strat. My 12 strings don't get as many hours on them, thus the year longevity. All other strings, maybe 45 days, usually a month then dead or boringly dull. There is a difference worth paying for. Plus they are easy to slide your fingers up and down on.Preacher Dave

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.

I took a lot of years off and I had stock 10s on my G&Ls that was killing my hands so I played those for a while and endured my shortcomings as my hands were in training to regain the strength of my youth. Then made the switch to Ernie Ball Hybrid 0946s and that felt better but still felt like a battle when playing faster licks and solos. A friend suggested that I try the NYXL0942. Wow! I felt like I was in a time warp and back to my old self from years ago. These NYXLs have initially withstood my bending and time will tell to see if they are as tough as advertised. Also they feel like I am playing nylon strings so they are a lot more comfortable. Could be the lighter gauge but I think the string design also has something to do with that. The only thing I notice is that they do not ring out as loudly as my previous strings but it does not matter when you plug in. Really glad about these strings and will probably be putting these on all my guitars.MediumSexy

I love the sound of NYXL. They provide me with a pearl like sound that I can use for jazz as well as for heavier sounding music. The strings have qualities that last for a very long time. I usually change my strings every week. I left them for a month on my guitar just to see how they would sound. They sound fantastic… they would lose some freshness after about two weeks but they still hold a great deal of quality after two months playing. They also stay in tune after you pull your strings. I use them on a Strandberg and I love the sound of NYXL with that guitar.Piotr Bal

These strings are a great sounding string with a full tone. I typically used an 11 string guage and went down to a 10 on my current guitar setup. When I tried the 9s I thought I would lose some of the warmth and fullness, but they sound fairly consistent with with heavier guage strings and are easier to play and bend. Now I just have to learn to have a lighter touch when I play…chad

Bought these strings cause I have been using Dunlop 10's for a few years now and wanted to try out a set of 7's. They do sound a little brighter to me then 10's as one would expect but they still have great tone. I can see why someone with a problem like arthritis should use these strings, fingering a cord is effortless and bends a just ridiculous. I could bend up 2 whole steps without a problem. If you use these you have to be a very light player. When I swapped out the 10's on my Les Paul for these I was thinking I could lower the action a bit but as it turns out if I played as hard as I did before I would get al kinds of buzzing. I would guess this is cause there is less tension on the strings which would allow the range they move to be more then a higher gauge string. I gave these 5 stars cause they are great strings, have great tone, I never broke a string in the time I used them and they stayed in tune. That being said I have since gone to 9's. As I said there not for everyone. I would recommend them to a friend but only if they were looking for the qualities that I found these strings to have.Shot

I've been using 7's for the past several years on my Epiphone SG's (with Gibson '57 humbuckers), and although they make the sound understandably a bit thin or tinny, you can make up for this a little bit depending on the amp you have. Even so, the better feel is what I was really after, and these have come through every time in that respect. My hands don't cramp up or anything, and I can do string bends with total ease. Previously I had used 8's, which I think were Ernie Ball, but noticed a better difference in feel and playability when I switched to these 7's (by the way, I use .46 Dunlop picks and have for many years). From the reviews I've read on these the past few years, a lot of people like these 7's like I do, so I hope Dunlop doesn't stop making them anytime soon. Their price is very reasonable too. I will say, however, that I've had a few issues at times with the high B & E strings popping out of the bridge saddle and, in the case of the high E, even getting snagged on the bottom edge of a fret or two, but this could've been the condition of the guitar too, plus my SG's are tuned a 1/2 step down from standard pitch, so the strings are even slinkier than they would be otherwise. Also, I've very rarely ever broken one of these 7's (if I ever have), but nonetheless there's an increased risk, surely, of that happening due to their thinness. Still, all things considered, I like these strings and will continue to use them when possible.Rick

These strings feel like clothes hangers. Hard and stiff and non responsive. They do not stay in tune after stretching. I feel bad to review this product poorly. I have always played Dean Markley Blue Steels forever…. trying these makes me understand why I would never change what works. ZZ Tops sound is amazing and how Billy G gets there is all his own… just would never work for me. All the Dunlop strings feel stiff and hard to the fingertips…. sorry… not sorrylongwhip

I'm glad I tried the Fender ss strings. They feel great and have a consistent tone. Not sure bout the longevity yet, too soon to tell. Great price as well. Bought a few Set to give as presents.RochesterTom

These are great guitar strings and a lot better than the ernie ball. As a leading manufacturer of strings, for decades Fender has delivered a high-quality product. The sound of these stings with a Spanish Cedar Wood pick is crisp.mojogumbo

I used Fender strings a long time ago and they always performed well. I made the change to super slinkys many moons ago but decided to go back to 350L when I changed over to my Nighthawk. The slinkys seemed a little dull, maybe it has something to do with the Nighthawk having a Fender scale length. Great move! Everything is much brighter and present with no sacrifice on bottom definition. I play every day and liked the longevity of the super slinkys so we will have to see how the Fenders compare. Great strings and a great price from MF as usual.Jerzy

