Restringing 12 String Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

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

These strings are known to last possibly over a year depending how often you play your guitar. They also do not rust nor squeak.mickpollack

I play my 12 string only during Christmas season for that extra jingle. We play twice a week at local rest homes. They love to hear it.AK

Elixirs make the most of your acoustic guitar. You can dig into them and make them rumble and you can play like a lullaby and just listen to them ring. They can make a crummy guitar sound good. But, they can make a wonderful guitar just sing.Hear & Now

These are outstanding strings. For many years I held off using them because of the relatively high price. I had read and heard the general narrative about how much better they felt and how much longer they lasted than conventional strings. I recently purchased a nice mahogany Taylor and it had a factory set of Elixirs on the guitar. Anyway, tired of the "grungy," tacky feel that my strings would often have after only one gig, I tried the Elixirs. I'm now an Elixir convert. They feel terrific, even after 3 or four gigs. Musician's Friend is a great place to buy these. Fast, free shipping and a really easy, no-brainer purchase now that I understand what all the fuss is about. Buy these and you'll not regret it.Billy The Kid

When you play guitar outside, your strings decay pretty quickly, unless you've got coated strings for protection. The coating on most coated strings get frayed and buzzy too quickly. A set of Elixirs will last three or four weeks of daily outdoor playing, and virtually never break. I can't imagine how long they'd last if I only played indoors!whowhatwhywhenwherehow

These are a bit pricy, but if you can afford them, I recommend them. To me, the advantages are 1) they last longer before the intonation goes sour and the treble starts to decay 2) they are quieter, meaning less string/finger squeak 3) they seem extremely uniform and predictable. No hot, dull or buzzy strings out of the box, or bad ball end wraps, which I've experienced using other brands.55music

The first reviewer confounds me. The ball kept falling off the string? What?! I have used these strings on my Martin 12 strings for over 9 years now and NOT ONCE has that ever happened. These strings are great, they last long when taken care of and cleaned after use (Fast fret) and have a midrange tone. They don't last as long as the Elixers but they are also 1/3 the price. I like the Elixers also, but to give these strings a 1 star just was crazy to me. They are great strings from a great company.Keith

When it comes to acoustic strings, nothing compares to the quality and resiliance of Martin strings. Buying them at such a great price only adds to the value of the purchase.zeppelinnerd1

I use these strings on my 12-string and have used either these or the Martin Marquis strings. I like the tone and the life of these strings.Dave

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

Used on my new Harley Benton RB-612BK electric 12 string. I have been using Ernie Ball strings since 1992. Would not consider any other strings for an electric guitar.Mr S.

These flex core strings are the best, I use them on all my guitars. The tone quality and response is awesome for fingerpicking and they're super easy on the fingers. The only issue I have with the twelve string set is that it only comes in the extra light gauge so you can't detune them very far. I use some medium gauge strings for the low e, a and d stringHayden

I like these better the regular strings. Worth the extra costs. This is my first 12 String so I am comparing these to the Six strings that I have used in the past. These sound and feel really good. Great quality!!! For the money you can't go wrong.INGRID HEAD

These were described as custom light; however, they are extra light. The thinner strings break too easily, and dont stay in tune.brmilubech

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

I just put these strings on my 12 string Yamaha fg720S. I had D'addario 80/20 10-47 on it before I changed strings. I made a video with the old strings and these strings which wasn't much of a comparison since the D'addario strings were old and the Ernie Ball were new and they sounded different but both sounded great so I can't choose between the 2. I took my guitar to church and the Ernie Ball 80/20 strings were just as bright and loud as the D'addario strings. So if you can't make up your mind between the 2 either way you win. But let's see how long these last.God's guitarist

Nice sound from these strings. Restore 60s Hoyer 12 string to playable again. Replace tuner and a bushing. Installed strings and this old dog sings again.donbefree

These are just fantastic strings. They're warm even in the lighter gauges, they break-in quickly, and stay stable and consistent for quite a long time. At this price point, I don't think their quality can be beaten. The way I see it is this: Everyone who plays acoustic has "that sound" that they're always trying to replicate. For me, these EB Earthwood Lights on my battered cheapo flattop get me about as close to there as my mediocre noodling could ever ask for. Very highly recommended.jensonj