These strings really made a big difference ( In my opinion) in the sound of my Epiphone ES335, very pleased with the results.oldriv58

I love the feel of these strings. The tone is exactly how I like. My sound is more dynamic than before. Contrary to other reviews, they DO stay in tune (check your intonation and guitar setup in general) and they DO last a long time. I'm not a fan of strings that have windings that work against you. These strings have just the right amount of smoothness and brightness. Bright, but not annoying.JDub

Got these just sampling a few string sets and stuck them on my 2005 Tele Deluxe, they have a fairly decent tone & output compared to my Slinkies and seem to be good quality but my major complaint is the G B and E to me are under much more tension tuned at 440, kinda mixed feelings since some of my guitars are strung with 10's so for me these are 10 feeling 9's ! Strings are the easiest swap for tone chasers so just try a set, you just might like them 🎼Dr.LaRrY

Bought from MF for over twenty years. They do not value their customers. They shorted me on the order and then had to wait more than a week to get the shorted items. When I tried to return them after I finally got the ones shorted as I had to buy locally for a gig. They told me Sorry we can't let you return these. I will never buy from MF again and will tell everyone at my shows to not buy from you. You lost an old customer and it is because you do not care. BGBG

Great strings, super consistent and ethically packaged. If you've not tried a balanced tension set do so yourself a favour and do so. Really comfortable to play, and just as much tone as you're used to. I never string with anything else now.Paul F.

I used all the rest first, then moved to these. Now, I strictly use these. I've used these forever and never anything else. They just sound the best and for a long time. I'm pretty tough on strings with massive Floyd Rose abuse and these take the punishment.RR Fatboy

Bought from MF for over twenty years. They do not value their customers. They shorted me on the order and then had to wait more than a week to get the shorted items. When I tried to return them after I finally got the ones shorted as I had to buy locally for a gig. They told me Sorry we can't let you return these. I will never buy from MF again and will tell everyone at my shows to not buy from you. You lost an old customer and it is because you do not care. BGBG

Great strings, super consistent and ethically packaged. If you've not tried a balanced tension set do so yourself a favour and do so. Really comfortable to play, and just as much tone as you're used to. I never string with anything else now.Paul F.

I used all the rest first, then moved to these. Now, I strictly use these. I've used these forever and never anything else. They just sound the best and for a long time. I'm pretty tough on strings with massive Floyd Rose abuse and these take the punishment.RR Fatboy

I really like these strings. They are warm, and give what I believe to be the best tone on my Stratocaster's and Telecaster. I don't really remember when I first started using Pure Nickel strings (of any brand), but I DO know I have never used anything but Pure Nickel since. The strings got a 4 star rating. I purposely omitted 1 star because, I feel they don't last as long as say a Nickel wound D'Addario would…but then again, I have not found a Pure Nickel D'Addario set of strings. So I forfeit the longevity for the tone. I DID just today order some Fender 150M (medium gauge 11's)…which are also Pure Nickel. I would never order 10 sets of strings if I didn't like them. Once I get to play the 11's, I will give a review on that product page. As far as Fender Pure Nickel strings go…you can't go wrong on the tonal quality. Rock on!!!White Dog

For years I've played flatwound strings, but when I bought my new Fender American Professional Jaguar I was taken by how lively and expressive the strings were! I left them on. There was a learning curve, with me having to learn a lighter touch, but the more I played them the more I liked them, I went on the Fender website, clicked on the "Chat with us" button, and asked what set came on the Jaguar. It was this set – the Fender 250L Super 250 Nickel-Plated Steel Electric Guitar Strings. VERY musical, VERY expressive! I play jazz-inflected folk, fingerstyle or various flatpicks, including Fender 351 Thins and Dunlop 204s. There's a reason Fender puts these on their guitars!RubyTuba

BUY THESE ! I hadn't used Fender strings for 30 years . A friend of mine bought out a music store so to liquidate he sold me all the strings and drum sticks in stock .. there were mostly Fender strings so I started using them . 20 packs of 9's lasted me well over a year . I work at least 3 night a week as a lead guitarists / vocalist . so I use my main Strat a lot . after I ran out of Fender's I used GHS and noticed I was breaking strings .. so I tried the Ernie Ball's .. breaking strings again ! I went to a local music store and bought a pack of Fender's . as an experiment I wasted to see how long before one would break . SIX WEEKS ! .. THEY LASTED 6 WEEKS ! .. That's 18 gigs , 3 hours pr night for a month and a half every Thursday Friday and Saturday . and they still sounded good ! FENDER RULES !horsesass123

This is a nice package set of guitar strings. You get ten sets in one box. that makes it so nice to not have to keep buying them so often. I really like how they packaged these guitar strings. the outer box is smaller than you would think for ten sets of guitar strings. But instead of having each set of guitar strings in another box individually, they have each set of guitar strings in its own bag, that is sealed. Made it easier to find a place to store the extra guitar strings for when I need them next. Was easier to stow an extra set in my guitar case since it was not in a stiff box, but in a sealed bag instead. I like how the guitar strings are color coded on the package and the string. It made restringing so much easier to do. Just had to look to f the color string end for the specific string I was doing. Makes it easier for novice guitar stringers. Not having to guess is nice. I also like how the box gives you so much information about the strings. From the level of intonation, set tension, to string size and tension. It makes it very easy to find the ones you are needing.litehowsluvr

These D'Addario EXL110-3D strings are great! They are bit heavier than the 'slinkys' that my son usually uses, but he really likes these too. They go on easy, and seem strong. They sound amazing! My son has 1 of the 3 sets on his strat, I have one set on my vintage 80's Ibanez, and the third set is a spare in case we break any strings. They give a rich on the lows and bright on the highs tone. They feel good on the fingers, and have the right amount of give. The intonation is excellent and these, apparently D'Addario's best selling strings, will possibly last a long time. I read that the core of these strings is hexagonal in shape, which helps the way the wrap sounds, feels and behaves. These strings have a really nice sustain too, and seem to stay in tune better than other brands we've used. I think these would make a great gift, as they come in a set of 3, but also these are good to stock up on for yourself. We'll definitely be getting more!Kedst123

Bought a 10 pack in 1992. Still have a couple sets left. My main Warmoth partscaster wears the strings out in about 5 years. You read that correctly, i leave those strings on until the winding on the D string wears off. Not that they break. I gig regularly and I use stainless steel frets on my partscasters. Daddario not a better string on the market.Spooky

After trying a few different brands and gauges of strings over a five year period I have finally found the perfect brand/set of strings for playing in C# and drop-B tunings. I started out playing Ernie Ball sets on a 25.5 scale guitar in standard tuning but when I began experimenting with down-tuning I found the EB sets to be lacking in tone and definition the lower I tuned my guitar not to mention constantly breaking my low E string. When I switched to playing a 24 3/4 scale guitar in C# and drop-B I had to start looking for a new set of strings because the EB "not even slinky" sets I had been using just were not cutting it. I tried Dean Markley Blue Steel .13's with a wound 3rd string and found the top strings to be cumbersome and the low .56 still not heavy enough for dropping the low E to B. I went to every single music shop in town looking for a light top/extremely heavy bottom set and I finally ran across the GHS .10 – .60 set on sale, two for the price of one. Perfect! These strings last forever. If you use some GHS Fast Fret on them they keep their tone better than any other brand of string I've tried and I have yet to break a string in the year or so I've been using the GHS .10-.60 sets. The tone is fantastic and they sound great on a mahogony/maple body guitar with EMG pickups. It does take some getting used to the difference in string gauge between the low and high strings but it didn't take me long to learn to adjust my pick attack for the lighter strings on the top end. If you know how to set up your guitar for heavy gauge strings get 'em and go to town! If not I would highly recommend you take your guitar to a guitar/music shop and have it set up by a pro. Oh, for you kids out there: these strings are NOT meant for standard tuning and they will not make you sound like Zakk Wylde but they might make you a better guitarist if used as intended. I now use GHS strings on all my electric guitars.ViperDude310

touring in the 80s I used GHS boomers GBCL, I stopped playing in the 90s and somehow ended up using EB hybrid slinkys. I found an old pack of boomers in a guitar case compartment i hadnt opened since 93. Somehow they were still fresh and strung up one of my guitars from the 80s. Wow, the wound strings EAD (or C# G# C# my tuning) are definitely Louder and breakthrough more than the wound EBs… (the plain steel sounded identical). There are soooooooo many fake garbage and laughable opinions on guitar products these days on the tube that I decided to do my own experiment to confirm what I was hearing. I proceeded to purchase 26 packs of these GHS boomers GBCL (which are the wound strings from a 10s set and the plain strings from a 9s set). Using 2 identical guitars (even color), Logic X via a PreSonus FireStudio input, dunlop red acrylic 1.5mm pick and as consistent as possible pick of each strings. The only difference was that each guitar had a new set of strings, one got GHS boomers GBCL and the other ErnieBall HyBrid Slinkys. I averaged the 12 picks of each string by merging the 12 waveforms into a single track for each guitar for each string, the wound strings of the GHS boomers were clearly louder, rang longer by at least 7.2, 5.9, 4.6 seconds respectively (tuned toC#, G#, C#). the Plain Steel string waveforms were virtually Identical between the sets though. If you arent sure what this tuning is, its simply DropD half a step down (aka dropC#). Plugged into a Dual Rectifier, Laney and a Vetta, on a high gain channel you get this Extra Gain that breaks through, so needless to say ill be back to using GHS boomers GBCLs on all my guitars!!!thundercab