I've been playing for 38 years. I wasn't aware of generic strings in the old days so I've used all the big names, Ernie Ball, GHS, D'addario and to me these are pretty good strings. I've been using them for 8 or 9 years now. The main thing I will say about them is that they mellow out quickly, in other words the new string brightness goes away pretty fast. For me, this is good. I do not like that jangle brightness of new strings. Other than that I can't hear or feel a difference from the major brands. I have recommended them to friends who also liked them. We were in a cover band together and had to restring many guitars fairly often because they would get sweat all over and not wiped down. So these were economical.Quinn

I bought a whole bunch of these in different sizes as it is a good way to experiment with using different sized strings. Some strings last a while but many pop almost immediately right at the ball. Once I had three in a row pop, each one the first time I struck the string with the pick. Enough of the strings work well enough to allow me to accomplish what i wanted but it is frustrating and I will be glad when they run out. But whatever at this price I don't really care.b

I ordered a huge bulk back in 2010, the 10 thru 46 guages set. They hold tune well and have good tone. After each time I practice or gig, I wipe down the strings with 3 in 1 oil and they last. Some people complain that the ball ends break off. But I only use these strings on my Floyd Rose equiped guitars, so I use the ball end wrapped through the posts of my tuning keys, then lock the clamp down. I use stainless steel picks and stacatto pick ( like Yngwie Malmsteen), bend 2 whole steps and pull up hard on the tremolo bar …..and they stay in perfect tune. I'm due for another huge order and will post another review.A.J.

See above. I play a 12/6 1982 Ibanez Studio. The 6 gets the usual EB slinky regulars. I have tried EB slinky 12's, and didn't care for them. They were stiff and too jangly of a tone for my taste. These EB light nickels for the electric 12 are perfect. And they last. It is a lot of personal preference, but I think the most important thing with elec 12 string axes is to get a gauge spectrum that works for your needs. Unfortunately, it is trial and error. Superb. Haven't popped one yet, and I am quite rough on them. 9 bucks a pair is a steal.Timothy Benz

I've been playing multiple stringed instruments for over 40 years and have tried nearly every brand of strings made but I always came back to Ernie Ball. For probably the last 15 years i've used Ernie Ball exclusively. Unless someone starts giving me free guitar strings(6 & 12), mandolin, bass & uke strings, i'll stay exclsively Ernie Ball For all my instrument strings. Even if given some other brand i'd go with EB when I had to spend my money. The string brand I trust thru years of experience. Great life, great feel, great dependability and most importantly, great sound. It's nothing but Ernie Ball strings for me.none

Okay. I do things a little differently sometimes. I have an Ovation 1778 Elite with a maple neck very similar to an electric neck. So I decided to string it like an electric. I put a set of DR 10's strings on it and replaced the wound third with a plain .018 string. Wow! This is a fun guitar to play! I'm mostly an electric guy but lately I've been playing the Ovation at home almost exclusively. There is a whole new set of lead sounds available to me and the strings sound great for flat pickin'. I'm a DR fan anyway. They are just great strings. I am really suprized at the fulness of these light strings. Try DR, you'll be glad you did.Aubieone

In over 50 years of playnig I have never found a better string than DR. I have always used the medium gauge however due to some arthritis developing in my left index finger I have switched to light gauge to see if it can help. I have never been careful about changing strings and the DR strings last a long time. I change strings once or twice a year. I play a lot and a year is too long. I would not recomment anyone wait that long as the strings, any strings, will get to sounding dull. I use acoustic strings but have a fishman pickup installed in my guitar. I have only played one gig since putting on the light gauge strings and playing thump style the bottom end seems to suffer a little so I have to come up with some adjustments like pidking harder with my thump pick. I haven,t used any other strings than DR for the past 20 years. They are definately the best.JT

turned my 150 dollar epiphone into a powerful sounding guitar. these strings really add extra drama to your strums. Not quite sure write a review for something that requires hearing to understand but for the price it won't hurt to just try them and see what i mean..ROBERT

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

These strings sound and feel great on my 12-string Strat. My only complaint is that I think the lower-octave G-string should be wound, not plain steel. My solution was simply to buy a bunch of single D'addario 18W strings to supplement these sets. Worth it for the improvement in intonation and tonal balance with the E, A and D octave pairs.captdusty

Bought a gear4 music tele' 12 string, first thing took off strings and replaced with these, the difference !!! amazing ! setting up intonation with these was brilliant, the sound is bright n clear, the playability is wow – yep , I love these stringscelticmusicman

The price was good, but the strings sound toppy real bad. I am constantly having to adjust because of buzzing. I wouldnt normally suspect the strings for the buzzing, but there was no buzzing before and I have to regularly adjust to make it stop. Which Im sure throws off my intonation and action. Not worried to much about action on this 12 string. Thinking of switching out the primary 6 to se if that fixes it.tomdarton

Having been a long-time user of Elixer acoustic strings, I was afforded the opportunity to try D'Addario XS Acoustic coated strings. After restringing my vintaged Harmony Stella baritone, best midrange tone guitar I own. Tuned her, after a little stretch time fine-tuned her. First strum my ears were amazed! The tonal range of these strings, warm, bright, full bodied, this guitar has never sounded so good, I can only imagine how incredible they will sound on the Taylor! Before I forget to mention, playability is awesome! Good job D'ddario, you've hit a grand slam!!!!!Jason

I used to use this brand in my early days of playing guitar. Then I decided at one point that the brand just wasn't cutting it anymore so I switched! With this new variety coming out, I was very excited to give it a try. I haven't had them on my guitar for long enough to see how long they last. However, the strings seem very high quality and give off an extremely vibrant, bright sound. They're very easy on the fingers and and easy to play. Like all strings, they need to be tuned regularly at first but after the first few times, they hold a tune very well. Im very pleased and wouldn't hesitate to buy these again in the future. This brand has surely come a long way with these strings!SaraR08

Great strings! Have used them for many years because they sound incredible on my 1978 Fender F-55 12-string! Thank you sooo much!!kduckyg_27

Best sounds so far. My mando now has deeper tones and more resonance. Bluegrass and folk as well as spiritual songs and hymns.billbob164

I've been on the lookout for some thicker 12-string sets (not for down-tuning, but just so the thing puts up a bit more fight), and they're getting hard to find (most companies max out at .10's). So I was glad to stumble across these, and the price point seemed right; however, while bringing them up to tension and making requisite truss-rod adjustments, two of the new strings [high A .22w and high G .10] popped, leaving me to go shopping the next day for individual strings. Ernie Ball has long been my go-to for electric strings, and I can't say this experience rules them out for me, but I was disappointed. Will definitely be trying Martin strings the next time my 12 needs changing, as they offer even thicker strings and come recommended from several friends I've talked to since. On a final note, if you haven't tried using sets where the high A is wrapped, I'd recommend you do so; the high A has always been one of the main sources of 12-string tuning frustrations in my experience (if it sounds in tune open, it sounds off when fretted & vice versa), and having it wrapped seemed to clear a lot of that up.czdolphy

Definitely the best strings at the price point lately. They have a thinner or smoother wind than Ernie Ball slinkys or Daddarrio exl and this results in less finger noise and a zingier tone IMO. I'm into clean and classic rock, and I doubt you would like these over the former two names if you were into more modern and metal sounds. It depends on the guitar for me, on my strat I could use just about any strings. My guitars with humbuckers seem more picky, at least to my ears. I prefer these over the other two as far as cheap strings go, and these are often cheaper. Win win. Used to be I would never have preferred Fender strings so either my tastes are changing or these strings have changed over the years.Joelish

Overall: Don't pay any attention to the low price these are great strings. Have used Fender 7250's on all kinds of bass guitars they always sound great and feel good. Years of use have proved quality. I put them on my Jazz bass, my PJ, and my Squire, have used them on Samick, Music man, OLP, and Epiphone basses, all good.Scott

According to a Fender rep, these are what came on the Fender PJ bass I ordered from Musician's Friend. They produce the classic Fender tone I wanted. I eventually replaced them with a set of Fender 7250L (.040, .060, .080, .100) to make it easier to play on the guitar's 9.5" fingerboard radius. I stayed with Fender because of the tone that the 7250M strings produce. The Light's have slightly less oomph on the low end, yet all the tone while the lighter gauge makes for nice melodic work on the high end of things. If you have a Fender bass and want Fender tone…Vice

I 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

I put a set on my beloved Taylor 324 and they sound and feel great. I liked them so much I decided to put them on my 12 string Taylor 254. The guitar is just three months old the Elixir strings were fresh but I changed them anyway and the sound and feel are both improved . I've tried EXP's in the past but preferred the Elixirs the XT strings are game changersMarc